Page 20 of His

“Do you have any questions?” I asked, trying to ease the tension.

She looked at me, her eyes searching mine. “What exactly are you, Massimo?”

I paused, considering how much to reveal. “I’m a powerful man, Sofia. I have a lot of influence.”

She raised an eyebrow. “In what?”

I smiled slightly, evading the direct answer. “In many areas. Business, politics… you name it.”

She nodded, absorbing my words. I could see she wanted to ask more, but she held back. Instead, she looked around the room, taking it all in.

“You’ll be safe here,” I reassured her. “And I’ll be here to make sure of it.”

She met my gaze, her face a bit taken aback. “Thank you, I guess.”

I nodded, feeling a strange mix of relief and something else—something I couldn’t quite define. “You’re welcome, Sofia. Now, why don’t you get some rest? We can talk more tomorrow.”

She agreed, and I called a servant to show her to her room. As she followed them, I watched her go, still telling myself that I was just doing what I had to do. But deep down, I knew I had to be more careful. I couldn’t let my guard down, not even for a moment. I couldn’t let what happened between us happen again, because next time I wasn’t certain I could stop myself from taking her innocence and making her mine.

No. There wouldn’t be a next time…

I shook my head and leaned back against the sofa with a sigh. Needing to clear my head, I stood up and headed up the marble staircase toward the master bedroom. I hardly saw the massive king bed as I strode right past it into the master bathroom.

The bathroom had gleaming marble floors, a double vanity with platinum fixtures, and a vast, frameless shower that could easily fit a small party. I turned on the water, watching the rain showerhead spring to life. The cascading water was warm, almost hot, and steam quickly filled the room, wrapping me in a thick, humid veil in minutes.

I stepped into the shower, the warm water beating down on my shoulders and back, easing some of the tension from my muscles. There were multiple jets that could be adjusted to hit every part of my body, and I allowed myself to be enveloped by the luxury of it all. The walls were lined with intricate mosaic tiles, and a built-in bench offered a place to sit andrelax. Everything about this space was designed for comfort and indulgence, but tonight it offered little solace.

I closed my eyes, leaning against the cool marble wall as the water cascaded over me. I tried to let the warmth wash away my worries, to clear my mind of the day’s events. But it wasn’t working. The images of Sofia—her defiant eyes and vulnerable pout, her bright red ass, the feel of her wetness against the pads of my fingers, her tight little asshole clenching around my fingertip—kept resurfacing.

Damn it, Massimo, get a grip.

My thoughts were a storm of conflicting emotions. Protecting her was my top priority, yet the way her body had responded to my touch, the way she looked at me with a mix of fear and something more… it was maddening. I could still feel the curve of her waist under my hands, the softness of her skin, could still hear the breathiness of her moans.

My cock throbbed, hardening at the thought.

I tried to focus on the task at hand, on the dangers lurking outside these walls, but her image intruded, refusing to be banished.

Fucking hell, she was my best friend’s daughter, for Christ’s sake.

The water continued to pour over me, the steam rising up all around me in billowing clouds. I reached for the body wash in the niche, scented with sandalwood and citrus. I lathered up, scrubbing my skin, trying to wash away the unwanted thoughts, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling of her soft body against mine, her breath hitching as she struggled with her own aroused confusion.

I needed to be more careful. Sofia was too important, and this situation was too precarious. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t afford to let my feelings cloud my judgment. I had to stay focused, to remember why I brought her here in the first place. I had to find the person moving against me and I needed to do it now.

If I didn’t find a way to control my feelings, to keep my desires in check, I feared I might lose more than just my focus. I might just lose my best friend. And that was a risk I couldn’t afford to take.

But goddammit, it was difficult.

I took a deep breath, trying to ignore my throbbing cock, but as hard as I tried, it soon proved to be impossible. I couldn’t concentrate, not like this.

I needed to do something about it. My thoughts went straight back to Sofia, the memory of her moans and the feel of her pussy in my hand. The way she looked at me, the way she responded to my touch, it was all so damn intoxicating, so damn arousing.

Too much.

I wanted more, but I couldn’t have it, and I wasn’t a man who was used to not getting what he wanted. I hadn’t had to deal with that feeling in a very, very long time.

My hand dropped to my cock, grazing against the velvety surface.

Fuck.

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