Page 9 of Lord of Little Italy

“Still think you’ve got me right where you want me?” he murmurs, voice low and full of dark amusement.

My response is swallowed by his mouth as he kisses me harder, one hand trailing lower, fingers brushing over the waistband of my shorts. His hand slips under, finding bare skin. His fingers brush against me, and he lets out a satisfied growl, feeling exactly how ready I am for him.

“Damn, princess,” he breathes, his hand slipping further, cupping me fully, his fingers parting me slowly. “I love how ready you are for me.”

My back arches, and my head presses into the mat as his fingers move with maddening precision, stroking me right where I need him. I grip his shoulders, clinging to him, trying not to cry out, every nerve ending alight with the sensation of him touching me in this way. He lowers his mouth to my neck, his teeth grazing my skin as his fingers work me toward the edge, slow and torturous.

With a wicked grin, he slides down, pulling my shorts and thong just low enough to bare me completely to him, his gaze hungry as he drinks me in.

“Tony—” I barely manage his name before his mouth is on me, hot and demanding. His tongue moves over me, and any hope of staying quiet dissolves as a moan slips out. His hands press down on my hips, holding me in place as he devours me with an intensity that leaves me breathless, every nerve set on fire by the way his mouth moves.

The thrill of it all—his control, the risk of getting caught, his mouth drawing out every last bit of my self-control—pushes me right to the edge. His fingers grip tighter, holding me down, not letting me escape until I shatter, my whole body trembling beneath him, pleasure overtaking every sense.

When I finally come down, he pulls back slightly, lifting his head, and the satisfied, almost possessive look in his eyes sends another thrill through me.

“Better be careful what you wish for, princess,” he murmurs, his breath ghosting over my skin.

The shrill ring of his phone cuts through our heated haze. Tony pulls back, breathing hard, and I could murder whoever's calling.

Then I see his expression change as he looks at the screen, and my stomach drops.

"It's your brother."

Ice water couldn't have cooled us off faster. Tony rolls off me, putting physical distance between us as he answers. I stay on the mat, skin still tingling from his touch, watching his professional mask slide back into place.

"What’s up?" His voice is steady, controlled - like he wasn't just about to tear my clothes off. Like my legs weren't just wrapped around him.

I sit up slowly, adjusting my clothes, trying to read his expression as he listens to Dom. His jaw tightens, that muscle I love to kiss ticking with tension.

"Understood. Yes, everything's under control here." His eyes flick to me, then away. "No problems at all."

The lie tastes bitter in the air between us. When he hangs up, the look he gives me is filled with regret and something else - something that makes my heart race for entirely different reasons.

"Dom's coming home early," he says roughly, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

Well, shit.

"How early?"

"Next week."

I stand, closing the distance between us, but he steps back. "Tony..."

"We should get back to work." His walls are already up, professional distance firmly in place. Like we weren't just moments away from crossing that final line. Like he can't still see how swollen my lips are from his kisses.

"Don't you dare pull away," I warn, but he's already heading for the door.

His expression softens for just a moment, and I see the struggle in his eyes. "Your brother trusted me to protect you, not..."

"Not what? Make me happy?" I step closer, feeling him tense. "Because you do, you know. Make me happy."

He closes his eyes like my words physically pain him. When he opens them again, they're cold, distant. "I'm your brother's friend. He would feel betrayed if he knew-"

"Bullshit." I tighten my grip on his arm. "You're scared. The big bad Tony Rivera, running away because things got too real."

"I'm trying to protect you."

"From what? From you?" I laugh bitterly. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not some innocent flower that needs protecting. I run half this family's operations."

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