Page 45 of Twins for the Mafia Heir

Of course I could relegate her to another suite in the house. So long as I instructed the staff to be aware of her movements, I wouldn’t need to worry about her getting into trouble or wandering off. But I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to treat her like a hostage here. I don’t want to keep a cold distance between us like I have over the last two weeks.

I’ve behaved abominably, and I’m ending that today.

“You were incredible, Raleigh,” I tell her plainly.

She blinks, clearly startled by this praise. “What are you talking about?”

I step closer to her, and am gratified when she doesn’t retreat. “At the Hall. I saw you from my office- you didn’t provoke those bastards, but you didn’t cower either. And you kept Sidony safe. I can’t…” My hand hovers over the bruise that’s bloomed over her cheekbone. “I will never be able to thank you for that.”

Raleigh shrugs, clearly flustered. “I’m used to-” She bites that off quickly, searching for some other way to belittle her own strength. “I only did what was smart.”

“Most people don’t,” I say. She looks down, but I tuck a finger under her chin and bring it up so she meets my eyes. “You keep surprising me, Raleigh.”

“You keep underestimating me,” she replies, but it’s not cutting. She’s just speaking the truth.

I feel my mouth quirk into a smile, but I swallow it quickly. “I have been unfair to you,” I agree. “You’re here because of me- because of Fantasia, really, but I was the one who made the choice to bring you here. Everything that’s happened is my fault at the end of the day. Being angry with you for having questions and being discontented is unreasonable in the extreme.”

“Is that really why you were upset?” Raleigh asks. Her grey eyes are searching for something else in my face, but I can’t let that wall down. For her sake as much as mine.

I can’t…

Her gaze flickers to my mouth, and something lights on fire in my chest. I cantasteher on my tongue so clearly- I’ve only been remembering it every other minute for the last two weeks. I can feel her desire pulling me down like an anchor. If I release the lock on my spine, I could give her what she wants.

What I want.

But I don’t. There’s a tentative balance we can find if I pull away now. I’ve apologized, and admitted some truths about my family to her that she’s been desperate to know. If I play this right, we can at least go from enemies to polite acquaintances. If she can trust me to protect and care for her, I can trust her to make the most of the position she’s found herself in. We don’t need to complicate this with emotions.

I let my lips brush her forehead, and that’s the most I dare to do. “Thank you again, Raleigh,” I say, and pull away.

“Wait, Achilles-”

Raleigh’s hand grips my sleeve. I turn back to her, but she freezes up, forgetting what she wanted to say or changing her mind about saying it. “I… I just wanted to tell you… Thank you. You were protecting Sidony, of course, but you saved my life too. And you brought me here with you when I’m sure Fantasia didn’t approve-”

“You’re her hostage,” I cut in, unable to hear her put herself down anymore. “But you’remywife.”

Raleigh raises her chin, her lips parting to speak. I don’t let her. Bending down, I close my mouth over hers.

When Raleigh kissed me two weeks ago, I was taken aback, and somewhat embarrassed by the thrill it gave me. I’m a thirty-five year old man with a daughter, not a fifteen year old virgin. Kissing a woman shouldn’t have been such a shock to my system.

Especially when the woman in question is one I- theoretically- have no emotional attachment to.

That thrill is back, with none of the shame. I press hungrily into her mouth, and she gives ground for me, letting me sweep my tongue over hers. She’s sweet and ferocious in turn, tastes like fire and honey, moaning breathlessly when I suck on her lower lip, then biting down hard on mine. Her hands fist in the front of my shirt, pulling me down even further. She’s so short itmust be hurting her neck to tilt it back so far, so I scoop my arms around her lower back and lift her right off her feet. She gasps against my lips, and I swallow the sound.

I meant to just give her a kiss- no, I meant not to kiss herat all. But I can already see that I’m not letting her go until I’ve been inside her and made her scream.

Raleigh wraps her legs up around my waist, but I don’t want her against the wall again. I don’t want to fuck her hard and full of spite. I want her in a bed, where I can thank her properly in a way she might finally accept.

I carry her to the mattress and climb into it with her still clinging to me. My weight settles over her, lining our bodies up just right. Raleigh’s hips roll up into mine, grinding my erection between her legs. I could sink into her right now, but there’s still layers of clothes between us. Neither of us want to break our kiss to undress though. I drag my teeth over her lip, trying to gradually pull back, but duck in to kiss her again when she whimpers for more. Her fingers immediately sink into my hair, keeping me close.

I manage to get my hand between us so I can drag it up her suede pants to her crotch and begin undoing the buttons there. Raleigh moans as I drag my thumb back and forth between her legs, before I’ve even removed any layers. How wet will she be once I’ve finally gotten her naked?

With some careful maneuvering, I drag Raleigh’s pants and underwear halfway down before I finally have to drag my lips away from hers. I can’t keep them off her skin, though. I leave a trail of kisses as I make my way down her body- on her chin, her throat, her collarbone. I shove up her shirt and bra to taste her breast, to feel the shudder of her stomach as my stubble tickles over it. Her abdomen is soft and warm, and I press a kiss there last.

Raleigh is panting like she’s running a race, anticipation making her fingers curl in the coverlet. She’s closed her eyes tight again, and I wonder if it’s to focus on physical sensations or because she’s being overwhelmed by them. I kiss her abdomen again, testing. She whines for more, so I eagerly oblige.

The first run of my tongue over her clit makes me groan and Raleigh shriek. She’s so wet that I’m lapping her up, and when I thrust my tongue into her pussy and suck, her taste fills my mouth. Raleigh’s fingers fist my hair, tugging and pushing me deeper between her legs in turn. Her back arches, her body coiling like a spring. She’s so responsive- already I’ve driven her to the edge.

When she cums on my tongue with another shriek, I feast like the starving man I am.

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