Page 72 of A Seed Of Peril

“They’re safe?”

“Sonny reports back to me every hour.” His mouth found mine. “My men are watching them.” He kissed me, taking his time, spreading his palm over the side of my face. “We can’t live in fear.” He kissed me again, long and passionate.

“Isanyonehere?” I wondered, tearing myself from a mouth so sweet.

“Scioli, the guards, and my crew downstairs.”

Surveillance—they never left, only rotated shifts.

“Can you do that more often? Kick everyone out?”

Dominic positioned one hand on my back and his other on my belly, startling me when he dipped me. He assured he’d never drop me after I grabbed his arm instinctively, holding on tight. Leaning down closer, his breath tickled my face. His sensual blue eyes gazed into mine.

“Just say the word.”

I softly moaned at the feel of Dominic’s lips against my neck. I let my head fall back, slightly turning it to welcome him licking and suckling my skin.

“You make me so happy,” I moaned.

In what I liked to call Dominic’s love bites, he gently grazed my throat with his teeth, gently taking my skin between his teeth. The pressure wasn’t enough to hurt me—only enough to send a wave of tingly pleasure all the way down to my toes. He pulled back and stared into my eyes, his gaze unwavering as he slowly guided me upright, sliding his hand up to the back of my head. His stare had me in a chokehold, his eyes burning with a need and desire I was all too familiar with, but there was something else. A certain focus. Maybe even a hint of the butterflies.

He touched the side of my face, pushing his thumb against the corner of my lips before dragging it down my bottom one, very briefly touching his forehead to mine before teasing my mouth, grazing my lip between his teeth, then slowly letting it go. Startling me again, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed his mouth to mine for a powerful, possessive kiss. My hands latched onto his arms before I slid them up to his shoulders for better balance.

I didn’t know what came over him at that moment, but wow! Panting, I pressed my palms to his chest.

“Are you okay? You seem a bit on edge.”

“Always observant.” He winked, a hint of a shaky smile on the corner of his lips.

I pressed my palm to his face, his clammy skin confirming my suspicion. “I have to be,” I winked, too, “especially when a brave, brutal man such as yourself looks like one of those boys in high school trying to get the courage to ask out his crush.” I took a step back, my brows furrowing. “What’s going on with you?”

Was I getting bad news? Was he buttering me up before a big disappointment? Were the roses and his best, breathtaking suit just to soften the blow?

He, too, stepped backward, blowing out a breath, staring at me for a beat. Fiddling with his cufflinks, clearly distressed about something, he told me to turn around or close my eyes. Just not to look at him. Eyeing him suspiciously, I cocked my brow, closing my eyes shortly after.

“Is it anyone in the family?”

“Huh?” he questioned, puzzled.

“The bad news you’re about to throw at me—no one’s hurt, are they?”

Although his lighthearted chuckle brought me a sense of ease and calm, I was still royally confused.

“No, no,” Dominic assured. “Nothing like that, I promise. Just don’t look until I tell you to.”

He walked up to me, taking another deeper, steadier breath. His cool hands took hold of mine. His scent… I could smell the adrenaline rush. I could almost feel his racing heart.What the fuck was going on?

“I have something I want to say.”

He made a noise of disapproval when I opened my eyes and then touched my eyelids after I closed them, like he was holding them closed.

“No.” That word was soft-spoken. Controlled. Meek. After two beats, he created a thin distance between us, saying, “Voglio passare la mia vita con te, Lilith Marie Wardman.La domanda è: vuoi passare il resto dei tuoi soldi con i miei?”

Whenever Dominic spoke in Italian, it did something to me. Something that made me want to remove his clothes and make sweet love all night long.

“My love is all I got out of that.”

Dominic laughed for a moment before composing himself.

---