Page 64 of The Fox

“I don’t know where to begin.” I set the book on the bed beside me, angling my body so I can face Rhodes directly.

“Okay,” he nods. “What are your thoughts about last night?”

His question makes me clench my thighs, the growing ache now coiling itself deeper and settling there. “I liked it.”

“You liked it.” It isn’t a question, but rather a teasing. Rhodes’ eyes light up in the morning sun, and they remind me of the bluest of crystals. “Okay, Amelia Conte. What did you like about it?”

I smile shyly, tucking a loose strand of hair back behind my ear. “I mean I liked it all. It was, gods, I don’t even know.”

“You were mesmerizing. You do know that, right? I could barely contain myself when you came out in that sheer bra and then to watch you watching us in the mirror? Baby, that was my wildest dream come true.”

I blush, the memory of how he owned my body rushing back. “That was hot,” I whisper.

Rhodes dips his head to plant his mouth on mine, demanding and persistent as he swipes his tongue across my lips for entrance. He tastes like coffee and magic. His touch is a lighthouse guiding me home.

“And then the feel of your wet,desperatepussy strangling my cock? I could have fucked you all night with the way your body was made for mine.”

“I do wish,” I pause, unsure if saying what I want to say will ruin this somewhat soft moment. Rhodes looks at me, expectation in his eyes, and I can sense the words telling me to continue on the tip of his tongue. “I wish you would have, you know, ummm…”

Rhodes moves, draping his chest over my body, and plucks my coffee mug from my hand before rolling me on my back, straddling my hips. “You wish I would have, what?”

“Ro,” I cannot hide the squeak in my voice, “you know what I mean.”

“I want to hear you say it. Come on,kochanie. You can do it, baby. Say the words.”

I squeal, shaking my head against the pillows.

“What do you wish I would have done?”

I cover my mouth with one hand, mumbling the answer into my palm. Rhodes yanks my hand from my face, pinning both hands above my head, and I cannot hide. One of his eyebrows crooks upwards, making me roll my eyes. A dark look dances in his eyes, as if he wants to punish me for doing so.Maybe his palm wouldn’t be so bad coloring my ass. No, bad Amelia. You can’t want that yet—you only just had sex last night, you fiend.

“I wish you would have marked me as yours.” I slam my eyes shut, waiting for a reaction. I notice Rhodes’ weight shift, and then thegentlestpressure flutters on my eyelids, first the left, and then the right. It moves to the tip of my nose before moving to my jaw. I feel him by my ear, barely noticeable. Rhodes’ voice drops, lethal and full of gravel.

“Marked you? Is that what you want, pretty girl?” A dark chuckle dances on my skin. “Do you want me to fill you, Amelia?” His nose brushes the top of my ear. “Do you want to feel my cum leaking out of your cunt, my fingers swirling before shoving every last drop back into you?” His mouth nibbles along my jaw. “Because I want that, badly. Gods, I would love to see that.”

He straightens, considering me thoughtfully. “Are you on birth control? I don’t mind using condoms, but the thought of fucking youbare?Fuck me,kochanie.”

I reach for his face, my fingertips skimming his cheek. “I have an IUD, Rhodes. I’m okay if we don’t use a condom.”

“It wasn’t too much? I never want you to feel small or insignificant, Amelia.”

The fact that Rhodes cares this much about making sure I feel safe is everything I have ever dreamed of. “I love who you allow me to be.”

Those blue eyes darken and his jaw tenses as his nostrils flare. “I am taking you fast and hard later, Amelia Conte.” My heart races at the thought of Rhodes unleashed. My toes curl and I want his primal urges to take over. “But first, we need to talk about some of the less fun parts of yesterday.”

I groan, causing Rhodes to chuckle. I don’t want to revisit the shitshow yesterday was. Rhodes gets off my hips, resting against the headboard, and pats the space between his legs. I shuffle, nestling in that spot. I feel his hard abdomen against my back and Rhodes wraps me in his arms. I feel grounded and safe. Things I know I need to have the conversation that is coming.

“I don’t know what to do.” Rhodes doesn’t respond, but his grip tightens. “I was so embarrassed at that meeting. I never wanted that to be public knowledge.” I pull my lip between my teeth, leaning my head against his shoulder. “I don’t have much of a choice. If Medina and I don’t come to an agreement, if my hand is forced to kill him, it’ll mean war, Ro. The Mafia is built on such a delicate fault-line that one disruption could cause it to erupt into chaos.”

“And giving up your seat is out of the question, isn’t it?” I nod at his question, the gravity of my impending decision embedding itself into my bones. His touch is on my arm, soothing my frayed nerves. “If war were to break, where do the loyalties lie?” His question is in earnest, but if I’m honest, I don’t know the answer.

“There are no loyalties in war. It is every Family for itself. Alonzo Medina seems hell-bent on taking me out though. He damn near succeeded too.”

“I will not let anyone get close enough to kill you, Amelia.”

I scoff. “You can’t promise me that.”

“I don’t ever say something I don’t mean.” Rhodes’ chest rumbles, his voice has never been more resolute than it is now. “You have a sniper in your pocket now, baby.” I spin in his arms, facing him and I feel the furrow of my brow deepening.

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