Page 82 of King of Ruin

A thrill of pleasure moves through me. His body on mine never fails to erase my thoughts, so that all I do is feel. But Roman and I have some talking to do.

“We ought to take a shower,” he murmurs his lips against the shell of my ear.

“That’s a wonderful idea. But I also think we need to talk about last night. When you said you wanted to help me realize my dreams…”

He pulls his head back, holding my face in his hands. “I did.”

“I appreciate your words so much.”

“Maddie, I’ve got all the money in the world. I can build you an amazing sanctuary. Hire staff.”

I squeeze his forearms. “Roman, that’s so wonderful. But I think…” I nip at my lip. “There are some things I need to do on my own first.”

“Your own?” I hear the worry in his voice. “Maddie, are you ending things with me?”

As if… “That’s hilarious. No. I’m not ending anything. Do women usually break up with a man while wearing his clothes?”

“No,” he chuckles, his fingers brushing down to the curve of my breast. “And it would be especially cruel with the amount of cleavage you’re displaying.”

My hand comes to his as I warm all over. “What I meant is that I need to finish my degree. While we continue to have sex. That seems completely appropriate—” His lips on mine cut me off.

When he finally lifts his head, he rumbles close to my ear. “That is a plan I can support.”

That’s good.

Because it’s time I started to learn to walk in this world. Make reasonable decisions and live my life the way most people do. And as much as I’d like to have Roman there to catch me when I fall, I do need to learn to be up on my own two feet.

Later.

Because the moment I think it, he’s picking me up in his arms.

He carries me into the shower. I’m well aware that him carting me around everywhere is the opposite of walking on my own but like I said, I’m still in love with Roman. I just don’t want him to give me a bunch of things I haven’t earned.

I want to learn to be brave and strong. Like he is…

And I’m not taking his future for mine. That’s never been my version of love.

He turns on the shower, setting me lightly on my feet, his mouth finding mine.

The kiss is so sexual but also slow, easy. The chemistry is there, but the rush is gone this morning.

His hands trail up and down my body, building a hum as our skin slides together from all the water.

Finally, Roman presses me against the shower wall, and wraps one of my legs around his hips as he eases inside me. Then, he fucks the breath out of me with deep, even thrusts, until I beg him to fuck me harder. Faster. But he never speeds it up and when I cum, somehow, it’s even better.

By the time we’re done, I’m ready for a nap. Instead, we head into the closet to dress.

I run my hand along my clothes, feeling the different fabrics.

“I’ve got more work to do,” Roman says from his side. “Mason made the public announcement for the final stages of the project, even giving a completion date to the press. The casinos have exploded with traffic.”

I turn toward him reaching for his arm and drawing closer so that I can brush a kiss on his shoulder. “Any word on the Vendetti cousin, Luke, or Kate?”

“No,” he lets out a frustrated breath. “But. The Andrianis, those are the Italians who are more reasonable, are signing a deal with Mason today. In other words, if the rest of the Italians want to make money, benefit from the tunnel, they have to turn their businesses over to the Andrianis. It should make the rest of the Italians fall in line. And it should send a message to Luke and Kate that’s it’s safe to come home. Hopefully.”

I can hear his worry about Luke. But everything else he said about the business...

It’s calculating. Strong. But also…he’s shaping events into the form he needs them. Manipulating the circumstances to his advantage.

---