Page 53 of Empire of Temptation

He released my clit with a wet sound. “You’re going to be good for me, Valentina.” A lick. “You’re going to let me lick you, fuck you, pleasure you out of your goddamn mind.” Another lick. “Say it, fiore mio.”

“Luca,” I whined.

He gave my clit a hard suck that caused my eyes to nearly roll back in my head. “Dimmi, piccolina. Tell me, baby, and I’ll let you come.”

I thrashed my head, my body strung tight. “Why do you care? There are plenty of women in this town.”

Instead of answering, he went back to sucking my clit. It felt unbelievably good.

He withdrew his finger slightly, then pushed deep inside. Over my loud moan, he said, “The words. I need to hear them.”

I was too far gone, too mindless. What had he wanted me to say?

His lips nibbled my clit, but the touch was too light to send me soaring. I blurted, “I’ll be so good for you, Luca.”

He grunted, then began eating me out with abandon. Wildly, like a man possessed—and the orgasm slammed into me like a train. I tried to stay upright as I shook against the door, my body shuddering, convulsing, my muscles turning liquid. It was more powerful than the one on his desk, with waves that went on and on, until I finally sagged. Strong arms kept me from collapsing on the floor.

Luca pulled me into his broad chest, holding me close. Hugging me.A mafia boss who hugs. Who would’ve guessed?

I clung to him like a wet noodle. Whatever cologne he wore smelled amazing. He was solid and big and I burrowed into his body, my face nestled in his throat. I should’ve been embarrassed, but I wasn’t. There was something so comforting about Luca, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

After a long minute he eased back to see my face. His dark eyes were soft as he searched my features. “Are you alright?”

He could’ve gloated, but I was relieved he didn’t. I gave him a half smile. “Yes. Thank you for that. Again.”

“Do we understand each other now?”

I didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “On this, yes.”

If I thought he would be mad at my response, I was dead wrong. He threw his head back and laughed, the strong muscles of his throat working. “Oh, piccolina. We are going to have so much fun together.”

He released me and stepped back, then reached down to adjust himself in his trousers. “Cazzo, you get me so hard. It’s very distracting.”

It seemed surreal that this older, sophisticated man wanted me. He could have nearly any woman on the planet. And while I wanted to sleep with him—god yes, please—I didn’t want him micromanaging Trattoria Rustica. “Luca, I’m serious about the restaurant. Stop interfering.”

He slipped his hands into his trouser pockets. “You work long hours and closely with other people. Then there are the strangers hanging out in the bar while you’re drinking. People looking to take advantage of you.” He shook his head. “I only wish for you to remain safe.”

When he put it that way, it almost sounded sweet. “I don’t need you paying my contractors or investigating my employees. I’ve been on my own for a long time and I’m doing just fine.”

The lines around his eyes deepened as he narrowed his gaze on me. “Were you doing fine the night I broke up a fight in your kitchen?”

Now he was pissing me off. “Yes, I was handling it. Women don’t always need a big strong man to come and rescue them.”

The side of his mouth curled in a way that sent my pulse leaping again. “Big and strong?”

“Oh, god.” I turned and grabbed the door knob. “I’m serious, Luca. Stop interfering.”

He said nothing, just let me leave. I closed the door behind me with a snap. Irritating man. Sexy, but irritating.Extremelytalented with his mouth, but irritating.

Had I really agreed to sleep with him? What was I thinking?

He was a mob boss. I should be running away from him, not agreeing to fuck him. Maybe he’d forget about me. No doubt he had a thousand illegal things to do everyday, all of which were far more important than chasing me down. I mean, the idea of Luca pining over me was ludicrous. He’d have no problem finding someone to take my place in his bed.

I should keep going and never look back. And if I felt a tiny twinge of disappointment at what might have been, I’d never tell a soul.

The entryway was quiet. Late afternoon shadows streaked across the smooth marble floor as I approached the front door. When I went out onto the stoop, a sedan pulled to a stop in the drive. It was a gorgeous dark blue Maserati with two men inside it. Because I wasn’t anxious to run into any of Luca’s “employees,” I took my fob out of my pocket, put my head down, and hurried to my mom van.

“Ho! Beautiful! Hold up!” The deep voice was thick with an Italian accent.

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