Page 38 of His Ruthless Claim

His other hand comes up, fingers threading through my hair with a gentleness that makes my breath catch. For once, he's not calculating or measuring the space between us. He's just... feeling.

I lean in, pressing my lips to his before I can overthink it. We both want this, both want each other, and I know he hates to talk. So I offer the only comfort I can think of.

For a heartbeat, he freezes. Then something snaps. His grip tightens in my hair as he deepens the kiss, desperate and demanding. I taste cool mint and need.

"Skye." My name falls from his lips like a prayer - or a curse. His hands roam my sides, mapping every curve like he's memorizing territory. "I can't- I don't know how to-"

"Then stop thinking." I nip his bottom lip, drawing a growl from deep in his chest. "Just feel."

A part of me wonders if he's ever let his guard down long enough to let anyone in. I assumed that he was the kind of guythat would keep women around for release and then move on. But maybe…he didn't even do that.

His eyes darken, pupils blown wide as he flips us in one fluid motion. The weight of him pins me to the mattress, solid and real. For once, that ever-present control slips, replaced by raw hunger as his mouth claims mine again.

His mouth moves down my throat, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. I arch into him, fingers tangling in his hair, but he catches my wrist and pins it above my head. That ice-blue gaze locks onto mine, a silent command that sends electricity sparking through my veins.

"Stay still." His voice is low, rough, and it’s not a request.

His free hand slides down my side, slow and deliberate, like he’s mapping every inch of me. When his fingers reach the hem of my nightgown, he doesn’t hesitate. He drags it up and over my head, tossing it aside without a second glance. And then he's ripped my underwear away, too.

His eyes roam over me, and for a moment, it feels like he’s dissecting me - calculating, measuring. But then his gaze softens, just barely, and something shifts in the air between us. Fuck, I want him.

"You’re perfect." The words are quiet, almost reverent, and they catch me off guard. Coming from him, it doesn’t sound like empty flattery - it sounds like a fact.

Before I can respond, his mouth is on me, and all coherent thought evaporates. He starts at my collarbone, working his way down with slow, deliberate kisses that leave me trembling. His hands follow, tracing every curve, every dip, like he’s memorizing me.

When his lips finally brush over my nipple, I gasp, my back arching off the bed. He doesn’t rush, doesn’t hurry - he takes his time, teasing and torturing until I’m writhing beneath him, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

"Luca," I manage to choke out, but he just hums against my skin, the vibration sending a jolt straight to my core.

His mouth moves lower, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down my abdomen. His hands grip my hips, steadying me, as he settles between my thighs. He looks up at me, those ice-blue eyes dark with something raw and unchecked, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.

"I’ve never-" He hesitates, his voice low and rough. "I’ve never wanted to do this before."

The admission shocks me, but before I can process it, his mouth is on me, and all thought dissolves into sensation. His tongue teases at first, soft and slow, until I’m gasping and gripping the sheets. Then he loses all restraint, and I’m lost in the feel of him - his lips, his tongue, his hands gripping my thighs to hold me in place. He’s relentless, driving me higher and higher until I’m trembling on the edge, my breath coming in short, desperate gasps.

"Luca," I plead, my voice breaking. "Please."

He doesn’t stop - if anything, he doubles down, his lips and tongue working in perfect rhythm until I shatter, my body convulsing as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over me. He doesn’t let up, drawing out every last tremor until I’m boneless and panting, my heart racing like I’ve just run a marathon.

When he finally pulls back, he looks up at me, his lips glistening and his eyes dark with something I can’t quite place. He doesn’t say anything, just climbs up my body and captures my lips in a searing kiss. I taste myself on his tongue, and it’s intoxicating.

My hands move to the waistband of his sleep pants, but he catches them, pressing them back into the mattress. "No," he says, his voice firm but not unkind.

I blink up at him, my mind still foggy with pleasure. "But-"

He shakes his head, his expression unreadable. "Just…come here."

Before I can argue, he shifts onto his back and pulls me close. I can see his erection straining, but he doesn't say anything as he holds me, his hand smoothing down my back and his heartbeat steady.

And for the first time since I met him, I have no idea what to think.

19

LUCA

Iscan the shipping manifests on my desk, tracking our legitimate business ventures while keeping mental notes of which containers hold our less legal merchandise. The numbers align perfectly - they always do under my management. Unlike my father's outdated methods, I've modernized our operations with precision that would make any Fortune 500 CEO envious.

A knock interrupts my concentration. Bas and Mickey enter my office, tension evident in their stances. I don't look up immediately, letting them wait. It's a power move I've perfected over years.

---