Page 53 of The Deal

She glances over her shoulder at my men. “It wouldn’t kill them to stay outside,” she says, making me chuckle. “It’s not like it’s a cold night or anything.”

I grab the handle and yank the door open. After quickly stepping out of the car, I extend my hand to her. “I love the way you think,amore mio.”

I think I love you.

The thought hits me like a jolt, and a cold shiver runs down my spine.

No!

I’m not in love with her.

I’m in lust … there’s a big difference.

Chapter 19

Chloe

It’s strange how one incredible day can shift your perspective on everything. I’m not naive enough to believe my situation has changed—I’m still, in every sense of the word, Alexander’s prisoner—but right now, the burning hate I’ve carried deep inside me since he brought me here is missing. It’s been replaced with desire … with want.

My call with my father earlier helped me see him in a different light. Our time on the video chat was brief but it sparked something in me: a renewed hope that things may not be as dire as I first thought. Maybe this is a blessing, and someday, my dad and I can find our way back to the happiness we lost all those years ago.

#Cakegate aside, I had a fantastic night. It’s the first time I’ve actually felt like a normal twenty-seven-year-old. Like a woman who wasn’t weighed down by her circumstances and could actually enjoy herself for once.

I have a feeling my night is about to get a lot better.

Ever since I saw the way Alexander looked at me when I descended the stairs earlier today, something inside me shifted. Without a single word spoken, I felt beautiful anddesirable. No one has ever made me feel that way with just a look.

I felt his eyes on me all night, searing into my skin and sending jolts of electricity through every inch of me. Every time our gazes locked, his hunger was unmistakable. It was such an aphrodisiac—thrilling.

I’ve been so busy fighting him and denying this damn attraction, that I failed to realise everything about this man is intoxicating. There’s an undeniable aura of awe around him, something that pulls me in deeper with every glance.

I don’t typically go back for seconds when it comes to sexual partners, preferring to make a clean break. I’ve never had the time or energy for a relationship, so it was easier to take what I needed and leave. So this is a first for me.

Tonight’s bonus is that I already know what this man has to offer. There’s no need to cross my fingers and hope for the best like I’ve done many times in the past. Alexander Mancini doesn’t just talk the talk; he walks the walk.

His long fingers are currently laced through mine as he leads me up the stairs towards the front door. His grip is firm and steady as if he knows exactly what he’s doing, and it sends a strange, unsettling warmth rushing through me. I shouldn’t like holding this man’s hand as much as I do. This is the kind of intimacy I usually avoid.

Our connection is palpable, but I still find myself torn between my usual desire for emotional distance and the ease I feel in his touch.

I watch as he punches in the code and opens the door. It’s a four-digit number I’m not privy to, but I’m okay with that. I’ve been trying to get out of this place since I arrived, not in.

As we step over the threshold, he kicks the door closed with his foot, and something shifts in him. The calm,controlled energy he’s held onto since the moment we met—always measured, always careful—begins to unravel. The walls he’s built around himself seem to crumble, piece by piece.

His eyes darken like they did when he first laid eyes on me earlier. The man I’ve known up until now is gone. He’s replaced by someone far more unrestrained and unapologetically present, which only seems to lure me closer to his web.

He pushes me up against the back of the door, and moisture floods my underwear. The way he dominates me is such a turn-on. I wore lace tonight just for him, although I had no clue when I was getting ready that this was where we’d end up. Maybe on a subconscious level, I was hoping it would, but I’d never admit that out loud.

His fingers slide into my hair, cupping my face and angling my head exactly where he wants it. His mouth descends on mine with raw, unabandoned hunger, and I don’t hesitate or even think of pulling away.

This kiss pulls me in deeper than I ever anticipated, yet I can’t bring myself to stop it. It’s overwhelming in a way I’ve never allowed myself to experience before. It stirs emotions I’ve always kept at arm’s length—emotions that once felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford.

I want this man like I’ve never wanted anyone before, and I don’t care about the consequences. For once, I’m choosing to be selfish. I’m allowing myself to surrender fully, handing myself over to him, body and soul, without holding anything back.

Tonight, I’m going to live in the moment—I’ll worry about the fallout in the morning.

My hands fist in his dress shirt, tugging him forward. I can’t seem to get close enough. He devours my mouth withso much passion that I feel it right down to my toes, which are now curling in my shoes.

When he finally breaks the kiss, we’re both breathless. He presses his forehead to mine, his voice low and rich, as his knuckle trails softly down the side of my face.

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