Page 20 of Ink

I shook my head with a soft laugh. “Are you trying to tell me that I look like crap?”

“Impossible.” He sifted my hair through his fingers before letting it drop over my shoulder. “You’re always fucking gorgeous,bella.”

“You have to be careful about throwing around compliments in Italian,” I warned, a sensual shiver racing up my spine.

His lips curved into a smirk. “Why’s that?”

I rolled my eyes and playfully swatted at his chest. “As if you don’t already know.”

“Maybe I just wanted to hear you say it,” he teased, his blue eyes filled with humor.

“Because a girl could get all kinds of ideas,” I whispered.

“And if that’s exactly what I want,dolcezza?”

“Then you should get a room,” Ace suggested, reminding me that we weren’t alone. A fact that I’d somehow managed to forget while we were surrounded by several of his club brothers.

Matteo pointed at him. “Just wait until it’s your turn.”

“His turn for what?” I asked as Matteo tugged me out of King’s office, the guys’ laughter drifting toward us.

“To find a woman of his own,” he finally answered when we reached his room.

I wasn’t sure if he meant that I was his for now, or he had something more long-term in mind, but it didn’t really matter to me right now. My world was whirling out of control, and Matteo was my much-needed anchor, keeping me from spiraling along with it.

“You want to take a nap?”

I looked up at him and shook my head. The tears I’d been holding back for too long finally spilled down my cheeks. Kicking the door shut behind us, he pulled me into his arms. Burying my face against his chest, I mumbled, “Sorry, I’m a mess.”

“A beautiful one.”

My laugh was watery as I tilted my head back. “So you’re admitting that I’m a mess?”

“You have every right to be a little fucked up right now, Annika.” He cupped my face and used his thumbs to brush my tears from my cheeks. “Gotta admit how impressed I’ve been with how you’ve held up, learning that you’re only remaining family member betrayed you.”

I sniffled. “And now here I am, crying about it.”

“Never gonna complain or judge you for showing me your emotions,dolcezza.I want you to feel comfortable being vulnerable with me.”

He brushed his lips against mine in a light kiss that might have been meant to be comforting…except it quickly spiraled out of control.

A deep groan rumbled up his chest as he tilted my head back, my lips parting when his tongue swiped against them. I was breathless when he finally lifted his head again. His eyes were a deeper blue as he searched my expression before he pressed his mouth against mine again. He deepened the kiss, and sparks flew…straight to my core.

“Fuck, been wanting to do this for so damn long.”

“So long?” I echoed with a giggle. “We only met yesterday.”

“And it felt like for-fucking-ever.”

I felt a feminine thrill at knowing I had that effect on Matteo. “Why?”

“Because I wanted you from the moment I heard you talking to Onyx. And more than a little possessive, which was why I’m the only one who’s gonna do your tattoo. I might not have ever felt like this before, but that’s not gonna stop me from acting on it.”

His confession gave me courage. “Then you shouldn’t hold back with me. Go for it.”

“You givin’ me the green light,dolcezza?” he growled, one of his hands tangling in the back of my hair as his eyes burned into mine.

“Yes.”

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