Page 90 of A Beautiful Crime

Boldly, I run my knuckle across her cheek. Her eyes flare as her breath hitches.

A wonderfully full of life response, but one I won’t point out to her.

“I could spend a lifetime admiring you, and even then it wouldn’t be nearly enough.”

Her beautiful lips part.

And I love her stunned expression just as much as I love her anger.

For every expression I become undone by her.

As if she’s disgusted with herself she breaks eye contact with me and her lips twist.

Denial.

My beautiful woman is in denial.

When her eyes meet mine again they’re narrowed. “I won’t fall for the charms of the Devil,” she spits.

My lips twitch. Her fighting spirit I’ll always admire but I do wish she spews this much venom to the people responsible.

I lean down, my lips brushing the shell of her ear as I speak. “But, my dear, you already are.”

She shudders, one of pleasure, but she plays it off as disgust. She takes a step away from me and I allow her.

Emerald eyes meet mine with fire. “If you think for one second I will feel anything except this burning hatred then you are delusional.”

“Why, they do say love is delusional, do they not?”

Her head rears back. “You don’t love me, Signore.” She’s baffled. After a mere second of recovering she scoffs, “You don’t even know a single thing about me except for my name.”

And that’s where Carina Fiore is delusional.

I know her better than she knows herself.

All of her desires, the secrets she’s kept buried deep inside her bones, and the life burning inside the cavity of her ribs.

If there is one thing I know for certain in this world it is her.

“Come with me today.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “And where will I be going?”

I know if I am to tell her that we will be conducting a business meeting with her brother she’ll refuse. Omitting the truth I say, “Trust me.”

She huffs out a laugh. “First you think I’ll fall for your charms and now you want me to trust you?”

I offer her my hand with full expectations of her refusing it. She stares at my hand suspiciously. As if it’s the snake itself and my touch will poison her.

Internally I all but implore her to take my hand yet on the outside I remain stoic.

As her hand slips in mine, tentatively at first, and then confident with a harsh grip, the stoic expression cracks with a victorious grin.

With my Queen in hand I turn us towards Rico whose eyes glance at our union before they meet mine.

No temptation.

No resistance.

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