Page 81 of Brutal King

I take a sip of my wine, but say nothing. She stands and comes to stand beside me. I ignore her and she squeezes onto my lap, forcing me to push my chair back.

Her arms wind around my neck and she nuzzles my nose. Big blue eyes peer up at me through long dark lashes. “Forgive me?”

“Why does my absolution mean so much to you?”

“It just does. Say you do.”

“You. Tried. To. Kill. Me. I have a right to be pissed off.”

“Please.” She bites her lower lip and immediately I’m ensnared because when it comes to her, I’m weak. Her hand travels along her collar and then begins to undo her buttons. “Pretty please?”

My gaze is affixed to the movement of her fingers as they work to open her blouse. Creamy skin is exposed and then her pink nipples are in my face and I forget any offense.

“I’ve created a fucking monster.” I swipe my arm across the table and send our dishes flying. She giggles as I toss her onto her back and bury my face in her neck.

Laughter fades into sighs and moans as I finally accept her apology and fuck her until I’ve vanished any traces of resentment.

I forgive her, but I won’t forget. Sofia is a child of the mafia. She was kept safe from the outside world, but they couldn’t protect her from the brutal instincts bred into her. That’s what I’ve awakened.

And it’s a fucking beautiful thing.

It’s midnight and Sofia is completely out. She fell asleep in my bed after our last fuck, and I didn’t want to wake her. If she rouses, she’ll go back to her suite, and I rather like the way she looks in my bed. I like the way she curls up, her hair fanned across her pillow, he lips parting slightly with her gentle breaths.

I especially like being able to roll over and fuck her again whenever I want.

However, tonight I ignore the stirrings in my cock and head down to my study. Vicky has just messaged me with an announcement she thought I’d find interesting.

The nuptials of Peter Deacon from Martha’s Vineyard and Louisa Duran of Boston, to be celebrated this evening at Saint Mary’s.

I was interested, indeed. Louisa is the daughter of Don Fernando Duran. He heads the criminal group called the Boston Mex. But most importantly, she was once engaged to be married to Rowan Kane. Her enemy.

My brother.

There’s a knock on my door and I glance up to see Scarlet standing there. “Can I come in?”

“You’re supposed to call before you come.”

She shrugs. “Vicky sent me the article. Figured you’d want to start with the plans.”

“I do.”

“Want to do it over a bottle of wine and a steak?”

I glance at her, brow arched. “Did you bring any?”

“Wine? Yes. Steak? I kind of hoped you’d make it.”

Of course, the real reason she came was for food. “Let’s move this to the kitchen, shall we?”

I pull out the steaks while she pours us two glasses of red. She tugs out a barstool from under the large island and sits to watch me cook. “So, what are you thinking? Do we stop the wedding before he does?”

“Why would he?”

“Come on, Gideon. Louisa is the love of his life. He’s not going to let her marry some rando. Especially now that his uncles aren’t there to interfere.”

“He’d still have Don Fernando to deal with. I highly doubt he’s going to let his daughter marry the head of the McKenzie gang.”

Scarlet arches a brow. “I don’t know. Rowan might be better at negotiations than his uncles were. Especially if you back him.”

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