Page 158 of Hot for Hostage

Davian snorted. “Two hostage rescues and overthrowing my father? No, that’s not even close to a normal day. I’m usually in meetings, making deals, and overseeing operations.”

I quietly absorbed that. Maybe it was best not to ask what those operations involved.

Meetings and deals and operations. That wasn’t anything like what Gladys had told me about the Reed family. She’d made it sound like they took special delight in wreaking havoc and ruining innocent lives every day. One comment in particular replayed in my mind.

“So, you wouldn’t say you spend your spare time doing things, like… murdering litters of puppies, then?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant as I glanced up at him. “Right?”

Davian pulled back a few inches to stare at me. “No. Where the hell did you get that idea?”

Blood rushed to my cheeks. “Just a rumor. Forget I asked.”

Internally, I breathed a sigh of relief. If there was one thing I couldn’t turn a blind eye to in his world, it was puppy murdering.

Not that I could picture Davian ever doing that, especially after Gladys and Ryan said he donated a small fortune to the shelter.

Speaking of…

“I heard you got Happy Tails’ rent lowered and made a big donation,” I added softly, tracing a finger along his jaw.

Amusement flashed in Davian’s gaze. “That was supposed to be anonymous.”

“We don’t really do anonymous here.” I smiled. “It was very thoughtful of you.”

“My old man shouldn’t have taken advantage.” He studied my face before squinting. “Go on. I know you have more questions.”

He wasn’t wrong. My mind was overflowing with questions about his life and job and all the rumors Gladys had heard, but did those even matter anymore? I only needed to hear one thing after what we’d done last night, and I braced myself for his answer. “Just one. …You’re really not getting married to a mafia princess?”

“Hell no,” he answered, voice clipped. “I make my own decisions. I always have. There’s only one girl I’m interested in, and she only recently dipped her toes into the life of crime.”

I fought a losing battle against a smile before it faded with a sigh.

“I’ll never be good at this stuff, Dav. I gave it a shot, but I felt sick to my stomach, taking you hostage. And even threatening those teenage boys with a broom took at least ten years off my life, let alone incapacitating that grown man,” I said solemnly, as much as it hurt to admit it. “Vince was right about one thing. You deserve someone strong who can stand beside you. What if his lessons don’t work, and I’m only ever a weakness to you?”

Instead of looking concerned, Davian’s lips twitched.

“I don’t want you to be good at those things. I want you to be you, Sadie. Beautiful, kind, and so very brave.” He pressed a kiss to my face between each compliment, making me smile. “There’s nothing weak about you, sweetheart.”

His last kiss landed on my lips, and I readily parted them for more. Davian wasted no time in deepening it, and the atmosphere changed in an instant—from sweet to something more. Something stronger. Potent. Something I wanted to capture in a bottle just so I could feel it again later.

I was more than ready for him when Davian shifted between my spread thighs and undid his pants.Weakwas the last thing I felt as he sank into me. No, the guttural groan that left him made me feel almost too powerful.

My fingers dug into his back for leverage as each thrust seated him deeper inside me until I wasn’t sure where I ended and he began. Until I didn’t know if we were still two separate bodies. Everything inside me was on high alert for his touch. His heat. His kisses.Him.

Our hands roamed freely as the blanket slid away, and I arched into Davian’s touch.

He moved over me with a relentless focus, as if his solitary mission was to hit that spot inside me that made my toes curl. And he did—over and over until I couldn’t take it anymore.

Just as captivating was the way he broke our kiss and bent his head to watch me, our shallow breaths mingling. I felt exposed under Davian’s gaze—like he saw every inch of me. He watched me as if nothing else in the world existed in this moment but us. It was too much for me to hold his gaze, and my eyes strayed to the strong line of his jaw as it clenched.

His unwavering attention took me back to the patio at his compound, making me feel like a goddess again. The goddess of pet beds and gourmet dog treats being worshiped by her handsome mortal lover.

All that was missing were some grapes for him to hand-feed me.

Davian’s thrusts stayed torturously controlled, no matter how much I bucked against him or begged him to go faster. But the slow buildup was its own sweet torment, driving me just a little bit crazy, until he swallowed my cries as we tumbled over the edge together.

And the wild beating of his heart against mine was solid and reassuring in a way that had me thinking crazy thoughts.

Thoughts that would probably scare him off if spoken aloud.

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