Page 302 of Hate Mates

His voice did things to me. Unspeakable things. And I felt it—the pull, the tension I couldn’t shake when I was near him.

“Only if you’re playing by my rules,” I said. “And you don’t even know the first one.”

He moved toward me, and my pulse quickened. “Thread carefully, Isabella,” he murmured, his voice almost a growl as he closed the space between us. His stare made my skin tingle.

He reached up, a finger brushing the curve of my jaw, a touch both light and firm. The movement was slow, deliberate, as though he was savoring the moment. “You’re not as in control as you think you are,” he said, his voice low, teasing.

I tilted my chin slightly, trying to maintain the smallest sliver of composure, even as my breath hitched. “And you think you are?” I replied, my voice coming out more breathless than I intended.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned in just enough that I could feel his warm breath against my lips, a mere inch away. His eyes flickered to my mouth, a look of quiet hunger passing over his features before he finally spoke again, his voice barely a whisper.

“Maybe not,” he murmured, “but I don’t need to be.”

The words hung in the air, making the distance between us unbearable and impossible. His hand lowered to my neck, fingers grazing the skin above my collarbone.

I couldn’t tell if it was his proximity or how my body seemed to react to his presence, but a flush spread over my skin. The space between us was closing, and the steady rise and fall of my chest were all I could focus on. His gaze never left mine, his presence pressing in like a weight, each second stretching longer than the last. I half-stepped back, but it felt like I was walking into a storm.

I wanted to step back, to regain control, but I couldn’t. He had me completely unbalanced, and for the first time in a long while, I didn’t know how to get my footing.

“I think,” he said softly, his lips brushing against my ear as he leaned closer, “that you know exactly what you’re doing. And I think you want to see just how far you can push it.”

I should slap some sense into myself. But let’s be real—I was already knee-deep in this. My brain was screaming, run, but my body? Oh, every inch of me was begging for more.

Before I could even think, his lips smashed into mine. No soft, coy bullshit—this was raw, primal, and desperate. His tongue didn’t ask permission. It invaded, hot and wet, fucking my mouth like it owned me. I groaned into him. His hands were everywhere. Gripping my hips, squeezing like he was trying to leave bruises.

The air around us was electric, crackling with need. My nipples were hard enough to cut glass, rubbing against the thin fabric of my shirt.

And just like that, as soon as it had happened, he pulled away.

“Oh, God,” the words were out before I could think. I could barely catch my breath.

He smirked, a small frown between his eyes. He looked almost as dazed as I felt but regained his composure in a second. “I’ll be on my way,” he said, his tone smooth, like he hadn't just shattered whatever kind of control we’d had between us. His thumb swiped across my bottom lip. “Tell Rico, I’ll see him later.”

I didn’t speak. What was there to say? He was already walking away, heading for the door with the same easy stride, like he hadn't just done the one thing that would keep my mind spinning for days and simultaneously put a target on his back.

Dominic didn’t know it, but he had just tipped the scale in a way that made everything harder. More complicated. Dangerous, even. I didn’t know whether to curse him or thank him for it.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, I let out the breath I’d been holding in, my back pressing against the wall tokeep me grounded. That kiss—it wasn’t just a kiss. It was a line in the sand. And now I had to decide what the hell to do next.

Dominic’s words echoed in my mind. I could feel him in my veins now, like his touch had imprinted on my skin. But none of that would matter once he knew my mission.

FIVE

Dominic

That happened. I kissed Carlos Deluca’s daughter. And I couldn’t give a single damn about the consequences. Hell, if Carlos wanted to put a bullet between my eyes right now, I’d welcome it. My pulse quickened at the memory of how she’d felt in my arms, how her lips had tasted like danger and temptation all at once.

I knew the game. I knew how to play it. But with Isabella? I didn’t know a damn thing anymore. It wasn’t lost on me that I was fucked. Women never distracted me, which is why Isabella made this even more dangerous.

I walked through the doors to our Manor, taking a deep breath and trying to push the images of her out of my mind. But there was no escaping it. That girl—shewas worth every risk, every consequence.

But I wouldn’t let it slip.

Before I could reach the stairs, I heard a voice.

“Ciao, Dominic!” I started at the sound of Alessandra’s voice.

“Why is my big brother so jumpy?” She laughed.

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