Page 107 of Savage Prince

Our tongues entwine in a scorching dance, teeth gnashing as we devour each other. Every stroke of his tongue is demanding, insistent and all-consuming. It’s everything.Dio, for a terrible moment I thought I’d lose him. And before having the chance to tell him how I really feel…

I rip my mouth from his, my chest heaving from the building fire that always rages between us. “Wait,” I murmur, his breath still mingling with my own. “I need to tell you something.”

His dark eyes sear to mine, hands gripping my face in desperation. “Anything,tesoro.”

“I should have said it before… I was just scared because?—”

“Because this raging inferno between us isn’t exactly conventional?” A smirk tips up the corners of his mouth. And I just want that mouth all over me.

I nod.

“You don’t have to say anything if you aren’t sure.”

“No, I’m sure. That’s the terrifying part.” My eyes chase to his, then hold for an endless moment. The tempest of emotions surging below the sleek surface only amplifies my resolve. “I love you, Antonio Ferrara. You are probably the worst decision I’ve ever made, but I can’t seem to regret it. You’re as perfectly imperfect as I am.”

He chuckles, the smile setting those onyx orbs ablaze in starlight. “No, you’re wrong, you are perfect in every way,amore.” His hand cups my neck, bringing my lips to his again. I’m dizzy from blood loss or maybe it’s his ravenous kiss, but I don’t dare pull away. Not when we were so close to losing each other forever.

The front door whips open, wood cracking against plaster and Antonio leaps up, gun trained at the entrance. My eyes nearly pop out of my head when I take in the familiar form darkening the doorway, and again when the other three figures appear behind him.

“Raffa?” Antonio mutters, lowering his gun.

“Who the fuck else did you expect,stronzo?” Raffaele keeps his weapon pointed at his older brother.

“Oh, my gawd, Serena!” Isabella barrels toward me with Matteo and Alessia trailing behind, and Raf finally lowers the gun. “Are you okay?” She hauls me to my feet and the entire living room spins.

“I think I will be.”

Her eyes rake over me, not the ones of a concerned family member, but those of a soon-to-be doctor. “Shit, Sere, you’re going to need stitches, and you probably have a concussion.”

“But I’m alive.” I offer a weak smile. Antonio curls his arm around me, and the collective gasp from around the room is deafening. “Largely thanks to him.” I throw my thumb in Toni’s direction.

“But you never would’ve been in danger if he hadn’t captured you in the first place,” Raf snarls.

Antonio stiffens beside me, his guilt pouring off in suffocating waves. “I’ve already apologized countless times, and I will continue to do so until I’ve proven myself.” He glances at each of my cousins. “To all of you.”

“Listen, Raf…” I throw a glare at the righteousbastardo, “this is between your brother and me and if I’ve been able to forgive him for the little abduction thing then so can you.”

“But will Dante?” Matteo throws me a wicked grin.

“I’ll handle my father.”

“Well, you better figure it out quickly because he should be landing in Rome in the next few hours.” Bella eyes me then Antonio, and her lips twist. After all the terrible things she’s heard about him from Raf, it’ll take a while for her to understand. But I’m sure she will eventually.

“Wait, how did you guys get here so quickly?” I eye my cousins, the relief in seeing them all here jumbled with the emotional overload of the past hour. I’d only just texted Bella when Santi and Federico arrived.

“We flew in with our parents last night,” Alessia replies, “to see Alessandro.”

Of course. So Bella was already on the jet when I spoke to her last. That sneaky little…

“How is he?” I blurt.

“Better,” his sister answers, “but it’s going to be a long recovery.”

The guilt I’d felt bubbling from Antonio seeps into my own gut. It’s my fault he came. I’ll never forgive myself for what I put him through.

“And we figured you could use our help.” Bella’s words interrupt my shame spiral. Then she winds her arm around Raf’s waist, leaning against her big bodyguard. “So we took the first train to Rome this morning after checking in on Ale last night.”

“Well, as you can see, we had this under control.” I motion to the heap of bodies scattered around the living room.

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