Page 41 of Knot Made to Break: Part Two

“What happened?” I asked, captivated by these pieces of him I’d never seen before.

“He made me take care of Gio instead. Said if I couldn’t prevent an injury, I’d better know how to tend one.” Dimitrihuffed a laugh. “I learned to splint bones before I learned algebra.”

As we continued over the city, Dimitri pointed out more landmarks, each with a story—the restaurant where they celebrated Tommy’s sixteenth birthday, the street corner where Marco got into his first fight, the harbor where their father taught them to swim by tossing them into the deep water.

Deep down, I knew Emilio cared for his children, but his parenting style seemed harsh to me. He operated with a sink or swim mentality, pushing his children to be independent beyond their years, teaching them responsibility before they could even say the word.

Don’t get me wrong, it was better than anything I’d grown up with, but it was clear the hard, dangerous parts of Emilio’s job had bled over into his family life. But instead of making ‘made men,’ he’d been raising his kids.

It made me want to love them deeper and show them a different kind of life.

Dimitri kept giving me a tour of his city from above, telling me more about the streets that raised him and his brothers. I soaked up everything I could about his youth. I wanted to understand what had shaped and molded him into who he was today.

Up here, with the world small beneath us and the sky vast above, there were no walls or boundaries. He shared freely, and with each story, I felt myself falling deeper for this complex, dangerous man.

“Thank you for this,” I murmured, leaning my head against his shoulder as we flew beyond the city. “I needed it more than I realized.”

His arm came around me, pulling me closer. “I want to give you everything, Kitten. Not just helicopters and penthouses, but experiences. A life without fear.” He paused, somethingvulnerable flickering in his gaze. “I want to take you traveling. Show you places you’ve never seen. Paris, Rome, Tokyo...”

My heart squeezed at his earnestness. “I’d like that. I’d like to experience everything with you.”

“We should do as much traveling as we can before we have kids of our own,” he continued, tone dropping lower, more intimate, “though I think a lot of practice is in order while we show you the world.”

I giggled, then sobered, biting my lip as I considered voicing a fear I’d never shared with anyone else. “I don’t know if I’d be a good mother,” I admitted, my voice barely audible over the helicopter’s hum. “I barely had one. What if I don’t know what to do?”

Dimitri’s fingers gently tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever known, Kit. After everything you’ve endured, you still care so deeply. You’ll be an amazing mother.” His thumb brushed over my bottom lip. “But only if and when you’re ready. We have time.”

Tears pricked at my eyes, and I blinked them back. “I love you, Dimitri.”

“Fuck, Kitten. I love you, too.” The vulnerability in his expression struck me deeply. This powerful Alpha, laying himself bare. It was a gift greater than any helicopter ride or fancy date could ever be.

“With me—withus—you’ll have everything,” he promised.

I reacted instinctively, bridging the space between us, stealing a kiss. His mouth was warm and firm against mine, his short beard scratching lightly against my skin. Sandalwood and honey notes surrounded me—earthy and woodsy, with a hint of sweetness. His signature was manly, rich, and familiar, and all I could think about was rubbing against him, marking myself with it so I could smell him on my clothes. On my skin.

His warm palm landed on my thigh, and the touch sent a jolt of electricity through me. I gasped, pulling back just enough to see into his dark eyes. Slowly, he reached up and tugged off our headsets, setting them aside.

The air shifted, charged with primal, hungry energy. The corner of his mouth lifted in that subtle, sinful smile that made me squeeze my thighs together.

“D?” I breathed, suddenly aware that we weren’t fully alone. The cockpit was separated from the cabin of the luxury helicopter, but wasn’t the guy wearing a headset? Could he hear us?

Dimitri leaned closer, lips brushing the shell of my ear. “The headsets are on different channels and the noise of the rotors will drown out the rest. Hayes can’t hear us unless we use the intercom.”

His hand slid higher on my thigh, the heat of his palm burning through the thin material of my skirt. A rush of slick dampened my panties, filling the cabin with my perfume. Nostrils flaring, he hummed his approval, then changed course, journeying beneath the cotton to find bare skin.

The lightest brush of his fingertips ghosted along my hip, flirting with the edge of my underwear like he had all the time in the world. My breath hitched, anticipation crackling through me like static. Teasing me, toying with me, his fingers skimmed just beneath the fabric—light enough to make me squirm, deliberate enough to make me ache.

I should have protested. We were in a helicopter, for God’s sake, with a stranger on the other side of the partition. We had as much privacy as we would in a motel with thin walls that let the sound through. Except this wasn’t a motel. It was a luxury helicopter, complete with plush leather seats, wood paneling, custom lighting—the works.

We weretechnically‘in public,’ which only added to the danger.

Then again, who was going to tell on us? The birds?

I nearly snorted, but the molten blaze in Dimitri’s eyes as he unbuckled and dropped to his knees before me had the mirthful sound dying in my throat. He undid my harness, grabbed my hips, and tugged me toward the edge of the seat. With slow, sure movements, he dragged my panties off, shoved them in his pocket, and ran his hands up my bare legs, bunching my skirt to my waist.

My breathing grew heavier, and my pussy clenched around nothing.

He traced lazy patterns over my lower lips, purposely grazing over my clit now and then to keep me on edge as he built my anticipation. I bit my lip to stifle a gasp, my hands gripping the armrests when he finally dipped inside my slit to explore, using my slickness to circle my entrance.

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