Page 46 of Sweet Retribution

“Oh my God, Stone!”

That mouth. I want it screaming the same words again, but this time because my cock is inside her.

***

Ihip-check the refrigeratordoor as I juggle a bowl of strawberries and another of fresh whipped cream Maria made for dessert.

“Oh my God, Stone!” If I had a free hand, I’d put it over my racing heart. He doesn’t say anything, which is his norm, and I take a moment to catch my breath and study him.

Other than when working out, I’ve never seen him dressed so casual. The only scrap of clothing he has on is a pair of thin sweatpants resting low on his hips. His chest is bare and mouth-watering tempting. He has muscles in all the right places, and his waist veers in drawing my attention lower to where a thin patch of hair disappears below his sweatpants.

I see him twitch, and drop my gaze to his bare feet. He shouldn’t affect me like this, but there’s something about seeing Stone vulnerable this way that makes my heart race even faster than when he rolls up the sleeves of his dress shirts.

I glance at his forearms. Yeah, they’re still incredibly sexy as well. His looks are never the problem.

“What are you doing?” he finally says in a soft, deep tenor.

“Well,” I start and set the strawberries and cream on the counter. “For one, I’m having a midnight snack.”

I open the lids to the containers and pick up a strawberry, then slide it through the whipped cream. I bite into it, the sweetness of the berry and the softness of the cream coating my mouth. I let out a slight moan. It may have been intentional. I keep my smile inside and remind myself of my new mantra.

No, not new. I’ve been telling myself for weeks that I’m going to be me, that I’m not going to cower or be afraid to speak my mind.

“And now, I’m oggling you.” I lift a shoulder and scoop up another mound of whipped cream on my berry while not being shy about my appraisal of his body. “What areyoudoing down here?”

I lick my lips and wipe my fingers on a paper towel while I wait for his response. He moves to the right, putting the kitchen island between us. My guess is to hide his growing erection.

“I came down for a snack as well.”

I want to flirt, but I also want to be straightforward with him. “Listen, Stone, about what happened earlier. Really, about the last ten conversations we’ve had, if you can even call them that.”

“It’s late,” he says.

He doesn’t want to have this talk right now but I don’t care. We don’t have distractions of phones ringing, people walking in on us, or somewhere to be. It’s now or never.

“You’re right. It’s late for this talk. We should have had it already. We started to,Istarted to, but you keep shutting me down.”

“I’m not–”

“Youare.” I jab my finger across the island at him. “You’re going to listen. I’m tired of walking on eggshells around you. I’m tired of watching you beat yourself up for something that isn’t your fault.”

I’m crossing the line and will push him too far with this, but he needs to hear it.

“You’re not to blame for what happened to your family, and you’re not to blame for what happened to me, or what could have happened to Sebastiana. Will you just stop and take a minute to accept that?”

“If I–”

“Stop.” I cut him off again. This is my time to talk, and damn it, I’m going to get it all out. “You’ve been living too long hating yourself. Take a moment and recognize the good you’ve done. Yes, your sole mission has been revenge, but not because you’re the asshole you like to pretend you are.”

“I–”

“Nevermind. Yes, youarean asshole, but your mission for revenge is to make those who committed the most evil, heinous crime pay for their sins. You’re not destroying the lives of innocent people. Even kidnapping me wasn’t to torture me, to get back at me for being Lorenzo’s daughter. I get you needed to use me to get to him, but never once, not even when you drugged and kidnapped me, did you hurt me, Stone.”

I move around the island, keeping the corner between us. He won’t make eye contact with me which actually gives me the upper hand. I want to reach for him, to comfort him but am afraid he’ll push me away. He was so young when his family was killed. He had no one to turn to, no one to hold him and tell him it was okay.

At least I had my mother.

“You’ve never tried to intentionally hurt me, or anyone else that I’ve witnessed, unless they were truly deserving. You’re giving my mother the best care in the world and not asking for anything in return or holding that over my head to make me do whatever it is you want me to do. You even brought Sebastiana here when Antonio threatened her. There was nothing for you to gain by having her here other than more stress for protecting someone else.”

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