Page 76 of Sweet Retribution

“Yes, I care.” I poke at his chest again. “You can’t do the things you did to me and not expect me to care. And I’m not talking about the sex.”

“The sex is phenomenal.”

“Are you kidding me right now? You’re making jokes? I understand now why you don’t talk much. Why don’t you go back to the silent shit?”

“You do things to me as well.”

“Glad you liked the blow jobs.” I ram my shoulder into him and make it two steps before his hand wraps around my arm, yanking me back.

He pulls me so my back is firm against his chest and traps me with an arm around my waist. Dipping his head, he whispers in my ear. “You make mefeel, Gia. You make me want to be a better man. You make me smile. And fuck, you even make me laugh.”

Goosebumps cover my flesh, and it’s not from the cold. I must be hallucinating, and I brace myself for another panic attack. I don’t have the sensation going through my body, but there’s no other explanation for the words I think I’m hearing.

“I want to make this work. Us.”

I’m glad he can’t see my face, see the tears streaming down my cheeks. “Then why the divorce?”

Stone spins me around so we’re chest to chest. “Because I don’t want you to be with me to fulfill a contract. I want you to—” He squeezes his eyes shut and keeps them closed. “I don’t know what’s happening, Gia. This is different. Unexpected. Unwanted, at first. I’ve been trying to come to terms with what it is.”

My heart races, and the tears that flow are no longer from sadness. My heart is full. I’m too afraid to believe what I’m hearing. The heart has a way of tricking you, so I stay quiet.

“I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing or how the fuck to do this. See? I can’t even say something nice without fucking it up with fucks.”

I curl my lips in to suppress my giggle. I rest my hands on his chest and take comfort in his rapid heartbeat. He’s nervous. The vein in his forehead shows right before he clenches his teeth. Stone Parlatore, a dangerous man infamous for his stoic countenance, a man no one can read because he hides all his thoughts and emotions behind a mask of indifference, is stumbling over his words.

“You’re laughing at me,” he says, opening his eyes.

“I am.” I snake my hands behind his neck.

“Why?”

“Because you’re perfectly imperfect. Now spit out what you’re trying to say.”

“You’re fucking beautiful. Your strength. Your stubbornness. The way you care for your mom and everyone around you. The way you forgive me for being an absolute asshole ninety-nine percent of the time. I honestly don’t know if it’s because you’re so fucking beautiful and you make my cock hard just thinking about being with you, or if it’s because I have a need to keep you safe and protected, but I think it’s... love. Or the closest I’ll ever get to it.”

“The closest you’ll ever get to it. Meaning you’ll take what you can get?”

“God, no.” He dips his head and rests his forehead against mine. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I have nothing to compare it to, but if I had to describe what I thought love is, this is it. I don’t want to live if you’re not in my life.”

“Stone.” I lift my chin and press my lips against his. “I love you too.”

***

Gia wraps her legsaround my waist, and I take that as a green light to devour her. I seal her mouth with a kiss and thread my fingers through her hair, tugging her closer. I breathe her air and she breathes mine. This is where I want to be.

With Gia.

Forever.

She readjusts herself in my arms and brings her hands to my ass, pulling me in so my cock grinds into her stomach. I owe her so much more before I strip her bare and make love to her.

Make love.It doesn’t freak me the hell out as it would have a month ago. Shit, two weeks ago. I want to do everything with her.

Ravish her.

Fuck her.

Make love to her.

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