Page 53 of Forced Bratva Bride

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “And I've been acting like a sulking child because you wounded my pride. You have every right to question, to investigate, to seek the truth about your family. I shouldn't have expected blind trust when I haven't earned it.”

“I think you're earning it now,” I said softly.

Gio shook his head. “I let my feelings for you cloud my judgment. I was hurt that you would use our date to gather information, but of course you would. Your brothers are your family, and I would do the same for mine. I've been salty and difficult because you were simply trying to do what you believed was right.”

His honesty disarmed me completely. Without thinking, I reached out and laced my fingers through his. When he squeezed in response, the warmth inside me for him surged into a fiery heat.

Three days. Three whole days we had fought, and just now I realized how much I missed him. I missed his touch, the way he gathered me in his arms, how he nuzzled in my neck, the way he smiled at my good jokes, and frowned at the bad ones.

And without thinking, I leaned in, closing the distance between us, my fingers tracing the sharp line of his jaw as I pressed my lips to his. For the briefest second, I felt him freeze at my boldness, but the next moment, he turned to me and gripped my waist, tugging me closer.

Seems like he missed me too.

Chapter 17 - Gio

I could taste the sea salt on her lips as her body pressed against mine on the narrow bench of the boat we sat on. She inched closer, and my fingers tangled in her blonde hair, pulling and tugging, digging like a man starved for more.

“I can't believe I wasted three whole days being mad at you,” I murmured against her mouth, my teeth grazing her lower lip.

Larissa laughed and nipped at my tongue playfully. “Why waste more time, then?” She moved to sit on my lap, and her ass pressed against my cock in a way that made me lose all my senses.

Her boldness drove me fucking wild. I needed her somewhere I could hear every gasp, every moan without the fear of my men overhearing us on the boat deck.

“Come here,” I growled, hooking my arms beneath her thighs and lifting her off the bench in one smooth motion. She weighed nothing to me, her body fitting perfectly against my chest as I carried her below deck.

“Where are we going?” she asked, her lips trailing fire along my jaw as she kept landing kiss after kiss, moving down my neck.

I groaned as I felt it right in my core, my body heating for a release.

“Somewhere you can scream my name out loud,” I answered, heading down the narrow staircase.

“Oh, I might just scream a lot more,” she whispered, biting into my neck. I growled and tugged at her neck with my own teeth, showing her I was ready to play. The private cabin was perfect with its large plush bed and, most importantly, a door that locked.

I kicked the door shut behind us and heard it auto-lock. The room was dark, but had enough moonlight for me to not bother with any lights.

Larissa's back hit the wall with a gentle thud as I pressed her against it, and my mouth found hers again, hungrier this time. Her fingers were already moving from button to button in her quest to get me naked. I helped her with the last buttons before shrugging the shirt off my shoulders.

“You’re eager, aren’t you?” I chuckled into her throat.

“Says the man who just carried me down here like his boat was on fire,” she said huskily.

“Yeah, well…” I reached for the hem of her dress and inched it up, revealing inch after tantalizing inch of her creamy skin until it was completely off.

She stood before me in nothing but lacy underwear, the soft curves of her body illuminated by the moonlight. Her body ran like a racetrack, and I felt my mouth go dry. In my forty-two years of existence, I hadn’t seen a beauty like hers.

“You're staring,” she whispered and flicked my nose playfully.

“I'm appreciating,” I corrected, running my hands from the hollow of her throat to the edge of her panties. She arched her back into me as I did. “There's a difference.”

Her breath hitched at my touch, and she moved to my belt, removing it quickly. My pants followed right after, and then I lifted her again, her lace-covered breasts pressing against my chest.

I carried her to the bed and tossed her down with playful roughness. She bounced once on the mattress, her hair spreading out like a golden fan against the sheets. The sight nearly undid me.

I crawled over her, my body caging her beneath me. “Do you know how fucking beautiful you are?” I asked, lowering my head to press my lips to the soft skin between her breasts.

She arched up, seeking more contact. “I bet you say that to every woman,” she teased.

I stopped and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into my eyes. “Never,” I growled.

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