Page 100 of Vicious Games

A smile curves at the corner of my mouth as I slide my hands up her sides, my heart pounding in my chest like a goddamn drum. With my eyes locked on hers, I slowly undo each button keeping her cardigan in place, her breathing going shallow with every flick of my fingers.

I’m not in a rush to get her naked. I know Frankie. She needs time to process things, and just because I’m dying on the inside doesn’t mean I get to scare her. Like this, she’s got plenty of time to change her mind and stop me if she wants.

As I reach the last button, she lets out a shaky breath, her light-azure eyes darkening into an intense sky-blue as if warning me of an impending storm.

Good. Let it come. I’m not scared. Fuck, I’ve been ready for this for longer than I’m willing to admit.

I pull the cardigan off her shoulders, using it as an excuse to kiss the slope of her neck, craving a little taste just to keep my sanity intact. But when I reach for the buttons of her white school blouse, she shakes her head to stop me, my heart plummeting straight down to the pit of my stomach.

“I’ll do the rest,” she says, stunning me into silence.

I swallow hard as she straightens her spine and starts unbuttoning her blouse herself, far quicker and more determined than I thought she’d be. And when she slips the fabric off her shoulders and lets it fall to the floor, I shit you not, I forget how to breathe because sitting in front of me isn’t just perfection—it’s fucking majestic.

“Lucky,” she swallows, her voice trembling. “Say something.”

“You’re gonna have to give me a minute, baby,” I rasp out. “I’m having a hard time finding my words right now.” Her eyelids drop to half-mast, her teeth worrying the corner of her lip, when she sees me physically shove my hands underneath my thighs just to stop myself from touching her. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” I curse under my breath, drinking in every inch of her creamy skin, her soft curves, the way her ample breasts look ready to spill out of their white lace confinement. “You’re exquisite.”

Usually, my Frankie would have started shit right about now, throwing some insult or a sarcastic jab my way, but not today. Not now. Today, not only did she hear the truth in my voice, but she’s also seeing it plastered all over my face.

“Do you want to touch me?” she asks, her voice breathy, just as anxious as I am.

“Hmm,” I nod, my jaw so tight it feels like it might snap.

“Then why aren’t you?” she teases, raising an eyebrow.

“Because…” I grit out in pain. “You’re not done yet.”

“I’m not, huh?” she taunts, biting her bottom lip. “Then why don’t you do the honors for me?”

Fuck me. What did I tell you? This girl is perfect for me.

“Don’t mind if I do,” I grin, pulling my hands free and sliding them up the sides of her body, hungry to touch all that warm, soft skin.

“You’re acting like a kid ready to open their Christmas present,” she giggles when I take too long to take off her bra.

See, Marcello?I think smugly.I can make my girl giggle, too, jerkface.

Not wanting to think about my brother, especially under these circumstances, I grab Frankie’s chin and pull her gaze back to mine.

“If you were wrapped like this under my Christmas tree, I’d play with you all fucking year long,” I growl.

“Kind of feels like you already are,” she says, a smidge of insecurity slipping back into her voice.

“Frankie, look at me,” I order, my tone hardening. “This isn’t a game to me. I want you. You know I do. You can feel how much I’ve wanted you since we started this little experiment.” I lift my hips, grinding my rock-hard cock against her ass just to drive the point home. “No one’s playing with anyone here,” I promise, my voice low and serious. “I thought I’d proved that to you by now.”

She bows her head, her fingers trailing absentmindedly up and down my shirt, trying to find her words. “Then why were you acting like an asshole back at school?” she finally asks.

“Because Iaman asshole. You already knew that about me,” I try to deflect with a weak smile.

“I’m serious, Lucky,” she says, her voice suddenly stern. “What the hell was that? And before you think of giving me a bullshit reply, the bra stays on until you tell me the truth.”

Damn it.

I lean back on the couch, dragging my hand over my mouth. “You want the truth?” I mutter. “Fine. Here it is. All I could think about for most of the day was when I’d get to see you again. And when I finally do, you and my brother start making googly eyes at each other.” I let out a humorless laugh, mortified as the words spill out of me, raw and messy. “I got jealous. Really fucking jealous. There. That’s your truth. Happy now?”

I close my eyes and drop my fist to my temple, absolutely fucking humiliated that I just admitted that shit out loud.

“Lucky,” she whispers, pulling my hand down and placing it on her hip, the warm skin under my fingertips making me grab onto her. Unable to help myself, my fingers sink into her softness like a drowning man finding land. “I wasn’t making googly eyes at your brother,” she says patiently, picking up my other hand and placing it right above where her heart is thumping a mile a minute. “I’m not sure you realize it, but your brother can be a little intimidating. Today, he showed me kindness. And all I did was give some back.”

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