Page 64 of Ruthless Redemption

I don’t respond.

“She smiled when I put my arm over the back of your chair,” he continues. “She blushed when I spoke to you in Italian. Every time I glance at her, it’s as if she’s silently giving me permission to keep trying to win you back. Why do you think that is?”

Son of a bitch.

He wasn’t testingmewith his actions at dinner. He was testingher.

“Stop manipulating my daughter,” I seethe under my breath.

“I wasn’t. All I did was investigate the boundaries on what she wants for her mother, and clearly, she wants you to be happy with me.”

I glare. “Do I look happy to you?”

He takes the time to rake his gaze over my features—my nose, cheeks, chin. His attention lingers longer than necessary on my mouth before returning to my eyes. “You look like you’re still fighting your love for me, and I hate watching you struggle.”

He pushes from the railing and closes in behind me, caging me in place.

I stiffen, every part of him awakening every inch of me. I stand taller, shifting my hips away, but all he does is lean closer, pressing his crotch harder against my ass.

“Matthew.”

“Yes,la mia piccola sporcacciona?” he whispers against the back of my neck.

I swallow over the dryness decimating my throat. “What do you want from me?”

“Everything.” His lips burn my skin, sending wildfire over my shoulders. “I want the love you’ve held hostage. I want the future we deserve. I want your passion without the malice.”

I shudder, the low cadence of his words horrifically hypnotizing. “Why? We both know this is a passing phase.”

“Is that what it feels like to you?” His question is barely audible. “Is the fire in your lungs burning out? Has your attraction begun to fade?”

I dig my nails into the railing.

“Mine either,amore mio. I still want your pants around your ankles every time I see you. Your bite marks on my skin. Your claw marks over my chest.” His voice grows deeper, richer with lust. “I want to do things to you that would make a sinner blush. Then afterward, I want to hold you.Carefor you.Protectyou.”

“You’re the only thing I’ve needed protection from.” I turn in his arms, realizing the mistake of my actions as soon as those dark eyes slay me with their proximity.

He stares at me with hunger. With pure infatuation. The potency sizzles through every place our bodies connect. Into limbs. Through organs.

I swallow. “Let me go or I’ll—”

“I beg you to say something violent.” He leans his waist harder into mine, the length of his cock aligning with my mons. “Your brutality does things to me that keep me up at night. Extremelydirtythings.”

He smirks and raises his hand to glide a thumb over the cut on his neck. “This is a constant turn on,amore mio. A perpetual thrill.” He inches closer, his breath brushing my lips. “I can’t wait to have my blood back on your beautiful skin.”

“Move.”

“Like this?” He grinds his hips into me, the friction electric.

I burn. Heart to hands. Throat to thighs.

“Quit fighting this.” His tongue snakes out to deftly swipe his lower lip. Devilish. Sinful. “If your own daughter approves of me, why can’t you?”

“I. Won’t. Quit.” I enunciate the words slowly as movement enters my periphery. I glance over his shoulder, finding my daughter returning to the living room, her attention fixed on me and Matthew as she strolls toward the sofa. “Stella is watching.”

“Good.” He weaves a hand around my waist.

“Stop it.”

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