Page 56 of Take Me Under

I shrugged, feigning indifference. “It was a long time ago.”

“How long?”

“I was fourteen.”

Silence stretched between us, heavy and charged.

That’s right, princess. Too old to be called a child, yet not a man. And I’ve been fending for myself ever since.

I could feel her wanting to ask more, to dig deeper. And for a moment, I wondered what it would be like to tell her everything—to lay it all bare. But the thought was fleeting, chased away by the familiar sting of shame.

“Did you have anyone else?” she tentatively asked. “After she passed?”

“No,” I said, my tone sharp enough to end the conversation. The less she knew, the better—for both of us.

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, seeing the hurt flicker across her face before she masked it. She seemed to be contemplating what I’d said. I hated the way her expression twisted something in my chest, but I pushed the feeling aside. I didn’t need or want her sympathy.

The rest of the drive passed without conversation, the air between us filled with unspoken words. I turned up the volume on the radio, allowing a song by Sakoya to fill the awkward silence. I smirked at the irony that this particular song just happened to be streaming. It was a combination of moody beats, exploring themes of surrender and desire, and the tension between control and letting go. It was exactly how I envisioned tonight playing out.

However, the closer we got to the penthouse, the more I felt Serena retreating into herself. Things were not going as planned. Her natural warmth had been replaced by a chilling uneasiness. It was a stark contrast to her usual self, and it unnerved me more than I cared to admit.

When we arrived at the penthouse, I pulled into the secure underground garage and parked in my reserved spot. I stepped out of the car and rounded to her side, opening the door for her. She slid out without meeting my eyes, her movements brisk and deliberate.

The doorman greeted us with a polite nod as we entered, hispracticed smile as fake is it always was. His name was Patrick something or another, and he’d come with the building. Zeke had run a check on him, and his background came back clean. But there was something about him that I didn’t like. I just wasn’t sure what it was.

I barely acknowledged him as we passed, and typed in the code for the private elevator that would take us to the top floor. The doors slid open with a soft chime, and we stepped inside.

The silence was almost unbearable now, the hum of the elevator doing little to drown out the weight of everything left unsaid. I glanced at Serena, standing with her arms crossed, and her gaze fixed on the polished metal doors. She was stunning, even in her quiet contemplation, but the distance between us was insurmountable. I found myself wishing I could bridge the gap, to offer her something more than the cold detachment I’d given her. But I knew better. Trust was a luxury I couldn’t afford—not when it came to my past.

The doors slid open, revealing the foyer of my penthouse. I gestured for her to step out first, but she hesitated for a fraction of a second, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of frustration and something softer.

That softness stirred something foreign inside me. I didn’t just want this woman. I needed her like the air I breathed, and all the talk in the car had taken up precious oxygen.

“Fuck the conversation from earlier, Serena. None of it matters. Only this does.”

Without another word, I slipped my arm around her waist and yanked her to me. I didn’t hesitate or ask permission before I crushed my mouth to hers. Fueled by absolute lust, I devoured her with the intent of kissing her senseless. I didn’t know what possessed me to do it.

Maybe it was her cheeks that had flushed scarlet when she’d spoken about not going to bed with a stranger.

Perhaps it was her tell—that slight bite of her lower lip.

Or perhaps it was her mystery and the answers that evaded me.

Or maybe I just needed to crush that goddamn Catholic guilt.

I only knew that I had to have this woman.

I shoved my tongue through her parted lips, my need to taste her completely unleashed. I refused her any sort of finesse and took her mouth fully—like a storm. Unbreakable. Powerful. Unrelenting.

I nipped at her lower lip before moving down her jawline to baptize her neck with hot, open-mouthed kisses. I breathed her intoxicating scent, an irresistible mix of ripe plums and jasmine. It was utterly captivating.

I gently tugged on her earlobe, drawing a soft gasp from her lips. I groaned from her sudden inhale, her response like a lightning bolt to my cock. Gathering her hair in my hand, I gave it a slight tug, urging her back until she was pressed against the elevator door frame. I pinned her there, attacking her mouth again.

She returned my kiss fervently as I held her in place. I pressed the full force of my weight against her, her body boneless in my arms.She knew what I wanted the moment I placed my cards on the table. And from the way she pushed her hips against me, I could tell she was ready to play the hand that had been delt.

She released a soft moan, and it was all I could do not to hike up her little skirt and bury my cock into her velvet heat. To be lost in her—in everything that made up this fiery Italian princess.

“Fuck, how I want you. Here. Now,” I growled. But I knew I needed to slow things down, even if only for a short time. I didn’t want to take her like this—like a feral animal against a wall. Serena deserved so much more if I wanted her to give this a chance—to give us a chance.

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