Page 41 of Kissing the Villain

I approached the gate and remembered I needed the access code to open it. Since I didn’t have my phone, I shoved my heels through the slats in the fence. One way or another, I was getting out of here before Marcello returned.

I gripped the metal bars and scaled the tall fence. When I reached the top, I mounted the brick post. A wave of nausea swept over me as I stared down at the pavement. I drew in a few deep breaths to still my pounding heart.

I hated heights.

What was I thinking?

A set of headlights flashed in my eyes, and I shielded my face with my forearm, waiting for the car to pass.

No such luck.

Marcello parked his black Maserati GranTurismo in front of the gate and popped his head out the driver’s side window. “Where do you think you’re going?”

19

ALEX

Marcello exitedthe car with an annoyed grunt and moved to the grass below me. “Jump. I’ll catch you.”

Getting up here was easy, but every time I dared to glance at the ground, my throat closed. For a moment, I was back at the ski resort in the Pocono Mountains. Aiden had talked me into separating from the group so we could check out the slopes.

He always sought danger.

We’d ventured to the black diamond slope, which was closed for the weekend. Unfortunately, we learned the reason for the closure too late. They were replacing a fence to keep skiers from falling off the mountain. If Aiden hadn’t grabbed my arm, I would have plummeted to my death.

“Stop fucking around,” Marcello said with an attitude.

“I’m afraid of heights.”

He inched toward the wall. “I’m coming up. Unless you plan to sleep up there.”

“It beats the alternative,” I shot back.

“Like sleeping next to me was so horrible,” he challenged. “You didn’t even know I was beside you. And if I hadn’t been there, you wouldn’t have slept a wink.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What are you talking about?”

“We’re not having this conversation right now.”

“Tell me.”

“You woke me up, screaming in your sleep. I held you until the tremors stopped, and then…”

“And then what?”

“When I came back from taking a shower, you were hitting yourself in your sleep. That’s when I woke you up.”

I wracked my brain for any memories of last night.

Nothing. A blank slate.

His confession only made me miss Aiden more. My brother had comforted me for years. That was partly why I never lived alone. Even in college, I had to be near him to quell the bad dreams. Knowing he was in the same house seemed to keep the darkness at bay.

I turned so my back faced him, giving him the perfect view of my bare ass. It was too late to rethink the pink thong beneath my short dress. I lunged off the wall and fell on top of Marcello. My eyes found his blue ones as his huge cock grazed my inner thigh.

Jesus.

Pressing my palm to his chest, I sat up, the sudden movement creating friction between us.

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