Page 47 of The Virgin's Dance with the Devil
“My men will take them.”
“Yes, but what will happen to them?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On what my father decides.”
She blinked hard. “Will he hurt them?”
“He doesn’t like hurting women.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s the only answer I can give you. If one of the Thomas sisters makes a move, my men will take them, and then myfather, as head of the Esposito family, will make his choice about what to do with them.”
Throughout this conversation, Rico had worked hard to keep his tone neutral and knew his tender-hearted Marisa had too, and it made his chest tighten to see her chin wobble and her eyes fill with tears.
Twining her fingers through his, she gripped tightly and pressed her forehead to his. “Please, Rico, don’t let them be hurt.”
“I don’t think my father will go that far, but I can’t speak for him and so can’t –”
“No, she interrupted, her voice urgent. “I’m askingyounot to let them be hurt. Please, Rico, keep them safe.”
Closing his eyes, he rolled onto his back and took a deep breath. He wanted to promise her that his father wouldn’t harm the Thomas sisters in any way, but it was a promise he couldn’t keep. His father would do whatever he thought necessary, and if Rico didn’t give the order, someone else would. “You know what my family are, Marisa.”
The Bali bed’s mattress moved as she sat up.
He opened his eyes and locked onto her distressed stare.
“I do know,” she whispered. “But this is different. You can’t let them be hurt. They’re innocent.”
“I know,” he agreed heavily, wishing he didn’t. “Don’t forget, nothing has even happened. They’re both safe exactly where they are. This time tomorrow, it will all be over.”
She palmed his cheek and brought her face down to his. “At least promise you’ll try and keep them safe if it comes to it. Promise me that much, please, for both our souls.Please.”
He groaned, half in frustration, half in defeat. Of all the women he could have fallen in love with, it had to be someone with such an uncompromisingly pure, moral heart and strong sense of compassion. “Okay,” he sighed.
“Youpromise?”
“I promise.”
Relief lit her face. “Thank you.”
“I promise totry.”
“I don’t imagine you’ve ever failed at anything you’ve tried to do,” she said softly before placing a gentle kiss on his mouth. “Thank you.”
He speared his fingers through her hair. “I don’t know how I can deny you anything.”
She kissed him again, deeper, needier, entwining her tongue with his. “Then don’t.”
Marisa had always thought that a man taking a woman from behind was degrading. If and when she fell in love, sex would be strictly in the missionary position. She hadn’t reckoned on falling in love with Rico Esposito and the sexual awakening it would evoke in her, or that when he invited her into his suite that evening before they had to go their separate ways for dinner, she would gladly let him bring her to orgasm and then gladly let him flip her onto her stomach.
Now, her face was buried on a pillow, her back arched, her backside in the air, and Rico had a hand clamped on a hip and the back of her shoulder, and was pounding into her from behind with long, increasingly vigorous thrusts and grunts of pleasure. When he slammed into her the long, final time, it was with a loud cry, and though she didn’t come too, the pleasure of it had been so good that she didn’t feel she’d missed out on anything. Rico obviously did, though, for when they cuddled up together, he used his fingers to bring her to another powerful orgasm. It was a long time before either of them moved or spoke.
“Do you want to shower with me?” he murmuredwhen he finally stirred.
