Page 83 of Alpha-Ex Wedding Ruse
“Six,” I answered.
He nodded. “You can make your selection from these. But if you have any specifics in mind, do let me know. Would you like me to walk you through each one?”
“That would be—”
“No,” Luca cut in, his voice sharp and final. “We can take it from here. Thank you.”
Mr. Frank blinked but smiled politely. “Very well. I’ll be out front if you need anything.”
Luca watched Mr. Frank walk down the hallway, and the moment the man vanished from sight, his eyes cut to me—hot, unreadable, dangerous. A storm swirled there. Not just anger. Fury. Hunger. And something else I didn’t dare name.
“We should look through the pieces…” I said, trying to sound professional, trying to act like my spine hadn’t just dissolved. “Since Elena said she trusts your judgement, you should make the final—”
I made the mistake of looking up. Our eyes locked, and I lost the ability to form words. That something I didn’t want to name… it was desire. Raw. Unfiltered. Possessive. He looked at me like he had the night he made love to me for the first time—like I was his, like I had always been.
“Luca…” His name slipped out in a whisper.
He stepped toward me, slow and controlled. “You haven’t replied to my question, Leila?” His voice was low, rough.
I took a step back. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Luca. What happened was a mis—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” His voice cut through the air—low, seething. He closed the gap with another step. “You don’t get to file it under mistake. You don’t get to pretend it didn’t happen.” I could feel the heat radiating off him. “I won’t let you. Not when I’m losing sleep over you. Losing my goddamn mind. Not when I tasted the desperation in your lips.”
I didn’t even realize I’d been backing up until my spine hit the wall. He kept coming, close now, too close, his scent wrapping around me.
“Luca—someone could walk—” I tried to speak, tried to pull the veil of professionalism over whatever this was—but I didn’t get far.
“Let them,” he said, his body caging me in. He loomed, tall and broad, a wall of tension and heat. His shoulders framed me, his presence swallowed mine whole. “Not since last night. I close my eyes and all I see is you—your lips, the way you trembled when I touched you.”
My knees wobbled. I squeezed my thighs together, fighting the ache building between them. My body refused to listen to my mind. It wanted him. My wolf wanted her Mate.
His gaze dipped lower. “This dress…” His voice was nearly a growl. His eyes traveled down, across my chest, to the subtle curve of my waist. It was a navy slip dress—simple, but criminally effective. Thin straps. Low back. I told myself I wore it because it was hot out. Because I had dinner plans. Because it was already hanging at the front of my closet.
But that was a lie.
I wore it because I knew he’d be at that meeting. Because I loved the way he looked at me Saturday night when he kissed me—and I wanted him to look at me like that again. Like he was barely in control. Like he was doing right now.
He looked like he wanted to tear the dress off with his teeth. “You wore it on purpose, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t even know you’d be at this meeting,” I said, trying to sound firm. I failed.
“Bullshit,” he said. “Bullshit, Leila.”
I looked away, but his hand came up, firm on my chin, turning my face back to his.
“Tell me you haven’t thought about it. The kiss. Me.” His thumb dragged across my bottom lip. “Tell me you haven’t imagined what more would feel like.”
“Luca…” My voice cracked. Because I had. God help me, I had.
“Tell me,” he breathed. “Because your mouth lies, but your eyes? Your body?” He leaned in, nose brushing mine. “They’re begging me to finish what we started.”
My heart thudded, frantic, unsteady. I couldn’t breathe.
“It doesn’t matter,” I forced out. “What I feel doesn’t matter. You’re getting married, Luca. Why do I always have to be the one reminding you of that?”
“Because I can’t remind myself,” he said hoarsely. “Because when I’m around you, nothing else exists. Not her. Not the wedding. Not logic. Just you and your damn betrayal.”
His hand curled around the back of my neck, grounding me. My eyes fluttered closed, just for a second—and in that second, I wished things weren’t complicated. That I was planning our own wedding instead. That the past hadn’t broken us.
