Page 43 of Lies like Rubies, Part One

Dante smiled with satisfaction, and his eyes lit up with cruel excitement. “There you go, kitten. Show me how filthy you really are.”

I drew back as if slapped, but he grabbed my wrist before I could scoot away and catch my breath.

“Sergio Accardi burned down four clubs last night—four legal clubs. Two of my employees died, and another dozen were seriously injured and in the hospital.”

My eyes shot to his, appalled. “I’m so sorry,” I gasped, my hand fluttering to my heart.

Dante’s eyes were almost black, his pupils wide as he stroked the inside of my wrist. “Don’t be. His inability to accept a ‘no’ from a woman has long been a thorn in my side.”

“Not big enough a thorn to prevent you from doing business with him,” I scoffed. “How did he steal a million euro from you?”

His long fingers traced the vein of my left wrist. The warmth of his touch wormed through my skin and twisted inside my chest.

“Little by little, he skimmed it off the top of payments to vendors, laundering it and sending it to his daughter and girlfriend.”

I laughed softly as his grip tightened, pulling me closer. “I’m not his girlfriend. If you want that money, I’ll sign it over to you tomorrow.”

Dante’s teeth flashed white as he smiled. “No, you’re more tempting as bait with that money attached. Without it, you’re—”

He cut himself off before he could utter the cruelty I knew he was thinking.

“Damaged goods? Unmarriageable? Just another slut who couldn’t keep her legs shut?” I tilted my lips into a smile, forcing light into my eyes despite the hurt in my chest. “No need to hold back, Dante. I’ve heard it all before.”

I couldn’t read the expression in his eyes as he tilted his head and examined me. He turned my wrist over and brought my fingers to his lips, holding them against his mouth for a beat longer than proper. When he sucked my index finger into his mouth with a hard pull, I felt it down to my clit. Consternation rushed through me for my aching desire and my inability to separate how good it felt to hand over control to someone else for a moment from the humiliation he heaped on me when I did.

Dante wouldn’t allow me to tug my fingers away as he kissed the tip of each one, each press of his lips hot against my skin. “Without the money, you’re not effective bait,” he finished with a slight smile that revealed nothing about his mood or his thoughts. “Remember what you agreed to.”

Anything. Anything he wants.I cursed my stupidity, always giving away the goddamned milk for free instead of making men buy the damn cow.Lizzie’s worth it,I reminded myself.

“I’m ready to go,” I said, searching for the inner calm and composure I’d cultivated over the past four years, pretending to be unaffected by his touch.

“So eager to strip and sit in your cage?” he asked. “Or are you simply eager to escape the public eye?”

I didn’t answer.

Dante paid for our dinner, then offered me his elbow as we left the restaurant. Eyes followed us with avid interest, and I wondered how much they’d seen of our sexually charged meal. The news would get back to my family tonight that I’d had dinner with Dante Oscuro, and there’d be hell to pay.

And he knew it, thebastard.

18

DANTE

Sofia’s embarrassmentwas so fucking beautiful. Too bad I didn’t have time to fuck her properly. Not tonight. She stood in front of the SUV, and I returned her phone.

“When you make yourself come tonight, think of me, my needy little fucktoy.”

When her eyes widened, and her lips parted, I gave into temptation and slammed my mouth down onto hers, shoving her against the vehicle. She whimpered, protesting or acquiescing, I wasn’t sure. When she reached up her hands to clutch them in my shirt, unexpected relief rushed through me. A frission of worry for my endless preoccupation with this woman followed, only to be swept away by the erotic friction of her lips sliding against mine.

Our tongues battled as we clung to one another. I wrapped one hand around her hip, and the other in her hair, pulling her closer. The heat of her body against mine was a hit that did nothing to ease her addictive pull.

“Dante,” she whimpered.

I cursed myself for indulging in my obsession with this defiant, complex woman as I kissed my way down her jaw. I didn’t have time for this. When I reached the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, I nipped at her skin, biting and sucking. She held me to her, not complaining about the rough treatment, not shying away, giving herself to the pleasure.

When I finally came up for air, she stared at me. She was a picture of desire—her hair mussed, her eyes wide and tremulous, and that delectable pink lipstick smeared all over her face. She pushed me away as she tried to regain her composure. I let her, satisfaction rushing through me at the marks I’d left on her throat. She’d have to wear a scarf tomorrow.

“I have business to attend to tonight. When you get home and sob your pretty heart out about how I mistreated you, take a picture and send it to me.”

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