Page 66 of The Secrets We Keep

She nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. “Steal Ciro’s credentials, take the elevator to the top floor, shoot Nero Gallo.” Slowly her eyes opened, and she stared right into his, gaze intense and searching. “Did you really think I was going to just be able to waltz back out of there again?”

Panic clawed at his throat, and he rushed forward, gripping her arms and shoving her back against the opposite counter. “This was your plan the whole time? Whenever I asked and you said you had it covered, your plan was to fucking sacrifice yourself?”

“It’s the only way, Luca. You said the kill was mine, and it’s the only way I can do it.”

“Like hell it is. Did you honestly think I was going to let you do that? No,” he said when she dropped her gaze to his shoulder. “Of course you knew that. That’s why you didn’t want to tell me.”

“It was already hard enough,” she murmured. “I didn’t want to make it harder.”

He pressed his forehead against hers. “Did you think we were going to send Alexei to the slaughter to get to Nero?”

“I don’t know. But you said I could do it without interference an—”

“Without interference, Sienna. Not without protection. If you seriously think I’m going to let you sacrifice yourself for this, you’re insane.”

“So you’re going to take it away from me?”

“No.” He jerked her back. “I’m going to give you both. I’m going to give you Nero’s head on a fucking platter. And I’m also going to give you a life with me after. Assuming that’s something you want.”

Sienna flung her arms around his neck, yanking his mouth down against hers and claiming his lips in a fierce, needy kiss. Undoing the sash on her robe, he slid his hands inside, gripping her waist and lifting her onto the edge of the counter.

Pushing the fabric off her shoulders, he dragged his lips across her collarbone and between the valley of her breasts. He urged her knees apart and nibbled down to her belly button, dipping his tongue inside and making her twitch.

Kneeling between her legs, he looked up at her before dragging his tongue up the length of her pussy and flicking it against her clit. He swirled his tongue across it over and over until her hand went to his hair, her fingernails digging into his scalp, and she rocked her pussy against his lips.

Grinning, he used one hand to spread her apart for his tongue, sucking her clit into his mouth and scraping it gently with his teeth to make her buck and groan. When she lifted her hips for his mouth again, he shoved two fingers deep inside her, tapping against her G-spot until her legs trembled.

“Just like that,” he murmured, sucking her clit hard while he worked her at an unrelenting pace. “Let go for me, baby girl. Just let go.”

With one last rough bite to her clit, she clenched and spasmed around him, his name a sob on her lips as she came undone.

He stood, rubbing his fingers roughly over her clit before guiding himself inside her and grinding against her until she shuddered. How the fuck she ever thought he’d give her up, he had no idea. But he’d do whatever it took to prove to her that what they had between them was forever.

“You’re mine, Sienna,” he growled while he pumped his cock deep inside her, making her groan and dig her nails into his shoulders with every thrust.

“Luca.”

“Say it,” he demanded, refusing to relent until she exploded around him again. “Tell me. Now, Sienna.”

“I’m yours, Luca. Always.”

Gripping the back of her neck, he forced her to meet his gaze while he fucked her, hips slapping against hers. “I will never let you go again. Do you understand me? Never. You are mine. In this life and every life after.”

“Yes,” she whimpered. “Until your last breath.”

He leaned in until their lips barely brushed with each punishing thrust of his hips. “And I won’t be taking my last for a very long time. Come on my cock, baby girl, and I’ll fill your pussy up.”

He slid his free hand up from her waist to her breast, tweaking her nipple between his fingers, looking into her eyes and giving it a rough twist. She arched as much as his hand on the back of her neck would allow, and when her pussy clamped down around him, he chased her over the edge with his own release.

“We’re in this together, Sienna,” he panted against her shoulder. “You and me. This isn’t like last time. I will protect you. Always.”

“I know,” she said, her voice a breathy whisper. She leaned her cheek against the top of his head. “I should have said something sooner.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “You should have. I’ll punish you for it later.” He grinned when she shivered against him. “But I need you to promise me something.”

“What?”

He stood up straight and cupped her face in his hands. “I need you to promise me you won’t do anything stupid. I will make sure you have Nero’s blood on your hands before this is over. My word on that. But you will not sacrifice yourself to have it.”

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