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“Filippo is your new boss,” Nico corrected quietly as his fingers wrapped around Bennett’s hips. “I will not interfere unless you ask me to.”

Bennett didn’t want to talk about the team anymore. “Will you fucking kiss me now?”

That was all Nico needed, apparently, because he used his hands to bring Bennett closer, leaving no space between them before he captured his mouth. It wasn’t tentative or soft. This was punishing, harsh and wild. Almost instantly, their tongues met and Bennett made an impatient sound. Nico answered with a growl. God, he’d missed Nico’s mouth, the strength and heat of his body, the flat plane of his stomach. The thick muscles. There was no softness, no give anywhere, and Bennett wanted all of it at once.

Nico kissed Bennett’s jaw, his fingers sliding into Bennett’s hair to hold his head. “I have been dying to do this, amore mio.” He scraped his teeth across Bennett’s chin at the same time he shoved his thigh between Bennett’s legs. “For days and days, I have missed this.”

“God, yes. Me too.”

Nico’s touch felt like coming home, like the return of a missing limb. This man was his life, his family. A sense of belonging and rightness that Bennett hadn’t ever experienced with anyone else. Their mouths met again like their lips were magnetized, unable to stay apart for long, and Bennett couldn’t wait. He wanted Nico to strip him down right here and fuck him. He was crazed with the idea of it, delirious, like a switch had been flipped and nothing else mattered but getting as close to this man as possible.

Blood roared in his veins, his ears, and all of it seemed to head toward his groin to stiffen his cock. He dragged his half-hard dick over Nico’s thigh.

“Bedroom,” Nico said, his voice tight with arousal.

“There’s a perfectly good couch right here,” Bennett teased.

“I am burning that couch, bello.”

Nico took Bennett’s hand and began leading him back to the bedroom. Bennett tried to wrap his mind around all of this. Nico was here and he loved Bennett. They were really going to try to do this. All of it was so unbelievable.

“You spent almost five billion dollars for me,” he said, slightly awed, as they entered the bedroom. “Are you really that rich?”

Nico cast a smirk over his shoulder. “The people who say that crime does not pay? Do not ever listen to them. They are fucking stupid.”

Bennett did his best to smother a laugh. He really shouldn’t find it amusing that Nico—his boyfriend?—was a criminal. But the man was so damn charming, it was impossible.

Still, the reminder of Nico’s career sent thoughts spiraling through Bennett’s head. “How is this going to work? Will I ever properly meet your family or see where you live? Or will we always need to hide?”

Nico turned and grabbed the bottom of Bennett’s t-shirt. “You will meet them and you will also move in with me as long as Sofia doesn’t object.” He lifted Bennett’s shirt off in one smooth motion, then tossed it on the floor.

Sofia, who Bennett had already met. She’d asked him to keep their meeting a secret from Nico, and he would, but Bennett couldn’t imagine she would love living with a pro hockey player. He stared at Nico seriously. “Maybe it’s better if you move in here.”

“With your security? Dai, bello.” Nico pressed a wet kiss to Bennett’s collarbone. “Anyone could break in here.”

Bennett reached for Nico’s belt. “No one is breaking in here except sexy Italian mob bosses.”

“A good thing I got to you first, then. The others cannot have you.”

The leather pulled free of the belt loops with a snap. “Just say you want me to move in with you.”

Nico shrugged off his shirt, revealing smooth shoulders and long arms, and Bennett let himself admire the view. I get to have this. God, it was almost too good to be true. For as long as he lived, Bennett would never grow tired of looking at this man.

“Bennett,” Nico said. “I have never called anyone amore mio or told them I loved them, not until you. There is no option but for this to happen. I will not quit on you, on us. You are mine. And I will keep you safe and happy, no matter how many hockey teams I need to buy.” Stepping in, he brought the pad of his thumb to Bennett’s mouth and gently brushed Bennett’s bottom lip. “I leave the rest up to you. This won’t be easy and my business won’t always be on the right side of the law. So you must decide if this is what you want.”

Bennett moved closer, until their hips were touching. Neither one of them were fully hard yet, but just the tease of Nico’s dick sent fire licking through Bennett’s veins. “I want. I definitely want. More than anything.”

“Va bene. Then we are doing this.”

“We are doing this,” Bennett repeated. “And whoever doesn’t approve can go fuck themselves.”

“Including your team?”

“Yes.” He rocked their thickening erections together. Part of him wanted to share that he’d informed the team he was gay, but the bigger part of him really needed Nico naked and inside him. “Can we talk about this later? Because I would really like for you to fuck me now.”

Nico walked them both backward, toward the bed, then pushed Bennett down until he was flat on the mattress. “Say it one more time.”

Bennett knew exactly what Nico was asking for. He put a hand to his heart. “Ti amo, Nico Marzano.”