AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I want more than that,bambina.”
I couldn’t resist the urge to stroke her cheek with my index finger, to coax the words from her soft, pink mouth. If I could have wrapped my hand around her throat to force her whisper, I would have.
“Thank you for intervening with Jacko. You were right. I had too much to drink and I wasn’t handling the moment nearly as well as I thought I was.”
If she thought we were leaving it there, she was mistaken. If she got her strength from her tight grip on my arm, then that boldness became tenfold in me. With my free hand, I swept a lock of silky hair off her shoulder.
I stepped closer to her until the hand grabbing my arm was wedged between us and her body bowed back over the countertop. Her eyes widened at her new position. With this stance, I was completely in control and the monster was satisfied.
For now.
“I accept your apology,” I murmured. “But it’s not what I want.”
I watched the alabaster column of her throat move as she swallowed.
“What... what more do you want?” she stammered.
I wanted to be cold and icy with her. To be myself – remote and distant. But I couldn’t. And my anger at that was the only emotion I allowed to show.
“You’re very brave to even ask.”
“I don’t understand, Dante. Why are you so angry with me?”
“Because you shouldn’t be here. Because, I told you to get the fuck on that plane and you came back.”
Shock replaced the fear in her eyes. “This is my home. I have a right to be here.”
“At what price do you choose to exercise those rights?”
“You don’t scare me, Dante.”
Her words were brave but the sudden tension in her body betrayed her. That and that little quiver in the center of her lower lip that suddenly had all my attention.
“No, baby girl.” I rested my head on her forehead and whispered in her ear, “But I should. If you knew what was good for you. But I guess last night proved that you don’t.”
“I just wanted to thank you for last night and tell you how sorry I was for my behavior, not get berated for it all over again.”
A little fire appeared in her eyes and I found that I liked that, too. I thought I just wanted her fear, her submission, but this attitude interested me for completely different reasons. Taming it would have a reward of its own.
As I stared down at her, she averted her eyes again. I felt the tension ease from her. I was suddenly very conscious of our positions. Of my body bent over hers. Of hers, soft and yielding beneath me. Despite the venom in her voice, her body didn’t lie. She liked it, having me poised above her. She wasn’t tense or pushing me away. If anything, she conformed to my demands, fit perfectly against me.
Just like I always knew she would.
Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“You took unnecessary risks last night, Noemi. Don’t let it happen again.”
Abruptly, I stepped back from her. She wobbled without the support of my body but quickly recovered.
I walked to the door.
“Wait.” She grabbed my arm again. “Aren’t you going to tell me why you’re really so angry with me?”
She didn’t believe the answer I gave her which was her problem to deal with.
I tried to do the right thing once. I put her on a plane to England and said things to her that should have convinced her I’d never be the kind of man she needed.
But that was five years ago and now, I was even worse.
And she came back. She’d have to face the consequences.
I paused in the doorway and turned to face her. A confused and uncertain look haunted her face. Another man, me nine years ago, would have felt something for the dejected look on her face. Perhaps he would have even reached out to her with sympathy, a gentle pat on the back or a soft hug.
But what little bit of that man that had ever existed was long gone and I had no interest in resurrecting him. She’d want me to, but it was never going to happen.
“Welcome home, Noemi,” I said, letting the ice in my veins take over my speech as well. The door snapped closed behind me.
