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But I'm not helpless against him, either. He may overpower me, but he can't outwit me. He wants something from me, and that makes him vulnerable too. If he wants to play cat and mouse, I'll let him play. He can chase me and corner me and tease me all he wants. But every time he thinks he's caught me, he'll find out just how wrong he is.
"Keep dreaming, Butera," I say sweetly, batting my lashes as I step right up to him, so close I feel the heat of his body against mine. "You'll never touch me. I'll never belong to you. I'm not a toy for you to play with until you get bored." I meet his gaze. "You don't scare me."
He growls, reaching for me, but I quickly sidestep him, putting distance between us. "Remember you said that when I have you screaming you belong to me so loud your voice breaks, Athena," he warns me. "Remember it when I teach you just how much you like being my obedient little toy."
"Whatever you say," I call over my shoulder, heading toward the elevators. "Which way to your office, Butera? I don't have all day."
He mutters something behind me in Italian and then his footsteps echo across the garage. Within seconds, he's at my side, striding toward the elevator. The bottom of his coat brushes my hand, sending a shiver through me. If he notices, he doesn't say anything.
He doesn't speak again until we're crowded onto the elevator, our reflections bouncing back at us from every direction. We don't fit together…the petite, curvy African American federal agent, and the tall, muscular Italian criminal. We're opposites in every way. His reflection screams danger. Mine promises sunshine and sweetness. And yet, we look good together, as if maybe we don't fit together so oddly, after all.
"You look incredible," he murmurs as if reading my mind. "Pink is your color."
"Black suits you." I lift my brows, sending him a pointed look as the elevator shudders to a start. "Very devilish."
"You think I'm the devil, bella?"
"If the horns fit." I shrug, adjusting my bag over my arm.
He throws his head back, laughing loudly. "I'm merely a lawyer, Athena. I believe we're still a few levels above Satan."
"Perhaps. But I believe murderers are on the same level, are they not?" I meet his gaze, unflinching. "What about serial murderers? Surely they've reached a special level of hell."
"Ah. And how many murders do you think I've committed?"
"By my count? Close to twenty. By the FBI's count? Fewer than that," I admit. "But I'm sure we've both missing a few names on our lists." I tip my head to the side, eyeing him critically. "You could do me a favor and give them to me."
"Well, there was Napoleon last year." He taps his lips. "And I believe Rasputin the year before that. Bin Laden may be on the list too, but I'd have to check with the military on that one."
"I suppose you want to claim credit for Hitler too while you're at it?"
"Might as well." He shrugs magnanimously.
"Cute. Real cute." I scowl at him. "What about Tommaso Genovese? Giovani Barone? Carlo Mancini? Salvatore Leone?"
The elevator grinds to a halt on the top floor, vibrating beneath my feet. I throw my hand out, grasping at the wall to steady myself. At least, I mean to press my hand against the wall. Instead, I grab a handful of Diego's fancy coat and tie.
"Sor–" I move to snatch my hand away as soon as I feel the steady thump of his heart beneath my fingers.
Faster than I can process, he has me by the wrist, crowding me up against the wall. His lips rake down the side of my throat as he cranes my head back with his free hand. His erection grinds against my ass, hard and hot and heavy.
Good grief. He's massive.
"Next time you touch me, you better be prepared for what comes next, bella," he growls, nipping my throat. "I'm not some little boy you can tease. You fuck with me; I'll have you on your back, begging me to keep fucking you."
"It was an accident."
"Yeah?" His tongue wraps around my earlobe as he grinds his erection into me again. "Lie to yourself, Athena. Don't lie to me. You grabbed exactly what you intended to grab."
Did I? Am I lying to myself?
"It was an accident," I growl again, using his hold on my wrist to yank him into me. The unexpected move gives me a split second. I jab my elbow into his ribcage and then bring my heel down on his foot as hard as I can.
"Cazzo!" he swears, grabbing for me as I slip away from him. His eyes glitter with anger and something darker as he spins to face me…some twisted desire that sends a wave of lava straight into my veins.
