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His hands slid beneath her shoulder blades, up her nape and spiked into her hair, while her blood dance giddily in her veins. And when the fiery blush burned its way up her face, she wanted to die a thousand deaths, especially when those very flames seem to flare in Alessio’s eyes.
‘Are you ready to bloom,duci?’ he rasped, his gaze scouring her face to settle firmly on her mouth.
‘Most definitely not,’ she retorted hotly, even as her nipples peaked harder, her thighs twitching with need.
‘Then I suggest you come up with a more satisfactory answer,duci.’
Or what?she wanted to taunt, to test him, see how effectively, or not, he could hang onto that iron control. Because from the way he was breathing, from the way the need prowling through her was mirrored in his eyes, his control was on a knife-edge. As was hers.
Giada would never be able to explain how she bit back the words, how she managed to breathe through the insistent urges until they eased.
‘It’s true. I’ve received just one text since we arrived.’
‘What did it say?’ he demanded.
The words flashed through Giada’s brain.
Still no dice. Might not make it home for Xmas. You need to stall for longer. G x
Her frantic calls to Gigi’s phone had gone straight to voicemail, which was why she’d called Renata. Giada hadn’t even got round to asking her mother if she knew Gigi’s whereabouts before Renata laid into her.
The all too familiar ripple of despair and helpless pain sheared off a trace of her awareness of Alessio. Which helped her take a step back as his hand rose. He still managed to caress her cheek, but the moment his fingers moved towards her jaw, she forced another step back.
The comfort he’d offered earlier had been far too welcome. Even now, she yearned for more of it. Yearned to step into the warmth of his arms and let the power of her mother’s censure and disappointment bounce off her. But that way lay danger and recklessness.
She’d withstood her mother’s harsh and callous views of her firstborn daughter. She would power through without help from the dynamic man whose words soothed but whose eyes promised danger.
‘She asked me to stall for a little longer,’ she blurted, unwilling to perpetuate further lies now the truth was out. Now she was free...
To what? Dive headlong into temptation?
Something close to disappointment and, puzzlingly, vindication, snapped in his eyes, as if she’d handed him confirmation of something on a silver platter. ‘So when you gave me your word on our first night here that my property would be returned to me, you were doing so on a wing and a prayer? With no knowledge at all that you’d be able to deliver?’ he condemned. But behind the condemnation, there was a bleakness and resignation that stuck sharp darts into her chest.
She swallowed. Almost of their own volition, her hands rose to his shoulders. He tensed at her touch, his eyes boring lasers into hers. ‘I meant it. I’ll make sure it’s returned to you.’
For an age he didn’t reply, just appraised her with eyes that spoke their own story. Disbelief. Rage. Desire. Formidable judgement. A promise of retribution. And finally, his gaze leaving her to drop down her body...a deep, dark resolution that sent a pulse of exhilaration through her.
Slowly, his head dropped, inch by excruciating inch.
Until the tip of his nose brushed hers. His eyes didn’t waver from her.
‘Listen well, Giada, as I make my promise to you. You will not leave my sight until what is mine is back in my possession. And even then, I reserve the right to hold you captive until I’m satisfied that you pose no nuisance to me or my goals.’
Absurd hurt lanced through her middle.
‘Get away from me,’ she managed, despite her body’s screaming desire to remain exactly where she was, beneath this man’s powerful will and blatant, furious desire.
‘Are you sure that’s what you want?’ he mocked, his lips twitching when her treacherous hips moved of their own accord, straining towards him.
‘Yes,’ she squeezed out after a long, desperate inhale. ‘I may be deplorable in your eyes but even I draw the line at sleeping with a man who intends to keep me prisoner.’
‘Even though you strolled into my cage with your eyes wide open?’ he drawled, his scent wrapping tighter around her.
‘That’s the difference between you and me, I guess. I’ll do anything for my family, including walking into cages, yes.’
The heat in his eyes cooled but he remained where he was. ‘You deem yourself better than me?’ he rasped.
‘I’m not the one tossing out threats and ultimatums. My sister made a mistake by acting on impulse, and I’m sorry for that. Can you not—?’
