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20
Cat settled into the passenger seat of my car. I instantly noticed a shift in her. She’d changed into a cerulean-blue silk dress that hugged her curves, but her shoulders were bunched up. Her beautiful face was strained, eyes creased with worry. They must’ve done a real number on her, and it pissed me off. That was family for you. Rarely supportive. I was surprised by how well Alex had taken what we’d done.
Grabbing her balled hand, I loosened her fist and pressed a kiss in the center of her palm.
“You okay, Kitty?” I asked.
Her downcast gaze finally lifted and met mine. Trouble shadowed her chocolate eyes.
“Yeah.” She blew out a breath. “It was tough.”
“What did they say? Tell me everything so I can blow their arguments out of the water.”
“More of the same,” she muttered. “I wronged them, my mother will get blamed for my bad behavior, and they’ve lost face in front of Alex and our own clan. My father said that I should have told him so that he wouldn’t have been taken for a loop.”
“Christ, I’m sick of how they try to brainwash us with this infernal duty to the family.” She flinched and I softened my tone. “It’s okay, baby girl. You have the right to make the best choice about your future. As for your mother, she should be used to the gossip. That’s one of the tough breaks of being part of mafie society. I swear, sometimes it’s like we’re in a cult.”
I released Cat’s hand and pulled out into the street. I felt her eyes on me and the heat in them singed me.
“What?”
“You’re so good to me. So strong. I have to warn you that my grandmother gave my mom the bright idea to tell everyone that she put me up to seducing you. In that way, the Popescus were able to right the wrong of forcing me to wed Nicu,” she confessed.
I slanted a glance her way and chuckled. “Wily old woman, your bunica. No worries, sweet girl. Neither Alex nor I care what people say. We know the truth and that’s all that matters.”
“Cristo said something to that affect.”
“And how was he? I know you two are tight,” I prodded gently.
Staring outside the window, she blew out a breath and shrugged despondently. “He had some harsh things to say. Between our age difference and living apart for six years, we don’t bicker or squabble. Until now. He resents this. Especially on top of almost single-handedly taking care of my mom this past year. It’s been rough, to say the least.”
I took hold of her hand and squeezed. “The worst is over. I have an overbearing older brother as well, and although I’m used to pissing him off, he eventually calms down and we get back to it. Alex and I have had many ups and downs. This is the first you and your brother have faced, but believe me, it will pass.”
I had taken my jacket off and rolled up my sleeves while waiting for her in the car. Her eyes kept returning to my hand and forearm, desire flickering in them. She liked what she saw, and damn if it didn’t make my chest puff up with pride. If she needed a distraction from all of this, I was more than happy to oblige. Glancing away, she bit down on her plump bottom lip. The tip of her tongue darted out. Fuck, that was sexy.
Her parents’ house wasn’t far from the Queensboro Bridge, and this late in the evening, we flew high above the East River. The shoreline of midtown Manhattan, lit up with towering buildings, was spread out before us. Another ten minutes and we’d be at the penthouse.
But I couldn’t wait that long to taste her.
At the first stoplight, I demanded, “Give me your mouth.”
Without waiting, I dragged my lips across her cheek and took her mouth with brutal force. She was tooth-achingly sweet. I sipped from whatever wine she had drunk from. A beep from behind alerted me that the light had changed, and I broke off with a groan and put the car into gear.
I grinned smugly when a hot shiver passed through her. I spied her nipples jutting out from the thin silk of her bra and shirt. Only I knew the color and taste of those plump berries. My hand slipped down to her thigh, rubbing the soft material of her dress.
“You don’t know how many times we were in the car together that I wanted to reach out and touch you like this,” I admitted.
Her chest began to rise and fall like bellows.
“Oh yeah?” she croaked out.
I nodded. “Wasn’t the only thing I wanted to do.”
She cleared her throat and asked in a husky tone, “What else did you want to do?”
A taxi swerved in front of me, but I pressed on the brake gently enough to not disrupt our conversation, our foreplay. I began massaging her thigh.
“I wanted to slide my hand under those sexy little skirts you constantly wore. Admit it, you wore them to drive me insane.”
