Page 208 of My Italian Love Affair

"Dio, look at you," I mutter.

A flush creeps up her neck, but before she can say anything, I lift her into my arms. She squeals, laughing softly as she wraps her legs around my waist, clinging to me.

"Not wasting any time tonight, I see," she teases, a little breathless already.

"I've been thinking about you all fucking day," I growl, nipping lightly at the sensitive skin beneath her ear. "Could barely focus at training. All I could think about was your mouth... your body... how fucking good you feel."

Her breath catches. I feel her thighs tighten around my waist.

And then, I rememberhim.

That smug, pathetic excuse of a man who dared to make her cry.

A dark edge seeps into my voice as I carry her into her bedroom, dropping her onto the mattress.

"And then," I continue, standing at the foot of the bed, watching the way she props herself up on her elbows, "I kept thinking abouthim. About how he made you feel like youdon’t belong. How he made you doubt yourself."

Daphne opens her mouth, her expression shifting, but I cut her off.

"Don’t." My jaw clenches. "Don’t worry about anything. I made a promise to you, and I mean it. I’m handling it."

Her eyes search mine. "What does that mean?"

"It means I’ve made some calls," I say simply. "Mark's reputation was shit long before you got here. All I did was nudge a few people to take a closer look at his recent work and behaviour."

I tilt my head, letting my smirk turn razor-sharp.

"Let's just say… the wheels are in motion."

Her brows furrow. "I'm not sure -"

"Do you trust me?"

Her breath stills, and I watch as the answer forms in her eyes before she even speaks it.

"Yes," she whispers. "Of course I do."

"Good."

I hold her gaze for another beat, letting her feel the weight of that promise.

And then my smirk turns wicked as I reach for the waistband of her flared trousers.

"Now..." I murmur, voice dipping lower. "Let me help you forget that asshole for a while."

I glide them down her legs, my fingers dragging over the smooth, bare skin of her thighs, and I hear the way her breath stutters.

"Matteo…"

"The only man you should be thinking about tonight isme."

Her lips part like she wants to argue, but then I press my mouth to the inside of her thigh, teeth scraping lightly against sensitive skin.

And despite herself, despiteeverything, she fuckingmoans.

I chuckle darkly against her skin.

"That’s what I thought."

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