Page 37 of His Ruthless Obsession

"Having second thoughts?" His tone carries an edge.

"The opposite." I sit up, pulling the sheet around me. "That's what scares me. You're dangerous, Nerio, and I..." I shake my head, thinking about Leo. I barely escaped him and all he did was beat me. What could happen wrapped up in the crime families was so much worse. "You could do anything to me and no one would stop me."

His jaw tightens, and I can tell he's trying to piece together where it's coming from. But I'm not ready to talk about it. "I'd never-"

"I know. That's the thing — I trust you. After everything I've seen, everything I know about what you do..." I shake my head. "What does that say about me?"

Nerio is obviously deadly and I've never felt safer. I can't make sense of the conflicting feelings I have at that.

He rises, cupping my face in his hands. "It says you're smart enough to know who is really the one in power. And when it comes to us, I'd do anything to protect what's mine. You hold everything here, Jazz."

"Everything?"

"You know the answer." His thumb brushes my cheek. Everything within reason. He’s not letting me get hurt, but if I really didn’t want something, he’d do whatever it takes to remedy that. "But you're not trapped here, Jazz. You never were."

I lean into his touch. "Maybe that's what terrifies me most. I could walk away, but I don't want to." My voice catches. I'm falling in love with a man who orders hits over breakfast coffee. How messed up is that?

"I wouldn't let you anyway." He presses his forehead to mine with a smirk. "If that's any consolation."

I smile back at him, but it wobbles. I don't want to leave, but I don't want to end up in a trap like before. I wanted to strike out on my own and now I'm tied up with a very deadly man.

I don't know how to handle what I feel.

I've seen him negotiate deals that ended in blood, watched him command respect with just a look. Yet here, in these quiet moments, I feel safer than I ever did with Leo and his performative kindness that hid real cruelty.

His fingers slide beneath my chin, tilting my face up. "You're thinking too hard again."

"Can't help it." I try to look away, but he holds me there.

"I see those walls going up." Nerio's thumb traces my jawline. "Talk to me."

"It's just-" The words catch. "Sometimes the reality of who you are, what you do..."

He pulls me against his chest, one hand tangling in my curls while the other wraps around my waist. His lips brush my temple. "I didn't mean to shake you with all that. I don't have to tell you about what I do."

"But it's a part of you." And it didn't shake me, not really. Just the realization of how I ran from a monster that everyone thought was good to a man who everyone calls a monster…

And I don’t believe it.

"Look at me." When I do, his gray eyes hold mine with an intensity that steals my breath. "What I am, what I do — it protects us. Keeps you safe. Everything else..."

He closes the distance between us, his mouth capturing mine in a kiss that makes my toes curl. His tongue traces my bottom lip before deepening the kiss, stealing every coherent thought from my mind.

I melt into him, my hands sliding up his chest to grip his shoulders. He tastes like expensive whiskey and danger, and I'm addicted to both.

He breaks the kiss, pressing his forehead to mine. "I'm sorry for unsettling you. Let me make it up to you."

His hands drag the blankets away from my already naked body as he pushes me back on the bed. I gasp as he settles between my legs, looking perfect like he belongs there. He leans in, pressing a kiss to the inside of my thigh, then another, trailing upward. My breath hitches, anticipation coiling in my belly.

"Nerio..." His name escapes my lips like a secret.

"Shh," he whispers against my skin. "Just feel."

His tongue flicks out, tasting me, and I jolt. He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me. His hands grip my hips, holding me in place as he explores me with his mouth. He's not gentle, not tentative. He takes what he wants, his tongue delving deep, drawing out a moan from somewhere inside me.

"God, Nerio..." My fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer.

He growls, the sound primal and hungry. His fingers dig into my flesh, holding me still as he devours me. His tongue circles my clit, teasing, then flicks against it, sending jolts of pleasure shooting through me. I'm panting now, writhing against him, chasing that elusive high.

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