Page 126 of Salvatore

She squares her shoulders. “Am I? Or are you so attracted to my body and my don’t-give-a-shit attitude that you can’t see through the fact I’m not attracted to you at all?”

Sheisattracted to me. She fucking burns for me.

I don’t know how or why, but I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. She feels the same way I do.

I inch closer, my shoes between hers, our thighs almost touching. “Is wanting me such a bad thing?”

“It’s literallytheworstthing. Sleeping with you the first time was a brain-dead decision. But to do it again?” She waves an erratic hand toward the house. “To do what we did in the rec room?” Finally she meets my gaze, hunger blatant in her eyes. Blood rushes to my dick. “This is dangerous for me, and you know it.”

“I’ve proven I’m no threat.” I remove a hand from the wall to wrap my fingers around her nape, showing her she can trust me.

She shudders, her heated skin pebbling under my touch. “You’ve proven I’m valuable. I just can’t figure out why.”

“You hold no value to my family. In fact, your existence is a liability.” I’ve fought all week to keep her alive. I’ve schemed. Bribed. Manipulated. I’ve made more allowances to keep air in her lungs than I care to admit. “I’ve had to beg for your fucking life, troublemaker.”

Her brows pinch. “To who? Lorenzo?”

I incline my head. “The cartel are still looking for you, and he doesn’t want you found on his land. He’d prefer if you weren’t found at all.”

She pushes against my chest, attempting to gain space I’m not willing to give.

“We compromised.” I tighten my hold around her nape, forcing her to weaken to me. “He agreed to have you relocated. Which is why I’m here. To settle you someplace safe.”

“No.” She shakes her head. “That’s more debt. More leverage. I won’t do it. I’ll find my own way.”

“Over my dead body.”

“Is that option on the table? Because, let me make this clear, it’s a goddamn preference right now.”

My blood heats. “You test my patience.”

“You test my will to live,” she mumbles in a lie so blatant I want to sink my cock inside her as I force her to take the words back.

“You’re treading awfully close to being fucked against the side of my uncle’s house in full view of his guards.”

“That’s a wish-list item you’re never going to receive.”

“Are you sure?” I could take her. Have her. Please her. But given the suffering she’s endured, I’m willing to settle for second best.

“After being caught this afternoon, I’m positive. Olivia would kill me before I had a chance to do it myself.”

“Then we won’t get caught.” I lean closer, our mouths bare inches apart. “We can even scrub sex off the table. For now. But I’m a proud man, Ivy—there are only so many times I can fuck my own hand while thinking about you before I lose my mind. At least let me taste you.” I palm her chin, dragging a thumb over her bottom lip.

“I thought you said you didn’t beg.” Her statement fucking drips with lascivious need as she closes her eyes and tilts her head to align our mouths. “Has Sally become a liar?”

My pulse thunders. “Careful.” I lean my hips into hers, the hard length of my cock pressing into her abdomen. “One more delicious taunt and rubbing up against you will be enough to have me blowing in my trousers like a sex-starved teen.”

“Mmm?” She hums her approval. “I’d like that.”

I’m not surprised.

What’s fucking shocking is that the thought of the juvenile act doesn’t come with a degrading aftertaste. In fact, I’m tempted to demonstrate just to prove how mindless she makes me. My own twisted act of homage.

“One kiss,” she murmurs, her voice breathy.

The menacing thrill of victory blindsides me as I lean in, quick to take what I’ve been promised.

“Not so fast,niñito.” She pushes against my chest and meets my eyes. “I haven’t told you where I want to be kissed.”

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