Page 7 of His Vicious Desire

“Excuse me?I’m not trying to get a compliment from you.It’s a fact I’m fat?—”

“Once again, I call bullshit.Women with your body make double than smaller women at the brothel.”

Like an idiot, I meet her big chocolate eyes.“Really?”

All I can do is nod, words won’t make it into my throat.

The walk down the hallway to get to the elevator isn’t long enough.Bianca’s arms go around my neck when I turn us to get into the elevator.My cock is so hard it hurts when she doesn’t take her arms away, even once we’re in the elevator.In a bid to remember what I’m supposed to be doing, I ask the question I’ve been wondering.Was there really liquor at the party?

“Who had the vodka, Joanna?”

Her eyes go wide as she looks to me, then to Bianca, who doesn’t raise her eyes from my chest.“Kitty, it was just a few mini-bottles we shared.”

“Hmm.”They’re both shitty liars.

I’m not sure if Joanna lied as a best friend to back up Bianca or what.And why did Bianca lie about it in the first place?

The elevator doors open, and Joanna speeds out ahead of us.Michael, Sandro, and Bianca’s father, joined two penthouse suites on this floor when his wife died.There are three bedrooms and four bathrooms, three full and attached to the bedrooms, with a guest bathroom for visitors.

It also has a workout room with a steam sauna, a library, a home office, and two living rooms, one formal and one casual.Although there’s a kitchen and a formal dining room next to it, no cooking is done in the place.

Joanna scans the badge to the reader and all but tosses the key card at Bianca before escaping into the suite.The door closes behind her.

I should let her go.Holding her is wrong.All of this is wrong.My best friend’s little sister—emphasis on little.She’s barely eighteen, and I’m seventeen years and a dozen lifetimes too old for her.

Yet the thought has me holding her tighter.Her eyes meet mine in surprise.Clenching my jaw tight, I force myself to let her go.Carefully, I lower her onto her feet.As they did in the club, they don’t hold her up, and she sways against me.I catch her on her hips.Her gasp is loud to my ears.Parted lush lips are a tease, a taunt I can’t answer.

I shouldn’t be here.Shouldn’t be holding her against me.Before I cover her lips with mine, I let her go, take the badge she’s holding, and walk away.Stupid.So fucking stupid.What the hell was I thinking?

ChapterThree

Bianca

I’m rooted to where Gaetano left me as I watch him walk away.He’s in the elevator, and the doors are closing on him without him ever glancing my way again.I don’t understand why I feel like he took something when he left.

He called me a stunner.Me.The word leaves me dumbfounded.Does Gaetano calling me a stunner mean what I think it does?

No.No, I’m being stupid.I try to open the door to find the door was already locked again.Damn it.I dig through my purse for my key card.I’m scanning in and find Joanna two feet from the door.

Her eyes are wide.“Oh my god, what happened?”

I shrug.“Nothing.”

If it’s possible, her eyes are even wider.

“Nothing.Hello.He’s ancient.He doesn’t want someone like me.It was just him being nice.”

“He called you stunning.That was not him being nice.I can’t believe you didn’t get that.”

“It was.He dropped me like I was a hot potato and left without even saying goodbye.So,obviously, he changed his mind.It’s fine.He’s ancient anyway—it’s not like I want him.”I lie through my teeth.

It’s a lie because I do want him.I want him to make me feel as safe and desired in a way I’ve never felt before—not even with Sandro.I mean, I’m not supposed to feel desired by Sandro, ew.But I always felt safe with Sandro, it’s why I miss him so much.“Whatever, come on.I want to order nachos.I’m starving.”

It's clear she doesn’t want to drop it, but she does.“Are you going to get in trouble with Sandro?What did Gaetano mean about the vodka?I was supposed to say Kitty, right?”

“Yeah, thank you.I don’t know.I got annoyed at the way he called me a girl, like it was an insult, and stupidly lied.It’s fine.I’m good with Kitty not being allowed to come onto the property, which was the last threat from Sandro if Kitty behaved badly again.”

My friends thought it was odd for me to move from the house I grew up in into the hotel and casino after my dad died last year.I had to.Sandro didn’t ask for my permission or anything.He sat me down and told me that with our dad dead, he needed to take his place at Luca’s side, and he couldn’t do that more than half an hour out in the suburbs.

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