Page 60 of Vicious Heir

“I bet you would. I’ve also got a bunch of dead mafia assholes in my backyard.”

“Strange, I collect the same thing.”

I lick my lips. He’s so close to me now. I reach for one of my plants, mostly just to busy myself, but he stops me. His hand lightly holds my wrist, and he’s staring into my face.

God, those eyes. They’re dark and gorgeous. They suck me in and threaten to drown me. And I want to be drowned, ruined, choked, suffocated, if only to let him get closer and closer, to let him sink into me. Sink into my bliss. He’s all the promises I’ve been afraid to keep, and worse, I want to explore the simmering darkness between us. I think of my hands behind my back. I think of his palm-shaped bruises on my ass. I know there’s worse. His tongue licking my split lower lip.

“Your grandmother visited me yesterday,” he says quietly.

I blink a couple of times. Leave it to Helena to somehow kill the mood even when she’s not around. “Why’d you see her?”

“She wanted to warn me, and now I’m warning you. The danger with Gray Wolf and Demir Yilmaz is real. I’m not being overly protective when I tell you to stay in the house.”

“What did she do?”

He strokes up my arm. His fingers are gentle and callused. A chill fills me. My heart doubles, sliding up into my throat.

“She started a war,” he whispers as he reaches for my hair. His fingers slip through, tightening against my messy bun. “But you don’t have to be afraid.”

“I didn’t say I was.” I want him to crush himself against me. But it’s like he’s holding back. Every sculpted muscle is tense. Longing rings down my spine, hot and icy cold all at once. I know this is stupid. He only wants me for my name like everyone else in my world. If I weren’t a Willing-Morris, Adriano wouldn’t go anywhere near me.

I still don’t care. I need his brutal lips. I want his terrifying body. Every muscle in my body tugs closer to him like I’m being pulled by invisible forces. My pulse hammers between my legs, and I’m close to begging.

Kiss me. God, put me out of my misery andkissme.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to update you.” Donatella’s voice comes from the hallway.

Adriano stiffens, then he releases my hair. Slowly, he turns his back to me, and I’m left blushing and breathing hard. Was I really about to whimper at him right here in the kitchen? Where anyone could have walked in on us?

I didn’t know my brain was that broken.

“What’s going on?” Adriano asks.

Donatella glances at me, and Adriano just nods. “Your father’s the same today as he was yesterday. Struggled to get out of bed. Not eating much of anything. I think it’s time.”

Adriano tenses. “I’ll call Dr. Yamal.”

“I think that’s for the best. Only I’m afraid—” Donatella stops herself. Her hands wring together in front of her. “I’m just afraid it won’t help.”

“Thank you for telling me. I’ll make the call.”

She nods, glances at me, and hurries back toward Salvatore’s part of the house.

Adriano’s shoulders sag. He leans against the counter, his back to me. His fingers dig into the granite.

I step forward, not thinking, and press myself against him.

His back is broad and warm. He’s so big and strong. I wrap my arms around him the best I can, clinging onto his chest, pulling myself tighter. I hug him hard and stay like that, breathing with him, saying nothing. I know there’s nothing I can do that’ll make this any better. Except I can be here for him at least.

“I should call,” he says, his voice leaden.

“I can be there with you. Or I can go sit with your father and Donatella.”

He doesn’t answer at first. Then he slowly turns and looks at me, his eyes filled with burning emotion. Anger, sadness, pain. Allof it splashed across his face like paint splatter. He touches my cheek and leans forward, lips brushing mine.

“Go sit with them,” he says quietly. “I’ll join you shortly.”

“Anything you need.” And God, I mean that, I mean anything, anything at all. Anything to make him feel better. Suddenly, I’m desperate to give myself to him, if only as a distraction from what I know he’s feeling.

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