Page 29 of Born into Mayhem
“Fucking bastard,” I mutter before grabbing my knife from where it’s still lying hidden under the pillow and making my way downstairs. I’m rummaging through his fridge when he walks in, freshly shaved and smelling good enough to make me want to eat him for breakfast instead of the bagel in my hand.
“You used my toothbrush,” he says and then eyes me while I make myself at home in his kitchen.
He walks over to his fancy espresso machine and grabs the canister that’s sitting beside it. I’d given it a quick glance but quickly decided against fucking around with all the knobs and handles. He calmly pours fresh coffee beans into a grinder and presses a button that has the blades crushing the beans in no time. While I slather my bagel with cream cheese, he measures out the coffee he needs and fills the espresso machine with water. Levers are moved, knobs are turned, and soon I hear the unmistakeable sound of coffee dripping into a mug. The smell is divine, and I desperately want to reach over and snatch the cup from him. He grabs the small, white, porcelain cup when it’s full and then turns to rest against the counter. Keeping his dark eyes on mine, he inhales the aroma and then takes a small sip. He watches me nearly salivate when the strong aroma hits me before finishing the rest of it in less than a minute.
“Would you like me to make you one?” he asks, and even though there’s a hint of a challenge in it, I still quickly nod my head.
“Yes,” I tell him, not feeling quite so stubborn when caffeine is involved. “I thought about just turning a bunch of knobs until something happened but assumed you wouldn’t care for that.”
“Since when has that ever stopped you from doing what you want?”
“True enough,” I say, watching as he repeats the same ritual for my cup. “You know, coffeemakers are way easier than this.”
“If I wanted coffee that tastes like shit, I’d go to one of your awful coffeeshops and buy one,” he says, and I grin at his tone. I’ve obviously hit a nerve.
When he’s finished, I take the small, porcelain cup he offers me. Closing my eyes, I give an appreciative sniff and then take my first sip. It’s not at all what I’m expecting. In all honesty, I was expecting it to taste like shitty black coffee, but this is completely different. It’s bitter, but not in a bad way, more like the bitterness in a really good bar of dark chocolate, and I swear there’s a hint of citrus and hazelnuts.
He raises a dark brow at me. “Well? What do you think?”
I can’t resist saying, “I think I’ll be asking Sasha to swing by Starbucks on the way home.”
Dario’s jaw tenses and he points a long finger at me. “Say that again, and I’m going to put you over my knee and spank that little ass red. You don’t insult espresso,streghetta mia.”
If he sees how much his words have just turned me on, he ignores it and walks to the fridge. Taking out a sparkling water, he pours some out in two small glasses and says, “Take a drink of this when you’re done,” before taking one of the glasses for himself.
Without asking why, I finish off my espresso, setting the white porcelain cup down before grabbing the other and taking a drink. It’s cool and crisp after the strong coffee, leaving my mouth feeling clean and refreshed.
“Wow, okay, I kind of get the Italian obsession with espresso now,” I admit.
“Glad to hear it. I can teach you how to make one if you want.”
I grin up at him. “Why would I want to do that when I can just have you make them for me?” I smile even bigger at the angry look he’s giving me and then remember his toothbrush comment from earlier and say, “And of course I used your toothbrush. I couldn’t not brush my teeth, and since you had your mouth on my pussy last night, I figured you wouldn’t mind sharing a little bit of spit.”
I swear his eyes darken at my words as he takes a step closer. “Ialmosthad my mouth on your pussy. Over your panties doesn’t count.”
“I don’t wearpanties,” I tell him, trying to mimic his Italian accent.
“I don’t care what you call them. I’ll be tearing through them soon enough, and then it will be my mouth on that pretty pussy of yours, followed by my cock.”
I force myself to swallow and not act like I’m intimidated by the man who’s towering over me and looking every bit like he’s about to lose control. I really need to learn to not fuck with him, but, god, he makes it impossible to back down. I take a step back right as my phone gives a soft ding from my back pocket. Ignoring Dario when he takes a step closer, I check my phone and then hold it up between us.
“Sasha will be here in ten minutes,” I say, but Dario ignores me, closing the distance in less than a second and picking me up so I have no choice but to wrap my arms and legs around him as he carries me to the counter and sets my ass on it right next to his fancy espresso machine.
“I’m not letting you leave without a kiss.”
His lips are so close to mine, and all it would take is for me to lean forward just a hair, and we’d be touching. When I hold still, he grins and says, “Kiss me,streghetta mia. Let me taste a piece of you before you walk out my door.”
Bringing one hand up, he cups the back of my head, threading his fingers in my hair so he’s fisting it and lightly tilting my head back. His dark eyes refuse to let mine go. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to, and even though I could try to break free, I don’t. I stay where I’m at, grinning when he repeats himself.
“Kiss me, Mia.”
“You’re kind of cute when you beg,” I say, and as soon as I see the wicked look he gives me, I know I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
He cups my face and slowly runs his thumb along my bottom lip, pressing hard enough to push my lips apart. It’s not exactly rough, but it’s not gentle either. My eyes widen when he slides his thumb between my lips, running it over my tongue and straight into my mouth.
His deep, masculine groan floods my body with heat and desire, but I refuse to suck on his thumb like a goddamn baby. I force myself to stay still, and the noise he makes is part raw need and part amusement at mystubbornness. He doesn’t sound worried, and the cocky smirk he’s wearing makes me bite down on his thumb. It’s not enough to hurt, but it’s enough to get his attention and remind him that I can draw blood when I need to.
“You are fucking exquisite,piccola vipera. So much rage in such a tiny little package.” He leans closer, ghosting his nose along my cheek with his thumb still nestled deep inside my mouth. “You’re going to be so beautiful when you submit.”
