Page 46 of Good Girl Gone Bad

“I know, but who said work can’t be fun, too? I’ve always wanted to visit Italy. I heard Italian men are good-looking hunks. Have you met any of those?”

“Oh, trust me, I have. He’s hunky, all right.” She snickered, knowing full well her mother and her friends would drop their jaws if they ever saw Marco.

“Then good for you. Enjoy, sweetie. Life’s not just work and no play.”

She talked to her mother for a few more minutes, and the apprehension that had built in her chest eased. Her mother’s voice always had the power to soothe her, even if she knew damn well it’d only be temporary.

After she hung up the phone, she lay on the bed, looking at the textured ceiling. She heard the door open but refused to look at Marco. She could feel his presence, the way he strode intently into the room. Maybe he didn’t want to chat with her, either. She was supposed to be a modern-day concubine, and she’d pushed him to discuss a subject he clearly hated.

Well, whatever. Despite her contractual obligations, there was only so much pretending she could handle. She kept gazing upward, her intertwined hands on her stomach.

She heard him opening the armoire, and a few seconds later, felt the weight of his body on the mattress. Did he expect her to have sex with him now, when she was confused, overwhelmed, and possibly upset?

“It’s not who am I underneath, but what I do that defines me.” Was he quoting a Batman movie?

She gave in and glanced to her right, finding Marco wearing a black mask of Batman. She’d seen it once, briefly, when she’d looked into the bag the previous day. Before their anal extravaganza.

She sat on the bed. “Batman?” she asked, studying how the mask conveniently left his mouth and cheeks free.

“I Googled the quote. Thought you’d like it.”

A silly bubble of happiness burst inside her. “Nice try. Is that all you have to say?”

“I know you meant well, Lily. It may seem I’m not as open to you as you’d like, but I’m more open with you than I am with anyone else. I appreciate you not running away…at least, not any farther than our bedroom.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I needed a breather.”

“I know. I was teasing you.”

She outlined his lips with her finger, and a thrill of excitement shot up her arm. “Why aren’t you used to people sticking up for you? Your brother seems invested. So does your grandma.”

“Nowadays, everyone wants something. It’s easier when you know their goal than when you have to entertain ideas about what they want.”

“Spoken like a true cynic.”

He nibbled her finger. “A cynic who wants to show you how grateful he is for all the sticking up you’ve been doing.”

“I wonder how he’d do such thing.”

He splayed his strong hand on her stomach, thrusting her down on the bed. Then he covered her body with his. “I’ve heard you’re hiding a special kind of weapon, in liquid form, that can kill the entire world’s population. It’s my duty, as protector of Gotham, to search for it by all means necessary.”

“I’ll never tell,” she said, joining in the role-playing game. “I’ve worked too hard to be where I am today. You should know something about hardship,” she said, sliding her hand down until she caressed his cock through his pants. “You have a weapon of your own.”

“Yeah, and I’m not afraid to use it.”

GOOD.She bit her lips to keep from shouting.

He grabbed her wrist and jerked it away from him, making it clear he was in control. Damn it, if pleasure was her outcome, he could take charge any day. Besides, how else would they save humanity?

Marco opened the buttons of her dress and fumbled with her bra until her nipples popped out. He dipped his head and licked one taut bud, sending a trail of tingles through her all the way to her pussy. Her folds slicked and swelled, the idea of him being inside again tempting.

She bucked into him, already wanting to offer herself. He gave a hearty chuckle against her skin, no doubt reading her mind. He sucked on the other breast until she moaned, then headed south for more exploration.

He slid his fingers into her underwear. “I found the weapon. Now I must drain it, to make sure you won’t use it against anyone.”

“What if I use it against you?”

He put his fingers at each side of her underwear, then ripped it apart. “Oh, I can take it.”

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