RUTHLESS KING

22 A LION IN THE LADIES ROOM

Stella
I shrink back on the chaise and bump the mirror behind me as Luca stalks
closer, a lion focused on one thing: his prey. Piercing irises raze over me,
and a shudder roars up my spine. That single, feral look leaves me
completely exposed, bare before him.
He stops only inches away, his legs nearly brushing my knees. I draw in
a breath to slow the thundering beats of my heart. His expression is lethal,
but I can’t tell if it’s anger or lust burning through those midnight irises.
The same is true for me. My mouth is dry, pulse skyrocketing, but heat
flares between my legs. The familiar ache from our dance returns, pulsating
below.
He steps closer and forces my legs apart. The rip of expensive fabric has
my heart kicking against my ribs. “My dress!” I cry. Of all the things to say
at that moment, it’s the only thing that comes out.
“I’ll buy you a new one.” A mischievous grin curls his lips as he bends
down, eyes smoldering. His hands close around my thighs, and he spreads
them another few inches apart. I gasp at the sound of another rip. He
glances down at the indecent tear, and fire surges down my belly. If he bends any further, he’ll have a front row view of my sheer, lace thong and
everything hidden beneath.
He licks his lips and Madonna mia, it’s so sinful and sexy, I chomp
down on the inside of my cheek to keep myself from tangling my hand
around the back of his neck and dragging that mouth to mine. His fingers
sear into my flesh, and every ounce of restraint teeters on the edge. I need to
focus on Caroline’s warnings because I know if I let this happen, we can
never go back. And I need to know if she was telling the truth, and only the
smirking asshole in front of me can confirm that.
“Wait…,” I murmur, my voice rough and way too needy.
He crouches down further bending his knees, hands digging into my
heated flesh. He’s too close now, another inch and he’ll get an up close and
personal of all of me. His nostrils flare, and he breathes in deeply. “Mmm,
you smell delicious, princess.”
Dio. All the heat flaring below races up my cheeks, burning my face.
And cazzo, if it isn’t the hottest thing anyone’s ever said to me. “Caroline,”
I blurt. Because my brain is too overcome with lust to string together an
entire sentence.
His gaze turns savage. “What about Caroline?”
I heave in a breath and focus. Which is so damned hard when his fingers
are inching up my thighs. “She said you had rules—”
His lips slant into a hard line, and the tendon in his jaw flutters. His
nostrils flare again, his pupils distending. “I do,” he finally rasps out as if
saying the words are physically painful. Endless silence pervades, our gazes
locked in an epic battle I’m fairly certain no one will win.
“Like what?”
He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter right now.”
“It does.” Because if what she said was true, and I could only have him
once I had to prepare my heart. Another never-ending minute of silence passes with the air only
thickening between us. “What do you want from me?” he murmurs, the
softness in his tone so unlike the one I’ve come to expect from the ruthless
mobster.
Everything. The errant thought frightens the merda out of me. How
could this man I barely know stir such strong feelings? I want to let loose. I
want to forget. “I want you to fuck me.” The words flow from my lips
beyond my control. The moment they’re out, I snap my traitorous jaw shut
and bite my tongue.
A dangerous glint sharpens his irises, and a hiss slides free through his
pursed lips. “Oh, princess, you have no idea what you’re asking for.”
“Then explain them … your rules.”
He shakes his head, sinking his teeth into his lower lip. Then his hands
close around my waist, and he spins me around so I’m facing the mirror. I
suck in a breath as he drops to his knees in front of me. “Keep your eyes on
the mirror.”
“Wha—?” The rest of the word dies in my throat as his head dips
between my legs. He slides my damp thong to the side and runs his tongue
across the inner seam of my leg. I gasp and dig my fingers into his hair.
“Mmm, that’s my good girl, you’re already soaked and ready for me.”
He slips my panties down to my ankles.
His warm tongue drags through my center, and a moan parts my lips.
“Luca,” I groan, my fingers tangling in his dark locks.
He dips a finger inside me, and my hips buck against his palm. “Keep
your eyes on your reflection, princess,” he murmurs against the bundle of
nerves at my apex. Lifting his head, his blown-out pupils meet mine. “I
want you to watch every tantalizing second as I fuck you with my tongue
and allow you to come in my mouth. I want you to memorize your exact
expression, the sparkle in your eyes, the flush of your cheeks, the curve of
your lips, every moment of pleasure so that you never forget you are mine.” I swallow hard. No one has ever talked to me like that, and fuck, it’s got
me hot as hell.
His head disappears beneath my gown once again, and his tongue flicks
at my clit. My hand threads through his hair, and the other grips the edge of
the chaise. His tongue runs circles around the sensitive bud, driving me to
the precipice of insanity. Then he dips a second finger inside me, curling it
until it hits the spot. Between his tongue and his fingers, I’m a squirming
mess. I grind my hips into his palm, into his mouth. I’m an explosive ball of
lust and pleasure and another few expert flicks will have me on my knees.
“Stella, you’re not looking …,” he murmurs against my sensitive flesh.
How the hell does he know? The vibrations against that taut bundle of
nerves are nearly enough to throw me over the edge.
I force my eyes up away from his silky hair and meet my reflection. My
lower lip is swollen from biting it, my cheeks flushed. I’ve never seen
myself on the brink of orgasm. There’s something oddly erotic about it.
Luca’s free hand glides up the front of my gown, and my focus pivots to
those strong fingers moving toward my breast. He jerks the fine silk down
and slides his hand inside, cupping me, fingers working my nipple to a taut
peak. He pinches, and I let out a squeal. The rush of desire is too much.
I gasp as raw pleasure tears through me. “Luca,” I moan. “I’m going to
—”
“That’s right, princess, come for me.” His words reverberate through
me, throwing me over the threshold.
My body constricts around his tongue, his fingers, as I ride out the
storm, desperately rubbing up against his palm. He doesn’t let up until he’s
squeezed out every ounce of pleasure, and I’m nothing but a writhing
puddle of vibrating desire.
I grip the chaise, a boneless mess. Luca’s head pops up from between
my legs, chin covered in my juices, smiling like he just discovered gold
buried deep inside my pussy. He runs his tongue over his lips, and cazzo, I was wrong, that is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I hate to even think
about Bo in a moment like this, because his image will only ruin the high,
but that bastardo never went down on me. He was the most selfish lover I’d
ever had.
He licks the two fingers that were just inside me before running his
thumb over my bottom lip. “Mmm, just like I thought, sunshine and
rainbows.” That rough timbre forces all thoughts of Bo to vanish.
“What?” I finally manage.
“Nothing.” He shakes his head as he tugs my soaked thong back up my
legs and drags down my torn dress, the ghost of a smile curling the corners
of his lips. He offers me a hand and pulls me to my feet. Standing behind
me, his eyes meet mine through the mirror. “My sweet princess.” His heated
breath skates over the shell of my ear, and my body instinctively leans back
to rest on his chest. He stiffens for an instant before his hand moves to my
hip and fingers dig into my side possessively. His rock-hard cock presses
against my ass, kindling another rush of desire. “You’re mine, do you
understand that? No one else can ever touch you.”
I don’t want to state the obvious and ruin this—whatever this is—I’m
his prisoner, who else would I have access to? Not to mention the fact that
our time together has an expiration date. So I nod slowly. I desperately want
to ask about his rules, but before I can gather the nerve his mouth skates
down my ear and stops at the crook of my neck. He sucks hard, then nibbles
at my soft flesh. I let out a squeal when his teeth sink in. “What are you
doing?”
His warm tongue replaces his teeth, and he lavishes my sensitive skin.
“Marking you as mine.” He smirks as my gaze lifts to the mirror to find the
deep red hickey.
“What are you sixteen?”
A deep chuckle rumbles his entire chest, the sound so warm and
inviting, I sink deeper into his firm hold. The hand on my hip tightens, then his free arm laces around my waist, drawing me closer so that his arousal
drives into my ass. I’m so tempted to turn around, to meet that hungry gaze.
But I force myself to keep still. I’m already in way over my head, and if I
go any deeper, I’m terrified I’ll drown.