017

Luca.

Watching a woman unravel before you was one of the sights in the world.

And I got the most beautiful woman doing just that.

Right now, she stood pressed against the cold stone wall, breath uneven, her body caught somewhere between defiance and something far more tempting.

Giving in.

I allowed my hands to skim the length of her thighs, using my fingers to trace lazy circles over her soft skin while waiting for her to push me away.

She didn't.

Instead, she shivered.

Not from the cold. No. It was something else

I couldn't help the smirk that took over my lips.

I leaned in, planting a slow, lingering kiss on the inside of her thigh... wait, her body stiffened... why was she stiffening?

She liked this? Or didn't she?

I raised my head subtly to catch the way her eyes were flicking around, searching... checking if anyone was watching us.

Oh.

I could see the wheels in her head turning. She must have thought I never miss the opportunity to put on a show, to take pleasure in the fact that someone would see her come undone under my touch.

Discomfort was there, too.

My amorino wasn't ready for all these... not yet.

So all I did was let out a quiet chuckle before pressing one last kiss against that thigh, my lips brushing against her skin before I straightened up with unhurried movements.

I couldn't help but marvel as I took in the sight of her... the way she was breathing heavily, lips parted, dark eyes locked onto mine like she was trying to read my next move.

Beautiful.

I had never seen anything more breathtaking in all my years of living. She was frustration and temptation wrapped in one, a storm I wanted to get lost in. I wanted to claim those full lips, bite them, suck them, become one with them... she wanted this as much as I did, so why wouldn't she just let go?

Why did she have to delay the inevitable?

The smirk was still on my lips when I reached my full height, brushing a knuckle along her jaw. "You look like you have something to say, amorino."

She scowled, her hands curling into fists at her sides. “I hate you.”

Oh, now that was precious.

I let out a low chuckle. "Liar."

She glared. “You’re insufferable.”

I leaned in, my breath ghosting over her lips. "And you're predictable."

She stiffened. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

"It means," I drawled, my hand trailing lazily down her side, stopping just at the curve of her hip, "that every time you try to run, you fail. And you always will."

This time had been because, for some reason, Caterina had underestimated Raphael and thought she stole his key card.

I couldn't help the laughter that came out of me when Raphael reported this.

She bristled, that fire in those green eyes igniting all over again.

"I just need to try harder."

Oh, that was just precious.

"You could try as many times as you want, but it won't change anything." I leaned in, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear as I whispered, "You can't leave me, Caterina. Not unless I let you go."

She swallowed hard, but the glare she threw my way was still sharp. "You don't own me."

“Don’t I?”

“If you did, you wouldn’t need all this. The guards. The locked doors. The deals.”

I chuckled. “Maybe I just enjoy watching you struggle.”

Her eyes flashed with something dangerous. “If you think I’ll ever stop fighting, you’re wrong.”

Now that was exactly what I liked about her. And I didn't fail to tell her.

She scoffed. “You don’t like anything about me.”

The grin came without warning. “Are you so sure?”

Her lips parted, but no words came. I saw it then... the hesitation, the flicker of uncertainty in her expression.

A crack in her armour... oh, how I liked that.

"Let’s make a deal,” she said suddenly, as if trying to regain control of the conversation.

I couldn't help but arch a brow. "A deal?"

She nodded, swallowing hard. “Tell me the terms of the agreement you made with my father. How much is his debt?”

Why would she want to know that?

“Why?”

Her eyes burned with determination. “Because I want to know what I’m worth.”

I studied her for a moment, wondering how much I should reveal, but it didn't really matter anyway.

"Sixty million."

Her breath hitched. “Sixty... ” She cut herself off, her hands balling into fists. “That’s a lot.”

“Not impossible,” I said lazily. “If he cared enough, he’d find a way.”

She inhaled sharply, and then...

“I’ll give you two months.”

“For what?”

Her eyes met mine in a steady and unwavering gaze. “Two months for my father to bring the money. If he does, you let me go.”

I couldn't help the lip twitch. This was going to be so fun.

"And if he doesn't?"

She swallowed, but she didn’t falter. “Then I belong to you.”

Okay.

I wasn't expecting that, but that didn't mean I didn't like it.

I liked the way her voice didn't shake when she said it, like she already knew the outcome but refused to accept it.

“You’re serious?” I murmured, watching her closely.

She nodded. “Completely.”

Oh, this was going to be so sweet.

“Your father won’t save you.”

Her jaw tightened. “Then that’s on him.”

“You think you’ll be able to handle it?”

She lifted her chin. “If I have to.”

I let out a soft laugh, something dark already curling in my chest. She still held onto the small silver of hope, and for some reason, that made this all the more exciting.

I couldn't help but reach for her, my fingers curling around her wrist as I pulled her closer, pressing her against me. She stopped breathing for a minute, her body stiffening, but she didn't pull away.

"Two months," I mused, keeping my voice as a low hum against her skin. I let my lips brush over the curve of her jaw, trailing down until they hovered just above the shell of her ear.

"I can't wait for your father to fail."

She shivered.

And me?

I had never been more sure of anything in my life.

In two months time, or less if I was being cocky, I would have my amorino.