Chapter 12
GAbrIELA
“What part of don’t bring the dog did you not understand?” Riccardo glares at Beppe as I hand him over to Julian.
I twist my fingers together as anxiety balloons in my chest, but Julian saves me from answering.
“I’m under strict instructions to keep her dog with her at all times.”
I blink up at Julian, wondering why he’d cover for me, because I know Michael didn’t give him that directive.
Riccardo clenches his jaw, probably assuming that’s the case because it’s how things work in our world. Our fathers dictate the rules until we marry, and then it becomes our husbands’ job.
“Fine,” Riccardo concedes. “You can wait outside the banquet room.”
“Sorry, no can do,” Julian says. “My contract states I require a direct line of sight.”
The vein in Riccardo’s forehead pulses as he lowers his voice to a growl. “I’m her fiancé. She’ll be fine with me.”
“When you’re her husband, you can change the contract as you see fit, but until then, I take the orders that come down the pipeline.”
Riccardo glares at Julian, but Julian remains completely unbothered.
He’s a much bigger man, and Riccardo has to know Julian could swat him away like a fly if he wanted to.
I just can’t understand why he’d lie to protect me.
Regardless of the reasons, I’m grateful for him.
At least I know I’ll have someone looking out for me.
“Riccardo,” someone calls out across the room. “Come settle an argument between us.”
“I don’t have time to deal with this right now.” Riccardo gives Julian one last scathing look as he grabs me by the arm. “Come on, Gabi.”
For the next thirty minutes, he proceeds to drag me around the room, his fingers biting into me like I’m his hostage. His friends’ wandering eyes roam over my body as Riccardo introduces me, and I shrink into myself, zoning out while Riccardo talks.
Occasionally, someone asks me something, and I force a smile and answer with as few words as possible. My feet are already killing me, and this cocktail hour feels never-ending. By the time we sit down for dinner, I’ll have nothing left to give.
I glance at Beppe across the room, longing to be a wallflower with him. Riccardo catches me and hisses in my ear.
“Make an effort. You’ll need to get used to networking with me.”
I nod and clear my throat. “I will. Sorry. I just need to use the ladies’ room quickly.”
Reluctantly, he lets me go, and I make a beeline for the door. Julian follows me into the hallway, and I pause to pet Beppe, wishing I had some time to hold him.
“I’m going to the ladies’ room,” I tell Julian.
“I’ll wait here.” He nods.
I find that a little strange, considering the bathroom is at the far end of the hall. If Riccardo came out and saw that Julian wasn’t following me, his spiel about direct line of sight would fall apart. But I’m grateful to have a moment to myself as I make the walk.
This level of the IVI building in downtown Seattle contains multiple gathering spaces for members, including several private lounges. Men often do business in those smaller, more comfortable rooms, but tonight they’re all empty.
I’m relieved to find the ladies' room is also vacant when I step inside. I don’t actually need to use the bathroom, so I take a seat on the chaise and do some breathing exercises to ground myself.
As I sit there, I wonder how long I can dawdle without being missed. Realistically, I know Riccardo would probably come for me, and he’d be mad.
“You can do this, Gabi.” I close my eyes. “You’ve been doing hard things your whole life.”
My mental pep talk isn’t as helpful tonight. Searching for another distraction, I take out my phone and see I have a new message.
Eros415: Missing me yet, little shark?
BiteSizedGabi: You have no idea.
He reads my response right away, so I wait for his reply before I leave the bathroom.
Eros415: I didn’t get to peel those clothes off you. Now what am I supposed to do with myself?
My stomach sinks as I realize I was so distracted earlier, I forgot to let him know I’d be gone. He’s probably at the penthouse—or at least he was. Now I’ve missed him, and I might not even see him tonight.
BiteSizedGabi: I’m sorry. Something came up, but I’d much rather be with you.
He sends me a selfie taken from my bed, lying beside the giant teddy bear.
Eros415: Not the same.
I smile, but it fades quickly. I want to ask him if he’ll still be there when I get back, but I don’t know how long this night will drag on, and that isn’t fair to him.
BiteSizedGabi: Raincheck until tomorrow?
I wait for him to answer, but he doesn’t. Then I start to overanalyze, wondering if I said the wrong thing. Regardless, I can’t stay locked in this bathroom all night.
Reluctantly, I open the door and force myself back toward my version of hell.
I notice Julian is no longer in the hallway, and a sense of unease fills the air. I don’t know where he would have gone, but maybe he decided to take Beppe out.
As I pass one of the private lounges, something flashes in my periphery, and I pause to look through the glass pane. I don’t see anything, so I think I must have imagined it. Still, my curiosity gets the best of me, and I reach for the doorknob.
Before I can turn it, the power in the building flickers, then goes out completely.
I stand motionless as I wait for it to come back on. Down the hall, I can hear scattered voices filled with confusion, followed by Riccardo trying to reassure his guests.
A moment later, the knob in my hand turns, and I gasp as I jump back. Before I can go anywhere, someone reaches out and grabs me, wrenching me inside the room.
A scream bubbles up my throat, but a hand covers my mouth, muffling the sound.
“Hi.”
“Eros?” I mumble into his glove.
“I should hope I’m the only one pulling you into dark rooms,” he breathes the words against my ear. “As it turns out, I don’t like rainchecks.”
The familiarity of his warmth sends a shiver down my spine, and without hesitation, I relax into him.
Slowly, he turns me in his arms and releases my mouth.
I can’t see him, but I reach out and feel my way up his chest, and then to his bare face.
I’m so caught up in the moment, my fingers move of their own accord, mapping out the planes and curves of his features before trailing down to his jaw.
When I reach his neck, I stumble upon the throat mic, pausing to feel my way around it before I drift lower.
The steady beat of his pulse drums against my fingers as I lean up on my toes and graze his warm skin with my lips. A low sound of pleasure vibrates in his throat as I kiss my way along his jaw.
He smells so good, I can’t stop myself from fisting his shirt and trying to pull him closer. But before I can, the door lock engages, and he presses me against the wall. His fingers slide through my hair, gripping it as he tilts my head back.
“Wait,” I pant. “My guard is here. He’ll come looking for me.”
“No, he won’t.”
His words leave me with a lingering uncertainty, and he seems to understand where my mind is going.
“He took Beppe out for a walk. They’re both safe.”
I let out a breath, and his lips find mine in the darkness.
What starts as a slow, drugging kiss sparks something inside him, turning him feral.
A low growl vibrates in his throat as his fingers bite into my rib cage, branding me with his claim. It’s different from the other times he’s touched me, edged with unmistakable possession.
It feels far too intoxicating to be wanted this much, and I can already see myself spiraling into addiction.
“Did you wear this for him?” He bunches up the material of my dress in his fist.
“No,” I pant. “Well, not exactly. He told me to.”
“He told you to?” Darkness bleeds into his voice as he slips his hand between my thighs. “Who does this belong to, Gabriela?”
In the back of my mind, I’m aware this is a dangerous game we’re playing. Giving him ownership over me is as far from casual as it gets, but right now, I can’t say anything else.
“You,” I breathe the word.
A rough sound echoes in his chest as he slides his palms down the back of my thighs and uses his grip to lift me and pin me against the wall.
He presses closer, his body a solid mass of muscle and bone.
It takes nothing for him to hold me like this, and it’s a reminder that he can do what he wants with me.
The trust I have in him isn’t rational, but right now, I can do nothing but surrender to it.
His teeth scrape over my lip as he grinds his erection into me, so hot and hard, a rush of heat zips down my spine and settles between my thighs.
“Please.” I grip his hair, arching into him, desperate for something I can’t even put into words.
“Say it,” he murmurs. “Who gets to fuck you, Gabi?”
“You,” I choke out. “Only you.”
He hums his approval, bracing me against him as he hauls me across the room.
I don’t know where we’re going until he lays me down and I feel the soft brush of material beneath me. Before the lights went out, I caught a brief glimpse of the blue serpentine sofa in this room.
There’s something slightly deranged about the idea of him taking me on it while my fiancé is just down the hall, but it only makes me want it even more.
The cushion dips as he spreads my thighs and drags my panties to the side, giving him access to me. I’m not sure what to expect since I can’t see him, but when I feel the lash of his tongue, a strangled cry of pleasure falls from my lips.
His fingers squeeze my thighs as he angles my pelvis back and slides his tongue inside me, groaning when I shudder against him.
“So fucking soaked for me,” he rasps. “You like the idea of me claiming you while he’s just down the hall?”
I bite my lip and nod, forgetting he can’t see me. He nips at my clit, and I gasp.
“Say it.” A quiet dominance laces his words. “Tell me you want me to fuck you where he could catch us.”
A frisson of terror moves through me at the thought, but I can’t deny the truth of his words.