Rough hands held me tightly as his teeth nipped at my jaw, my neck. His kisses became wet and messy. Wild. Rough. Consuming. As if he was trying to taste every damn inch of me and my mouth. As if he couldn’t get enough.
And then he let my back slip down the door, allowing him better access. I nearly screamed as he buried himself inside, going deeper than I ever thought was possible. Each thrust felt as if it triggered orgasm after orgasm until I couldn’t take it anymore. Sweet, hot pressure built low in my belly, begging to be released again and again.
When I’d first met him, he was nobody to me. But now…now he was an obsession. A craving. A need that couldn’t be fulfilled unless he was inside me. I could feel his heart pounding in his chest in tune with each thrust, and I knew he felt the same. Whatever this was once—it had become so much more.
His face buried in my neck, my hair falling around him as he let loose a low groan that sent shivers down my spine. Goosebumps flared along my arms. His teeth nipped at my neck, biting down hard with one last thrust as he impaled me. My arms wrapped around his shoulders, his presence soaking into my skin as I felt him unload everything inside of me.
“Fuck,” he muttered, breathing hard. His chest pressed against mine with each gasp, each rasping breath. “I will never get used to this.”
With his cum dripping between my thighs, he set me back on the ground. I straightened my skirt, the feel of his seed sticky and wet between my legs. He buttoned his pants, tucked in his shirt, and straightened his jacket. Before I could open the door, he pulled me close, claiming my mouth once more.
As he pulled away, he whispered, “You didn’t scream. When this is all over, we’ll have to try again.”
Shudders slipped down my spine as he opened the door and we stepped out to join the rest again.
27
SIENNA
In the hall, Dante hands me an earpiece. I slip it in, turning it on with a touch of my finger. We’d used the same ones at the docks to kidnap Ivan. As soon as it’s on, David’s voice comes through.
“Are you two in position?” he asked, sounding slightly stressed. “You were supposed to go online as soon as you got in.”
“We’re in now.” Dante rolled his eyes. “And we’re mixing in the crowd in plain sight.”
“Okay, good. If you see anything out of the ordinary, anyone you might think have any association with the Snake, tag them and keep an eye out. Killian is in the back already waiting for your signal.” His line clicked off.
Dante sighed, tapping his own piece off. “Maybe we should split up. There are a lot of rooms here, and we’ve only been to one.”
“Two, if you count the closet.” I couldn’t help it. I wanted to see him smile again before we split up.
He cracked a grin, hiding it with a cough. “Alright, two rooms. Do you want to take the back or the front?”
“I’ll take the back.” I started moving down the hall towards the other art galleries.
His hand latched around my wrist, pulling me back. The kiss wasn’t as hot as those in the closet. It was desperate and gentle. As if he were saying goodbye.
“Be safe,” he muttered.
I watched him disappear into the first room, melting into the crowd. I could still feel his touch as I moved through the room, pretending to study the oil paintings hanging from gilded frames along the wall. I recognized a lot of faces, most heirs or heiresses of their father’s or mother’s empires—people I’d grown up with within this world.
“Sienna, darling.” An older woman cornered me by a painting that reminded me of Italy. It took me a few seconds to remember her name. Grace Black, a real estate mogul in both the Americas and Europe, soon to be expanding across Asia. Her family had been in the business even longer than mine had. “How are you? We haven’t seen you or your mother out for some time.”
Gritting my teeth, I forced a smile. “We’ve been in mourning, Mrs. Black.”
She twisted the ostentatious diamond around her left ring finger. Her fourth marriage, I assumed. Or maybe she’d gotten divorced and married again these last few months. I could never keep up. “I’m so sorry for your loss. If there is anything you and your family need, please don’t hesitate to reach out. It was just absolutely horrifying what happened.”
I could tell she was fishing for gossip. Grace Black wasn’t exactly subtle. “Thank you. I will.” I absolutely will not, I thought.
She stood there for a beat, blinking at me as if waiting for more. When it was clear I was done talking, she sniffed, patting my arm before moving on to the next naive victim. The Blacks hadn’t become a real-estate empire by simply expanding their own businesses. They were sharks, sniffing for blood in the water when it came to failing estates and bankrupt hotels. Seeing as we held the majority of the real estate in New York City, and now the Scarano’s estates as well, she was simply testing the waters. I didn’t doubt that she’d be the first at those estate auctions if we fell through, paying off the lawyers to get the best for herself.
Moving on, I continued to eye the crowd as I pretended to admire the art. In all honesty, the art itself was pretty nice. There were a few pieces I knew my mother would love to hang in her living room, but I wasn’t here to shop. One painting caught my eye in the far corner, and I couldn’t help but stop to admire it.
It depicted of lovers in the throes of passion, the textured brush strokes blotchy and thick. Midnight and royal purples blended together as the pale skin of the lovers crashed against the backdrop. Up close, it was difficult to separate the lovers from the painting itself, but as I stepped back, I could make out the soft curves of the woman’s body, back arched, legs spread, the man’s face buried between her thighs. Her head was tipped back, long hair blending into the darkness of the background. It was erotic and raw. Beautiful.
“Do you like this one?” Layla sidled close to me, her eyes locked on the painting before us.
“It’s…very nice,” I said politely, ignoring the urge to claw her eyes out. Dante had told me he was meeting a woman. He failed to mention how beautiful she was.