as if from a long sleep, and before I’ve thought it through, I pin her to the bed and settle on top of her warm, soft body.
“Get off me!” She tries to buck me, but all that does is allow me to settle between her legs. She’s still wearing her black dress from the day before, the skirt ample enough to allow me to feel the heat at the apex of her thighs.
Fuck.
She goes for my eyes with her tiny, sharp nails. I grip her wrists and slam them onto the mattress.
“I said calm down.” I try to keep my tone even despite the blood racing through me, the thickening surge in my cock, and the filthy thoughts that try to hold sway over my analytical mind.
“Get. Off.” She snaps her teeth.
“I can’t, because you’ll attack me again.” I squeeze her wrists. “I only came in here to speak with you. Not this.” I lift my hips away from her for emphasis, planking above her. “If you promise to let me speak with you, I’ll get off and stand at the door. Deal?” I look down into her eyes, the warm brown hue like the sun on a newly plowed vineyard. Her plump lips are a temptation, and the rest of her could bring me to my knees. But I must stay strong. For Carter and for her.
She narrows her eyes, and I feel her move before she can complete her attack.
I slam on top of her again, blocking her from kneeing me, and settling back into the sweet spot between her thighs.
Her frustrated cry sets a fire in my blood, and when I lean closer to her mouth, I see her gaze go to my lips.
“Since you’ve decided to be a bad girl, I’ll have to talk to you like this.” I force my hips to remain still even though the urge to thrust against her heat tries to overwhelm me.
“If you don’t let me go, I’ll—”
“Lioness, if you don’t stop talking and listen, I’ll gag you.” I cut through her words. “And I’ll tie you to this bed. Is that what you want?”
Her bravado falters. “You wouldn’t dare,” she hisses.
“I wouldn’t?” I smile. “You know who I am, lioness. Cato Davinci, the head of the largest crime family in Italy. I have connections all over the world. Davincis rule in the United States and several South American countries. I am power. I am the law here. And I am the only thing keeping you alive right now. So if you’d like to continue fighting me, do go on.” I lick my lips and glance down at her chest where the dress gapes slightly, giving me a view of the tops of her pale breasts. “But if you want to speak to me respectfully, we can have a discussion. What do you choose?”
I almost hope she wants to fight. Pinning her down, feeling her, getting a taste of what sort of woman she is—I can deal with her brattiness as long as I get what I want in the end.
The only problem is, I’m beginning to suspect I want more than just keeping Carter’s sister safe. No. I want Apollonia, every bit of the lioness I’ve captured in this bed.
3
Apollonia
Both fear and anger battle inside me. Arousal, too. Not sure where the hell that one came from. I’ve heard that in combat, men often get hard. That has to be what this is. I could never be attracted to a man like Cato. Not when I know what’s under that ruggedly handsome exterior.
He stares down at me, waiting for my answer. He has a lot more patience than I thought he would. I don’t want to do anything he asks me, but I’m not sure I have a choice in that anymore.
“You’re hurting me.” I give a small pull on my wrist. His hands loosen, but he doesn't let go.
“Are you going to calm down?”
No. I don’t say that out loud. I close my eyes tightly. I’m not going to calm down. I don’t think I could be calm if I wanted to. Everything inside me is screaming. I feel so much anger and sadness.
“Apollonia.” He says my name softer.
He isn’t hurting me. Not really. And if he wanted me dead? I'd be dead. He also doesn't think I’m a threat. The only other person I saw was an older woman who looked at me like I’d escaped from an insane asylum. None of Cato’s baboons from the funeral