e was drench

the neon lights of New York blur pa

still in th

ying Alessa

protect yo

said it-so sure, so certain-h

Lu

word since they

ngers gripping the whee

from him, thick

couldn't tak

're

ed on the leather s

knitting together. "Then wh

d. "Because you

omach dro

a cut in, his voice low, edged with som

ess should have

ent a strange shi

ply. "I didn't le

less. "You think Alessandro Ro

ted. "I do

ummed against the wheel. "And you should al

rmed in h

wasn't the kind of m

t terri

the wheel tightening. "Y

t skippe

en't spoken w

ere a

fa

despite the undeniable power he held over her-something insid

wa

y trading one ca

me to

Luca's penthouse, Aria ste

a tossed his jacket onto the

d her arms.

o her. "Now?" He took a slow sip before turning ar

her stomach. "I th

e was no warmth in it.

strode toward her, his m

hard, refusin

n't show

t

front

s fingers over her wrist. It

was power

eni

hak

," he murmured. "You sleep

breath

na

What are you t

dn't think this arrangement wo

t pounde

you to m

le

and utter

wisted painfully

uckled.

it with practiced ease. The smoke cur

e one thing ver

whisper against

sn't a

re world

ria

her to m

back, shaking her

aster than s

, she was

s against the wall, L

ou?" His voice was dangerously soft. "Y

e pounded i

elt c

ap

e wors

rt of her wante

t as long as she was

t wha

d, forcing hersel

on," she whispered.

s head, consid

absolute horr

tever you wa

of her neck, a featherligh

n the

his lips bru

still

gerou

't sleep

at the ceiling, her mind

ted to m

use he l

use he n

he wanted

have been

s terr

as somethin

mething she did

e her pulse race w

o

to feel anyt

ed to let

ame far t

she found Luca already dressed, sitting on the

er, his express

ve in a

inked.

stream of smoke. "Yo

tightened.

"Our engag

breath

o

dn't be h

asn't

ever be

had alrea

ways got wh

ing her into the darke

e wors

she wanted to

-