KARINA
My heart was about to crawl its way up my throat along with the lie that just came out of my mouth. Lorik knew it; I knew it. I was a liar. But I’d be damned if I stood there and did nothing while they insinuated one of my brothers was a murderer. If anyone knew my family’s doings were far from legit, it was me. But I also knew neither of my brothers killed this Gio character.
Lorik’s eyes narrowed, scrutinizing my face, and I was convinced he was seconds away from calling my bluff. I felt the sweat run down my back, my gut on the verge of twisting upside down. But then he took two steps back and looked at my brothers.
“Okay, then. I guess we’re done here.”
I exhaled and allowed my shoulders to relax, even though I knew this entire situation was far from over. If I knew Lorik at all, I knew he wouldn’t let this lie go so easily.
“Thank you for your time.” Lorik walked toward the door, and I wanted to punch myself for feeling disappointed. I didn’t like the feeling of knowing he was about to walk out that door, and I had no idea when I’d see him again. During the last week, even though it was my decision to call quits on our…whatever you called it, I had been fucking miserable. The last few days, it felt like there was a giant hole inside me, like there was a part of me missing. But how the hell was that even possible, that this man had the power to take such a big part of my soul within so little time?
With a final glance my way, Lorik disappeared out the door, and every fiber of my being was begging me to go after him, not to let him walk away from me. But I didn’t. I couldn’t.
“Karina,” Antonio growled from behind me, “what the hell did you do that for?”
I spun and glared his way, my anger now fully focused on him. “You know what, Antonio, fuck you. I just lied to save your ass from being grilled. A simple thank you would suffice.”
He glanced at the customers before moving closer, afraid of causing a scene in the middle of the restaurant. “I did not ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t have to. That’s what family does.”
He grabbed my elbow and tightened his grip. “Do you know how much shit you’ll be in if they find out you lied? That would push you and me right to the top of their goddamn suspect list.”
“And you think you and Dante aren’t already there? Why the hell do you think they came here in the first place? If you weren’t suspects, they wouldn’t have wanted to know where you were on Saturday night. The only difference is Dante has an alibi, and you don’t. So, now I gave you one.” I jerked my arm out of his tight grip, and if it was possible to shoot daggers through someone’s forehead with a single glare, I would have done it.
“What in God’s name is going on here?” My dad came storming toward us from the back, his face dark with disapproval. “You are making a goddamn scene in my restaurant.”
Antonio backed up. “Sorry, Dad. It was just a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? I don’t know what the hell is going on between the two of you lately, but you better sort it out.” Dad stepped closer, and my heart sank to the soles of my feet as I saw the disappointment on his face. “We are a family, and this is not how we treat each other.” He turned to face Antonio. “She might be your younger sister, but she is a Valenti woman, and you will treat her with respect. Do you understand?”
Antonio lifted his chin. “Yes, sir.”
“And you.” Dad shifted his attention to me, and his scrutinizing gaze had me feeling two feet tall. “Antonio is your older brother and the one who will be in charge of this family one day—your family. You have made no secret of your qualms about being a part of this family, but you have no goddamn choice. You are a Valenti, and I expect you to act like one. Is that clear?”
Biting the inside of my mouth to keep myself from crying—because my dad had a way to make you feel guilty even when you did nothing wrong—I squared my shoulders.
“Crystal clear,” I bit out. “Talking about respect, why don’t you ask your oldest son what I just did for him…because I respect him.”
I grabbed my purse and stomped out of the restaurant without glancing back. My palms were sweaty, my heart was racing, and I was pissed off.
My dad would never understand. He was the boss, a man who never had to listen to anyone. On the other hand, I had to make peace with the fact that my dad and brothers would always rule my goddamn life.
Even after everything I had to endure with them, I still put them first. I lied for my brother, and now I wasn’t sure whether I was pissed at myself for doing it in the first place. What I did know was when I saw Lorik, my heart stopped, and my body, mind, and soul called out to him. It was painful to look at him and not be able to feel his touch, his kiss, his warmth. My body and my soul were screaming out to him like I needed him to survive. My heart splintered into nothing but dust as I stared at him in the restaurant, wanting nothing more than to run into his arms, yet knowing it wasn’t possible. It was the worst kind of agony wanting something you couldn’t have, needing something you knew could never be yours. If only I had been strong enough to deny my attraction to him from the start, it never would have gone this far, and my heart never would have been dragged into this mess.
It was just another sign I had the tendency to fuck up. If I had stayed away from Detective Stone in the first place, I wouldn’t be walking around with a giant hole in my chest. But I was a natural-born rule breaker—which was why I’d probably be haunted by shit for the rest of my goddamn life.
On my way to my car, I reached into my purse and pulled out the keys. I had no idea where the hell I was going, but I had to go somewhere.
Just as I switched off the alarm, a hand wrapped around my elbow, pulling me around the corner. My heart lodged in my throat, and I yelped as I was shoved back first against a cold, hard wall before staring up into Lorik’s angry, blazing eyes.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he growled.
I tried to pull free. “Let go of me.” But his grip on my elbow was too strong, and he had his other hand flush against the wall above my shoulder.
“Not before you tell me why you’re lying.”
Even though I was pretty pissed off and didn’t appreciate being hauled around a corner and pushed up against a wall, there was a part of me that relished the feeling of having him so damn close. His touch was engraved red-hot onto my skin, forcing me to suck in a breath, and my stomach was doing backflips.
I lifted my chin, meeting his glare. “I’m not lying.” I continued the ruse, pretending I was convinced he was oblivious to my deception.
His pupils dilated, and his eyes turned black. “You and I both know you’re lying.”
“And how exactly can you prove that?” I challenged, bringing my face closer to his, witnessing his gaze move to my lips and back up to my eyes.
He loosened his hold on my arm, and my skin mourned the loss of his touch.
“You were with me Saturday night, princess.” He lightly rubbed his knuckles across my jaw, his eyes following the movement. “Don’t you remember?” he whispered seductively, and that familiar sizzle of undeniable sexual attraction instantly surrounded us.
It was such a subtle, gentle touch against my jaw, yet it ignited an ardent desire blazing inside my belly.
“Remind me.” My hips shifted, an ache gradually building between my thighs.
His hand slipped down my neck, his thumb tracing across my skin before settling in the hollow below my throat.
His eyes turned to dark swirls of mischief and determination. “Fine, I’ll play.” He traced a finger along my collarbone, causing goosebumps to erupt all over my skin.
“I remember you eagerly slipping out of the little black number you were wearing, forcing me to watch you play with yourself.”
I whimpered when I felt his other hand on my waist, his touch scorching my skin.
“You drove me to the brink of losing my goddamn mind when your hand disappeared beneath your panties. And when I tore your thong to shreds, pushing my cock between your legs, you made the most amazing sounds. Right then, I knew I could listen to your moans of pleasure every minute of every goddamn day.”
His words spread through my body like wildfire, and my legs weakened while I struggled to clench my thighs.
“Don’t you remember how wet you were for me, princess? How needy your body was, those greedy hips trying to coax my cock inside you when I wasn’t ready to give it to you yet?”
His hand on my waist started to travel down over my hip, making its way down my thigh. I was so overwhelmed with sensation that I struggled to breathe normally.
“Tell me you remember when you wrapped your legs around me, giving me permission to fuck you bare. When I impaled you with my cock and you begged me to keep still while your body adapted to the feeling of having a real man inside you.”
God, I remember. I remembered all of it. I remembered how my body was on the edge of bursting into flames. How the pain and the pleasure mixed into the most intense decadence my body had ever experienced and threatened to burn me into embers of desire.
He leaned closer, his spicy scent giving life to all those memories. “Tell me you remember coming around my cock. Tell me you remember how I pulsed my orgasm all over your warm, sweaty skin.”
Oh, sweet baby Jesus.
There was no way in hell I could have stopped myself.
I jerked forward and pressed my lips hard against his. A low groan rumbled in the back of his throat, and mixed with the sound of my own moan, it sounded like a goddamn symphony of desire, hunger, and longing finally being swept away by our kiss.
Lorik wasted no time and pushed his hand underneath my dress, palming my ass, clawing his fingers into my skin. My arms were around his neck, and all I could do was push my body as hard as possible against his. I’d craved his heat so goddamn much, wanting to feel his hard body against mine so badly that if it was possible to glue myself to him, I would. There was no way for me to explain what was happening, but the truth was, I didn’t care what was happening—as long as it happened…and soon.
There was no need for him to coax my mouth open with his tongue; I did it of my own accord. With his tongue moving fervently, exploring every corner of my mouth, and the hard onslaught of his lips against mine, my body started to climb, and the need was so intense I couldn’t control it.
“I want you, princess,” he murmured against my lips and jerked my thigh up, forcing me to wrap it around his hip. He moved his lips down the column of my throat, his tongue lapping against my skin. “I want to taste every inch of you. I want you in my bed every goddamn minute of every goddamn day so I can take you whenever the fuck I want.”
I gasped hearing his words, thinking about how it would feel to be able to let him have me whenever he wanted. The thought alone had me aching all over with the need to spread my legs for him, to give him what he craved.
He thrust against me, and I moaned out loud, my breathing accelerating as I found it impossible to get enough air in my lungs. All I felt was heat and scorching flames burning all around us.
“What’s happening to us, Lorik?” I weaved my fingers through his hair when he continued to kiss down my chest, my desire for him getting stronger.
“I have no fucking idea. All I know is I’m not strong enough to control the need I have for you. It’s too damn powerful to ignore or control.”
He palmed my breast, pushing it up as he kissed my nipple over the fabric of my dress, and I sucked in a breath.
“We hardly know each other.” I leaned my head against the wall, closing my eyes as I marveled at his touch and his kisses while my body felt like it was about to burst into flames. “It’s insane. How can all this happen so damn fast?”
Lorik looked up, his gaze etched on mine, and the intensity of his stare momentarily took my breath away.
“We might not be able to explain what’s happening between us, but whatever it is, I don’t want it to stop. And I don’t care if it moves at a thousand miles an hour, I’m going with it, princess, because I don’t want to stay behind and miss a single goddamn moment.”
The emotion linked to the words he spoke caressed every inch of my heart, and that was the moment I realized I had fallen irrevocably in love with Detective Lorik Stone.
***
LORIK
My father once told me there came a time in a man’s life when he realized his freedom wasn’t worth living a life without love. And this time was usually when a man found that special woman who had the power to open the eyes of his soul, forcing him to accept that up until then he merely existed and never lived. Once you found the woman your soul refused to let go of, that was when you truly started to live. And while I was staring down into Karina’s eyes, it hit me like a fucking wrecking ball that she was the woman my soul refused to give up on. She was the one who made me realize that up until then I only wallowed in my feeble existence chasing things that didn’t matter. This woman opened my eyes. She was the one who brought me to life.
I palmed her cheek, and when she nestled deeper into my touch, placing her hand over mine, my heart swelled inside my chest to the point of bursting. I’d never felt like this. It was completely foreign to me, but I realized I wasn’t willing to let these insane, yet amazing feelings go. Not ever.
“You are mine, Karina, you hear me? And there is no one on this goddamn earth who can change that. I don’t care what your goddamn surname is. I don’t care who your father is. You’re mine, and that’s that.”
She closed her eyes, her cheek still nestled in my hand. “I’m scared, Lorik. We have everything working against us, and nothing working for us.”
I placed my palm over her other cheek, forcing her to look at me. “Lucky for you, I’m one stubborn son of a bitch, and I won’t stop until I’m able to have all of you. I’m serious, Karina. I’m not letting you go after I just found you.”
With one more kiss against her warm, sweet lips, I dropped my hand to hers and took her car keys.
Her eyes widened. “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking you home because I plan to be inside you within the next ten minutes. And since I came here with my partner and told him to leave because I couldn’t get myself to leave you behind, I’m driving your car.” I winked at her and grabbed her wrist before guiding her toward where I knew her Mercedes was parked.
Like a fucking gentleman—which I’d never been before—I opened the passenger side door for her before slipping in behind the wheel.
I looked at her. “Now, when I start this engine, I want you to spread those legs of yours.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
I started the engine, and she obeyed beautifully by spreading her legs. I reached for the hem of her dress and pulled it up just enough to give me access without anyone being able to see what I was about to claim as mine.
She was already breathing rapidly, and when I placed my hand between her legs, pulling her panties to the side, I closed my eyes and cursed when I felt how goddamn wet she was.
“Jesus, princess.”
I twisted the fabric of her panties and tore it between my fingers.
“I’m going to have to start billing you for all the underwear you’ve been tearing, Detective.”
I slipped a finger inside her, and her back arched as her hips pushed forward.
“That’s one bill I’ll have no problem paying.”
Lucky for me—and her—her car was an automatic, which meant I could keep my hand between her legs while I sped down the streets of Boston.
Her moans of pleasure filled my ears while I worked her so damn gently. I wanted to make sure she stayed ready for me, that I kept her on the edge without pushing her over. The only way she was coming was with me buried to the hilt inside her.
“Lorik, if you keep this up, I’m going to come on this goddamn seat.”
“Don’t you fucking dare. The only way you’re coming is with my cock stretching this beautiful pussy.” I pushed a finger deeper into her, and it earned me a loud moan from her lips. She grabbed my hand, forcing it harder against her as she rocked her hips back and forth.
“Goddammit, you’re greedy, aren’t you, woman?”
Her head lolled against the headrest. “Please. My body can’t take it anymore.”
“Stop moving those hips, princess. You will not deny me the pleasure of feeling you come on my cock.”
I stepped on the gas, desperate to get her to my apartment as soon as fucking possible. My cock was ready and aching, and so was she.
With a half-ass attempt at parking between the white lines, I turned to her, grabbed her behind the head, and pulled her toward me. I swept my tongue hard and fast through her mouth before finally withdrawing my hand from between her legs and jumping out of the car.
I opened her door. “Get out and make sure you get your ass in my apartment within the next ten seconds.”
And, true as fuck, we were in my apartment within ten seconds.
Clothes were ripped and torn and tossed everywhere while we desperately tried to keep our mouths glued together. Our need for each other was so damn strong, I could feel it in every bone of my body, pulsing, growing, aching like a motherfucker.
“I want you in my bed, princess,” I whispered when we were both finally naked and ready.
She yelped when I swept her into my arms and carried her down the hall. Having her skin against mine felt so right, all I could think about was how I’d be able to keep her against me, with me, for-fucking-ever.
The second I put her down on her feet, she glanced at the wall—a very bare wall. I knew what she was looking for, and I smiled. “I took it down.”
Her eyes widened, and she stared at me with surprise. “Why?”
I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her naked body against mine. “Because when you left, I couldn’t look at it anymore knowing it had hurt you.” And it was the God’s honest truth. “I would much rather give up everything I’ve worked for my entire life than have you walk away from me again.”
She lifted herself on her toes, wrapped her arms around my neck, and brought my lips down to hers. The desperate hunger that needed to be sated as quickly as possible was no longer there. It was replaced with a need to savor, to cherish, to appreciate, and…to love.
I guided her back onto the bed while I continued to kiss her, my tongue lapping softly against hers. There was no way I was rushing this. I wanted to taste all of her, feel every inch of her skin, make all of her mine…just mine.
As I finally settled between her legs, I knew with all my heart and soul I was where I was supposed to be. This was how we should be. Together.
I peeled my lips from hers and looked down at her. Her curls were perfectly splayed over the pillow, her skin flushed with desire. She was fucking perfect.
“I want to make love to you, Karina.” My voice was soft, desperate—a plea.
She lifted her hands and moved her fingers through my hair. “And I want you to.”
My gaze remained fixed on hers when I reached between us. I couldn’t look away, wanting to keep the connection we shared with our eyes on each other.
The second she felt me nudging against her entrance, she arched her back, pushing her hips up, preparing to take all of me. But I stilled.
“Don’t. Don’t rush this.”
She settled beneath me, but her body was shaking. “Okay,” she whispered, and I could see in her eyes she had given me full control.
I moved achingly slow, my cock begging me to thrust into her hard, but unfortunately for him, my desire to love this woman was stronger than his need to fuck her.
Deeper and deeper I moved inside her, claiming her inch by inch with slow, leisurely strokes. The strain and the intensity of the pleasure caused my entire body to shake, and sweat started to move down my spine. But I was so damn determined to not fuck her this time, but rather make sweet love to her. I wanted to savor every moment, every touch, every stroke, and commit every second to memory.
I pushed forward gently until I was buried in her to the hilt. Unlike all the other times, I wasn’t fueled with my desire for release, but by my desperation to show her how much she meant to me, how much she had changed me in such a short time.
My hands took their time to explore her body, caressing her, allowing the exquisite feel of her skin to seep through my pores. This had never happened to me before. I’d never been driven by anything other than my selfish needs. But this time, with her, all I could think about was how I never wanted this to end. I wanted to drown in her. I wanted to lose myself in her, in the moment, and I wanted to stay this way with her forever.
“God, Lorik. Why does this have to feel so good with you?” She dragged her nails slowly down my back, sending shivers down my spine.
I sucked one of her rosy pink nipples into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the hard little nub before letting it go. “I don’t know about you, princess, but I really don’t give a fuck why it has to feel so good. I just care about never letting whatever this is go.”
I rocked my body on top of hers and watched in awe as her mouth formed the perfect ‘O,’ her body arching into me. I placed my hand on her knee and guided her leg up, forcing her thighs wider apart.
She moaned when I thrust forward, pushing deeper into her. The pleasure was so intense, so powerful, I felt it all the way to the bone. It consumed us both, possessed us completely, and it forced us to lose ourselves in one another.
With my hand still on her knee, I guided it around my waist. She wrapped her legs around me so damn tight she gave me no choice but to remain buried deep.
“You feel that, princess?” I gave one hard jab inside her, causing her to moan out loud, and felt her body shaking beneath me. “I know you think there’s no way we can be together, but I’m telling you, if it wasn’t meant to be, it wouldn’t feel so goddamn good being one with you.”
“Oh, my God, Lorik. You’re torturing me,” she moaned, her voice strained low, her body shuddering.
I stilled inside her and cupped her cheek. I wasn’t normally a fan of eye contact when it came to sex. It made it too personal. Screwing with your eyes closed, you couldn’t see the person you were inside of, which meant that person could be whoever the fuck you wanted her to be right at that moment. But when you stared into a person’s eyes while being buried balls deep inside her, that was personal. And I wanted it to be personal. I wanted it to be deep, powerful, and earth-shattering, to strengthen our connection with every thrust.
“Look at me, princess.”
She opened her beautiful eyes, and I sucked in a breath when I saw the intensity in her gaze. There was no doubt in my mind that this was as powerful for her as it was for me. We were about to melt into each other, and no one would be able to tear us apart after this.
I moved my hips, pulling out before sinking back into her. I continued the slow rhythm, gradually pushing our bodies higher and higher toward the peak we both so desperately needed. Being inside this woman made me feel like I had finally found my own little place in paradise. Her pussy was my Heaven, her body my God. I would worship this woman every goddamn day for the rest of my life, gladly give her my soul and devote my life to her.
While moving in and out between her legs, I felt all of her. It was like I could feel her soul latching onto mine, and I loved it.
“Say you’re mine,” I whispered, pushing harder and deeper. “Say you’re mine, Karina.”
“I’m yours.”
“Say it again.”
“I’m yours.”
“God, I love hearing you say that.”
The expression on her face told me she was close, but she needed more, she needed that final push for me to send her over the edge. I gave it to her by thrusting deeper and harder, but not faster. It was so fucking hard not to piston in and out of her, but I wanted her to experience the potent sexual gratification by dragging out every ounce of pleasure, and not rushing it.
Harder, deeper, and I never took my eyes off hers. Her body started to shake, and when she threw her head back, I knew she was about to shatter beneath me. I felt it in the way her walls closed in around me, gripping me to a point where I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from losing control.
“Karina, look at me. I need to look into your eyes while I make you come.”
When her eyes opened, I moved one knee, pushing it against her ass while I had her pinned down with my hand on her hip. Then I thrust my cock inside her as deep as it could go, wanting to give her all of me while I took all of her.
Then it happened. That was when she clasped down around me, clenching me so tight inside her it was almost painful, but I didn't stop. There was no goddamn way I would stop.
“Holy shit, Lorik.”
“Come for me, princess.”
One more thrust, and I witnessed as she exploded into fragments of pleasure while she reached the pinnacle of her release. It was so fucking beautiful, seeing her come undone beneath me.
“Oh,” she moaned, burying her nails deep into my back. I could feel her pulsing around me, and seeing the pleasure, the euphoria on her beautiful face because of what I gave her, pushed me to the point where I could no longer hold on.
“Karina.” I sped up, going as deep as possible, but still not taking my eyes off hers. “I want to come inside you. I need to make you mine in every way.” It was the plea of a desperate man, trying my best to mark her, to claim her in every goddamn way possible. If I could tie her to me and never let go, I would. But this was the closest I’d ever get to owning her completely.
A tear slipped down the side of her face, and she placed her palms on my cheeks, her gaze on mine.
“Yes,” she replied before pulling me down and pressing her mouth against mine.
The warmth of her mouth, the heat of her body, and the slickness of her orgasm coating every inch of me was enough to send me to the motherfucking peak of the most intense release I had ever had in my entire goddamn life. For the first time, I knew what it felt like to be alive, to be connected to someone.
With my cock as deep as it could go, I came inside her—hard. The severity, the strong, extreme connection between us soared while I continued to pulse my heart and my fucking soul inside her, all the while kissing her like it was the last time I’d ever have the honor.
My body went rigid as the last bit of my orgasm pulsed out of me and into her, and I buried my face in the crook of her neck. I’d never experienced anything as satisfying as what we did right now. How was it possible that I ever thought I could go without this, without ever knowing what it felt like to make love to someone you share something so deep with, so powerful?
“Lorik?” Her warm sigh danced across my shoulder, and I lifted my head, still desperately trying to catch my breath.
“Karina.”
“What are we going to do?”
I knew what she meant. How could we be together with everything that was currently keeping us apart? But the better question was, how could we stay apart after what just happened, after what we’d shared?
I placed soft, gentle kisses all along her jaw before focusing my gaze on hers. “I don’t know what we’re going to do, but I’m never letting you go. I vow it.”