Nico (Ruin & Revenge #1)(103)

Mia pressed her lips together, trying to remember how their first encounter had played out. “I prefer to stand.”

Nico expressed his displeasure with a scowl. “Sit,” he said curtly. “Or I’ll make you sit.”

“Are you trying to turn me on?”

He fought back a bark of amusement. “That’s not what you said. I remember every word. You asked if I meant to break your nose, and I told you it was too lovely to break.”

“Is that meant to be a compliment?” She arched an eyebrow and put one hand on her hip, tugging up her dress just enough to give him a hint of what was hidden below. Although she didn’t let on, she remembered their conversation, too.

Nico’s eyes widened and he sat forward in his chair. “Do you want compliments?”

“I want to give you this.” She put her leg up on the chair nearest the door, and pulled back the dress to reveal her stocking, and the garter decorated with skulls and chains.

He drew in a ragged breath. “This is supposed to be my fantasy, bella. You’re making it hard for me to stay in my chair.”

“My apologies, Mr. Toscani.” She slid her finger inside one of the garter straps, tugging on the little chain. “I didn’t mean to make it … hard.”

“Over here.” He slapped his hand on the desk. “Now.”

“Tsk. Tsk,” she teased. “That’s not how to play the game. I think you asked about my family next. And Luigi’s.” She regretted the words as they dropped from her lips, worried she had ruined the game by bringing up such a painful memory.

Nico came around the desk and perched on the edge. “I made the mistake of thinking you weren’t capable because you were a Cordano and a woman. I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

Mia walked toward him, working the heels and the dress until his mouth went slack. “Was that before or after I cupped my breasts and told you about stabbing your guard? Did you know I was incredibly turned on?” She paused for effect, loving the power she had right now. “Did you know I was wet? So wet. When I went home…” She trailed her fingers down her neck to the curve of her breast. “Well, I’m sure you can imagine.”

His eyes blazed and he reached for her, only to swipe at the air when she stopped a few feet away. “I was so fucking hard I couldn’t think. I told you a man couldn’t be distracted, but you were the most distracting woman I’d ever met.”

She stepped between his parted legs, the way she had done before. Electricity crackled between them, and she gave him a mischievous smile. “So you’re saying…” She dropped her hand and cupped his erection, straining beneath the fabric of his fine wool pants. “When I dropped my hand that night, you wanted me to touch you like this?”

Nico growled, a low rumble that made her stomach tight with need. He curled his hand around her neck, and yanked her close, so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. Not wanting to give in so soon, she dragged her palm along his shaft, feeling it harden with each firm stroke.

“Yes, you did.” She flicked her tongue along his earlobe and crooned. “You wanted me, Mr. Mob Boss. You wanted my hand stroking your cock. You wanted me on your desk, my dress hiked up, my panties gone, my pussy hot and wet—”

Before she even realized he had moved, Nico had her flat on her back on his desk, her skirt pushed up to bare her sexy skull garters.

“Dio mio.” He traced his finger along the edge of her garters, and then his hand tightened around her thigh like he was struggling to restrain himself. “You might just break me, yet.”

“Then break.” She pushed herself up on her elbows. “Here I am. Your fantasy come true.”

He pounced, roughly pushing her panties aside. With a low growl of satisfaction, he slicked one finger through her labia, sending an exquisite shudder through her body. “Make no mistake. That part of my fantasy will come true tonight. I will have you on this desk in every possible way. But that comes after.”

“After what?”

He pulled her up to sit, and she gave a disappointed moan.

“Shhh. You are entirely too sexy, too distracting. And tonight I have something I need to do.” He settled her on the edge of his desk and smoothed down her dress. From his pocket, he pulled out a small black velvet box and then he went down on one knee.

Emotion welled up in Mia’s chest. “You don’t need to do this. We’re already married. Elvis said so.”

“You are worth so much more than a quickie elopement ceremony, cara mia.” He opened the box. “I want to do it again. Properly. When the words I say come from the heart.

Mia stared at the beautiful ring, platinum, with a black diamond in the center and two pink diamonds on the side, held in a punk-style setting. “If I had to design a ring, this would be it. This is me.”

“I saw you the first time we met. And you saw me.” He took the ring from the box. “Ti adoro, Mia. Ti amo. Make me the happiest man in the world by becoming my wife.”

“Yes.” She whispered the word without hesitation. If anyone had told her six weeks ago that she would wind up in a mobster’s arms, tied to the life she’d fought so hard to escape, she wouldn’t have believed them. But love made all the difference.

He slid the ring on her finger and stood, sweeping her into his arms for a smoldering kiss.