Soulless Devil (Sons of Valentino #3)(51)

“I’m scared,” she says.

“Of what?”

“Of us. I already need you more than I should, Romeo. The week I just spent without you was hell. I hated it. It’s not healthy to need someone like that.”

“We can be sick together then, because I need you just as much, Liv. This is new to me, and I’m likely to fuck up. A lot. But one thing that won’t waver is how much I want you. How much I need you. How much I love you.”





Chapter Twenty-Eight





I’m either just as crazy as he is. Or worse, crazier.

Because, right now, I can’t really think of a good reason I shouldn’t move in with Romeo. Apart from the obvious ones: we’re nineteen and we’ve really only just met. My parents really are going to want him dead when they find out. All of which I’m choosing to ignore because this man… This gorgeous, beautiful man wants me. ‘

“She hardly knew how to suppose that she could be an object of admiration to so great a man.” Never has a literary quote had so much meaning to me before. Jane Austen really did know what she was talking about.

“Romeo, take me back to bed.” My heart hammers in my chest with what I’m about to do. I need to do this. I need to try to take back what they took from me.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He grabs my hand in his and starts walking towards his room. Our room?

“I want you to make love to me,” I say and his steps stop.

His head turns to look at me. “No, you don’t have to do this. We have plenty of time. We can wait.”

“I want to do this. I want you to take it away. I want this.” I’m more adamant in my decision.

Without saying anything, Romeo continues to escort me into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. He stands at the foot of his bed, his hands trembling as they reach for the hem of the shirt I’m wearing. “If at any point you want to stop, just say the word,” he tells me.

I love him for verbalizing it but I already know that he’d stop if I needed him to. Romeo isn’t him. He isn’t the man who forced himself on me. He isn’t the one who took away my choice.

“I won’t. I love you, Romeo. I want this. I want you,” I repeat, because I honestly do. I want him more than anything and I’m praying like hell that I can actually go through with this. That I can get out of my own head long enough to enjoy it.

Reaching for my panties, Romeo slowly drags them down my legs, lifting each foot one at a time and helping me step out of them before guiding me onto the bed. I watch his every move, my nerves rattling as he strips his own clothes off. He lies next to me on the bed, the tips of his fingers trailing up my stomach and circling one nipple before moving on to the next. “You are truly the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, his voice soft, reverent almost.

“Ditto.” I smile at him.

Romeo leans in, kissing me softly. His lips run down the length of my neck, before moving lower and wrapping around a nipple. He licks the tip and sucks lightly. My back arches off the bed, as his fingers continue to roam around my stomach. Up my side. So soft. Featherlight.

“Oh…” Pleasure fills me, and I let myself get lost in it.

Romeo refocuses his attention on my other breast, the weight of his body shifting slightly on top of me. I freeze for a second and his head pops up, his eyes connecting with mine. “You good?” he asks.

“Yes, don’t stop.”

He hesitates for a moment before resuming what he was doing. Lavishing my breasts with attention. His hand travels lower, then starts running up and down my inner thigh, switching from leg to leg. The strokes of his fingers moving higher each time, closer to my core. When they finally connect with my clit, I jolt, and once again Romeo stops. His gaze searching mine. Taking hold of his hand, I place it back on my pussy.

“Don’t stop,” I tell him.

His fingers start circling my clit and his mouth goes back to my breast. But his eyes… They stay on mine. I let myself float away with the sensation, and before long, I’m flying off that blissful edge. My whole body spasms. When I come back, I’m met by Romeo’s cocky smirk. “I’ve fucking missed seeing that,” he says.

“How about you try to make it happen again then? If you think you can,” I challenge him.

“Think? Babe, I know I can.” He reaches into the bedside drawer and retrieves a condom.

“Romeo, do you think…? Can we…” I don’t know how to ask him. I don’t want him to use a condom. I want his skin on me. In me. I want him. All of him. But what if he says no? I’ve been given the all-clear from the doctor Romeo insisted I see a few days after he found me. Thankfully, I’ve been on birth control since I was sixteen, which was one less thing to be concerned about.

“What?”

“Never mind,” I say, rather than tell him what I want.

“Babe, just ask me. What do you need.”

“I need you. Can we not use that?” I ask, pointing to the foil wrapper.

Romeo’s expression is hard to read. Blank. “Of course. But just know I’m an overachiever, babe. If my swimmers impregnate you, I’m not waiting until graduation to get married.” His smirk widens.

“My birth control is rock-solid.” I smile.