Ruthless Prince (Dark Syndicate 1)

amps my fingers over his hard length. He makes me rub up and down his cock and holds my hand to him so I don’t let go.

“That is what you do to me, Princesca,” he confesses. I feel hot all over again. “Do you want to know a little secret?”

A secret?

There are so many floating around. Too many.

Knowing one would lessen the burden of not knowing anything.

“Yes.”

A smile dances across his lips. “I’m curious about you too. I’ve been curious since that night I first saw you. You, Emelia Balesteri, my enemy’s daughter.”

As I stare back at him and take in his words, I know he’s not talking about Saturday. What he’s referring to sounds older. Like it was a long time ago.

If I’d seen this guy before, I’d remember. When is he talking about?

“What night?” I ask.

“The ball.”

“The charity ball?” He was there.

“You can call it that. It’s best you call it that, Princesca. The truth would hurt you too much, and I don’t want to hurt you that way tonight,” he answers as he moves away from me.

My skin flushes when I realize I was still holding on to his cock. I push the embarrassment away and stare back at him.

What did he mean? I can call it that. I thought the charity ball was exactly that.

I was nervous but so happy to finally join Dad at one of his events. It was the first time he’d ever taken me to anything like that. That ball was a few months before I turned nineteen. I felt so grown up and like a representative of Dad and the company. He even introduced me to one of the investors. It was a good night for me.

“If it wasn’t a charity, what was it?” I ease up onto my elbows.

“No. No, Princesca,” he says, lying next to me. He reaches out and pulls me closer, setting the sheet back over me then him. “I like you like this. Innocent and untainted. Unknowing.”

Thoughts from earlier return as we stare at each other. Once again, I know he’s referring to Dad in some way. He keeps saying things to make me question what I know. Making me question Dad.

Making me question him, and myself, and what we just did.

It’s all going to drive me crazy.

If I stay here, that’s exactly what will happen to me.

I’ll lose my mind. And I’ll lose myself too.

Chapter Ten

Massimo

I’m on my way to see Andreas and about ten minutes away from his place.

I tear down the road on my motorcycle, riding way past the speed limit. I need the speed and the feel of that edge of danger racing through my veins to clear my mind.

I’ve been opting for my car over my bike over the last few weeks. No particular reason. I just like it. The same way I felt like riding the Ninja X2 bike today.

I think I needed that buzz to take my mind off everything.

It’s been four days. Exactly four days since Emelia has been in my care, and the woman is growing on me. I know well enough not to divulge too much information to her that won’t matter.