Broken Beginnings (The Moretti Crime Family 3)

What the hell? He acts like I’m repulsive to him. He didn’t seem to think so last night when I had his cock in my mouth. Shivers ripple across my skin, and my nipples harden beneath my shirt at the reminder of how roughly he took my mouth, the mushroom head of his cock slipping into the back of my throat. He wasn’t lying when he said he would choke me, that he would treat me like I was nothing.

It was degrading and not exactly pleasant, but it ignited a fire in the depths of my belly. By the time he was done using my mouth, I was left panting, my arousal and need for him dripping down my thighs.

If he was trying to convince me he didn’t want me, then he was going to have to try much harder. I get a coffee mug out of the cabinet and pour myself a cup. Lucca is still standing there staring at the eggs like they killed his entire family. I pop into the fridge and grab the milk, splashing a little into my coffee.

The last thing I want to do is let his sourness ruin my good mood, but with him acting so distant, it’s hard not to. Moving the eggs to a plate along with some sausage links, he turns and mechanically hands me the food. His eyes are cast down at the ground. He’s not even looking at me. What the fuck?

I remain standing there, a bit shocked that he’s only paying me the bare minimum of attention. Had I not done good enough last night? The question is on the tip of my tongue when Lucca clears his throat and turns to look at me. His features are masked, his face void of all emotion. What the hell is going on?

“I’m preparing the room next to mine for you. You will sleep in there from now on.”

He speaks to me like I’m a small child, and I have to wonder if he’s deliberately trying to piss me off?

“Did I do something wrong? Last I knew, you enjoyed what we did, or at least it seemed like you did.”

Lucca’s jaw ticks. “What happened last night will not happen again.”

“Says who? What happened last night was great. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I know you did too. Plus, I’m an adult, not a child. I can suck anyone’s cock that I…”

The plate in Lucca’s hand cracks beneath his grip, and I stop mid-sentence. I look up from the plate and directly into his eyes. Eyes that are not so masked now, eyes that are burning with red hot jealousy.

“If you’re half as smart as you think, you will not finish that sentence.”

Most women would be wary or afraid, but I’m none of those things. I’m pissed. Pissed that he’s still pushing me away. Pissed that he’s still acting like I’m a child.

“I can give you a blow job but can’t sleep in the same bed as you?” I set my plate on the counter, and suddenly, I’m no longer hungry.

“It’s for your protection, Claire,” he grits through his teeth.

“For my protection?” I roll my eyes and shake my head. “I don’t know how many times I’ve told you I don’t need your protection.”

Lucca tosses the broken plate into the sink. The sound makes me jump but doesn’t scare me as much as when I look away from the sink and find Lucca advancing toward me. I take a hesitant step back.

Instantly, I’m the prey, and he’s the hunter.

Lucca’s chest brushes against mine, and sparks of desire form low in my belly. I lick my bottom lip, wondering what it would be like to kiss him or if he would kiss me back? I’m so caught up in him, in his scent, his body, what I want him to do to me, that I lose focus for a moment. I can’t let the lust drive me alone.

Dark blue eyes pierce my own, and I break the connection by taking a step back, putting a breath of space between us. It’s hard to show him my anger when he’s this close.

“I will not be your prisoner here. I will not be trapped in that bedroom. I’m an adult, but more than that, I’m a human being, not an animal you can keep in a cage.”

“I don’t care how old you are and what you think is best for you…” His voice is deep and soft, causing me to look up from his chest and directly into his eyes. His gaze has softened to a dull knife, and for once, in all the time I’ve known him, I feel like I’m seeing him, the real him, for the first time. His thumb brushes against the apple of my cheek, his touch making my skin heat. “Your age doesn’t stop me from protecting you, nor does it stop me from locking you up in that bedroom and keeping you there until you learn to listen to me.”