Twisted Loyalties (The Camorra Chronicles 1)

“Make me,” I challenged, then lightly bit the crook of her neck and suckled the skin into my mouth. She let out a moan, stilled and began squirming in earnest. When I released her soft skin, I’d left my mark. She tried a backwards kick but only lightly grazed my shin. “You can do better,” I said.

She tried to push back but again had no chance against me. Perhaps it was unfair. Even the best fighters didn’t last long in a fight against me. But what I was doing with Leona didn’t even come close to fighting. Playing was more like it.

Suddenly she became slack under my touch and pressed her butt against my erection. If she thought that would throw me off, she was sorely mistaken. Unlike her, I had more than enough experience and wasn’t unnerved by a butt against my cock. The only bothersome thing was the clothes separating her butt from my cock.

“Playing with fire?” I asked quietly.

“You started it,” she muttered, indignation flashing in her eyes. There was finally some fight in them.

“And I’m willing to play it to the end,” I said suggestively. “Are you?” I dug my erection against her butt once more.

She became still. “No. I’m not.” Her voice was no longer playful or angry. I peered down at the soft freckles of her nose and cheek. Her eyes met mine. She was uneasy and nervous, but not scared. She trusted me to respect her boundaries. Leona might be my undoing. I loosened my hold on her arms, allowing her to turn around. She tilted her head up, searching my face. I wondered when she’d stop looking for something that wasn’t there. I pressed my palms into the cage beside her head, letting my head fall forward until our lips were less than an inch apart. Her eyes darted down, and she surprised me when she rose on her tiptoes and closed the gap. Her kiss was soft and restrained. My body was screaming for something else. I deepened the kiss, then grabbed her butt and lifted her until her legs slung around my waist. Her back pressed up against the cage, I ravished her mouth. She clung to my shoulders, her nails digging into my skin and her heels into my butt. When she pulled back, she was breathless and dazed.

“You’re not good at setting boundaries,” I told her.

She leaned her head back against the cage. “I know,” she said guiltily.

“So that’s what you call fighting?” Nino drawled as he walked in, a sport bag swung over his shoulder. His attentive gaze stopped on Leona. Every muscle in me tensed.

I lowered Leona, then put my hand on her back.

Nino followed the gesture. His expression didn’t change. Unlike Remo, he wasn’t prone to emotional outbursts. It made him harder to read, definitely not less dangerous. Tall, lean, immaculate beard and dark hair pulled into a short ponytail, Nino looked like a runway model. Women fell hard for him until they realized that his emotionless expression wasn’t a mask. Nino didn’t have to hide his emotions. He had none.

“We’re done here,” I said. I nudged Leona toward the cage door, opened it, then climbed out first before I lifted Leona down. She stood close beside me. She was wary of Nino, as she should be. Her instincts couldn’t be completely off if she recognized him as a danger.

I greeted him with a short embrace and a clap on the shoulder. “Who are you training with?”

“Adamo, if he decides to show up.”

I rolled my eyes. “Good luck.” His eyes slid behind me to Leona again. And something protective and fierce swelled in my chest. He didn’t say anymore. I doubted he was really interested in her. He was curious because I showed interest in her.

I led Leona toward the changing room, but only grabbed our bags.

“Aren’t we going to change?” she asked.

I shook my head. I wanted to get her away from Nino. It was safer if Remo and his brothers wouldn’t see Leona too often. I led her outside and toward my car. Some of the tension fell off me as we brought some distance between us and Nino. Remo and his brothers were like family to me but I knew better than to trust them with Leona.

Leona gave me a sideways glance. “Who was he?”

“Nino. One of Remo’s brothers.”

“You didn’t like being around him,” she said.

If she’d picked up on it, Nino would have too. That wasn’t good. “I practically grew up with him. He’s like my brother, but I don’t like you around him. It’s better if you don’t get involved in that part of my life.”

“Okay,” she said simply.

When we arrived in front of her home, I turned toward her, wanting to fucking kiss her again. I’d played it cool since our first kiss but I was tired of holding back, especially after what happened in the cage.