Alexi tilts his head as my lips meet a tad aggressively and cups my jaw with his hand to pull me snugly and comfortably as he ducks lower. Pushing his fingers into the underside of my hair, clamping me to him possessively and taking immediate control. Not that I’m surprised or complaining. I have a serious weakness for this man dominating me the second kissing or sex is involved. Weirdly, as in life, I hate it when he exerts his authority over me at any other time. He’s my alpha male though, and in this, I don’t want his submission; I want him to devour me. He’s his most impressive when he is in control in this way. He makes me feel desirable and addictive when he overpowers me sexually.He kisses me softly at first and then opens his lips to tease mine with them and t

The awkwardness and weird strained silence disappeared once the wine flowed more freely, and we found we had a lot of things we could talk about between movies. Alexi is funnier than I thought he could be, with a dry humour not unlike mine, a wicked childish streak that can be adorable when it shines through. He annoyed me immensely, more than once, and we bickered frequently, but he just swooped in and shut me up mid rage with a tongue in my mouth. He’s too good at doing it, like stealth snogging and you don’t see him coming at all. My legs gave out and body melted the second his lips glued to mine and I ceased to think about anything, except him.This morning, however, in the cold light of day with a mega headache and fuzzy brain, waking up cosily by his side, all my doubts and

He tells me things like this, he told me about things even before, so I have no doubts.I walk in, this time keeping my eyes off my sulky bastard of a man and slide the tray down in the centre of the seating on one of the low tables. I have to avoid looking his way and get with the programme that we can barely stand each other. Jackson slides his beside mine neatly, an eerie silence of men staring at us, and as I go to follow him out, I’m halted by that snappy tone.“Pour it … get your head out of your ass, Walters.” A harsh cutting tone that signals I’m not done here. Alexi sounds pissed still, and I spin to catch him glaring at me as though I have committed the ultimate sin by expecting them to pour their own. They expect servitude of women in his world, even I know that. What I didn’t expect was him to still be in the throes of prick mode and singling me out again.Why the fuck did he make me come up here if he was going t

 “I don’t know. I think it’s best to assume you are not in the clear. From this moment on, you won’t be anywhere I am not if it can be helped. I don’t want you on the club floor until I know what’s going on and why. You are exposed down there, and when it’s dark and crowded, all it takes is one moment with the wrong guy in the shadows. I can’t lose you.”My heart sinks at the thought of being a prisoner in this apartment once more, but what can I do. Spies everywhere and down there I’m too accessible on a busy night. He’s right. Security would need to babysit my every move; all it would take is a minute. A poisoned drink, an injection, or even a blade to the right part of my anatomy. These are the means these people use and they have the courage to go after someone in a club on a busy night. They already tried once.“Santagato, he came to you for help … so it’s definitely not him,

Tears blind me as the elevator hits the ground floor and I take a moment to compose myself fully. Using the backs of my hands to stem the tears and blot my face without smearing it more. Trying to use the reflection of the chrome doors to clean myself up and wipe my liner and mascara from under my eyes and hide them mess on the black part of my dress. I have always been good at a quick recovery and manage to bring myself to calm and presentable in mere minutes of deep breaths and gulps. Shaking myself, pushing the pain into a deep dark hole that is turning my body icy and my heart numb. Hysteria drying up as logic boots me in the arse.You should have seen this coming, Camilla. You should have never believed in him.I make my way through the hall, head down to avoid security taking a good look and glad Jackson isn’t milling around here. He has a day off. I slide into the main part of the club which is crowded with staff doing the daily prep for tonight,