Chapter 37

Chapter 37
Dante. 

This woman would no doubt be the death of me.

I had done everything I could to resist her—every glance and movement, ever since she stepped out of the car tonight, I haven’t been the same. A part of me had gotten irrationally, ferociously jealous of every man and woman who got to look at her.

I told her to wear a dress for the surprise I had planned. But I hadn’t expected her to come  looking like a walking temptation

And now she was straddled on top of me. Hands resting where I needed her the most. Just the warmth from her palm alone was enough to send volts of heat storming through every nerve in my body.

If she moved even slightly—just a shift of her fingers, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from pulling  that perfect hair of hers, tilt her mouth up to mine, and show her exactly how many ways I could ruin her in this car. On my lap. In that dress. Out of that dress. Bent over the backseat and on her knees.

I pulled back looking at her flushed cheek. Her lips were parted in the most innocent way. God how I could already picture the curve of her lips stretched around me, that pretty little mouth gagging, dripping with need and choking on my chock.

“Dante. I-I don’t thin—“ a soft moan left her lips as I groped the soft flesh on her ass.

She moved.  

God. She fucking moved. 

Just the smallest shift of her hips  but it undid me.

A guttural sound rumbled low in my chest as I gripped her tighter, my fingers digging into her curves like they belonged to me. 

She did.

Her eyes fluttered, wide and uncertain, but there was something else underneath the hesitation and she was very much aware of it. 

She was trying to hold back. I could feel it. See it. But she wasn’t the only one.

“Careful,” I warned, holding on to my sanity like a lifeline. “Do that again and I won’t stop.”

I felt her thighs tense around me, her hands trembling slightly where they rested. I could tell she didn’t know what to do next,  not because she didn’t want to because hell she did.

“I’m not made of stone, doll.” I muttered, forehead pressed to hers. “Don’t think for a second that I’m not considering dragging that dress up around your waist and making you scream my name?”

Her fingers curled into my jacket, clinging. But still, she didn’t move away.

I tilted my head, my lips brushing just barely along her jawline before finding the hollow beneath her ear.

“I’ve been good,” I whispered. “I’ve been patient. But you—” My tongue flicked lightly against her skin. She shivered. “You’re making it very hard, Veronica.”

She moaned again. Soft. Unintended.

I could’ve kissed her then devoured her. But I didn’t.

Instead, I eased her back slowly, my hands trailing down her thighs as I guided her off my lap, back onto the leather seat beside me. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes glazed, lips parted in the aftermath of a moment we both knew we weren’t ready to finish.

I let out a long breath before settling back in my seat. 

“I told the driver to take us somewhere else,” I finally said with a hoarse voice.

She blinked at me, still dazed. “Where?”

I looked over at her, letting my gaze drag slowly down her body one last time. “You’ll see soon. It’s a surprise.”

And then I turned my face back toward the window , my fists clenched, breathing hard and waited for the night to either save me… or burn me alive.

•~•

The car came to a stop thirty minutes later. Thirty hard and most controlled minutes of my entire life. I stepped out first, eyes sweeping the environment. Outside the city I’d picked a spot,  a carnival that only popped up one weekend every month during the summer. Tonight was its final night. 

Veronica finally spoke after minutes of staying quiet.

“What are we doing here?”

“Internship assignment,” I said, deadpan. “Thought you could study human behavior in its natural habitat.”

Shit. Wrong field. She was into communication and PR. 

She snorted then muttered something under her breath I didn't quite catch. She knew it was bullshit. 

But I wasn’t going to tell her that I only brought her here because I wanted to see more than the emotion she displayed to me. Something about her always kept me intrigued and even then I wanted to see more of  her. Not just fear but sadness, pain and joy. 

“Where would you like to go first ?” I asked but after two minutes she still hadn’t answered.

I turned to her, her attention was on something else, a group of girls who had eyes on her then giggled away. She looked back at herself then brushed the sides of her dress down. 

Her dress wasn’t exactly carnival attire but I loved it regardless and that was all that mattered. 

I stepped in front of her, blocking her view of everything else.

Her head jerked up.

“If anyone looks at you wrong, or says something you don’t like… just give me a name. I’ll deliver their head to your doorstep before sunrise.”

Her lips parted, but nothing came out at first. Just a small stunned breath.

She knew I meant it. 

I didn’t know if that was the right thing to say. Probably not. I wasn’t exactly built for comfort. But she didn’t flinch or tug her dress anymore.  If anything, her shoulders straightened. She gave me a look. Half-surprised, half… reassured?

Was that reassurance?

Hell if I knew.

All I knew was, she stopped fidgeting with her dress.

And that was an equal win. 

I watched her from the corner of my eye, looking around in awe but then before I could blink and she took off. 

I caught up just as she came to a full stop in front of a ride — an old Tilt-A-Whirl, scarlet red with gold trim and blinking lights that were a little too bright,

She looked at it with complete awe.

“God…” she breathed, almost under her breath. “It’s been forever since I’ve ridden one of these.”

She quickly jumped into one of the seats, laughing absentmindedly as the ride started. 

The sound of her laughter was addictive.

The ride stopped. Her hair was wild now, and her cheeks were flushed, before I could say a word, she leaned over the side, eyes locked onto mine.

“Aren’t you coming?”

I shook my head once. Firm. “No.”

“Why not?” Her smile widened

“Not my thing.”

“Not your thing? Didn't you bring me here to teach me human behavior. How else would I learn?”  she teased, eyes narrowed as she tilted her head. “It’s a ride, Dante.”

“No.” I muttered more firmly than intended. 

Her mouth fell open. Slowly. In the most dramatic way possible.

“Oh my God…” she breathed, one hand to her chest. “Don’t tell me… the Don Dante Russo is afraid of a kiddie ride?”