Page 69 of Power & Punishment

Mia looks at me plainly, like she’s not the most breathtaking creature I’ve ever seen.

She’s wearing a dark plum dress that falls just below her knees and hugs the curves of her hips perfectly. The neckline of the dress plunges just enough for me to see the tops of her breasts that look like they were pushed up to punish me.

She looks gorgeous in her everyday uniform of jeans and a leather jacket, but tonight she’s irresistible.

“Thank you, Georgia. You can leave now.”

She rolls her eyes, flipping some of her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever. Good luck, Mia. You’re going to need it. You have my number if you need anything.”

Mia flashes her a bright smile as she sways in her high heels.

When I hear the door click, I move across the room in three long strides. Her smile disappears when she turns to me.

“You look incredible.”

“I know.” She smiles, popping her hip.

My eyes sink lower, drinking her in, slow and deliberate.

“Careful,” I murmur, stepping in closer and letting one finger trail down her side. “I’m trying very hard to be a gentleman right now.”

She snorts, quirking her brow. “That’s funny. I’ve yet to experience that side of you.”

“Excellent point, Cara Mia.”

A slow breath slips between my lips as I take another step—this time pressing her up against one of the tall tables sitting in my entryway. The tabletop hits just below her butt, causing her to stumble back. And then she reaches out and grabs the lapels of my jacket, trying to steady herself. I take that as an opportunity to lean in closer.

Her cheeks flush and her chest heaves up and down, drawing my attention to her exposed neckline. I lean down and place a soft kiss on the top of her cleavage as I press myself against the inside of her thigh.

Mia sucks in a sharp breath. “I hate myself a little more every time I let you touch me.”

I let out a deep chuckle and begrudgingly raise my head. “You can stop me anytime.”

She swallows hard, her throat bobbing up and down. “That’s the problem,” she says, pausing as if the next part is difficult for her to get out. “I don’t want to.”

Her answer causes something dark to rattle in my chest.

My thumb grazes the side of her cheek, and she leans into the movement with her eyes closed.

“Do you remember what I said about offering yourself up to me again?”

“You’d ruin me, build me back up and then have fun tearing me down again,” she replies, sticking closely to the promise I made in her apartment that night.

I drag my thumb down the rest of her face and glide it across her bottom lip. “Very good. Now before I fuck you against this table, I need to know you’re ready. Because once we cross that line, there’s no going back. No more pushing me away and pretending you don’t want this as badly as I do.”

She holds my stare, her breath uneven, causing her entire body to tremble. “Fine, but I need you to know that I only want one thing from you. Once I solve my brother’s murder and you take down Enzo, we’re done. No strings. You can claim you’re going to ruin me, but I don’t break easily.”

Mia lifts her chin proudly, like she means every word that just came out of her mouth. But by the way her fingers still clutch my jacket tightly, I have a feeling she’s not as convinced as she seems.

At some point, she’ll realize this thing between us is more than a mere fixation. Every time I look at her, I find myself fighting off a possessive energy that I’ve never felt so intensely before.

I need to be near her.

I need to touch her.

I need her.

But if she needs to believe that this is just sex for this to work, then so be it. “Fine. Until then, you’re mine.”