Page 24 of Dove

It wasn’t a sweet greeting or a polite hello. He didn’t hold back in front of company. The kiss was deep and possessive. It was everything he was.

When we pulled apart, I glanced at Tessa, who was pretending to fan herself behind his back. She had more bravery than most people when she pushed him aside to bring me into a hug. She whispered in my ear. “I think you’ll be okay. If you let yourself.”

“Bash is waiting in the hall to take you home.” Maddox said as he grabbed me from her arms again. “Make sure you have his number. Call him if you need anything.”

She looked behind herself and smirked at Sebastian. “Anything huh? I could really abuse that power.”

I didn’t fail my notice as Sebastian’s eyes watched her swaying hips as he followed her out. There was something between the two of them, but I couldn’t figure out if it was just an attraction or if it was more.

As soon as they were gone, Maddox kissed me again. He fisted my hair and tilted my head to hold me exactly where he wanted as he pillaged my mouth. His hold was brutal; the sweeps of his tongue harsh. There was nothing I could do but take it. I clung to the lapels of his suit jacket as I opened my mouth for his assault. I wished I could say I hated it, but my whimpers proved otherwise.

I was just beginning to wonder if I could really continue to resist him. If I should even bother or if I ever wanted to, when we were interrupted.

“So it’s true.” A female voice spoke from the doorway. I jerked in surprise as Maddox lingered in our kiss for a few more seconds. My eyes widened as he continued to hold me against him until he was done. Only pulling away when he decided.

“What’s true?” He asked against my lips as he barely separated from me. His hand was still buried deep in my hair as he stared at my face. His thumb stroked across my lower lip as he smiled.

“That you have a woman living with you.” My stomach dropped at the accusation in her tone.

Oh god, what if Maddox already had a girlfriend? What if she was his fiancé? Arranged marriages were a thing in the mafia, right?

“Everything you’ve heard is true,Occhioni.” I didn’t know what the word meant, but I could tell it was a nickname given in affection. In the same way, he called me little dove ormia amata, which I also didn’t know the meaning of. She had to be someone close to him, or she wouldn’t have been able to just walk into this house. I felt bad for her even as I wished I was her.

“And why am I the last to hear about it?” Maddox sighed as he finally pulled back from me. He tucked me into his side with an arm around my waist.

I was able to see the woman standing with her arms crossed. She was younger than I expected, probably a few years younger than me. She had large stunning blue eyes, which were a stark contrast to her chestnut hair. Her skin was olive-toned, and she was petite; close to my height. She was beautiful.

If I thought I was jealous of the idea of Maddox with Tessa, I was absolutely devastated to think he was with this woman. She had a subtle sophistication about her that I would never have.

To make everything worse, I could see the kindness in her eyes. There was no malice at discovering me. No fake niceness. I could tell she was a truly kind person, if not a little sad. It clung to her like a second skin. But I would be sad too if I found my man kissing another woman like she was his oxygen.

I cleared my throat and tried to pull away from Maddox, but his fingers dug into my hip. “I’m…uh… going to let you two work this out.”

“You’re not going anywhere,mia amata.”Rage boiled inside my blood as he threw the nickname out like it was nothing in front of this other woman. I hated myself for being jealous. For thinking I was important to him. For believing I was anything other than a whore he liked to torture.

“I will not stand here while you talk to your girlfriend or fiancé or whatever.” I yelled as I shoved at him. “It’s bad enough that you treat me like a whore in bed. I won’t let you treat me like one in front of her.” Maddox smirked at me as he easily ignored my efforts to get away from him, keeping me glued to his side.

The woman laughed as she watched us. “Oh I like her.” She crossed the room and held out her hand to me. “I’m Alessandra, Maddox’s sister.”

Sister? My face heated with embarrassment as I shook her hand. Up close, I saw the family resemblance. The blue eyes. The olive skin. The shape of their faces.

I called myself a whore in front of Maddox’s sister. I wanted a hole to open up in the floor so I could sink right through it.

“It’s nice to meet you.” I managed to say.

“I’m excited to meet the woman that willingly sleeps next to this psychopath every night.” She smiled jokingly.

“Willingly is a loose term.” I said. Maddox growled at my answer as he pulled me tighter into his side. His lips brushed the shell of my ear as he spoke so Alessandra wouldn’t hear.

“Let’s see how willing you’ll be when I eat your pussy tonight.”

My cheeks blushed further as my stomach tightened in desire. I tried to push away my reaction as I watched Maddox talk to his sister about her college classes. I could see the lightness in his eyes. The softer side of him that was usually reserved for me. It made me wonder if he could truly feel for people. He seemed to care about his sister, at least in his own way.

Could he care about me? Did he? I mentally shook my head. Those were the kind of thoughts that would get me stuck here. Lost in a man I had no business being near. A demon who would twist everything about me until I didn’t know who I was anymore. Until I was his.

“Figliodiputtana.” Son of a bitch.Maddox cursed as his phone rang. “I can’t get five fucking minutes with my little dove without someone bothering me.” Alessandra beamed like the idea of Maddox wanting to spend time with someone was the greatest thing she’d ever heard. “What?” He barked into the phone.

He rubbed up and down my spine as he listened. I tried to pretend it didn’t cause goosebumps to break out along my skin. “I’ll be there in twenty.” He shoved the phone back into his pocket as he turned to face me. “I have to go deal with someone. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”