Page 72 of My Ghost

Matteo shifts, brushing kisses up my body, hands warm and grounding holding me together.When he reaches my mouth, he brushes his lips over mine and drags his tongue over the seam until I part my lips.He plunges in and claims my mouth in a scorching, all-consuming kiss.Then he breaks the contact and trails the pad of his thumb over my lower lip.

“I’m gonna remove the blindfold,amore,” he murmurs against my lips.

I nod in a daze, bracing for the light to pierce my eyes.He unties the fabric with slow movements and slides it off my face.I blink, trying to adjust to the brightness.The first thing my eyes register is him, poised over me, watching me intently, one hand cupping my face.His gaze burns into mine with an intensity so raw my heart starts to flutter against my ribs.

“So fucking perfect,” he murmurs in a rough voice.Then his gaze turns hungry when his thumb brushes my lips and he slowly pushes his finger inside my mouth.I close my lips around the digit and stroke my tongue along the rough skin, feeling the telltale tingle of arousal at the base of my spine.My hands and legs are still bound, and the unequivocal vulnerability sets my every nerve ending on edge until my skin is humming.

“I’m going to fuck you now,” he growls, his voice a deep rumble traveling straight down to my pussy.“And you’re going to take every inch of me.Because you trust me, because you’re mine.”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“Yes, what?”he murmurs against my lips.

“Yes, sir.”

His eyes burn.“Good girl.”

He leans back to unclasp my ankles without breaking eye contact, then settles himself over me, sliding a hand to the back of my head to fist my hair and yank my head back.Then he is inside me in one long, hard thrust and I cry out from the feel of his cock both soothing and stoking the ache burning within me.

Matteo starts to move in slow, languid thrusts, brushing his mouth to my temple.

“Let go,amore,” he whispers.“I’ve got you.”

And I do.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Erin

The soft hum of the office is the only sound I can hear as I finish typing.

Every lead, every crumb I’ve found about Manticore is bundled together in one data packet.Including the coded message leading back to Matteo’s server in The Bastion.A week has passed since I’ve let myself unravel in his arms at the club, and I am done keeping secrets from him.I’ve decided that I will tell him everything after lunch, when he is back from his meeting outside.Hence, I am leaving him an encrypted folder on his PC desktop so he can have a look while we talk.I know that he won’t be pleased that I’ve kept this from him, but I will explain, make him understand why I had held back the information.

I save the file on his home-screen, naming it something boring just in case, then I gently close his laptop and sit back, heart pounding.I exhale to steady my nerves.I know that I am taking a risk by entrusting Matteo with this information, but I hope that I am not mistaken.

A knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts.Dave leans in with a grin.“You still glued to that screen, or do you want to try that Thai fusion place I was telling you about?”

“Sure,” I say, standing.“Let’s go.”

I send Matteo a quick text.

Going out to lunch with Dave, be back in a bit.

I don’t sign it, because I still don’t know what we are to each other.We haven’t talked about this…relationship, whatever it is, and we certainly haven’t given it a label.That’s why I don’t feel comfortable signing with an endearment or any other assertion.Maybe this is also a subject I should broach with him.So many things remain unsaid between us and I wonder where this is going.I only hope that in the end I will not be left brokenhearted.

I push the thought down for now and stash the phone away into my desk drawer, then follow Dave into the elevator.Chip and Dale, as I’ve dubbed my two silent bodyguards, fill up the rest of the space as we ride down to the main floor.There, Dave and I head to the break room while my two shadows take position in front of the door.But we slip to the kitchen door and out through the back exit.We have been sneaking out like this every time I need to take a breather away from surveillance.Matteo would be absolutely livid if he found out.But then, he didn’t leave me any other choice.I shouldn’t be the one feeling guilty, I remind myself and decide to savor my freedom for the time being.

The sun is bright and warm despite it being late fall, and the street is busy with people milling around.We’ve barely made it out a few steps when a cold voice behind me makes me freeze.

“Ms.Skye.”

No.

I slowly turn around to watch Agent Rourke make his way toward us.

“Mr.Rourke,” I reply as calmly as I can.“What can I do for you?”

Next to me, Dave stiffens.