She smiled weakly.
He squeezed her waist reassuringly as he guided forward. Domenico also knew the exact moment when she realized everyone could see that little love mark he had branded her with and the even larger mark she had made on his neck. She made a little squeak, her fingers clutching his shirt. He knew she was doing her very best not to cover her neck as if she had been bitten by a vampire.
“Relax,” he whispered to Misty’s ear. “This is what you wanted, right? Proof of my sexual infatuation for everyone to see?”
“Let’s just say it’s taught me to keep my big mouth shut,” she mumbled.
He laughed before finally facing the crowd with another deliberately disarming smile. “Ladies and gentlemen, I won’t beat around the bush. It’s hard to when everyone’s aware of…” He coughed delicately and everyone laughed. He wanted to laugh, too, because he could feel Misty melting in a pool of embarrassment beside him.
But he took pity on her and retained his politely charming façade. “I present to you my fiancée and wife in one month’s time. The future Mrs. Misty Moretti.”
Everyone broke into applause.
But he wasn’t done yet. This was his future wife and he wanted to make it clear to everyone that a woman of his should be respected in all ways.
He turned to Janice, whose look of hatred quickly melted into a sugary sweet smile upon seeing him walk towards her with Misty at his side.
Pretending he couldn’t feel Misty tugging at his shirt insistently, demanding his attention, he said softly, “I see you have failed to give me the privacy I asked.”
Janice paled.
When she opened her mouth to speak, he said easily, “I’m sure you did your best. After all, I’ve heard lots of things about you from Misty.”
Janice’s mouth snapped shut, tightening in an uncertain but furious line.
Misty’s eyes darted suspiciously toward him even as she gushed, “Oh, yes, I told him so much about you.”
Domenico turned to Misty, licking her ear just so he could squirm. She gasped and tried to move away but he pulled her hard against his side, biting the lobe of her ear yet again just so she would gasp once more. When he finally let her go to face Janice, her face was stony, her eyes coldly furious.
Good. She was lucky he was not firing her. He would have but she had not yet served her purpose.
“I know you will miss Misty once she’s gone from your department,” he murmured.
“Of course,” Janice said between clenched teeth and a smile that was anything but convincing.
“But you need not worry about your department losing a valuable asset like Misty. I’ve made sure that she has a more than adequate replacement.” He smiled again, but this time he didn’t bother hiding his contempt.
Janice fell back a step, eyes widening in fear and her hands clutching her throat as if it needed protecting.
Smart of her, Domenico thought.
His voice hard, he said, “Misty’s position will soon be taken over by Alice Grant.” Not waiting for the woman to react, he continued smoothly, “You may also know her as Mrs. William Grant. I’ve made sure she knows that you look up to her husband – so much that you would probably kneel before him if he asked.”
Behind him, Domenico heard some women gasping, and he knew they were the first women Janice spoke to about the affair she had made up between Misty and William.
“I hope we understand each other now, Ms. Rudely.”
Janice had a blanched expression on her face as she said tightly, “Perfectly, Mr. Moretti.” Nodding to Misty without looking at her, Janice added, “My sincerest congratulations on your engagement, Misty.”
Domenico spun Misty away before she could answer, walking them swiftly to the elevator.
“I wanted to say thank you,” she whispered to him.
“I know. And I didn’t want you to.”
She frowned up at him. “Why not?”
“Because you have to choose to whom you should show your softer side,” he answered honestly as he pressed the Close button of the elevator. His lips twitched when Misty sagged against the wall as the doors closed on them.
When he looked at her under his lashes, she blushed.
He laughed. “Why are you blushing? You asked for this, didn’t you?”
“I know, but…”
He made a protesting motion with his finger. “No turning back now, Misty. A deal is a deal.”
“I feel like I’m making a deal with the devil,” she said, her voice getting smaller and smaller with each step he took toward her.
“A werewolf,” he murmured as he braced one hand on the wall she was leaning against. “You’re making a deal with a werewolf.”
Domenico traced her lips, loving how she trembled at his touch. “Be ready.”
Her eyes widened.
There was something about Misty that brought out the Lyccan in him, he mused. Whenever she looked at him like she was doing so now, and it was often, Domenico had a strong urge to eat her. His c**k throbbed at the scent of her desire, even though she was doing her best to hide it.
“Misty,” he whispered.
“Yes?” she croaked out.
“I’ll always make good on my word. That’s a promise…” His hand suddenly snaked between her thigh, making her gasp in surprise and undeniable pleasure.
Lowering his tone, Domenico finished, “…and a warning.” His fingers found her sweet spot unerringly, and he flicked her clit. She bucked against his hand. He flicked it again and again until she suddenly squeezed her thighs close, imprisoning his hand between it. Slowly, his fingers became wet with her come.
Chapter Two
Dear Diary,
Is it right that my body burn up at just one look of his eyes? He’s so beautiful to look at that I fear it’s impossible for me to ever regain control of my body when he’s around. I’ve always thought I was frigid until I met Domenico Moretti. Now, I’m scared of the opposite. I’m afraid I’m a slut – always been so – a slut destined to find only pleasure with Domenico’s touch.
But it’s not the only thing I’m scared of. Sometimes, when he touches me, I catch a glimpse of tenderness. Even as I give up to the pleasure of his expert touch – that exquisitely all-encompassing feeling of reaching an orgasm which I never fail to reach even if he’s just thumbing my cl*t – oh, God, I’m scared. When he looks at me with that secret tender light in his eyes – a thrillingly sexy Domenico can command my body at will. But a tender Domenico can break my heart.