Alex finished his speech, and applause erupted through the grand hall. He descended from the stage, smiling charmingly, and effortlessly slipped back into the crowd. The night had been a game of masks and power plays, but only one thing truly occupied his mind.
Her.
Gio joined him, walking by his side, smirking knowingly. "You've got that look."
Alex arched a brow at him. "What look?"
"The one you get when you see something you want to own." Gio chuckled. "She's dangerous. I can tell. And you like that, don't you?"
Alexandro's lips curled into a smirk. "I like a challenge. The fire."
Gio chuckled lowly, shaking his head at him, "One day, you'll meet one that will burn you."
Alexandro ignored him, smirking, and walked towards the exit and spotted her near the exit, arms crossed, impatience written all over her face. His little bird thought she could just fly away. Not tonight.
Bella felt a presence before she turned. Alexandro stood before her, his dark gaze pinning her in place. She refused to be intimidated, lifting her chin defiantly.
"Leaving already?" His voice was smooth like silk, laced with amusement.
Gio stepped back, smirking; he already knew how bullheaded Alexandro could be when he saw what he wanted.
"I've been waiting for my car to be brought around since," she paused, noticing the smirking on his face. "Though now I can see the reason for the delay now," she continued coolly.
He just smirked at her.
She arched a brow. "You're very persistent, Mr. D'Soto."
"I get what I want," he murmured, stepping closer. "And right now, I want to spend more time with you."
'I don't have time for all this," she said nonchalantly.
"And yet…" He took a step closer. "You danced with me. You let me touch you. You felt it, too. Don't deny it."
She scoffed. "I danced with many men tonight."
"Ah." He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "Did they make your pulse race like this?"
Bella clenched her jaw. His presence was suffocating, intoxicating. She needed to leave.
Before she could move, another voice joined them. "Come now, let's not play coy," Gio interjected with a grin. "You two have chemistry so thick I can cut it with a knife. Everyone could see it."
Bella shot him a glare, but before she could retort, Alex tilted his head. "Have one drink with me. Then you can leave."
She should've said no.
"Please," he said teasingly, "I promise not to bite... except you want me to."
Something in his voice, in his confidence, made her hesitate.
"One drink," she conceded. "Then I go."
The drink turned into another. And another.
Bella wasn't drunk, but she was tipsy. The way Alex looked at her, the way he spoke, he was so easy to talk to, every movement deliberate and laced with meaning—he was seducing her, and she hated how easily she was falling into his trap.
"Come to my place," he murmured against her ear.
She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "I don't go home with strangers."
"We're not strangers anymore."
His hand brushed against hers, fingers teasing her palm. Her body betrayed her, a shiver running down her spine. She shouldn't. But when she looked into his molten silver eyes, she knew she was already lost.
"Fine," she whispered.
The ride to his penthouse was a blur. The moment the elevator doors slid open to his luxurious suite, the moment they entered his penthouse, Bella knew she had made a mistake.
She had underestimated him.
Alex didn't pounce on her like other men would have. Instead, he closed the door and leaned against it, watching her like prey he had already claimed, letting the anticipation coil around them like a living thing.
And fuck it turned her on.
"Come here." His voice was low. Calm. Commanding.
She also responded to the command, but she forced her body to stay still.
"I don't take orders," she said coolly.
He tilted his head, amused. "You want this. I can see it all over your body; why are you being stubborn?"
Her pulse quickened.
He pushed off the door with slow, deliberate steps, closing the distance. "You've been waiting for someone strong enough to make you behave." His fingers brushed her jaw, tilting her chin up. "You just didn't think it would be me."
She opened her mouth to snap something, but his lips caught her off mid-breath — hard, possessive, addictive.
She tried to get the upper hand and dominate the kiss, her teeth and tongue clashing with his.
For a few seconds, he let her resist. Let her pretend she wasn't melting. Then his hand tightened in her hair, yanking her head back as his mouth took over, tongue plunging deep. Dominating.
Her knees buckled.
Without warning, she was lifted off her feet and shoved against the wall, his mouth trailing fire down her neck.
"You taste like sin," he growled, biting her pulse point, making her gasp in pleasure.
"I'm going to ruin you."
He took his time undressing her, exposing inch after inch of her skin, kissing each exposed flesh, making her tremble with anticipation. His body pinning her down.
He got to her thighs. he nipped them and spread them apart.
"Hey...."
"Shh." His hand spread her thighs. "You're done giving orders."
She tried to snap her legs shut. He chuckled darkly as he pinned them apart.
"Be a good girl and let me dine," he whispered, then dipped his head between her thighs and devoured her.
Bella cried out, thrashing, overwhelmed. His tongue worked her clit, sucking and licking with devastating skill then two thick fingers slid inside her at once; slow, then deep, thrusting into her into her mercilessly.
Her hands gripped the sheets as her head thrashed, trying to fight it.
"Don't hold back," he growled against her. "Cum for me." Then he sucked hard on her clit and curved his fingers tapping her g spot head on at the same time.
She came with a strangled moan, legs trembling, breath creasing.
Before she could catch her breath, he flipped her onto her stomach and dragged her hips up. A condom was on in a blink, and then he slammed into her in one powerful stroke.
Bella gasped, her body clenching around him. He was thick and long, filling her completely, stretching her in ways that had her mind spinning.
"You feel better than I imagined," Alex growled against her ear. "So wet, so tight, you're fucking perfect."
He pinned her wrists to the sheets as she tried to squirm, driving into her with brutal thrusts. She tried to shift, to climb on top, to take back control. His hand wrapped around her throat again, holding her still.
"Stay." His voice was rough silk. "Take it. Be good."
She whimpered the hold on her throat making her lightheaded, she felt high. Another orgasm built, tightening in her core.
"Don't you dare come again until I say."
But his thrusts were calculated to destroy her. Deep. Thick. Unrelenting.
"Alex…" she gasped.
He bent close to her ear, voice feral. "Now."
And she shattered, her second orgasm crashing over her like a tidal wave. She saw bright spots in front of her eyes, it was like she was floating.
He didn't stop.
"I'm not done with you," he growled into her ear softly.
"No…. I can't…." she gasped out.
"Ohhh, sweetie, yes you can. till I say we are done, you will continue for me." He said softly, gently caressing her hair.
Then he flipped her, put her legs together, and pulled it to her chest, holding it there. Leaning down, he kissed her roughly and dominating, suckled down her neck then pulled her nipple into his mouth and suckled hard as his hand played with the second nipple.
Her back arched off the bed; she couldn't recognize the moan that came out of her mouth.
He slid his cock slid into her slowly, stretching her wide until she moaned like sin.
Then he started pounding into her, stealing her breath. Her mind clouded with pleasure, and all she could do was dig her fingers into his back and hold on.
"You're going to come again, Bellissima. You'll give me everything." He growled into her ear. "You've been a good girl. Come for me."
And she did. Screaming. Writhing
"Yes," he growled, fucking her harder as her pussy clenched around him only then did he lose control, groaning as he spilled into the condom deep inside her.
She collapsed, trembling and ruined. He kissed her temple, breath hot against her skin.
"You were fucking amazing" he drawled out, kissing her temple.
She didn't answer.
He looked down to see she had passed out.
Chuckling lowly, he carefully pulled out of her, went to the bathroom, and got a warm towel to clean her up.