His face flushed with anger, but when he spoke, his voice was calm. “I’m talking about this relationship.”
She snorted, trying to cover the pain, and crossed her arms over her chest. “Relationship? We have one?”
He took a step toward her, his expression forbidding. “Of course we have one. Enough of one to keep you from trying to replace me with St John.”
Jesus, the man was an idiot. “I thought our relationship ended two days ago.”
“I never said that.”
“And you haven’t touched me since then.” She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “I figured I was a free agent, and it would help with the investigation.”
The look that moved over his face had her backing up a step. Her rear end hit the counter, but he didn’t stop moving toward her.
“Was it all about work?” he asked, his voice so serious, so dangerous, she felt a lick of fear coil in her belly.
She shook her head.
“I didn’t think so. I mean, when you were screaming out my name when you came all over my cock, you didn’t seem to be trying to earn any brownie points.”
She swallowed, trying to get ahold of her fear. Worse, there was a sliver of sick excitement that threaded through the alarm. Maria didn’t know which should bother her worse.
“As my sub, you aren’t supposed to give me your opinions.”
“In the bedroom,” she said, amazed she got the words out. “You don’t own me, Rome.”
Heat flared in his hazel eyes, and she felt it churn through her blood. She shouldn’t be turned on, shouldn’t have the dual feelings twisting through her. But for some reason, she did. God help her, she did.
He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, then dropped her on the counter. Before she could protest, he was kissing her. His tongue plunged into her mouth over and over. Even as he assaulted her mouth, he was working the hem of her dress up. She wasn’t wearing anything beneath it. She was already aroused, liquid heat filling her sex, her nipples tightened almost painfully.
Rome pulled away then, unzipped his pants and cursed. He pulled his wallet out, pulled a condom out, and dropped the billfold on the floor. The need coursing through her now exploded. She needed this, needed him now. He slipped the condom on then entered her, hard, swift, and although she was prepared, she drew in a quick breath. He said nothing as he moved in and out of her. Maria wrapped her legs around him and moaned.
All of a sudden, he stopped and looked up at her. It was as if he just realized what had happened.
“Maria,” he said. She hated seeing the regret in his expression, the way it darkened his eyes. She took his face in her hands and kissed him, murmuring against his lips. Then he began to move again, with just as much power, but there was a difference in the way he kissed her. She still felt wanted, felt the wave of her orgasm approaching, but there was something different in the way he touched her. Soon she was coming, her body arching into his as he followed her, her name on his lips.
Their harsh breaths were the only sound as he wrapped his arms around her as if he were afraid she would leave. He looked up at her. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head and opened her mouth.
“Not for this. For being a pain in the ass.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
He kissed her sweetly, his gaze still latched onto hers. Maria couldn’t help the way her heart trembled before falling at his feet. How could she not fall for a man like Rome? He was difficult and moody, but he made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
He pulled away from her and then lifted her into his arms. He kicked off his pants. “I think I have some apologizing to do.”
She smiled at him, settling her arms over his shoulders. “I believe you do, Detective Carino.”
He chuckled, and she ignored the warning in her head. She would follow her heart and live with the consequences later. He set her on the bed, stripped her out of her clothes, and then joined her. As she sighed his name, her worries dissolved, and Maria lost herself in the pleasure he gave her.
· · · · ·
Maria had just poured her first cup of Kona for the day when her cell phone went off. She sighed when she saw her supervisor’s number. He hadn’t been happy when she reported the last killing.
“Callahan.”
“We got another one.”
Her heart stuttered. “Here?”
“No, apparently our boy is on the move. LAPD has reported a killing in Orange County. Same MO, though she was found in a residential area.”
She saw something out of the corner of her eye and realized Rome had joined her. “Was she a member of a club?”