Chapter 23: Cured

Lenora's POV

He got out of the car and walked to me through the headlights.

I had spent three hours at that gate telling myself I was only getting air.

"Did you kill him?" I asked.

"Salerno? No."

"Did you want to?"

"Yes." He stopped an arm's length away. "Then I thought of you saying it was public or nothing."

I put the Founders Prize into his hands, because I needed mine free.

Then I took hold of his lapels and pulled him down.

I kissed him in front of Rocco, the guard and the whole dark road.

When I let go, Rocco was looking very carefully at the sky.

"Study," I said to Alessio.

"Lenora..."

"The study. Now."

We did not make it past the door.

He shut it with his shoulder and had me against the dark wood before the lock caught.

The fire was low in the grate.

He kissed me hard and long.

"The chair where I first sat," I said against his mouth. "That one."

"Not the chair."

He lifted me onto the edge of his desk, and papers slid to the floor.

I pulled his shirt open and he dragged my dress up my thighs.

I wore nothing under it but a strip of lace, and he stared at it, and then at my face.

"You planned this."

"I planned to get in your car. This was luck."

He tore the lace.

He went to his knees on the carpet and set my legs over his shoulders.

He put his mouth on me.

I put my hand on the back of his head and cried out into the empty room.

"Quiet," he said, against my skin, and I heard him smile. "Nonna is awake."

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