I didn’t care if he was some badass from Italy that even the mafia feared. No one talked down to the people I loved. Absolutely no one.

“You know what,” I began, striding over to him, “I don’t like you very much right now.” I stabbed the air in his direction. “I don’t like the pressure you put on your son all his life, either. Or the decisions you made on his behalf that hurt him.” I shook my head, gritting down on my back teeth. “And if you think for one minute you’ll get to be in your grandson’s life with this kind of attitude, then you have another thing coming.” I picked up my purse and used it to gesture toward a hall I assumed Hudson had gone down. “Now if you’ll excuse me . . .”

With my chin lifted, I walked around Colin’s grandfather, and I took off before I lost my spine and my nerve. I had no idea where I was going, but I wandered down the hall, a shaky mess, until I found Hudson.

“Where am I staying?” I asked him, trying not to break down.

Hudson looked over my shoulder, and I turned to see we were no longer alone.

“Can you give us a minute?” Constantine requested.

Once it was only the two of us, he swallowed the space between us, took my free hand, and guided me into one of the nearby bedrooms.

He shut and locked the door, took my purse and tossed it, then had my back up to the wall a moment later.

“I’m sorry. He just pissed me off so much,” I cried, blinking back tears as his forearms settled on the wall on each side of me.

He brought his face close to mine as he rasped, “I’m going to kiss you now.”

37. Constantine

Chapter 37

Constantine

I slanted my mouth over hers, planning to be gentle. To go slow. To not consume her like a wildfire. But fuck, I didn’t do any of those things.

How could I when she opened her mouth, offering my tongue entrance?

When she knocked off my hat and ran her fingers through my hair and let me swallow her moan?

Arched against me like she needed me inside her and now?

No, I lost control. Lost my mind. Ravished her with impatience, like an inexperienced kid kissing a girl for the first time.

She made me feel young and hopeful and all the fucking things. Like anything was possible if she was with me, breathing life into my lungs with her kiss.

“Juliette,” I pleaded, reminding myself to slow down. Give her passion and not something primal and wild.

“Don’t stop,” she cried, grinding against my erection. “Please don’t stop,” she said between rough kisses.

“I don’t want to hurt you. To⁠—”

She bit my lip, nearly drawing blood.

Well then.