What the hell just happened?

RYAN

Ricardo's breath came out in a sharp laugh, but it broke off into a groan when I added another finger. "Fuck…"

I leaned down, my lips brushing his ear.

"You're gonna take it. Just like I did."

Then I pushed inside him.

Ricardo's back arched, a ragged curse tearing from his throat. His hands flew to my arms, his nails digging in, but I didn't stop. Couldn't stop. The heat of him, the way his body clenched around me… God… it was intoxicating.

I set a brutal pace, my hips slamming into his, the desk creaking beneath us.

Every thrust dragged a broken sound from him, every snap of my hips made his fingers tighten on my skin.

"You…" His voice was strained.

"You've been thinking about this, huh?"

I gripped his jaw, forcing him to look at me. "Shut up."

He laughed, breathless, but it turned into a moan when I angled deeper, hitting that spot that made his legs tremble.

The power was dizzying.

This was what I wanted. Not just the pleasure, not just the friction… but the control. The way his breath stuttered when I slowed down, the way his hips chased mine when I pulled back.

"Ryan…" His voice was barely a growl.

l ignored him, my own release building, my muscles coiling tight. But I wasn't done yet.

I leaned in, my lips grazing his. "You don't ever raise a hand to me again.

Understood?"

His eyes burned into mine. Then, finally, he nodded.

"Yeah."

"Say it."

A beat. Then…

"Yeah. Yeah."

I kissed him, hard, swallowing his groan as I fucked him through his orgasm, his body clamping down around me. The sensation was too much and I came with a sharp gasp, my vision whiting out for a second before I collapsed against him, both of us panting, and slick with sweat.

For a long moment, neither of us moved.

Then Ricardo exhaled, his fingers trailing lazily up my spine. "So," he murmured, his voice hoarse. "We doing this again, or...?"

I shoved off him, grabbing my clothes from the floor. "Don't push your luck."

But even as I said it, I knew this wasn't over.

And part of me didn't want it to be.

As I approached the door, still buttoning up my shirt, a sharp knock echoed through the room. My muscles tensed for a second before I shook it off. I pulled the door open, only to be met with the same huge guy from earlier.

His eyes swept over me, lingering on my messed-up clothes, my swollen lips, the faint bruises forming along my jaw. He didn’t say a word, but the way his smirk barely reached his eyes told me everything. He knew.

I let out a low chuckle, crossing my arms. “Problem?”

The guy tilted his head slightly, still blocking the doorway.

I met his stare head-on. I wasn’t about to let some asshole intimidate me…not after everything I’d just done.

I stepped past him, my shoulders squared, refusing to acknowledge the weight of his glare burning into my back. I didn’t slow my pace until I turned the corner and the door shut behind me.

Only then did I exhale, rubbing a hand over my face.

What the fuck had I just done?

More importantly… why was I already thinking about doing it again?

*************

RICARDO

The door had barely clicked shut when another knock followed. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my damp hair before calling out.

“What?”

The door creaked open, and Matteo stepped inside, his sharp gaze raking over me. His brows furrowed as his eyes landed on my bare chest, the faint bruises forming along my ribs, the marks on my neck… evidence of everything that had just happened.

His jaw tightened. “What the hell just happened?”

I frowned, feeling irritated by his question. “Since when did you start questioning me?”

He dipped his head slightly. “I’m sorry. But you were just with me last night… and now some guy walks in, and you’re fucking him too? Do my feelings mean nothing to you?”

I let out a sharp breath, dragging a hand down my face. “Matteo…”

“No. Just at least consider how I feel.” His voice wavered slightly, but he caught himself, his frustration clear in the way his hands curled into fists. “And what the hell happened to you?” His eyes traced over the bruises again, darkening with fury. “Who did this? Why didn’t you kill them? Or at least send someone to handle it?”

Enough.

My patience snapped. “Enough with the questions.” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

Matteo’s jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides, but he didn’t push. He knew better.

I turned away from him, reaching for the half-empty glass of whiskey on my desk. “I want to be alone.”

Silence stretched between us. I could feel his stare burning into my back, but I didn’t turn around.

After a moment, he exhaled, and let out a bitter laugh. “Of course you do.”

Then, the sound of his footsteps retreating, the door shutting behind him.

I took a slow sip of my drink, but it didn’t do shit to calm the storm inside me.

Because even as I stood there, alone in the dim light of my office, I wasn’t thinking about Matteo.

I was thinking about Ryan.

And that pissed me off more than anything else.

Twice.

That was the number of times I let Ryan fuck me.

The number of times I lost control.

The number of times I let myself become something I never was.

I clenched my jaw, swirling the whiskey in my glass, but it tasted like nothing. Everything felt like nothing, except the lingering ache in my body… a reminder that I’d let him have me. That I'd wanted him to have me.

And that was the problem.

It had never happened before. Not with Matteo. Not with anyone.

I had always been in control. The one on top. The one who took instead of being taken.

But Ryan…

That damn doctor had walked into my life, and somehow, I melted for him. My body, my mind… everything unraveled the second he touched me.

It was infuriating.

A knock came again.

I didn’t bother looking up. “I said I want to be alone.”

The door cracked open anyway.

“Ricardo.” Matteo’s voice was quieter now.

I exhaled slowly, gripping my glass tighter. “What do you want?”

He stepped inside, the door shutting behind him. “ There’s something you need to know about the doctor.”