Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 51589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
“Tell me you want this. Tell me—”
“Shut up and fuck me, Marcus.”
I kicked off my jeans and fell on top of her, pinning her down, my weight causing us to sink into the thick bed. I pushed open her legs and slammed into her. She cried out, her back arching, her orgasm catching us both off guard. I rode it out, thrusting into her, tossing her legs over my shoulders, and circling my hips fast and hard. Sweat beaded on my forehead, covering my back. I hovered over her, our eyes locked. Hate and anger burned and morphed into passion and need. Her body softened, and she lifted her arms, cupping my face, and stroking over my skin. I stopped and bent, covering her mouth with mine, this time our exchange slow and languid. Passionate and deep. Warm, wet, and aching in its need. I slipped my arms under her, pulling her close, and moved again. Long, unhurried glides of my hips. Deep, soul-shattering kisses. Dragging, leisurely caresses over our bodies. Murmurs of passion, apology, and need. My orgasm was a slow-building glow inside me. My balls tightened, and my body lit up as tendrils of ecstasy built and exploded, the flames so hot I was certain I would be reduced to ash when it was done. Missy met my passion, her second orgasm making her shake and quiver, gasp my name, and clutch me deep inside her, stretching my pleasure into uncharted territory I didn’t want to discover the way back from.
I fucked her until I was empty and aching. My body stilled with exhaustion. Sated beyond anything I had known before.
And she lay under me, still, quiet, and crying.
I lifted my head, horrified. “I hurt you?”
“No, that was just so…powerful.”
I ran a finger over her cheek, tracing her swollen lips. “It was.”
Our gazes locked again. I tried desperately to explain. To make her understand. “I can’t let you risk yourself. If I fail and you’re taken, I—”
She touched my mouth with her fingers. “You won’t let that happen, Marcus. You come up with a plan, and I promise I’ll stick to it. You’ll have your team. I’ll have you. We’ll get him.”
I dropped my head. “You shouldn’t trust me so much.”
She slipped her hand under my chin, lifting my face. “But I do. I trust you more than anything or anyone—ever.”
I searched her eyes. “Why?”
“Because—” She swallowed. “Because I love you.”
Those three little words were like gunshots to my heart. They drove into me with so much power, they embedded themselves into my soul forever. I pulled her up tight to my chest, kissing her forehead.
“I love you, sweetheart. So much I fear what will happen if I fuck this up. I will never forgive myself. I will never get over it.”
She drew back and cupped my face, her fingers drawing restless circles on my skin. “You love me?”
“Yes. And I was a jerk earlier. I was so scared that I lashed out.” A dry chuckle escaped my lips. “And your little trick with the knife was pretty spectacular. Which pissed me off as much as it impressed me.”
She sighed. “Do you remember when you told me about Damien? How you saw something in him and you helped him discover his potential?”
I frowned. “Yes.”
“And you trust him?”
“Completely.”
“Talk to me, Marcus. Find my potential. Trust me.” She swallowed. “I think-I think, together, we can do this.”
My heart thumped rapidly in my chest.
“If I’m brave enough to do this,” she whispered, “then you need to be brave enough to let me.” She gripped my shoulders. “If I don’t help stop him, I will never be free, Marcus. He’ll always be there, you’ll always wonder if he’ll find me. See me accidentally and take me away. We will never have any peace. You have to let me help you end him. There is no choice here. You have to see that.”
I gave in. She was right—I had no choice. She wasn’t going to let this go, and it was obvious I needed to figure out how to approach this horrendous task so her risk was minimal.
“We’ll go talk to Julian,” I said.
“I need to clean up.”
I began to move, then froze. “I didn’t wear a condom.”
“I’ll ask Sofia about the morning-after pill and getting on birth control.”
“I’m sorry. I was carried away.”
“I know—me too.” Her smile was shy. “That was my first make-up sex.”
“Ah, I’d call that angry sex, sweetheart. At least, at the beginning.”
“Oh. There’s a difference?”
I bent close. “I can show you make-up sex if you want.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Again?”
My mouth hovered over hers. “Again.”
“Okay then, big boy. Apologize. I expect it to be good.”
“And I’ll deliver.”
“Good.”
Chapter Eleven
Marcus
We headed back to the command center, not surprised to find Julian still there. He was flipping through the files Missy had compiled as well as scanning two computer screens, typing quickly. He didn’t say anything until we sat down. I sipped a cup of coffee, waiting. I knew he had to speak first.