“Take whatever you need,” Dom said.
She grabbed clothes aggressively, her agitation visible in every movement. She brushed past him toward the bathroom, and a surprised smile crept over Dom’s lips.
The shower started, and the sound of running water filled his apartment. Dom sank into the couch and tried to focus on anything else. But all he could think about was Valeria—angry, naked, and wet twenty feet away.
His cock hardened despite the seriousness of their circumstances. Every instinct he possessed screamed at him to go to her. Dom was through the bathroom door before conscious thought could interfere, stepping into the small space thick with steam and her intoxicating scent. He could see her silhouette through the frosted shower door.
“You challenged me in front of my pack,” he said, his voice dropping to a growl as he began stripping off his clothes.
“Maybe your pack needed to see that I’m not some helpless victim to be managed,” she said. “I’m a police officer investigating a case.”
Dom slid open the shower door and stepped inside. Valeria stood under the spray, water cascading over her naked body, her eyes dark with want despite the anger that still simmered beneath the surface. The sight of her made him ravenous. She was all curves and golden skin, wet hair clinging to her shoulders, lips parted as she watched him with undisguised hunger.
The fire in her eyes sent heat straight to his cock. Dom stepped closer, the small space forcing them into intimate proximity. “You’re magnificent when you fight me,” he said, caging her against the wall with his body.
“Don’t try to seduce me out of being angry,” she said, but her hands were already reaching for him, nails digging into his shoulders.
“I’m not trying to seduce you out of anything.” Dom leaned closer, steam swirling around them. “But if you’re going to challenge me, you need to be prepared for me to respond.”
Before she could ask what he meant, Dom lifted her easily, his hands gripping her thighs as he pressed her against the shower wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist while he supported her effortlessly.
“I should be furious with you for cutting off my father,” she gasped, but her body contradicted her words, pressing closer to his heat.
“You are furious,” Dom said, positioning himself at her entrance. “I can smell it on you. Along with how wet you are for me.”
The hot water cascaded over them as he pushed inside with one smooth thrust, filling her completely. Valeria cried out, her back arching against the wet tile as he began to move. Dom groaned, his hands gripping her hips as he set a demanding rhythm. Steam filled the small space, making everything feel dreamlike and intense. The sound of water mixed with their harsh breathing and the wet slap of their bodies coming together.
“Is this what you wanted?” he asked, his pace increasing. “To drive me crazy until I had to fuck you?”
“I wanted you to listen to me,” she gasped, but her body moved with his in perfect rhythm, meeting each thrust.
“I am listening.” Dom’s teeth found her shoulder, biting gently as hot water ran between them. “Your body’s telling me exactly what you need.”
Dom felt her trembling against him, her breath coming in short gasps as she took every thrust. He’d meant to go slow, to be careful with her after everything she’d been through, but the way she responded to his touch made him wild.
“Dom,” she whimpered, and hearing his name like that nearly undid him.
He could feel the tension coiling through her body, could sense how close she was to letting go. His wolf was barely leashed now, demanding he claim what was his, but he forced himself to hold back. The water cascaded over them both as she clung to him.
“Come for me,” he commanded. “Come on my cock like a good girl.”
His wolf howled. The mating bite called to him with overwhelming force, every instinct screaming to mark her as his forever. His fangs elongated, and he leaned toward the curve of her neck where her pulse fluttered beneath her wet skin.
At the last second, Dom forced himself to pull back, his jaw clenched with the effort. Valeria came with a scream that echoed off the shower walls, her pussy convulsing around his thickness as pleasure tore through her. The sensation dragged him over with her, and Dom buried himself deep as he found his own release, his roar mixing with the sound of rushing water.
They stayed locked together for several moments, breathing hard as the shower spray continued to cascade over their joined bodies. Dom’s forehead rested against hers before he gently sat her back down.
They finished washing each other, the aggression burned away by their lovemaking. Dom worked the shampoo through Valeria’s hair, careful not to pull at the tangles. Her fingers traced the jagged scar that ran across his ribs, a souvenir from a territorial dispute three years ago.
When they finally emerged from the bathroom, skin flushed and eyes heavy with satisfaction, everything felt different. Valeria moved to the kitchen wearing one of his shirts, the dark fabric hanging to mid-thigh, and began assembling sandwiches.
Dom watched her navigate his space like she belonged there, automatic and natural in a way that made his chest tight with pride. His wolf was content, his mate was safe, and the crisis between them had been weathered without destroying the trust they’d built.
Chapter
Twenty-One
The next morning,the Steel Protection conference room buzzed with caffeine-fueled energy. Axel looked up from his tablet with the satisfied expression of someone who’d just cracked a difficult puzzle.
