"I'm yours," I gasp, and this time I mean it. This time it's not just words.
His rhythm becomes erratic, desperate. His hand tightens on my throat—still gentle, still safe, but firm. Grounding me.
Then I'm falling, shattering—coming apart in his arms while he watches with those impossible blue eyes.
He follows moments later, groaning my name like a prayer or a curse.
We collapse together, breathing hard, his weight pressing me into the mattress. His arms cage me against his chest, and I should feel trapped.
Instead, I feel safe.
For the first time since this insanity started, I feel completely, utterly safe.
His heartbeat pounds against my ear, steady and strong. Real.
Better than any novel, I think distantly. Better than any fantasy.
Because this is real. He's real. And somehow, impossibly, I want more.
I shift slightly, and he loosens his hold. "You okay?"
"I think so." My voice is hoarse. "That was..."
"Intense?"
"Understatement."
He laughs, the sound rumbling through his chest. "You surprise me, little dove."
"How?"
"Thought you'd need more convincing." He brushes hair from my face. "Thought you'd fight harder."
"I did fight."
"Not very hard."
"Hard enough." I trace one of the tattoos on his chest—an Orthodox cross. "What does this mean?"
"In the Bratva? It means I'm a believer. Or was." His hand covers mine. "Most of these were earned. Each one tells a story."
"Tell me."
"Later." He shifts, pulling me closer. "Rest first."
But I don't want to rest. I want to feel like that again—safe and warm and completely consumed. Want to prove that I'm not a passive participant in this.
So I slide down his body, and his eyes widen.
"Lila—"
I take him in my mouth before he can finish the sentence.
The sound he makes is gratification itself. Shock and pleasure and pure masculine satisfaction.
I've never been good at this. Never particularly enjoyed it. But with him, it's different. Watching him lose control. Feeling powerful despite being on my knees.
His hand tangles in my hair, guiding but not forcing. "Fuck, you don't have to?—"
