His teeth in my neck send me spiraling straight into my second release, continuing waves of pleasure flowing over me until my knees will no longer hold me up, and I collapse into the mattress. Luc follows me, his knot still deep inside as he settles his elbows on each side to keep his weight off. His mouth brushes down my spine, soft, gentle kisses that I soak up as I lie there.
Soaked, spent, and well and truly knotted.
Sucking in deep breaths, I search out the thread of Luc’s bond. I can feel his satisfaction, male and predatory, a lion more than satisfied with his mate. His nuzzles at my damp hair, and I grumble. “Mate,” Luc pushes, and I bat his hand away lazily.
“Nope,” I mumble. “I’m done. Knotted and bitten and sleepy.”
Luc laughs, shaking both of our bodies. “We’re only half-done. You need to mark me too.”
My tired eyes fly open. “Where?” I ask eagerly.
“Anywhere you want. I’d like it somewhere visible, though. Somewhere everyone can see that I’m yours,” he breathes. Luc turns us until I lie on my side, my legs tucked up to accommodate his knot as it softens inside me, inch by inch.
“Your wrist,” I propose. I want to mark everyone in the same place, so they can look down at any point and remember that they’remine.
He hums as he lifts his wrist to me, and I waste no time, sinking my teeth into his skin, holding him to me as I bond us together.
Luc curses. “Fuck, baby. I can feel you inside me.”
I wriggle against him. “Can you tell how much I enjoyed that?” I ask lightly.
“Was it too much?” he asks worriedly, and I smirk into his arm. “No, sir.” Luc swats my ass lightly, and I giggle.
I have a feeling I’ll be in need of Luc’s brand of punishment on averyregular basis.
ChapterSixty-Nine
Ava
Itake Emery in my arms, kissing her chubby cheek as she burbles happily before I hand her over to Bastien, my lips pulling into a frown as he leans in to kiss me goodbye.
“I don’t like this,” he mutters, and I’m inclined to agree. I wanted my whole pack with me, but leaving Leo, Emery, Nash and Leah without a member of the pack here was out of the question, so Bastien is staying with them. His tech-savvy means he can keep an eye on what’s happening through his screens, whilst also making sure nothing creeps up on our family while we’re distracted.
“It’ll be fine.” Max appears at my side, a sleepy Leo tucked against his grey suit. I survey him, my eyes moving over the way the white shirt covers his chest, and he grins at me.
“Like what you see?” he asks lightly. My lips press together in amusement, but I’m too tense to respond fully. A head butts into my side, and I turn around, exaggerating. “Who could that be?” I ask loudly, and a giggle buries against my skirt as Nash tucks himself close to me.
“Are you sure I can’t come?” he asks, and my heart twinges. “I wish this was the kind of trip where you could, Nash,” I tell him truthfully. “Next time, okay?”
He nods and moulds himself to Bastien, who places a hand on his shoulder. Nik comes to stop next to them, kneeling and murmuring words to Nash quietly as he nods.
Leah comes to me next, the sheen of moisture in her eyes threatening my own as she sniffs. “Ava,” she whispers. “Good luck.”
She wraps her arms around me, hugging me tightly as we both clear our throat. When I step back, Luc is holding the car door open, his hand stretched out for mine. The sleek black estate car idles, doors open as we mill around it, none of us willing to actually step inside.
Stepping inside makes what’s happening very real.
We’re going to the Department of Justice to give evidence against the US Government. To try to persuade them to dissolve the archaic Omega Creed for good. I’m trying very fucking hard not to think about the fact that I might see Stone there today.
Nerves pluck at my stomach, nausea threatening to make me throw up over my neat and sensible navy-blue skirt suit, borrowed from Leah.
“Not too sexy,” she’d said firmly. “You need to look non-threatening, but respectable enough to be taken seriously.”
My hair is tied back, my wild curls tamed into a sleek updo.
I don’t feel like myself, but that’s good. My clothes feel like armour, a shield between the scrutiny I’ll face today and therealme.
I take a last look at my children, at Bastien, my eyes tracing the familiar contours of his face as he takes a deep breath, Emery held firmly in his arms. Leah wipes her face as she waves Leo’s chubby little fist at me, and tears threaten. I duck into the back of the car before I lose my nerve, Max sliding in beside me as Nik and Luc take the front. Luc starts the engine, his fists flexing on the steering wheel as his eyes lock with mine in the mirror.
