“I see.”
“Do you?”
“So my mate goes off to secret meetings with my friend, and then both or either of them report back to me, anyway? Seems like a waste of valuable time.”
“It’s not about you knowing; it’s about you influencing. These people make decisions as a unit, not as a leader. They work together to protect our future, not just their own faction.”
“Thank you for trusting me with this.”
I could tell he wanted to railroad me into getting his way, but he also knew that what I’d already shared was monumental. The weight on my shoulders hadn’t dissipated, but I felt stronger, like our combined strength helped ease the burden.
“Tomorrow,” he muttered. His fingers curled under my chin, and he tipped my head back. “Tomorrow we’ll be what we have to be for the world. But for tonight, I’m just Hudson and you are simply Cora. All my attention is on you, and you alone.”
A smile tugged at my lips. “And what should I do with that attention?”
His gaze turned heated. All the lies, the pain, and the memories fell away, leaving behind only the raw, naked truth—Hudson, my mate, was about to undo me in countless ways, and I would enjoy every single moment of it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Love isn’t found in Heaven or Hell—it’s built in the small hours between heartbeats.
Hudson’s wings snapped back into his body. He gripped my hips, and in a smooth motion, vaulted us both upward to the tree house. He grasped my hand and led me inside, my heart thumping in anticipation. It felt an eternity since we’dbeen alone, since we’d not been fighting. Time played tricks on our minds, moving fast when we needed a moment to catch our breath and slow when our thoughts were full of pain and torment. It was a cruel master.
He released my hand and backed up to the sofa before plopping down and spreading his arms out on the back. His brow lifted. “Clothes, mate. Lose them.”
I folded my arms and tilted my chin in the air. “I don’t take instructions well.”
“You do if you want to come apart tonight.”
“Something I can achieve alone.” I had done it for long enough before him, although it wasn’t as much fun.
He licked his lips, and his eyes hooded. “Prove it.”
I blinked. “Prove what?”
“Touch yourself. Show me how much you don’t need me.”
The sinful dare drenched the air in anticipation. I could play this game. Men often thought they had the power, but they were delightfully misinformed.
My fingers skimmed the edge of my T-shirt before snaking beneath the cotton to trace the swell of my breasts. I toyed with the sensitive flesh. My cheeks flushed, and my breathing quickened, but I didn’t undress.
Hudson tilted his head. “Cora,” he growled in warning. My lips tilted up.Undone so soon, Principal?
I tugged the shirt over my head, revealing my black lace bra. I kicked off my boots before unbuckling my belt and unbuttoning my jeans. My fingers skimmed beneath the fabric, teasing us both.
“Show me,” he ordered as his hands curled into fists. He was moments away from snapping, but I didn’t want his surrender. Yet.
I slid the belt loose and peeled the jeans off my legs, leaving me in my matching underwear. Everywhere his gaze touched heated my skin and made my core clench in anticipation.
I sank to my knees and gave him a sultry smile before skimming my hand between my legs. My breath stuttered, and I whimpered.
“Fuck, you are beautiful.”
I could push, but I was savoring this luxury of privacy and time. I wanted sensual, sexy, and all-consuming, to feel like I didn’t know where he ended and I began.
I crawled toward him. His brows lifted, and his mouth quirked. My gaze dropped to where his straining cock pressed against the fabric of his jeans. I reached him and trailed my hands up his legs before finding his belt. His hands caught mine. “What are you doing, little witch?”
“Proving it.”
