"Take me," I whispered against his mouth. "Take it all."
A groan ripped from him. “Oh, fuck. Shit.” His forehead balanced on my collarbone, his voice breaking into a quiet, desperate confession. “I think… I think I’m addicted to you.”
He thrust into me harder, hitting that spot inside that made me see stars. “I can’t stop thinking about you. What you’re doing. Who you're with.” Finally, he whispered, “If you need me.”
His hips snapped as he croaked, “Fuck… I fucking love you.”
His golden eyes caught mine, shining brightly with his true confession. I basked in the attention for a moment before his face screwed up tight, and he groaned my name over and over. His warm cum shot up into me, and I clenched down hard on his cock, milking it for all I could get.
That golden thread pulled taut between us, humming with certainty, and something clicked into place. His desperation to make this work, to prove that he wanted this, flooded our connection. My lips curved up.
I wrapped my legs around him, trapping him to me. He grunted against my skin. Over his shoulder, three sets of eyes watchedfrom the doorway. Heat darkened their gazes, second by second. Waiting.
Their thoughts rang as clearly as if they’d spoken.He had his moment. Now it's time for ours.
I nipped at his lobe, feeling him grow hard again inside me. I got close enough to whisper in his ear, "I hope you're ready for the full mate experience."
He pulled back to look at me, hesitation written on his face. The door smacked open with a thud, and his eyes went wide before he peeked over his shoulder.
Wholeness settled in my chest, and four bonds blazed bright in unison, pulsing their agreement.
"I hope you're ready for round two."
34
NOVA
Looking at the clock, my pulse kicked hard. One beat, then another, then the oh-shit frantic rhythm that meant Ezra was going to skin me alive.
I swept the hair out of my face and flung the covers off, but before I could escape, an arm tightened around my waist and reeled me back to a cool chest that smelled of warm spices and grapefruit.
“Where you going?” Conrad mumbled, his voice thick and raspy, the kind that almost made me melt straight back into bed with him.
“I have to go,” I whispered, already sliding my leg out of Deslen’s loose hold and easing it up and over Nick’s stomach. Four bodies in one bed was comfortable last night, but it made for a hazardous morning.
Conrad let out a soft, needy whine. “Come back. Work will still be there later.”
His fingers curled around my torso, but I peeled them off one by one, pressing a kiss to each of his knuckles. His sleepy smileloosened, head dropping back to the pillow. Good. Perfect. Now I just needed to?—
I attempted one heroic leap over Nick, but one foot got snagged by the sheet. My arms windmilled. Disaster loomed with me crashing down on a pile of supernaturals, or worse, kicking Nick into oblivion.
A familiar tattooed arm shot out and caught me, setting me upright with surprising gentleness. A coffee cup appeared in my hand like a peace offering, and I stared into a set of green-blue eyes I'd lost myself in a time or two.
Zeth.
My thumb brushed against the ink on his forearm—the Syndicate mark. A memory of the day he’d gotten it tugged at me, the way he’d gritted his teeth and sworn it didn’t hurt. Swore his loyalty to my family… and me.
“She has a meeting,” he murmured for the benefit of those groaning in bed. I caught the smirk on his face before he dipped his nose into the crook of my neck and inhaled deep, his hands already flirting with the waistband of my shorts. The tobacco and cherry scent of him slid right under my skin, and I leaned into it without thinking. Wanting more of him, all of him, now that he was mine.
Before I could put the mug down and jump his bones, he smacked my ass sharply enough to jolt my brain back online.
“Ezra hates it when anyone is late,” he reminded me. “Remember when Aniyah was two minutes behind because her dancer went missing?”
I winced. Ezra’s lecture had lasted longer than the dancer’s entire contract. Unity. Control. Punctuality. Respect. I didn't want to hear that again, let alone have it directed at me. I launched myself out of the room and toward my office.
“Nova!” Zeth called from my bedroom door.
I turned just in time for a shirt to hit my face. “Probably don’t wanna show up like that.”
