In a calm, cool voice, he answered as if we were sitting across from each other in his office. “I don’t know anything about it. It’s not something I’d want to know if I came across it, anyway. It would put me into trouble with the Syndicate, right?”
“That never stopped anyone from doing what they do,” I barked back, but his lips pressed into a thin line.
“Why should I trust you?” I growled viciously, pressing into him harder, my fingers digging into his arms for emphasis. His body quivered beneath mine, but not from fear. If anything, it felt like he was restraining himself, fighting against his natural instinct to meet the bigger, badder predator.
“I don’t know why,” he admitted, his voice raw. His deep emerald eyes searched mine, desperate for an answer to some question he hadn’t spoken. “I don’t understand any of this myself, like why I’m reacting in ways I normally don’t, but Idoknow that I want to help you.” He blinked, and that desperation turned into steel. “I can use my connections to other turned supes to find out if anyone else knows about this.”
I still didn't understand it, but I knew in my soul he spoke the truth, so I eased up on my grip. My chest quickly rose and fell as I whispered, “And why would you do that?”
His lips split into a bright smile, which blinded me for a heartbeat, wiping my thoughts clean. Then, in one swift motion,my back hit the forest floor. Now, Conrad was aboveme, still smiling like he’d finally gotten his way.
“Because, for some crazy, strange reason, I want you to like me. I want it so badly I’d burn favors I’ve collected and use all my connections to make it happen.”
He surged forward, capturing my lips with his, but this time, I didn’t fight it, didn't push him away. I let the heat consume me. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him closer and kissed him harder.
Though this was hardly my first kiss, it was only one of two in my life that consumed me completely. Fire erupted in my veins as he moaned against my mouth, and that lava spilled over. Tugging him to me so tightly all I could think about was having him close, having all of him. I could feel him growing against my thigh through his pants, and it excited me.
The kiss broke, and Conrad’s eyes roamed over my face. “Is this for real?”
I tilted my head, brows furrowed in confusion. He looked off to the side.
“I don’t want you to call this a mistake later. To regret it.”
Cupping his chin, I forced his gaze back to mine. “And why would I regret it?”
A crack broke his armored confidence, and his voice bled honesty. “I’m a turned.”
My face pinched in confusion, I shook my head. “And? What does that have to do with us fucking in the middle of the forest?”
When he didn’t answer, I took a page from my little sister Aniyah and made the first move. Unzipping his pants, I wrapped my hand around his cock and gave it a squeeze. The gasp he gave was sweet, full of shock and awe, and I wanted to hear it again.
“Tell me,” I murmured, moving my hand up and down as his eyes fluttered at my touch. “What does that have to do with us fucking? What does that have to do with having your dick inside me?” Lifting my head, I pressed a soft kiss to his neck while keeping my hand movements steady. “I can barely fit my hand around you, and you keep growing harder. I’d say you’ll do just fine performing the act. What else are you concerned about?”
His mouth opened, but only clipped, heady breaths came out.
Enjoying the heat coursing through me, I rolled us, reclaiming the top position. “Now...” My fingers worked expertly, undoing his pants and sliding them down to his thighs. His cock sprang to attention instantly, the glistening, silky head pointing straight at me, practically weeping for me. “I think you have far too many clothes on,” I murmured, my voice teasing. “It’s not fair for me to be all naked and you to be all covered.”
I lifted a finger, morphed it into a sharp claw, and hooked it into the collar of his shirt, ripping the fabric down the middle. As the white fabric fell to the sides, my eyes feasted on what laid before me, and I flicked my tongue against my fang.
Lean, taut muscle was spread out in front of me like a damn snack. Each groove and line looked good enough to eat. His body wasn't bulky or his skin stretched out like all the fighters I knew, no, this man's body was honed for life’sotherpleasures. My hands roamed his chest, tracing each line. I enjoyed the quiver of every muscle I touched, eliciting low, desperate groans from him that vibrated against my skin. His gaze devoured me like I waseverything and nothing he’d ever imagined. I liked that. I needed that.
“Fuck, Nova, I need to touch you.” His hands latched onto my ass, tugging me closer as he rubbed his cock along the slit of my heat. Every stroke, every press of his hardness sent shivers coursing down my spine.
“When we’re like this, you can touch me however you like.” I was surprised when the words came out of my mouth, spoken to a man I’d known less than twenty-four hours, yet they felt right. My body knew some kind of truth before my mind did.
His hand gripped my waist as he shifted up to a seated position, claiming my mouth with teeth and tongue, exploring as if memorizing every single insatiable moment. The kiss was both languid and frenzied, his internal war reflected in the desperate rhythm of his mouth. My core clenched in response, aching, empty. I wanted him inside me.
Screw whatever war he was fighting. I would win mine.
Breaking the kiss, I rested my temple against his shoulder, both of us panting, craving more. My hand slithered between us, wrapping around his cock. A hiss escaped his lips, the sound setting fire to every nerve ending in me. His hands roamed my body, desperate to claim every inch of skin he could reach—my neck, my shoulder, my collarbone—needing that skin-to-skin feel.
Quickly, I got on my knees and positioned myself over him before I thrust, impaling myself on his cock, driving that desire deep into my core. A guttural moan tore from his throat.
“Oh, fuck!” His hands gripped my back like cool iron, fingers digging into my flesh. I imagined claws raking my skin, and apang of dark pleasure shot through me. His forehead pressed against my chest, his heady breath skating along my nipples, making them tighten as he clung to me.
I rode him relentlessly, savoring the shuddering heat, the way he broke beneath me with each thrust.
“So fucking warm.” He groaned, lips and tongue tracing across my skin as he murmured, “so fucking wet.”
