kaius
My little kitten could run,hide, claw, and snarl at me all she wanted, but none of it mattered. She could bury herself in the darkest parts of this world, beneath the filth of back alleys or the shadows of crumbling cathedrals, but it wouldn’t be far enough. I’d still find her. Acelynn Thorton belonged to me—body, mind, and whatever tattered thing she called a soul. And there was no force in this world that could keep us apart after tonight.
The air in my office was thick with tension, her scent clinging to the walls, a mix of adrenaline, fear, and the sweetness of her arousal. Acelynn stood slowly, back to me, her palms braced against the edge of the desk as if she could anchor herself there. My eyes tracked every subtle shift in her, from the rise and fall of her chest to the tremble in her shoulders. I closed the distance, my knuckles brushing down the center of her spine. She shivered beneath the touch, letting out a sigh sheprobably hadn’t meant for me to hear. That small sound ignited something primal in me, something I could no longer contain.
My hand tangled in her dark locks, and with a sharp pull, I forced her down over the desk. She let out a startled shriek that melted into a breathless moan, the sound filling every crack of this dim-lit office. The sharp press of her hips against the wood made her gasp again when I pinned her there, grinding the hard length of my cock against the heat of her pussy. She tried to twist her head, to speak my name, but I shoved her cheek harder into the desk. The wood groaned under the pressure, her voice breaking into a strangled cry.
“Kaius—”
“Shhh, kitten.” My voice came low, coaxing and cruel all at once, the growl rumbling from somewhere deep in my chest. My free hand traced the bare line of her shoulder blade, teasing her with the faintest brush. “You asked for this. You challenged me for it. And now I’ll show you exactly what happens when you dare to play games with the King of Lovelen.”
Her throat bobbed, swallowing back fear—or maybe anticipation. She turned her eyes to me, and even in the soft light, I caught the flicker there. The defiance was still alive in her, but already smothered by the weight of desire.
Her breath came fast, uneven. The slight pain I’d given her only made her wetter. I could smell it, could feel it radiating from her body, slick heat beckoning me like a damn siren. I dragged my hand lower, slow, deliberate, over the curve of her waist and down the smooth plane of her belly until I reached the dip of her hips. The twitch in my cock nearly drove me mad.
I needed her. Consequences be damned.
Stepping back just enough, I slid my knuckles over the curve of her ass, letting them ghost down to the puckered hole just beneath, earning a bitten-off moan from her lips. Her body betrayed her with every touch, every drag of my hand. Mybelt came loose with a sharp metallic clink, and I slid down my zipper. My cock was already rock hard, pulsing, my hand stroking it as her whimpers filled the air like a hymn to my sins.
Her eyes locked on the motion, pupils blown wide. Her tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip, a silent plea written all over her expression. I leaned over, pressing closer to her trembling body, and guided the thick head of my cock against her folds. She was drenched, soaked enough that pushing inside was no challenge.
“Fuck,” I groaned as her tight heat closed around me. The grip of her pussy nearly undid me then and there, clenching down so sweet and perfect like she’d been made for me.
I pulled out slowly, savoring the drag of her walls around me before slamming back into her with a punishing thrust. She cried out at the stretch, a broken sound that bled into a sob as her body gave in. I spat on her slick cunt, watching the glisten of it coat her folds before I smeared it over her with my hand. She tried to push back into me, desperate, needy, and I gave her no warning as I slammed into her again, harder this time. Her body clutched at me like it didn’t want to let go.
Her hands scrambled over the desk, clawing for something to hold on to, the wood creaking under the strain of my pace. I gathered her hair in one hand and yanked, dragging her spine up against my chest, forcing her to feel every brutal thrust.
“You’re so wet for me, Acelynn,” I snarled against her ear, my lips brushing her skin.
Her eyes rolled back, head falling against my shoulder as I drove into her relentlessly. The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed loudly in the silence of the office. My hand slipped around her, fingers trailing down her stomach until I found her clit. I rubbed tight, ruthless circles, sending her unraveling even faster.
She was gone within seconds, a cry of my name breaking from her lips as she came undone around me. Her pussy clenched hard, milking me, and the flood of wet heat against my cock pulled me under with her. My thrusts grew erratic, sloppy, until release tore through me with a guttural groan.
When I finally pulled out, she collapsed forward, palms braced against the desk, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. The room smelled of sweat, sex, and sin. My hand brushed down the line of her spine, coaxing her to look at me. Her eyes were glassy, lips parted, cheeks flushed in the aftermath.
“Still hate me, kitten?” I asked, smirking as I bent close enough for her to feel the heat of my breath.
She shook her head, too dazed to form words. A feral smile curved her mouth. “Maybe.”
Acelynn’s defiance was like gasoline to an open flame. My hand landed with a sharp slap on her ass, her skin flushing pink beneath the blow.
“Keep talking like that,” I growled. “And I’ll put that mouth to better use until your attitude is in check.”
CHAPTER FIFTY
acelynn
The morning lightpoured through the curtains in slow, lazy stripes, spilling golden across the sheets tangled around me. For the first time in what felt like forever, I hadn’t woken to fear or nightmares, but to warmth. My body still hummed with the memory of his touch, the bruising strength of his hands, the heat of his mouth on mine.
Kaius.
Even just whispering his name in my head sent a shiver rolling down my spine. The night had been fire and chaos, violence and tenderness, all wound together until I didn’t know where one release ended and the other began. I’d fallen asleep against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, letting it lull me into the kind of peace I hadn’t believed I was allowed anymore.
But morning was cruel. Morning reminded me that the world outside his arms was still waiting for me, claws sharpened andready. It reminded me that I still didn’t have answers to what happened to my family that night, and he was the only one who could give them to me. I knew that if I revealed myself, told the truth of my original intentions of being here in his bar, all of this would shatter. I wasn’t meant to have happiness like this in my life. Time and time again, the universe reminded me of that.
It made me think some people are just meant to suffer through life and be the lessons for others that lead them to true happiness. Some type of fucked-up karmic siren that gets dropped into people’s lives. That’s why I had told Kaius I needed to go home to grab a few things earlier. I needed space to think through whatever this was.
I dragged myself out of the warmth of my bed, each step heavy as I padded into the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror almost startled me. I looked undone. My lips were still swollen from his kisses, my neck marked in deep, dark bruises I couldn’t hide even if I tried. I looked…claimed. A shaky laugh slipped from me as I reached for the drawer, pulling free a packet of makeup wipes. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to erase the evidence or cradle it close like proof that, for one night, I hadn’t been broken.
