The last time these words were spoken between Knox and me, he was placing a challenge at my feet. A challenge to trust my Chosen, to love them, to be a team with them no matter what. I watch his gray-cloudy gaze absorb all of that, and then I wait.
“In, Vinna, always in.”
A relieved breath rushes out of me as his words burrow into my soul. The next thing I know, his lips are on mine. His fingers are in my hair, his body is pressed against me as he consumes all my sadness and replaces it with heat and love, understanding and apology. I can taste hissorryas he teases my tongue with his own. I can feel his claim and his promises in the way he holds me. He lifts me up, and I immediately wrap my legs around his waist, never pulling my lips from his.
I don’t pay attention to the fact that he walks us away from the others. I just kiss him, needing him to erase the cracks and the hurt with his lips and his body. He sets me down on my feet when it’s just the two of us surrounded by trees and rocks and plants.
“I love you, Vinna,” he whispers reverently against my lips as he pulls back to lift my sports bra over my head.
His mouth is back on mine, consuming me. Fusing us. Pouring all of his need and declarations into my soul and filling me up.
“I love you, Vinna,” he whispers into my ear, and then he sucks on my neck and presses traveling kisses down my body. He pushes my underwear down and pulls a hard nipple into his mouth at the same time.
I moan his name like a prayer, reveling in the heat that trails through me with his touch. He runs his fingers through my folds, moaning when he feels how wet I am for him. He moves to my other nipple and circles my clit. He spreads my arousal through my lips and whispers his declarations of love against my breasts and throat as he returns to my mouth, his kisses filled with worship.
I come with his mouth on mine and his fingers playing with me. He pinches my clit and sucks on my bottom lip, both of us groaning at how good it feels. Knox lifts me back up and positions his big arms under my thighs.
“I love you, Vinna,” he declares as he thrusts inside of me, guiding my body down his length until he’s deep inside of me and we’re both panting. He lifts me up his length and then back down, setting the pace, and I roll my hips in a way that helps him hit all the right places.
“I love you, Knox,” I whisper against his mouth as I suck on his tongue and fuck him out in the middle of nowhere.
Frost-kissed air caresses our naked bodies and tries to steal the heat that we’re creating.
Knox presses me back against a smooth tree, pinning me with his hips as he works in and out of me faster. I gasp and mewl encouragement. OurI love yousbattle back and forth between our pants and moans. Knox pulls a hand forward and plays with my clit as his lips drop to the line of runes on my shoulder. He traces them with his tongue and sucks on them, and I have no choice but to splinter into a trillion pieces.
His name rides my shout, and his thrusts become urgent and deeper. He fucks me hard into another orgasm, and then it’s my name being shouted to the setting sun as Knox presses deeply into me and comes. He moves inside of me shallowly as he rides his orgasm. We both work to catch our breath, our foreheads pressed together.
“I’m sorry, Vinna. I couldn’t see past how I was feeling, and I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” I tell him, cutting off more of his apology with a soft kiss against his full lips. “I know all of this isn’t easy. I know I ask a lot. Just know I love you and I don’t want a future that doesn’t have you in it.”
Knox kisses me again, his mouth and tongue all passion and apology.
“I’ll make it work with your Shields. We all will. We’ll do better,” he promises, and I have to blink back the tears that well up in my eyes.
Knox kisses my cheek where one manifestation of sorrow escapes, and repeats his promise until I can blink back my emotions and nod.
“I’m always in, Killer, always,” he reminds me.
I smile at him and breathe out the last vestiges of hurt.
“Samesies,” I whisper and then nip at his ear lobe.
Knox growls at me playfully and rolls his hips, reminding me that he’s still deep inside of me at the moment.
“How long do you think we have until one of the guys walks through the trees, calling dibs?” I ask on a chuckle, suddenly feeling lighter than I have in weeks.
Knox’s deep laugh vibrates through me, and he runs his nose over the runes on my shoulder. “Enough time for me to show you how sorry I really am for a second time. You game, Killer?”
I laugh and then moan when he grinds into my still spread thighs. “Do you even have to ask? TGV forevaaaahhh,” I shout into the sky. “Let’s just see how sorry you really are,” I declare on a groan-infused giggle as Knox flicks his tongue against my hard nipple.
“Challenge accepted, Killer. Challenge fucking accepted!”
6
“My money’s on fangs,” Bastien announces.
Nash, Kallan and Torrez all nod and voice their agreement. I roll my eyes.
