“Hold on to me, baby. I can’t be gentle. Not today.” The rough edge to his voice turns me on even more. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I angle my hips.
How can it feel like he’s splitting me in two and completing me all at the same time? I dig my heels into his ass, needing to take him deeper.
He starts with one hard thrust. I cry out, but he swallows the sound by ravaging my mouth. I never knew I could feelso muchand still survive. Unless this is heaven.
We battle for control of the kiss, back and forth with each thrust of his hips. I’m so close, so ready to surrender to the storm of sensations building inside me.
Sweat slicks our bodies. Leo moves faster, thrusts harder, until he tears his lips away. “Mine.”
The single word is rough, gritty, and utterly possessive. It frees me, and I shatter. Wave after wave of pleasure washes over me. I’m drowning in them, and if I never come up for air again, I don’t care.
Tears swim in my eyes. HIs face shimmers over me, and when he surrenders to the vortex swirling around us, I know nothing will ever be the same again.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Leo
For almost an hour,I’ve been able to pretend my life isn’t a clusterfuck of epic proportions. Domina is everything I’m not. Brilliant, poised, and beautiful…a good person. Now that we’ve danced too close to forever, I have to tell her everything. What happened to me in Venezuelaandwhat I did after.
I can’t do this naked. Even if she doesn’t care about my scars, I need armor. Because when she finds out, I’m afraid it’ll be the end of us.
“We should get dressed,” I say, planting a soft kiss to her forehead. “No telling when Trev and Austin are going to come barging in here with an update.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Her eyes are still closed, and fuck. I don’t want this to end. Our legs tangle under the sheet, and she strokes a hand absently up and down my side. When I’m with her, everything is better.
Even the bruises and cuts from the assholes who interrogated me for eighteen hours don’t bother me with her in my arms.
But we’re running out of time. Sooner or later, they’ll expect us to join them, and I’ll lose my nerve.
She doesn’t have to know. You could take this to your grave.
My inner voice is dead set against what I’m about to do. It’s probably right. But she deserves to know before things get any more serious.
I ease her from my arms and get to my feet. Every step brings more pain—evidence that I’m about to do something colossally stupid—and I limp over to the dresser.
It’s almost 7:00 p.m., and my stomach rumbles. I should have eaten something before we showered, but I was so damn tired.
By the time I pull on a pair of khakis, Domina’s dressed in a pair of black yoga pants that leave nothing to the imagination, a black tank, and a lacy, scoop-neck sweater in a pale cream that makes her look like an angel.
“Wow.” I sink down next to her on the bed and tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. After this, I might never touch her again, so I lean close enough our lips meet.
Kissing her chases all my demons away. I can almost believe I’m a good man. Except for all the horrors I can never forget. They brand me. Spy. Victim. Killer.
“What we just did…” I shake my head, unsure how the hell to even begin. “I want a life with you, Domina. For however long you’ll have me.”
She sucks in a breath, and I hold up my hand.
“I don’t expect you to tell me you feel the same. I know this is fast, and I won’t rush you. If all you want is what we have right now, I’ll give it to you. If you decide you want more someday, say the word and it’s yours. But I can’t ask you for any of it without telling you what happened to me in Venezuela.”
“Why not?” She turns slightly so we’re almost facing and takes my hands. “I know you were tortured, Leo. I can see what they did to you. If you need to tell me every detail, I will listen. But do not do it because you think it will change how I feel about you. It won’t.”
God, I wish that were true. But as caring and accepting as she’s been since the day we met, some things are unforgivable. And unforgettable.
“It might.”
In the living room, Austin laughs at something. Pulling my hands from hers, I wipe them on my thighs. “Whatever happens, Austin and Trevor will stay with you until we know any threat has been neutralized. You won’t be unprotected. Ever. If you ask me to leave, I will, but you’ll stay here with them.”
“You are scaring me, Leo.” The tremble in her voice destroys me, and I push to my feet. I need distance. Something more than just a few inches between us.
