“Nobody can force me to do or not do anything.” His coarse, rumbling voice invades my chest and reverberates in my headuntil it takes control of my entire body. “I just took my time to better savor you.”
I don’t know what he means but I’m thankful. Because I needed that time, to heal and find myself again.
“Claiming you was always the plan,” he so easily admits.
My heart races, and my stomach flutters with nerves.
“Why me?” The words stumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.
“Do I need a reason, Little Chick?”
I think I do. I bite down so hard on my lower lip that I nearly break the skin.
“I’m pretty boring and messed up.”
He rasps instantly, “Never boring.” His nose digs into my hair. “You reek of innocence and lust, it’s fucking intoxicating.”
I really hope he doesn’t notice how sweaty my hand has grown on his chest.
“So beautiful.” Is it awe I hear in his voice?
I feel so happy. I kiss his pec and purr like a cat when he starts massaging my scalp. His other hand is drawing figures over my ass cheek.
But the same annoying thought is jarring me out of the moment, distracting me. I frown into the dim room.
“I still can’t believe Ollie. I feel so betrayed. I understand he was trying to protect me, but he overstepped the line, big time.” I snuggle up to him.
Never thought my older brother could be capable of lying to me…for months, while making me doubt myself.
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple,” he states flatly.
I sigh. I feel so upset, partly because of Oliver…and Rague—since he knew about my brother’s meddling and didn’t do shit—but also about Pet Manor.
“I hope Ren is okay. The pet shelter was his baby. He looked troubled at the hospital.”
“Stop talking about other people when we are in bed.” Ezra suddenly fists my hair and pulls my head back. “If it were up to me, I’d get rid of all the fuckers around you. But I know you won’t like it. You bonded with them.” He huffs. “It doesn’t make much sense to me. Do you really like them?”
“They are…mine, just like Uriel is yours.” I try to put it in a way he’d understand.
“All of them?” He sounds annoyed by the discovery.
Even if his grip is shy of pain, I hear myself chuckling. “You are…ahh I love you.” I can’t keep the words inside anymore, even though I know what he thinks about love.
He huffs again, but lets go of my locks to cup my face with both hands. “I like it better this way. Only me and you. I can hear your voice without anyone else distracting me.”
No one has ever said anything like that to me in my entire life. No one has ever wanted all of me so completely. In the back of my mind, I keep thinking that he’ll come to his senses at some point and realize that someone like him could do way better than a clumsy and awkward student. But that’s not the case, is it? I was broken long before I met him, and every time I got hurtin the past, it left a mark on my body and my mind, a horrible memento that fed my fears. It’s stopped since Ezra made me his.
I nuzzle his hand, pushing my cheek against his palm. “You make me feel safe, like nothing bad in this world can touch me.”
“I’ll burn it all for you,” he promises me. It’s not romantic, but it’s what I need to hear.
I feel suddenly flustered, moving my hand over my eyes. “No need.”
“Don’t cover your face,” he scolds me before sinking his teeth into my cheek. Wild as a wolf, playful as a dog.
“Why did you bite me?” I smile, feeling light. Lighter than I’ve ever been. That’s what Ezra does to me, makes me forget about everything else.
“I told you not to cover your face. It’s mine. I want to look at it.”
