Page 114 of Power of Shadow

I barely notice when Ryker’s hand tangles in my hair and starts stroking me, praising me as he does so.

“You’re such a good girl. You’re so fucking hot, and you’re all mine. I’ll kill anyone who dares to even think about taking you away from me. God, Ash. You’re so fucking unreal.”

He knows exactly what these words do to me.

I moan, moving my hips to the rhythm of my fingertips caressing my clit. I’m sure we’ll both come in a moment.

I suck hard, and my hand is massaging his heavy balls.

“Fuck, I’m about to come. Ash—Get up, little one.”

My eyes open, not understanding what he wants from me. I blink, his cock in my mouth and my hand inside my panties.

“Don’t look at me like that. It feels fucking incredible, but I have to find my way home now. Next time, I’ll paint a pattern on your breasts with my cum and feed it to you.”

Ryker catches himself and pulls out of my mouth.

“So I’m not completely hopeless in this?”

This time it’s Ryker who blinks in surprise. “Who told you that bullshit?” Anger appears in his voice.

“I—did I say that out loud?”

He grabs me under the arms and puts me on my shaky legs. “Definitely. Who was it?”

“No one. It’s just that I’ve never—”

“Impossible,” he cuts me off, smiling wide and showing a row of white teeth. “Am I your… first?”

“The only thing missing is for you to pound your chest with pride.” And he doesn’t stop smiling. “Ryker!” I playfully slap his shoulder, then cover my face with my hands in embarrassment. “I’ve never wanted to do that before.”

“My Little Killer,” he purrs and pulls my hands away. His eyes sparkle. “I’m proud because I have a reason to be. It’s an honor for me?”

“An honor? I’m sure at least a hundred women before me could do it better.”

“You’re wrong. None of them could give me the pleasure you give me because none of them understood me or held my heart in their hands.”

Is he saying that he loves me? This big, bad, dark, murderous man is saying something so romantic?

Warmth envelops me after his words. This is a big step for me, and I’m proud that I took it with him.

“Now let me prove how much your pleasure means to me.” With these words, he pushes me lightly onto the bed. “Lie on your stomach and hold on tight.”

At first, our lovemaking is slow and full of passion. Ryker lavishes me with praise, telling me I’m beautiful, sexy, and unlike anyone else. How perfect we are for each other.

Then he picks up the pace, thrusting into me like his mission is to ruin me for all other men. And he’s damn right. He’s doing it. Undeniably.

When our worlds explode and merge together, reaching their peak, he repeats my name in ecstasy. I welcome the weight of his body. And when he leans in, he whispers in my ear, “One day. One day I’ll marry you.”

It takes a few more hours before we both collapse from exhaustion. I stare at his muscular back as he breathes peacefully in sleep. I gave him what he needed so badly. Oblivion. That morning, I gave him all of myself and hoped that, in all of this, we wouldn’t crash on the rocks.

It made me vulnerable... but with him, that vulnerability wasn’t fear; it was a choice.

I’m almost drifting off when a text message notification pops up. I reach for the phone, but it’s not mine. It’s Ryker’s. Still, I see a notification from an unknown number on the screen.

I shouldn’t look, but I can’t resist. Something inside me is already screaming...

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