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“Wait… what⁠—”

His mouth touches my damp core.

“Briar!”

Sitting up, I look down at him, nestled between my legs. His back muscles ripple, and my eyes snag his ass. It’s a very nice, taunt ass. Focus, Valentina.

“Something wrong?” He keeps my gaze, tongue licking my seam without a blink.

My core shudders at the sensation and the view. Mio Dio, the view. I try to close my legs, but he pins them down. He’s not going without a fight.

“You just…” The words fail me as his tongue darts inside. “Came inside me.”

“And I’ve made a mess,” he says, smirking. His chin glistens with us. “I need to clean you up.”

Pulling my hips high, he dives back into my pussy, a man deprived. He takes and sucks, refusing to come up for air. My hips chase his mouth, refusing to give until I’ve come.

My hand slides down my front, and he places it on my left breast.

“Play with them,” he demands. “Show me what you like.”

There’s no hesitation as my hands find my body. I may be inexperienced, but with Briar, I’m alive, wanton, and needy. He brings out the devil inside of me, who needs the escape. He unlocks my cage, allowing me to be free.

I pluck one nipple with my other hand kneading my breast. He groans, hauling me closer and devours me. It’s not pleasant nor sweet—it’s consuming and brutal. Just like his love.

Once his teeth clamp onto my clit, I yell out. My legs shake, my body tenses, and a heated wave of relief rises, pulling me under. Stars explode overhead as my body comes around his tongue. He doesn’t release me until I fall back, spent.

He kisses the inside of my thigh, and I twitch. “Dio.”

“I do like that nickname.”

He glides up my body, pulling me into his arms. He tosses a blanket over us and pushes my head under his chin.

“We’ll take a shower in a minute,” he says. “I want to hold you first.”

Snuggling into his chest, I wrap my arms around his waist. He’s hard, safe, and for the first time in my life, I’m not worried about someone infiltrating my room and hurting me. Not with Briar here. With him, I’m protected.

The silence wraps around us, and my heart settles. Here, surrounded by his citrusy scent and the warmth of his body, I know we’re in a bubble. The outside world is coming for us soon, and there’s only so long we can hide in his bed.

But it’s a very nice bubble.

Shifting, I lean over him and sign, “Now, what?”

He shakes his head, putting an arm behind his neck.

“A lot. It won’t be easy.”

I roll my eyes and sign, “I’m well aware.”

“I mean the watchlist, Sunshine,” he explains, signing slowly. “Maeve so lovingly reminded me tonight. People want me dead. You aren’t safe until that’s cleared up. Maybe it was stupid to marry before that.”

Rolling my eyes, I throw a leg over his hip. “And you’re not safe until Roman and Marco are handled,” I add. “It was reckless, but we can figure it out together. That’s what marriage is.”

He frowns, eyes deep. With little flecks of gold in them, they remind me of the stars overhead, and I brush my nose to his.

“We’ll make a plan.”

“Us?”