Page 19

Our gazes clashed, his hazy with pleasure, as I smashed my mouth on his. Our teeth knocked, our tongues tangled. It was messy passion, delicious destruction. Pan’s walls were so tight around me, and a tingle crept up my thighs as I neared release.

“You want my cum in you?” I growled, and Pan scrunched his eyes closed.

The desperate slap of skin filled the room. My breaths came in harsh spurts.

“Yes, give it to me, daddy,” Pan cried and I couldn’t help myself.

I sucked hard on his neck, tasting the rope of his tendon. My teeth scraped the taut flesh, leaving a mark I hoped he wouldn’t cover. I fucked Pan into the bed, pulling on his hair to angle him how I wanted. I would make him feel me. Even without a bond, I could wound my way into his sore muscles and bruised skin.

Where was the love in this?

The brief thought was smothered by my arousal. I pounded Pan until he gasped open-mouthed on the bed, body contorted for my pleasure only. As I came, I pulled out of him and spilled on my bedspread. My thighs trembled, I collapsed against Pan, and panted into his ravaged neck.

The flutter of his pulse was mine.

In the past, I might have pressed a gentle kiss, turned him in my arms and held him while our heartbeats thudded against each other. Now I sought only to catch my breath.

“You didn’t come in me.” Pan sounded curiously wounded.

Reality flooded in, a cold, harsh reminder of what we were. I rolled away, stomach slick with shame and frustration. Pan’s brow creased as I grabbed a fresh pair of underpants from mydrawer. He curled on the bed like a forlorn nymph. His eyes watched, dark bruises.

Why couldn’t we just talk to each other? Why couldn’t we make this work?

A thorn wiggled its way past the bone shield into my heart.

“It would only be a waste,” I lashed out. Pan’s hazel eyes flashed, but I continued. “Don’t touch yourself. You are not to come until I say so.”

Pan jerked up; the languidness gone in a second. He scrambled off the bed, cock heavy. It strained toward me, the length streaked with his desire, and I fought the urge to clean it off.

This was apunishment. But gods, I was sick of hurting. My stomach rolled with bone-deep sickness.

“Are you fucking serious?” Pan frowned, and I loomed over him.

Lust flickered with uncertainty, and his knees trembled. I collared his throat with my hand and squeezed until I felt his Adam’s apple bob. Pan was a part of this pack, and he always would be. But something needed to change.

“Am I your daddy or not?” I said, and he nodded. “You disappointed me today, and you let down your pack. Your brother and your best friend deserve better, not just me. So, no touching. Maybe if you can behave yourself, I’ll make it good for you.”

“All because I was late and accidentally broke a glass?”

I released my hold before I changed my mind. Pan spluttered behind me as I walked to the ensuite bathroom, needing to wash the scent of him off my body. My feet dragged. I loved his sweet, playful scent. But it didn’t match the man in this room. He hadn’t been joyous for a long time, just tormented by the ghost of something he wouldn’t share.

If I let him seep into my skin, I would soften. I’d beg him to let me hold him, to please him.

It would be me on my knees. But I was tired of capitulation.

“Well, I could always find someone else willing to take care of me, at The Barracks.” Pan taunted and my chest constricted.

Any pleasure left from the rough fuck turned bitter as my gut turned over, but I didn’t let him see how much his words hurt me.

We weren’t exclusive, but Pan used his trysts as one more way to punish me.

“I suppose you could.” I slammed the door, wondering if this pain in my chest would ever ease.

5

Lloyd

I double-checked the locks on my door and paced back to my bed. Would Tahlia notice the changes I made? I had turned down the sage green covers and artfully arranged the pillows. Even snagged a white velvet blanket from the storage in the nest to add to the sumptuous picture. It wasn’t the most conventional way to woo an omega, but I wasn’t above using every tool available.