Page 63 of Bellamy

He chuckled. “Well, one part of you definitely likes that idea. Too bad. You might’ve put a collar on me, Nephilim, but I’m not your property.”

“You’re right.” I gripped his hips. “You’re not my property. You’re my mate.” There was a small quiver in my voice as I added, “And I’m yours.”

His eyes softened. “We were never going to be able to run from this, were we?”

“No,” I answered. “Do you still think this will end in a disaster?”

“Yes.” Phoenix took both our cocks into his hand and gave us a slow pull, tipping his head back. “But there’s beauty in chaos. A star is always brightest right before it dies.”

“Is that what we are?” I sat forward and slid my hands to his ass, skimming my lips up the center of his chest. “Two stars destined to burn out?”

“Eventually.” He arched into me as my finger brushed his entrance. “What a fucking epic death it will be.”

“I don’t accept that.” I nuzzled his collar, my heart aching.

“You think there’s a happy ending for us? A demon and a Nephilim with armies of enemies between them?”

“Why not? If fate brought us together, there has to be a reason why.” There had to be more than sadness and pain in our future.

“Maybe there doesn’t have to be a reason. We live, we fuck, we die.” Phoenix grabbed the lube from the nightstand drawer before slicking my cock. “Maybe that’s all there is.”

My breaths quickened as he guided my tip in place and sank down.

“You’re not prepped enough,” I said, grabbing his hips to stop him, which was, admittedly, damn hard because the tight heat of him was mind-numbingly good. But I didn’t want to hurt him.

“I’m fine,” he said with a deep intensity in his eyes. They were a little glassy. “Just let me feel you, Bellamy.”

I understood it then: why he refused to consider the possibility of a happy ending. He was scared. Afraid of being happy, only to have that happiness torn away. Setting yourself up for disappointment was easier.

I reclined against the pillow and stared up at him as he rode me. He took me in slow glides in and out of his body, his fingertips digging into my chest. Since I had fucked him earlier, he wasn’t super tight at least. I cupped the backs of his thighs, following the up-and-down movements of his hips. His tail snaked around my leg. He was holding me in every way he could.

As if he feared one of us leaving.

“You’re stuck with me,” I panted. “Don’t be filling that sexy head of yours with thoughts of leaving me.”

Phoenix softly smiled and swept my bangs from my eyes. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Good. Keep it that way.” I thrust up into him, loving the little moan he rewarded me with. “I still don’t like you.”

“I don’t like you either.”

We were both full of shit.

Somewhere along the way, my hatred had shifted to something else. I’d just been too stubborn to admit it, even to myself.

Maybe it had happened the night I’d healed the bullet wound in his heart. He had reached for my face with such a tender expression it had taken my breath away. When he’d vanished from my arms, it had felt like part of me had gone with him.

“Bellamy,” Phoenix moaned, taking me deeper into his body.

“I’m right here.” I enfolded him in both arms as he rode me. “Take what you want.”

“I want you.” He slid his fingers through my hair and tilted my head up. “All of you.”

And then he kissed me.

Our bodies moved as one, lips meeting softly. He whimpered a little. It was a broken sound that gave me pause.

Phoenix shoved me back down on the bed and quickened his pace, riding me harder.