Page 65 of Beneath Scarred Vows

He groans deeply, his rhythm faltering as my inner walls clench around him again. For a moment, I think he's about to follow me over the edge, but he fights it, determined to make this last.

"Not yet," he mutters, more to himself than to me.

My body feels boneless, completely surrendered to his control. I melt into him as he fucks away the last innocence I had, and I couldn't be more excited that it's him.

He kisses me and brushes away sweat-dampened hair from my forehead. "You're taking me so well."

I bite my lip and pull him tight to me, feeling the powerful muscles working as he moves.

"I need—" I start, not even sure what I'm asking for.

"Tell me," he urges, his lips brushing against mine. "What do you need, Katerina?"

"I need you to come inside me," I whisper, the admission torn from somewhere deep inside me. "I want more of you."

His pace quickens at my words, chasing his own release now. I watch his face in fascination as pleasure starts to overtake him—his jaw tight, veins standing out on his neck, eyes never leaving mine.

"Fuck, Katerina," he growls, my name on his lips sounding like both a prayer and a curse.

I feel him pulse inside me, his whole body tensing. The sensation triggers something in me, and even after feeling so drained, I find myself climbing toward another peak.

He notices.

"That's it," he encourages. "One more time. Come with me."

And I do, my body responding to his command as if he controls it completely. This orgasm is different—less sharp but deeper somehow, spreading through my entire body like warm honey.

And speaking of warm, I feel his hot seed spill deep inside me, his cock twitching as he empties himself. I grind against him, making sure I get all of it.

We stay connected as we catch our breath, his forehead pressed against mine.

Eventually, he eases out of me, and I wince slightly at the emptiness, at the unfamiliar soreness. He notices immediately.

"Did I hurt you?" There's genuine concern in his voice.

I shake my head. "Not in any way I didn't want."

He smiles and kisses me, still not letting me down.

"Shower?" he asks.

I nod.

As he carries me to the bathroom, I hold him tightly, breathing in his scent and thinking to myself,What I lost right now is nothing compared to what I've gained.

I smile, and then another thought enters my mind that makes me almost laugh out loud.

Why the hell did I wait so long to do that with him?

22

KATERINA

Istir awake, my body protesting the slightest movement. A delicious soreness radiates from between my thighs, and my muscles ache in places I never knew existed. Sunlight streams through a gap in the curtains, casting a golden strip across the rumpled sheets beside me.

I reach out, feeling the cool fabric where Ares should be. I sit up. The shower isn't running, so he's not here. I'm alone, wearing nothing but his dress shirt, the fabric swimming around my smaller frame. His scent wraps me like an invisible embrace, and I take a deep inhale of his sleeves.

I sink back into the pillows, letting memories of yesterday wash over me. Everything from the restaurant and gunshots to Ares's hands and mouth claiming my body.