Page 34 of Blind Devotion (Letters of Ruin #1)

“You’re not a victim. You’re a survivor.

Ma petite rescapée . La mienne .” My little survivor.

Mine. The violence he said it with made my lips curl up.

His fingers pressed harder into the skin on my hips.

“You’re stronger for it. Now it’s up to you not to let your past define you, but you need to accept that it does complete you.

If you ignore it, a piece of you will always be missing. ”

A sob escaped me. “I remember being overpowered. I remember being forced. I remember not having choices, or them being taken away from me because I was weaker.”

“A weak woman never would’ve survived that hell and come out stronger. A weak woman never would have convinced me to stay my hand.”

“Have I convinced you?”

“What do you think?” He squeezed me, possessive and demanding, as he shuffled closer. “I told you, you are my choice. I don’t say that lightly.”

I melted against him. My monster, my savior, the safest place for me. It was hard to believe we’d been at each other’s throats only a week ago.

“I’d like you to train.”

I rubbed my lips against his. “You’ll train me? In what?”

“Not me. Alizé. She’s an expert at self-defense.”

I drew my head back sharply. “Alizé? Your sister who wears heels all the time?”

“She might sound and look like a prim and proper businesswoman, but she’s lethal when she wants to be. Once you feel at one hundred percent, she’ll help you take your power back. You’ll never be defenseless again.”

His lips molded to my forehead, making my heart flutter. How could he be so murderous and yet so gosh darn sweet at the same time?

“Sleep. I’ve got you.”

I shook my head and leaned in closer, my mouth grazing his.

“I’m too wired. My body feels like it’s on fire.” Especially with the way his fingers brushed up and down my spine.

He tilted my chin up, just a gentle touch, but there was so much command behind it.

Then his mouth was on mine. Hot and heavy, capturing my lips, forcing them wide open as his tongue thrust its way in until I was swept away in him.

My breaths were his. My skin was aflame.

My nerves were firing on all sides because he wasn’t just kissing me, he was devouring me and taking all I had in one kiss until my head was spinning. It was just as good as our first.

He broke away, and I chased after him, panting eagerly. A finger pressed to my lips.

“Let me touch you.”

I couldn’t get enough of him. It was his husky voice. It was his scent, his attitude, his touch. Whatever it was, I never wanted it to end, and if he was kissing me, if he was touching me, then he wasn’t pulling away.

“Yes,” I panted out.

His finger smoothed down my lips, tugging on the bottom one only for him to sear his mouth back onto mine and drag me back into the abyss.

His finger feathered down my chin, neck, and to my breasts.

It circled one nipple. I arched on a moan when he pinched and flicked it.

He moved to the other, and I was lost to him.

Lower and lower his hand stroked, over my belly and slowly down further.

“Adrien,” I moaned, pressing my forehead to his cheek.

He dipped his hand under my panties. His index finger tapped my clit and stole my breath away. Then his middle finger slid inside me, spreading an embarrassing amount of arousal slowly up and down my slit.

“So very wet for me. You’re dripping.” His finger strummed delicious friction over me as his hot breaths brushed over my skin. I groaned into the touch. “Is this how you were every time I threatened you? You like danger? Do you get off on it, naughty girl?”

Two fingers pressed into me, and I mewled, disregarding the slight twinge to my side. “Yes.”

“I’ll give you your fill.” He bit my ear, his fingers never stopping. “You’ll never lack it. That I promise.”

I whimpered, loving those words from him.

His fingers worked faster and faster, my peak quickly approaching.

Right there, almost cresting. Until again, those voices kicked in, murmuring honeyed lies and stealing the little peace I’d found.

It wasn’t Adrien’s hand anymore. It was theirs, pushing, shoving, demanding.

I couldn’t do this. I tried shoving him away, but his other hand caught my wrist.

“Hey, survivor, I’m here. Only me,” he said firmly, never stopping his ministrations.

“I’ve got you. No one else. You’re here, in my bed.

And this…” He tapped two fingers over my clit before plunging them into me hard, making me shudder.

It brought me right back to the here and now.

“This is my good little pussy. It weeps for me. For this. Nothing else. No one else. Only me.”

“Yes,” I breathed out.

Everything else melted away. There was just Adrien and this, a race to the peak. A rush flowed through me, pitching over that unseen barrier and breaking down with a crash. It was like bursting from the inside. I cried out his name, my breath catching.

“That’s it,” he whispered against my forehead. His lips hovered there.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me. Maybe it was odd to feel safe in Adrien’s arms when he was both a mafia boss and a hitman sworn to kill me.

Maybe it was wrong to trust him when there were still gaps in my memories.

I didn’t care. Not while he held me and talked to me and plied my body.

He felt like home, a long time coming, and I wasn’t willing to let go of that dream just yet.

“Thank you.” I kissed him once more, then snuggled against his neck, breathing him in. The weight of his hand in my hair was just too good, helping me drift off to the soft rumble of his exhales.