Page 38 of Blind Devotion (Letters of Ruin #1)

I raced back to my room like a man possessed, reveling in every touch she gave. It was absurd. Over seventeen years of shunning physical contact, and yet hers, I couldn’t get enough of. I craved it.

When we were younger, it used to be handholding, shoulder nudges, innocent hugs, sweeps of hair in front of her emerald-green eyes.

I starved myself of touch for years, thinking it was the only choice.

It only fanned the need to be alone and separate from others.

This was different. We were different. My obsession with Persetta was worse than ever, and with the taste of her still on my tongue, I knew one moment with her was never going to be enough.

I needed the world with her. I demanded it.

I nipped her ear. “I’m looking forward to tasting you again.”

“Now?”

“Later. I’ve got something else in mind.”

I resisted the urge to toss her on the bed, enjoying the view of her standing before me in my bedroom.

“I love seeing you in my clothes, but I like you better without them.”

“You shouldn’t have put your shirt back on me then.”

I pinched her chin. “I don’t think you’ve quite understood yet, Tessa. You’re mine and only mine. No one sees your body but me. I’ll pluck out the eyes of any fucker who does.”

She snorted.

“You think I’m joking? I’m not. I’d love to blind every man who even looks at you.”

“That’s not funny.”

“At least that way they’d know you belong to me, and you’d never worry they had an advantage over you.”

Her reaction to Erel’s entrance in the music hall hadn’t escaped my attention. I never wanted her to wilt in front of another again.

“Now let me see what’s mine.”

I tore the shirt open, relishing in the way her gasp made her breasts bounce in the lacy bra.

She was stunning. Her body was what dreams were made of.

The scars left behind from Yannick’s attack and the gunshot wound marred her perfect stomach but took nothing away from her natural allure.

I kissed and licked each one, asking for forgiveness for my part in them with every touch.

Her nipples pebbled and strained against the fabric of her bra. Pulling it down, I sucked one nipple into my mouth, then the other. All the while, my hand delved between her legs. The sounds she made, I could listen to them forever.

“Adrien,” she moaned when I slipped two fingers inside her.

“You sure you want this?” I asked, staring into her scarred eyes, the most beautiful gems in the world.

“You sure you want me?”

“I never wanted anything more, tigresse . You never have to doubt. What came before has nothing to do with us. You were my light in the dark when we were just kids. My lighthouse in the sea ever since I found you again. It’s always been you.

No one else. There’s no going back for me. Not anymore. Not ever again.”

She kissed me. “For me either.”

I pulled back to rifle through my nightstand.

“What are you—”

“Condom.”

“Oh, you’re afraid—”

“No.” My hands were back on her face. I didn’t want there to be any doubt between us. “We’re both clean. You were tested when they first admitted you to the hospital, and I haven’t been with anyone in months.”

“Then we don’t need one. I have an IUD. Please, Adrien. Let me feel you. Let me feel everything about this.”

I wanted that too, nothing between us. Ever.

I didn’t need to be told twice. I positioned my cock between her folds and slowly pushed in. God, it took all my restraint not to thrust all the way in and take her like I needed to. But this was about her. This was about us and taking away every memory from before.

She wrapped her legs around me, shoving me further inside.

“I’m trying to be gentle, papillon .”

“Don’t. I don’t want you to be. Take me, Adrien. Take me like we should’ve been doing this long ago.”

Truer words were never spoken. I thrust all the way to the hilt, pulling my cock back out to the tip, only to shove back in again.

For almost two years, I’d missed out on this.

Her tight heat felt so good wrapped around me.

I was in bliss. So was she, with her head tilted back, mouth open in a silent cry.

Not good enough. I wanted her pulsing on my cock, yelling my name.

I wanted her strangling the cum out of me.

I flipped her onto her stomach and slipped her thighs under her, giving me the best view of her ass. I drove back in. Every single thrust was better than the last. I strummed my fingers against her clit, loving the way she tightened around me.

“Come on my cock, tigresse . Give me everything.”

She cried out my name as her body clenched around mine and dragged me in deeper.

A sweeter sound I’d never heard before. I followed her, spilling into her with everything I had for what felt like minutes.

Fuck, my ears rang. Best orgasm of my life.

Better than a good kill. Better than that thrill of watching the life drain out of someone’s eyes.

This—she and I were made for this. Together.

I collapsed over her and rolled us to the side. Dewy with sweat and flushed from exertion, she was mesmerizing. My hand trailed over her cheek, down her neck and arms, pausing to tweak her breasts and pinch one peak. Her breath caught.

“Adrien.”

I chuckled savagely as my hand continued down her waist and over her hip, only to dip down between her legs. Just the feel of her had me hard and ready to go again.

“Already?” she asked.

She looked surprised as my cock nudged her belly.

“What can I say. Peak shape.”

I was a goner. That was for sure.