Page 10

SIERRA

It’s like every time he’s close, my whole body fucking lights up. My heart’s racing, and my skin feels too hot, too tight. I’m trying to keep it together, but Aleksander’s presence is like a weight pressing down on me.

My thoughts are all over the place. My brain’s screaming at me to run, to keep my distance, but my body’s telling me a whole different story.

The way my skin prickles when he looks at me, the way my pulse kicks up when he touches me—it’s like my body’s betraying me.

Part of me wants to hate him for it, but the other part?

The other part is leaning in, craving his intensity.

It’s too much, like I’m on the edge of something I can’t walk away from. I’m caught up, wanting more.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but it doesn’t help much.

My mind’s a mess, my body’s wrecked, and when I catch a whiff of his cologne, that dark, woodsy scent that makes me wanna lean in closer.

It’s like he’s got me in a spell, and no matter how much I try to fight it, I’m already lost.

I keep telling myself to stay strong, to remember why I’m here. But every time I look at him, I know it’s only a matter of time before I give in. And that’s what scares me the most—that deep down, I don’t even wanna fight it.

The exhaustion wins and my brain gives in, finally letting me drift into slumber.

* * *

Aleksander

She’s still asleep, curled up on my chest, her soft breaths brushing against my skin.

The room’s dim, the only light coming from the moon slipping through a crack between the curtains.

I should be thinking about the blood on my hands.

But all I can focus on is her—her warmth, her softness, the way she feels like she belongs right here.

I brush a hand over her back, feeling the curve of her spine. She stirs a little, her hand tightening against my chest, and the movement sends a shot of heat straight through me. I’m barely keeping it together, holding back the need to take her again, to remind her who she belongs to.

She’s everything I want, and it’s driving me insane. The blood’s still there, smeared across her skin, and it feels like a brand—like my mark on her. Seeing her like this, marked with the blood of that piece of shit, it’s a high I never knew I needed.

I drag my fingers over her hip, feeling the heat of her skin, and she stirs, her eyes fluttering open. For a second, she looks up at me, sleepy and soft, and I can’t help the way my hand tightens on her waist. She’s so fucking beautiful, so fucking mine.

“Hey,” she whispers, her voice still groggy.

“Hey.” I keep my voice low, feeling the way her body presses against mine. “You sleep good?”

She nods, and I can’t resist leaning down, kissing the top of her head. Her scent fills my lungs, and I’m addicted. I want her every second, every breath. I want her wrapped around me, under me, all the time.

Her eyes drift to the blood on my chest, and her fingers brush over it, slow and careful. “Is it over?”

I nod, my jaw tight. “Yeah. It’s over.” I don’t give her details. She doesn’t need them, and I’m not about to let that asshole’s name linger between us. He’s gone. That’s all that matters.

She bites her lip, looking like she wants to say something, but instead, she just nods. “Good.” There’s a softness in her eyes, a kind of acceptance that makes my chest tighten. She trusts me, and I’m not gonna let her down.

I pull her closer, my hand sliding down to her ass, giving it a squeeze. “You know what you do to me?” I murmur, feeling the heat in my veins spike. “You make me want to claim you every fucking second.”

Her breath catches, and I see the flicker of heat in her eyes, the way her body presses closer to mine. “Then do it.”

Fuck. She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I roll her onto her back, spreading her legs wide as I position myself over her. “Gonna fucking ruin you, baby,” I growl, my cock already hard and ready.

She arches up, her hands clutching at my shoulders as I slide inside, the tightness of her making me see stars. “All yours,” she breathes, and it’s the only encouragement I need.

I take her hard, rough, and deep, every thrust driving me closer to the edge. Her moans fill the room, and when she clutches me tighter, her nails digging into my skin, it only makes me want her more. “Fuck, yeah,” I mutter, feeling her body clench around me. “You’re so fucking perfect.”

She comes undone, her body trembling as she cries out, and I watch every second of it, feeling the heat build until I’m there with her. I bury myself deep, filling her, and when I feel her nails scratch down my back, it’s everything. It’s what I need. It’s her.

I collapse beside her, pulling her against my chest as we both catch our breath. The room’s quiet again, but this time, it’s the kind of quiet that feels right. The kind that feels like home.