Page 16 of Brutal Alpha’s Sold Mate (Starfire Hollow Alphas #4)
A small sound escapes me when he tilts his head, deepening the kiss. I taste urgency and the salt of sweat and maybe a hint of blood on his lips. My mind buzzes. He’s the guy who bought me, but right now, I can’t care about the bigger implications. All I know is that in this moment, we’re alive.
My battered ribs protest when I try to press closer. I grunt, pulling back. He immediately loosens his hold. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“Don’t apologize,” I manage, trying to catch my breath. “Just give me something else to think about.”
“I won’t hurt you.”
I rest my forehead against his. My side aches, my limbs shake, and my mind races. But the closeness, the comforting brush of his hand down my back, settles me in a way I can’t explain. “One day,” I say softly, “I’m going to be strong again. And I won’t need rescuing.”
“You’re already strong,” he counters. “You just have a temporary disadvantage. That doesn’t define who you are.”
I press my lips to his again, though softer this time, letting the heat swirl around us in a gentler wave.
For a second, I wish things were different, that I hadn’t been attacked and poisoned, that I was healthy and capable of kicking ass like the old days.
But right now, the present is enough. He’s enough.
When his tongue sweeps along my bottom lip, a shiver rolls down my spine. This is a distraction I can get lost in.
As the kiss deepens, he sits beside me and pulls me onto his lap. He’s gentle, but there’s no mistaking the heat building between us. He kisses a path along my jaw, and my pulse thrums under his lips. I want more, so much more, and that desire scares me, but I’m helpless against it.
My hands drift to his chest, roaming across the expanse. He’s still naked from the shift, something I hadn’t even realized until now, because I was so rattled. He’s solid and warm, and I can’t deny how good he feels.
I tug him toward me again, kissing him more fiercely as I adjust my body to straddle him. He groans, and the sound goes straight through me, making me dizzy with need.
He trails a line of kisses down my throat, nipping a spot where my neck meets my shoulder. My body shudders at the contact, and my hips press forward instinctively. The sensation is electric. I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.
“Kai,” he breathes my name like a caress.
The sound of his voice sends a new thrill through me. I’m aching for him, and his desire is obvious, but there’s an edge of tenderness that undoes me. He’s not treating me like some object or a victim. He’s looking at me like he’s afraid I’ll vanish if he blinks.
I want this, need this. It’s been too long since I’ve felt anything but anger or frustration or pain. I’ve lost track of where the fear ended and the arousal began. All I know is Theo’s touch makes everything else fade.
My fingers skim the planes of his chest, and a rumble comes from his throat. His hands go to my hips, gripping firmly, and he pulls me closer. A bolt of pleasure shoots through me when I grind against his erection, and I moan, unable to help myself.
“Tell me what you want,” he says, voice rough.
My breathing is ragged. “I want…”
He kisses a path up my neck. “Say it.”
My brain scrambles, torn between surrender and resistance. He’s not demanding. It’s more like an invitation, but the power dynamic feels lopsided. Still, I can’t deny the pull between us.
“Please,” I whisper. “I need this.”
His hands tighten on my hips. “Need what?”
“You,” I manage. “More.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I breathe. “Please.”
He shifts beneath me, lifting me a little. My hands move to his shoulders, holding on for balance. In one swift movement, he stands, cradling me in his arms. “Then let’s do this right.”
He carries me up the stairs toward his bedroom, and my heart slams against my ribs. This is happening, and I’m terrified, but I don’t want to stop. When he sets me gently on the bed, I tug him toward me, desperate for the reassurance of his closeness.
Our lips collide, and it’s all hunger and need. He slips his hand under the hem of my shirt, and the sensation of his fingers brushing the bare skin of my stomach sends a shiver through me. I groan and tug the shirt over my head, tossing it aside.
He kisses a trail from my collarbone down the valley between my breasts, pausing to tease each nipple through the fabric of my bra. My whole body shivers, and I arch toward him, aching for more contact.
He continues his downward path, kissing a line across my stomach, then stopping to tease the edge of my pants. He glances up at me, eyes dark with desire, and I realize what he’s asking.
I swallow. “Keep going.”
With a smirk, he slides the button loose and tugs the zipper down. Then he hooks his fingers in the waistband and pulls my pants down, leaving me in just my panties. His gaze travels down the length of my body, and the intensity in his expression sends a wave of heat through me.
He leans in and presses a kiss to the inside of my thigh, teasing higher with each one. I squirm beneath him. Each kiss is electric, and the anticipation is nearly unbearable.
Finally, he drags the edge of my panties down and dips his head, tasting me. My body arches off the bed at the contact as a moan slips out. His tongue is magic, teasing and exploring, and my whole body trembles.
I’m on the verge of begging when he shifts, pushing my legs wider. He dips his head and tastes me again, sliding a finger in. My body goes taut, and a whimper slips out. The pressure builds, and when he curls his finger, a cry rips from my throat.
My hands fist the sheets. “Oh, fuck. Right there.”
He works another finger in, moving faster, and my body arches against him. Everything is heat and sensation, and I can barely breathe. The pleasure is overwhelming, and I’m on the verge of toppling over the edge.
Suddenly, he stops and withdraws his fingers. I stare at him, dazed. My whole body is trembling. I ache with need.
He smirks. “Patience.”
With that, he moves up, kissing a path along my body as he goes. When his mouth finds mine, it’s a fierce, possessive kiss. I cling to him, desperate for more.
He rolls us, putting me on top. I reach for the clasp on my bra and toss it aside. Then I slide back, dragging my nails along his skin. His bare cock is pressed against my inner thigh, and a shudder rolls through me.
I lift my hips and position myself over him, teasing his cock along my slick entrance. He grips my hips, holding me steady. I sink lower, taking him inch by inch, and the sensation is so intense that I can’t breathe. When he’s fully inside, my whole body trembles.
His hands slide up my sides and cup my breasts. He toys with my nipples, sending a new jolt of pleasure through me. My head falls back, and a moan slips out. I’ve never felt so full, so complete.
“Ride me,” he growls.
I obey, lifting myself up and slamming down. A groan rumbles in his throat, and the sound urges me on. My whole body is a bundle of raw nerves. The pressure is building, threatening to explode.
He thrusts his hips to match my pace, the intensity increasing. My breathing is ragged, and sweat slicks our bodies. I’m on the verge of crashing over the edge. His ragged groans tell me he’s close, too.
I lean down, capturing his mouth in a fierce kiss. We move together, bodies entwined, and the world dissolves. There’s nothing but heat and pleasure and him. Rolling my hips, I take him deeper, bouncing harder and faster as he cups my breasts.
He grabs my ass, slamming into me with renewed ferocity, and I teeter on the brink.
When he bites down on the sensitive spot where my shoulder meets my neck, I go flying.
He shifts, angling himself so that each thrust hits my clit, and I gasp.
The pleasure is almost too much. My whole body shudders, and I grip his shoulders, needing something to hold onto.
The pressure crests, and my body convulses, shuddering with release.
He keeps going, pounding into me with abandon. I’m floating on the high of orgasm, and it’s exquisite. A moment later, he thrusts up, grunting as his own release hits. We ride the waves together, bodies shuddering, until we finally collapse, my head falling against his chest.
We stay like that, gasping for air, until he finally relaxes. I’m still trembling, and the aftershocks make me shiver. Slowly, he eases out. I collapse on the bed beside him.
He pulls me close, stroking my hair. My mind is reeling, and my body is sated. But I remember the words he said to me when I first arrived here. “You’ll come to me willingly. Maybe not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow. But eventually, you will.”
Was this his plan all along? Is this just another way to exert control?
My stomach clenches. The post-orgasm bliss disappears, shame taking its place. I don’t want to believe this is manipulation, and God help me, my body already craves his touch again. But how do I separate sex from power dynamics?
I don’t want to be just a pawn in whatever game he’s playing, but I’ve just put myself on the board and played right into his hands.