Page 33 of Brutal Reign (Shadowed Heirs #5)
33
PAST
I hiss a curse under my breath as cold beer sloshes from the rims of the red plastic cups in my grasp, spilling down over my hands and splashing my shoes.
“Sorry!” the girl who bumped into me sing-songs, glancing down at the dripping cups in my hands apologetically. “Hey, is one of those for me?” she asks sweetly, batting her lashes as she returns her blue-eyed gaze to mine.
“Er… no, sorry,” I grumble, averting my gaze as I shuffle past her, trying my best to hold the cups steady and avoid anyone else knocking into me as I weave my way through the thick crowd.
The whispered stories of the parties up at the old ski lodge don’t hold a candle to the real thing. I’m not sure if it’s the sheer number of people packed into the decrepit ballroom or the wild, infectious energy rippling through the air, but it feels like I’ve crash-landed in another dimension, barely able to keep my balance.
Or maybe that’s just the effects of the beers I’ve been throwing back like water.
Fighting my way through the throngs of people, I locate Seb leaning against the far wall, a lazy grin spread across his face as he jokes around with Eli, Beau, and Micah. One person we arrived with is conspicuously absent, though, and my heart leaps into my throat as I whip my panicked gaze back and forth in search of River.
“Where’d she go?” I demand when I approach, thrusting one of the cups toward Seb’s chest.
He blinks back at me in bewilderment as he takes the beer from my hand. “Huh?” he asks, glancing around like he’s just realized she’s missing. “She was here a second ago…”
I growl in frustration, pivoting back around and scanning the crowd. I swear this is the last time I agree to go along with one of their hairbrained schemes. We shouldn’t even be here; we’ll get raked over the fucking coals if this gets back to any of our parents, especially hers.
“There she is,” Seb points out, bumping his shoulder into mine as he comes up alongside me, gesturing toward the swarm of people dancing in the middle of the room.
I squint my eyes, gaze bouncing from face to face as I try to locate hers.
“C’mon,” he grunts, gripping onto my arm and tugging me to follow him.
We barge through the fray, and I finally spot our missing friend, relief crashing through me at the sight of River’s grinning face. She’s not in any trouble. To the contrary, she looks like she’s having the fucking time of her life. She’s completely lost in the music, the hood of her sweatshirt slung up over her head as she dances without a care in the world– but if someone tells her dad she’s here, we’re all fucked.
I pick up my pace, shouldering past the other partygoers until I can grab her by the arm and yank her in close.
“What are you doing?” I hiss, my fingers tightening around her bicep until her glossy hazel eyes latch onto mine. “We agreed we’d lay low.”
“Shhh, don’t worry, I’m incognito,” she slurs, swatting me away and reaching up to pull at the edges of her hood in demonstration.
“Sure, just because you’re wearing a hoodie, nobody’s gonna know it’s you,” Seb snorts, coming up on her other side and slinging an arm over her shoulders to guide her out of the crowd.
“But I’m camouflaged!” she protests, digging in her heels. “Like a ghost!”
“You’re drunk,” I mutter.
She makes a face at me, sticking out her tongue. “Am not!”
“Dude, we need to get her outta here,” Seb growls, still trying to get her to cooperate with his attempts to move away from the masses.
“We can’t bring her home like this,” I grit out.
He heaves an annoyed sigh, passing me his beer, grabbing River around the waist, and hoisting her up over his shoulder.
“Hey!” she squawks, flailing her limbs as Seb darts forward, making a mad dash back the way we came.
I hurry after him, ditching our beers in a trash can along the way, but we’ve just caused even more of a scene. People are starting to stare, and we need to get the fuck out of here before they realize who we are.
“The door!” I call out as I spot the nearest exit, jogging past Seb to push it open. I’m not even sure where it leads until I step through, realizing it’s an enclosed stairwell that provides access to the lodge’s many guest rooms.
Seb and I exchange glances, both of our wheels turning as we debate what to do next. We seem to land on the same conclusion without speaking a single word, simultaneously starting for the stairs.
River giggles as she’s jostled around on Seb’s shoulder while we climb them, seemingly enjoying the ride up. When we enter the hallway of the second floor, I dart in front to start trying the knobs for the doors lining either side, getting lucky on my third attempt and pushing open the door to room 209.
A musty scent greets me as soon as I step inside, dust clinging to the sparse furnishings from years of disuse. The curtains are thrown wide, the interior illuminated with pale moonlight. Seb follows me in and stalks over to a nearby chair, dumping River onto it as the door swings closed behind him.
“Where are we?” she laughs, sweeping her dark hair out of her face as she takes in her new surroundings.
I fold my arms, leaning back against the wall across from her with a heavy sigh. “You need to sober up.”
“How are you this wasted?” Seb questions, furrowing his brow. “We had the same number of beers.”
“Probably should’ve considered that she’s half our weight,” I mutter.
“I’m not even drunk,” River insists, pushing up to her feet. She sways, immediately losing her balance and dropping back down onto the chair with a giggle. “Okay, maybe a little,” she admits, biting her lip coyly.
A soft thud sounds as I drop my head back against the wall, scrubbing my hands down my face. “We’re so fucked.”
“No we’re not,” Seb grumbles, nudging me with an elbow as he comes to stand at my side. “We just need to wait for her shifter healing to kick in, right?”
“Right,” I grunt. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I stuff my hand in to grab it, the screen illuminating with a text message from Micah. “The guys are wondering where we went,” I mumble, opening the message and thumbing out a reply.
“They probably think we’re fooling around in here,” River giggles. “Why else would you take a girl up to one of the guest rooms?”
“Because she’s drunk off her ass,” Seb scoffs, rolling his eyes.
She grins at him, waggling her brows mischievously. “You sure you’re not trying to put the moves on me, Walker?”
His posture stiffens, eyes glazing over as he stares back at her silently, retreating somewhere in his own mind. Somewhere he has no business going, judging by the unmistakable heat burning behind his stare.
When her remark doesn’t provoke a snappy comeback from Seb, River swings her devious gaze on me instead, wetting her lips with her tongue. “What about you, Conway?” she asks, tilting her head.
My heart trips over its valves, breath stalling in my lungs. Does this girl have any idea what she’s saying right now?
No, of course she doesn’t. She’s wasted. She’s never flirty with either of us in the sober light of day; it’s just the booze talking.
My phone vibrates in my hand, the screen glowing as another text comes through. “Fuck,” I mutter under my breath as I read it.
“What?” Seb prompts.
“They told Avery,” I grind out, knowing I’m about to get a damn earful from the feisty blonde as soon as we come face to face. “She’s pulling her car up front, we need to bring Riv down.”
“Ooh, sleepover with my cousin?” River asks excitedly, popping back up to her feet.
Seb darts forward, gripping onto her arm to steady her before she can lose her balance again.
“Let’s go, babygirl,” I sigh, nodding in the direction of the door.
Seb guides her toward it and she stumbles alongside him with a dopey grin on her face, completely oblivious to the awkward tension hanging in the air. Come tomorrow, she probably won’t even remember this.
Something tells me I’ll have a harder time forgetting.
NOW
I’m having an off night. I’m usually in my element when I’m DJ’ing, but I’ve had this sick feeling curling in my gut all afternoon that I can’t shake, no matter how hard I try. Ordinarily, I’d just lose myself in the music and retreat into the shadows of my own mind, but that’s the worst place for me to be right now. My mind has become a prison of my own self-destruction.
The party at the lodge is in full swing, the old ballroom packed with people drinking and dancing to the tunes I’m spinning. There’s no DJ booth here– just a table shoved into the corner– but the six-foot speakers positioned in front of it facing the crowd are blasting loud enough to rattle the floor. River’s right in the middle of the chaos, laughing and goofing off with her friends, while Seb’s taken up his usual post beside me. It’s familiar; comfortable. Still, I’m on edge.
“Hey, look who we found!” Beau announces, he and Eli approaching the DJ table with Micah sandwiched between them.
I crack what feels like my first genuine smile all night at the sight of our friend, sliding my headphones down off my ears and leaning over the table to give him a fist-bump in greeting.
“Hey man, how’s it been going?” Seb asks, reaching out to bump his knuckles against Micah’s after me.
“Oh, ya know, same old shit,” Micah chuckles. “A lot more boring without you guys around, though.”
“Aww, he misses us,” Eli teases, slinging an arm around Micah’s neck and puckering his lips, making exaggerated kissing noises.
Micah fights him off with a laugh, rolling his eyes as he turns his attention back on me and Seb. “How have things been at training camp? Heard you two are cool with River again.”
“Yeah, what of it?” Seb growls defensively.
Micah’s eyes widen. “N-nothing, I’ve always liked her,” he stammers, holding his hands up in surrender. “You won’t get any complaints from me about her being part of the group again.”
“It’s not the same, she’s got her own group now,” Beau pouts, glancing toward where River’s eating up the dance floor with Hayden, Gus, and Kendrick.
Micah follows his gaze, brows pinching together as he takes in the sight of the four of them chumming it up. “Is she dating that dude?” he asks as River leans in to smack a kiss on Gus’ cheek.
“No,” Seb replies gruffly. “He’s gay. And she’s with us.”
Micah swings his gaze our way again, blinking in confusion as the meaning behind Seb’s words starts to sink in. “ Both of you?” he asks, eyes pinging between us.
“You’ve got a lot to catch up on, dude,” Beau chuckles, elbowing him in the ribs. “But first, we should probably grab beers.” He looks to me and Seb, arching a brow in question. “You guys need anything?”
“Nah, I’m good,” I answer, glancing down at the red plastic cup full of whiskey I’ve been nursing all night. What I really need is to get stoned, but that’ll have to wait for a break from my DJ duties so I can actually relax and enjoy it.
“Me too,” Seb agrees.
Beau tips his head as he turns away, Micah and Eli following him into the fray in search of the nearest keg. As soon as they’re out of earshot, Seb nudges me, nodding out toward the sea of people. “Think we should warn Ares about her?”
I cast a glance in the direction he’s indicating, making a scoffing sound in my throat when I see Chandler hanging all over Ares. “Nah, if he starts something up with her, maybe she’ll finally leave Riv alone,” I mutter dryly, tugging my headphones back up over my ears and looking down at my computer.
My eyes glaze over as I start scrolling for a song to follow up the one currently playing. The crowd’s energy is starting to wane; they need something with a heavier beat.
Seb steps in closer, nudging me with an elbow again to get my attention. “What’s going on with you, bro? You seem off tonight.”
I hold up a finger, signaling for him to give me a second as I select and queue up the next song. Really, I’m just buying myself time to figure out what the hell I’m going to say.
I should tell him the truth. He’s my best friend; we’ve always been honest with each other, even when it hurts. But how the hell do I explain that watching his relationship with River blossom has been slowly killing me inside?
The truth is, I did this to myself. I was confident with where things were at between me and River. I chose to stand back on the sidelines and push her into his arms, thinking that if the two of them worked their shit out, then things would fall into place for all three of us. Instead, it’s made me expendable. Now that they’re in a good place, they don’t need me anymore.
I’ve been trying to ignore my own feelings and focus on the remaining obstacles standing in our way, as if convincing myself that this can’t work will somehow soften the blow when she inevitably chooses Seb. The two of them make sense together. A hell of a lot more sense than the three of us do.
It’s ironic how I assumed he’d be the jealous one in this scenario, when in actuality, it’s me .
Sliding the crossfader bar, I gradually transition to the next song, glancing up and gauging the crowd’s reaction before pushing my headphones down off my ears and turning my attention on Seb. “What’s up?” I ask, schooling my expression until I’m the picture of nonchalance.
He frowns, not buying my act for a second. “Dude, cut the shit. Whatever’s crawled up your ass lately needs to be dealt with. I can’t just stand here and act like everything’s fine when you’re obviously spiraling.”
“I’m not spiraling,” I mutter.
“It’s River, isn’t it?” he questions, brow furrowing in contemplation. “You thought you’d be cool with sharing, but watching the two of us together is getting to you.”
I just stare back at him, deadpan, wondering when the hell Seb Walker became so damn perceptive. I’m always so focused on reading his moods that maybe I don’t give him enough credit for how well he can read mine.
He shakes his head, dropping his voice low. “You need to stop overthinking this, stop holding yourself back and take what you fucking want,” he bites out, narrowing his eyes on me and cocking his head to the side. “Why haven’t you fucked her yet, Ace? Is it because you’re still afraid this whole thing is gonna implode?”
Well shit, he just hit the nail on the head. So much so that something in me snaps.
Red bleeds into my vision as I shove him back with a snarl, all my suppressed emotion surging to the surface. “Yeah, Seb, I am! Is that what you wanna hear?”
“Well fucking stop!” he scowls, shoving forward and getting right up in my face again. “Stop trying to make sense of this and just go with what feels right! You told me to stop getting in my own way, and you need to do the same fucking thing, bro.” He stabs a finger into my chest, liquid gold bleeding into his irises. “I listened to your advice, so how ‘bout you listen to mine? Get out of your own head and claim your fucking mate.”
I slap his hand away, rolling my eyes with a mirthless laugh. “You really want me to fuck her?” I scoff. “You really think you’ll be able to deal with that?”
“Yeah, I do,” he huffs, folding his arms over his chest and lifting his chin. “Because that’s what she wants, and this doesn’t work without all three of us. She needs you, Ace. I need you. I’ll be the first to admit that I had my doubts in the beginning, but there are things you can give her that she can’t get from me. Fate gave her both bonds for a reason, and I’ve made my peace with that. It’s about time you do the same.”
My chest heaves as I glare back at my best friend, knowing he’s right and fucking hating it. Turns out that while I have no problem doling out advice, I’m terrible at taking my own.
“Do you even want her?” Seb growls.
“Of course I fucking want her,” I snap.
“Then man up, bro,” he sighs, glancing out at our girl in the crowd. “Otherwise, I’ll just keep her for my damn self. Fuck fate.”
A growl rumbles in my chest as I glare daggers into the side of his face, his lips spreading into a grin as he turns his head to look at me again.
“Was that the kick in the ass you needed?” he taunts.
“Yeah,” I grunt, shoving my headphones up over my ears and turning back to my computer. It’s time to pick a new song, and I’ve got the perfect one in mind.
Queuing it up, my eyes fix on River as I start to slide the crossfader bar, waiting for the spark of recognition as the drum beat increases in volume, drowning out the song before. She snaps her head in my direction as soon as it registers, hazel eyes locking with mine and the bond between us tugging sharply.
Yeah, babygirl. I didn’t forget.
This one isn’t for the crowd. A lot of them stop dancing, jarred by the abrupt change in energy that comes with the song they probably don’t know. She does, though, and I’m only looking at her as Miles Davis the time we almost kissed.
Pulling my headphones off, I hand them over to Seb. “Run this shit for me, would ya?” I drawl, shuffling past him to step out from behind the DJ table. “I’ve gotta go dance with my girl.”
He starts to protest, saying something about how he has no idea how to DJ, but I’m already walking away, making a beeline for the hot brunette whose eyes are still locked with my own. Marching right up to River, I wrap an arm around her waist and yank her body against mine.
My gaze flickers down to her lips as I lick my own and murmur, “Dare you.”
Without a second’s hesitation, she flings her arms around my neck, pressing up on her toes and crushing her lips against mine. Everything around us ceases to exist– the ballroom, the people, the smell of stale beer and cigarettes. It’s just me and her and the music, lost to a moment in time.
I plunder her mouth with my tongue, burying a hand in the back of her hair and kissing her within an inch of her life, not coming up for air until it’s an absolute necessity. Even then, it’s just for an instant, her lips breathing life back into me with every glide against my own.
By the time we break apart, the song’s halfway over and the dance floor has cleared out around us. People are staring, but I can’t find it in me to care. River Jacobsen is mine , and it’s about time everybody fucking knew it. I’m taking a page out of Seb’s book for once and living in the moment. I can deal with the consequences tomorrow.
“Come on,” I growl, my arm tightening around River’s waist as I guide her back with me toward the DJ setup.
Seb’s standing behind the table looking like a total tool with the headphones halfway off his ears, frowning down at the laptop screen. His gaze lifts as we draw closer, lips spreading into a smug smile as I lead River around to his side.
“Get outta the way, I need to throw on a playlist,” I say, waving a hand.
He pulls off the headphones, still grinning like an idiot as he tosses them onto the table and steps aside, allowing me to move in and take his place. He immediately gravitates toward River, sliding his hands into the back pockets of her jeans and bending down to steal a kiss while I get the playlist set up and fade into the first song.
“Alright, let’s go,” I snap, coming up behind River and banding an arm around her waist to pull her back against me.
“Where are we going?” she asks breathlessly.
“Upstairs,” Seb answers, sliding me a conspiratorial smirk.
Excitement sparks in River’s eyes as she grabs for both of our hands, taking the lead and tugging us toward a nearby exit door. It just so happens to be the same one the three of us used the last time we partied here together, so I already know where it leads.
We climb the stairs two at a time, River giggling as Seb swats her ass on the way up, the two of them engaging in a silly little game of keep-away. When we emerge on the second floor, Riv immediately goes for the closest door, testing the knob and finding that it’s locked.
Turning back around with a frown, she dives for the door on the opposite side of the hallway. Also locked.
“Try that one,” I urge, pointing to the door with the number 209 etched on it.
River rushes that way and reaches out to twist the knob, the door popping open. “How’d you know?” she gasps excitedly, glancing back at me.
I shrug a shoulder. “Lucky guess.”
River disappears through the doorway with a giddy laugh, Seb and I exchanging glances before following her inside. Because while she might not remember this room, we sure as hell do.
Upon entering, I realize it looks just like it did the last time we were in here, the sparse interior bathed in the glow of the moon. There’s noticeably less dust, though, which must mean they’ve started cleaning up the lodge in preparation for renovations. Can’t say I’m mad about that. The dingy comforter has been stripped off the bed, and I step over and drop down to sit atop the crisp white sheets.
River rests back against the dresser, her fingers curling over the edge at either side of the hips as she glances around the room. She’s so fucking beautiful it hurts. Everything inside me is calling to this woman; drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Her lashes flutter as her gaze slides from the window to collide with mine, her breath catching when our eyes lock.
I lift my chin, growling, “Come here.”
She floats across the room toward me, looking like a damn vision in the moonlight as she approaches and steps in between my spread knees, resting her hands upon my shoulders. Sliding my own hands around the backs of her thighs, I lift her up onto my lap, guiding her to straddle my waist. “I think it’s Seb’s turn to watch for a change, don’t you?” I murmur, reaching up to wrap a hand around her delicate throat.
Her lips spread into a devious grin as I rub the pad of my thumb back and forth over her soft skin. “Definitely.”
Diving forward, I seize her lips with mine, plunging my tongue into her mouth as I shove her shirt up her waist. Our mouths part so I can strip it off over her head, then I kiss my way down to her chest, those perfect tits spilling from the cups of her bra as I tug it down and latch my mouth over a hardened nipple. River throws her head back with a breathy gasp as I nip the stiff bud between my teeth, sliding a hand behind her back to unfasten the clasp of her bra.
“Ugh, you guys are killing me,” Seb groans, and I flicker a glance his way to see him gripping his dick through his jeans, watching us with lustful heat burning behind his gaze.
I release her nipple with a pop, lips sliding into a smirk as he meets my eyes. “Then get over here and help me get her clothes off.”
He immediately springs into action, closing the distance between us in two long strides. Wrapping his arms around her waist, Seb pulls River up to stand, kissing the side of her neck as his hands drop to unfasten her jeans. He starts shoving them down her hips, and I lean forward to help him strip the denim off her, guiding her to step out of them. Trailing my hands back up her bare legs, I hook my thumbs in the thin waistband of her skimpy black panties, goosebumps pebbling up on her skin as I drag them down her thighs.
As a shifter, I’ve seen my fair share of naked bodies, but River’s gives me pause every time. From her long tan legs to her round ass and full tits, every inch of her is fucking perfect . Sitting back, I take a second to admire the sight of her before standing up to get rid of my own shirt and jeans. Then I drop back onto the edge of the bed, motioning for Seb to pass her back my way.
For a second, I’m not sure he’s going to. He squeezes her tits beneath his palms, glaring at me as he sucks on the side of her neck, undoubtedly leaving his mark. But then his hands slide down to her waist, lips leaving her neck as he urges her forward, back onto my lap.
River’s knees press into the bed on either side of my thighs as she straddles my waist, my lips locking with hers once more. Distantly, I register the rustle of Seb’s clothing as he undresses, but then River slides her hand between us and dips it beneath the waistband of my boxers, my brain short-circuiting when her lithe fingers wrap around my shaft. I groan into her mouth as she begins stroking her hand up and down, my cock thickening in her palm.
My thighs tense beneath her as she starts working me faster, her lips leaving mine to trail down the side of my neck. She licks and nips her way across my tattooed chest, then slides back off my lap, sinking to her knees in front of me and yanking my boxers down. My hard cock springs free, bobbing in front of her face as she licks her lips and gazes up at me demurely, taking it in her hand again and guiding the tip to her lips.
“Fuck,” I grunt, body jolting as River opens up to take me into her hot little mouth. I sink a hand into her hair, biting my lip to stifle a groan as she slides down, swallowing my dick until it bumps against the back of her throat.
“How’s her mouth feel?” Seb asks hungrily.
I lift my gaze to find that he’s now butt naked, his hand moving frantically up and down his shaft as he watches us with rapt attention.
“So fucking good,” I grit out, guiding River’s head over my lap as she starts bobbing up and down. She slurps and sucks, swirling her tongue against the underside of my cock as pleasure spreads through me like wildfire, searing every nerve-ending in my body.
It’s the best thing I’ve ever felt, my balls tightening as I fight to hold back from release. Twisting my fingers in River’s hair, I pull her off my cock, spit dribbling down her chin as her hazel eyes lock with mine.
“You wanna show him?” I ask, nodding toward Seb.
River’s lips curve into a smile, pupils blown wide. Glancing toward Seb, I lift my chin to beckon him closer, using my grip on River’s hair to turn her head in his direction and guide her mouth toward the tip of his cock. A guttural groan escapes him as she takes him in her mouth, my own dick getting even harder at the sight of her sucking him off.
“That’s it, babygirl,” I coax, directing her movements with my hand in her hair. “Open your throat, you can take him deeper.”
She presses forward, her eyes watering as her lips kiss the base. I tug her back off when she starts to choke and she releases his cock with a loud pop, dragging in a greedy gulp of oxygen as her eyes latch onto mine again.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, you know that?” I murmur, swiping the saliva from her chin with a thumb. “Fuck, I can’t believe you’re mine.”
She gazes back at me with stars in her eyes, the tension ratcheting up between us until I can’t take it anymore. I bend down to scoop her up, tossing her down onto the bed behind me and twisting around to kneel between her thighs.
“Suck him off while I make you come,” I direct, leaning down to lick a stripe up her inner thigh.
River sits up on her elbows and crooks a finger at Seb, beckoning him with a sultry smirk. “Come here, big boy.”
“Fuckin’ hell,” he groans, stroking his dick while he circles around the side of the bed.
Pressing my hands to River’s inner thighs, I spread her wide, peering up at her face as I dart my tongue out to lick into her center. Her features contort in pleasure and she cries out, back arching as Seb kneels down beside her head to feed her his cock while I feast on her pussy.
I already know what she likes, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to rush this. I tongue her clit gently, teasing one finger inside her, then a second, pumping them in and out while she moans around Seb’s shaft. Her hips buck up off the mattress and I flatten a palm against her belly, holding her in place as I continue to ravage her with my lips and tongue and teeth, pushing her closer and closer to the precipice of release.
“Fuck, Riv,” Seb grits out, thrusting his hips harder until he’s fucking her mouth. I’m not sure what’s hotter, the taste of her on my tongue or the sight of her choking on his cock. My own is painfully hard, hanging heavy between my thighs as I suction my lips over her clit and start humming.
River thrashes, moaning louder around Seb’s dick, and that’s what does him in. A string of curses leaves his lips as he empties down her throat, abs tightening and body shuddering with his climax.
My job isn’t done yet, though. Seb moves away from the bed as I continue working River up into a frenzy with my fingers and tongue, finally going for the grand finale when I bite down on her clit. She comes undone with a desperate cry, chest heaving and back arching while she rides out wave after wave of ecstasy.
When she starts to come back down, I plant one last kiss on her mound before rocking back on my heels, gazing down at her reverently. Her dark hair is pooled around her head like a halo, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to her supple olive skin.
“Take good care of our girl,” Seb murmurs as he zips up his pants, darting me a smirk as he turns to head for the door.
Riv pushes up on her elbows, a little crease forming between her brows as she watches him slip from the room. Her breath catches when the door snicks closed behind him, eyes snapping back to mine. “Ace?”
“Yeah, babygirl,” I growl, sliding a hand up her thigh. “It’s just us.”
I hold my breath, waiting for her to tell me that she doesn’t want this unless he’s here. That I’m not enough.
Instead, she hits me with a look that punches the air from my lungs, my chest squeezing at the sight of pure adoration brimming in her eyes. They leave mine to trail downward, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as her stare locks on my hand gripping my cock.
“You ready for me?” I murmur.
“Yes,” she replies breathily, gaze bouncing back up to mine. “Fuck me, Ace,” she pants, hooking her legs around my waist to draw me in closer. “Make me yours.”
Exhilaration buzzes through me as I shuffle forward on my knees, pressing forward to glide the tip of my dick through her slick folds. She stabs her fingers into her hair, lifting her hips with a moan and grinding against me.
Fuck, I can’t believe this is finally happening. I’ve waited so long for this exact moment, with this exact girl. So. Fucking. Long.
Notching my tip at her entrance, I slowly ease into her tight heat, relishing in the sensation of her inner walls stretching to accommodate my girth. I clench my jaw, biting back a groan as I sink inside inch by inch until I’m fully seated inside her, River gasping and moaning beneath me, her eyes never leaving mine.
Goddamn, she feels like heaven. I thought her mouth was divine, but this… fuck, this is the kind of shit men fight wars over. One hit, and I’m addicted. Her pussy is so warm and tight, her face is so fucking beautiful, twisted in pleasure. I drag out halfway and push back in again, a breathy moan leaving River’s lips as my eyes finally leave hers to drop down to where our bodies are joined.
“You feel so fucking good, babygirl,” I groan, circling my hips so I can feel every inch of her. “You know what you feel like?”
“What?” she gasps, eyes rolling back as I pinch her nipples.
“ Mine .”
“Yes,” she pants, grinding against me as I continue fucking her in deep, languid thrusts, both losing and finding myself between her thighs. Our bodies move as one, engaged in a tantric dance to a soundtrack of our own making. Her moans are music to my ears, the thump of our heartbeats the baseline.
I lose track of time; of the world around us. It’s just me and the girl I’ve been in love with for my entire life, our lips finding one another’s, mouths fusing.
River’s thighs tighten around me and she pushes at my shoulder, throwing her weight to roll us over and landing on top. Pressing up against my chest, she starts riding me with wild abandon, grinding her hips over my lap and driving me to the brink of oblivion.
I reach up to squeeze her tits, tugging her down over me so I can suck a nipple into my mouth. She whines and starts riding me harder, faster, building friction until her thighs tremble and she can barely breathe.
She’s getting close, and fuck, so am I. Reaching up to sweep her hair back from her face, I circle a hand around her throat, applying slight pressure as I murmur, “Let go, babygirl.”
She does, and it’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever witnessed. Her body shudders, mouth dropping open on a silent scream as she unravels, her inner walls clamping down around my cock. I grip her hips and slam her down over me, roaring out as I follow her over the edge of bliss, coming so hard that I see fucking stars.
River collapses against my chest, both of us sweaty and spent, fighting to catch our breath. I stroke her damp hair back from her face, pressing a kiss to her forehead as my soul starts to come back into my body.
“Well fuck, that was worth the wait,” I rasp.
“No kidding,” she chokes out, tracing the ink on my chest with her fingertips.
“Was it alright?” I ask lowly.
“Alright?” she snorts.
“You can be honest,” I murmur, stroking my fingers through her hair. “I’m sure I’ll get better with practice.”
“Wh-what?” she stammers, pushing up against my chest and blinking at me in bewilderment.
I shrug a shoulder, lips curving into a grin. “You’re my first, babygirl,” I admit, thinking back to what she said at the fire all those years ago. “Thought it’d be kinda romantic to wait for my fated mate.”