Page 137 of Caught in the Crossfire

“Alec is going to be so pissed at me.”

I snorted before he picked me up and deposited me on the desk’s surface. I was already soaking wet and already wiggling my thong down my legs when he unbuckled his pants.

“Hanii. Fuck,” he breathed as he pulled up my skirt and drove into me with one firm thrust. My fingers dug into his shoulders, holding onto him for dear life while I adjusted to his size. There was barely any resistance, but usually he gave me an orgasm or two first. He pressed his forehead against mine. “Sorry. I couldn’t wait.”

I cupped the back of his neck and pulled him back for more desperate kisses. We were starving for each other. Frantic. Like we just couldn’t possibly get enough…or like our time was limited, and we only had so long to drown in each other before we were lost forever.

My legs curled around him, drawing him closer, and he groaned. He peppered kisses from my mouth, up my jaw, and down my throat.

“This is not just about Wynn. Are you going to tell me what’sreally wrong?” I asked with a gasp, tilting my head to give his mouth better access to the sensitive skin on my neck. The drag of his teeth sent pulses of pleasure through every limb.

“Nothing is wrong.” His hands slipped up the back of my thighs, holding my ass in place as he thrust into me.

I sighed. “You’ve been very fussy lately.”

“Fussy? Like a fucking baby?”

“I said what I said.”

He drove into me so hard the desk shook. If there were anything left on it, it would have clattered to the floor. “I’m sure I’m not so fussy when I have you impaled on my cock.”

I rolled my eyes. “I shouldn’t fuck you when I’m so pissed off at you.”

“That’s the best time for a good fuck.”

I yanked his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side without a care. My fingers traced over his tattoos, feeling his muscles rippling beneath his skin. He was sostrong. All my men were works of goddamn art, and what a lucky woman I was.

“Tell me,” I murmured. It reminded me of that time in the gym all those weeks ago when I’d asked him what he’d wanted and promised to give it to him. He’d given me pieces, shown me little bits of what went on inside his head, ever since—but I wanted more from him.

I wanted everything he had to give me, because I would give him everything I had.

His fingertips bit into my skin. He slowed his pace, pressing his face into the groove of my neck.

“Fine,” he choked out. “You never should have left. I can never blame you for what happened,hanii. I won’t. But you scared us to death. I can’t—” His voice cut off. “I can’t live without you. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t rest without imagining what happened to you, and knowing thatwelet you down.”

“You didn’t let me down. I let you down.”

His hand collared my throat. “You made me care this much. That’s your fucking fault.”

There it was. The truth.

“You’re not mad at Wynn, Ryu. You’re mad at me. Just be mad at me.”

His eyes widened. “I…”

“It’s okay,” I whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “I’m okay.”

His palm tightened around my neck, muttering something in Japanese. “I can’t fucking explain it. I’m mad at you, but I’m not. I want to blamesomeone. I want to destroy our enemies, flay them alive, burn them to a crisp, yank their entrails out of their fucking mouths, so you never get hurt again. You should have beensmarter,Leona. We aren’t safe yet, but I swear to you, I will make your world safe.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I swear it.”

I dragged his mouth to mine, swallowing all the complicated emotions he couldn’t quite process. His fears and mine. His regrets and mine.

What had happened with the Albanians had scarred us all, not just me.

And I still hadn’t told them what had happened. I was certain they could guess from the state of my injuries. Wasn’t that enough? What more did they need?

His head ducked to suck on my nipple while his thumb rubbed my clit. I tightened my legs around him, pulling him deeper to me, harder to me, like I could consume him as much as he consumed me. When we fell over the edge of the abyss together, another fragment of my fractured soul returned to its place. His contented sigh as he gripped my neck told me he felt the same.

“Emotions are bullshit,” he whispered against my cheek.