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I inhale sharply as Arius presses his lips against mine in a searing, possessive kiss that steals my breath away. All the snarky retorts and witty comebacks I’d been gearing up to sling his way evaporate into nothingness at the first insistent sweep of his tongue.

Fuck, I can taste the whisky lingering on his breath—a potent, smoky tang that sends a shiver racing down my spine. Combined with the musky notes of his cologne and that indefinable essence that’s purely Arius, it’s an utterly intoxicating combination making my head swim even more than the alcohol already coursing through my veins.

Before I can talk myself out of this entirely, my lips are parting on a throaty moan, surrendering to the velvet heat of his mouth pillaging mine. For several delirious heartbeats, I lose myself in the moment—in the scorching sweep of his tongue tangling with mine, the firm press of his body hovering above me on the cushions, the gentle tug of his fingers still tangled in my hair. It’s undeniably sensual in a way that has nothing to do with frantic desperation and everything to do with thorough seduction.

Just when I’m starting to grow dizzy from lack of oxygen, Arius tears his mouth from mine with a shuddering exhale, resting his forehead against my own as we both gulp in ragged gasps. His cologne and the whisky hit my senses full force, making me light-headed all over again.

“Christ, you infuriate me,” he growls against the slick curve of my jaw, trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down my throat that have me arching into him with a whimper. The hand still buried in my hair tightens its grip ever so slightly, holding me in place while he lays a path of scorching brands along my feverish skin. “So bloody stubborn and defiant, yet all I want is to feel that smart mouth wrapped around my cock, drahu?ka.”

A strangled giggle bubbles up from my chest at his words, unexpected and unbidden. Something about the way he speaks—that posh accent and carefully enunciated syllables contrasted with the filthy suggestions—just tickles me in ways it really shouldn’t.

“I think… maybe you like the defiance,” I manage to rasp, breath hitching as Arius’ free hand comes up to knead the generous swell of my breast through the thin silk barrier of my dress. His calloused palm drags over the peaked bud, sending a frisson of electric want lancing straight to my core. “Otherwise why’d you put up with such a… a cocky brat, hm?”

The low rumble of his chuckle vibrates against my collarbone as Arius dips his head, nipping a stinging path along the sensitive juncture of my neck and shoulder. “You’re not wrong, srdie?ko,” he murmurs, teeth grazing the delicate hollow of my throat before soothing the sting with a hot swipe of his tongue. “That smart mouth of yours is equally as alluring as it is infuriating.”

Squirming against the cushions, I can feel the slick heat gathering between my thighs as he works me over with that wicked mouth of his. The hand massaging my breast suddenly stills, fingers pinching the rigid peak cruelly as he pulls back to meet my stare with those glittering mercury eyes.

“In fact, I won’t take no for an answer,” he husks, voice deepening to a gravelly purr that sends a fresh gush of arousal coating my inner thighs. “I’m going to have you in every way I want, and you’re going to take it and fucking beg for more before you fucking thank me.”

His words send a molten rush of desire searing through me, stoking the constant simmer of lust I’ve battled around this man since the moment we met. I can feel myself growing wetter, cunt clenching with each profane promise that falls from his lips as he looms over me on the sofa. Still, that stubborn defiance remains undaunted, the eternal push-pull dynamic that’s defined our every interaction since the beginning.

Pursing my lips into a coy pout, I can’t resist batting my lashes at him in mocking innocence. “We’ll just see about that, won’t we?”

An almost feral growl rumbles up from the depths of his broad chest as those pewter eyes darken. He leans in closer, the clean autumn scent of him surrounding me until it’s all I can breathe. “Don’t tempt me, you impertinent brat,” he grits out from between clenched teeth before reclaiming my mouth in another bruising kiss.

This time, there’s nothing slow or sensual about the clash of our lips. It’s pure carnal need and barely restrained savagery, all teeth and tongue and heated gasps as our bodies strain together on the sofa. I buck my hips upwards, mindlessly seeking friction to alleviate the liquid ache consuming my core while his hands roam in greedy exploration—mapping every dip and curve through my thin dress.

“Fuck, you have no idea how many times a day I fantasise about this gorgeous body wrapped around me,” he rasps against my lips, skimming his palms down over my waist to grip my hips in a punishing hold. “Remembering what those swollen lips feel like stretched around my cock, or how loud you scream when I bury myself in this dripping, needy pussy.”

With a burst of strength born from drunken bravado, I manage to wriggle free from his clutches—rolling us over until I’m the one straddling his lap. Arius’ eyes go wide for a split second before that wicked smirk is curling his lips once more, hands coming to rest on my thighs in a possessive caress.

“Promises, promises,” I taunt, grinding my core shamelessly against the rigid length tenting the front of his trousers. Even through the multiple layers, I can feel the blazing heat of him pressing right up against my aching slit—separated only by scant barriers of fabric and lace. “You do an awful lot of talking, Whitlocke. Maybe put that dirty mouth to better use?”

Arius’ laughter is dark and rumbling, his large hands kneading the sensitive flesh of my inner thighs until I’m squirming atop him. “Oh, don’t worry, drahu?ka,” he warns, the tip of his tongue darting out to wet his lips in a blatant show of anticipation. “I intend to spend hours worshipping every last inch of you when you finally let me. And by the time I’m through, that pretty mouth won’t know anything besides the taste of my cum and your own pussy.”

His words strike a match to the simmering embers banked low in my belly, coaxing them into an inferno that spreads liquid heat through my veins. Before I can utter another snarky retort, Arius surges upright—his arms snaking around my waist as he crashes our mouths together in a searing kiss. The sudden show of dominance sends a jolt of molten desire lancing straight to my core, my thighs clenching reflexively around his hips.

For several heated moments, I surrender to the scorching velvet of his lips moving against mine, drinking in every filthy promise that rumbles from his chest. His tongue sweeps past my parted lips to tangle with mine in a carnal duel, the taste of whisky and pure masculine need overwhelming my senses. I can’t resist grinding down against the rigid length trapped between us, chasing that delicious friction.

Just as I’m starting to grow light-headed from the onslaught of sensations, my fingers find their way up to wrap around the thick column of his throat. My palm flattens against the thick ridge of his windpipe as I squeeze—not enough to cut off his airflow entirely, but enough to let him know I’m taking control, marking my territory.

Arius jolts beneath me with a strangled grunt, the sound vibrating against my lips in a way that has my cunt clenching greedily. Rather than attempting to pry me off, however, his head simply lolls back on a shuddering exhale—throat opening up even more to my vice-like grip in silent capitulation.

The sudden shift of power is heady, sending a giddy rush of adrenaline coursing through me as I realise just how easily this domineering bastard relinquishes control to me. How he allows me to wield that kind of dominance over him without even a flicker of hesitation or resistance.

It’s… intoxicating. Electrifying. Utterly terrifying.

With a ragged gasp, I yank my hand away from Arius’ throat like I’ve been scorched, heart hammering an erratic staccato against my ribcage. As our gazes lock, I search those molten depths for a hint of judgement or disapproval, but find only darkened lust and bone-deep yearning staring back at me.

“Why’d you stop?” he rasps, voice already deliciously ragged from the brief throttling. There’s no malice or demand in the words, only naked curiosity.

My mouth works soundlessly for a moment, the pounding of blood in my ears nearly deafening as my thoughts race to catch up. “I… I’ve never actually done that before,” I admit in a tremulous exhale, tongue darting out to wet my swollen lips nervously.

That infamous smirk curves Arius’ mouth, though the expression holds no judgement or mockery—only gentle understanding. “Did you enjoy it?” he asks simply, hands skimming up the backs of my thighs to cup my hips in a soothing caress.

Furrowing my brow, I consider the question honestly. Did I enjoy exerting that level of undisputed control over him? Over anyone? The thought alone should terrify the absolute fuck out of me, yet an undeniable ember of excitement continues smouldering low in my belly, stoked by each heavy pound of blood through my veins.

“I… I don’t really know,” I admit finally with a small shrug, unable to meet those piercing eyes boring into me. “It was… intense.”

With a soft rumble of acknowledgement, Arius reaches up to gently curl his fingers around my wrist. His touch is feather-light, questioning—giving me every opportunity to pull away. When I don’t, he guides my hand back up until my thumb and forefinger bracket his windpipe once more, pressing into the pulsing arteries on either side.

“No need for a safe word between us,” he murmurs, those molten eyes darkening further as his free hand skims down the slope of my spine. “There’s nothing you can do to hurt me. Just press here, not on my windpipe.” He leans in fractionally until his lips brush the curve of my ear as he adds in a low purr, “And I’ll be sure to let you know when I’m ready to come for you. Make me beg for it.”

My lashes flutter as I resist the urge to let them roll back into my skull, my core clenching in tiny spasms as I try to maintain eye contact. The unspoken offer—that implicit level of trust and control he’s extending to me—leaves me utterly breathless. My lungs burn with the effort of trying to simply inhale, every muscle in my body coiling into tight spirals.

This level of naked vulnerability… I’ve never experienced anything remotely like it. Not with Arius, not with anyone. The mere notion of being granted that kind of power over another human being is as seductive as it is terrifying.

Swallowing hard against the sudden lump in my throat, I instinctively start to lower my hand, shaking my head in a minute negative. “I… I can’t,” I whisper brokenly, unable to summon any kind of feisty retort or sarcastic deflection when he’s stripped me this raw.

Those mercury eyes soften further as Arius simply nods in acceptance. Bowing his head, he brushes a series of feather-light kisses along my jaw and down the vulnerable column of my throat.

“We don’t ever have to do anything you’re not comfortable with, srdie?ko,” he murmurs against my thundering pulse. His palms trace a scorching path up the outsides of my thighs until he’s framing my core, fingertips just barely grazing the lace gusset covering my pussy. “Not when it’s just us.”

A trembling exhale escapes me as I instinctively roll my hips, silently seeking more of that tantalising friction. My clit throbs with every brush of Arius’ heated fingertips, a dull ache settling low in my pelvis that demands to be sated.

I let out a shaky breath as Arius’ fingers ghost over the damp lace covering my needy quim, hips canting upwards in a silent plea for more contact. Despite the overwhelming desire coiling hot and heavy in my core, I can’t quite bring myself to fully surrender just yet—that defiant spark inside me still raging fiercely.

“Always so impatient, aren’t you?” I taunt breathily, purposefully tightening the vice of my thighs around his hips to grind myself more firmly against the impressive bulge straining his trousers. A low, rumbling growl reverberates through his chest at the friction, those mercurial eyes swirling like molten steel. “One might think you just can’t wait to be balls-deep inside me, Whitlocke.”

With a deft roll of his hips, Arius knocks me slightly off-balance—just enough to seize the upper hand for a split second. His palm finds the back of my neck in a commanding grip, pulling me flush against the solid wall of his chest until our faces are a hairsbreadth apart.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he rumbles, lips brushing mine with each velvety word. “Unlike some juvenile delinquents, I’m perfectly capable of exercising a little restraint.”

Despite the clear challenge underlying his tone, there’s an unmistakable glint of heated amusement dancing in those irises that has me gnawing the inside of my cheek to stifle a grin. “Is that so?” I shoot back, canting my head to bestow a long, smouldering look through my lashes. “Could’ve fooled me with that filthy mouth of yours running rampant a minute ago.”

“Careful now,” Arius growls, thumb tracing the curve of my lower lip with a deliciously possessive air. “That smart mouth is just begging for me to find a better use for it.”

Emboldened by the thrill of our banter and the lingering whisky still buzzing through my veins, I can’t resist darting out my tongue in a quick, teasing swipe along the calloused pad of his thumb. The saltine tang of his skin mingles headily with the faint hint of smoke and fallen leaves, making my mouth water with cravings I have no intention of voicing aloud.

A low rumble of approval vibrates in Arius’ chest as I suck his thumb between my lips, holding his smouldering stare in a brazen challenge. He lets me indulge for a few heated heartbeats, the muscle in his chiselled jaw tensing, before withdrawing his hand with an exaggerated pop.

“As tempting as that pretty mouth is,” he husks, “I think I’d rather sample your other sweet lips.”

With a gentleness that this man shouldn’t possess, the thin lace barrier separating his fingertips from my pussy is slipped to the side. I suck in a harsh gasp at the first electrifying brush of callused skin against my swollen lower lips, my cunt clenching greedily around the emptiness.

“Christ, you’re absolutely dripping.” There’s a rough, reverent edge to Arius’ growl as he dips one long finger between my slick flesh, stroking through the copious arousal gathered there. “So fucking responsive to my touch already. Can’t wait to feel this greedy little cunt stretched around my cock.”

I bite back a moan, instead opting for an exaggerated roll of my eyes in a feeble attempt to mask my body’s blatant betrayal. “You know, you really shouldn’t let the confidence go to your head, Whitlocke,” I manage to rasp out between shallow pants as he continues languidly stroking that tantalising promise between my thighs. “Shouldn’t be too proud of making a drunk girl wet. Takes real skill for that, yeah?”

Despite my bratty tone, I can’t resist flexing my hips down into the torturous motions of Arius’ fingers working me into a frenzy. My head lolls back, granting him unfettered access to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down the slender column of my throat as his talented digits drive me to the brink of delirium.

“I don’t know. You seem pretty sober to me,” he rumbles against the thundering pulse point below my jaw, laving the sensitive skin with the flat of his tongue. “I think you’re just an insatiable little slut who loves being taken apart piece by delicious piece. Isn’t that right?”

Before I can muster up the wherewithal for another sarcastic comeback, Arius’ free hand is tangling in my hair and tugging sharply until our mouths crash together again in a scorching kiss. His tongue sweeps past my parted lips in a searing duel, overwhelming my senses once more with the potent flavours of smoke and whisky and pure carnal need.

As if of their own accord, my hips begin to grind against the merciless onslaught of his fingers working my g-spot—two digits burying to the final knuckle inside my sopping pussy while the heel of his palm grinds exquisite torment against my swollen clit. Whimpers and mewls of helpless pleasure are swallowed by Arius’ insistent mouth, his teeth nipping reprimands against my lips each time I dare to tear away for a gasping breath.

Just when I think the building tide of euphoria may crest and consume me entirely, Arius rips his hand from between my thighs with a wicked chuckle. My incoherent cry of dismay is strangled off as he gives another vicious tug to my hair, holding me immobile as he blazes a path of searing nips and bites down my heaving chest and along the generous swell of my breasts.

“Don’t worry,” he husks against the thin cotton barrier separating his lips from my straining nipple. “Pretty soon you’ll be too busy riding on my cock to worry about not coming just this once, srdie?ko.”