Page 204 of Conquered

A delighted laugh tumbles from my lips as my hands cover my mouth, and his face lights up with an arrogant as fuck smirk. When they finally reach our table, he swoops down, capturing my lips in a bruising kiss that leaves me breathless and tingling.

“I missed you, Pretty Girl,” he says, his lush lips turning down in a pout as he sits in the seat next to me and pulls my chair closer to his.

Jax sits on my other side, scooting his chair closer, then leans in and tangles his hand in the hair on the back of my head. Using his grip, he turns my head until I’m facing him, then proceeds to decimate my lips with his velvety ones. Her Vagisty is panting like a bitch in heat by the time he pulls away, and my heart races seeing the look of wild hunger in his blue eyes.

“I missed you, too, Baby Girl,” he rumbles against my lips as he pulls away, his own lips lifting as he sees my dazed look.

“Shit, girl! That was hot!” Willow blurts out, and all eyes turn to her, Ash and Kai having sat down too, making her squirm in her seat.

“Who the fuck are you?” Jax growls, letting go of my hair and levelling her with his piercing stare. She swallows audibly.

“Hey!” I scold, whacking his pec with the back of my hand.Fuck! When will I ever learn that their muscles are hard as fucking rock?“That’s Willow. She’s my new bestie, so play nice.”

Bad bitch that she is, she holds her hand out, waiting for Jax to shake it. To his credit, he does and doesn’t pull a dick move like squeezing too hard either.Brownie points, Jax.

“Jax Griffiths,” he introduces himself, letting go of her hand with a small nod.

“Nice to meet you, Jax,” she replies politely, holding her hand out to Loki next, then Kai, who both introduce themselves. Finally, it’s Ash’s turn.

“Asher Vanderbilt,” he states, shaking her outstretched hand. His voice is cold, but not unfriendly. “Your brother is Hunter Anderson, co-leader of The Shadows crew, based in the World’s End Estate, Chelsea. And Iris Montgomery convinced her father to sponsor your senior year here.”

I look at him with wide eyes, almost as round as Willow’s.

“That’s right,” she says, her voice a little shaky. “How did you know all of that?” she questions, suspicion laced in her tone.

“I make it a point to know things, especially if they involve my girlfriend,” he tells her, and my heart does a little pitty-pat at the term. Stupid really, given all that we’ve gone through.

“Good to know,” Willow murmurs, just as Gerald comes back with our drinks.

He takes the guys’ orders, then heads off again, leaving us in a slightly strained silence.

“Fuck’s sake,” I huff out, turning to Willow and ignoring the brooding arseholes around me. “How was your first morning?”

She proceeds to tell me all about it, and before long Loki joins in, with the odd word from Ash and Kai. Jax remains quiet, but that’s no surprise given his usual engagement level with strangers being zero. Our food arrives, and we all eat, continuing to chat. I invite Willow back to our dorm for dinner later, both of us silencing any arguments by offering to make shepherd's pie for the guys.

I’d call that a successful introduction.

After all, they didn’t threaten to kill her.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

LILLY

The rest of the week is over in a flash, and before I know it, it’s Friday, and I’m getting ready for dinner at the Vanderbilt’s mansion. I’ve chosen an original nineteen-thirties bias cut gown in wine coloured velvet. It has a high scoop neckline, and is strapless, with a silk waist tie and a short train. The pièce de résistance is the back, which is completely open, the fabric gaping on either side of the opening to give tantalising glimpses of my sides as I move.

I’ve put my hair up, wisps teasing around my face and neck, and my makeup is all smokey eyes and dark red lips. And of course, my feet are in Irregular Choice heels, emerald green sequin ones with a matching bow on the toes.

“Jesus, Pretty Girl,” Loki rasps, and I look up from applying the finishing touches to my face to see him devouring me with his stare, leaning in the open doorway of his room. Luckily, the fabric is fairly thick so it hides my pebbling nipples, and I watch him in the mirror with bated breath as he stalks towards me, a predator's gleam in his eyes.

When he’s behind me, he reaches out and runs a single finger down my spine. I can’t hide the full body shiver that races across my skin at his touch.

“Fuck, if we didn’t have somewhere to be…” he trails off, swallowing and biting his lip as his other hand goes to his crotch, adjusting himself, the outline of his dick clear through his dress trousers.

He’s looking fucking edible himself in black trousers and a matching jacket, with a crisp white shirt and black bow tie. My whole body is suffused with heat, my nerve endings tingling as I stare at his reflection. I watch as he brings his hand up to my face, and lean into his touch when his finger brushes me from temple to jaw, leaving a blazing trail behind.

“You keep eye fucking me like that, Pretty Girl, and I won’t be held responsible for my actions,” he whispers in my ear, his voice low and sinful, his breath tickling my skin and stirring the hair around my face.

“Loki…” I whine, my whole body alight, my skin suddenly feeling too tight to contain the fire that is burning inside me.