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HARPER

M y breath rasps from my lungs as I race through the woods, my feet raw from pounding against the uneven terrain.

My arms pump as I push my body faster, knowing the ten-second head start he gave me is no match against a professional hockey player.

It’s not just his physique and the rigorous training that man puts his body through, day in and day out.

It’s the obsessive, deep, and endless love he has for me that makes me the ultimate prey.

I know Ford Brooks and there’s no way he will let me escape.

He’d fucking burn the entire world down before he’d let that happen.

But I’m looking forward to the chase, knowing that when he catches me, I’ll fight him until he wears me down.

Why am I looking forward to that?

As my eyes dart around, the cool breeze chilling my sweat-soaked skin, I hear a clock ticking down inside my head.

My pace is slowing as my chest burns, my shaky breaths coming too fast.

Breathe, Harper.

Just—

A noise to my right has my head snapping in that direction.

My eyes are frantic as I search for a shadow or movement.

But I don’t see anything.

I push myself faster, hearing the snap of a twig close behind me.

I pump my arms faster, chanting a mantra inside my head.

Legs don’t fail me now.

I don’t turn around.

Not when I hear the crunching of leaves too close behind me.

How the hell is he so fast?

Does he have wings that allow him to fly?

Awareness prickles at my scalp.

The hair lifts from the back of my sweaty neck as I feel the ghost of his breath skittering across my spine.

My energy is waning.

Fast.

My head lifts, and a spark of hope ignites inside me.

I see a road ahead, signaling freedom.

Not even thinking about the fact that I’m fucking naked as the day I was born, my muscles pump frantically beneath my skin.

Adrenaline courses through me, preventing me from feeling the pain from the stones beneath my feet or the cold air against my overheated skin.

From the corner of my eye, I see a shadow.

My head whips toward it, my eyes wide from fear.

That mistake costs me.

I stumble over a root.

I look down in horror, finding my foot entangled in it.

At the same time, his low, dark, and dangerous laugh comes from behind me.

A sickening sense of dread courses through me.

A certainty that is woven through the fabric of my DNA.

He let me get this far on purpose.

I fell right into his trap.

I tug and yank, feeling the skin split as I yank my foot free of the root.

I take off, wincing from the pain but not letting it stop me.

My confidence soars as I take off again, my hair flying behind me.

Freedom, sweet freedom, is just ahead.

I’m almost there.

My foot lifts, about to hit the pavement, freedom just inches away.

But his fingers claw into my flesh, yanking me back into the darkness.

A primal creature claiming his prey.

A scream rips from my lungs as my world spins.

The harsh reality slaps me in the face.

I never had a chance.

He was always going to catch me.

Instead of trying to flee, I whirl around, a scream ripping from my lungs as I stare at the white mask.

I rake his bare chest with my nails and stomp on his foot.

A stunned howl comes from him as his hand flies to the wound.

I whirl around, tugging with all I have to get free and take off again.

But he’s too strong.

I flail against him, my hands flying, my feet kicking, my body squirming desperately.

Wildly.

But Ford is stronger.

Relentless.

He whips me around, pushing me into a tree.

My back scrapes against the bark, and the force of my body hitting it steals the breath from my lungs.

“You ran beautifully, Harper,” he murmurs, his voice thick with something darker than lust.

He leans in, his breath flowing through the holes in the mask, skimming over my lips. “But did you really think I’d let you leave me?”

He inhales deeply, drinking in my fear.

I tremble, gasping for breath.

There’s an element of fear tinged with my arousal, making my head spin.

I’ve never seen this side of Ford before, but I really fucking like it.

He pulls back, giving me a predatory smile. “You were never running away, baby. You were running straight to me.”

I hear the click and feel the cold metal against my wrists as he handcuffs me again.

A whimper of fear mixes with desire, slipping from my lips.

His breath fans my face as he leans in, lifts my sweaty hair from my neck, and runs his tongue up the side of my neck.

“You’re mine,” his deep voice rumbles. “All. Fucking. Mine.”

Despite the heat blanketing from his body, a shiver runs down my spine.

His voice is devastating.

Deep and primal beside my ear.

The gravelly sound tickles my eardrum, wrapping around my insides like a violent promise. “I told you, hummingbird. You were never getting away from me.”

The air whooshes from my lungs as my body goes slack.

My heart skips a beat as something dark and deeply disturbing crawls from the depths of me, hitting me with a gut-punching revelation.

I want to resist him, but I can’t.

I’ve never been able to resist Ford Brooks.

And it’s because I don’t want to.

I enjoy surrendering myself to him.

When his lips brush against my ear, skimming over my throat to my pulse, the violent shiver confirms what I’ve always known but tried so hard to hide, even from me.

Ford owns me.

Every single piece of me belongs to this man.

He slides the mask up slightly, revealing his mouth.

His lips move over my pulse before his teeth sink into the skin, marking me.

His body shakes from delightful satisfaction.

It’s dangerous, yet dripping with affection, making me moan and wrap my leg around him, pulling him even closer.

The wolf sinks his teeth into me, savoring my taste.

My breath hitches, and a long moan escapes me.

He chuckles against me. The sound causes goosebumps to flare over my flesh as I squirm.

He lifts me so my other leg is around him, his hard cock resting against my soaked pussy.

He growls, rolling his hips against mine. “You were never meant to escape me.”

He trails kisses up my neck and chin to my lips but pauses. “You were always meant to be caught by me. ”

I nod, surrendering to him. “Yes. Only by you.”

A satisfied growl rumbles in his chest.

He lifts the mask, letting it rest on top of his head, revealing his dangerously handsome face.

“Mine.” His blue eyes brim with darkness. “You belong to me.”

I nod, surrendering to the truth that hangs in the air between us.

His resistance snaps, and his lips crush against mine while the tip of his cock rubs against my clit.

My fingers curl, nails digging into the tree bark as he claims me.

His breath rasps from his lips when he pulls back. “This is only the beginning.”

He continues sliding through my wetness, driving me insane.

“God, Ford, please.”

“Please, what, hummingbird?” His hand wraps around my throat, giving it a warning squeeze. “Use your words.”

“I need you,” I whisper breathlessly. “Please, give me what I want.”

He cocks his head, the white hockey mask perched on his head wobbling. “What do you want?”

“Your cock,” I moan. “I want you inside me. Filling me.”

“You were always meant to be mine,” he murmurs, still teasing me when he rubs the thick head of his cock over my dripping slit.

I whimper, pressing my hips against him, and he smirks darkly.

“Say it.” His hand tightens around my throat. “Say you’re mine.”

And God help me… I do.

“Yes. I’m yours.”

I barely finish the words before he’s sliding through my wetness.

We moan in unison from the sensation.

He grips my ass, filling me to the brim as he slams my back and ass against the tree from his powerful thrust.

It’s so fucking hot.

Like he’s so damn desperate for me, he can’t control himself.

His hand wraps around my bound wrists as he begins wildly thrusting.

The bark digs into my skin, marking and splitting it, but I don’t care.

Not when I’m this wet.

This full of his cock.

Not when he’s pounding into me like he’ll die if he doesn’t have all of me right this fucking second.

I squeeze him tighter, my ankles locked around his waist, my hips bucking against his. “Oh, yes, Ford. Fuck me. Fuck me hard.”

“Goddamn, your pussy is so fucking good.” His teeth graze my ear. “This tight, wet pussy was made for me.”

“Yes,” my head falls back against the tree, seeing stars as he hits a spot I didn’t know existed. “I was born to be yours.”

He growls again, increasing his thrusts.

His other hand digs into my ass as he keeps me spread wide. “Take my cock, Harper. Every fucking inch.”

“Yes,” I scream, panting in his ear. “Fuck, yes. Give it to me.”

He pulls his face back, his eyes searching mine. “I’m going to come inside you, over and over again. Fill your pussy with all my seed.” The feral glint in his eyes makes me wetter. “Because you're mine, hummingbird.”

My entire body shakes around his.

My thighs quiver as my core tightens. “Oh, fuck, Ford. I’m gonna come all over your big cock.”

“Yes.” He grits his teeth, thrusting fast and deep. “Fuck, yes. Come on me.”

My pussy squeezes him as I come so hard, I’m scared I’m losing consciousness.

Ford squeezes my hand before his thumb slides over my palm, keeping me centered, tethering me to him and this plane.

“Ford,” I moan, licking my lips. “I love you.”

His eyes are still dark and predatory, but his smile is pure love and adoration. “I’ve always loved you, hummingbird. You’re the other half of my soul.”

He keeps thrusting through my orgasm, his thumb stroking my palm in a steady rhythm.

Our skin smacks together from his thrusts.

The cool night air cools our sweaty skin as he continues thrusting inside me.

“Fuck.” His face scrunches up, as though he’s in pain. “I can’t hold back, Harper.”

I squeeze him as hard as I can, desperate to feel him. “I need your come, Ford.”

I feel my core tighten from another impending orgasm. “You’re the only man who will ever come inside me.”

“Goddamn, hummingbird.”

His lips crush against mine while his hand digs into my ass, holding me up.

His thrusts are wild and erratic, causing our hearts to pound and our pulses to beat unsteadily.

I scream against his mouth as I come again, my pussy tightening around him, squeezing him.

His primal growl rumbles against my lips as he thrusts hard and deep, filling me with his warm come.

My greedy pussy milks him, wanting every drop.

We are spent, our bodies soaked with sweat, sticking together.

He collapses against me, warm breaths feathering over my skin.

“Please don’t think I only said I love you because you were pleasuring me.”

Ford slowly lifts his head, his eyes bright.

A wide smile curls my lips. “I love you with every damn piece of me.”

His smile matches mine. “You’re my home, Harper. The other half of my soul. I love you.”

Our lips meet, the kiss long and sweet.

Savoring each other in the midst of this crazy moment.

When he breaks the kiss, his eyes roam down my body. “We better get back to the cabin before some unfortunate son of a bitch wanders out here, sees you naked, and I violently kill him.”

My hand squeezes his. “You’re such an unhinged psycho.”

He chuckles. “One who’s absolutely crazy for you. And don’t you forget it.”

My laugh turns into a squeal as he swings me into his arms, carrying me bridal-style through the woods.

I rest my head against his shoulder, sated and happy.

“Don’t think you’re gonna get much sleep tonight.”

I lift my head, raising my brows.

“After I give you a bath, I’m going to ravage your body, over and over again.”

Even though I’m exhausted and sore, my pussy is wet at the thought. “I look forward to it.”

His dark chuckle makes me shiver.

“Be careful what you wish for, hummingbird.”