Page 37 of Fennick’s Fortune (Sentinels of Apollo #2)

While our evening continued after my breakdown, or whatever you wanted to call it, I found it was still somewhat strained.

I felt terrible about how I reacted and the fact that I went back into my horrible past, taking Fennick with me.

However, that revisit ended the fight. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to fight over me.

The thought of being claimed by anyone other than Fennick was unthinkable.

There had been one major positive to the evening. I knew without a doubt that Fen and Ripper were the ones for me and Nova. I was willing to kill us to prevent Fennick from fighting and dying, and me from being forced to be with anyone else.

The Bhaer men were unfailingly sweet after the ordeal and apologized more than once.

They shared with us the tale their parents told them when they were younger—how a mated couple who could speak telepathically with each other was considered the purest and strongest match.

It was a rarity. If true, I loved the thought of it.

This news hadn’t been known to Fen and his Sentinel friends.

They all expressed their astonishment. Brax and Cerys were thrilled to learn it, and so were Fennick and I.

More proof that the only mate I could accept was Fennick Mason slash Ripper.

Nova was grumbling that she had been telling me that since we met.

We’d hung out with the group for another hour and a half.

Cooper and his family took turns talking to us.

I could feel their remorse coming off them in waves.

I was still wary of trusting them completely, but they were winning me over.

Other people that the Sentinels and Cerys knew from around town would stop by the table to chat and get introduced to me.

Fen proudly told them I was his girlfriend.

He would’ve introduced me as his mate if they had been shifters.

When we called it a night, Brax and Cerys did the same. I knew she had to be tired, and Brax would ensure she got the rest she needed. The remaining Sentinels planned to stay longer. Without a doubt, they were going to end their nights with company. I silently wished them good luck.

The drive home was quiet. Fen held my hand and let soft music play in the background.

I watched the dark scenery flash by and thought of the conversation we were to have.

I wouldn’t go to bed without doing it. Before I knew it, he pulled the Jeep into his garage.

I stayed seated until he shut off the engine and approached my door.

Fen opened it and assisted me to my feet.

Hanging onto his hand, I let him guide me into the house.

Boots and jackets were removed and hung up.

A random, unrelated thought popped into my head as we left them and walked to the great room.

It was how much I adored his house. The layout, design, and size were impressive.

And to think he’d built it based on the assumption he might find a mate and have a family.

Those thoughts flew out the window when Fen took both of my hands in his and squeezed.

His concerned expression made me pay attention.

“Akiva, you were silent practically the whole way home. I know the Bhaers profusely confessed how awful they felt about what happened. Are you still worried about that? Or is it something more? I can’t ease your apprehension about it unless you talk to me.

Tell me what will make you feel better. I dislike seeing you like this. ” Fen inched closer as he talked.

“Fennick, I know they feel that way. And I have been thinking about what can be done to make me comfortable.”

When I paused, he jumped in. “What? Tell me and I’ll do it.”

“To prevent future misunderstandings, I want you and Ripper to complete the mating bond. I need the claw marking. Make it so no one has to guess whether I’m taken.”

My request was met with absolute silence. Fennick was staring at me. I could read his expressions. He went from disbelief to joy to caution. Why the last one?

“Say something,” I prompted.

“You surprised me, and while Ripper and I want nothing more, we don’t want you to rush in and decide to do this because you were scared tonight. I don’t see what happened with the Bhaers occurring again. You can take your time to make up your mind.”

“But that’s just it. They only doubly confirmed what I’d already decided.

If you don’t believe me, ask Cerys. When we danced earlier, she wanted to know if I intended to let you claim me.

She doesn’t want you to get hurt and said you’re falling for me, not playing a game.

I reassured her that I wanted to be claimed by you and was only waiting for the right time.

However, there is no perfect time. I believe this is as good as any. Have you changed your mind about it?”

“Hell no, I have not! You’re the one I want. I meant what I said. I would’ve killed them to keep you,” he growled softly.

“Then take me to bed and mark me. Make me your mate,” I demanded.

My longing to be intimate with Fen had been there all night. It had only grown. Hearing him say I was still the one he wanted and that he would’ve killed to keep me made it climb. I was on the verge of mauling the man. My entire body was humming with a charge.

Suddenly, he swooped in and pulled me onto his lap. I had to swiftly straddle him so our mouths could find and seal together. The kiss was the hottest and longest I’d ever had. His groaning and my moans said it was undoubtedly in his top five. I hoped.

When his hands slid under the back of my top, mine were doing the same to the front of his shirt.

I loved how his hair tickled the palms of my hands.

His bulging muscles were irresistible. I traced them.

When I ran across his nipples, I tugged on them.

He jerked. Reluctantly, his mouth parted from mine.

I tried to recapture his, but he shook his head.

“Not here. I want this to be more than a fast fuck on the couch. Let’s go to our bedroom and our bed. I need you naked and stretched out so I can take my time and feast,” he told me hoarsely.

“Only if I get the same in return. I need to memorize all of you, Fennick,” I confessed. My temperature seemed to be skyrocketing.

He slid us to the edge of the couch, then, holding onto my ass, he hefted himself to his feet.

I clung to him. I knew telling him to put me down wasn’t happening.

He smirked down at me. He knew what I was thinking.

His chuckle ended when he kissed me again.

Somehow, he navigated the hallway, which was the access to what I thought of as the owner’s wing.

The entire left side of the house was part of that.

When we arrived, he gently placed me on my feet and lifted his head.

“It might kill me, but I’m giving you fifteen minutes max to do anything you feel is necessary before you join me on that bed and let me ravish you while you do whatever you want. Once we start, I won’t be able to stop.”

“I’ll take that time, but don’t you make me wait either, Fen. I’ll come hunting you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything,” I confessed.

Fen groaned, placed a hard, brief kiss on my lips, then let go and gently pushed me toward the bathroom.

Not wasting a moment, I hurried to the closet that had been given to me.

I wanted to wow him after I freshened up.

Grabbing what I wanted, I continued to the bathroom.

I’d danced and was sweaty. I knew as a shifter he wouldn’t mind, but I was still female enough to want to be clean and fresh.

A super fast shower would do. I’d done shaving and other stuff before we left.

After the speediest shower ever, I took time to brush and put my hair in a ponytail. After putting on my deodorant and then some lip balm, I got into my surprise. It was something Cerys talked me into getting when we went shopping. I’d been saving it. This moment was the one for it.

Walking from the bathroom, the short distance to the bedroom, I saw that the lighting was different.

It flickered and was lower, telling me he’d lit candles.

Walking into the room, I found him standing beside the bed.

The comforter and sheet were pulled down to the foot of it.

Fennick was there as bare as the day he was born.

The candlelight cast his muscles into shadow.

And his proud, erect cock stood tall, casting a tempting shadow of its own.

When Fen saw me, he moaned, and his hand came up to fist his cock. He ran it up and down his length.

“Where the fuck did that come from?” he huskily asked.

“Do you like it? I got it when Cerys and I went shopping. I was hoping you would. If you don’t, I can change,” I said, partially turning as if to do that.

“Stop! Don’t you dare,” he snarled.

A shiver of elation shot through me. It was tinged with danger, making it even better. Fire was building to unbelievable proportions in me, and we had barely started. Wanting to make Fen as wild as I would be, I decided to tease him.

I had a raspberry-colored cami top and a micro thong on.

To call it a cami was ridiculous. Two thin straps held up sheer gauze fabric that hid nothing.

Under my breasts, it tied together. That left my tits cupped in the sheerness, and my stomach was bare with the rest of the gauzy fabric hanging down my sides.

The micro thong was just that. Pieces of string holding it around my hips and running up the crack of my ass.

Covering my pussy lips was a tiny piece of the same sheer gauze.

It wasn’t meant to hide anything, merely to entice.

And the way Fennick was staring at me and how he was stroking his cock, said it did.

The shiny precum on the head of his cock was increasing.