Page 8 of Forsaken Desire (Ruthless Wolves #1)

“I-I am s-s sorry,” I cried out, my voice hoarse. I weakly propped myself up, and I could barely look him in his glinting eyes. His tongue swiped across his bottom lip, and he growled.

I tensed again, loving the sound of the rumble. I feebly tried to back away.

“Mine,” he snarled, and his hands wrapped around my hips, forcing me still. I nervously licked my lips as I watched his edginess slowly fade. His shoulders finally relaxed, and he purred and bent to lick the moisture off my thighs.

“I’m sorry,” I cracked, and he chuckled against my pussy, his laugh vibrating my clit. I sucked in a breath, wiggling in place. “I don’t know what that was. I-I’ve never done that?—”

“Princess, never apologize for doing that again.”

I fell back and swung my arm over my face.

I didn’t know how I managed to keep the other one across my rib cage with the force of my orgasm.

The heat of my skin would surely sear through my arms. The bed dipped and creaked until Lucian hovered over me.

Even without looking at him, I could feel his gaze.

I peeked over my arm to find a grin spread across his damp lips. Smug bastard.

His weight dropped on top of my breasts, and his face hovered over mine, patiently waiting.

My thundering heart didn’t abate. He would not relent.

I’d just met him, but I knew on a fundamental level that he would be the most stubborn male to ever exist. I sighed and dropped my arm.

His face lowered so only a few inches separated his steady stare from my face.

Even though he was my mate, I couldn’t help the embarrassment. Only hours with him and he’d caused such thrilling reactions from my body, and it wrecked me to a dangerous level. Already, I wanted to wrap my arms around him, but I was scared.

The urge was intense and pressing. I’d never really thought much of another’s touch, but he made me want everything from him.

I licked my dry lips as the back of his hand brushed against my cheek. He was fated to me. My one and only. The only person I should trust. There was no reason for me to have these reservations.

“Can I touch you?”

His body jerked over me, and he blinked, almost owlishly. It caused fluttering to erupt in my stomach. How was he so cute and dangerous at the same time?

“You never have to ask, Princess, I am yours to do with as you wish.” My heart expanded to the point that I wasn’t sure my body could contain it. I slowly lifted my arms and hooked them around his wide torso.

He groaned and dipped his head to the crevice of my throat. He inhaled deeply, and from how close he was, his hair tickled my cheek. I turned my head a bit and rubbed my nose against his head, near his ear.

He shuddered, and more of his weight fell onto me. So he wasn’t completely on top of me then.

“Lucian.” I stopped and pressed my lips together. He hummed questioningly. “Did I pee on you?”

His breathing stopped for a beat, and then he laughed; his chest shaking my bed and body. He lifted to his elbows, still chuckling.

“Don’t pout,” he murmured, and I smoothed my expression.

“I’m not pouting. I’ve never pouted in my life,” I huffed, offended. His lips curved in a smirk, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“No princess, you didn’t pee on me. You came.” Tate never mentioned coming meant that .

“Oh, do all females do that?” The question fell from my lips, and I fastened them shut, pressing them together. The only way he would know was from experiencing it.

“Relax your body, baby,” he whispered. “I don’t care to think of anything but you. I couldn’t care less what others do or don’t do.” As easily as breathing, he took my worries away.

I harrumphed and pressed my lips together. He’d put my jealousy to rest so easily. Maybe it was because I felt his sincerity. I saw the softness in his gaze when he looked at me. It made my stomach flutter. Lucian smiled and rubbed my bottom lip.

Then was also the fact that he was older than me. And hot. And . . . everything. Of course he’d done this. Plus, he’d hired a hooker, which was a fucking big-ass red flag waving in my face, yet all I could think about was how he held me.

A thick clog shoved its way into my throat.

I didn’t like the thought of his past. Not even a little.

It pissed me off and made me want to ask so many questions, but I wasn’t emotionally ready for the upheaval that would cause.

Especially since this was so new. I really needed to chill out.

I’d only met him today, and I was already obsessing.

I peeked up at him through my eyelashes. Well, it was fucking hard not to.

“Don’t retreat from me,” he ordered.

I jumped at the sharp tone, pulling out of my head.

He squeezed his eyes shut, a tremble cording his muscles, and violence seeping into his tone. Conflict was something I knew well, something I’d become accustomed to. My instinctive reaction to his tone was to freeze. To wait for his next move.

“Promise me, Josephine,” he continued in the same tone. “If you have any concerns, you come to me. Never block me out.”

That was hard. Retreating was my default . . . But he was my mate.

“I promise.”

“Good mate,” he praised against my lips and nipped them.

“You encountered me in a situation you never should have, but you never have to doubt me, Princess. You own me.” The emotion laced in his voice curled my toes.

Whatever happened in the past was before me.

He didn’t know about me, so I couldn’t hold it against him, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

“Please have some understanding for me, too. This fated mates stuff is new to me. I’ve never experienced jealousy. I understand you’re mine, and I have nothing to worry about, but the thought of another woman’s hands on you . . .” I curled my fingers into his arms, and he chuckled.

“Good, I need you to be possessive.”

That made me feel better. Him getting angry about my jealousy wasn’t something I could handle, because I didn’t think I could control it.

His cell phone vibrated, and he rolled to the side to pull it out of his pocket. Flipping it open, he flashed a smile at me.

Lucian pushed off the bed, and it bent a bit from his weight. It was much too small for him. Had his legs been dangling this entire time?

My mate disappeared through my bedroom door, his strides eating up the distance.

I quickly shoved on my shorts and t-shirt hanging across the corner of the mattress, then sliding my feet into my sandals, trying to hurry as the door chain rattled.

He placed a few white linen bags on the counter and began pulling everything out.

“What’s all this?” He collected the raw steaks and placed them in the fridge. Without answering, Lucian turned his attention to a cardboard box with the image of all sorts of porcelain bowls on the side and he slid it against the sink.

“I was going to buy food and stuff myself,” I muttered, exasperated.

“You have me, you don’t need to do anything.”

My face warmed, and I wiggled my toes in the cheap sandals I’d purchased. My skin abraded against the damp rubber.

“I’m more than capable, Lucian.”

“I know you are, Princess, but you don’t need to be. I’m here for that.”

I threw my hands up and huffed. A plastic bag rustled as he dragged it in front of a large plate. Foam rubbed together, and he opened the lid. A delicious, creamy, cheesy scent mixed with beef floated from the box.

My stomach grumbled.

I watched with rapt attention as he ladled the entire thing onto one plate and then pulled out two forks from the box. He quickly washed and dried them and handed one to me.

I blinked at the plate and then up at him. He leaned on the counter and set his fork on the edge of it.

“We’re sharing the plate?” I had no problem with that, but he didn’t seem like one to share.

“I have Lady and the Tramp fantasies,” he said with his lips curved.

I laughed and shook my head.

“Then we’re in the wrong form.” My elbows pressed into the counter, and it hit me. I didn’t have chairs, and I dropped my gaze to the food. He must think me so pitiful. I stopped the tremble from moving up my arm.

“Sorry, there’s nowhere to sit.”

“Stop apologizing, Princess.” He pinched my chin and forced my face up as he swooped down to press his mouth to mine. “Eat.”

“Yes, Sir.” His eyebrows raised, and a purr started in his chest. My mate liked that. I chuckled and stuffed the forkful of spaghetti into my mouth. Tangy sauce slipped onto my tongue, the sweet and savory taste dazzling my tastebuds.

This was just what I needed. The food I’d had for the last few years was not the best, and even though I didn’t have memories to compare it to, it was something I intrinsically knew. I scarfed down another bite and then another. At some point, Lucian put his fork on the counter and watched me.

“I’ll take you to work tomorrow.”

“It’s all right. I’ll take the bus.” I slurped a noodle into my mouth. It was getting harder to keep my eyes open. The orgasms had taken a toll on me.

“You will not ride the bus.”

The commanding tone pulled a frown from my lips.

“There’s nothing wrong with riding a bus,” I shot back. “Some people rely on that.” A blush bloomed to life again. I didn’t know his financial position, but based on his fancy clothing and his cell phone, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was better off than me.

“Not for my mate.”

“But—”

“And here.” He placed a box in front of me with a dull thump. The kitchen light glinted off the plastic wrapping on the white box.

“That’s a cell phone,” I stated the obvious. A very expensive phone I couldn’t dream of affording any time soon.

“Yours.”

“No.” I nudged it back in his direction, and the box rubbed against the counter. Lucian stopped its progress and pushed it back at me.

“Yes. I need to be able to contact you. Unless you want me following you around all day.”

I frowned.

“Stop pouting, you won’t like the consequences.”

That sounded much more delightful than it should. A whine crawled from my mouth, and his lips stretched into a sexy smile. Lucian straightened and checked his phone, then slid it back in his pocket with a frown.

Was he getting ready to leave? My pulse quickened.

“Are you leaving?” I meant to ask it casually, but the words came out a bit rushed and frantic. I cleared my throat and forked up another chopped piece of beef with the spaghetti.

“Not even if you asked me to.” The relief instantly dropped my shoulders. “Now, hurry, Princess, you need your rest.”