Page 17 of Kidnapped By the Beast (Beasts of the Kindred #11)

LEXI

Lexi lay trembling in Brandt’s arms, her skin damp with sweat, her nipples still aching from his mouth, her pussy tingling after the intense orgasm he’d just given her.

She could barely breathe. Her body felt loose…

boneless, but inside her chest her heart hammered like a drum.

Little by little, as the intense pleasure faded, she came back to herself.

Oh God. What just happened? What did I do?

She had come—hard—in his arms. With his fingers buried inside her, working her until she couldn’t hold back. She had screamed for him…moaned for him…spread her thighs and begged him to keep touching her. Worse, she had liked it. Every humiliating, devastating second of it.

She had enjoyed submitting…submitting to her Master.

Her face burned hot. What was wrong with her?

She’d never done anything like that before, never let a man touch her like this—never wanted one to.

And now, here she was on a strange planet, writhing for a Beast Kindred scientist who treated her like she was his personal plaything.

And her body—her stupid, traitorous body—loved every second.

Brandt still held her, his massive chest warm and solid against her side, his golden eyes glinting in the soft lamplight. His arm was tight around her waist, keeping her close as though he had no intention of letting her go.

Why is he holding me? Why does it feel so good to be held by him?

She should push him away. She should get up, march into the bathroom, and lock the door. Instead, she found herself sinking deeper into his embrace, her head resting against the broad expanse of his shoulder. It was stupid. It was dangerous. But it felt…safe. Safer than she’d felt in a long time.

“You’re so beautiful, my little Elite,” he murmured, his voice low, almost reverent.

Lexi’s breath caught. Brandt had used the word earlier, but now he said it in a different, softer tone—like it was something he truly believed. Like he actually saw her.

Does he mean it? Or is this just another one of his clinical observations, like commenting on nectar output?

Her heart ached at the thought. She wanted it to be real. She wanted him to mean it. But she couldn’t trust that. Not when she was nothing more than a test subject—an assistant he’d hired to produce nectar.

Still, his words echoed in her head. So beautiful.

Nobody had ever said that to her with such certainty, such weight.

Not a boyfriend, not a lover. Certainly not her ex, Greg, who had run off with a coworker of hers who was thin and blonde and taught Pilates on the side.

But Brandt said it like it was fact, like it couldn’t be refuted or denied.

Lexi couldn’t help herself—her body betrayed her again, melting against him even as shame burned inside her.

Part of her wanted to hate him for making her feel this way…wanted to resent the way he ordered her around, the way he dominated her without hesitation.

But she couldn’t.

Not when her body still hummed with the aftershocks of pleasure…not when her nipples still tingled from his mouth and her pussy was still so warm and wet from his fingers.

“I shouldn’t have let that happen,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.

His arm tightened around her.

“It was necessary. You were in pain. Nectar fever is not to be ignored.”

Of course. Science. Research. Her health.

The words tasted bitter in her mouth. He would never admit he wanted her. And maybe he didn’t. Maybe he was only doing his duty, like the logical, precise scientist he was. That should have comforted her. But somehow it only made the ache in her chest worse.

Stop it, Lexi. Stop wanting something you can’t have. He’s not yours. He’ll never be yours. And why would you want him, anyway? He kidnapped you and brought you here against your will! You’re only going through with this for the money—don’t forget that.

She swallowed hard and forced her voice to be steady.

“I… I should sleep now. Tomorrow you’ll need me to…to…” She couldn’t bring herself to say be milked. The words caught in her throat.

“Yes,” he said simply. “Sleep.”

He eased her down onto the mossy bed, pulling the leafy covers up over her trembling body. For a moment she thought he might leave, but he stayed, standing tall at her side, his golden gaze fixed on her.

She turned her face away, closing her eyes, willing her body to relax. But inside her mind was chaos. Shame…desire…confusion. And worst of all, a deep, secret longing for him to stay, to keep holding her, to whisper again that she was beautiful.

But he didn’t. And she didn’t dare ask.