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A dric’s vision hazed.

That’s exactly what I want.

He crowded Rosana against the wall. Drowning in her. The breast filling his hand. Her scent in his nostrils, fresh and clean as rain. The needy moans she made when he rocked his pelvis against hers.

He’d tried to be good. Tried to send her away. If she refused to go, well, he wasn’t a fucking saint.

Besides, it wasn’t safe for her to be out alone. Not tonight. The hours between dusk and dawn were when the night fae hunted. Better she stay with him until morning.

And yeah, he was grasping at straws, but tough shit.

Her tongue flicked at his closed mouth. He dragged in a breath, picturing what else she could do with that hot little appendage.

For an almost-virgin, she was sure catching on fast. He loved that she felt comfortable enough to challenge him. His cat adored a good game.

“ Ah-dreek .” A husky murmur against his lips. “Kiss me back.”

“Rosana…” He squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to remember why this was a bad idea. Why he should boot her sexy ass out of his den.

But he could barely recall his own name, and somehow his hand was on her other breast now, pinching that nipple into hardness beneath the purple stretchy-thing she wore.

She nipped his lips. “Kiss me.”

Hunger crashed through him. He wanted, no needed , to spend this one last night with her.

Langdon had to be taken out. Marjani would never be safe otherwise. And he’d be damned if he’d let the prince tear Merry from the only family she remembered to raise her in the dark, twisted world of the New Moon Court.

When he left this time, not even his sister would know. Because she’d never let him go alone, and the plan called for one man—a quick, surgical strike. The problem was getting back out again after he’d made the kill. Frankly, he didn’t expect to return.

Then here came Rosana, offering herself to him. And gods, he wanted her. Craved her more than life itself.

She wasn’t just one of his women.

She was the only woman.

He released her to strip off her shirt and bra. The silver charm bracelet got tangled in the shirt sleeve and gave him a slight shock, so she removed it and pulled off the shirt and bra herself, shoving the bracelet into her pants pocket.

Meanwhile, he dragged off his own shirt, and then pressed her to the wall again. Her nipples were hard and aroused against his bare chest.

The knit cap had protected her hair from the rain. Only the ends were damp, curling wildly around her face. He filled his hands with her glossy tresses and brought his mouth to hers.

She made a sexy sound low in her throat and gripped his head. Heat leapt between their bodies, like they were kindling and someone had set a match to them.

They kissed each other, hungry and unrestrained, both their animals awake, greedy. Devouring each other’s mouths. Raining kisses over each other’s faces. Grinding their hips against each other.

His fangs pricked out of his gums. He drew back, wary of hurting her, but she just smiled and pulled him back to run her tongue over the tips.

Her hands were on his waistband, undoing the button and streaking inside. He’d gone commando, and she gave a hum of satisfaction before closing cool fingers around his cock.

His eyes rolled back in his head. He groaned and reveled in the squeeze and slide of her fingers.

She was right, he was a little afraid of how he was with her. Only with Rosana did he forget he was Lord Adric, an alpha with an entire clan depending on him. With her, he was just Ric Savonett. A man with his woman.

Grabbing for the last shreds of his control, he caught her wrist, stopping her.

For the first time, she looked unsure. “You don’t like that?”

“I like it fine.” He crouched to unbuckle her moto boots, tapped the right boot. “Lift your foot.” When she obeyed, he removed first that boot, then the other one, slipping off her socks as well. Rising back up, he swung her into his arms. “But I want to get horizontal with you.”

“Oh.” Wrapping an arm around his neck, she smiled into his eyes. “So now you’re asking.”

“I’m not asking.”

Her chuckle drew an answering smile from him. He realized he did a lot of that around her—smiling. They were still grinning at each other when he set her on her feet in the bedroom.

Their smiles faded, and they stared at each other.

He didn’t know what Rosana saw, but he saw a woman coming into her full beauty.

Wavy blue-black hair tumbled around a heart-shaped face.

Her nipples were a dusky rose, her waist a taut indentation above softly curved hips, and her skin the color of rich, warm cream.

Her chest heaved. “Adric?”

He traced a fingertip around each high, flawless breast. “I like how you say my name. Ah-dreek .”

Her mouth edged up. “ Aa-dric ,” she said with perfect American pronunciation. “I just like how it sounds in Portuguese better.”

He huffed a laugh. “You’re such a bad girl.”

“Bad girls have more fun.”

“Do they? Let’s see…” Bending his head, he gave each of her nipples a hard suck. Her arms came around him, one on his back, one holding his head to her breasts.

For a few heartbeats, he allowed himself to remain there, cradled against her body. Just breathing her in.

His shifter senses picked up her pounding heart, but that was only fair, because his heart was beating just as hard.

“Definitely more fun,” he managed to murmur.

He undid the button of her jeans, slipped a finger inside. She opened her legs a little as he teased the edge of her panties.

A fine quiver raced over her skin—and something inside him melted. Something so hard and tight and hidden, he hadn’t even known it existed.

He felt sad and angry at the same time, that this was probably the last night they’d ever share. But it was one more night than he’d expected, and he was determined to make it good for her.

The amber sconces had glowed on when they entered the bedroom. He snapped his fingers and they dimmed to a warm, candlelight yellow.

Guiding Rosana to the bed, he pulled down the quilt. She sat on the mattress and he drew off her jeans. Her panties were the same purple as her bra, and damp with her excitement. Sliding them over her hips and down her legs, he dropped them on her jeans and then knelt on the floor before her.

He nudged her thighs apart. Her sex was a slick, rosy pink. Using his thumbs to open her, he swiped his tongue up the center.

Her breath hitched. She gripped the edge of the bed.

He raised a brow. “More?”

A jerky nod.

“Like this?” He licked her again, and again. Swirling his tongue around her clit, then sucking it into his mouth. Feasting on her. Inhaling the wild, musky fragrance that was Rosana.

When she fell back on the quilt, eyes closed and thighs clenching around him, he lifted her feet onto his shoulders and slipped a finger inside her.

“Yes…” Tiny muscles tightened around him. “Oh, Goddess…”

“That’s it,” he said against her clit. “Come for me, bad girl.”

He ruthlessly sucked and tongued her until she was begging and pleading with him to come inside her. “Not yet,” he said against her sex. “I want you to come for me first.”

“Please,” she rasped—and then arched her back and came with a low, animal sound.

He crawled up her body. Her eyes were closed, the lashes thick ebony crescents, her mouth turned up in a replete curve.

“I think I like being bad.”

“You’re very good at it,” he returned, straight-faced.

Her smile increased. “I am, aren’t I?”

Amusement rumbled in his chest. “But I bet you could get even better with practice.” Rolling on a condom, he set his mouth to the tender underside of her throat.

“Oh, yeah,” she said on a moan. “Lots and lots of practice…”

Her arms came around him. Their scents mingled, hot and aroused. She widened her thighs, making space for him.

He settled into that warm, welcoming place. Not entering her, but it still felt like coming home.

Be mine. I want you. Always.

He didn’t say it. Fada mated for life. If he mate-claimed Rosana and then died in Virginia, she’d likely never mate again.

He’d seen how his mom had been after his dad’s death. She’d tried to keep it together for him and Marjani, but she’d stopped caring whether she lived or died.

Rosana was too young to spend the rest of her life alone. At least this way, she had a chance at happiness. Kids.

Even if the thought of her with another male made him want to smash something.

Rosana smiled up at him, her eyes midnight-blue stars, her full lips kiss-swollen.

His throat constricted. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Her smile increased. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Beautiful…and hot.” Holding her gaze, he reached down and opened her, and then entered her in a slow slide, groaning as she closed around him like a hot fist.

He gave her an openmouthed kiss, and then rested his cheek against hers and began to move.

“Yes. Deus , yes.” She wrapped her limbs around him.

Gods, he loved her. It wasn’t just that she was his mate. He loved how she smelled, how she moved. How she was so damn open to him, in a way that had nothing to do with sex. He even loved her stubborn insistence on doing what she thought best.

“More.” Her heels dug into the backs of his thighs, urging him on. “I need more.”

He slowed even more, and she whimpered. “ Adric .”

“Trust me,” he murmured against her ear. “This way is better. We don’t want to rush things.”

“No…” Her head moved from side to side against the pillow.

He pulled out.

“No!” Her hands came to his hips, urging him back to her. “Stay. Don’t leave me.”

He nipped her plush lower lip. “You’ll like this, you’ll see.”

He turned her over, helped her up onto her knees. She blinked at him in surprise over her shoulder, so damn cute his heart contracted. Then understanding dawned and she came down on her forearms, her wild raven locks spilling over one silky shoulder.

He smoothed his hands over her ass. It was perfect: round and smooth, a luscious fruit that he wanted to lick, bite.

Own.