Page 20

eighteen

Meadow

I wake up to the sound of footsteps. The heavy tread of Mason’s boots echoes down the hallway, growing louder as he approaches. I turn toward the sound, my heart racing with a mix of anticipation.

He appears in the doorway, silhouetted against the dim light of the corridor. Even from here, I can see the tension in his shoulders, the tightness in his jaw. His eyes lock on to mine, dark and intense.

I slide off the bed fighting myself to not run to him, to rake my hands all over to make sure he is okay and nothing has happened to him.

In an instant, he’s across the room. His arms wrap around me, pulling me tight against his chest. I sink into his embrace, breathing in the familiar scent.

“It’s done,” Mason murmurs, his voice a low rumble against my ear. “He can’t hurt you or anyone else ever again.”

Relief floods through me, my knees going weak. Mason’s grip tightens, holding me up. For a long moment, we simply stand there, clinging to each other in the quiet aftermath of violence.

When I finally find my voice, it comes out as barely more than a whisper. “Thank you.”

Mason pulls back slightly, cupping my face in his calloused hands. His eyes search mine, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths. “Always,” he vows. “I’ll always protect you, Meadow. No matter what.”

As his lips meet mine in a fierce, possessive kiss, I know with bone-deep certainty that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

Mason’s body radiates heat, his muscles coiled tight beneath my fingertips. I trace the lines of his tattoos, feeling him shudder at my touch. His hands roam my back, rough calluses catching on the fabric of my shirt. He pulls me closer, crushing me against his chest until I can feel every thundering beat of his heart.

“Meadow,” he says, voice low and gravelly. His breath is hot on my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “I need you. Now.”

I arch into him, desperate for more contact. “Then take me,” I whisper, my lips brushing his ear.

In one fluid motion, Mason lifts me, my legs wrapping instinctively around his waist. He carries me to the bed, never breaking eye contact. The intensity in his gaze steals my breath.

He lays me down, hovering over me. His eyes roam my body, dark with hunger. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he murmurs.

I reach up, threading my fingers through his hair. “Show me,” I challenge.

A wicked grin spreads across his face. “Oh, I plan to.”

His lips crash into mine, the kiss searing and possessive. I moan into his mouth, arching up to press against him. Mason’s hand slides under my shirt, calloused fingers tracing patterns on my skin. Every touch ignites sparks, desire coiling low in my belly.

“Off,” I gasp, tugging at his shirt. “I want to feel you.”

Mason obliges, stripping off his shirt in one smooth motion. I drink in the sight of him, all hard muscle and inked skin. Scars map his torso, each one a story I long to hear.

“Like what you see, darlin’?” he teases, voice rough with want.

I trace a particularly nasty scar that runs along his ribs. “Every inch,” I breathe.

Mason’s eyes darken. In a heartbeat, he’s on me again, his weight pinning me to the mattress. His hands roam my body, leaving trails of fire in their wake. I writhe beneath him, desperate for more.

“Mason,” I whimper, “please.”

He grins against my neck, teeth grazing my pulse point. “Patience, sweetheart. I’m gonna take my time with you.”

His words send a shiver through me. As Mason’s lips trail lower, I lose myself in sensation, the world narrowing to just us and the fire building between us.

Mason’s lips trail farther down, his stubble scratching deliciously against my sensitive skin. I gasp as he nips at my collarbone, then soothes the sting with his tongue. My fingers tangle in his hair, holding him close.

Mason’s hands slide under my shirt, pushing it up slowly. His rough palms skim over my ribs, thumbs brushing the undersides of my breasts. I arch into his touch, silently begging for more.

“So responsive,” he murmurs, voice thick with desire. “Gonna make you feel so good, Meadow.”

He tugs my shirt over my head, tossing it aside. His eyes darken as he takes in the sight of me, bare beneath him. I fight the urge to cover myself, instead meeting his gaze with a challenge of my own.

“Your turn,” I say, reaching for his belt buckle.

Mason catches my wrists, pinning them above my head with one large hand. “Not yet, I’m not done with you.”

His free hand trails down my body, featherlight touches that leave goosebumps in their wake. I squirm beneath him, desperate for more friction. Mason chuckles, low and dark.

“Something you want, darlin’?” he teases, fingers dancing along the waistband of my pants.

“You,” I gasp, hips bucking up. “Please, Mason. I need you.”

He releases my wrists, both hands now working to rid me of my remaining clothes. As the last barrier falls away, Mason sits back on his heels, drinking in the sight of me.

“Fucking perfect,” he breathes.

His calloused hands slide up my legs, parting them gently. I shiver as his breath ghosts over my inner thigh. Mason’s eyes lock with mine, dark and hungry.

“Tell me what you want, Meadow,” he demands, voice rough with need.

I swallow hard, heat flooding my cheeks. “Your mouth,” I whisper. “I want your mouth on me.”

A wicked grin spreads across Mason’s face. “As you wish, darlin’.”

My hips jerk with a mind of their own, a frantic, involuntary dance of desperation for more of his touch. Mason’s powerful hands grip my thighs with a commanding firmness, anchoring me in place as he devours me with relentless fervor. His tongue is merciless, shifting from broad, sweeping strokes to a laser-like focus on the sensitive bundle of nerves that is my clit.

“Mason,” I gasp, my voice raw and pleading, my fingers threading and knotting fiercely in his hair as if trying to anchor myself to reality. “Oh God, Mason!”

He hums in approval, a deep, resonant sound that vibrates through my core, sending ripples of pleasure that leave me thrashing beneath him, caught in a delirium of ecstasy. The coil of pleasure in my belly tightens to an unbearable degree, a taut string poised to snap at any moment, promising a sweet release.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” Mason murmurs, his words a muffled promise pressed against the fevered skin of my inner thigh. “Let go for me. I want to feel you come undone on my tongue.

Mason’s words push me over the edge. I cry out, back arching as waves of ecstasy crash over me. My thighs tremble, muscles clenching as the orgasm rolls through my body. Mason doesn’t let up, working me through every aftershock until I’m a quivering mess beneath him.

When he finally pulls away, his scruff glistens with evidence of my pleasure. The sight sends another jolt of arousal through me. Mason grins, looking entirely too pleased with himself as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Delicious,” he purrs, voice rough with desire.

Before I can catch my breath, Mason is on me again. His lips claim mine in a searing kiss, letting me taste myself on his tongue. I moan into his mouth, hands roaming the planes of his muscled back.

“Need you,” I gasp when we finally part. “Please, Mason.”

He groans, forehead resting against mine. “Fuck, baby. The things you do to me.”

In one swift motion, Mason sheds the rest of his clothes. I drink in the sight of him, all tattooed skin and rippling muscle. My eyes drift lower, widening at the impressive evidence of his arousal.

Mason settles between my thighs, the head of his cock brushing against my sensitive flesh. I whimper, hips canting upward in a silent plea.

“You sure?” he asks, voice strained with the effort of holding back.

I nod frantically. “Yes. God, yes. I need you inside me.”

Mason pushes forward. I gasp at the stretch, the delicious burn as he fills me completely. For a moment, we’re both still, savoring the sensation of being joined so intimately.

Then Mason begins to move, and coherent thought becomes impossible.

His thrusts are deep and measured, each one sending sparks of pleasure radiating through my body. I cling to him, nails raking down his back as I meet him thrust for thrust.

“Fuck, Meadow,” Mason groans, voice rough with exertion. “So tight. So perfect.”

I can only moan in response, lost in the overwhelming sensations. Mason’s hand slips between us, calloused fingers finding my clit with unerring accuracy. The added stimulation has me careening toward another peak.

“That’s it, baby,” Mason urges, his movements growing more frantic. “Come for me. Wanna feel you come around my cock.”

My second orgasm crashes over me. Mason follows soon after, burying himself deep with a guttural groan.

For long moments, we lay tangled together, breathing heavily. Mason’s weight is comforting, grounding me as I float in post-orgasmic bliss. Eventually, he rolls to the side. Mason gathers me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me protectively. I snuggle into his warmth, feeling utterly safe and content. For a while, we just lie there in comfortable silence, basking in the afterglow.

Mason’s fingers begin tracing idle patterns on my skin. “You okay?” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I nod, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. “More than okay,” I assure him. “That was…”

“Incredible,” Mason finishes, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

I laugh softly, swatting at his chest. “Cocky much?”

His grin widens. “Just stating facts, darlin’.”

I roll my eyes, but can’t help smiling. He’s not wrong, after all.

Mason’s expression grows more serious, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. “I meant what I said before,” he says quietly. “I’ll always protect you, Meadow. You’re everything to me.”

The intensity in his eyes takes my breath away. I reach up, tracing the strong line of his jaw. “I know,” I whisper. “And I love you for it. For everything.”

Mason’s eyes darken at my words. In one fluid motion, he rolls us over, pinning me beneath him once more. “Say it again.”

Heat pools low in my belly at the command in his voice. “I love you, Mason,” I breathe.

His lips crash into mine, the kiss fierce and possessive. When we finally part, both breathless, Mason rests his forehead against mine. “I love you too, Meadow,” he murmurs. “More than anything in this world.”

As we lose ourselves in each other once more, I know with absolute certainty that this is where I belong. With Mason, I’m home.