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I found my rhythm and rocked back and forth on his cock, chasing my own pleasure. Sweat beaded on my temples and rolled down. “Touch me,” I begged.

Steph’s eyes burned an even deeper gold.

He ran his hands up my thighs, over my hips, to my waist. He cupped my breasts and thumbed my nipples, sending delicious sparks of pleasure racing over my skin.

Moaning, I threw my head back as pleasure lit up every nerve-ending in my body.

Finally, he ran his hand over my belly and dipped his callused fingers between my legs.

I kept my rhythm, rolling my hips while Steph worked his fingers skillfully over my clit. He knew my body as well as he knew his cars, his motorcycle. He knew every way to make me purr.

Each roll of my hips pressed his cock deep inside me, bringing me closer to the edge. I gasped, rocking my hips faster and faster, lost to the sensation and the pleasure that was multiplied with each flick of his fingers against my clit.

“Steph,” I gasped. “Right there, right there. Don’t stop?—”

“Come, Harley,” he growled. His voice was so low I felt it roll down my spine. “Come for me, baby.”

I gasped his name again as I came hard. I slammed my eyes closed and trembled as my body clenched around him.

When I was able to open my eyes, Steph’s ravenous, alluring gaze was fixed on me.

“Hi,” I said with a dazed little smile. He was still hard inside me, and I was sensitive so soon after coming, but it still felt good. So fucking good.

I needed more.

Steph could sense it. He surged up, grabbed my waist, and flipped us. My back hit the mattress before I could even blink.

I moaned and wrapped my legs around his waist. He pinned me to the bed with a hard kiss and took me, thrusting into me like he was claiming me.

I held him close, and we kissed messily.

I came again, trembling beneath him, and Steph followed me over the edge, growling with his lips against my throat.

Then he sighed and sank onto me.

I laughed. It was a bit of an airy sound, trapped as I was beneath that heavy dragon shifter. I hugged him close and kissed his cheek. We were both sweaty and flushed.

“Mm,” he mumbled. “I needed that.”

“I did, too,” I said.

I needed him. I needed the closeness, the connection.

After a few moments of recovery, he rolled off me, and we sprawled out on the bed. I took his hand in mine and ran my fingers over the peaks and valleys of his knuckles.

“What are you thinking about?” Steph asked.

He could always read me so well. No use trying to hide it. “I asked Mia about Thames.”

To my surprise, he didn’t seem shocked. “Mm. What did she tell you about him?”

“Enough. Enough to know what kind of man he is. That he’s into some really bad shit, Steph. Things I know you and the clan don’t want to be involved in.”

Next to me, Steph stiffened.

“And I know you think there’s no other way. That you’ll have to work with him.”

Steph closed his eyes and exhaled a shuddering breath. “We’re trying to figure out another way.”

“I know you, Steph.” I squeezed his hand. “You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if you worked with that scumbag.”

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if he and Sean took over the clan, either,” he said.

“Or if they tried to hurt you again. But we don’t have anything to offer Thames.

I have my connections, but none of them are willing to dirty their hands with his business.

Thames doesn’t need money, so we can’t just pay him off.

Whatever Sean is offering him… It’s not something we can match.

If it’s got Thames interested, I know it’s something sick.

Something he couldn’t get anywhere else. ”

My stomach turned. So if Steph did have to work with Thames to break the deal with Sean, it would be truly horrific. I knew it hurt him even more to know that Sean had already stooped that low.

I couldn’t let Steph do that. I just couldn’t. It’d break him—it’d break us.

“I called Suri this afternoon,” I said.

“Suri? Your old dragon shifter boss?”

“He’s a friend,” I said. “He helped me with Dylan. Before I came here to Lakeview, he told me he came from a really big, powerful clan, and to call him if I needed anything.”

Steph paused. He rolled onto his side, propped up on his elbow, and peered down at me. “What clan?”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard of them,” I said. “Suri said they’re mostly on the west coast. The Vahdat clan?”

Steph’s eyes widened. “Suri’s a member of the Vahdat clan?”

“His dad’s the alpha.”

“His father is the alpha of the Vahdat clan? ”

“So you know them? Suri always said he had a lot of connections, but I never knew the details.”

“Harley, The Vahdat clan is one of the most powerful clans—if not the most powerful clan—in the nation. And that’s just the US branch. They’re even stronger abroad. They’ve got more money than God. Suri can’t be the heir, can he? I would’ve heard his name.”

“No, he’s got a ton of siblings, and he’s a younger one,” I said. “He always said that’s why he moved. He wanted a little more freedom and didn’t have a major role in the clan.”

“But he’s still on good terms with them?”

“Yeah. He goes abroad for the holidays every year.”

“Holy shit, Harley,” Steph said, stunned. “So what exactly did you ask him?”

“I called in a favor,” I said.

“What kind of favor?”

I rolled onto my side and kissed his cheek. “You’re not in this alone,” I said. “I’m protecting my mate. My family. My clan.”

Steph shivered. My words affected him as much as a touch.

“I’m not going to let you stain your soul for me,” I continued. “The clan deserves better than that. You deserve better than that. So please, Steph. Let me help you.”

His expression softened. “I want to. So… Tell me the plan.”