Page 125 of Running from Drac

The orgasm tears through me. It’s violent, uncontrollable, making me scream without warning… “Eddie!”

The name explodes from my lips before I can stop it, shattering the world between us.

Ryder freezes mid-thrust, his entire body going rigid, breath slamming out of him like I just gutted him. His eyes widen, fury and heartbreak flashing all at once.

But I’m still pulsing around him, still riding out the waves of release, shame already crushing me even as my body trembles in bliss.

His voice is low, dangerous. “You didn’t just…”

I can’t look at him. I can’t breathe.

The damage is done.

His whole body goes rigid inside me, our intense moment shattered by the name I screamed instead of his. His eyes snap to mine, fury burning hotter than his lust. For a second, I think he’ll pull away, leaving me gasping and trembling on the edge of my mistake.

But instead, his jaw clenches, and a dark, guttural sound tears from his throat. His thrusts turn brutal, punishing, a savage rhythm that makes my head slam back against the headboard.

“You’re thinkin’ of him while I’m inside ya?” he snarls, teeth bared. “Fine. But don’t forget who’s fuckin’ ya right now.”

I whimper, every nerve blinking out of control, caught between shame and ecstasy as he pounds into me harder, deeper, determined to brand me from the inside out. My bodybetrays me again, tightening around him, dragging him closer to the edge.

“Say it again,” he demands, one hand tangled in my hair, yanking my head back while he forces me to look him in the eye. “Say his name while I finish inside ya.” The other wraps around my throat, threatening for me to repeat myself and suffer the consequences.

“Ryder,” I choke out instead, my voice breaking, because I can’t repeat the mistake, not with him looking at me like this—like he’s seconds away from murdering me while I moan.

That’s all it takes. With a roar, he slams into me one final time, spilling inside me, his seed warming my womb. His release floods me like a broken dam, savagely claiming the moment I’ll never be able to wash away. He collapses against me, both of us slick with sweat, our huffing breaths the only sound besides the TV that plays in the background.

He doesn’t say a word; he doesn’t have to because I know I fucked up, and the silence that stretches between us after is deafening.

My body trembles, my heart breaking all over again. All I can think about is how fucked up this is. I shouldn’t be here. Not when I still love Eddie. Ryder deserves more than being my mistake; he deserves a girl that has her head on straight and not blur the lines between two men.

The room is heavy with silence and the lingering scent of sex. My thighs ache as my chest heaves, and every pulse inside me reminds me of my heart that only beats for Eddie. Yet here I am, staring into the damning green eyes of the other man—the only one I’ve ever let between my legs besides Eddie.

“Say something,” I whisper, my throat raw and scratchy.

His jaw ticks, every exhale like a switchblade. “What the fuck was that, Amber? You screamed his name while I wasinside ya. You know what that did to me?” His voice comes out more like a growl; it’s lethal and a bit scary.

My head starts to feel fuzzy as shame takes over. “I didn’t mean to. It just… slipped.”

“Slipped?” His laugh is bitterly cruel. “That’s not somethin’ that slips. You were thinkin’ about him while I was fuckin’ ya. Christ almighty.” He drags a hand through his damp hair, pacing away from the bed in naked fury.

Tears prick at my eyes, voice shaking as I regretfully say, “You don’t understand—”

“Then make me understand,” Ryder snaps, spinning back toward me. “’Cause right now, all I see is a woman who used me to get over some bloke she’s still hung up on..”

The words cut deep because they’re true. But I can’t hold it in anymore. The alcohol, the sex, the months of heartbreak… it all comes pouring out of me at once.

“I left him before the wedding even started,” I whisper, my throat tightening. “Not long after you left. It was after finding out he slept with Pippa… my best friend…”

Ryder’s gaze goes from deadly to concerned.

“They only did it once, right after he found out about you and me. We were broken up, so he didn’t exactly cheat, but he did keep it from me and lie about it. I couldn’t stand at the altar and say yes to him after that. Not when every time I looked at him, all I saw was them together.”

Ryder’s anger falters, his shoulders dropping, though his eyes are still sharp.

“So you legged it?” he asks quietly.

I nod, pressing a fist against my mouth to stifle a sob. “I ran until my shoes were broken and that string between us was broken. I still hate myself for it. It’s not like I didn’t cheat on him too, it’s just different…” My voice cracks. “You’re the onlyperson who helps me forget, Ryder. You bring me peace in a world of chaos.”