Page 10 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

nine

Kade

T he sound of the door slamming echoes through the hallway, but it's her parting words that ignite the fire in my veins.

Fuck you, Ghost.

My fist clenches at my side, jaw tightening until my teeth ache. Fire races through my veins, lighting up each nerve ending until my whole body burns with intensity. The base of my skull throbs with each thundering heartbeat.

The little hellcat thinks she can walk away, slam doors in my face, and get herself off after I denied her? Not fucking happening.

I give her exactly ten seconds—enough time for her to think she's won this round—before I advance on the door. Through the wood, I hear the bed creak .

The mental picture hitting my brain; her body stretched across my bedding, hand working between her legs, makes my cock instantly rock-hard.

My throat turns to sandpaper while raw, animalistic need surges through my body. My skin tightens across my shoulders, muscles coiling with barely contained tension.

One solid kick near the handle splinters the frame. The door crashes inward, revealing exactly what I'd pictured—Alina on the bed, legs spread, my shirt hiked up around her waist, fingers glistening with her arousal.

"Oh no, you don't," I growl, stalking toward her. The scent of her arousal hits me like a physical blow, making my nostrils flare.

Her eyes grow wide, revealing a cocktail of emotions—surprise colliding with anger, yet beneath it all, I can see raw hunger flaring in those emerald eyes.

"What the fuck?" she yells, scrambling to pull the shirt down. "Get out!"

I'm at the edge of the bed in two strides, towering over her. My blood roars in my ears, the predator in me recognizing prey. "You don't get to dismiss me, little hellcat. Not in my house."

"This isn't your bedroom," she snaps, legs clamped shut now, though it's too late. The image of her wet pussy is seared into my brain, making my cock throb painfully against my zipper.

"Everything under this roof is mine," I say, voice dropping dangerously low as I plant one knee on the mattress.

Sweat breaks out along my hairline, my body temperature rising with each passing second. "Including what you were about to do. "

Her cheeks flush crimson, but her chin lifts in defiance. "My orgasms belong to me."

I can't help the dark chuckle that escapes me.

"Is that right?" I lean closer, crowding her space, inhaling the sweet scent of her skin that makes my mouth water. "Then why were you begging me for one just minutes ago?"

"I made a mistake," she hisses, pushing against my chest. Her weak attempt to push me away is like trying to force the ground itself to yield. I can feel her small hands pressing against my chest, the heat of her palms burning through my shirt. My muscles don't even twitch under her effort.

The frustration in her eyes only feeds the hunger building inside me. Her breath comes faster now, her chest rising and falling in quick, shallow movements. The pressure of her palms against my body shoots currents through every nerve ending I have.

She glares at me in frustration. "One I was about to correct myself."

In one fluid motion, I capture both her wrists in one hand, pinning them above her head. My palm burns where it touches her skin, a searing brand that makes my breath catch.

"That's where you're wrong, Alina." My free hand trails up her bare thigh. The softness of her skin makes my fingertips tingle, each touch sending sparks up my arm. "The mistake was thinking you get to come without my permission."

Her breathing quickens, chest rising and falling rapidly beneath my shirt. "You're insane. "

"And you're soaked," I counter, my fingers finding the slick evidence between her thighs.

The wet heat against my skin makes my cock jerk, a groan building in my chest that I barely suppress. "Your body is begging for me."

She bucks against my hold. "Let me go."

"No," I state simply, circling her entrance with one finger. My own pulse pounds between my legs, each beat a painful reminder of my restraint. "You want to come? I'll make you come. But on my terms."

Her eyes flash with anger, but the way she parts her thighs tells me everything I need to know.

"Fuck you," she spits again, even as her hips lift slightly toward my touch.

"Consider it a rain check," I reply, slowly sinking one finger into her tight heat. The sensation of her body yielding to me sends a tremor through my frame, my abdominal muscles clenching with the effort not to groan.

Her sharp inhale is music to my ears. "But tonight, it's all about this pretty little pussy."

I add a second finger, stretching her, watching her face contort with pleasure she's trying desperately to hide. My own breathing grows ragged, chest heaving as I struggle for control.

"God, you're tight," I groan, curling my fingers to find that spot that will make her crumble. Sweat beads along my back, trickling down my spine as I fight my own mounting desire. "When was the last time someone fucked you properly, Alina?"

"None of your business," she gasps, her hips rising to meet my thrusting fingers contradicting the defiant words from her mouth .

I press my thumb against her clit, circling slowly. My vision narrows until all I can see is her—the flush spreading across her skin, the parting of her lips, the rapid rise and fall of her chest.

"Everything about you is my business now."

A moan escapes her, the sound hitting me like a physical blow, making me grind my teeth to maintain focus. I'm straining against my pants, the fabric a torturous friction against my sensitive flesh. But this isn't about me. This is about showing her who's in control.

"That's it," I encourage as her resistance begins to melt. Copper floods my mouth where I've bitten the inside of my cheek. "Let me hear you."

"I hate you," she whispers, but there's no conviction behind it as her walls tighten around my fingers.

I increase my pace, thumb working her clit more firmly. Every sound she makes sends shockwaves through me, my muscles trembling with the effort of holding back. "Hate me all you want, little hellcat. Just remember who owns these sounds."

Her back arches off the bed, body responding even as her mind rebels. I release her wrists, needing both hands for what comes next, the sudden freedom making my palm burn with phantom pressure.

"What are you—"

Before she can finish, I rip the shirt up, exposing her breasts. Pink nipples pebble in the cool air, begging for attention. My throat constricts, heart hammering at the sight before me.

"Beautiful," I murmur, lowering my mouth to capture one tight peak. The taste of her skin against my tongue is like a live wire, my hips involuntarily rocking against the mattress seeking relief.

Her hands fly to my hair, but instead of pushing me away, her fingers tangle in the strands, holding me closer. The sharp pull against my scalp sends lightning straight to my cock.

"Ghost," she moans, the sound of my codename on her lips sending a savage wave of possessiveness through me, making my skin prickle with goosebumps.

I release her nipple with a wet pop. "That's it. Say my name again." My voice comes out rougher than intended, betraying the storm raging inside me.

"Make me," she challenges, that fiery defiance still there despite her obvious pleasure.

I withdraw my fingers completely, earning a frustrated whimper. The cool air on my wet fingers only emphasizes the heat consuming the rest of my body.

"You don't learn, do you?" I chuckle, moving down her body until I'm positioned between her thighs. The scent of her arousal hits me full force, making my mouth flood with saliva, heart pounding against my ribs. "Let's see how long that stubborn streak lasts."

Before she can respond, I spread her legs wider and lick a long, slow stripe up her soaked pussy. The taste explodes across my tongue, sweeter than anything I've ever known, a growl rumbling up from deep in my chest.

"Fuck!" she cries out, hips jerking.

I grip her thighs firmly, holding her in place as I devour her. She tastes like sin and honey, addictive and sweet. My entire body thrums with need .

I circle her clit with my tongue, alternating between gentle laps and firm pressure, losing myself in the taste of her.

"Ghost," she gasps, one hand still tangled in my hair while the other grips the sheets. "Please..."

There it was. I lift my head just enough to meet her gaze. My lips tingle with her essence, chin slick with her arousal. "Please what, Alina? Use your words."

Her chest heaves, conflict clear in her eyes. "Don't stop."

"Still not specific enough," I taunt, blowing cool air across her sensitized flesh. My own lungs burn with each breath, oxygen seemingly insufficient. "What exactly do you want from me?"

She throws her head back in frustration. "You know what I want."

"You need to say it," I demand, sliding two fingers back inside her but keeping them still. The vein in my neck throbs with effort. "Tell me exactly what you need or I walk away."

Her pussy clenches around my fingers. She's close—so fucking close—but I'll be damned if I give her release without her surrender. The power of this moment makes me dizzy, blood rushing in my ears.

"Make me come," she finally whispers, face flushed with arousal and embarrassment. "Please, Ghost."

Victory surges through me, sweeter than I expected. My chest expands with savage pride, a guttural sound of approval escaping before I can trap it.

"Good girl."

I lower my mouth to her again, sucking her clit between my lips as my fingers curl inside her, finding that spot that makes her whole body tremble. Each moan from her lips sends vibrations straight to my cock, my hips grinding against the mattress for relief, desperate for friction.

She tastes like power and submission, a combination that makes my head spin. Sweat trickles down my temple, muscles bunching across my back as I work her body with single-minded focus.

Her thighs begin to shake, inner walls pulsing around my fingers. I increase the pressure, determined to shatter her completely. My own body trembles with the effort, thighs tensed, abdomen rigid.

"Let go," I command against her flesh, the words scraped raw from my throat. "Come for me."

With a broken cry, she obeys, her body convulsing as the orgasm tears through her. I work her through it, relentless in my pursuit of her pleasure until she pushes weakly at my head, oversensitive and spent.

I rise up on my knees, taking in the sight of her—flushed skin, glazed eyes, my shirt bunched around her upper body, pussy glistening with her release and my saliva. My chest heaves with each breath, heart pounding so hard I'm certain she can see it through my shirt.

"Now that," I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, tasting her once more, "is how you follow orders."

She lies there panting, too blissed out to form a proper retort. I feel a ridiculous surge of pride at reducing this sharp-tongued woman to speechlessness, a primal satisfaction that borders on painful .

Slowly, her eyes refocus, locking onto the obvious bulge in my pants. My cock throbs under her gaze, a wet spot forming where the head presses against the fabric.

"What about you?" she asks, voice hoarse.

I adjust myself, ignoring the painful throbbing. Each brush of fabric sends shards of sensation through me, making my jaw clench. "This wasn't about me."

"Then what was it about?" she challenges, finding her voice again as she tugs the shirt back down.

I lean over her, caging her with my arms. "Consider it lesson one: when I say 'no,' it means no. When I say 'stop,' you stop. When I say 'come,' you come."

"And if I don't?" The defiance is returning to her eyes, that fire I'm oddly drawn to.

I brush my thumb across her lower lip, still swollen from where she bit it during her climax.

"Then I'll have to teach you the lesson again. And again. As many times as it takes."

A small smile plays at the corners of her mouth. "Is that supposed to be a deterrent? Because it sounds more like an incentive."

I can't help the laugh that escapes me, the sound rougher than intended. Goddamn, this woman has nerve.

"Sleep well, little hellcat," I say, pushing off the bed. My legs nearly betray me as I stand, muscles trembling with unspent desire. "You'll need your rest."

"Where are you going?" She sits up, confusion clear on her face.

I pause at the door, drinking in the sight of her one more time. The image burns into my memory, making my pulse spike once more. "Cold shower. Someone broke my door, and I need to think about my security protocols. "

"That someone was you," she points out, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Details," I say with a dismissive wave, flexing my fingers to ease the lingering sensation of her skin against mine. "Just remember—next time you think about getting yourself off in my house, ask permission first."

Her jaw drops in outrage. "Like hell I will."

I flash her a predatory smile, canines slightly bared. "Then I guess I'll be breaking more doors."

As I turn to leave, she calls after me: "I still have questions, Ghost."

"And I still have techniques to shut you up," I respond without looking back, each step away from her a battle against my baser instincts. "Guess we're at an impasse."

Her frustrated groan follows me down the hallway. My cock throbs painfully with every step, need coursing through my veins like liquid fire.

I press my palm against the wall to steady myself, taking a deep breath that does nothing to cool the heat raging inside me.

I check my security feeds on my phone, cycling through cameras I'd installed around the property. All clear outside, but movement catches my eye in the kitchen monitor.

Jax is leaning against the counter, arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face. He raises his coffee mug in a mock toast directly to the camera.

Shit.