Page 52

SINCLAIR

I stand with my arms folded and eyes fixed on the elevator display as it ascends.

“You need to trust me,” I say quietly.

Denver blows out a rough breath. “I do. But I don’t trust him. And I’m right to not fucking trust him. Look how he’s treated you.”

“He’s done nothing,” I snap, whirling to face him head-on. “Just… I can’t even…” I shake my head, finding it too hard to look at him.

“I’m sorry,” he utters after a few silent seconds. The anguish in his voice has me sneaking a glance at him. “I never want to upset you. I love you,” he says, his eyes pinned on my face.

I press my lips together, my chest tight at the intensity behind his words.

“But you don’t want me to have friends,” I whisper.

“Brad’s not your friend,” he snaps.

It’s funny. I liked how I was the one person who could make him lose control. Knowing that I can bring this beautiful strong man to his knees. But all that knowledge does to me now is tear at my heart and make me feel like I can’t breathe.

“Princess,” he pleads, reaching for me.

I step away, and the way his face crumples is as if someone ripped the air from his lungs.

He loves me.

He loves me and he just wants to protect me.

We stare at one another, the air swirling in the confined space until it’s cloying. We’re two people who’ve fallen so deeply for one another that we’re vulnerable. I’ve taken Denver’s strength, and I’ve poked holes in it, one after another.

I’ve opened him up.

But I’m no longer sure that’s a good thing.

He holds my gaze and steps toward me again. And this time, I’m too weak to refuse him. Because the truth is that I want him more than anything. I love him more than anything.

I need him to be okay , more than anything.

His arms have barely opened before I’m throwing myself into them, jumping up and locking my legs around his waist.

I crash my lips to his.

“Sinclair,” he groans, diving into my kiss like he needs it. Like he can’t survive without it.

Then he’s in control, kissing me with all the power and skill that I love about him.

“I don’t want to fight with you,” I gasp as I take control back, meeting his kiss with my own—harder, deeper, more desperate one.

“Fuck, neither do I,” he rasps.

He devours my mouth, swallowing down each pant, sliding his tongue over mine and holding me as close as he possibly can.

I offer everything I have to him, begging him to take it.

“Denver,” I moan as he pushes me back against the wall of the elevator.

“You belong with me,” he hisses. “And I don’t want to fight with you, but I will kill men like Brad if they come near you in a way that they shouldn’t.”

“No,” I pant.

“Yes,” he growls, pressing another bruising kiss to my lips. “I will do anything for you, and the sooner you understand that, the better.”

He reaches out and pulls the emergency stop lever and the elevator comes to a halt.

“What are you doing?” I gasp.

He keeps his lips hovering over mine. “We’re not going anywhere until you understand that as much as I would fucking die for you, I will also kill for you. I won’t apologize for feeling that way.”

I search his eyes, my gaze catching on the gold flecks in them. They’re like bright flames now, dancing amongst the vivid green.

“I do understand,” I whisper. “Believe me… I know how far you’d go for me. But I don’t…”

His dark brows lower as he frowns, waiting for me to say whatever it is I’m about to.

“… I don’t want you to…” I can’t say it. My tongue goes dry, and my throat tightens as he looks back at me.

“Tell me,” he urges.

I clamp my lips together, not trusting myself to speak. I don’t know exactly what I’m going to say. I only know something needs to be said.

“Sinclair,” he urges when I don’t say anything. “You don’t think I know how fucking crazy I get over you? The lengths I would go to for you?”

I run my fingers through the hair at the back of his head and he curses.

“Jesus, I’d do fucking anything to make you happy. Anything .”

“I know,” I whisper, tightening my thighs around his torso, automatically.

A whimper slips free at the sheer deliciousness of having his solid body against mine. I can’t even think straight when he’s this close.

His eyes darken.

“You turned on, Princess?”

I bite my lip. This isn’t how this is supposed to go. I’m supposed to have a clear head. I have so much to think about. I haven’t stopped thinking since I left his place this morning.

“Does it make you wet knowing I would rip a grown man apart for you?” Denver asks.

“No.” But I tremble inside his arms, giving away my lie.

His eyes darken and he shoves my dress up around my waist with one hand and pushes a hand between my thighs. I take a couple of deep breaths, making my breasts rise against his chest in the small space between us.

My panties are soaked through, there’s no hiding it from him.

A rich murmur of approval rolls from his lips as he presses his fingers against the damp fabric and circles my clit.

“Denver,” I whine.

“You need me to fuck you until you understand it? Until you believe it?”

“Yes,” I whimper in response, heat burning through my veins as everything else ceases to exist. There’s just me and him. Two racing hearts. Two pairs of desperate, hungry eyes staring into one another.

He grabs his belt, yanking it open and tearing at the waistband and zipper of his pants. My panties are ripped to the side, and then the smooth, fat head of his cock is sliding through my soaked flesh.

“I’m a fucking wreck for you,” he groans as he thrusts himself to the hilt inside me.

I throw my head back with a cry, my body rippling around him.

He pulls almost all the way back out, then thrusts back in.

“I think of you every damn minute,” he hisses, forcing himself deeper.

I dig my fingers into his shoulders for support as he holds each of my thighs and pushes them wider, pinning me between his body and the wall.

His fingers push into my flesh as he pulls back and starts to pound into me, driving his hips with rough, deep grunts.

“I fucking crave you, Sinclair. You make me lose control. I’m supposed to protect you.”

“You do,” I gasp as he fucks me so hard my eyes water.

I’m so wet that he easily pumps deeper each time, his balls hitting my skin with force.

“No,” he snarls. “Anyone could get to you when I’m like this.”

I hold his eyes, which have taken on a wild sheen. They flare with the untamed primal urge to fuck as he sinks inside me again with a clenched jaw.

“Look at me,” he grits. “I’m so fucking lost, buried deep inside your perfect cunt, feeling nothing but you stretching around me, seeing nothing but your eyes as you give yourself to me. Anyone could walk right up to us when I’m like this and I’d be useless.”

He fucks me so hard that the elevator shakes.

“Denver… Denver, please .”

“Tell me what you want, Princess.”

“Oh my god.” My nails rake over his neck, hot, sticky wetness pricking at their tips as I pierce his skin, struggling to hold on.

“That’s it, fucking mark me as yours.”

My mouth drops open as I stare back at him.

He looks scary as hell. All giant muscles and dark, burning eyes.

He doesn’t get it. He thinks he can’t protect me like this because he’s too focused on me.

But if someone were here, they’d literally have to go through him to get to me.

His body is broad and solid, curled around me like a human shield.

They’d have to go straight through his back to get to me.

He always has to sleep closest to the door. He always sits between me and the entrance to places. He’s always on high alert.

And when we have sex, he prefers being the one in control. He wants to be on top of me, or behind me, pinning me beneath him. He loves to watch me ride him, but never for long. He has to get back into a position where his body is a physical barrier between me and anyone else.

He’s sacrificing himself for me all the time.

He never puts himself first.

Ever.

“Denver,” I mewl, the pleasure getting too much to bear.

“Come for me,” he urges, the rough tone of his command so damn sexy that it’s only a couple more thrusts before I do exactly as he says.

“Yes, good girl, that’s my good fucking girl,” he groans as I come apart, my body hugging his in tight waves as it fights to steal his pleasure for itself.

“Fuck,” he growls, thrusting harder. He presses his forehead against mine and his pupils dilate as he comes inside me with a grating curse. “Sinclair, Princess… fuuuuckkk.”

I grab either side of his face, crushing my lips to his as his wet heat spills inside me.

“I’d do anything to make you happy too,” I say as I press kiss after desperate kiss to his soft lips. “ Anything.”

I kiss him until his movements slow and he stills inside me.

“Denver,” I whisper, searching his eyes. “I love?—”

His cell rings, loud and angry.

“Get it,” I breathe, pressing another kiss to his warm lips.

He hesitates, frowning.

“It might be important,” I say.

I hook my legs behind him as he shifts to hold me with one arm. He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out the blaring phone.

“Sullivan?” he answers, his dark eyes holding mine.

“Denver? Can you talk?”

I clench around him without meaning to, and he narrows his eyes at me in warning.

“Yes.”

“Okay…” Sullivan’s exhale is ragged, the sound so unlike him. I’m not used to hearing him sound flustered.

“What is it?” Denver asks.

“Tate,” Sullivan says.

I widen my eyes at him. I knew cookie-baking Tate was more than just a friend to my brother.

“Listen, can I count on your discretion?”

Denver’s jaw ticks as his still hard dick shifts inside me. “You wouldn’t believe how good I am at keeping secrets,” he rasps.

“Good. Because what I need you to help me with isn’t exactly legal.”

“Don’t tell me anymore until I get there,” Denver grunts. “I’ll come to you now.”

“Thanks,” Sullivan clips.

Then he’s gone.

“What’s wrong? Do you think whoever this Tate is, is in trouble?”

Denver frowns, pocketing his phone. “I don’t know. But I need to go.”

“I know, I understand,” I say, stroking the tense lines that have sprouted across his brow. “He needs you.”

“You need me,” he says, resting his forehead against mine.

I press a kiss to his lips. “I’ll be okay,” I whisper. “I promise you; As long as you’re okay, then I’ll be fine… now go.”