I grabbed her chin, twisting her neck to kiss me. I took her mouth savage and strong. I drove my tongue past her lips and admitted once and for all that I might be a Hawk; I might be a son destined for tragedy, but none of that mattered as long as I had her.

She trembled in my hold as I kissed her deeper, harder. My thumb swirled on her clit, matching the rhythm of my fingers driving in and out of her pussy.

Her hips moved, using me to drive herself to ecstasy.

“Promise me that you’ll never cut me out. Promise me that you’ll never walk away—no matter how badly I fuck up.” I wanted to bind her in this moment—an ironclad agreement that she would never leave—no matter how bad things got.

Because I would fuck it up. She would end up hating me.

I had debts to extract, her brother to dispatch, and an empire to steal.

I wasn’t perfect. Her love didn’t make me a better man—it just gave me the strength to continue fighting.

Her inner walls fluttered around my touch. My mouth watered to taste her.

“I—I promise.” Another cry escaped as her hips rocked harder on my hand. I wrapped my arm tighter around her.

“Oh, God…yes…Jethro…please…” Her face flushed, every muscle hummed with the need to release.

She gave me complete control over her body and soul.

I lost it.

“Christ, I want to be inside you.” I grabbed my cock, riding my palm. “So much. So fucking much.” I jacked off with brutal violence, trying to tame the lust in my blood all while making it worse.

I’d never needed anyone as much as I needed her.

I’d never had the need to draw pain or bite or devour. But now I did. I wanted to ruin her. I was out of my mind with fucking desire.

Nila reached behind, steadying my hand. Her breathing was as ragged as mine. “I need it, too.” Biting her lip, she guided my pounding erection between her legs and pushed against the side. “Don’t hold back. Never again. I can handle what you have to give.”

I shivered. “Fuck, Nila.”

She wanted everything.

She wanted me. All of me. The twisted parts. The dark parts.

Me.

She was…peace. She was…sanity. She was…home.

She wants me.

I clenched my jaw. Her heat beckoned me. I was no longer human but an animal who needed to claim his mate.

Fisting the base of my cock, I bent my knees and thrust.

We both groaned.

It felt so fucking good.

Her slipperiness coated me, but it wasn’t enough. She was too tight.

A tameless growl echoed in my chest as she pushed back, forcing me to fill her faster.

“Shit,” I grunted as she pushed again.

“More. I need more,” she begged.

I almost came from the exquisite tightness of her body. Every ripple of her muscles was like a fist around my girth. My balls twitched, preparing to spurt inside this woman—my fucking woman—now that I was rightfully home.

“I have to work you. You’re not relaxed enough.”

She shook her head, her face twisting with need. “No. Give it to me. Goddammit, Jethro, please…fuck me. I can’t…” Her core contracted as I thrust again.

My lips pulled back as I drank in her piercing lust. “You need me inside you?”

“Yes. God, yes.”

I drove harder. “You need me to fuck you?”

Her head flew back as I forced my size past her body’s limits. “Yes. I need you. All of you.”

I was only half-way in. My dick was too much for her. As much as she wanted me, as enticing as her moans were, I refused to hurt her more tonight. Tonight was about pleasure.

“I’m going to fill you.”

“Please.”

“I’m going to fuck you so hard, you’ll stay wet for days just thinking of me taking you in this pool.”

Nila bit her lip. “Do it, Jethro. Punish me. Teach me that I belong to you.”

Fuck.

I’d never been a talker in sex. Never saw the allure of dirty whispers. But now all I could think about was talking filthy and wrong.

Reaching between her legs, I rubbed her clit—faster and faster with one goal in mind.

“You’re going to come for me, little Weaver. You’re going to drench my dick and let me inside you.” I breathed harder, rocking faster, forcing her higher.

“No, I want—”

“You don’t get what you want. This is what I want. I want you to know who’s fucking you. I want you to know whose cock is taking you. I need you to scream for me, Nila.”

I didn’t give her any reprieve. I forced her to feel everything. I wanted her orgasm. She owed me her pleasure.

Nila stiffened; her elbows gave out as she flattened against the side. “Stop—wait…”

“No.” I thrust with each swirl of my thumb, gradually spreading her—crawling inside. “I’m the one taking you. I’m the one riding you. I’m the one you want. Admit it!”

Her mouth opened as she silently screamed. Her entire focus turned inward.

I thrust harder. “Say it. Admit that you want me. Admit that you like what I’m doing to you.”

Her eyes wrenched open, connecting with mine.

My heart fell down a rabbit hole, completely under her spell.

“Yes, I admit it. I feel you. I want you so much! Fuck me. Please…fuck me.”

I couldn’t deny her.

My hips rocked, my thumb swirled.