Page 111 of Embrace

“Then stop torturing me,” I whine as my hips buck involuntarily. The smirk on his face doesn’t help dampen my current predicament.

“Not torture, sweetheart,” he whispers, dragging his lips along my skin, then palming my breasts. “Cherishing you.”

He pulls at the metal bar of the piercing on my nipple into his mouth and I nearly come from that alone.

I feel restless, like a cat in heat. I’m desperate for his touch toignite my body, to make me burst into flames, anything to stop this fire within me. “Cherish me faster.”

He chuckles, and the low rumble of it vibrates against my skin. Goose bumps rise on my skin, and I shiver from the sheer need ripping through me.

Restlessly, I hook a finger in his necklace, pulling him to me. His brows raise with pure amusement when I press his mouth to mine.

“Is this why you gave this to me? So it could be my leash?”

I smile into our kiss. “Maybe.”

Then he’s reaching for the condom on his bedside table and pushing into me, so slow and attentive like he is with everything else, taking away every one of my breaths.

“You don’t need a leash to get me to do what you want.” He continues at the agonizingly pleasurable pace. His brows furrow, and his fingers dig into my skin as he fills me up inch by inch. There’s so much I’m used to at times like this. The rough hands on my chest, the hard kisses to my mouth, bruising—punishing. But none of that comes when I’m with Kian.

With him I feel everything, all the slow swipes of his fingers against my skin, the soft grunts when he feels me squeeze around him. All of it keeps me right there with him, no chance of my thoughts drifting and waiting for this to be over. It’s never felt like this before, never so gentle that tears well in my eyes.

“Too much?” Kian asks, slowing his already slow pace. I nearly cry from the need that bubbles up inside me when he brings his hand to my face, running his thumb over my jaw as if to soothe me.

“More,” I moan into his mouth, the word dissolving against his lips like butter. He answers without hesitation, his hands tightening, his breath hitching, and his body moving with a sudden, fervent urgency that steals any coherent thought.

“How much more, baby? I’ll give you whatever you need.” I don’t have to answer him because every thrust makes my toes curl and every swing of his necklace over my face makes my eyes roll back.

“Faster. Please.” I am now partial to one-word sentences—anything more and I think it would be a garbled mess. But even the small, barely loud-enough command from me doesn’t make him go faster. I stare up at him with irritation set in the lines of my furrowed brows.

“You’re going to take it like this. Slow,” he whispers. “Gentle.”

God. He’s an evil, evil man, yet I can’t seem to loosen my legs from around his waist.

I can barely keep my eyes open when there’s a light smack to my cheek. “You listening?”

My mouth falls open in surprise, throat dry as I nod.

“What’d I say?”

I laugh. “This isn’t a test, Kian.”

“Yeah, it isn’t.” His callused thumb presses against my bottom lip. “I need you know that.”

My mouth softens against the side of his neck, where his pulse presses against my lips. There’s an ache in my chest at the thought of this ending, not having him this close all the time. He must read my thoughts because we’re pressed closer than the contours of our body would otherwise allow. But for him, I could shape into whatever he needs.

“Am I greedy for wanting more of you even when you’ve given me so much?” he asks.

I don’t let my eyes sting. I don’t say he could take more, that I wouldn’t stop him, not even if it meant there was nothing left of me. Instead, three words push against my teeth, but I choose to quietly kiss them into his neck instead. They’re safer there.

Thirty-eight

Scarlett

Texting my boyfriendwhile my dad sits across from me is a dangerous game.

But the anxious feeling that fills my chest isn’t because of Kian, it’s the fact that I’m seeing Victor today.

My visit was randomly approved, and I tried not to think about it as if I’d jinx it. But I’ve been buzzing with anticipation. It’s hard to contain myself in front of my parents. Especially because it’s exam season and no one is happy during this time of year. When my phone pings again, I pull it out of my pocket.