Page 122 of In Darkness We Claim

There’s a burning intensity in his voice that sounds almost desperate, and when I open my eyes, that’s exactly what I see reflected in his silver gaze—pure desperation, as if looking into my eyes is everything he needs to breathe, to survive.

My heart stutters under the weight of his gaze, suddenly feeling more naked than I ever have before. It’s like he’s trying to see into my soul, and we both know what he’ll find there—him. This dark, dangerous man has imprinted himself on me in every way he can, even down to the very core of my soul, and I have no doubt that if he looks deep enough, that’s exactly what he’ll find.

I catch the exact moment when he loses himself to his own pleasure, and a deep groan escapes his lips as he shudders against me. His dick pulses inside me, filling me up as he holds me tight through his orgasm.

Lawson slams his lips against mine, and I kiss him back with as much force as I can, both of us trembling as we cling to each other in a desperate need to be as close as we can. I savour everything Lawson gives me, devouring as much of him as I can, whilst he does the same.

I thought I’d given every bit of myself to him during the Gifting Ceremony, when I said the words aloud, but as they echo around my head at this moment, I know I never truly meant them until now.

Everything I have, I gift to you—it’s like I’m hearing the words for the first time, as they take on a whole new meaning. Before I gave him my body, but now he owns every part of me: mind, body, and soul. Each beat of my heart is only for him.

As our bodies relax, the last of our orgasms leaving us almost boneless, we sag into each other. Lawson slips from me, and a soft hiss escapes my lips as I’m left feeling empty from the loss of him filling me.

Lawson silently rolls onto his back, pulling me over as he goes. He doesn’t stop until I’m plastered along his side, my leg hooked over his and my arm curled around his waist. I rest my head on his chest, listening to the pounding of his heart, and I wonder if it beats for me the way mine does for him.

Lawson wraps his arms around me tightly, almost as if he’s afraid of letting go, and he lets out a soft sigh when I nuzzle closer to him. He presses a tender kiss to the top of my head, and I can’t hold back a smile at how gentle and sensitive he can be sometimes.

I look up and find his eyes closed, though his brow is furrowed as if he’s deep in thought, and I want to smooth out the lines marring his pretty face. I like it when he looks relaxed and at peace, rather than as if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“You okay?” I ask, not wanting to say more in case it ruins our moment.

“Yes. Get some sleep,” he tells me, pressing another kiss to my forehead.

He sounds almost defeated, and I try to ignore the sinking feeling that’s seeping into my bones. I’ve seen a lot of versions of Lawson recently, but this is the only one that’s ever scared me, because I have no idea what he’s thinking or feeling, yet I’m certain it’s nothing good.

I push the negative thoughts from my mind as best I can, soaking up the feel of his warm, protective hold as he grips me tight against him. He’s giving us the chance to hold on to this moment for a little longer, and that’s not something I plan on turning down.

As my eyes flutter closed, I try to memorise everything about this night that has made me feel so fucking good. The realisation that I’m in love with this man, and that there’s a chance he might feel the same way. I focus on the way my body moulds perfectly against his, the way he holds me like he never wants to be apart from me.

Sleep begins to take me whilst I count the beats of his heart, as it echoes mine. I wonder if he knows that a piece of my heart now belongs to him, and no matter what happens between us, it always will. I just hope he takes care of it the way I plan to take care of the piece of his that I’ve claimed for myself.

Iwake up once more to the feeling of Lawson filling me, his cock hitting me deep as he thrusts into me, pulling me from sleep. I blink away the haziness as a moan falls from my lips, my whole body tingling from where his hands have been.

His thrusts are hard and fast, almost brutal, not at all like earlier, but as my body hums in response, I can’t even focus enough to compare. It feels like he’s everywhere, all at the same time. His lips on my neck, one hand on my hip as the other plays with my nipple, while he sinks his dick into me, his body covering mine.

I wrap my legs around his arse, pulling him even closer. Both my hands are tightly fisting the sheets beneath me, but I remove one so I can drag my fingers through his hair, tugging on the strands until he groans in response.

I lift my head towards his, making it clear I want to feel his lips on mine, but Lawson flicks his gaze away from me as turns his head at the last second, my lips hitting his cheek instead. My brow furrows in confusion, but before I can say anything, he pulls out of me so quickly that a sharp whimper escapes me. He then grabs my hips and flips me over onto my stomach.

I’m dizzy from the abrupt movements, but Lawson works quickly, getting me into the position he wants. With my chest and cheek pressed against the bedsheet, he uses his grip on my hips to lift my arse into the air, curving my spine in the perfect way to present my pussy to him.

He nudges my legs apart with his own, making room for himself before sinking into me from behind, as my guttural moan echoes around the room. He fucks me with fierce thrusts, his grip on me tighter than ever before, as he keeps up his punishing rhythm.

The way he hits me so deep each time has my head spinning, and my overly-sensitive nipples rubbing against the sheets beneath only adds to the overwhelming pleasure. All of my nerve endings are on fire, crackling fiercely as his touch pushes me closer to my release.

My cries and whimpers let him know I’m getting closer, but before I can tell him myself, he pulls out of my aching pussy, and I cry out from the loss of him. I open my mouth to speak, but he slaps my arse hard, silencing me.

I turn to glare at him over my shoulder, my eyes growing wide when he presses the head of his cock against my arse. He leans closer, allowing a trail of saliva to run from his mouth down over my arse, before he uses his dick to smear it against my entrance.

As he pushes against me, the stinging sensation only worsens as he stretches me open, using only his spit and my juices on his shaft as lubricant. With each inch that makes it past the rim, the burning worsens, and I whimper from the pain.

“Law… I don’t… I can’t…” My mind is still frazzled from being woken up and pushed to the edge of an orgasm so quickly, only for it to be denied, so I struggle to form coherent sentences.

“You can take me, sweetheart. Be a good girl for me,” he groans, and I recognise the wet sensation of warm saliva hitting my skin once again as he continues his advance.

I try to relax for him as much as I can, pushing against him the way he’s always taught me to, and as the head pops in, we both let out groans of satisfaction. The rest of him slides in much easier, stretching and filling me to the point of pain, until his fingers rub against my aching clit, providing the perfect distraction.

“Such a good girl. I knew you could take me,” he mutters, pressing soft kisses along the length of my spine until I’ve taken every inch of his big dick.