Page 23 of Death By Chocolate

“Ah, Dani.” Cookie’s voice pulls me from the sensual haze that envelopes me whenever Xeno is near.

“Xeno, meet Cookie. My trainer,” I say, my voice steady despite the inner turmoil of introducing him in connection to me.

Better at all this than me, Cookie extends her hand. “Hi,” she bats her lashes, gushing as Xeno accepts her greeting in kind. I’m contemplating dragging her to the mat by her hair “I’m Dani’s friend.”

“Dani’s friend,” he pauses, then drops a bomb. “I’m Dani’s.”

My mouth drops open. “What-in-the-actually-fuck, Xeno?”

He shrugs. “It’s a fact.”

I stammer a string of unintelligible gibberish, my eyes bugging out of my head. Of course, I knew his ass was crazy, but damn? When I grab his wrist, he eyeballs me, all matter-of-fact, like there’s no question who he is to me. Cookie is non-plussed. The next words out of her mouth surprises the hell out of both of us.

“Good to know. And so that we understand each other. I will bust you in the nuts with a barbell if you hurt my girl in any way.”

Xeno throws his head back in laughter. “Noted. I’ll take care, Dani.”

There is more than a promise wrapped in his declaration, there’s satisfaction. As if he’s proud to claim me. Will it always be this way? He turns, and those piercing eyes meet mine, and the answer revealed in their depths is yes. There’s a flash of something in his gaze, something I immediately read, which starts my nerves vibrating. Barely controlled lust. Sweat glistens between the valley of my breasts and the way Xeno’s lids drop to half-mast, I know he wants to fuck me, here and now.

“Dani,” he replies, his voice smooth, calm. “You hungry?”

“And just like that, my mouth waters, and my pussy gushes with fresh wetness. I’m sweating for a totally different reason. “I could eat.” I glance over at Cookie. “Catch you tomorrow.”

“Sure,” she grins. When Xeno drops a hand to the small of my back, I practically orgasm on contact. He doesn’t wait for me to follow him, he leads me away. A part of me thinks I should object, but the woman in me who dreamed of capturing a man’s affection loves that he dominates.

Cookie shakes her head. “Text me if you need to cancel,” she calls to our retreating backs.

He opens his mouth, then stops. He wants to answer her, but he’s allowing me to claim him. Am I ready? Am I afraid?

I’m both, but I respond to Cookie. “We’ll let you.”

Xeno nods in agreement, sinking his teeth into his lower lip. He’s ready to explode. As am I. Cookie yells to a pair of newbies who look like they're about to turn their sparring session into a real fight.

Walking before Xeno to enter the private elevator, I reflect on my decision. I’ve agreed to be his. As the car whisks us toward home, neither of us speaks, but I’m acutely aware of him—of the space he occupies, the subtle scent of his sweat, the way fingers dig into my waist, possessive. Damn, this is the longest ride, and I realize it is lunchtime. And by the look in Xeno’s eyes reflected at me from the mirrored doors, I can’t wait for him to feed me.

10

DANI

FREAK’EM GIRL

We don’t make it past the living room. The second we cross the threshold Xeno’s pushing me against the wall.

“You still hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Lift your arm.” I narrow my eyes, questioning what he’s doing? “Now,” he growls.

I lift my right arm. He tugs the hem on my athletic shirt, raising it to expose my belly, my sports bra. When he’s done, I’m bare from the waist up.

“Xeno,” I question when he’s still wearing his sports gear.

“Don’t talk.”

He pulls me over to the couch and deposits me on the soft cushions. “Comfortable? Anything hurt?”

I nod my head, then say, “Yes. My wound is fine.”

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