Page 19 of Trapped By the Cartel

He swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously towards the others in the dining room. They were either too engrossed in their conversations or deliberately ignoring us, pretending they weren't witnessing our exchange.

"They can look all they want," I assured him, my thumb stroking circles on his side. "They won't interrupt." Not unless I wanted them to.

"But why are you doing this?" he asked, genuine confusion in his voice. "Why keep teasing me like this?"

I pulled back slightly, allowing myself a smirk. "Because I can," I stated simply. "Because you're here, unprotected, and because I want to."

It was brutal honesty, but he deserved to hear it. Besides, he needed to understand that in this world—the Nightshade Wolves' world—I made the rules. Especially when it came to him.

"So, you are just going to keep using your power to toy with me?" He challenged, a hint of anger sparking in his hazel eyes.

"Isn't that what power is for?" I countered, my gaze locked with his. We were so close, our breaths mingling, our hearts pounding in sync.

He opened his mouth to retort, then closed it again, seemingly unable to find an adequate response. I had him at a loss for words, which was a rare feat indeed.

"Why don't you just kiss me again already?" He finally snapped, frustration etched onto his beautiful features.

Chapter 9

Elliot

Enough was enough. I'd had it up to my eyeballs with Damon Vexley's constant taunting and his relentless games. He thought he could play me like a fiddle, stringing me along with false promises and half-truths, but I was done being his puppet.

As he remained there, smugly reveling in my discomfort, his hot breath on my neck and his arms wrapped possessively around me, I knew I had to put an end to this madness once and for all. If he wanted to push boundaries, fine—I'd show him just how far I was willing to go.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I lifted my face just slightly, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. Our gazes clashed, his icy blue eyes widening in surprise as he registered the intent behind my move. Good, I thought. Let him see that I wasn't some timid little omega to be manhandled at will.

And then, without any further hesitation, I kissed him.

My lips crashed against his, all pent-up frustration and long-suppressed desire fueling my actions. The initial shock lasted only a split second; then, he responded, his strong armswrapping tighter around me, pulling me flush against his firm body.

Our tongues clashed, exploring each other's mouths, dueling for dominance. I tasted him fully, savoring the unexpected sweetness that lay beneath his harsh exterior. He groaned into my mouth, a sound of raw pleasure that sped up my heart, igniting a fire within me that threatened to consume us both.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Nothing else mattered—no more alphas, no more criminal organizations, no more fear or uncertainty. Just him and me, lost in a whirlwind of passion that neither of us could have predicted.

But eventually, reality intruded once more, and I reluctantly pulled away, gasping for air. My head spun, my body aching with a need I couldn't quite comprehend. What had started as a rebellious act quickly escalated into something deeper, something more profound than I ever thought possible.

Damon stared at me, his expression a mix of astonishment and hunger. His lips were red and swollen from our kiss, his pupils dilated with desire. It took him several seconds to regain his composure, during which I could practically see the wheels turning in his mind, trying to process this new development.

"You... you kissed me," he finally said, his voice colored with disbelief.

"And?" I challenged, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't enjoy it?"

His smirk returned, though this time it held a hint of vulnerability. "Enjoy doesn't even begin to cover it," he admitted, tracing the line of my jaw with his fingertips. "But tell me, little omega, what brought about this sudden change of heart?"

I shrugged, affecting nonchalance despite the turmoil inside me. "Call it a momentary lapse in judgment," I replied, offeringhim a small smile. "Or perhaps I've decided to fight fire with fire."

His chuckle rumbled through his chest, sending vibrations that resonated deep within me. "Well played," he murmured, leaning in to press another soft kiss to my lips. This one was gentle, barely more than a whisper, and he told me so much through it.

When he pulled back, his eyes searched mine, seeking answers that I wasn't sure I had. Or maybe he was looking for something else entirely.

"What do you want, Elliot?" He asked softly, his thumb brushing over my lower lip. "Really want? Not just now, not just physically, but truly, deeply." His gaze intensified, holding me captive. "What drives you? What haunts your dreams and fuels your desires?"

The question caught me off guard, piercing straight to the core of who I was, what I yearned for. And as I sat there, surrounded by opulence and danger, cradled in the arms of a powerful alpha, I realized that I didn't know the answer.

Not anymore.

Because all I really wanted—in that moment, in that place, with that man—was him. All of him. Every dark, dominant inch.

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