Page 86 of Protect Thy Enemy

She doesn’t answer, just presses back against me. The silent plea in her movements is more effective than any words.

I slide into her in one slow, deliberate thrust, the tight heat of her squeezing around me like she was made for this, for me. A low groan rumbles in my chest, and her head falls forward, a gasp spilling from her lips.

“Fuck,” I mutter, gripping her hips tighter, anchoring myself in her. “You feel perfect, baby. Better than I imagined.”

Her breath shudders, and she throws a glare over her shoulder. “You imagined this?”

“All the damn time,” I admit, my thrusts slow and deliberate. “Every time I look at you. Only you can push me this far. Only you can get under my skin like this. Just you.”

She moans, her grip on the couch tightening as her body adjusts to my rhythm. The room is silent except for the sound of our breaths, the slap of skin against skin, and the low, broken cries she can’t hold back.

Her body moves with mine, meeting every thrust, driving me deeper into the haze of her. The tension between us, the fire that’s burned for months, finally ignites into an uncontrollable inferno.

I reach around, my hand slipping between her legs to find her clit. She jerks at the contact, a sharp cry escaping her as I circle the sensitive nub with the same relentless pace as my hips.

“Holden,” she gasps.

I lean forward, pressing my lips to her ear. “Say my name again,” I growl.

“Holden,” she moans, her voice breaking, and it’s the most beautiful fucking sound I’ve ever heard.

Her body tightens around me, and I know she’s close. My movements grow rougher, more deliberate, pushing her to the edge.

“That’s it,” I murmur, coaxing. “Let go, baby. Come for me.”

Her body stiffens, her head falling back as a scream rips from her throat. I hold her steady, driving her through it, her release drawing me deeper into her until I’m unraveling too, the force of it obliterating every thought, every restraint.

When the storm finally subsides, we’re both shaking, our breaths mingling in the charged silence. I press a kiss to her shoulder, my lips lingering as I savor the feel of her against me.

For a moment, it’s just us as the rest of the world fades away.

Then reality creeps back in, unrelenting.

I pull away, slipping the condom off and tying it before tossing it in the nearby trash. She turns to face me, her expression a mix of satisfaction and something deeper, something unspoken.

“You okay?” I ask, my voice softer now, the edge gone.

She nods, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “I think I broke you.”

A low chuckle escapes me as I brush a strand of hair from her face. “Don’t hate me tomorrow.”

The weight of my words hangs between us, heavy and charged.

We crossed a line we can never uncross tonight. She doesn’t respond, but the look in her eyes tells me she knows it too.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Arden

Iwake up alone, naked, and sore.

The sheets are cool against my skin, but my warm body thrums with reminders of last night. Holden. His hands, his mouth, the way he looked at me like he owned every inch of me.

We went a few more rounds, and every single one was better than the last. I thought it would be enough, but all it did was leave me wanting more.

I shove the memory away, sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My muscles ache in places I hadn’t thought about in years, but I ignore the pain, reaching for my clothes.

It was a one-night stand. Nothing more. I’ve had plenty before, and this one doesn’t get to be different just because it’s him.

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