Page 5 of Marked By His Touch

“Not yet,” he groans, his voice a guttural growl as he pounds into me, our bodies sweaty, moving in a perfect rhythm against each other. I moan loudly in delight. My breast’s friction against the cheap, wannabe-silky sheets adds another layer of pleasure as he grabs my breast, squeezing it, the nipple intertwined between his thumb and index finger. He’s rubbing it, a rough, demanding touch that sends waves of sensation through me. It’s getting sore, swollen from pain, yet I want more, I need more, I need him.

He sticks two fingers back in my slit, double penetrating me. He grunts, “Fuck yes, Ava. So—-tight.”

I nod in compliance, slurping up his feelings, filling my holes with his thickness. The feeling is beyond anything I could ever imagine.

Magical, hot, perfection.

“Oh, yes,” he moans between gritted teeth as he hammers into me. It’s too much, and I can’t take it anymore. I rip out the cloth from my mouth, and I explode in a fury of colors; my nerveendings are on fire, and I squirt against him, throbbing and jolting through me.

“Shit, you’re squirting, Ava,” he says; I can almost hear the smile on his lips as his body stiffens, emptying himself in my tightness, slapping my butt cheek one last time, leaving a searing mark of pain and pleasure on my backside.

Marking me by his touch, there’s a burning fire within me, a blend of hotness, desire, and deep, primal love. He collapses on top of me, staying inside of me, and I feel him empty all of him.

He whispers in my ear, “Oh fuck, Ava. You’re so—perfect.” He closes his body around me, his breathing ragged. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I groan, every inch of my body relaxing, enjoying the feeling after I’ve come around him and on him.

He places a gentle kiss on my hair.

I send him a wry smile. “What do we do about a shower?” I mock, my voice a little breathless.

“I have no freakin’ clue,” Alexander says. He’s still inside me, his body heavy and warm, a comforting weight against mine. He shifts, and I feel his hand gently tracing the curve of my back. He turns me around as he exits, and his eyes meet mine, that piercing blue that always seems to see right through me.

There’s a tenderness in those eyes that doesn’t quite match the roughness of his touch. He hugs me tight, his body a shield against the world.

“My Ava,” he murmurs, his voice rough with emotion. He rubs his nose against my hair, the gesture as familiar as a heartbeat.

I see the pain he’s trying to hide in his eyes. It’s like a storm brewing behind his gaze, one he’s desperately trying to contain. But I don’t mention it. Not right now. Not when the heat of his body still lingers against mine. I don’t want to spoil the mood.

Not yet.

A muffled groan echoes from the bathroom, barely audible over the hum of the motel’s air conditioner. Alexander rises, a shadow crossing his face as he goes to investigate. He returns a moment later, the tension still etched on his features. “He’s still out,” he says, sliding into the bed beside me, “Just the plumbing giving way.”

We’re not safe here, are we?

My skin prickles with a thousand tiny needles. The intruder’s attack flashes before my eyes. I can still feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I glance at the bathroom door.

My hand unconsciously reaches for Alexander’s arm. He’s a safety net, but he’s also a reminder of my vulnerability. What if I had been alone here? Had Alexander been out? Would I be dead? Kidnapped? I don’t know.

I hate how weak I am.

It’s like a nagging discomfort, a stone in my shoe, a constant reminder that I’m not as strong as I pretend to be. A shadow flickers across my face, but I quickly mask it with a smile. I don’t want to worry him.

Enjoy the moment, Ava.

This moment, this stolen pleasure is the magical danger we inhabit. And it is a world I’m willing to explore and accept as long as he is by my side. What I’m not able to accept is The Raven threatening Sarah.

“Fuck the shower,” I say, closing my eyes, inhaling his scent. “Let’s go to Port Haven.”

Alexander nods, pulling on his jeans. “I’ll need a suit.”

I nod, “And eventually, a shower.”

Chapter 2

The Long Drive

The highway stretchesbefore us like a grey ribbon snaking through a landscape of muted browns and greens. The sky is vast and overcast. The wind whistles through the open window, carrying the scent of exhaust fumes and dust.

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