Page 31 of Savage Bond

“Please—”

The orgasm tears through me raw, vicious, wringing a sob from my chest. He doesn’t slow. Doesn’t care. Just grunts like a beast as he flips me onto my back, drives back in.

“Again.”

My nails rake down his scarred chest. “Bastard— can’t— ah!“

He pins my wrists, leans close enough to share air. “Say it.”

Our eyes lock. His pupils drown in desire. Fuck it.

“Please… don’t stop.“

He snarls, pace turning punishing. I see his control fracture—feel his rhythm stutter—before heat floods me in thick, pulsing waves. His head drops to my sweat-slicked collarbone. A shudder runs through him.

Silence, save for the storm’s dying rasp.

CHAPTER 19

KAIRON

Ipush through the underbrush, every step a reminder of the chaos left behind. Sunlight filters down in sharp rays, slicing through the damp air. The jungle is quieter today, like it’s holding its breath. Something hangs in the stillness, but I don’t dare look back.

The weight of my sword rests comfortably against my back. A familiar presence that grounds me, reminds me of who I am—what I am. Each stride feels deliberate, unforgiving. My muscles work in a rhythm I’ve perfected over years of survival.

I hear Ava behind me—her footsteps softer, tentative. A small part of me wants to glance back, check on her. But I won’t.

Not after last night.

Her voice echoes in my mind, still raw and vivid. The way she looked at me—like I could be more than just a killer; like there was something worth salvaging beneath the layers of blood and scars. It unsettles me, rattling around like loose bolts in a war machine.

Focus.

The jungle thins as we move forward. Shadows stretch across the ground, casting strange shapes on the mud-slicked path.With each passing moment, the air shifts; anticipation thickens between us without words or glances.

I keep my gaze fixed ahead—never on her.

But still, I listen for her breathing—a steady rhythm that anchors me to this fragile alliance we’ve formed out here in the wilds. I sense her frustration simmering just beneath the surface, but silence wraps around us both like a shroud.

The silence between us isn’t comfortable. It’s brittle. Sharp.

I push forward, my senses on high alert. Every rustle in the underbrush, every distant call of wildlife pulls at my instincts. It should help to have the tension between us hanging like a storm cloud; it doesn’t.

We crest a rise, and there it is—a village nestled into a shallow valley. The homes, crafted from moss-covered stone and wrapped in vines, blend seamlessly with the jungle around them. Thick roots snake around the structures like ancient fingers, holding them fast against the earth. Smoke rises lazily from chimneys, twisting up into the canopy where sunlight fights to penetrate.

Ava lingers beside me, her eyes scanning the scene below. I can feel her relief radiating off her like heat waves in the jungle air.

“Humans,” she breathes out, almost reverently.

I study the villagers as they move about their tasks—lean figures in loose clothing that sways as they walk. Children chase each other, laughter bubbling up amid clucks from chickens pecking at the ground nearby. The earthy scent of rootfire mixes with damp soil, creating an intoxicating aroma that pulls at something deep inside me—something I don’t want to acknowledge.

Ava steps closer to the edge of our vantage point, drinking it all in. I stay back, instincts prickling as I scan for anything useful: tech? Defenses? But all I see are crude tools scatteredabout and thatched roofs swaying gently in the wind. People watch us from doorways and windows like ghosts staring out of fog—curious yet cautious.

I grunt in frustration.

“Primitive,” I mutter under my breath. “No systems. No comms. We’re wasting time.”

Ava turns to me, a frown knitting her brows together. “They might be able to help us,” she counters softly.

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