Page 12 of Second

“I know.” Her hands found their way to his chest, her fingers splaying over the hard planes of muscle. She tilted her head, her gaze locking onto his. “But I don’t care.”

A growl rumbled low in his throat, his resolve crumbling beneath the weight of her confession and the blistering heat of his need for her. He captured her mouth with his, the kiss fierce, claiming, acollision of lust and desperation. She met him with equal fervor, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. The bond surged, atidal wave of shared desire and emotion that swept them both under.

He lifted her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around his waist as he carried her to the makeshift bed in the corner of the chamber. The power of the energy field surrounding them faded into insignificance as he laid her down, his body covering hers, shielding her, groundingher.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered against her lips, his voice a strained plea. “If you are not sure, tell me now.”

She answered with a soft moan, her hands roaming over his shoulders, his back, her nails leaving trails of fire in their wake. “Don’t you dare stop,” she whispered, her words a challenge and aplea.

He groaned, his mouth finding the pulse at her throat, his teeth grazing her skin just enough to make her gasp. His hands explored her, reverent and possessive, tracing the curves and dips of her body, committing every inch of her to memory. She was his salvation and his undoing, and he wanted to give her everything.

The shirt covering her was the first to go, his fingers deftly sliding it up her body and tugging it over her head to reveal smooth, pale skin, marred by the bruises the Marauders had inflicted on her. He kissed his way down her collarbone, her sternum, pausing at the swell of her breasts. Gentle. Careful. She arched beneath him, asoft cry escaping her lips as he took one taut peak into his mouth, his tongue circling, teasing, until she writhed beneathhim.

Her hands fumbled with the clasps of his armor, desperate to feel him, to strip away the barriers between them. He helped her, shedding the layers of protective gear, leaving his chest bare, his bronze skin gleaming in the dim light. Her hands roamed freely now, exploring the hard planes of his chest, the ridges of muscle that flexed beneath her touch.

“So beautiful,” she murmured, her voice thick with wonder and desire.

“You are the one who is beautiful,” he countered, his lips trailing lower, over the curve of her abdomen, pausing just aboveher mound. “Elara, I...” He hesitated, the weight of what they were about to do pressing against his chest.

She reached down, her fingers brushing his jaw, urging him to look at her. “I trust you,” she said softly. “I want this. Iwant you.”

Her words undid him. With a growl, he swept downward, his hands and mouth worshipping every inch of her as if she were the only thing anchoring him to this universe. And perhaps shewas.

He paused, his breath warm against the delicate curve of her inner thigh. Her body trembled beneath him, her anticipation radiating through the bond in waves that sent a surge of heat straight to hiscore.

“Elara,” he murmured, his voice heavy with need. “Let me have you.”

Her breath hitched, her fingers tangling in his hair as she nodded, unable to form words. He spread her legs gently, his hands firm yet tender as they caressed the sensitive skin of her thighs. He pressed a kiss to the apex of her thigh, then finding her clit and caressing it with mouth and tongue. Her soft moan sent a thrill through him, his restraint unraveling as he let himself sink intoher.

His tongue traced a languid path over her most sensitive flesh, his every movement deliberate and unhurried. He savored her taste, the sweet and intoxicating essence of her that ignited something primal within him. She gasped, her hips arching toward him, seeking more, and he gave it to her, his mouth and tongue exploring her with a fervor that left her breathless. Dipping. Seeking. Claiming.

“Zar’Ryn,” she whimpered, her voice a desperate plea that spurred himon.

The bond between them flared, her pleasure echoing through him, amplifying his own. He drew her clit into his mouth, teasing it with gentle suction and the flick of his tongue until her cries grew louder, her body taut with the impending wave of release.

He wanted to give her more. Far more. He slid a thick finger into her channel, curving it slightly to brush repeatedly against the rough spot he found within.

Her hands clutched at the sheets beneath her, her head tossing back as she shattered, her climax ripping through her with a force that left her shaking helplessly, her voice caught tight within her throat until a scream fought free. He stayed with her through it, his mouth never leaving her until her cries subsided into soft, breathless murmurs of hisname.

He rose slowly, his lips brushing her inner thigh one last time before he moved to cradle her against his chest. Her body was pliant, her breathing uneven as she nestled into him, her fingers tracing idle patterns on hisskin.

“That was...” she began, her voice soft, uncertain.

“Everything,” he finished, his lips brushing the top of her head. “You are everything, Elara.”

She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “And you, Zar’Ryn. You’re everything I never knew I needed.”

They curled together for a short time, the desperate desire that drove them to each other momentarily sated. But the contentment didn’t last long. Zar’Ryn’s breath deepened, his heartrate increasing. He groaned softly.

She lifted onto an elbow, staring in concern. “You need more, don’t you.”

He gritted his teeth. “I will fight it.”

Elara shook her head. “You don’t need to fight it.”

“I refuse to take you. Not when it is thesevexxingbracelets. It is taking a woman against her will and that goes against everything an Intergalactic Warrior stands for.” His words escaped in harsh, rough gasps.

“You gave me relief. Was that against your will?”

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