Page 39 of Unravelled
He let out a sharp, humorless laugh, his voice rough, breaking. “I loved it to the point that I couldn’t fucking breathe.” His hips rocked into her again, his movements slow but devastating, every shift of his body sending a shudder through her. “I told myself I’d keep my distance. But then I saw that stunning smile directed at him, looking up at him like you...”
He cut himself off with a groan, pressing his forehead against hers. His fingers flexed, his voice barely more than a breath. He let out a quiet curse, his head tipping back for a moment before he met her gaze again. He surged forward,capturing her lips in a bruising kiss. His hands roamed, gripping, claiming, pressing her harder against the cold stone as if he could melt into her, as if he needed to.
Mira met him with equal ferocity, her fingers tangling in his hair, her legs tightening around his waist, pulling himcloser. Their bodies moved together in a fierce, intoxicating rhythm, grinding against each other, the friction sparking heat between them. Every roll of his hips sent shudders through her, pleasure pooling low in her belly, winding tighter with each deliberate movement.
He tore his lips from hers with a ragged breath. “Mira,” he groaned, his voice frayed, his breath uneven. His fingers dug into her skin, his restraint slipping further, his body moving against hers with more purpose, more need.
Her head fell back against the wall, her mouth parting as pleasure surged through her. He took the opportunity, his lips trailing down her chest, teeth scraping, sucking at the delicate skin, leaving more marks. She gasped, her nails raking down his back through his jacket, needing more, needing everything.
“You wanted me to break,” he rasped against her neck, his voice dark, heady. “Congratulations, Mira.” He thrust against her, sharper this time, making her moan. "You win.”
She clung to him, her pulse wild as she moved with him, chasing the pressure, the sensation coiling tight inside her. The heat between them was unbearable now, a fire raging, unstoppable, pushing them both closer to the edge.
She cursed and his movements turning frantic, desperate. His breath on her was hot, erratic, his hands gripping her like she was the only thing keeping him tethered to the earth.
“Mira,” His voice broke, “I can’t,” His jaw clenched, his entire body taut.
“Don’t stop,” she breathed, her voice almost a plea, her nails digging into his shoulders as she rocked against him harder, faster. The coil inside her tightened, about to snap.
Pleasure crashed over them, sharp and consuming, sending a shuddering cry past her lips. He followed an instant later, a strangled groan tearing from his throat as he ground himself against her, his entire body trembling.
They stayed like that, breathing hard, wrapped up in each other, their bodies still shaking in the aftermath. He pressed a lingering kiss against her shoulder, his grip on her hips gentling, though he didn’t let her go. Mira swallowed, her pulse still racing, her limbs weak. She felt his breath against her skin, still uneven, still shaken. Finally, after a heavy silence, he let out a breathless laugh, his lips brushing against her neck.
???
Ren’s voice echoed in her ears, pulling her back."Mira…"
His forehead rested against hers, his breath unsteady, his grip on her hips gentling but not letting go. His touch still anchored her, grounding her in a moment that felt like it was slipping through her fingers. His eyes burned into hers, searching, waiting. She blinked, her pulse pounding, her mind tangled in the haze of heat, of memory, of something.
"Did I..." she hesitated, pulse thrumming as the weight of the question pressed against her ribs. Was it the way she danced with him? The way her laughter lingered too long, her body too close? The doubt curled in her stomach, sharp and rising.
"Did I make you think ... that I wanted..." Her voice faltered. "Did I use you? To get under Tharion’s skin?"
Ren stilled. His expression didn’t shift, but something flickered behind his eyes. Pain, maybe. Disbelief. The air between them tightened.
“Mira.” He said her name like a plea.
"Tell me." Her voice came sharper this time, edged with annoyance.
Ren’s jaw tightened, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. His grip on her hips flexed, but he didn’t step away. Didn’t let her go.
"No," Ren said quietly, but there was steel beneath the softness. "You didn’t use me. I knew what I was doing." his voice steady but low.
A rush of relief, sharp and fleeting, before the weight of what she had just done slammed into her. Until now. A sick, twisting ache unfurled in her stomach. Mira shoved at his chest and staggered to the side. Desperate to create space between them, between the reality of what she had just let happen.
"No... what have we...?" The words slipped for her, ragged and raw. Her chest rose and fell too fast, panic threading through the haze.
Ren reached for her, his face open now, concern etched in every line. "Mira,"
"Don’t!" Her voice cracked, her fingers curling into fists as rage, at herself, at him, at this entire Navigator-damned situation, burned through her like fire.
"I, " She dragged in a shuddering breath, trying to quell the sharp sting in her chest, in her ribs, in her very soul.
What had she done? She had kissed him and let him touch her. And now, she could never take it back. Her breath hitched, shallow and sharp. She turned away,pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes, trying to think, trying to breathe. The betrayal, her betrayal, coiled tight inside her, suffocating.
Tharion was still recovering. Still fevered, bruised, wounded. And she had been out here, tangled in another’s hands, letting herself forget the shape of her loyalty. Of what they were to each other. She had been faithful. Even without her memories, she had been faithful.
Until tonight. A sound escaped her, something ragged and small. Shame prickled across her skin like a scorching fire. She could still feel the warmth of Ren’s mouth on hers, the ghost of his hands at her waist, the touch that had once comforted now turned cruel by what it had cost.
