Page 33 of Within Shadows
“Dammit, woman. You promised,” he snaps, stomping through the room. The backdoor thuds against the wall as he storms outside, and I sprint through the door, closing it behind me as I blow out a breath I was holding. My heart is pounding now, and I realize I may have made a slight mistake. Now he is going to be pissed when he finally catches me. The thought makes me smile, because without any doubt, I know Knox would never hurt me.
I trust him.I stop, frowning around the dim room. How can I trust somebody who worked so hard to screw with my head? No, that’s not entirely what happened. Knox wanted me—so badly that he hid part of who he really is. What if he had told me the truth and I ruined everything for him? His anonymity, the life he’s worked so hard to build—it would be ruined if I ended up being another crazy fan. Now is not the time to debate with myself; I could have a moral dilemma while lying in bed late at night like a normal person.
A bed sits against the far wall, with a dark blanket folded neatly back, next to a small bedside table. The closet is open and empty, aside from a stack of blankets and some empty hangers. I crouch low and peer under the bed, sighing in relief when I see that it’s empty. The only hiding space and it’s an obvious one, but I don’t have many options. The house rattles with the force of a door slamming, and I let out a soft squeak, scrabbling to hide.
“Thalia!” My name is shouted, a warning of what’s coming. “You’re playing a dangerous game.” The threat comes from what sounds like the stairs, and I press a hand to my lips, scooting sideways until I can stare at the bottom of the door. The subtle creak lets me know my guess was right and his steps are getting louder. A door slams to the wall and I start holding my breath. By the time he checks the third room, my entire body is buzzing and alive.
All sound stops as his shadow darkens beneath the door and he slowly pushes it open. My heart is thundering so loud, I’m almost sure he can hear it. He takes slow, calculated steps around the bed, stopping to my right. I inch away, trying to get closer to the door. Knox drops to the floor, and his hand shoots beneath the bed.
I scream and kick as his hand wraps around my ankle, dragging me closer. I finally manage to wrench free and crawl out from under the bed, but Knox catches me. He pins me to the ground with his body, forcing my legs apart with his knee as he grips the back of my neck.
“Do you have any idea how afraid I was? That you had ran outside in your fucking panties and thatsomeonehad taken you from me?” He’s breathing hard, his words strained as his hand shakes. He doesn’t squeeze hard enough to hurt me, but I can hear the fear in his voice.
“Now look at who has the trust issues.” I turn my head, smirking at him over my shoulder. Knox doesn’t smile though, his frown deep as he stands and lifts me, throwing me over his shoulder. The air rushes from my lungs with a loudoof, and Knox slaps my ass, the sting instantly makes my body stiffen. This time, he doesn’t bother to massage away the pain as he carries me down the stairs, into his bedroom, and drops me onto his bed. I see a flash of fur rush out the door just before Knox kicks it shut.Thanks for protecting me, Atticus.
I brush my hair out of my face, glaring at him until I see the look in his eyes. There’s a predatory gleam, a part of him that enjoyed the chase as much as I did. He reaches for my ankle and I flip onto my hands and knees, trying to crawl away. Knox lets out a deep laugh, something cold and twisted, as he grabs my ankle and drags me towards him.
Before I can scream, there’s a burning sensation on my hips as my panties are ripped from my body, and I twist to face him with wide eyes. Knox dangles my panties to taunt me, rubbing his fingers over the fabric. He throws them to the ground and grips my thighs, forcing my legs open. The sharp intake of breath from Knox makes me writhe as I try to close my legs, but his fingers dig into my thighs and stop me.
“You are fucking soaked, muse. Look at how wet you get, trying to run and hide from me.” He hums, hand pushing higher until he stops at the top of my thigh. His knuckles brush across my wet slit, and I hold my breath, fighting the urge to grind against his hand.
“Do you like when I chase you, dragging you back to take what belongs to me?” he asks, his fingertips push harder, and I suck in a breath, nodding.
“Use your words, my little muse.” He pulls his hand away, and I can’t stop from groaning at the loss of contact, no matter how small.
“Yes, I like it. Because I know you won't hurt me.” The confession pours out and I bury my face in the blanket, trying to hide my red face. Knox is completely still and silent for so long that I wish I could take the words back.
“Never do that again, do you hear me? If you want me to chase you, then tell me.” His tone is serious, and I sigh, nodding while still avoiding looking at him. He pulls away and I sit up, turning to face him, but stop when I see the look of triumph in his eyes. Reaching behind his head, Knox pulls his shirt off and throws itto the ground. My eyes take him in, the way his arms flex as he pushes the waistband of his pants down.
He moves so slowly that I’m sure it’s to torture me, but I grip the hem of my shirt and watch every little movement. My thighs are clenched so tight that circulation to my clit may very well get cut off at any moment. When his cock springs free, I start to second guess my choice in this. Thick cocks are my favorite, but there’s no chance I can even come close to wrapping one hand around it, and my jaw may dislocate if I drop to my knees.
His confidence doesn’t waver as he steps out of his pants, eyes locked on my face as he lazily strokes himself, head tilting with a groan. This man is about to break me in half, and I’m going to let him.
Chapter 21
Maeve
Knox steps forward and kneels, gripping my knees as he wrenches them apart and lifts, draping my legs over his shoulders. He places one gentle kiss onto my clit, and I hold my breath. With one hand, he scrapes his hand beneath my shirt and up my chest, pressing until I lie back. His palm is over my heart, and I know he can feel the erratic beats. Warm breath puffs out across me a moment before his tongue drags across my pussy, flicking at my clit in a way that makes my back arch off the bed.
“This is the paradise men search the world for, and you’re all mine,” Knox says breathlessly. His tongue devours me, plunging inside before swirling over the sensitive bundle of nerves. My hands slide through his long hair as I grip the strands at an almost punishing intensity. Knox groans, the sound reverberating against me and stealing away any hesitation I may have had. My body crests higher, closer to the release I’m craving, and he never falters or slows. I clamp a hand over my mouth, trying to smother the sharp whimpers he draws from me, but Knox lurches up, snatching my wrist and pinning it to the bed.
“Don’t hide from me, Thalia. Those sounds are mine, and I want to hear you fucking sing for me.” Backing his words, he plunges two fingers inside of me, curling them as he sucks on my clit. I grip his hair tighter with one hand while digging the other into the sheets as I writhe beneath him, my orgasm ripping through me. His name is a cry, a plea, and a prayer all in one as it tumbles from my lips.
Aftershocks make me twitch when he pulls free, the smug smile on his face hot enough to burn to my core. He makes a show of sucking his fingers clean while staring down at me with adoration and hunger.
“I could spend an eternity feasting on you, never once coming up for air.” He groans and leaps at me, his arms sliding beneathme as he rolls across the bed. Before I can blink, I’m halfway across the bed, with Knox rubbing his throbbing cock against my clit. He leans close, kissing me softly until I brush my tongue against his, and Knox shivers. I roll my hips and grind against him as I bite his lip.
“I’m trying to hold back and take this slow, muse.” His voice is strained, and I smile, brushing my nose against his ear.
“What if I don’t want you to hold back?” I purr. Knox chuckles, gripping my hip with one hand as he lines himself up with me, slowly pushing inside of me. The burn of stretching around him makes me flinch and he stills, massaging my hip.
“Just keep breathing and relax. You’re doing so good,” he praises, and I swear, if I had a tail, it would be wagging. Knox reaches between us and presses against my clit, swirling his fingers as I rock my hips against him. The motion drives him deeper, and Knox hisses in a breath as I cry out.
“Please, Knox, I need you to move. Fuck me.” I bite out the words, borderline begging. He shakes his head but thrusts slowly, pushing deeper until his hips smack against my thighs.
“If I hurt you, or if you want to stop, our safe word is ‘shadow’,” he grits out, thrusting forward as he fights to hold my gaze, gripping my chin and forcing my head back. I nod far too enthusiastically, and he smiles, kissing me with enough passion to take my breath away. He pulls back, driving forward as his cock hits right where I need him.
My nails dig into his shoulders as I rock my hips, meeting every thrust that lands harder and faster than the last. Knox pounds into me, the pain now replaced with mind numbing pleasure that consumes me. The smell of his shampoo, mixed with our sweat and musk, adds to the sensation, and when Knox moans, I nearly lose all control.
