Page 69 of Brutal Birthright

But fear triumphed. She took the cowardly route instead.

“Nothing.” More lies.

“You’re lying, little faerie.” Rowan’s big fingers flexed to squeeze the front of her neck.

It couldn’t be possible.

“I’m surprised you know how to kiss, is all, brute.” Her fingers dug tighter against his chest. “Seeing as you never kiss, it’s a miracle you know what you’re doing.”

That bought her another scorching look. A raised eyebrow. Powerful fingers tugged on the hair at her nape and held her captive.

“I didn’t say I never do… I just don’t make a habit of it with fae.” He spat the words out and jealousy slithered up her spine. The mere thought of him being with other fae… all those who he might not have kissed, but had most likely done plenty of other things with.

I don’t need to kiss you to know how you taste.

Ri’s entire world as she knew it was crashing around her ears. That single moment their lips first touched had changed every-fucking-thing.

Her heart thudded in the back of her throat.

“Fine. Whatever. You know what, I changed my mind—”

He cut her off ruthlessly. Ignoring the words tumbling out as he sealed his lips over hers again. Capturing her breath and taking her mouth roughly this time. Demanding every inch of her to yield to his full attention.

Fuck. Yes.

Ri’s entire body glowed and sparked to life. The tightened buds of her nipples pressed against her top. Every subtle shift of their bodies against one another dragged the material over the sensitive peaks. Winding her desire into a tight spiral.

This time, as Rowan kissed her, she was more aware of everything. Of him. The glide of his tongue over hers. Dancing and tangling and lapping at her, with little nips at her bottom lip in between that made her pussy clench.

She whimpered as he sucked on her tongue, and that only stoked the intensity of his fire.

Rowan was heat and sex and purely carnal in the way he held her securely beneath him. Groaning with pleasure when he felt her pulse begin to race harder beneath his palm.

He began walking her backwards, both hands still wrapped tight around her neck as he kissed her so deeply she lost all sense of time. It was like he was making up for eons… lifetimes… all those lost moments when he’d never allowed himself something as potent as this.

Did he realise?

Surely not.

He had a choice—whereas she was bound by something uniquely terrifying.

Ri’s soul soared and cartwheeled and descended into a screaming freefall. She had to stay anchored in this moment and only this. Not allowing herself to even think for a second about what she now knew for certain.

Behind her, something solid halted their blind progress across the room. Her ass hit a table, and Rowan lifted her onto it in one effortless motion using one hand to grasp the back of her thigh. His bulk and frame pinned her there, standing between her legs and still gripping onto her throat with such fierce possessiveness it made her greedy heart preen inside her chest.

He drew back. The familiar, captivating blue of his eyes burned right through her as he rested his forehead against hers. She could see his chest rising and falling just as rapidly as her own.

At least she wasn’t the only one falling apart.

“I couldn’t fucking stay away.” He murmured. “I tried. Believe me, I did.”

“Why did you?” She didn’t want him to stay away. No matter how reckless it was to admit that.

He pulled back. Looking down at her with something unreadable in his darkened gaze. “Why? You’re asking me why I wasn’t there? Because, little faerie, I feel like I can’t even fucking breathe without seeing your face. Every moment I’m not near you, my lungs burn, and it is impossible to concentrate on anything except knowing that you are safe. It aches somewhere deep in the marrow of my very bones to know I can’t touch you whenever I want to. So, you’re honestly going to sit there and ask me why I wasn’t here? When the entire academy has been crawling all over you, and there’s not been one moment when you’re not being watched?”

Deep in her core she felt the surge of desire rise like the crest of a wave.

Rowan leant forward, tugging her bottom lip between his teeth. Leaving her shuddering beneath him.

---