Page 55 of Shattered Vows

He stares into my eyes the entire time. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. It’s as if a tether is connecting his gaze to mine, and it rocks me because I see a depth of feeling in his eyes I wasn’t sure he could ever feel for me again.

Within minutes, he’s no longer holding back. The first flutters of my climax deepen in my womb, and Kol’s must be close too because he brings his one hand between us and strokes my clit. My back arches, and my breathing picks up while Kol watches me, almost studying my reaction. The sensation rises, rises, and rises until there’s no way for me to hold off.

My orgasm hits me like a rolling tide, and I scream out, fingertips pushing into Kol’s skin.

“Oh fuck, I can feel you coming. I’m gonna…” His voice is rough and shakes as he spills inside me.

He holds himself there, tucking his face into my neck again and breathing me in. He twitches inside me with the last traces of his orgasm. Then he pulls out of me, rolling off to my side.

I immediately miss the feeling of him between my legs. He pulls me into his chest and wraps his arms around me, saying nothing. Though I want this moment to last forever, it’s not long until the steady tempo of his heart lulls me to sleep.

I don’t know how long I drift off for, but I wake up wrapped in Kol’s arms.

His hand lazily coasts down my arm. “How are you feeling?”

I tilt my head up to look at him. “A little tender, but okay.” I position myself on my elbow so I’m looking down at him, tracing a fingertip down his chest. “I liked it. The parts that didn’t hurt anyway. I’m guessing it gets better from here.”

Amusement flicks in his eyes. “It does. But plenty of time for that. You need to heal, so it’ll be at least a few days before I’m bending you over and taking you from behind.”

Kol’s words make my insides clench.

His face grows serious. “How do you feel about what we did downstairs?”

“I want to do that again too.”

A small smile lifts his lips. “You do?”

I nod. “I wasn’t sure whether I would like it or not, but it turned me on to have all those people watching. To know that they were turned on because of me… us.” My cheeks heat at the word us, though I don’t know why after everything we’ve just done.

“Guess I’ll have to think of something for us to do next month then.” He groans and rubs the top of his head with his palm, looking at the ceiling. “Fuck.”

I frown. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m going to be preoccupied with this for the next month, picturing all the things I could do to you.”

My anxiety eases. “Just know that I’m a willing participant.”

Without warning, he rolls us so he’s over me again, and I yelp. “Good… we’re going to have a lot of fun checking things off the list.”

I stare into his eyes, smiling, but at the same time, I’m wondering if that’s all this is for him…fun. Because I know it’s not for me, even if it might have started that way. The way I’ve been feeling for him lately… no. I force myself to stop those thoughts right where they are. I’m not going to ruin this moment.

“Can’t wait.” I run my hand up his arm with the lion tattoo, for the first time studying it up close. “Why did you decide to get a lion tattoo?”

My question is innocent enough, but when pain flashes on his face, and he rolls off of me to lie at my side, I know I’ve stepped into unwelcome territory. Sometimes talking to him feels like walking through a minefield, but damn do I want to diffuse each one.

At first, I don’t think he’s going to answer me. But then he sighs and speaks. “My mom used to call me her little lion.” He gives me a sad smile.

“How come?” Maybe I shouldn’t pry further.

“She always said I had too much pride, but that I had a lot of courage and wanted to protect the people I cared about. That I always wanted to be the dominant one of my brothers when we were all together, even if I wasn’t the oldest. Growing up, I kept my hair long and she always used to say it reminded her of a lion’s mane because of how thick it was.” A bemused little laugh leaves his lips.

“Look at you now.” I run my hand over his shaved head.

He takes my hand and kisses my palm. “That’s why I joined the military—because of everything she said, I figured I would be suited to that kind of life and because I thought it would make her proud. Well, that and to get away from Midnight Manor and all the memories here.”

My chest squeezes at the reminder of everything he went through as a child.

“But now you’re back,” I say softly.

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