Page 51 of Ruthless Reign

He drew back, his heavy lidded eyes showing pain. Pain at how hard he was holding himself back. He panted, moaning his pleasure and fuck, had I fucking mentioned how downright panty-soaking it was when a man knew how to make noise in the bedroom?

He lifted my right knee, getting a deeper angle, rolling his hips as he fucked me. Then his other hand was around my neck and he was drawing my face to his, kissing me softly, deeply.

And we weren’t fucking anymore. Kaleb made love to me and the next time he moaned against my mouth I knew I was a fucking goner.

I cried out into his mouth, and he cursed against mine, his grip on my neck tightening as he broke the kiss in favor of looking into my eyes.

“Come with me?” he begged, his beautiful face crumpling, and as he poured into me, I found my release, too. He rocked all the way to the hilt into me as I came and I clutched at him, clinging to the sensations fluttering through me as long as I could.

Until our breathing started to even out. Until my heart stopped trying to beat right out of my chest.

Kaleb pulled up the covers and tucked me into his arms. I burrowed my face into the warmth of his chest through the blanket, sighing softly as he traced errant circles into my arm.

It was so quiet. Peaceful.

So naturally, I had to ruin it.

“What are you thinking?”

His fingertips against my skin froze.

“Kaleb?”

I didn’t dare look at him. Something told me I shouldn’t have asked. Why did I ask?

He dropped his hand against my arm and I heard his heart skip a beat before he spoke. “I was thinking that I might be falling madly in love with you.”

She didn’t say it back.

It wasn’t what should’ve been permeating my thoughts as I got my ass up and showered. I didn’t need to be wondering if she made us coffee and breakfast while I was washing her off my cock because she felt guilty.

Or overthinking every goddamn word out of my mouth to her. Every touch. Speculating whether she didn’t say it back because she maybe thought that it meant something it didn’t. Like that if she loved me she couldn’t love Hardin.

My brother didn’t seem to have any issue more than he did with life in general this morning and I damn well know he heard us.

I should’ve been thinking about tonight, and what awaited us in the canyons. Not to mention how fucking angry she might be when I told her we were leaving her with the Crows. Maybe she’d be happy about it. She was always talking about how much she missed her best friend, right?

Fuck, I was overthinking everything and being awkward as shit.

I was the one who sucked the awkward out of situations, but here I was, king of awkward. Making a bad situation worse.

Where’s my motherfucking crown?

The drive to Thorn Valley was mostly quiet. Hardin and I took some calls from Dad through the Bronco, letting him know where we were. Making plans for how, when, and where to return to once we made the ‘trade’ in Thorn Valley.

Becca didn’t even question it. She probably thought we were trading something for the guns, not someone.

Maybe she’ll be relieved she doesn’t have to come, I reasoned, not really believing my own bullshit.

“Is this it?” I asked, gesturing to the tall iron gates with a raised brow.

Becca nodded in the rearview. “Yeah. That’s the place. It was her aunt’s but she inherited it when the old bag kicked it.”

No love lost there, I guess?

“Didn’t think she’d move in, though,” Becca murmured under her breath, sitting up to get a better look as I buzzed the intercom.

The sound of a throat being cleared on the other end came through the speaker. “Password?” came Rook’s voice, and I shook my head.

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