Page 61 of Unhinged

I shudder, but my arousal increases. “I don’t know what I feel. All I know is I’ve never wanted anything more than you.”

He drops the knife to the ground and groans, kissing me. The metallic taste of my blood still lingers on his tongue, and I’m shocked that the taste only drives me higher. My desire is becoming so intense it feels like it will destroy me. And then he thrusts again, harder and faster. Our bodies come together in a clash of skin against skin.

I pull at the restraints around my wrists, the rope chaffing my skin. A moan tumbles from my lips as the depravity drives me wild. I’m broken, and yet it feels like Taren is the key to fixing me. Or maybe he’s just the only person who’s seen the real me. The broken and fucked up me, and he’s accepting it.

“You’re a naughty little bird, aren’t you?” Taren growls into my ear, sending a thrill through my veins. “Do you like that? Being tied up, at my mercy? Being cut and branded?” His words ignite something within me, a primal desire.

He slams into me with long, slow, and hard strokes. “Say it,” he urges. “Say you’re mine.” He smiles against the skin on my neck. “Say that I’m the only man that will ever be inside you again.”

I gasp. All the air leaves my body in a sudden rush. My pulse quickens, my heart beating like a wild drum. I look into his eyes, which are dark with desire and wild possession. And at that moment, I know I belong to this man. Not just my body but my soul as well. It’s terrifying and exhilarating.

“Yes,” I admit, my voice a whisper. I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. “Yes, Taren. You own me. My body, my soul, all of it.” I drag my fingers down his scarred, tattooed skin. “You, and only you. Always.”

He growls and then kisses me, fucking me harder and faster. I moan, my hips lifting from the bed to meet each thrust. Our movements synchronize as our connection becomes raw, animalistic, and unlike anything I’d ever known.

His lips are rough and demanding against mine, his tongue exploring the depths of my mouth as if he’s claiming every inch of me.

“I love hearing you say that,” he murmurs between thrusts, his gaze never leaving mine. “You’re mine, all mine.”

I can feel the strength of his conviction, his need to make me feel loved and cherished. We may not have admitted our feelings out loud, but we don’t need to. I feel it in the way he looks at me.

I respond to his thrusts with abandon, my nails digging into his back as wave after wave of pleasure washes over me.

“You’re my good girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I gasp, my voice full of raw desire. “Always your good girl.” Each word from his mouth stirs a hunger within me that only he can satisfy.

His growl of approval is primal. The dark possession in his gaze stirs a thrilling sense of fear and excitement. A potent combination that leaves me breathless. He kisses a path from my neck to my collarbone, each press of his lips a branding mark, a claim that I’m his and his alone.

And then his teeth sink into my collarbone, the pain spiking the pleasure. I’ve felt this sense of loneliness all my life, but with him I feel safe, protected and whole.

My heart pounds in my chest, our bodies moving together aggressively. The faint scent of his cologne fills my senses, a heady mix of musk and spice unique to Taren.

“You’re mine,” he repeats, his voice a low rumble against my ear. “Only mine, Alice. Remember that.” His words, possessive and powerful, strike a chord within me.

His movements become more deliberate. Each thrust is a testament to his control and restraint.

I grip his shoulders, back arching as he hits the right spot. “Taren, please,” I beg, my voice a broken plea. The world spins, pleasure surging through me like a wave, intense and unrelenting.

“Come for me,” he demands. “I want your tight little cunt to milk my cock,” he growls.

“Fuck!” I cry as an unparalleled pleasure spirals through me. It feels like I’m free-falling. It’s an explosive force, a blinding light devouring every corner of my consciousness. This moment. Our coupling has been a long time coming. Or at least, it has felt like it since I was captured. But I’m sure only a couple of weeks have passed.

“Good girl,” he praises, and then he thrusts once more before growling and coming. His cock slamming into me with so much force it’s like he’s trying to break me apart, draining every drop.

I’m thankful at that moment that I’ve got an IUD fitted, as Taren didn’t even mention birth control. I had it fitted after the encounter two years ago with Michael because I wasn’t on any and had to get a morning-after pill. So, I’ve safeguarded myself in the best way possible.

Taren stills with his forehead against mine, breathing deeply. “You’re not just a woman to me, Alice. You’re not just a possession. You’re the universe encapsulated in this one beautiful, formidable soul.” He kisses me. “My queen.”

I shudder at the sentiment. He pulls out of me and then lies down, tugging me onto his chest and wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

I’m home. Taren is my home. I know I’m his, completely and utterly. Always.

26

TAREN

I pace up and down Thiago’s room.

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