Page 49 of Mayflower

MADDY

As soon as we step into Raven’s house and he shuts the door behind him, our bodies smack together like magnets. There’s no other way to describe it. Within seconds, we are kissing, our hands greedily roaming each other’s bodies. His grunts, my moans, the sound of our lips fusing together—all of it makes the rest of the world go quiet.

He whispers, “Missed you,” and his mouth devours mine again. Then he pulls back for a fraction of an inch, “So much,” and takes it again with so much passion that I lose my footing. A moan escapes me as his hands cup my butt to steady me against him.

I missed his touch and our conversations. But most of all, just his presence, knowing he’s here, in the same world as me. That he exists, a constant. His absence was the most devastating week of my life.

Kai took Little to his place, explaining that Raven needed rest and sleep.

Ali is at the medical center, but he will be taken care of.

Nilanski and two of my father’s men guard Raven’s house.

Back at the Center, Raven whispered, “Will you stay with me tonight?” Like there was another possible scenario?

“If you didn’t let me, I would’ve slept under your windows,” I said, and he laughed.

Dad didn’t say anything when I told him I’d call the next morning. He’ll have time to get properly acquainted with Raven. Tonight, Raven is only mine.

When he breaks the kiss, we both breathe heavily. He presses his forehead to mine, and we take a moment of silence to get caught up with the reality. He is back. Right next to me. That means we have a future together.

I didn’t get a chance to study him outside, by the Center. It was dark, and I was overwhelmed. But now that we are inside his lit living room, I take a moment to inspect him. There’s blood on the side of his jaw, on his bruised hands. There’s dirt and dust on his torn shirt and sweaty hair. He smells like smoke and sweat and blood. And that’s my Raven, going through hell and still coming out on the other side like the warrior that he is.

“I need a shower,” he says with an apologetic smile. My warrior has the kindest smile. And he still doesn’t let me go, his arms wrapped around me.

“Yeah, you do. Want me to make something to eat?” I give him a little kiss, our lips lingering against each other’s for a hot second.

“Yeah, that would be nice.” He kisses me again.

“I’m... I’m sorry I trespassed a little,” I say, vaguely nodding around. “I stayed here a couple of times. And some of my stuff is here.”

His smile grows. “Good.” He gives my cheek a brief stroke and walks to his bedroom.

I pick up my phone and text Mac.

Me: Mathew is home! He is safe! I will get him to call you when he is rested!

The reply comes right away.

Mac: God bless. Thank you, Maddy.

I make Raven a sandwich, all the while listening to the sound of the shower in his bedroom. And I smile like an idiot, cheering at every little sound of Raven being home.

When I hear the bathroom door open, I pad to the bedroom. I’m not a creep, I just want to see him again, make sure he is real and my desperate brain didn’t make this up like it did every day since he had gone missing.

I halt in the doorway—Raven is standing at the chest of drawers, his back to me, his giant raven tattoo dark and majestic. There’s only a towel wrapped around his hips.

I shouldn’t be thinking anything dirty, but I can’t help it. This is a completely new view for me.

Raven looks over his shoulder, catching my admiring gaze. He turns slowly and, as slowly, walks up to me. His arm wraps around my waist, his other hand tangles in my hair, and he presses his mouth to mine in a kiss.

Who needs food? Or sleep? Or rest? Raven obviously doesn’t because his body bucks into mine with the obvious need of a different kind.

My hands slide up his bare torso, and then there is no stopping his as he hurriedly starts pulling my clothes off. I yank his towel off and moan as his fingers slide between my legs at the precise moment my hand wraps around his erection.

We kiss so greedily, our hands so impatient that I don’t realize that Raven is pushing me toward the bed until we both collapse on top of it, our mouths mashed together. He yanks my legs apart, brings his erection against my entrance, and penetrates me in one powerful thrust. He doesn’t stop even for a second, pulls almost all the way out, and thrusts inside me again.

And then it’s powerful thrust after thrust after thrust, his hips snapping so fast that we stop kissing, though our open mouths are pressed together as we breathe through each other. The fire burning through me is so intense that I moan embarrassingly loudly. Raven grunts in response. He shifts, burying his face in my hair as his thick hardness is fucking me into the mattress with astonishing speed. It’s not gentle. It’s not thoughtful. Desperation and tension are about to reach the breaking point. And when they do, I come so powerfully that I feel like I’m having an out of body experience. My body is still thrashing under Raven’s powerful thrusts until he grunts and collapses on top of me.

---