Page 81 of Queen of Wrath

My eyes snapped up at him. “What’s wrong?” I muttered, but I already knew what was happening.

His marking is burning at the same time as mine?

I swallowed the lump developing in my throat as I blinked up at him, feeling a rush of something far less bitter in my chest. It tasted almost sweet—like something I’d wanted at one point.

I shoved the thoughts away and held my hand up to his cheek. “Jax?”

Do we really share such a connection?

“I’m fine.” Jax willed a smile to his face, returning his focus to me.

He caressed my cheek with the back of his hand, simply gazing at me for a few long moments before he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.

I expected to feel revulsion, having to force myself not to recoil…

But his hands held my face with such gentleness, his eyes so tender and sincere, I must’ve been too surprised to feel what I was supposed to.

He removed his shirt and lowered his weight onto me. The feel of his sculpted body pressing into me was far more pleasant than it ought to have been. My breathing hitched, heat rushing and pooling much too readily down to my core.

My body was flushed with adrenaline, and for the first time in a very long time, it wasn’t for a bad reason.

Prickles of excitement ran up and down my arms as his hands explored me.

There was nothing but bare skin and unrestrained breathing between us now, and I finally allowed the pacing wolf to emerge from her cage. I succumbed to her charge entirely.

Jax looked surprised to find that it was his back being pressed to the couch this time, but a satisfied smirk quickly tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked up at me in awe.

That’s right. You’ll be worshiping me instead of Lunaira once I’m done with you.

Like a predator’s gaze never leaving her prey, I watched him closely as I slowly took him into me, drawing a long and deep groan from him.

It was the first of many that echoed into the night as I seized and reaped every pleasure and desire I’d ever wanted from him for myself.

34

DIESEL

“Do it,” Diesel commanded Striker, and she lit a match, dropping it on the floor in a small puddle of flammable liquid leading straight to Jax’s company building.

He watched in delight as the flames blazed a trail toward its quarry.

It almost instantly enveloped the ground floor’s glass panels, which was mainly what the entire outer shell of the building consisted of. Explosions of blue and green erupted before them, sending shards of glass shooting in every direction.

Diesel laughed with all but hysterical glee, barely wincing as the glass cut his skin in at least a dozen places.

“Sir, why are we doing this?” Striker asked, trying to conceal the concern in her voice but failed miserably.

Diesel was surprised to hear her ask that, considering she had hardly ever been one to turn away from senseless violence. “We are sending a message.”

“But Jax, sir. What will Omara say?” Striker pressed as Diesel leaned his head back, watching the fire climb up the sides of the building, blowing up the glass all the way to the top floor.

“I don't give a fuck what Omara will say. She's dead to me, and so is this family. The only one I've ever been able to trust is myself. A mistake I don't intend to make ever again.” A small droplet of blood dripped into Diesel's eye as he looked toward Striker.

“I've always been faithful to you, sir,” she reminded him.

“Pathetic desperation is not loyalty, Striker. Remember your place… It’s beneath my boot.”

The die has been cast. There's no going back now. Let this be a warning to all who have dared to cross me. Things won't end well for them.

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