Page 24 of Written in the Stars

I also knew that it would be worth it in the end, but right now, that was no comfort at all. I squirmed, testing his grip and finding it as unyielding as steel, though it was much more pleasant. Trapped, helpless, I couldn’t have been more aroused. And Drask’s possessive growl as he slid his hand into my pants again only made things worse.

“You need this,” he told me, finger teasing me through my panties, pressing just hard enough to make me need more. I tried to press myself against him, but he wasn’t letting me do that, either. He wanted me to ask for it, and I found it impossible to resist his will.

“Yes,” I said, panting. “Yes, you fucker, I need it. I need you, I—ah!”

He interrupted my pleas by pressing his fingers against me, and my thoughts melted under waves of sensation. I bucked and thrashed in his grip, and he grinned down at me, enjoying every second of my ecstasy.

When he relented, it was only to undo my pants and pull them off. I cooperated enthusiastically, and as soon as he released my wrists, I grabbed at his belt.

This time, I knew the mechanism. It came undone quickly and as he discarded his pants, I pulled off my t-shirt and bra. Naked, we fell on each other like ravenous animals.

There was no subtlety left in us. Drask grabbed me and pulled me into a kiss that left me breathless as he lifted me against his hard, throbbing cock. I wrapped myself around him and brought my mouth down to his shoulder, biting hard enough to get a gasp from him.

His thrust slammed me into the books spilled on the floor, and I howled as he filled me completely. He didn’t pause, driving deeper and deeper into me with furious energy. Violet eyes looked into mine, shining with passion and love as he fucked me roughly.

The vibrations of his cock sent me over the edge again and again, melting the world as I convulsed against him. Somehow, each orgasm was more powerful than the last, though each time I’d swear I couldn’t take more.

I clamped down on him and his cock swelled inside me, thrumming with power and tension. Still gazing into his eyes, I whispered a single word. “Please.”

It was all he needed, and he exploded inside me. My body convulsed, and together we launched into the most incredible pleasure imaginable.

When I returned to myself, panting for breath, Drask cradled me in his arms. I’d never felt so safe, so loved, as I did at that moment.

Head resting on his shoulder, I savored the warm, happy glow for a while before looking up at Drask again. Something he’d said tickled at the back of my mind, though it took a second to figure out what it was.

“Doesn’t your ship already have a bunk that would hold us?” I asked. “Why do we need another bed?”

“Because we will not be leaving on theCry of Battle,” Drask said. “Your life is here, and theCry of Battleis a wreck. Your friends need help, too, and I owe them a debt after they came together to help save you.”

Propping myself up on one elbow, I stroked his broad, beautiful chest with my other hand. “You’re not going to try and wipe out all the gangs, are you?”

To my relief, he laughed. “No, that would be impossible. However many I kill, more would rise to take their place. What’s needed here is a protector. Someone who can keep the peace, keep the gangs from taking too much, and stop a gang war from hitting innocents.”

“Like a sheriff,” I said, seeing a western romance book out of the corner of my eye and smiling. Imagining Drask in place of the sexy cover model was easy. “And you think you can do that?”

He smiled up at me, pushed a lock of hair out of my eyes, and answered. “I have no idea. I can try, though. This place can be a home for us, a fresh start for me, a place I can do some good rather than selling my skills to the highest bidder.”

“You won’t be able to do it alone,” I pointed out. It was a frightening proposal, most of all because Ilikedit. Talbrek Station had become my home, even if I hadn’t realized it until I’d almost left.

“You are correct,” Drask said. “It will require work, a base, and hiring on some others to patrol. Expensive to set up. But selling my ship should cover the startup costs, and a small fee for our services will be enough for ongoing expenses.”

I couldn’t believe I’d heard him right. “Your ship? Then you’ll really be stuck here, whether or not you can make this sheriff idea work.”

“I am done wandering, my love. The mercenary life served me well, but that part of my life is over now. I will not place you in harm’s way, nor will I leave you behind to worry about my fate. So I will stay here with you, and I am fully committed to that.”

Sitting up, I folded my arms and raised an eyebrow. “DoIget a say in this plan you’re making for our life together?”

“Of course you get a say, beloved. You get to say ‘yes.’”

Drask smiled, and I couldn’t keep a straight face. Laughing, I curled up against him on the book-covered floor and snuggled in close.

“In that case, yes,” I told him, listening to the comforting sound of his heartbeat. I’d never felt so safe.

EPILOGUE

Sometimes, six months feels like forever. Sometimes it passes in a flash, leaving you wondering what happened.

It seemed like only yesterday that a gang war had threatened my business and even my life. Yet here I was at the Community Safety Meeting, and the market had never been so secure.

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