Page 39 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride

“What kind of agreement?” she asked, meeting my gaze with that faint gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

My smile pulled slightly, although my expression was mostly serious. “Since you are my wife and there’s obviously something genuine between us, I will do my best to tend to your needs and allow you the freedom you deserve. To make that easier to accomplish, I’ll also keep vying for a proper truce between our families, since I never wanted a rivalry or rift in the first place…I promise to keep you happy and safe, regardless of what it takes.”

The way Lara looked up at me with her softened features and a new kind of appreciation I once thought I’d never see made my heart squeeze with affection for her.

Before, I never imagined I’d ever have someone look at me with that kind of trust and devotion, especially not after the things I’d done in the past, and especially not after everything I put her through. But as I felt graced by that privilege, I was quickly growing addicted to it.

Lara smiled at me, nodding as she accepted my words. “If you’re bringing something to the table, then I suppose it’s only fair I do as well. In return, I’ll be completely loyal to you. I’ll give you my trust while you give me yours, and I’ll work with you while we discover what’s between us. No more resistance. Only acceptance.”

Something about her words stirred that warmth within me even further, and the sincerity in her voice made me want to try even harder.

She was everything I wanted since the moment I laid eyes on her, and with her complete faith placed in me, I knew I couldn’t waste it.

My content smile mirroring hers, I brought a hand up to her jaw and gently traced my thumb across her skin. I watched as she leaned into my touch, causing that longing in me to develop a mind of its own.

“It’s settled then,” I hummed, swallowing hard to maintain my self-restraint as I looked down at her, keenly aware of how much I needed her. “We’re committed to each other. Completely.”

As the air between us seemed to electrify while we gazed at one another, I couldn’t find it in myself to resist anymore.

Leaning in as I guided her face closer to mine, I gently brushed my lips against hers, greeted by that familiar and increasingly addictive sensation. The careful caress sent a shiver down my spine, sparking the desire I had for her that only seemed to grow with every passing day.

Deepening the kiss, I wanted her to know just how serious I was, and how important she was to me.

She was my wife, and I needed her more than ever before.

Chapter 20 - Lara

Clothes came off piece by piece as the kiss turned into a searing one, and neither of us cared enough to take our time.

Between our night together, the wine we shared, and our strengthened commitment to one another, it was impossible to ignore that growing fire between us—not that we wanted to ignore it.

Alex’s hands were all over me as he guided me back until we reached the dining room table, shoving a chair out of the way as he kissed my lips hungrily, muffling a groan in the exchange.

Mind a mess and skin on fire, I didn’t care as he propped me up on the table, both hands cradling my cheeks as he deepened the kiss, tongue exploring mine with unbridled need like he would never get enough of it.

I moaned as he dropped his palms to my thighs then, parting them but immediately fitting himself against me. Humming my approval, I could already feel how hard he was beneath his boxer briefs. A shiver went down my spine, aware that I’d never get tired of the reminder of how easily I could get him worked up.

“You’re making me crazy without even trying,” Alex murmured against my lips before he kissed down my neck, fingers still digging into my thighs.

My breath hitched as my eyes closed, soaking in the way he teased my skin. I gasped quietly as his tongue darted out and dragged down my neck until he reached my pulse point.

I whimpered as a result, feeling overwhelmed by his ministrations despite him only just getting started.

“So responsive...” he hummed, nipping at my pulse point before going further down, and gently guiding me back until I was lying on the tabletop. “And I’ve barely even started.”

I hissed quietly at the cold sensation of it beneath my back, but the fiery trail he kissed down my chest, stopping to lap at my nipple for a moment, was enough to warm me up. My gasped breaths left me as he continued down, lips ghosting over my skin with a light enough touch to have my body keening and arching for more.

It was almost agonizing how well he knew what my body needed, and how he could push me closer and closer to the edge with his lips and tongue alone.

As he left an open-mouthed kiss against my pelvis, Alex adjusted me on the table, shuffling me back slightly as he pulled my panties down with one swift movement, only to hook my legs over his shoulders.

My heart fluttered at the position, feeling each gentle kiss he pressed against my inner thighs while his hands rested at my hips, holding me down against the table.

Hovering over me, Alex leaned down with a grin until he was close enough to taste me.

The glide of his tongue through my heat made every sound cease within my throat, and my whole body tensed at the sudden influx of pleasure. My fingers instinctively reached his hair, moving through the strands eagerly and pulling slightly as he continued to explore me.

He hummed against me, sliding his tongue up to my clit before gently lapping at it, making me arch and writhe despite his solid grip on me that didn’t let me go anywhere.

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