Page 73 of Dirty Dancer

More when she threw her head back and braced her hands on my shoulders as she controlled the pace, I would have given her everything. I surged up to meet the downward thrust of her hips, captivated by the way her nipples tensed and tightened. The drowsy look of pleasure suffusing her eyes as she tipped her head down had me straining upward until I could suck on one of those nipples.

It took an hour of lazy thrusts combined with sudden manic action, but she came four more times before I let go. We lay in a sweaty heap together and I’d cradled her to my chest until she’d climbed off to make use of the bathroom.

The fact my cum ran down her legs as she walked filled me with such possessiveness that I had to admit it—even if sheasked me to let her go now—I’d follow her. No matter where she went. I had to be there. I’d prefer if she stayed.

Even if it meant sharing her with Vaughn.

Anger flooded through me and I clenched my fists. The moment my knuckles began to whiten, I took my hands away from her. I wouldnevertouch her in anger. I wouldneverbe my father. If she needed Vaughn, then she could have him. Rome made her smile. Freddie made her laugh. Kellan guided her and in their unguarded moments, there was no denying the connection growing there.

She fit us.

All of us.

Rolling onto my back, I stared up at the ceiling. Kel was right. We had to tell her. Tell her and tell Raptor. But I wanted to talk to himfirst. He’d kept his distance for a reason and I’d dragged her back into our world for a reason, too.

Turning the ideas over in my head, I couldn’t find an easy solution to all of this. Raptor would be furious. She might not believe us. Then again—she seemed happier, maybe? In the last few weeks. Happier than I’d seen her at all during the show.

The smiles reached her eyes.

The ease with which she moved around the clubhouse.

Even the threats, she’d taken them in stride.

Threats.

Those were still out there. Someone had cut her silks. Someone had tried to run her and Kestrel over in the parking garage. Then Eric assaulted her. I didn’t think the third had anything to do with the first two. We’d removed her from the situation, but new threats had popped up.

The guys at the body shop had come for her specifically. Someone knew we had her or someone suspected.

The question was…

Movement next to me pulled all my attention to the present. Emersyn rolled over to face me and I moved to my side to face her.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Hey,” I answered in the same quiet tone.

When she traced her finger over my forehead then down my cheek to my chin, I studied her. The stroke of her fingers against my beard made me smile.

“There you are…”

“Hmm?”

“You looked so angry. I worried I’d done something wrong.”

Guilt hit me like a fist. “Swan, you could never do anything to make me angry at you.”

“Hmm.” She wrinkled her nose, clearly skeptical. “Somehow, I bet I could. You’re very hard headed and stubborn. Despite what you said earlier, youdolike being in charge.”

A startled laugh escaped, but I didn’t try to haul it back. “That I do…and I suppose if you really worked at it, you could make me angry. But I will never hold it against you and I swear, I will never hurt you.”

An image of my father burst through my mind and the violence he could deal out. I shoved it away. That ugliness would never touch her.

Nothing would.

Not as long as I was breathing.

“There it is again,” she whispered, this time so close to me her breath teased my lips. “Stop thinking about whatever that is or tell me, so we can get rid of it together.”

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