Page 57 of Captured By the Russian Wolf

I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I know," I whispered against her skin. "You don't have to carry this alone. We'll get through this. Together."

"I just want to feel better," she murmured, her eyes searching mine.

"Then let me make it better."

CHAPTER 22

Nikita

Lily looked so vulnerable sitting next to me, so lost and unsure. What she needed was security. She needed to know everything was okay, finally. And I had to be the one to show her.

I gently pushed her shoulders back until she rested flat on the bed, still looking up at me with a silent plea. I shifted on top of her, admiring her skin in the low light. I wanted to cover it in kisses, find every sensitive spot that made her shudder.

"Lily," I whispered, my voice rough with emotion as I leaned down, pressing my lips to the curve of her neck. "I want to make it alright. Everything."

She didn't respond with words—she didn't have to. The way her hands gripped my shoulders, the way her breath caught in her throat, told me everything I needed to know. Her body was speaking to me, answering my every touch, and for the first time in a long time, I felt something other than cold detachment.

I pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, my fingers brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "You need to know something," I said quietly, my heart pounding in my chest. "Inever expected this. Never expected you to mean this much to me."

Her eyes searched mine, wide with uncertainty, but I could see the same emotions mirrored in her gaze. She had been through so much—betrayal, pain, and loss—and yet here we were, tangled together in a way I never thought possible.

"I'm not good at this," I admitted, my voice low as I trailed my fingers down her arm, feeling the goosebumps rise on her skin. "I don't trust easily. Hell, I'm not even sure if I know how to love someone without destroying them."

Lily's breath hitched, and I could see the vulnerability in her eyes. She wasn't sure if she could trust me, either, but I needed her to know that this—what we had—was real.

"But I want to try," I said, my voice firm. "I want to try to be the man you deserve. I want to build something with you, something that isn't tainted by all the shit that's come before."

Her lips parted, and for a moment, she just stared at me, as if processing my words. Then, slowly, she nodded, her hand coming up to cup the side of my face.

"I want that too," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I want us, Nikita. But I'm scared. I don't know if I can leave the past behind."

I leaned down, brushing my lips against hers, a soft, tender kiss that promised more than words ever could. "We'll move forward together," I murmured against her mouth. "One step at a time. No more lies, no more walls between us."

She kissed me, her lips soft and needy, and I felt the last of my reservations melt away. I had never let anyone in like this, had never allowed myself to be vulnerable with anyone, but with Lily, it was different. She made me want to be better. She made me want to give her everything.

I deepened the kiss, my hands roaming over her body as I pulled her closer, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine.Every touch, every kiss was a promise—a promise that we would move forward, together. That we would find a way to trust each other, to heal from the wounds of our past.

My lips moved to her collarbone, pressing kisses along the smooth line of her skin as I pushed the straps of her nightgown down her shoulders. Her breath came faster, her hands fisting in the sheets beneath us as she arched into me, silently begging for more.

"Tell me you're mine," I growled softly, my voice rough with need. "I need to hear it."

"I'm yours," she whispered, her voice breathless, her eyes heavy-lidded with desire. "Always."

That was all I needed. I claimed her mouth again, this time with more urgency, more heat. She responded eagerly, her body moving against mine as the tension between us reached a boiling point. I wanted to possess her completely, to make her forget everything except this moment—except us.

I slid my hand down her thigh and reached for the hem of her nightgown. I pulled it up and felt her squirm as the cool air touched the tops of her thighs. I smoothed my hand over her stomach, loving the silky feel of her warm skin, and started trailing my kisses lower, first claiming her collarbone, then kissing a line to her chest.

"Nikita," she gasped, her nails raking down my spine, sending a shiver of pleasure through me.

I kissed the soft mounds of her chest, one after the other, then teased a nipple with the tip of my tongue. "You're mine," I growled against her, nipping with my teeth. "No one else. Just me."

Lily's breath hitched, her body arching into mine as I sucked on her nipples, my fingers now dipping between her legs to stroke her through her panties. I could feel the way her body responded to every touch, every kiss—she was giving herself tome completely. And it wasn't just physical. This was something more. Something I never thought I'd find.

Lily's little mewls and twitches were driving me crazy. I rubbed between her legs with more force, listening for how she reacted. When her hips started to grind against my touch, I knew she needed more. I kissed a trail lower, down her stomach. Her fingers seemed to want to hold onto me, but at the same time, there was more I could give her.

"I've never felt this before," I murmured against her skin, my lips brushing over her lower stomach as my hand pulled her panties down. "Never wanted anyone like this."

Her fingers threaded through my hair, pulling me closer as she whispered, "Nikita…"

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