Page 36 of Throttle All the Way

My body responded to him in ways I couldn’t control. Every stroke, every grind, ignited something inside me that I couldn’t extinguish. My thighs trembled, my back arched, and the heat in my core coiled tighter and tighter.

“Say my name,” he growled, his voice rough, demanding.

I whimpered, my nails dragging down his back. “Cipher… oh God, Noel!”

“That’s it, angel,” he said, his pace quickening. “Let go. Let me have you.”

And I did. The tension snapped, the release rushing through me like a tidal wave. My body clenched around him, and I cried out his name, the sound raw and unrestrained.

Cipher groaned, burying his face in the curve of my neck as his own release followed. I felt him shudder, his arms tightening around me like he was holding onto more than just my body—like he was holding onto my soul.

We stayed like that for a moment, tangled together, our breaths mingling in the quiet. Slowly, he eased out of me, leaving me with an ache that wasn’t entirely physical.

Cipher pulled me to his chest, his arms wrapping around me as he settled us on the bed. His fingers brushed through my hair, stroking gently, a stark contrast to the firestorm he’d unleashed moments before.

I didn’t know what to say. The silence was heavy, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was… safe.

“He’s hiding,” Cipher finally said, his voice breaking the stillness.

I tensed, my head lifting to meet his gaze. “Yulian?”

Cipher nodded, his expression darkening. “He knows I’m looking for him. Knows what the I and my brothers are capable of.”

Fear crept into my chest, icy and unwelcome. “And whatareyou capable of, Cipher?”

His eyes locked onto mine, a mix of honesty and steel. “Whatever it takes to keep you and the club safe. Even if it means putting a bullet in his skull.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me. I should’ve been terrified, but instead, I felt… reassured. Yulian had haunted my life for so long, and here was a man willing to stand between us.

“It scares me,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “What could happen. Whatyoucould do. Whathecould do.”

Cipher’s hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin. “I’ve seen both sides of the world, Mila. The law and the chaos. Being a biker, being a detective—it’s given me an edge most people don’t have. But it’s also made me…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

“Made you what?” I pressed gently.

“Alone.” His voice was quiet, but the word hung heavy in the air. “I’ve been alone for so damn long. It’s easier that way. No one to hurt. No one to lose.”

My chest tightened, an ache blooming there that I didn’t understand. “Cipher…”

He pulled me closer, his lips pressing to my forehead. “I don’t want to be alone anymore, Mila. Not with you. You make me want things I didn’t think I deserved.”

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, and I buried my face against his chest, letting his steady heartbeat soothe me.

“Do you mean that?” I asked, my voice muffled against his skin.

“Every damn word,” he said, his arms tightening around me. “You’re more than just a job, Mila. More than a responsibility. You’re my fucking salvation.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. But as I lay there in his arms, his hands stroking my back, I realized something.

Maybe Cipher wasn’t the villain I’d made him out to be.

Maybe, just maybe, he was my salvation too.

CIPHER

The call came just after midnight, ripping through the silence and jerking me awake. I almost didn’t pick it up. Beside me, Mila stirred, her soft breath even, sending a soft warmth against my chest. I wanted to lay here with her, cocooned in her heat, but the phone wouldn’t stop ringing— insistent.

Regret clawed at me as I grabbed it from the nightstand. “Yeah?” My voice came out a rasp.

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