Page 64 of Knot So Sweet

I reached out, flicking the leather collar she always wore. And I found myself curious as to why she always wore it. Her breath hitched, a mix of surprise and something else—something more dangerous.

Instead of pulling away, she leaned in, her lips brushing against my cheek just enough to make me lose my mind.

I couldn’t take it anymore. Every fiber of my being screamed to close the distance between us, to claim her, to make her mine. But she wasn’t ready—not yet. And as much as it killed me, I needed to wait.

But fuck, it was getting harder by the second.

The alpha in me roared, fighting to take over, to throw her over my shoulder and carry her away to the nest I’d prepared for her. I’d lock her up, keep her safe, keep her mine. I growled low in my throat, battling the surge of possessiveness crashing over me like a tidal wave.

She didn’t even have to say anything. One glance, one brush of her fingers, and I was done for. Every muscle in my body was wound tight, my fists clenched tightly around the back of the chair to keep from grabbing her.

I let out a slow, ragged breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. I needed to keep my head clear, but it was hard when she was rightthere, her scent filling my lungs, her presence setting every nerve on fire. My vision tunneled, focused solely on her, like nothing else in the world mattered.

Maybe nothing else did.

"Candi..." I hadn’t meant to say anything, but the name slipped out like a growl, heavy with need. "Eat. Or I'll feed you myself." This time, I didn't hold back the bark in my command.

She turned to me, those sharp eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, the tension in the air was thick enough to cut.

"Are you seriously barking an alpha command at me?"

I smirked, a wicked thrill coursing through me. "I think when you surrender to me, you'll see just how sweet it can be." My jaw clenched tightly.

"You have no idea what you’re doing to me." The words came out harsher than I intended, but it was the truth. Being near her was driving me insane.

Candi tilted her head, raising a brow, that infuriating smirk playing on her lips. "How so?"

That little spark of defiance in her tone ignited something primal within me. I spun her chair to face me, bracing my hands on the table, effectively closing the distance between us.

I could feel the warmth radiating from her body, smell the sweet floral scent wrapping around my senses like a drug.

"I’m about two seconds away from tossing you over my shoulder and taking you upstairs to your nest," I growled, my voice low and dangerous, thick with raw need. My hand twitched, aching to reach out, to grab her and pull her to me, but I held back, letting the tension build.

Her smirk faltered, her breath hitching just a little, and I could see the flicker of something in her eyes—uncertainty, maybe. Or perhaps it was something else. "My nest?"

I nodded, my body coiling tighter, every muscle ready to spring.

"What do you mean bymine?"

I growled in frustration, my patience wearing thin. "You don’t get it, do you? Every time I’m near you, every second, it gets harder not to—" I stopped, my voice trailing off as I licked my lips, tasting the air thick with our tension.

"Not to what?" she whispered, her voice low and inviting.

"Not to claim you. To force you out of that pretty little head of yours and show youexactlywhat you need," I growled, the confession slipping from my lips before I could rein it in. Her eyes widened just a fraction, and for a heartbeat, neither of us moved, the weight of my admission hanging heavy in the air.

Her lips parted as if she were going to say something, but then she caught herself, pressing them into a thin line. "That’s not happening," she said, her voice quieter now, but the tremor betrayed her uncertainty.

"Why not?" I asked, my voice dropping lower, gravelly with want. "Because I know you feel it too, Candice. I can see it every time you look at me." My hand finally moved, just an inch, but I didn’t touch her.

Not yet.

She stared at me, her walls still up, but I could see the cracks starting to show. "You think you can just… take what you want? That’s not how this works, Viper," she said, but the tremor in her voice revealed her inner conflict.

"I would never take something you didn't give me freely, Candice," I growled, the seriousness of my words grounding me. "I care about you. I care about keeping you safe. This only works if you'rewillingto submit to me."

"I’m not something you need to protect, Viper. I’m not a damsel in distress." Her voice was firm, but I caught the flicker of doubt in her eyes.

I smirked, feeling the fire between us crackle.

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