Page 87 of The Princess's Chosen

"You would never," I rasped to Owen.

Aric remained by the edge of the bed, watching us and then looking back to Owen. "Kiss her."

Owen's smiles were so full, so shining, it genuinely left me breathless to see it appear now, even as he held me pinned to the bed. He ducked, catching my bottom lip between his teeth, biting gently and sucking the mark. The growl I'd been holding back slipped out, and I squirmed, digging my heels into the bed and trying to break free of his unforgiving grip on my hands. I fought my way into the kiss, struggling beneath him.

"Watch it, she's—" Aric started, but it was too late.

I slid my left leg across Owen's lap and then hooked it around his back, yanking him closer. Owen laughed, our teeth clashing as he fell forward, and then I twisted my wrist free in his distraction, flipping us on the bed.Mine.

The beast was free, my fingers digging into his shirt, twisting and pulling until threads began to rip and buttons popped. I bit at Owen's lips, sucked on his tongue, dragged my kiss down his jaw, gripping the flesh of his neck between my teeth. He caught a wrist again, and I cried out as he twisted one of my arms behind my back, the other left fisted in his open shirt.

"All right?" Owen asked

I panted and gazed down at him, my arm held firmly behind me, Owen's lips swollen and wet, a fresh red mark on his throat from my bite. And he just looked…careful and happy, chest heaving and smile stretching while I squirmed and tried to free myself as I nodded.

"Do you want him to touch you?" Aric asked.

I was in my nightgown, knees straddled on either side of Owen's hips, and his free hand slid between us, knuckles grazing up and down the insides of my thighs. I wanted to fight, I wanted to scratch my nails down Owen's chest, watch him surrender beneath me. I wanted to bite his throat and mark him as mine so that no one would ever dare touch him, harm him again. I gritted my teeth and nodded, playing along with Aric's game, aware of him watching from behind me.

"Get her off quick, see if it helps," Aric said.

"I don't mind your claws," Owen said, stretching up and kissing the corner of my jaw, nuzzling against me and laughing as I bit his earlobe and sucked on the spot. "But I think Aric is right, and feeling this way has you unhappy."

"I don't mind your claws either," I said, surprised by the admission. "Or your strong grip."

Owen grinned. "Yes, Mistress, I remember how pretty you sound as you obey me."

And then he reached between my legs, grazing a feather-light touch over the lips of my sex, spreading them and finding my clit with his thumb.

Damnit. Aric was right. The relief was minor, but immediate, as if whatever ferocious power had me in its grip eased just enough to let me breathe again. I moaned, and my head fell to Owen's shoulder as his touch swirled, the soft threads of pleasure a balm against the anger boiling in my chest.

"That's it, Mistress," Owen murmured as I squirmed closer to his hand, grinding myself into his touch and trying to find a way to force those thick fingers inside of me.

"Fuck me," I breathed, biting the tendon of his neck and making him grunt.

With my right arm twisted behind my back, my left made a clumsy effort to finish opening Owen's shirt, my scratches gentled as he distracted me by plunging one finger into my cunt, pumping quickly.

"Oh!"

Owen's head turned, his lips and tongue on my temple, my cheek, then down to my mouth as I arched my neck to meet him in the kiss. I let him lead this time, too focused on the building warmth in my core and my own appreciation of his broad chest.

Owen fit a second finger into me, crooking them forward and moving quickly over my clit until I stiffened and waited for the inevitable crash.

"That's it, I can feel you trying to take more of my fingers already."

"Owen!" I whimpered, pressing my face into his shoulder, clamping my teeth around the muscle as I started to shudder.

"Grab her other hand," Aric said, and I gave it up willingly as my orgasm rushed slowly through me, taking the pinch in my heart with it.

I shuddered as Owen moved my wrists behind my back and then gasped with the first cool slither over my skin, my own grin growing as Aric's golden snake present wrapped around my wrists, holding them in place.

I twisted my hands as it finished coiling, finding the snake moved with me but refused to let up its grip.

"Too tight?" Aric asked as I looked over my shoulder at him.

He was moving back to an armchair by the window, and I could see the small smile of delight he was trying to hide. I wanted to tease Aric for never asking permission first, but I was too happy to find that the thrill in my chest outweighed the lingering scorching, snarling feeling.

"Is this really for Owen's protection, or do you just like the look of it?" I asked instead, sitting up.

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