Page 76 of Fated In Blood

“Stop doing that. If you want me over there, just ask.” I stopped between his spread thighs, his fingers inches from brushing my privates. All planned, I was sure.

“You’re too busy fighting with yourselfto just walk over here. Too busy weighing whether or not you want this, whether you can fight the compulsion for a few more minutes to prove to yourself your willpower is stronger than instinct.” He reached out and ran his finger up my abdomen, then along the zipper of Mom’s jacket.

My nerves jittered, fangs digging into my bottom lip, deep enough to cut.

“For the record, Silver, try as you might, you can’t override instinct. Many have tried and failed. I wish I had time to walk you through your transition and make this easy for you. You deserve that, at least. But our world is cruel, and you have to be strong to face what’s coming. I can’t afford to coddle you.”

“I’ve never been coddled in my life.”

“Too bad.” He grasped the zipper pull with two fingers and began to tug. “I would very, very much like to coddle you.” The zipper went down and down and down, my eyes following the descent, noticing how powerful his hand was, how I was caged in between his strong thighs.

“I’m just here to feed.” God, my voice was shaking, fingers curling against my sweaty palms so I didn’t reach out and touch him. “That’s all.”

“Shame, though, to waste an opportunity like this.” His teasing words kicked up my heart rate, the cool air hitting my sweaty chest sending goose pimples rising. Or maybe that was from how greedily his eyes tracked down my body, fangs on full display, mouth parted slightly as if he was drinking in my scent.

Even sitting down, Riordan overwhelmed in every way.

His scent, his size, his power—everything reminded me of his hold over me.

“I’ve never seen a jacket like this. It looks old.”

“This was my mom’s favorite.” The confession slipped out of me easier than I’d imagined, a secret I’d never told anyone before. “And the only thing I have left of her.”

“Freedom.” His gentle whisper grazed over old memories and my eyes prickled with tears. “I think that particular sentiment suits you perfectly.”

No false sympathy, no more questions, and somehow, the fact he knew not to push me right now seemed more intimate than how familiarly he touched me.

“Blake almost died because we went back to Valentine’s for the jacket.” I had no idea why I was telling him this, why it mattered, but I couldn’t stop. “This is all I have left of her, and I couldn’t leave it behind. Especially notthere.”

“I understand. Blake does, too.” He blew out a long breath. “Tyrell would have caught up with Blake sooner or later. If you’re blaming yourself for what happened, don’t.”

“Blake hates my guts, and you’re just tolerating me until Tyrell’s dead.” I really had to stop talking right now. I’d hoped to uncover all of Riordan’s secrets, and instead…I was revealing all of mine.

“Rohr,” he murmured. “Call me Rohr. We’ll be stuck together for a few weeks, and I hate that name. My father gave it to me.” The zipper stopped and his hand traced back up my body, fingertips barely skimming my skin.

Too light, that touch, too promising.

Filled with control on the verge of snapping.

“Slip off that jacket and sit in my lap. Let me feed you, and we’ll see where this goes. You want sex, I’ll give you sex. If all you want is my blood, you can stop this there and we won’t go any further. But I have to say…you’re beginning to fascinate me, Silver.”

Another wave of tortuous heat prickled down my spine, settling between my already damp thighs. A needy little ache roared to life, stealing what little self-control I had left.

Every word was bullshit, of course.

Lies, to get me to trust him, to fall in line with whatever their plan was.

But there was something astonishing about a powerful male stroking his fingers down your body while you drowned in his scent. Something that had my body softening and turned rational thoughts to forbidden fantasies of lips and fangs and naked bodies moving together in tandem.

“Come here, Silver. Sit down.”

The jacket slipped off my shoulders, hitting the floor with a thud.

I wanted to blame Riordan for my obedience, but my body moved of its own accord, until my hands slid over his shoulders and I straddled one thick, powerful thigh, moaning when my pussy ground against those tensed muscles. His throat was beneath my lips, and I couldn’t help myself. I ran my tongue over his corded muscles, tasting and teasing, my hips surging back and forth.

“Strike hard. No hesitation. Five pulls, then lick me closed and take a break. Let the blood settle into your system, then we’ll go again. Can you do that?”

I was already delirious from the taste of his skin, my tongue coated in his pure masculine power, and I couldn’t get enough.

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