Page 79 of Savage Reign

I’m frozen, unable to pull my eyes away. My heart races as my gaze drifts lower, tracing the hard planes of his chest, the ridges of his abs, and… fuck. The covers barely conceal the sculpted V-shaped muscles that angle downward. I’m pretty sure he’s naked under there.

Okay, wow. I quickly reach down to confirm that I am not naked. Nope. Still wearing the sleep shorts and tank top that the doctor and Yelena helped me into last night. I don’t even know why I thought I might not be. Maybe because waking up in his bed, feeling his presence so close, makes me hyperaware of how vulnerable I was last night.

Taking care to move gingerly, I turn on my back and stare at the ceiling. Will it be weird for us to wake up together? Emotions were heightened yesterday, but yeah, it will probably be weird this morning. Maybe it’s best if I show myself out.

I carefully slide one leg out from under the covers, the cool air hitting my skin. I pause, holding my breath, but he doesn’t stir. Emboldened, I inch my other leg out, shifting my weight toward the edge. As I’m about to lift the sheet and make a break for it, an arm coils around my waist, and I’m yanked back, flush against Nikolai’s very naked, very hard form.

“Where do you think you’re going, moya sladost?” His voice is a low murmur in my ear, making my core clench.

“I’m going back to my room. I’m feeling better, thanks.” I try to wiggle out of his arms, but he doesn’t allow me to move a muscle. Being restrained in Nikolai’s arms feels very familiar. Except this time, I don’t totally mind it.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Am I imagining the huskiness of his voice? Maybe, but I’m definitely not imagining his thick length pressed against my ass.

“I think it’s best if we… we, uh…” I stumble over my words. Okay, this isn’t going well. I can’t help but respond to his touch. “Niko—you’re naked. We better not…”

His growl drowns out the rest of my sentence. “I like it when you call me Niko.” I hadn’t realized I’d called him that. I look up and find him watching me, his gaze uncharacteristically soft. “And, for the record, I’m not naked. I’m wearing underwear. Only for you, wife, because I usually do sleep naked.”

I swallow hard. “Well, thank you again for everything yesterday. I’m feeling better… I, uh, can you let go?”

“Not yet.” In one deft move, he rolls me onto my back and leans over me, one arm bracing beside my head while his other hand glides along my cheekbone. In this position, he’s staring into my eyes, and I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. His fingers brush over my cheek. “Your color is much better. But you’re not going anywhere until the doctor checks you again.”

My eyes flick to his mouth and then back to his endless blue gaze. I’d never noticed the ring of yellow around his irises; it almost made him look predatory. I shake my head, trying to come back to my senses.

“She can look at me in my room.” Realizing I need to make a move now if I’m going to get out of here unscathed, I inch my leg toward the edge of the bed in an attempt to wriggle out of his grasp.

Big mistake. His hips slide right between my thighs, and just like that, I’ve managed to trap myself in the worst way. A low groan slips out before I can stop it.

Nikolai’s gaze turns molten. “Is that an invitation, wife?”

My cheeks burn. I should be putting space between us, not dragging him closer. But when he rocks against me, his erection dragging over my pulsing clit, all rational thought flies out of my head. Sensations take over, the blistering heat building between us threatening to consume me whole.

He makes an amused sound. Gathering my wrists above me in his huge hand, he lowers his lips until they’re right beside my ear. “How are you feeling? Any pain?”

“No, no pain.” My ankle was throbbing minutes ago, but now it’s my clit throbbing in a rhythm that’s impossible to ignore.

“That’s my girl. How about you tell me what you want so that I can grant your every fucking wish.”

The question hits harder than it should. Because what I want is simple and impossible all at once—I want him. This dangerous man who holds my world hostage. Who threatened everyone I love. Who’s using me like a chess piece on his board. I'm not naive enough to believe he wouldn't follow through on every one of his threats. Yet here I am, craving his touch like oxygen. No one’s ever made me feel what he makes me feel. It started in that little chapel in Greece, and no matter what I do, he’s still here, impossible to shake.

But I can’t admit that, just like I can’t admit how the thought of him touching Eva, or anyone else, makes me want to scream.

“I want you to get off me.”

He knows I’m lying. I can see it in the tilt of his lips. The way my hips move in needy circles against him gives me away.

He chuckles, the sound rich. “I don’t think that’s true. Your pussy is soaking my cock through your shorts and my boxers. I think you’re aching for me, just like I’m aching for you.” He punctuates his words with a slow, deliberate grind of his hips, and I practically convulse beneath him. I have to stop my eyes from rolling up in my head. “Now tell me. What. Do. You. Really. Want?”

I bite my lip, not trusting myself to say anything more.

Everything that’s happened between us until now carried an undercurrent of hate. I told myself I had no choice. Not really. But this right here? I have a choice.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to hold on to the last fraying threads of my control. But it’s no use. He’s stripped me bare, peeling away all my defenses until only my desperate need for him remains.

He must see the longing in my eyes because another slow thrust is all it takes to shatter my resolve. I arch toward him, craving the spark of contact.

Nikolai’s answering groan is pure male satisfaction. He drops his head into the curve of my neck. “Oh, sweet wife, you have no idea what you do to me. Your smell, your skin, the sound of your goddamn voice haunts me. It’s like every sweet inch of you was made to drive me insane. Now I’m going to need you to hold on tight because I’m about to fuck you so hard, you’ll feel me for days.”

His mouth crushes mine, demanding and possessive, as our tongues tangle in a kiss full of need. He releases my wrists to explore my body, his rough palms sliding under my shirt to cup my breasts, his fingers plucking at my nipples until they’re stiff and aching. I arch into his touch, silently begging for more.

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