Page 77 of Shaken Knot Stirred

Her voice melted me into full-body smiles. I forced my arms to work, gathering her up and nuzzling her. She smelled…

Her scent was all over me, in me, her taste in my mouth like peaches drowned in liquid sunshine.

“Fuck. You’re my—”

She sat up and covered my mouth to shush me. Her hair was wild, makeup stained her face. My eyes darted around the room and found nothing but a pile of discarded clothes.

I touched my neck. That was the last thing I remembered: Beg’s needle, his laugh, the sound of the door locking together a rutting alpha and a defenseless omega.

“Moxie,” I choked out, swallowing down the need to throw up.

“No.” She grabbed my face and dug her fingers into my cheek. “Look at me, Nico Front. I am perfectly well. Look at me.”

I ripped my chin out of her fingers, but she persisted.

“Nothing happened that I didn’t want.” Her voice was low and demanding, then it softened. “Even some cock-warming time, which you didn’t request, but I insisted on.” Light danced in her eyes but was chased by darkness.

“Nico, we’re fine. I smell good, right?” Her eyes dug right into my soul. “You can feel I’m telling the truth, right?” She said it with determination so fierce I might actually believe her.

“We have to shower.” I shifted her off my chest and tried to stand. My knee gave out. She hooked her arm under mine, and I managed to achieve a mostly upright position. We both struggled back into our clothes. Every cell was screaming. My cock was still hard and protested being stuffed into my jeans.

The door latch gave with a soft click. I poked my head out to the empty hall. I guided Moxie back to our apartments with a hand on her back, pushing her past a comfortable walking pace. I’d have to come back and fumigate that room.

I pushed her under the shower spray, fully clothed. Her top made a wet thud that echoed when it hit the floor of the shower.

“You still have it.” I curled my finger around the chain that held the locket I had stolen.

“Yeah, well, funny story.” She squeezed half a bottle of Lana’s expensive body wash into her hand and smeared it on my chest. “You know all those poor saps we used to joke about? The ones pining for love, getting all ‘te cupio’? Yeah, turns out it’s me. I’m the poor sap.”

“Moxie, you have to leave tonight.” I grabbed her by the shoulders, maybe a little rougher than I wanted to. Beg’s chemical cocktail was still running through me.

“People keep saying that.”

She lathered up her hair and then stepped under the spray. The water caressed all of her features, turning her skin rosy as the temperature came up. I did my best not to touch her in the small space. I probably shouldn’t even be naked with her right now. Still dripping, with a towel wrapped around her, Moxie darted out of the room. I rested my head against the tile. It didn’t matter what she said. I had still…

Lana steps out of Beg’s office, tears staining her face. I grab her arm. She shrinks back.

“You’re crying. What happened?”

“I’m not crying.”

“Lana.” I want to touch her, but I can’t. She hates me. She hates Beg more.

“Gag reflex.”

“What?”

“Your eyes tear up with the gag reflex.”

My brain is slow to do the math. I glance back at Beg’s door. “You were with him?” I say, shocked.

“He likes it when I choke. It goes quicker.” She rubs a finger under her eye and makes a disgusted noise at the makeup residue left behind.

“You can’t…” My words stumble.

“Grow up, Nico. Every woman that has ever existed has said yes to something they didn’t want because it was the safer option.”

I shut the water off and squeezed out my hair. A link from the broken handcuffs snagged, caught in a curl. I ripped it free. My traitorous cock was still hard. Moxie peeked around the shower curtain. Her smile was extra bright to cover her concern. She shook an amber bottle at me.

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