Page 75 of Lords of Ruin: Savage

“Of course I fucking know.” He kicks off his shoes. His body moves with an easy, almost lazy confidence as he crawls onto the bed, his hands pressing into the mattress on either side of me, caging me in.

“You think I wouldn’t find out?” His voice is low, husky, edged with sinister resolve.“Vincent claimed you, by proposing to you behind our backs, like that would change anything.” He leans in, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating off him. “Like that would make you any less mine.”

I swallow hard, my body betraying me even as my mind screams at me to be careful. “I’m not—” I start, but he cuts me off with a dark chuckle.

“You’re not what, Willow?” His lips hover near my ear, his breath sending a shiver down my spine. “You’re not what?” His voice is low, a dangerous purr that makes my stomach tighten. “Not mine?”

I should say yes. Ishouldpush him away, remind him that I’m engaged to Vincent, that this—whatever this is—shouldn’t be happening. But the truth tangles in my throat, and all that comes out is a shaky exhale.

His fingers skim down my arm, slow and deliberate, sending tingles across my skin. “Say it,” he murmurs, his nose brushing against my jaw. “Say you don’t belong to me.”

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. The words are there, lodged somewhere deep, but they won’t come. Theycan’t. Not when the air between us feels like it’s on fire, not when his touch is already searing into me.

Cast hums, pleased, his lips quirking up in a smug and victorious regard. “That’s what I thought.”

Then he kisses me.

It’s not soft. It’s not tentative. It’s a claiming, a reminder, a punishment all at once. His lips crash against mine, and I feel it everywhere—hot, electric, dizzying. His hands slide into my hair, tugging just enough to make me gasp, and he takes advantage, deepening the kiss with a hunger that makes my head spin.

I should stop this.I should tell him no. But when my fingers curl into his open shirt, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away, I know—I was never going to say no to Cast.

His hands are everywhere, rough and possessive, leaving trails of heat in their wake. My back hits the bed with a soft thud, and his body presses into mine, hard and unyielding. His lips leave mine to trail down my neck, biting and sucking in a way that makes my knees weak. I can’t think, can’t breathe, can’t do anything but feel.

“Cast,” I whisper, my voice trembling. It’s meant to be a protest, a boundary, but it comes out sounding like a plea.

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes dark and burning with a dominant and possessive stare. “Say it,” he demands again, his voice rough. “Say you’re mine.”

I shake my head, but it’s weak, half-hearted. “I can’t.”

“You can,” he growls, his hands tightening on my hips, his fingers digging into my skin. “Say it.”

I open my mouth, but the words won’t come. Instead, I let out a whimper as his lips find my collarbone, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. My hands grip his shoulders, unsure whether I’m trying to push him away or pull him closer.

Cast doesn’t give me a choice.He lifts me onto his lap, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist, as I straddle him.

“Say it,” he orders again, his voice low and dangerous.

I swallow hard, trying to find the words, trying to deny him, but all I can manage is a soft gasp as his hand slides up my thigh, pushing my dress higher. His touch is electric, sending shocks of pleasure through my body, and I can’t help but arch into him.

“Cast,” I breathe, my voice shaking. “I?—”

He cuts me off with another kiss, this one deeper, more demanding. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, and I can’t help but moan, my hands tangling in his hair. He pulls away just long enough to yank off his shirt, and then he’s back, his bare skin pressed against mine, hot and hard and so,sointoxicating.

His lips find my ear again, his breath hot against my skin. “Tell me you’re mine, Willow,” he whispers, his voice rough with need. “Say it, or I’ll make you.”

My heart pounds in my chest as he lays me back down on his bed, the sheets cool against my overheated skin. He hovers above me, his eyes locked on mine, and I can see the hunger in them, the raw need that mirrors my own.

I shiver, my body trembling under his touch. “I—I’m yours,” I finally whisper, the words barely audible.

He growls, low and satisfied, and his lips crash against mine again, this time even more demanding. His hands continue their assault, exploring, claiming, leaving no part of me untouched. I can’t think, can’t breathe, can’t do anything but feel.

God, I’m lost.

He breaks the kiss to trail his lips down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin in a way that makes me gasp. His hands slip under my dress, pushing it up and over my head, leaving me bare before him. His eyes rake over me, dark and hungry, and I feel exposed, vulnerable, but also wanted in a way I’ve never felt before.

“Cast,” I whisper, my voice trembling.

He doesn’t answer with words. Instead, he kisses me again, his hands exploring every inch of my body, setting me on fire. I’m drowning in him, in the way he touches me, the way he makes me feel. His lips leave mine to trail down my body, leaving a path of heat in their wake, and I can’t help but arch into him, my hands gripping the sheets.

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