Page 121 of Shadows of Ruin

He pulled back, not allowing me to look away. “Then I will tell you the Fates had something else in store for you to rise again. You will never fail because you will never give up. And when you think you cannot continue, I will carry you until you stand beside me once more.” He brushed his fingers over my face. “There is no kingdom, no world where I am not kneeling before you as queen. You will not fail.”

I swallowed as the ferocity of his belief in me ignited all the dark corners of doubt. I may not know where to go from here, but I would never have to determine it alone.

“You're not holding back anymore, are you?” I smiled,unable to stop the grin from spreading at his utter confidence in me.

He leaned in and yanked me toward him so no space lingered between our intertwined bodies. “You have ruined me, Little Rebel. Completely ruined me. I refuse to go back to acting as if that isn’t the truth.”

“Prove it,” I said against his lips.

A low sound rumbled in Kade’s chest as his lips crashed into mine. Gone was any hesitation, and I relished it. I ground my hips into him, whimpering at how hard and ready he was for me.

I reached down, stroking him over his pants. He nipped my bottom lip. “I don’t want to take advantage, so do not tempt me.”

“It’s not taking advantage when I’m asking nicely,” I practically whined. “I need this. I need you. Make me feel whole again. I cannot be consumed by grief anymore.”

I reached inside his pants. This time he groaned but didn’t pull away. “I’m holding on by a very loose, unstable thread.”

“Break for me.”

Kade lunged, hovering over me, and flipped me to my back. His fingers trailing down my throat and over my thin shirt, running between my breasts. He traced his fingers over my pants, slowly rubbing until I arched into his touch.

“More,” I begged.

“Greedy girl.” He smirked, removing his fingers from my body to lift my shirt. He dipped his head, tracing his tongue along the line of my pants.

I jerked at the divine sensation of the heat from his mouth. Running my fingers through his hair, I tugged, forcing him to look at me. The satisfaction dancing over his features drew out a moan from deep inside of me.

“I haven’t even touched you yet, and look at you.” He slipped my pants off with his shadows. “Perfect. Beautiful.Mine.”

I arched again when his lips caressed the inside of my thigh. I tugged his hair, desperate to pull him to my core, but he simply laughed against my skin. “I warned you the next time I had you I would not be rushed.”

“I need you,” I said, breathy and urgent. Fates, I had never been so desperate for anyone, and I didn’t care that he saw it. That he heard it.

He moved lower, farther from where I wanted him. He raised my ankle to his lips, kissing my skin before slowly running his tongue up my leg. When he finally reached my clit, he pulled away, retreating to the other side.

I let out an anguished moan.

“I better shield our friends from all the filthy things about to come from your mouth.” Kade smiled as his shadows arched outward around the edges of the tent.

“Fuck me, Kade,” I demanded.

“Are you wet for me, Illiana?” He kissed my thigh and slipped a finger inside of me.

“Yes,” I managed to hiss out.

He pressed deeper into me, taking his sweet time. His shadows curled toward me and suddenly pulsed outward. “They had their turn. You’re all mine now.”

He pressed into me steadily with his finger, and he added another, building a toe-curling rhythm. He curled them upward inside of me until I thrust my hips up for purchase.

Kade controlled my body like a damn musician, gradually coaxing the crescendo of pleasure further toward his goal.

“Please,” I begged.

He let out a satisfied sound and ran his tongue along my clit right as he curled his fingers again, thrusting inside of me.

“Beg for me again, Little Rebel.”

“Please,” I obeyed, willing to say anything to get more of this. More of him.

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