Page 97 of Ruthless God

Not one of pain.

One of pleasure.

And then?—

“Cecely. Fuck.”

My breath catches.

Oh my god. Is he?—?

The next sound that fills the air confirms it. A deep, ragged exhale, the faint rustle of fabric, the unmistakable rhythm of movement.

Oh. My. God.

Heat rushes to my face, and suddenly, the massive bed doesn’t feel big enough. Hell, with all these layers of fluffy bedding, he probably doesn’t even know I’m right here. But I know. And now, I can’t un-hear it.

“Claudius, I’m in here.”

Silence. Then, the soft click of a lamp switching on. The warm glow spills over him, illuminating the sharp angles of his face and—ohhh.

His pants are undone.

But mercifully, the blankets keep me from seeing too much.

His gaze locks onto me, dark and unreadable. “What in the fuck are you doing in my bed?”

I push myself up, my pulse hammering. “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to be alone.”

A slow smile tugs at his lips, but it’s not kind. It’s dark, knowing, laced with something dangerous.

“Oh really.” His voice is pure silk, deep and laced with amusement. “You wanted to keep me company, is that it?”

I swallow, aware of every inch of space—or lack thereof—between us. “Something like that.”

His smile widens, lazy but predatory, his head tilting slightly as if considering his next move.

“Then why don’t you be a good girl and come over here.”

I moisten my lips, suddenly hyperaware of how closely he’s watching me. Every move. Every breath. It feels like no matter what I say, it’ll be a trap.

I force myself to speak. “Why?”

Claudius doesn’t hesitate. His gaze drags over me, slow, deliberate.

Then, in that smooth, devastating voice, he says, “Because I want you to.”

Oh. My.

I should get the hell out of here.

I should go back to my room, pretend this moment never happened.

I should tell him no and shut this down before it even starts.

But you know what? Pregnancy hormones are no joke. For the past week, my body has been on fire, restless, needy. And now, here he is offering me exactly what I want. No hesitation. No games. Just waiting. Watching. Wanting.

My breath shudders out of me as I make my decision.

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