“Yes,” I moan.

He pouts slightly, looking boyish. I reach my finger up and rub along his busted lip, loving how it makes him look even more rugged.

My guy is a fighter.

He’ll lie here with me and make me see galaxies, whisper sweet things into my ear along with dirty, and then he’ll turn around and beat the shit out of someone.

The thought makes me wetter, and as he rubs a thumb over my clit, I tremble and suck in needed air.

“I want you to come,” he says, his voice filled with thick lust, his eyes hooded sapphire diamonds. “Look how good we are together, K. You and me.” His face goes to my neck, and I breathe in forest green spice. His soft hair brushes against my face, and he bites down on my skin, sucking with a purpose. Ready to break blood vessels and mark me. His thumb presses into a million nerves, causing me to buck and grip onto his shoulder.

“Oh God.” I slam my eyes shut as I feel a rush of hot fire at my center.

“That’s right, baby. Fuck, you’re soaked.”

“Keep doing that,” I pant as he rubs me. He pumps his thick fingers in and out, hitting my G-spot repeatedly.

I grit my teeth before clamping down on my bottom lip. Tingles spread like wildfire down my spine, over the backs of my thighs. My calves threaten to cramp, and the dam breaks as I come harder than I have in God knows when. I hold on to his shoulder like I’m floating away and he’s keeping me put. Light-headed and seeing stardust, I watch in a haze as Bryce removes his skillful fingers. I lock my eyes on him as my chest heaves happily.

His Mad Hatter tattoo covers his left ribcage, looking wild and wide-eyed crazy. Beautiful draped in moonlight, Bryce slides his jeans and briefs all the way down and off. He’s back on top of me moments after. The warmth of his body is welcome, melting my insides even more than he already has.

My legs spread wide to accommodate him, and with ease and eyes on me, he slides inside, linking us like we both crave. Nose to nose, parted lips to busted ones, we fuck painstakingly slow. He grazes my face with the back of his silver scarred knuckles.

“Who knew I was missing out on so much?” he murmurs.

“Who knew?” I repeat. Because that goes for me, too. Yes, we’ve both had sex, him more than me—which I don’t want to think about—but it’s never moved mountains and drained whole oceans. It’s never been filled with so much passion and adoration.

And that’s because neither of us has ever been in love.

Until now.

He moves faster, losing control of his slow pace. He stretches and brands, kisses and burns. Bryce Grant rectifies my need just being closer to me.

As close as we possibly can be.

Hunger takes over and he searches for his own release, driving into me until he finds it. With his face in the crook of my neck, he groans, sending chills down my back and making me shudder.

He breathes heavy on top of me, both of us coming down from a high we can only give to one another.

“God, I’ve missed you,” he says breathlessly. He looks up at me and gives me a cocky smirk. “It’s good to be home, right?”

I laugh. “Yes, it is, Grant. Yes, it is.”

__________

Dust eddies float unconsciously through the morning sunshine. Bryce is up and gone already for his workout, even though his knuckles are still healing from a bar fight I know no details about. Only that he hadn’t meant to go there to fight.

Yeah, right. I could tell he was stressed when he left me at the hotel. I knew he needed some time alone. I wanted him with me, but truthfully, I also needed some time to think.

My mind raced with shit I didn’t care to think about. The monster, things I saw and lived with every day. My mother whom I never care to see again. Then I thought about Mills.

A smile hits my face with the brand-new knowledge of who my real father is. There was always a bond between us that I didn’t know how to describe.

Now I do.

He’s my dad.

And hewantsto be my dad.