Page 35 of Fourth

Without another word, he stepped closer, wrapped an arm firmly around her, and lifted her from the bed in one smooth motion. Her breath caught, asoft gasp against his neck, but she did not resist. Her body molded against his, warm and pliant.

He set her on her feet beside the bed, her toes brushing the cold floor. Only then did his hands find her again—bare, warm—and he guided her backward until the wall cooled herback.

“Riv’En—”

“I said dress,” he murmured, voice quieter now. More dangerous. “But I did not say when.” His hand curled possessively over her hip, pulling her harder against him until there was no space left between their bodies. His mouth found hers without warning—rough, claiming, leaving no room for thought.

Maya gasped against his lips, her hands bracing against his chest, but it was reflex, not resistance. Her pulse thundered in her ears, matching the urgent rhythm of his mouth, his hands. He lifted her slightly, just enough for her toes to leave the floor before pinning her fully against thewall.

Her breath broke into a moan, and he caught it against his mouth, dragging the kiss deeper, slower this time. His lips moved with intent, teeth grazing her lower lip before he claimed her again, the pressure a blend of urgency and need that left them both shaking.

There was no preamble. No patience. His hand gripped the back of her thigh, yanking it up around him, and her body molded to his as if she belonged there. As if she alwayshad.

His voice was a low growl against her ear, words stripped to their bare essence. “Maya.”

And then he was inside her. One brutal thrust that had her gasping, head thrown back against the wall, his teeth scraping the line of her neck. His pace was merciless, hips snapping against hers with relentless force, each movement echoing through the chamber like a pulse ofheat.

Her fingers clawed at his shoulders, nails digging in, and she didn’t care. Couldn’t care. There was no space for thought, for logic. Only him. Onlythis.

Riv’En’s mouth moved against her skin, his voice rough between gritted teeth. “Mine.”

Her answer was a choked, anxious sound, half-formed words lost to the drag of his body and the sheer, overwhelming force of him. And when she shattered, it was with his name on her lips, utterly wrecked.

He followed a heartbeat later, driving into her one final time, aguttural snarl vibrating through both of them as he held her pinned against the wall, every muscle locked tight.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. The only sound was their breathing, harsh and uneven, mingling in the silence.

Then, slowly, Riv’En lowered her feet back to the floor, his arms still braced around her as if letting her go wasn’t yet an option.

He pressed against her, still breathing hard. “We are not finished,” he said lowly. Then, with careful control, he stepped back and caught her hand inhis.

“Come.”

Maya followed, her pulse still racing, barely able to find her footing as he led her into the adjoining washroom. The lights brightened automatically, casting a muted glow across dark metallic walls and sleek fixtures.

Riv’En keyed in a sequence on the panel. Steam rose almost instantly, filling the shower unit as the water activated. He did not hesitate. Riv’En’s hands slid down her arms. Her skin was already bare beneath his touch, no fabric left between them. He paused, letting his gaze travel over her, from the curve of her shoulder to the curve of her breasts and hips, every inch of her skin bathed in the muted glow from the wall panels. Then he stepped back a fraction, standing before her with the same lethal grace he carried into battle, all hard lines and blatant power, utterly unguarded in that moment.

Her breath caught.

“Inside,” he commanded quietly, guiding her into the shower enclosure. The instant the water hit, hot and sharp,Maya gasped. But before she could adjust to the heat, his hands were on her again, spinning her to face thewall.

“Riv’En—”

Her words cut off as his palm flattened against her lower back, pressing her gently but firmly against the slick metal surface. “One more time,” he growled. “Before we dress. Before we face them. Ineed—”

He did not finish the sentence. He simply acted.

His hands slid down her body, spreading her legs as the water cascaded over both of them, steam curling in the air. And then he was inside her again, deeper this time, slower but no less intense.

Her hands braced against the wall, fingers splaying wide as he set a punishing rhythm. Her moans echoed softly in the enclosed space, blending with the hiss of the water.

Riv’En’s voice brushed her ear, low and uneven. “You steady me.”

“You unravel me,” came her moaning reply.

Completion hit them both with brutal finality. His body locked tight, every muscle drawn as he held her against the wall, her back arched, his hands braced hard against her. For several long heartbeats, neither of them moved. Her breath broke in shallow, uneven bursts, as she pressed against the slick metal, hair plastered to her dampskin.

Riv’En kissed the back of her neck, letting the last tremors ripple through both of them, his knot locking them together. His pulse pounded in his ears, loud and insistent, matching the fierce echo of hers. It was not just release. It was a claiming.

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