Page 50 of Marked

He cups the back of my neck, thumb brushing along my jaw as he presses his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry.”

I close my eyes at the contact, allowing the comfort to wash over me. “For what?”

“For upsetting you,” Jack replies. “It wasn’t my intention.”

I sigh and pull back so I can look at him again. “I can take care of myself.”

He holds my gaze and nods. “I wasn’t trying to say you weren’t capable of doing so. I know that you are strong. I know very well that you can handle yourself.” When I remain stubbornly quiet, he tightens his hold on the back of my neck. “But you shouldn’t have to. I want you to understand that it is my pleasure to defend you. I want to be the person who stands up for you, who scares off anyone who dares to talk down to you.”

“Your pleasure?” I ask, a small smile curling up my lips as a flutter hits my stomach.

He slides his hand around my throat and runs his thumb over my bottom lip. “Distinct pleasure,” he repeats seriously.

I can’t help it, I laugh. “Is that so?”

He smiles at my laughter. “Yes. And this isn’t something I feel the need to do for everyone, Valkyrie. I want to snarl at anyone who even looks at you without respect.” His face becomes somber once again, a glimmer of confusion in his eyes. “And as childish, weird, and overbearing as it may seem, I want to wrap you up in my arms, cover you in my scent, and scream to the world that-” He swallows as he pauses. “-that you’re under my protection.”

I have a strong feeling that wasn’t what he was going to say initially, but I don’t want to know what the original words are. Instead, I close the distance between us and press my lips against his. It’s weird how quickly I’ve become comfortable with the act of kissing him. A part of me feels like it’s the first time each time, but also familiar enough that I’m comfortable and confident doing it.

Jack’s hand slides up so he’s cupping my jaw, holding it firmly in place while his tongue delves into my mouth. My tongue slides against his, but his pushes back, the two soon fighting for dominance. When I moan in my throat, he slides his other arm under my ass and lifts us both.

Once my feet are on the ground, I rip his shirt open, sending buttons flying against the tile. He shrugs out of the ruined shirt and peels off the plain tee underneath. A devilish thought takes over as I break away from our kiss. He’s forced to release my face as I dip my head down and press kisses to his wet skin, my tongue lapping up the water.

He hisses in pleasure as I bite one of his nipples before dropping to my knees, kneeling before him like he’s my own personal god. He sucks in a shuttered breath as I do. When I look up at him, fingers working at the buckle of his belt, he’s looking down at me with a strained expression.

“Valkyrie—” he begins but bites off his own words when I lick him hard from groin to belly button. I kiss back down to the waistband of his slacks and deftly slide down the zipper, being careful of his straining erection.

I fight with the material clinging to his strong thighs until I finally have his pants and boxers down far enough for his cock to spring free. I take him into my hand, relishing in the groan that escapes his lips.

I lightly stroke him as I lean in and flick my tongue around the base of him, but not the actual shaft. I kiss my way to his inner thigh, teeth lightly nipping at the soft tender skin there. With a soft squeeze, I lift his dick towards his stomach and run my tongue along the seam of his balls before making my way across to his other thigh where I resume my kisses and nips.

Hearing a bang, I look up along the length of his perfect body to see him bracing himself against the wall. His arm is straight out in front of him, hand pressed hard against the tile as he watches me with needy anticipation.

I look away from him and smile against his heated skin before resuming my kisses and licks. Satisfied that I tasted my way around his cock, I pull back and focus directly on the glistening head. I hear him take in a shuttered breath as I flick my tongue over the slit, lapping up a mix of precum and water.

It’s impossible to keep the smirk off my face as I release him and stand up. A small, teasing laugh escapes me when he looks at me with incredulity and no small amount of confusion. I walk my fingers up his chest but keep my eyes on his. “You’re not the only one who can delve out punishments when someone misbehaves.”

Jack’s eyes flash. There’s so much in that look that I can’t dissect it all. All I know for certain is that he likes my tease, but he’s about to make me pay for it. He only proves me right when he whirls me around so that my chest is flush with the wall, the cold tile making my nipples tighten almost painfully.

One of his hands slides down between my thighs, fingers tracing the wetness gathered there. If he’s checking to make sure I’m ready for him, he needn’t bother.

“Brace yourself,” he growls in my ear as he kicks my legs apart.

“Don’t like the taste of your own medicine, sir?” I coo innocently, but I do as told and press my palms flat against the tile.

His growl is so deep I feel it vibrate against my back as he presses against me. “On the contrary, Valkyrie, I’m going to make up for upsetting you.”

I feel a hand on my hip, holding me in place as his blunt head nudges at my entrance. I moan as he slides in and buries himself to the hilt. He lets me adjust to him in this position for a few seconds before beginning to move. His thrusts are hard and quick, forcing me further against the wall.

His fingers slide into my wet hair before fisting it tightly, yanking my head back and forcing my spine to bow as he powers into me. “I want you to come, Valkyrie,” he says before a sharp slap meets one side of my ass. He rubs the sting out of it even as a throaty moan escapes me. “But that is for scaring me.”

“Again,” I beg shamelessly.

He releases my hair, letting my body relax, and slides his hand down my spine before gripping my hip once again. “Is that how you ask for things?” he asks, purposefully thrusting into me harder to make his point.

“Please,” I whisper.

“Please, what?”

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