Page 162 of Filthy Royal

“Damien…”

“Darvish took so much from us. I’m so damned glad he’s not getting this. First, last, and forever.”

Panting hard, she watched him advance.

He stopped a hand’s length away and fingered the taming chain at her throat. “I’m leaving this on until the fated-mate marks return.”

A slow shiver ran through her.

“It looks hot as hells on you. And I haven’t even shown you one-tenth of how it can be used to give you pleasure.”

Scarlett trapped in a soft moan.

“I want every Alpha to know you’ve been claimed by me. Plus, I know when we’re playing with it, you’re going to spread those legs so wide and high for me, baby, and I’m going to take all you have to give—and give back even more.”

She trembled just thinking about it.

Damien and his toys. Damien and his arrogance. Damien and his commands. She loved every moment of it.

Truth be told, she wanted to be tied to him in every possible way.

He hadn’t asked for her permission. She gave it to him anyway.“I’m never taking it off. Ever.”

Her declaration earned her a slow, sexy smile “Good girl.”

Seeing him like this, having him like this, she was done resisting.

The darkness inside her had become oddly, blissfully, quiet. Yes, she could still feel it, coiled tight, gathering energy to rise once again and taint everything she’d tried to set right. But she’d keep her gift contained. Double down on her efforts to vanquish it until it disappeared altogether.

Because there was no one like Damien Skolov, and she wanted to be his with every broken piece of her soul.

If he was willing to take the risk, then so was she. She’d fight with everything she had for the chance to be with him.

A flash of light on the tunnel wall had her whipping her head to the side. “Did you see that?”

“Your colors on the walls?” He shrugged as if it were no big deal. “They’ve been happening since we were in the closet at Consortium headquarters. But they’re brighter now. As beautiful as ever.”

Scarlett could only stare at where the burst of color had been. It might be no big deal to him, but to her, it was everything. “I-I haven’t seen that for a long time.” She cleared her throat. “I actually haven’t been able to make them appear.”Since you left.“I didn’t think I ever would again.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “Never say never with me, baby.”

A soft humming vibrated in her throat. Her eyes went wide. There was no mistaking that resonance. She’d purred. That too had been absent since his departure.

They both froze.

Then, as if two parts of the same note, a deep rumble echoed from Damien in response.

“Our song.”

She surged onto her tiptoes as his head angled down. They met in the middle, a wild tangle of lips and tongues and need.

His hands roamed everywhere. As did hers.

He broke their kiss, his hand sliding down her belly to cup her pussy, a trail of water in its wake. “This belong to me?”

She moaned low.

“Words.” His grip tightened. “You owe me after leaving so much unsaid.”