Her pulse quickened.
The raw, primal way he moved his body—usedhis body—devastated her senses and stole her common sense.
Every mouthwatering inch of him screamed of power and steady strength, making the gentleness he showed her when they were alone even more astonishing.
Because that’s what he was with her: gentle and adoring. Dominant, yes. But never cruel like so many Alphas.
She already knew too that the substantial bulge between her fighter’s thighs could grow huge and hard, with ridges swirling from base to top that rubbed her clit just right.
He hadn’t claimed her fully.
A torment to them both.
But it was essential.
Each morning, an unsmiling Consortium beta medical officer inspected her to confirm there was no trace of Alpha sperm in her vagina or anus.
If that changed, they’d punish her with the lash, revoke her prize status, and immediately exile her to one of the lesser outer-rim brothels to work off the money her transgression would cost the Consortium.
That alone kept her and Damien in line.
But that hadn’t stopped them from bending the rules. Taking risks.
Damien was a master at both—and she was learning. And relishing every new lesson.
His endurance and focus as a fighter made him an extraordinary lover.
She couldn’t wait to see how it felt to have him inside her, his knot stretching her wide as it locked them together.
It would be a revelation for them both.
He’d told her he’d been with no other.
She believed him.
Unlike everyone else she knew, Damien was no liar.
“Begin!” Egan Avitus’s shout rang out and Damien leaped before the rest.
His reflexes were astounding.
He’d told her it came from being the runt, the fourth and youngest brother in his family, and a greedy bastard who wanted as many sweets as he could get.
While framed it as a joke, she’d sensed the truth in his words. The need to prove himself, to be the best, was a driving part of who he was—and why he’d come here.
And why they remained, even though running away together had crossed their minds. But that brief freedom would have come at a terrible cost, their families paying the price.
No one tangled with the Consortium without losing a pound of flesh or a part of their soul.
The slap of bodies echoed through the space.
She held her breath.
Damien had already made it through the first three match rotations with ease, winning every bout.
If he performed well this rotation, he would move on to the final event.
The Consortium drew out the tournament over five long rotations to build interest and anticipation, but it was driving her to near madness.