Page 25 of Filthy Beginnings

Most of all, she wanted him to touch her like before.

And it didn’t matter that this was too fast or too reckless. There was something about Damien that had her running headlong toward the edge. Something about him that made her believe he’d catch her, no matter what.

Which is why her voice shook as she said, “I’m inspected every suns’ rise. If we do this, you can’t come inside me. If we’re discovered, it will cost us both. They’ll punish me and ban you from the tournament.”

“Ah, sweet Scarlett.” His finger traced the cuff at her wrist, as if he knew what lay beneath, his touch sending shivers down her spine. “Hurting you is the last thing I want. I will control myself from here on out. I promise.” His fingers feathered over her brows and down her jaw. “There’s no rush, anyway. You and I are going to have all the time in the galaxy for fucking and knotting.”

“What does that mean?” Her heart slammed against her ribs as foolish hope sparked within her.

“It means, beautiful—” he gripped her chin and guided her to her knees on the bed, tilting her gaze up to lock with his—“that this is not a short-term thing.”

“But Egan—”

“Fuck Egan.” Damien’s grip tightened. “I’m not just fighting for a prize. I’m fighting for my female. For our future. You’re going to be my prime omega, Scarlett Skolov, and I won’t let anyone get in the way of making you mine.”

His prime omega.

Her heart turned over in her chest.

Not just some short-term trophy.

His forever. Just as he’d be hers.

An offer made because of a genuine connection, not an obligatory favor done out of pity and care for her brother.

Never in a thousand planetary rotations would she have imagined that fate was possible for a consortium prize.

Now, she wanted it more than anything.

“I mean it, Scarlett. I might not currently have the reputation some of these fighters have, but I’ll be big some rotation soon. One of the greatest champions to grace these rings. I can promise you that.”

The tension in his tone made her realize he’d taken her silence as doubt rather than surprise.

“I believe you.” Her hand curled around as much of his wrist as she could hold in her grip.

“Yeah?” He let out a slow breath, his shoulders loosening.

“Absolutely.”

“Good.” He slid his hand down so their palms touched, threading his fingers with hers. “And you’ll be by my side, sharing the glory. My greatest prize, and so much more. You’re my inspiration. My mate.” He raised their intertwined palms and kissed each knuckle. “They might call my name in the ring, but I know exactly whose name I’ll be calling out with every beat of my heart.”

Her soul took flight.

She could never have imagined Damien Skolov.

Being with him was forbidden… reckless… stupid.

She was doing it anyway.

Taking his hand, she fell back onto her elbows, tugging him to her as she spread her legs, and looked up at him, a slow trilling sound she’d never made before emerging from her throat. “Show me our future, Alpha.”

* * *

Damien lether pull him off-center, following her onto the bed. Why not? He’d been knocked off balance since he’d first seen her.

And that purr… it called to every fiber of his being.

Plus, she took him exactly where he wanted to be: his elbows braced against the mattress to take the worst of his weight while his legs rested between her pretty thighs, his skin pressed so close to hers, he could feel her heart beating as if it were his own.

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