Page 30 of Filthy Beginnings

Blowing out a breath, he grabbed the long ends of the restraints and shoved them beneath the mattress, his body hovering over hers. “One rotation, I’m gonna let you tie me up like this too.”

Her pupils dilated. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” He’d been joking—his attempt at another distraction. Now, however, given her reaction, he was one hundred percent serious. “You’ll tie me up, and when you have me at your mercy, you’ll climb on top and bounce that gorgeous body up and down on my cock.”

She shivered beneath him. “I won’t stop until you groan and growl and flood my pussy with your cum, and your knot swells so wide we’re locked together. Forever.”

Fuck. He was getting hard again.Click.He hooked the restraints back into place.

Then, before he could lose it—or stay too long and screw things up—he pulled away.

“It’s a date.” He pressed one more quick kiss to her forehead. “This… this is only temporary. Once I win the tournament, I’ll never leave your bed again. In my mind, you’re already mine.”

Then he spun and strode away, refusing to look back.

Soon enough, he promised himself, he’d win the tournament, and she’d be his forever. Nothing would ever separate them again.

8

Rotation one of the tournament…

“Keep those eyes shut.” Damien accompanied his command with a gentle slap to her ass, then a slow caress.

Scarlett pushed her bottom back into his hand and wiggled. “How about my legs? Should those stay open or shut?”

His grip around her tightened. “Now that’s just not fair.”

She giggled. Actually giggled.

“I like that sound. I waited impatiently all rotation to hear it again.” With a low growl, he corralled her forward, one palm clamped over eyes while the other refused to leave her ass. He used his big body to guide her while keeping her safe in his arms, her back against his chest. “Now, I will admit, Crex helped me with this. But only a little.”

“I can’t wait to meet this new friend of yours.”

He squeezed her tighter, possession deepening his tone. “After we’re mated.”

She smiled to herself. She had no idea where they were going or what his surprise was, but he’d come for her soon after Egan and the guards left her room for the night, and she’d been smiling ever since.

Even when he pulled her into the hall, rushed her into a small storage closet—not giving her time to sympathize over the bruise on his cheek or the state of his swollen knuckles—before he shoved aside a dirty heavy grate and leaped down, demanding she jump next.

He’d promised to catch her.

She didn’t hesitate.

Safe in the warmth of his arms, his broad chest against hers, she had never felt more sheltered, happy—and needy.

She’d waited all rotation to touch him again.

She’d been nervous for the morning medical examination, carefully washing away any trace of Damien’s scent and saliva before her appointment. But since there was no seed found on her and she explained away the faint irritation between her thighs as a product of her dancing, she’d passed the inspection without trouble.

It helped too that Egan was distracted with other tournament business, his attention more divided than usual.

Even better, his preoccupied state had allowed her more chances to sneak glances at Damien during the first official rotation of the tournament. She’d silently cheered him on while he fought and won each of his matches as she sat in the viewing box above, the prize to be won.

All rotation long, she pressed her thighs tight as his beautiful body flexed and bunched as he moved and dodged and wiped the mat with his opponents.

All rotation long, she ached for him. Craved his skin against hers, the feel of his calloused hands gripping her hips, the taste of him on her tongue.

If anyone would have told her a lunar rotation past that she could feel this kind of giddy happiness and raw, reckless hunger—even while still in the dome, the tournament trials raging on, Egan’s beady eyes on her whenever she was in her cage, still a prize for the consortium—she would have said they were mad.

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