Page 35 of Mastering their Maiden

Aria let out a shuddering breath, and when I tilted my head, I felt her move with me, her lips parting when I hovered mine over hers temptingly.

Zander talked about stealing her kisses. Umber, too. Dex had coaxed them out of her.

But when she tipped her mouth into mine, I knew this kiss wasn’t stolen.

Her breath was warm and her tongue soft when I slipped mine past her lips. She stayed stiff in my hold, but only for a second. Soon she softened, leaning into me as she gripped my biceps. I tilted her head, deepening the kiss as I pressed her body to mine.

Gods, I wanted her wrapped around me. Every part of her gripping me tight. Her legs, her arms, the sweet cunt she ground into my hips when I picked her up off her feet. She held onto me like I was the only thing in the world.

Like she trusted I would keep her safe.

I would. I would keep her safe. I would claim her as mine and I would never let anything hurt her again.

I wanted everything from this girl. Her submission. Her trust. Her attention. Her fierce, unwavering devotion. I wanted it all.

And I would have it. Very soon.

And not only that, I would deserve it.

CHAPTER 12

Aria

“Who do you want first?”

Umber’s voice was teasing, drawing my attention to where he stood by the fence. The sun was on the horizon, the moon lowering opposite of it, and it gave his hair almost a silvery glow. I studied him as I moved forward, raising my eyebrows when he didn’t move to lift the slat in the fence so we could re-enter the village.

“Oh, is it going to be my choice?”

His grin was mischievous, and I had to fight hard not to smile. I’d had to fight hard not to do a lot of things as of late. Laugh at a joke, lean into a touch, melt into a kiss.

I was still a little angry at myself over how I’d let them chip away at my walls. First Zander with his play fights, then Dex with his soft, cajoling words. And of course, Kaiden, who’d managed to weasel more anger out of me than I’d shown in years.

And now Umber, with his mischievous grin and eager kisses. He’d been giving them to me all night. Quick pecks on the cheek, on my neck. Deep kisses that left me breathless. And he wasn’t the only one. All four of them had taken to kissing me so often that my lips were a little sore and swollen from their attention. I knew I should be shoving them away each time they leaned in.

But some deviant part of me began to crave them almost more than I did air.

Umber finally moved toward me, his hands wrapping around my waist as he spun me around, pressing my back to the fence. “Zander is going to want to play rough with you, and if you like that—naughty girl, you do,” he teased, brushing a thumb over my cheek when the flush of color came to it, “you’ll want to tease him by taking one of us first and making him watch. It will get him excited. Keener to take you than he already is. That would be my suggestion.”

“Hmm, yes. You’re right.” I nodded in agreement. “I think maybe… Kaiden should have me first, since he’s your leader. Or Dex, because he’s the oldest…”

Umber’s eyebrows narrowed and I bit back a laugh. “Or me, because I’m the sweetest,” he suggested, and I raised my eyebrows in response.

“Didn’t you let me get away with sneaking out for a peek at my breasts? That wasn’t very sweet.”

“It was for me,” he murmured, ducking to kiss the tops of said breasts that were peeking over the collar of my dress. “These are very sweet.”

“You’re depraved.”

“You enjoy the depravity.” He kissed up my neck, bypassing my lips to kiss over my cheeks, then up to my forehead. I tensed when he lifted his hands, cupping my face, his thumbs smoothing a warm path under my cheekbones. “Only a few more days, Aleria. Then you’ll be ours.”

Ours.

I pressed my lips together, trying not to let the word wrap itself fully around my heart. It might strangle the damn thing if I let it get too much closer. Ours…

Ours meant possession. It meant submission. It meant belonging. It meant loyalty and safety.

I hadn’t felt safe since before my parents died.

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