Page 67 of The Pretty Savage

I had sex with my instructor, my target, my technically enemy, the one person I shouldn't even be touching with a ten-foot pole, yet I did.

And I wanted more. God, did I want more.

When he laid on top of me, holding me like that, there were no whispers in my mind telling me I would never be able to have something pure, something good in my life. There were no doubts where he was concerned, but I couldn't stay. Rationally I knew I couldn't stay, but as I put distance between us, my heart clenched painfully, all but begging me to go back.

And I couldn't. I wouldn't fucking do that to myself.

I still had no idea if he was my enemy or if he knew what happened to Tyler. I still had no idea why Heinrich wanted his family destroyed. There was more to it than simply wanting to get them off the board and take over their territories. Hell, I didn't even know which territories belonged to the Zylla family.

So I marched toward the little temple Dante mentioned, furious at myself for succumbing to the desire, to the need. It wasn't like me to let someone hold me like that. It wasn't like me to fall deeper just because someone had put their dick inside of my body.

I was close to begging him to take me to his room, to hide me from the rest of the world.

I was tired. So fucking tired of living this life, of pretending I was a soldier, of making sure I never broke. I just wanted to shatter, to cry, to allow myself to experience the grief I had never processed. I never stood a chance against those that stole me from the life I could've had.

I never stood a chance against destiny, and if Adrian Zylla was part of that destiny, I was doomed.

Two lone figures stood right next to the ruined little temple, glaring at me as I approached. And I could only imagine how disheveled I actually looked.

"So nice of you to finally join us," Dante grumbled, his face looking like he went through ten rounds with Muhammad Ali, although the way Adrian pummeled into him might have been worse. "If you screamed any louder I'm sure you would have woken up the bears on the mountain."

My cheeks reddened, my ears burning.

Jesus fucking Christ, they were here the whole time.

"Dante," Jax warned, giving him a massive side-eye. "We talked about this. You won't embarrass Adrian's girl."

"I'm not Adrian's girl," I spat out, offended they would put me in a box before they even met me. "I'm not here because of him or because I need to be someone's girl."

"I know," Jax huffed. "It's just?—"

"It's just nothing," I rebuked. "I belong to no one. Not to Adrian and not to another man. And who I fuck," I glared at Dante, "is none of your business."

Dante stood in front of me, glaring for a second longer when a bright smile spread all over his face, transforming his features.

"What did I tell you?" He turned toward Jax as he asked the question. "She can stand up for herself."

"Yeah, yeah." Jax rolled his eyes. "You told me. And look, Vega…" Jax turned toward me. "Adrian?—"

"Why, for the love of everything, are we constantly discussing Adrian?"

"Yeah, guys," that annoying fucking voice piped up behind me. "Why are you discussing me?" I didn't have to turn to see that he was smiling.

I wished he wasn't here, but I guess it only made sense for him to join us, since it seemed he was the one running this show. I just didn't like it.

My body still buzzed from the three orgasms he stole from me, and I was yet to be convinced that he wasn't the conniving son of a bitch Alena and Heinrich portrayed him to be. I wanted to be angry at him, at the fact that he played me so well without an ounce of resistance from me, but I guess the moment his arms wrapped around me, I was a goner.

I was a goner when I saw him on the train, yet I never thought I would fall this ungraciously for a man that most likely played games like this for fun. There was also that little nagging voice in the back of my mind, telling me he was engaged, even though he didn’t confirm or deny those claims, and I had no idea what to make of it.

"You know, Adrian," Dante grinned, "I thought I was loud during sex, but you," he whistled, "that was definitely something else."

Adrian snickered, passing by me and going to stand right next to his two friends, smiling at Dante as if he didn't try to kill him just this morning. "We both know you're the loudest one," Adrian said, looking at Dante. "Besides," his onyx eyes landed on me, "you don't hold back when it's the best sex of your life."

He was goading me, wanting to see my reaction, but I was as far from a prude as possible, and if he thought he would embarrass me by talking about it… Oh boy, he was in for a rude awakening.

"I've had better." I shrugged, reveling in the frown that took over Adrian's face, quickly replacing the smug look he carried. "But in all honesty," I looked at all three of them, "I wasn't aware we were here to discuss my sex life or how loud someone could moan while getting fucked." Shock and disbelief laced their harsh features, seemingly surprised by the words coming from me. "If you want to, I can give you a written report on what it felt like, which strokes worked the best, which ones didn't, and which points?—"

"That's enough," Adrian all but growled, earning a smile from me.

---