Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Imogen

Oh my god, I'd come in here for a reason, but I forgot about all of that when Asher's cock was pushed inside me. Hard, thick enough to make me want to wince, then hum with pleasure as he bottomed out, the first stroke drove all thought out of my head but this. Asher, him, his pine forest scent, the way every muscle in his body flexed as he held himself back, because he didn't want to hurt me. My legs locked around his, not letting him pull as far back, then dragged him deeper.

"More…" I whispered, something I would've never dared do before him. "I need more."

"Fucking hell…"

He groaned like a man losing his soul, or maybe finding it again, the desk creaking as he slammed deeper. God, yes, that percussive slam had aftershocks of pleasure rocketing through me with every stroke, and what was even better was I knew more were to come. Over and over, he thrust into me, his pelvis grinding into my clit with every pass, but just to make sure I was getting everything I needed, his hand slid between us. His thumb rubbed against that swollen nub, making me gasp.

"Yes… Yes…" I panted, grabbing for real now, feeling like a limpet clinging to a rock as the waves crashed around us. "Asher, yes…"

His eyes flicked open, meeting mine and that's when his strokes slowed somewhat. My nails raked across his shoulders, trying to urge him onwards, but somehow, he knew exactly what he was doing. We gazed into each other's soul, right as I felt his baculum shift.

Never had I craved something so much. It was like they'd awakened something in me that would not be denied anymore. It was tender, soft, and so very sensitive, so my whole body stiffened when he locked tight. If I was panting before, I was a squirming mess now, the feeling too much. It was almost like I was dying to pee, but that quickly transmuted into this. Like I was floating in a cloud-filled sky of bliss, unable to do a single thing but just feel. By the look on his face, Asher was feeling the same.

"Im…" He couldn't even grind out my full name. "I…"

"I know." I kissed his lips, his nose, his cheeks, his scar, claiming each part of him until he pulled my mouth back down on his. A hard, stinging kiss, it was the perfect counterpoint to the sweetness of this sensation. "I know, Asher."

I wrapped my arms tightly around him, burying my face in his neck, because suddenly I felt it. When he told me what he intended to do, a faint sense of foreboding started in my chest and it rushed forward now, threatening to rob me of this pleasure.

"Don't go," I whispered. "Please. I couldn't stand… I need you here, with me. Let the police find Phil. Let them take him in, please."

"Imogen—"

My name was the sound of a heart breaking, but one way or the other, one of us would get hurt. So if we stayed inside the building, we had the best chance of surviving this.

"Please, Asher."

We stared into each other's eyes, right as everything came to a screaming conclusion.

Every pulse of his cock provoked one in me, my cunt snapping, fluttering around him. This was ecstasy, but one with sharp teeth. I felt shredded, flayed, every defence broken down as I bared myself to him in more ways than the physical. Perhaps that's why I tilted my head sideways. I wasn't sure if this was the way you were supposed to do it, but it's what felt right. Animals offer up their most vulnerable spots as an act of submission, and I did the same now.

"Fuck, Imogen!"

I heard his bear in his roar then, right as his fangs clamped down around my neck and dug in.

Part of me had been terrified it'd hurt, but I needn't have. Sexual pleasure was a small thing compared to this. His soul finding mine and locking tight in ways we could only imitate physically. I felt him, his goodness, his sense of purpose, his strength rushing in, right before I heard his voice inside my head.

So, this is how you handle differences of opinion. My eyes went wide as I stared at his smile. I admit, it just makes me want to argue with you more if this is the way it ends.

But you won't. I studied those cool blue depths. You won't, Asher.

I couldn't hold this back, not when he was right inside my head. Visions of him hurt, him injured, shot, beaten, broken somehow. I didn't even know how Phil would achieve that, but that didn't stop me from worrying. Over and over, Asher being hurt, killed, taken from me played out until he nodded slowly, his smile fading.

It hurts you, the idea of me leaving HQ.

I didn't know how to put it into words, so I showed him.

Meeting the three of them, watching them step up for me and keep me safe, it felt like a beautiful dream I was always going to wake up from. It couldn't be real life, not after everything else I'd been through. Anything that might snatch this happiness away from me was pushed aside with as much violence as I could muster. But it was more than that. Ursula had told me the bare bones of what had happened with her and Asher, and I didn't need to pry more from her, not when it became clear. Killing her abuser had freed her.

And hurt him.

I stroked Asher's face as if he'd fade away seconds later, trying to memorise the planes of it, but right as I stared, my vision blurred. I blinked harder and harder, not wanting to miss a moment of this when he reached up. My tears were wiped away, but more came to replace them, until he moved forward and pressed his lips to my forehead.

You don't want me leaving . I couldn't answer, the feeling of wrongness building by the second and he knew. He could feel it right along with me. So I won't. I hated feeling like I was stopping him from doing something he needed to. I would never do anything to hurt you, because…

Feeling that rush of emotion coming from someone else. A heat, an affection, a need, but more than that. He stared mutely into my eyes, waiting for me to see it. A love, that's what it was. His love for me rushed in, and my heart ached in response, an answering fire flaring to life in my chest. I was forced to fling myself at him and hold tight, because it was the only way I could bear it. His hold on me was far gentler now. Asher stroked my hair and let me be in my feels until I looked up shyly at him.

Stay, I told him through our link. Just stay.

For you, anything.

There was a timelessness about the room. The door was closed, the curtains drawn, so you didn't see the light change as the sun moved overhead, but at some point, I was forced to pull away. Asher moved quickly, grabbing his t-shirt off the floor to mop up the mess, very gently cleaning off my now sensitive flesh.

"Well, if I'm going to get the police to do my dirty work, I'm going to have to review more of this footage."

"Show me."

That was delivered awkwardly as I pulled my clothes back on, but any embarrassment I might've felt was extinguished by his smouldering look. Asher followed my every movement with all the fascination of a bear on the hunt. I was willing to bet salmon, or whatever they ate, didn't sidle up to the bear, though, snuggling back into his lap. His arms went around me, and he unlocked his computer.

"At first I was going through security camera footage, looking for clues as to where Phil had gone." Asher's lips were just by my ear, making me shiver as they brushed against the shell. "But I was also searching for evidence of…" I looked over my shoulder as his voice trailed away. "We feel like his abusive behaviour is escalating. He's feeling small, weak, being arrested for hurting Mary and then having to get bailed out until his hearing, and that's not a good thing. It makes him more likely to lash out. When he hurts a woman, he feels strong again."

"He can't hurt me." I stared into his eyes. "He's just one dickhead and you guys are bear shifters. He'll never get within ten feet of me without becoming a bloody smear on the concrete."

I saw then Asher's fangs as he grinned at that idea, but the happy moment wasn't to last. His mind was always racing, I realised, jumping to the next conclusion.

"No, he won't ever lay a hand on you or Mary, but…" He stared at the screen, then pulled up the first lot of security footage. "There are other girls out there. It won't make him happy to transfer his rage to her, but he'll do it." Asher's focus intensified as he scoured the video playing. "He'll have to find another victim, or he'll be forced to face the fact that he's a complete piece of shit."

I turned back to the computer screen and stared myself, hoping all we ever saw was boring footage of cars passing by on the road.