8. Aurora

Running, running, running…

Heart racing. Lungs burning. Muscles cramping.

Branches reach out, clawing at my skin and trying to ensnare me further into darkness.

He's chasing me. They all are. My feet pound the forest floor, but all I can hear are the growing number of Serpents members behind me. I know I shouldn't look, but I can't help it. Peering over my shoulder, I see a pack of monsters masquerading as men. The momentary distraction causes me to stumble and trip.

As I roll onto my back, I cover my face, though I still see hands reaching out toward me…

"I'm right here, Aurora," someone says. "You're safe here. You're with me."

I jerk awake, every muscle in my body pulsing with tension.

"That's it, baby. You're safe," he says again.

"Razor?" I ask weakly, my mind still pulling itself from the terror of my dream.

"I'm right here," the deep, familiar voice replies. He strokes my back in a calming motion, his touch bringing me back into reality.

I'm at Razor's house, under his protection, for some reason. I still don't know what he sees in me or why he wants to help. I have a bunch of other questions as well, like how he was right there when I needed him most. Not only when I almost got hit by a car, but earlier tonight when I ran from everything I've ever known.

None of that matters right now. All I can think about is the kiss we shared before I apparently fell asleep. I don't even remember closing my eyes, but I was clearly out long enough to get sucked into a nightmare.

"Sorry," I mumble, still groggy from my impromptu nap.

"There's nothing to apologize for, princess," Razor says, his voice calm and in control.

I look down at his chest where I was all curled up, mortified to see a drool mark there. "Sorry," I say again. "I slept on you for hours."

"It was about forty-five minutes," he says, giving me a small wink. Is this the same man I met a few days ago? "And there's nowhere I'd rather be. Holding you is my new favorite activity."

"You can't possibly mean that," I say dismissively, even though I want his words to be true with every beat of my heart.

"I can, and I do," he replies. "You, Aurora, are worthy of taking up space. You don't have to apologize for existing," he murmurs. His words echo in my mind, though I can't quite accept them.

"But… I'm…"

"A warrior," he finishes for me. I furrow my brow, not expecting that. "You're stronger than you know. Beneath that strength, is a fragile heart I want to protect, if you'll let me."

"Why?" I've asked this before, but he hasn't given me an answer I understand yet.

"You are valuable. Precious. Every new piece of your story you give me only draws me closer to you."

"Me?" I whisper, tilting my head up so our noses are almost touching.

"You," he says meaningfully.

"How–"

Razor cuts me off with a kiss. He cups my face and holds me still while he drinks down my protests. We're both gasping for air when we finally break apart.

"You are everything I never knew I needed," he tells me, his breath tickling my lips. Razor's deep brown eyes sparkle with little golden flecks, his face softening as he holds my gaze.

"You… want me?" I squeak out. I realize I sound like a broken record, but I just can't wrap my mind around everything that's happened in just a few short days. I met this man a week ago and now…

Razor chuckles and leans down, his forehead resting on mine. "You don't seem to believe my words, so why don't I show you how much I want you?"

I barely get the chance to agree before his lips are on mine again. The kiss is slower this time, more deliberate and focused. Razor slips his hands under the hem of my shirt and teases me with light, barely-there touches as he sips from my mouth, drawing out a soft moan from somewhere deep inside of me.

He continues trailing his massive hands up my body, inching my shirt up as he goes. Razor brushes his thumbs across the underside of my breasts, causing an unexpected shiver to run through me.

Razor groans into our kiss, the vibrations running through me and settling in my lower belly, creating an intense pressure. His tongue slowly drags across the roof of my mouth, making me whimper as he pulls away. I automatically follow him, wanting more of this slow burn.

He smirks at me, his eyes growing dark and heavy with desire. "Patience, beautiful. I'll give you everything, but I'm going to do it my way." Razor untangles himself from me, standing up and holding out his hand. "Will you give me control, Aurora?"

I look up at him, the fog of lust clearing just enough to consider his question. I've been controlled my whole life. It's only recently I realized how much. Only leaving the compound to run errands, cleaning the clubhouse from top to bottom every day under threat of violence, and being made to feel like my presence is unappreciated at best, and unwanted at worst… I shouldn't be so willing to jump into something with a man asking me to give up control. Still, my first instinct is to fall into Razor's arms and tell him he can do whatever he wants to me.

Sensing the war raging inside, Razor's eyes soften ever so much. "Giving up control is its own kind of freedom if you trust the person you're giving it to. Do you trust me?"

He"s asked me that before, and each time my first thought is yes. I trust him with all of me. "I trust you, Razor," I whisper, taking his outstretched hand. He pulls me up so we"re face to face, and then Razor breathes me in before placing a sweet kiss on the side of my neck.

He inches my shirt up once again, higher and higher until he finally lifts it over my head. His lips immediately latch onto my breast, sucking at my nipple and rubbing his tongue on the sensitive peak.

"So fucking beautiful, Aurora. So beautiful when you give in to me. So beautiful when you let me love you like this."

Love? Did he say love?

Before I can even process his words, Razor pulls away from me. Did he mean to say that? Is he freaking out? Does he…

My world turns upside down – literally – as Razor tosses me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing. I shriek and then laugh, kicking out my legs. Apparently, he"s unfazed by what he just said. I"ll have time to worry about it later. Right now, I need his touch more than I need his answers.

Razor tosses me down on the bed, making my extra weight jiggle. I cover up my belly, the familiar rush of self-doubt rushing through my system. How could I possibly measure up to the shredded, sexy, beastly man standing before me?

He growls before he kneels over me with one knee on the bed. Razor grabs my wrists and pins them above my head with one of his massive hands, while the other hand slides down my body, tracing the contours of my chest, my torso, and my rounded belly.

"You're perfect. Thought I made that clear. I guess I'll have to show you that, too, Aurora," he whispers into my lips.

I think he's going to kiss me, but instead, Razor rubs his nose against mine before trailing his lips and nose down my neck, over my collarbone, between my breasts, and lower, lower, lower…

He nips at the soft flesh of my belly, sending a jolt of electricity to my throbbing clit, followed by a warm rush of wetness dripping out of my pussy. Razor takes a deep breath and lets go of my wrists, sliding the rest of the way down my body so he can focus on my pussy.

"I fucking smell how much you want me," he growls, spreading my thighs apart and running his nose up and down my slit. I close my eyes, not sure what to do with his attention. Some animalistic sound rumbles out of him. I can feel his need as it vibrates through me, making my nipples and clit ache. I feel my channel clench as more of my arousal leaks out.

Razor growls hungrily as he slides his tongue up and down my pussy, parting my folds. I force my eyes open and look down at his muscular back, rippling and flexing as he devours me. His tongue is everywhere at once – in my entrance, traveling through my folds, swirling around my clit. It's everywhere, and it's consuming me completely. It's all I can focus on. The intense feeling. The wet, smacking sounds. The pressure and heat.

It makes me even hotter knowing he's loving this. The greedy way he's grabbing my ass, the hungry, desperate groans, the eagerness for more. It's all showing me how much pleasure he gets from this. His rough palms slide to the back of my knees and he shoves my legs open wider, pinning them to the bed so he can sit back and stare at me. Razor growls and dives back in, licking me with fury, pushing deeper, harder, faster.

I reach down and tangle my fingers in his hair, pulling and pushing him away in equal measure. I can't decide if it's too much or not enough. Not that Razor gives me a choice in the matter. I gave up control and now I have to trust him to take care of me.

Razor lifts his head briefly, locking his gaze on mine. God, he looks possessed. Feral, even. Did I really do that to him?

"Yeah, beautiful," he grunts. "You did this to me."

My cheeks heat up with embarrassment. I hadn't meant to say that out loud, but Razor seemed to like it. He dips his head back down, this time sinking his teeth into my inner thigh, first one, and then the other, before licking away the sting.

"Oh shit…" I breathe out, spreading my legs wider for him.

"You like that? Like when I mark you? Like knowing you belong to me and no one else?"

I whimper and nod my head, unable to form words at the moment. I want to be his. I want him as my own, my one and only.

Without warning, Razor throws one of my legs over his shoulder, and then the other, before flattening his tongue and licking every part of me. My back bows off the bed as I shove more of my dripping, needy cunt into his face. I can't help it. The way his warm, soft tongue laps at my wetness and then circles my clit has me practically fucking his face.

His hands slide under my ass and grip me there, his fingers digging in deeper with each rough stroke of his tongue. He's helping me find my rhythm as I rub my greedy pussy against his mouth.

"R-Razor, please…" I gasp, clawing at the sheets and snapping my thighs around his head.

He grunts and focuses his attention on my clit, rubbing tight circles around my swollen button with his tongue. I can't stop the breathy moans falling from my lips repeatedly, each one louder than the last as my muscles lock up and my pussy quivers around his tongue.

I teeter on the sharp edge of ecstasy, wanting to savor the aching pressure as it builds. When Razor scrapes his teeth against my clit, pleasure slices through me, unleashing my pent-up need in one vicious explosion.

I cry out and lift up off the mattress, unable to contain the painful bliss rippling through every cell in my body. Wave after wave crashes into me in such rapid succession I don't have time to catch my breath before I'm drawn under once again.

Razor pushes me back down onto the bed with one large hand spread out over my belly, making me take all of what he's offering. My skin burns between my thighs where his stubble is scraping me, but it only serves to heighten the pleasure taking over my body.

Finally, finally, I start to come back down. I'm a shaking, sweating, puddle of satisfaction. My legs fall from Razor's shoulders as he stands up and pulls out his dick.

Holy fucking fuck. I mean, just…

"I'm not fucking you today, Aurora. But I need this," he grunts, stroking his massive cock. Jesus, why is that so hot?

I nod my head and spread my legs open for him, seeing his need and wanting to meet it. Razor groans and stares at me, jerking himself off to my naked, exposed body. I watch in awe as his massive shaft grows even longer and then swells up. Razor hisses and throws his head back, pumping his fist furiously.

When he tips his head back down to look at me, his eyes have gone completely black. He bares his teeth and clenches his jaw before stepping closer and pressing the tip of his cock against my clit.

I gasp at how incredible it feels having his hot, hard dick rubbing against me. Razor lets out a roar as he comes on my pussy, releasing his seed in forceful jets against my clit. An unexpected orgasm rips through me. It's short but so damn intense I see black spots in the corners of my vision.

"That's it, that's so fucking it," Razor groans as the last of his pleasure fades.

He falls on top of me, catching himself on his forearms so he doesn"t crush me completely. His lips are on mine, giving me a taste of my own release, even as I feel his drip down my pussy. When Razor pulls back, I see his chin glistening with my cum, which makes me lean up and kiss him again. I lick his lips and then plunge my tongue into his mouth, swirling it around his until the adrenaline and lust of my orgasms finally start to dissipate.

"Fuckin' hell, princess," Razor breathes out, his voice raspy from trying to catch his breath. His chest rubs against my sensitive nipples, making me wiggle beneath him. "That was incredible."

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" I ask with a cheeky grin.

Razor has a comeback on the tip of his tongue, but my stomach lets out an embarrassingly loud grumble. He frowns while I blush.

"I should have fed you," he says more to himself than to me. "I'll do better," he continues. "I can take good care of you, I promise."

This man. How did I find him? Oh, that's right. He found me.

"I think you're doing a pretty good job of satisfying my needs," I say with a wink.

Razor grins and leans in for another kiss, but my stupid stomach rumbles again. "Food first, then we can play later." He presses his lips to mine in a short and sweet kiss, then crawls off the bed and walks his naked ass to the bathroom, presumably to wash up. No complaints here. The view is incredible.