Chapter 31

I woke up as the first hints of dawn cast a soft glow through the curtains and the room still held the chill of early morning. Owen lay beside me, his chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of deep sleep. His features, usually so sharp and commanding, were relaxed, almost boyish in their serenity. I watched him, the warmth of his body seeping into mine where our skin met beneath the tangled sheets.

As I studied his face, the realization crept over me like the slow spread of sunlight across the room. I wanted more from him. The intensity he brought into my life was terrifying, yet addicting. He had shown me that he would go to any lengths for me, even when those lengths were twisted and dark. My love had transformed, morphing into something raw and real, something that was uniquely 'us'.

I didn't want the safe, predictable kind of love that was sung about in pop songs or depicted in romantic comedies. I was drawn to the all-consuming nature of Owen. In his eyes, I was the center of the universe, the gravitational pull that held his world together. His obsession was a double-edged sword, cutting deep but also making me feel more alive than I ever had.

I watched him wake up, the sleepy confusion in his eyes slowly giving way to awareness, and then to something else entirely when he saw me there. His gaze sharpened, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile that felt like it was just for me.

"I love you," I blurted out, the words tumbling from my lips before I could stop them. It was the truth, as raw and real as the feeling itself. His eyes widened, and for a moment, everything was still.

Then he was on me, his body pressing mine into the mattress, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that was both a question and an answer. "I love you, Kira," he murmured against my mouth, his voice rough with sleep and emotion. "God, I've been waiting to hear you say that."

His hands roamed my body, mapping out every curve and contour as if it was the first time. There was a reverence in his touch, a tenderness that made my heart ache and my body sing. He kissed me deeply, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips before diving in to explore the sweet depths of my mouth.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer, needing to feel the weight of him against me. He groaned low in his throat, the sound vibrating through me and setting my nerves alight. His erection pressed against my center, the heat of it searing through the thin layers of fabric that separated us.

Owen's hands slipped under my shirt, his fingers skimming my sides before he pulled the fabric over my head and tossed it aside. His eyes darkened as he took in the sight of me, the flush on my skin, the way my chest rose and fell with each ragged breath.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his voice filled with awe. He dipped his head to capture a nipple through the lace of my bra, sucking and nipping until I was a writhing mess beneath him. I arched my back, pressing myself further into his mouth, reveling in the sensations that coursed through me.

With deft fingers, he unhooked my bra and discarded it, his hands replacing the fabric as he cupped my breasts, his thumbs circling my sensitive peaks. I moaned, the sound mingling with our heavy breaths and the soft rustle of the sheets.

He trailed kisses down my stomach, his hands slipping under the waistband of my panties and pulling them down my legs. He settled between my thighs, his breath hot against my most intimate place. "This," he said, his voice thick with desire, "this is mine." And then his mouth was on me, his tongue parting my folds and finding my clit with unerring precision.

I cried out, my hands fisting in his hair as he worked me into a frenzy. He knew just how to touch me, how to drive me to the brink only to pull back and start all over again. It was torture and bliss, a sweet agony that had me teetering on the edge.

When he finally slipped a finger inside me, curling it in that come-hither motion that he knew I loved, it was enough to send me over the edge. My orgasm crashed over me like a wave, washing away everything but the feeling of Owen's mouth on my skin and the sound of my own cries echoing in the room.

As the aftershocks subsided, he kissed his way back up my body, his erection nudging against my entrance. I reached between us, wrapping my hand around his length and guiding him inside me. We both groaned as he filled me completely, the connection between us almost too much to bear.

He moved slowly at first, each thrust measured and deliberate. But as our bodies found their rhythm, the pace quickened, the intensity building with each passing moment. I clung to him, my nails digging into his back as he drove into me again and again.

"Look at me, Kira," he commanded, and I opened my eyes to find him staring down at me with an intensity that took my breath away. "I want to see you when you come for me."

And I did, my body shattering around him as he found his own release, his name a prayer on my lips. We clung to each other, our bodies slick with sweat, our hearts pounding in unison.

As we lay there, spent and breathless, he kissed me gently, a sweet contrast to the fierce passion that had consumed us just moments before. "I love you," he whispered, his voice filled with a warmth that I felt down to my very soul.

And in that moment, as I traced the outline of the bandage on his chest that hid my name, I knew that no matter what the future held that we belonged to each other, completely and irrevocably.