26. Maryse

CHAPTER 26

MARYSE

T he door barely closes behind us before Bruticus pins me against the wall. His mouth crashes down on mine, desperate and demanding. The bone spurs on his chest press against my breasts through my thin blouse, sending shivers of desire through me.

"Mine," he growls against my lips.

My purse drops forgotten to the floor. "Yes. Always yours."

His tongue slides against mine, that addictive taste of him flooding my senses. Sweet and spicy, like cinnamon and honey. My fingers dig into his shoulders as heat pools low in my belly.

"Never letting you go again." His hands slide down my sides, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

The raw need in his voice makes me melt. All the pain and darkness of the past weeks dissolves in the heat between us. There's only this - his solid strength surrounding me, the press of his body against mine, the way he makes me feel cherished and desired.

"Good." I nip at his lower lip. "Because I'm not going anywhere."

His chest rumbles with approval as he deepens the kiss. One hand cups the back of my neck while the other grips my hip, pulling me closer. The familiar edges of his bone spurs dig into my skin through my clothes, marking me as his. My collar warms against my throat, a constant reminder of our bond.

This is home. This is where I belong. Not in my father's twisted world of lies and cruelty, but here in Bruticus's arms, wrapped in pure honest love.

His teeth catch the hem of my blouse. Sharp canines rip through delicate fabric with surgical precision. Cool air kisses my exposed belly as Bruticus drags his tongue across the newly revealed skin.

"So sweet," he purrs against my navel. "Need to taste every inch."

The remains of my top flutter to the ground. His mouth blazes a trail up my ribs, setting every nerve ending on fire. When he reaches the band of my bra, those deadly teeth make short work of it too.

My head falls back against the wall as he lavishes attention on my breasts. "Oh god..."

He growls in satisfaction at my response. The sound vibrates through me, drawing out a desperate moan. His teeth scrape gently across my collar bone before moving lower again.

My skirt surrenders to the same treatment. Each new patch of exposed thigh gets christened with kisses and licks that leave me trembling. By the time he removes my underwear, my legs can barely hold me up.

The last scraps of fabric drift to join the pile at our feet. Bruticus pulls back just enough to drink in the sight of me, his red eyes blazing with hunger and possession.

"I'm going to need a bigger wardrobe budget." The words come out breathless and shaky.

His arms wrap around me, crushing my naked body against his chest. The bone spurs press deliciously into my soft flesh.

"Or just be naked all the time." The growl rumbles through his chest before he claims my mouth in a searing kiss.

Strong hands grip my hips and spin me around. The sudden movement sends a thrill down my spine. Cool air kisses my exposed skin.

"What are you doing?" A heated giggle escapes my lips.

Something soft brushes against my face - the remains of my blouse. He wraps it around my eyes, blocking my vision. The silk slides smooth against my skin, still warm from where it touched me before.

The world goes dark, heightening every other sensation. His chest presses against my back, bone spurs scraping deliciously along my spine. The collar at my throat pulses with warmth.

In one fluid motion, he scoops me up. My stomach lurches as he tosses me over his shoulder. Blood rushes to my head, making me dizzy in the best way.

"Are you carrying me off to bed?" I tease, trailing my fingers down his back. "It's about time-"

SMACK

His palm connects with my exposed bottom. The sharp sting blooms into pleasure, pulling a cry from my throat. Heat spreads across my skin where he struck, mingling with the throb of desire already coursing through me.

SMACK

I yelp as Bruticus's hand lands on my bottom again. "Bruticus! What are you doing?" I giggle, squirming on his shoulder.

"Punishing you," he growls, his voice a low rumble. "For making me worry."

SMACK

"Ow!" I squeal, kicking my legs playfully. "That hurts!"

"Good," he says, rubbing the sting away. His fingers slip between my cheeks, brushing against my pussy. I gasp, my body tensing with surprise and pleasure.

"Bruticus..." I moan, my voice breathy.

SMACK

His hand comes down again, the sting mingling with the pleasure from his touch. I squirm, trying to escape the next smack, but his strong arm holds me firmly in place.

"Where do you think you're going?" he chuckles, his fingers sliding inside me.

I gasp, my body clenching around him. "Oh god..."

SMACK

His other hand comes down, the pain and pleasure mixing into a dizzying cocktail. I can feel my orgasm building, my body tensing with each smack and caress.

"Bruticus, please..." I beg, not even sure what I'm asking for.

He growls, using both hands now. One spanks me while the other pumps in and out of my pussy, his thumb circling my clit. The sensation is overwhelming, the pleasure and pain mingling into one intense, wonderful buzz.

I can feel myself getting closer, my body tensing with each smack, each thrust of his fingers. I'm so close...

"Come for me, Maryse," Bruticus commands, his voice rough with desire.

And I do. I come hard, my body convulsing with pleasure as I scream his name. The world goes white, the buzz of pleasure and pain consuming me completely. I'm dimly aware of Bruticus's strong arms holding me, his gentle touch soothing the sting on my bottom.

I hang limply over his shoulder, panting and spent. Bruticus chuckles, his chest rumbling beneath me.

"Good girl," he purrs, his fingers still inside me, gently stroking me down from my high.

I smile, my body warm and content. I love this man, this crazy, wonderful half-reaper who spanks me and makes me come like no one else ever has. And I know, in this moment, that I never want to be anywhere else but here, with him.

I hit the bed with a bounce, laughter bubbling out of me. The blindfold shifts just enough to let a sliver of light in. "I can see a little bit under the blindfold."

A low growl, then the bed dips as Bruticus climbs on. Another strip of cloth, probably the remnants of my blouse, wraps around my head, sealing off the last bit of light. I'm plunged into darkness, every sense heightened.

"Cheater," he murmurs, his voice a rumble against my ear.

I chuckle, feeling the mattress shift as he moves. Then, the first tug at my wrist. He's using the scraps of my clothes to tie me down. Each knot is a promise, a whispered secret that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Is this necessary?" I tease, even as my body responds, heat pooling between my legs.

"Absolutely." His voice is firm, but I can hear the smile in it.

The bed creaks as he moves to my other wrist, then my ankles. Each tug, each knot, sends a thrill through me. I'm spread-eagled, vulnerable, completely at his mercy. And I love it.

"You're enjoying this," he says, not a question but a statement.

I bite my lip, trying to suppress a smile. "Maybe."

A low chuckle, then the bed shifts again. I can feel him between my thighs, his breath hot on my skin. Anticipation builds, every nerve ending tingling.

Then, his tongue. One long, slow lick that sets my body on fire. I gasp, arching off the bed, and he does it again. And again. Each stroke sends waves of pleasure crashing through me.

And then, I'm coming. Hard. My body convulses, my hands gripping the ties as I scream his name. Pleasure explodes behind my eyes, white-hot and intense. And I squirt, releasing all the built-up tension, the pleasure, the love. Right in his face.

I collapse back onto the bed, panting, my body still trembling with aftershocks. Bruticus's low chuckle fills the room, a sound of pure male satisfaction.

"Good girl," he purrs, his voice a rumble against my thigh.

I smile, my body warm and content.

Bruticus shifts, the bed creaking as he positions himself between my thighs. I tremble with anticipation, my body aching for him. He leans over me, his breath hot on my neck.

"You're mine, Maryse. Forever." His voice is a deep rumble, a promise that sends a shiver down my spine.

I feel the tip of his cock at my entrance, the soft bone spurs teasing my sensitive flesh. I squirm in my bonds, trying to push myself onto him, but he holds back, a low chuckle vibrating through his chest.

"Patience, my love."

He enters me slowly, inch by delicious inch. I gasp as he fills me, stretching me, completing me. His cock pulses inside me, the bone spurs flexing and moving with his heartbeat. It's a sensation unlike anything else, a dance of pleasure and pain that only Bruticus can give me.

"Bruticus..." I moan, arching my back as he begins to move. His thrusts are slow, powerful, dominant. Each one sends waves of ecstasy crashing through me. I'm helpless, bound and blindfolded, completely at his mercy. And I love it.

"You feel so good, Maryse." His voice is strained, his control hanging by a thread. "So tight, so wet. Mine."

He increases his pace, his hips pistoning against me. I can feel every ridge, every spur, every inch of him as he claims me. The pleasure builds, each thrust bringing me closer to the edge.

"Come for me, Maryse." His command is a growl, a demand that I can't refuse.

I scream as the orgasm rips through me, my body convulsing around him. He doesn't stop, doesn't slow down. He drives me higher, pushing me to another peak, and another, until I'm a writhing, screaming mess of pleasure.

"Bruticus, please..." I beg, not sure what I'm asking for. More? Less? Release?

He leans down, his lips brushing against my ear. "You want me to come, Maryse? You want me to fill you with my seed?"

"Yes," I gasp. "Yes, please."

He growls, his cock swelling inside me. I feel his release, hot and powerful, filling me completely. And with it, a glow spreads through my body, a warmth that starts in my core and radiates outward. Through the Jalshagar bond, I feel it. A spark, a new life, a piece of us both.

"Bruticus..." I whisper, tears filling my eyes. "I think... I think we just made a baby."

He stills, his body trembling above me. Then, slowly, he pulls off the blindfold, his red eyes meeting mine. In them, I see a reflection of my own awe, my own joy.

"Maryse..." His voice is a whisper, a prayer. "My love. My life. My everything."

He unties my bonds, his touch gentle, reverent. I wrap my arms around him, pulling him down to me. Our lips meet in a soft, tender kiss. A kiss of promise, of love, of a future together.

A future that, thanks to the miracle growing inside me, is brighter than ever.