Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

H unter

Lark's hand is warm in mine as we make our way back to the lodge, her small fingers gripping tightly like she's afraid I'll vanish. I grip back harder, silently promising her that I will always be here with her.

"For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm exactly where I need to be," she hums, thoughtful.

The admission sends a rush of warmth through me, a strange mix of pride and tenderness. I pull her closer, my arm wrapping around her shoulders, drawing her against my side.

"Good," I murmur, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Lark melts into me, her arms wrapping around my neck, her body pressing close. The kiss deepens, turning hungry, and I feel the familiar fire flare to life. I lift her off the ground, her legs wrapping around my waist instinctively.

"Bedroom?" she whispers against my lips, her breath hot and ragged.

I grin, my voice low and possessive. "Damn right."

I carry her down the hallway, when we reach the bedroom, I kick the door open, not bothering to be gentle. The bed is unmade, the sheets tangled from restless nights, but none of that matters. All that matters is the woman in my arms.

I lay her down gently, my body covering hers, the weight of me pressing her into the mattress. Her eyes are dark, filled with a mix of desire and vulnerability that sends a thrill through me.

I kiss her again, deeper this time, my hands moving with a purpose, stripping away the barriers between us. Her moans are soft, breathy, and they drive me wild, pushing me to the edge of my control.

When we're finally skin to skin, I pause, looking down at her, taking in the sight of her flushed cheeks, her swollen lips, the desire in her eyes.

"You're perfect," I murmur, my voice filled with raw honesty.

She smiles, a soft, shy smile that's more beautiful than anything I've ever seen.

"So are you," she whispers.

I move slowly, deliberately, savoring every touch, every kiss. There's no rush, no urgency—just the steady, unrelenting need to be as close to her as possible. When I finally enter her, it's like everything falls into place, the world narrowing down to the rhythm of our bodies, the heat between us.

"I love when you have that look in your eye like you want to ravage me like a hungry man," she teases.

"Always, babe. All night, every night."

Her eyes scrunch up adorably, and I catch myself using the word adorable . Jesus, I've gone soft for this woman. It's official. I've handed her my balls without a second thought. I'm a complete pussy when it comes to her.

"I like feeling your body pressed to mine," I admit, the air between us thickening. "I'd wake up to you hogging my pillow every morning if that's the price I have to pay to be with you."

"I do not hog your pillow—" she starts to protest.

"Sure, sure," I cut her off with a grin. "I'd sleep in a cave as long as I have you in my arms."

She purses her lips thoughtfully, and my cock throbs, impossibly harder. All I can think about is laying her out right here, spreading her wide across my bed, and fucking her until she's begging for more.

"I can't wait to make more memories with you," I say, my voice a low growl. "I'm done with you sneaking out before dawn."

Her eyebrow arches. "I promise, never again, Hunter."

I step closer, my voice dropping to a rumble. "Kill me for liking the idea of sinking into you at every opportunity, but I also want to hold you after, smell that fruity stuff you use in your hair." I lean in, inhaling deeply. "And, fuck, I love the scent of me on you. Makes me hard, the thought of you walking around with my scent on you all day. I want everyone to know that this," I say, reaching between her legs and rubbing her pussy, "is mine. Only mine. And I want you in my life. Forever."

Her eyes darken instantly, her breath hitching at my touch.

"Hunter…" she breathes, her voice thick with arousal, her eyelids fluttering.

"Make no mistake—I'm a handful. I'm controlling, I've got a million issues that need working out, but the one issue I don't have? Thinking of you first. I wake up with you in my head, close my eyes dreaming of you, and every thought in between is about you or for you." I press harder against her soaked panties.

She swallows hard, her fingers digging into my shoulders as my fingers continue to coax her into mindless arousal. "Please take me, Hunter," she whispers, her words ragged and desperate. "I can't… I can't wait anymore."

"Music to my ears, Little Bird," I say with a slow grin.

She groans, her body writhing beneath me, her back arching as I thrust into her wet heat in one swift, deep stroke, her moan breaking free and echoing in the room. I brace myself on one elbow, my nose trailing between her breasts as she whimpers. I bury my face in her soft skin, inhaling her scent, then circle my nose around her nipple, watching it harden with desire before I suck it into my mouth, pulling it with my teeth.

"I want to feel you everywhere," she growls, and her words shoot straight to my balls. I try to keep my impending orgasm at bay as I swivel my hips, thrusting into her harder, working us both toward a fevered release.

I fuck her deep, over and over, until her voice becomes a chorus of yeses. I groan filthy words in her ear, losing all control. It's like watching a wild animal in her most primal state, her body responding only to me, her pleasure laid bare. The walls of the room fade away—it's just us, lost in this insane, raw connection.

"I can feel you so deep… You're so big," she moans, completely letting go of any inhibition.

"Move in with me, Lark. I want to wake up with you every morning and drown myself in your sweet and sexy body every night before I fall asleep," I growl, circling my hips and driving into her at a new angle that makes her gasp. "You like me fucking you like this, then you're staying. You want this every night, then you're staying . You're not taking what I give and walking away. No other man will ever touch you like this, because they can't . Only I can make you scream around my tongue and fingers until you lose your voice, beautiful."

"Yes, oh God, yes," she cries out, arching against me as her pussy clenches hard around my cock. Her entire body trembles, sweat dampening her skin as her heels dig into my ass, pulling me deeper.

I slow slightly, savoring the feeling of her pulsing around me. I hit my rhythm, thrusting faster, harder, until I can't hold back anymore. I explode inside her, my hips jerking with the force of my release, filling her completely, draining every ounce of need that's been building up since I last had her. Jerking off three times a day doesn't compare to being buried in her sweet heat.

It's like lava surging through me, and I let out a low, guttural moan as the waves of my orgasm begin to ebb. She threads her fingers through my hair, her nails grazing my scalp, and I drop my head to her shoulder, inhaling the scent of our lovemaking on her skin.

I nip at the soft flesh of her collarbone, my hand fisted gently in her hair, holding her close as we both catch our breath. We're damp, tangled, and a wild mess, and I fucking love it.

This woman satisfies a deep, primal need in me, one I never knew I craved.

Lark gasps, her hands clutching at my back, her nails digging into my skin.

"Hunter," she breathes, her voice filled with a mix of need and surrender.

I groan, my cock still hard as I continue to move inside of her, even more demanding.

"Say it again," I order, my voice dark, possessive.

She meets my gaze, her eyes wide and dark.

"Hunter, oh God…" she repeats, her voice a soft, desperate plea.

The sound of my name on her lips sends me over the edge again, and I drive into her harder, faster, the intensity building until we both shatter again, our cries mingling in the heavy air as she pulls another orgasm out of me.

When it's over, I pull her into my arms, her body still trembling with the aftershocks. I press a kiss to her forehead, my breathing ragged, my heart pounding.

"Home," I murmur, my voice rough but filled with certainty. "You're home."

She nods, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest. "With you," she says softly. "Always with you."

The words fill me with a sense of peace I've never known, a feeling of belonging that goes deeper than anything I've ever experienced.

"Always," I agree, tightening my hold on her.

We lie there for a while, the silence comfortable, the bond between us stronger than ever. I feel a sense of contentment settle over me, a realization that this is what I've been searching for all along. Not just love, but a partner, a fighter—someone who's willing to face the darkness and come out stronger on the other side.

Lark shifts slightly, her head resting on my chest, her voice filled with a mix of determination and vulnerability.

"So, what's next?" she asks, her tone playful but sincere.

I smile, my fingers brushing through her hair. "Whatever we want," I say simply. "We've got a whole life ahead of us. No more running. No more fear."

She lifts her head, her eyes bright with hope. "Promise?"

"Promise," I reply, sealing it with a kiss that's both possessive and tender, filled with all the love I've been holding back for so long.

I move her to my bed, and we fall asleep tangled together, the weight of the past finally lifted, the promise of the future clear and strong. I know there will be challenges, but I also know that we'll face them together—stronger, fiercer, and more in love than ever.

And as I hold Lark in my arms, I know one thing for sure: we've found our home. Here, on Devil's Peak, in each other's arms. It's not just passion or survival anymore. It's everything.