Chapter 22

Odhran

She was pliant for me. Her head rested on my shoulder and a small smile curved her lips. I didn't think I'd see her looking so trusting of me for a very long time.

I tightened my arms around her as warmth bloomed in my chest, and I made my way through the forest and back into the manor, up the stairs, and into the master suite.

Once in the bathroom, I set her on the edge of the sink, dirt and mud covering her pale flesh. I stared at my mate for long seconds, amazed and marveling that she was actually here, after all this time. Mine.

She glanced down and her cheeks heated as she covered her breasts with her arms.

We hadn't bothered dressing after what we'd done in the forest, but I wanted her to see how beautiful she was, how perfect she was in my eyes.

"Look at me." She lifted her head and our gazes locked. I helped her off the counter and turned her around so she was facing the mirror. "Look at ye." I took hold of her wrists and lifted her arms out. "I donna see flaws. I donna see scars. The ugliness we perceive in ourselves doesn't define us. It shapes and molds us and we become fucking battle gods because of it. Ye hear me, lass? Ye are a warrior who conquered."

Her breath caught and she looked at me in the reflection.

"I've never seen anything more beautiful." I turned her around and kissed her soft and slow, running my hands all over her body. I touched every inch of her skin, showing her with my touch that there wasn't any part of her that wasn't desirable.

After turning on the shower and letting it warm, I picked her back up and stepped into the stall, making sure the water wasn't too hot for her sensitive flesh before putting her under the spray. She tipped her head back, the long fall of her raven hair getting impossibly darker as the strands became soaked.

My gaze latched on to her neck, where my mating mark was, and my cock instantly became hard once again.

The damn thing dug against her firm ass, and she looked over her shoulder, a dreamy, post-orgasmic expression in her drowsy eyes, heating the longer we stared at each other.

I didn't stop myself from sliding my hand up her abdomen and gently curling my palm over her throat. The touch was light, and the fact that she moaned told me she was right fucking here with me.

I kissed her slowly and thoroughly.

While fucking her mouth, I moved my other hand between her thighs and started playing with her already slick pussy, a combination of her growing desire and my cum.

I turned us so the water beat down on my back, and all the while I stroked her, rubbed her clit, and kept kissing her. She was pliant in my arms, primed and ready for me.

The shower stall was balmy, humid, and I groaned when she ground her ass back against my cock.

"If ye're sore…" I murmured between kisses and felt her shake her head.

A second later I had her turned around. She immediately wound her arms around my shoulders, plastering her small, firm breasts against my chest.

"Don't stop."

"Never."

I walked us forward so her back was now to the tile, adjusted her legs so they were wrapped around my waist, and as I devoured her mouth, I reached between our bodies, took hold of the root of my cock, placing the tip at her entrance.

She arched her back, her hard nipples scraping against my chest.

And when she moaned, I pushed forward, sinking in all the way, both of us groaning. Gods she was tight, hot, and wet for me.

My cock throbbed when her inner muscles clenched around me. And then I started a slow and steady motion. This wasn't a wild, frenzied mating.

This was me making love to my female.

"You're doing so good," I grunted against her mouth while her pussy contracted against my dick. "You're making me feel so good. The best." I squeezed my eyes shut as my entire body trembled. "Look at how well ye're taking all of me. I know I'm big, lass. I know it probably hurts, but fooking hell, darlin', keeping doing so well, keeping opening up for me."

I pulled out so just the tip was lodged inside and then thrust back in. I did this over and over again, the root of my shaft rubbing her clit with every thrust forward.

"No one will ever compare tae ye. Nothing will ever feel as good as being inside of ye."

I slammed a palm on the wall beside her head, curled my other arm more tightly around her waist, and kept the slow, steady pace of fucking my female until her pussy clenched around me once more and she came.

"That's my girl. Give me yer mouth while ye come for me, sweetheart."

She tipped her head to the side and met my mouth, licking and sucking, crying out against my lips as I thrust deep once, twice, three times, before burying myself fully and filling her up.

I made her take every drop as curses and shouts left me. She was mine, and nobody and nothing would ever take her from me.

When we were both spent, she sagged against my body and I held her close, turned off the water, and stepped out of the shower to towel her off. She was sated and pliant in my arms as I carried her to our bed, put one of my T-shirts on her body, and slipped in beside her so I could curl my body around hers. I threw one of my legs over hers and bound my arm around her middle.

I brushed her damp hair away from her neck and nuzzled her throat, inhaling deeply. And then I dragged my tongue across the mating mark, tasting myself on her, growling low and possessively.

"Mine," I rumbled out and slid my hand up the center of her back to cup her head, keeping her close.

Larkin rested her cheek against my chest, and I closed my eyes and breathed out.

She'd never know the extent of my feelings for her, never fully understand that my heart beat for her.

She'd never fully understand I lived for her.