Page 41 of Fallen Prince
Max turned to me, his blood-kissed hands gently grasping my shoulders to steady me. Those black eyes roved over each of my features, assessing. His hair was still pushed back from his brow, his scar fully visible. But I didn’t experience even a twinge of fear. His terrifying scowl had scared off myassailant. The mark might look frightening, but it couldn’t hurt me.
Max wouldn’t hurt me.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice a deep rumble.
“Y-yeah.” The word shook, and I realized I was lying. I wasn’t okay. That’d been deeply disturbing, and Gavin’s new kind of sexual aggression shook me to my core. “No,” I admitted. “Not really.”
Max cocked his head at me, those deep, dark eyes intent on every nuance of my expression. His hands slid up from my shoulders so that he could cup my chilled cheeks in his big hands.
“He’s gone. He won’t touch you again.” His voice was a low growl. “I’ve got you.”
Everything seemed surreal in the aftermath of Gavin’s assault, and my entire body was oddly tingly. How was Max here to save me at the exact moment I needed him? Part of me had foolishly hoped to find him waiting for me outside my house. My heart shouldn’t flutter at the thought of my stalker lurking in the shadows around my home, but…
“Why are you here?” I asked, peeking up at him through my lashes. I was suddenly anxious for his answer, and my insides coiled tight in the few seconds it took him to respond.
“Because I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” he finally admitted, his voice an intimate rumble that rolled through my body like deep thunder in a warm summer storm.
“I was thinking about you too.” Was that my breathy whisper?
He leaned into me, and I swayed toward him. Our mouths collided in a rush of heat and raw need. Unlike our fierce kiss last night, I didn’t challenge him this time. I didn’t want to clash my will against his. I wanted him to hold me, to sweep me up in his strong arms and make me forget about Gavin entirely. My head tipped back, welcoming him to claim me.
His low groan rumbled over my tongue and down into my core. That aching throb between my legs tempted and tormented me, and I molded my body to his.
He took a step toward me, backing me up until I bumped into the door. His massive body surrounded me, pinning me in place for his devastating kiss. His big hand wrapped around my hip, branding my flesh with masculine heat. The slight twinge of pain beneath his grip reminded me that this was exactly where Gavin had grabbed me.
I whimpered into his mouth, and his lipssoftened, coaxing me to relax. He handled me gently, careful not to bruise, but he resolutely held my hip exactly where my bully had hurt me. There was something possessive and utterly primal about his touch, and the heat of his hand burned away the lingering taint left by Gavin’s groping fingers.
I melted against him, inviting him to deepen our kiss. His mouth firmed on mine, claiming me with renewed ferocity in response to my surrender. The wild hunger we shared overwhelmed us both, and my hands shaped around his bulging muscles as he pressed closer, pinning me in place for his demanding kiss.
Finally, he pulled back just enough to allow us both to gasp for air. He kept one hand firmly on my hip, maintaining his possessive but gentle grip. His other forearm braced against my front door beside my head, caging me in as we exchanged ragged breaths. He didn’t rest his forehead on mine. This close, I could see that every fine line around his left eye was drawn with strain, as though he was holding himself back.
I didn’t care about his scar touching my brow, but it seemed he wasn’t ready for that kind of contact. It was somehow more intimate than his mouth on mine. The inch of space between our faceswas suddenly a solid barrier, a wall that protected his worst vulnerability.
I wanted to show him that his scar didn’t matter to me. I’d been bullied for my appearance for most of my life, and I’d watched his awful sister inflict cruel emotional wounds while Max remained silent, allowing her to lash him. All I cared about was the feel of his sensual lips caressing mine, his intoxicating scent, and his protective instincts. I’d never burned this hot for any man, and I wanted more.
I went up on my toes, seeking another kiss. His hand left my tender hip to grasp my waist, pushing me back against the door. He kept that invisible barrier between us, but he swayed toward me even as he denied us both.
“If we don’t stop now, I’ll do something you might regret.” His warning rumbled over my sensitized lips.
“I don’t regret kissing you.” My voice was breathy and sultry in a way that was entirely unfamiliar to me. I tried to close the distance between us again, but he pinned me firmly in place, restraining me with an unbreakable hold.
“Allie…” He groaned my name, as though it caused him physical pain to hold himself back. “I want you. I want you so fucking bad. You don’t know what you do to me.”
His square jaw was tight, his sharp features drawn with feral hunger.
“Then kiss me again,” I whispered. The pulsing between my legs intensified, tugging me toward him.
He refused to close the distance between us, even though his eyes sparked with something like pain. “If I kiss you again, I won’t stop. I’ll push you up against this door and explore every inch of your hot little body. I won’t give a fuck who can see us. If you don’t want witnesses when I claim you, we’ll have to take this inside.”
For a moment, the memory of his hands restraining me in a different way flashed across my mind: he’d clamped his big hand over my mouth, pinned me to the wall in my foyer, and slid a needle into my neck.
I stiffened in his arms, and his mouth twisted in a grimace, as though he tasted something rotten.
“That’s what I thought,” he said bitterly.
Abruptly, he stepped back. Cool air slapped my skin where his warm body had touched mine. A soft gasp left my lips, my chest tightening. Without thinking, I grabbed his wrist.
“Wait.” My voice took on a ragged, pleadingedge. I couldn’t bear his pain, his distance. I wanted him to lose himself in me, just like I lost myself in him whenever he was near.
