"Always."
His mouth found mine, slow and claiming. My fingers moved to curl into his damp hair, pulling him closer. The world narrowed to skin and breath and the way he whispered my name like a promise.
"Elena."
His hands pinned mine above my head, his body covering mine completely as he moved with deliberate, maddening slowness.
"Do you want me?" He dragged his thick length between my folds, refusing to plunge into me even as I bucked my hips.
"Always, Jackson," I breathed. I'd learned quickly that being submissive was what got him the most riled up. Of being honest. It just unleashed a primal side of him that I found too damn intoxicating.
"That's right, Elena," he nudged his dick into my folds, smirking down at me. "You're mine."
I gasped as he buried himself in me with a grunt, filling me up fully.
"Look at you, always so fucking wet for me," he groaned as he lowered his head to my ear, his ragged pants only making me wild. "How does my cock feel, princess?"
"Perfect." I arched into him, needing to feel him even more as I dragged my fingers over his back, feeling the ridges of his burn scars.
"That's right." His speed increased as he drove even deeper into me, the bed creaking beneath us.
"You're mine," he growled against my throat, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin there. "Always."
I arched against him, breathless and wanting. "Always," I agreed, gasping as he moved deeper.
"Now come for me, Elena," he commanded.
How he'd found a way to make me nearly unravel with just a command was beyond me. I felt the familiar tension building, my body tightening around his as our rhythm intensified. His breathing grew ragged, matching my own desperate gasps. When the wave finally crashed through us both, his name tore from my throat as he buried his face in my neck, our bodies shuddering in perfect synchrony, neither of us willing to let go as pleasure coursed through us.
I laughed softly against his shoulder once my high started to fade. "At least we didn't break the bed."
His answering chuckle vibrated through his chest. "Yet. Give it time."
I laughed as he pulled out and flopped beside me. That first wild session that had broken my dining table months ago had been the starting point for this wild side of him that I sought out. Sure, the soft, gentle sex was welcome, but sometimes I needed something more.
I moved to lay against his chest, my heart still racing, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my back that made my skin prickle.
"I never thought my life would look like this," I said quietly. "But I'm glad it does."
He kissed the top of my head. "You and me both."
I smiled into his skin, warmth flooding my chest. Not just desire. Not just survival. Something steadier. Something terrifying.
"Alright," he said, voice reluctant but amused. "Get up, trouble. I want to take you out. The others are waiting."
I groaned, but I moved. Because he asked. Because I wanted to. Because, somehow, this dangerous, broken man had become the safest place I knew.
He'd become mine. My everything.
I stepped into the sun-drenched courtyard with Jackson at my side and Ivy leading the way, the scent of rosemary and grilled peaches curling through the air. The country vineyard selected for lunch was a marvel of old-world charm and modern luxury, the stone patio warmed by the afternoon sun, flowering vines climbing trellises that offered dappled shade over the long table, giving us a view of sprawling vineyards.
Grayson stood to greet us, his smile easy and genuine. The silver threading through his dark hair caught the sunlight as he moved forward. "Elena, Jackson—glad you could make it."
Meredith was already waving from her seat, her green eyes bright with excitement. "Over here!"
My family. The word still felt strange in my mind, a concept I was learning to embrace. Jackson's hand pressed gently against the small of my back as he pulled out my chair at the long table. I sank into it, watching as Marcello cooed from the high-seat beside Sofia, his chubby hands reaching for a wooden spoon.
"He's getting so big," I said, smiling at the baby who had made my mother light up every time he joined us for a visit.
