The words hit me like a slap made of truth. My hand stills on her thigh.
I look up, studying her expression, that brave little smile she puts on when something still hurts.
“How are you dealing with that?”
Her gaze drops to my heart, and I see the hesitation in her lashes, the war in her chest.
“I had to do it,” she whispers. “It was her or you. And I’ll always choose you, Knox.”
I don’t think. I just move.
My hand clamps around her thigh, fingers tightening.
Her breath stutters, her pulse jumping under her skin.
“We can’t,” she says quickly, slapping my hand.
She turns and tries to walk away.
But I’m up before she makes it two steps.
I grab her by the neck and slam her gently but firmly back to my chest, her spine flush against me.
My mouth dips to her ear. “We can,” I growl, “and we fucking will, pet.”
My fingers grip her slender throat tighter.
“But Sean said,”
“I don’t give a fuck what Sean said.” My teeth sink into her neck, and she whimpers, her legs twitching. “Just don’t grab my side.”
My hand moves down, sliding under the hem of her tiny shorts.
Two fingers, twist,and the button pops, and I slide the zipper down.
She gasps as I trace the inside of her hip, every nerve under my fingertips.
Then I feel it.
Her cunt, fucking warm, soft, soaked.
“Already wet,” I whisper, pressing my thumb against her clit. She shivers, her moan barely held back. “You missed me, didn’t you?”
She nods, her body limp against mine, breath catching in her throat.
“You thought I’d die and leave you,” I murmur against her ear, biting the shell gently. “But here I am. Alive. Hard. And fucking starving for you.”
She whimpers, and I grin, my fingers dragging through that soaked heat that makes my cock fucking throb. Her moan cracks, and she rolls her hips.
I shove her panties down, hoisting her onto the couch, ripping at my sweats. My side strains, pain biting into the wound, but I don’t give a shit. I press her knees apart, bracing myself,
“Knox, wait, your stitches,” she gasps, her hand reaching for my chest.
“Fuck the stitches,” I growl. “I need to be inside you now.”
I grip her thighs. Pain spikes from the side of my stomach, sharp enough to make me stumble forward.
She catches me, both hands on my chest.
