Chapter 8

“Yes,” I breathed.

The word had barely left my lips before his mouth was on mine.

The kiss was nothing gentle. Nothing tentative. It was raw hunger unleashed, his lips claiming mine with a possession that made my knees weak. His hand tightened on my waist while the other tangled in my hair, angling my head exactly where he wanted it.

I gasped against his mouth, and he took advantage, his tongue sweeping in to taste me. The whiskey I’d drunk mixed with something purely him, dark and addictive.

“Yes,” my wolf sang. “Finally. Ours. Alpha. Ours.”

My hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer. Closer was not close enough. I needed more. Needed everything.

Lucian groaned into my mouth, the sound vibrating through my entire body. He walked me backward until my back hit the stone wall of the building, his body pinning me there with delicious pressure.

“Aurelia,” he growled against my lips. “Tell me to stop.”

“No.”

“Tell me you don’t want this.”

“I can’t.” My fingers found the buttons of his shirt, fumbling with them. “I can’t lie.”

“Thank God.” His mouth moved to my neck, teeth scraping against the sensitive skin. “Because I’ve wanted to do this since the moment you walked into my office.”

He bit down gently where my neck met my shoulder, and pleasure shot straight through me. I arched against him, a moan escaping before I could stop it.

“That’s it,” he murmured against my skin. “Let me hear you.”

His hands slid down my sides, fingers finding the hem of my dress and pushing it up my thighs. The cool night air hit my heated skin, making me shiver.

“Cold?” he asked, his voice rough.

“No.” I finally got his shirt unbuttoned, pushing it off his shoulders. My hands explored the expanse of muscle I’d been trying not to stare at for days.

“I can fix this.” His fingers hooked into my panties, pulling them down in one swift motion.

I stepped out of them, my breathing ragged. This was insane. We were on a balcony. Anyone could come out. Anyone could see.

I didn’t care.

My wolf didn’t care.

All we cared about was him. His touch. His scent. His body pressed against ours.

Lucian’s hand slid between my thighs, fingers finding me already wet and ready.

“Fuck,” he breathed. “You’re soaked.”

“Your fault,” I gasped as his fingers circled the bundle of nerves at my center.

“My pleasure.” He pushed one finger inside me, then another, curling them in a way that made stars explode behind my eyes. “You feel incredible. So tight. So perfect.”

His thumb found my sensitive spot while his fingers worked inside me, building pressure that threatened to consume me whole. My hips moved against his hand, chasing the sensation.

“Lucian,” I moaned. “Please.”

“Please what?” His mouth found mine again, swallowing my desperate sounds. “Tell me what you need.”

“You. I need you.”

“Specific, Aurelia.” His fingers withdrew, making me whimper at the loss. “Use your words.”

“I need you inside me. Now.”

His eyes flashed gold. Pure Alpha hunger.

“Good girl.”

He spun me around, pressing my chest against the stone wall. The rough texture scraped against the thin fabric of my dress as he pushed it up around my waist. I heard the sound of his zipper, then felt the thick head of his cock pressing against my entrance.

“Tell me you want this,” he growled in my ear. “One more time. I need to hear it.”

“I want this. Want you. Please, Lucian.”

He pushed inside in one hard thrust.

I cried out, my hands scrabbling against the stone for purchase. He was big. Bigger than I expected. The stretch bordered on painful, my body struggling to accommodate him.

“Breathe,” he murmured, his hand sliding up my spine in a surprisingly gentle gesture. “Relax. Let me in.”

I took a shaky breath, willing my muscles to loosen. He eased back slightly, then pressed forward again, gaining another inch.

“That’s it,” he praised. “You’re taking me so well. Just a little more.”

Another thrust and he was fully seated, buried so deep I could feel him everywhere.

We both groaned.

“Okay?” he asked, his voice strained with the effort of staying still.

“Move,” I demanded. “Please move.”

He didn’t need to be told twice.

He withdrew almost completely, then slammed back in. The force of it pushed me against the wall, a gasp tearing from my throat.

“Too hard?” His hands gripped my hips, fingers digging into my flesh.

“No. More. Harder.”

“Careful what you ask for.” But I heard the satisfaction in his voice.

He set a punishing rhythm, each thrust driving deeper than the last. The sound of skin meeting skin echoed in the night air, mixing with my moans and his rough breathing.

One hand left my hip to slide around and find the sensitive bundle of nerves between my legs. He circled it with his fingers while continuing to pound into me from behind.

“You feel incredible,” he growled. “So tight around me. Like you were made for this. Made for me.”

“Yes,” my wolf agreed. “Made for Alpha. Perfect fit.”

Pressure built low in my belly, coiling tighter with each thrust. His fingers worked in perfect rhythm with his hips, pushing me closer and closer to the edge.

“Lucian,” I gasped. “I’m going to—”

“Come for me.” His teeth found my shoulder, biting down hard enough to mark. “Let everyone know who makes you feel this good.”

The bite sent me over the edge.

I came with a scream that echoed across the city skyline, my body clenching around him in waves of pleasure so intense I saw white. He didn’t stop, working me through every pulse and tremor, drawing it out until I was shaking.

“Beautiful,” he murmured against my skin. “Absolutely beautiful. But I’m not done with you yet.”

He pulled out, spinning me around to face him. Before I could catch my breath, he lifted me, my legs wrapping around his waist instinctively. My back hit the wall again as he positioned himself at my entrance.

“I want to see your face when you come again,” he said, his amber eyes locked on mine.

He thrust up into me, and the new angle made me cry out. He was impossibly deep, hitting spots inside me that sent electricity through my entire body.

My arms wrapped around his neck, holding on as he used the wall for leverage, driving into me with renewed intensity. Each thrust pulled sounds from my throat I didn’t know I could make.

“Look at me,” he commanded. “Keep your eyes on me.”

I forced my eyes open, meeting his gaze. The intensity there was almost too much. Raw desire mixed with something deeper. Something dangerous.

“That’s it,” he growled. “Watch me while I take what’s mine. While I make you mine.”

“His,” my wolf agreed. “We’re his.”

His pace increased, becoming almost violent in its intensity. One hand supported my weight while the other found my breast through the thin fabric of my dress, squeezing and kneading.

“More,” I gasped. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

“Never.” His mouth found mine in a bruising kiss. “I’ll never stop. Never get enough of you.”

The pressure built again, faster this time. My body was already sensitive from the first climax, every nerve ending on fire.

“Lucian,” I moaned against his lips. “Again. I’m going to—”

“Do it.” His thrusts became erratic, his control slipping. “Come with me. Now.”

I shattered.

My second climax hit even harder than the first, my body convulsing around him as waves of pleasure crashed through me. I felt him swell inside me, then his own release, his groan of satisfaction mixing with my cries.

He thrust through both our climaxes, prolonging the sensation until we were both trembling and breathless.

Finally, he stilled, his forehead resting against mine as we both struggled to breathe.

“Aurelia,” he whispered.

I couldn’t form words. Could barely think. My entire body hummed with satisfaction and exhaustion.

Slowly, carefully, he lowered my legs back to the ground. I swayed, and his arms immediately wrapped around me, holding me steady.

We stood there for long moments, hearts pounding against each other, reality slowly seeping back in.

I had just had sex with Lucian Blackwood. Against a wall. On a public balcony. Where anyone could have walked out and seen us.

What had I done?

The alcohol fog cleared from my mind like someone had thrown ice water on me. The euphoria faded, replaced by cold, creeping horror.

I had sex with my employer. The Alpha Heir. The man I was supposed to be working for professionally.

My wolf whimpered in confusion. “Good. Was good. Why upset?”

Because this was wrong. All of it was wrong.

Lucian pulled back slightly, his hand cupping my face. His expression was soft, almost tender.

“That was—” he started.

“A mistake,” I said, the words coming out harsh. “This was a mistake.”

His expression shifted. The softness disappeared, replaced by confusion. “What?”

“This should not have happened.” I pushed at his chest, needing distance. Needing space to think. “I should not have let this happen.”

He released me, stepping back. “Aurelia—”

“No.” I found my discarded underwear with shaking hands, pulling them on. My dress was wrinkled, probably showing evidence of what we’d done. “This was wrong. I work for you. I’m here on a contract. This was unprofessional and stupid and—”

“Stop.” His voice carried Alpha command, making my wolf cringe. “Don’t do this. Don’t cheapen what just happened between us.”

“What just happened was a lapse in judgment fueled by alcohol and proximity.” I couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t bear to see whatever was in his eyes. “Nothing more.”

“You don’t believe this.”

“I do.” I forced myself to meet his gaze. “You’re a playboy who has sex with anything that moves. I’m just another conquest. Another notch on your belt. This meant nothing.”

His jaw clenched. “You know this is not true.”

“Do I? How is this different from the woman you had in your office? Or the one at the party? Or the dozens of others I’ve seen leaving your office this week?” The words poured out, cruel and cutting. “I’m no different. Just another willing body.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Fair?” A bitter laugh escaped me. “You want to talk about fair? I came here to do a job. To investigate threats. Not to become another one of your casual flings.”

“This is not casual.” He stepped toward me, but I moved back. “What we just shared was—”

“Sex. Just sex.” I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold. “And now it’s over.”

“Aurelia, please—”

“I need to go.” I moved toward the door. “This never happened. We’re going to pretend this never happened.”

“Like hell we are.” Anger flashed in his eyes now. “You can run if you want. You can lie to yourself. But don’t insult either of us by pretending what just happened was meaningless.”

“Watch me.” I yanked open the door to the balcony.

“You’re scared,” he called after me. “You felt something real and now you’re terrified.”

I paused in the doorway, my hand gripping the frame so hard my knuckles turned white.

“You’re right,” I said without turning around. “I am scared. Scared of becoming another disposable toy in your collection. Scared of compromising my work. Scared of making the biggest mistake of my life.” I looked back at him one last time. “This was a mistake, Lucian. Accept it and move on. God knows you’re good at this.”

I walked through the door before he could respond, before I could see the look on his face, before my resolve could crumble.

The music from the party assaulted me as I made my way down the stairs. Bodies still writhed on the dance floor. People still laughed and drank, oblivious to the fact my entire world had just shifted on its axis.

I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the curious looks, the whispered comments. My only thought was escape. Getting out. Getting away.

The cool night air hit me as I burst through the entrance. I tried hailing a cab.

I leaned against the building, trying to steady my breathing. Trying to stop the shaking in my hands.

What had I done?

“Wrong,” my wolf whimpered. “This is wrong. Go back. Alpha. Ours.”

He’s not ours. He’s not anyone’s.

“Felt right. Felt perfect.”

Feelings lie.

The car pulled up. I climbed in, gave the driver my address, and stared out the window as the city lights blurred past.

My body still ached from his touch. I could still feel him inside me. Could still taste him on my lips.

And all I wanted to do was turn the car around. Go back. Admit I was lying. Admit I was terrified because what I felt for him was too big, too intense, too real.

But I didn’t.

I let the car take me home. Let the distance grow between us.

Because loving Lucian Blackwood would destroy me.

And I had already given him too much.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​