Masuk“You’re safe,” he said, low and certain. “Give it to me.” Kaelani’s body clenched—pleasure spiking so sharply it stole her breath. Her back arched, a broken sound tearing out of her as she came with his name on her lips. “Julian—!” Her hands fisted in his hair. Her thighs locked around him. And
Almost. His hand went to the button of his pants, then the zipper, dragging it down before shoving the fabric low on his hips. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband and pushed everything lower—kicking the material off one leg, then the other—never once breaking eye contact. His cock was rock har
Julian kissed her—long, slow—then began to move down her body with unhurried intent. His mouth traced her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, his tongue lingering at her nipples until her breath caught and her body lifted toward him. He gave each one a slow, careful tease before sinking lower, settlin
Julian swallowed. His voice came low, precise—controlled because it had to be. “Tell me you’ll stop me if anything feels wrong.” Kaelani’s hands slid to his face, palms warm against his jaw. “This could never feel wrong,” she whispered. A tremor ran through him—more urgency than softness, more aw
For a beat, he didn’t move. Like his body had forgotten how to function beyond the single fact of her in his arms—warm, wrapped around him, mouth still swollen from the kiss, eyes steady and sure. His throat worked. His hands tightened on her—one firm at the curve of her ass, the other sliding up
She hesitated only a second before placing her hand in his. He led her out into the living area, the soft music from the record player filling the space as he guided her into position. Gently, he lifted her arms, settling them around his neck, his hands finding her waist with quiet certainty. “Jus
A shape shifted behind the leaves. Tall. Too tall. Its outline warped as it moved, stretching unnaturally, as if the shadows themselves were trying to stand upright. The whispers spiked, overlapping into something almost gleeful. Julian took a step forward. “Jace—wait—” The shape lunged. Jace
Jace stirred with a low groan, shifting against the damp grass at the lake’s edge. For a moment, he didn’t know what had woken him—only that the air felt different. Cooler. Lighter. The brutal heat of the desert had loosened its grip, replaced by a fragile calm that felt almost unreal after everyth
Watching. Julian swallowed. Slowly, he folded the map and stood, walking back toward Jace. “This is it,” he said, his voice low but certain. Jace squinted at the treeline, then back at Julian. “This is thee forest?” Julian nodded once. He took a step toward the shadows, eyes never leaving the
Night had swallowed the desert, but the heat hadn’t loosened its grip. It clung to Julian’s skin like a second hide—heavy, suffocating. Every breath scraped his throat raw, lungs burning as if they’d forgotten how to draw air properly. His tongue felt swollen, useless. Dry enough that swallowing hu







