On her knees

Lila woke up alone.

For a few seconds she just lay there, staring at the dark ceiling, trying to pretend the ache between her legs and the mark on her neck weren’t real. The other side of the bed was still warm. Rylan hadn’t been gone long.

She sat up slowly. Someone had left a black t-shirt at the foot of the bed — clearly his. It was oversized enough that it fell to the middle of her thighs when she pulled it on. The fabric smelled like him. Cedar, rain, and something darker that made her stomach twist.

She hated that it comforted her.

Lila stepped out of the bedroom quietly, hoping she could at least find a phone or a door that led outside. The hallway was long and quiet. Morning light filtered through the tall windows at the end, pale and gray. She made it halfway down the stairs before she heard his voice.

“You’re awake.”

Rylan was standing in the kitchen, shirtless, wearing only a pair of dark sweatpants that sat low on his hips. His hair was slightly damp, like he’d already showered. A mug of coffee sat untouched on the counter beside him. Those golden eyes locked onto her the second she appeared, and the weight of his attention made her steps falter.

“I want to leave,” she said.

Rylan didn’t look surprised. He picked up the mug, took a slow sip, then set it back down. “No.”

“You can’t just keep saying no.”

“I can.” He pushed off the counter and walked toward her. Lila stayed where she was on the stairs, one hand gripping the railing. He stopped a few steps below her so they were almost at eye level. “The bond has already started. You’re not going anywhere until it settles.”

“I don’t care about your bond.”

His gaze dropped to her neck, where the bite mark was still dark against her skin. “Your body does.”

Lila’s fingers tightened on the railing. She hated how true it felt. Ever since she woke up, there had been a restless heat under her skin that had nothing to do with the temperature of the house. It sat low in her stomach, pulsing every time she caught his scent.

Rylan noticed. Of course he did.

He climbed one more step, closing the distance between them. “You’re already feeling it. That pull. The way your pulse speeds up when I’m close.” His voice dropped. “The way you’re getting wet just from standing near me.”

“It’s the bond, Lila,” he said quietly. “You can fight me all you want. Your body already knows I’m yours.”

“I’m not.”

“Don’t lie.”

He reached out and brushed his fingers along the outside of her thigh, just under the hem of his shirt. The touch was light, but it sent a sharp spark of awareness through her. Lila’s breath caught before she could stop it.

Rylan’s eyes darkened.

“Upstairs,” he said quietly. “Now.”

“I’m not sleeping with you again.”

“I didn’t say you were going to.” His hand slid higher, fingers curling around the back of her thigh. “I said upstairs.”

Something in his tone left no room for argument. Lila turned and walked back up the stairs, very aware of him following close behind her. When they reached the bedroom, he closed the door with a soft click.

Rylan leaned back against it, watching her.

“Take the shirt off.”

Lila stared at him. “Why?”

“Because I want to look at you while you suck my cock.”

The words hit her like a physical thing. Heat rushed to her face, but lower, between her legs, something pulsed hard in response. She hated that her body reacted before her mind could catch up.

“You’re serious.”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean.” Rylan’s voice stayed calm, almost patient. “Take it off. Then get on your knees.”

For a long moment she didn’t move. Pride and anger warred with the heat already spreading through her. In the end, the heat won. She pulled the shirt over her head and let it drop to the floor. Rylan’s eyes moved over her slowly — her breasts, the faint bruises on her hips, the bare skin between her legs.

He pushed off the door and walked toward her. When he stopped in front of her, he was close enough that she could feel the heat coming off his body. He reached down and slowly dragged the waistband of his sweatpants down, just far enough to free himself.

He was already hard. Thick. Heavy. The head was flushed and slightly wet at the tip.

Rylan wrapped one hand around the base and looked at her.

“Knees, Lila.”

She sank down.

The carpet was soft under her knees. From this angle he looked even bigger. Rylan’s hand settled on the top of her head, not pushing yet, just resting there. His thumb brushed over her hair in a way that felt almost gentle.

“Open.”

Lila parted her lips. He guided himself forward until the head of his cock rested against her tongue. The taste of him was clean and slightly salty. She closed her mouth around him carefully.

Rylan exhaled through his nose, a low sound of approval.

“That’s it. Just like that.”

She took him deeper, slowly. Her lips stretched around the thick girth of him. Rylan kept his hand on her head, guiding without forcing, letting her adjust. When she pulled back, a thin string of saliva connected her mouth to his cock. He watched it with dark satisfaction.

“Again.”

Lila leaned forward and took him back into her mouth. This time she went further, until she felt him hit the back of her throat. Her eyes watered. She pulled off with a soft gasp.

Rylan’s fingers tightened in her hair.

“You can do better than that.”

He didn’t give her much time to recover. He guided her back down, slower but deeper than before. Lila’s hands came up to rest on his thighs for balance. The muscles under her palms were hard as stone. She hollowed her cheeks and sucked as she pulled back, and the low groan that left his chest made heat coil tighter in her stomach.

“Fuck,” he muttered. “Look at you.”

She hated that the praise made her shiver. Hated even more that she wanted to hear it again.

Rylan’s hips shifted forward slightly, pushing deeper. Lila gagged around him, eyes watering, but he didn’t pull back right away. He held her there for a second longer, then let her breathe.

“You’re going to take all of it,” he said, voice rough. “Every inch. And you’re going to keep your eyes on me while you do it.”

Lila’s breath was uneven. She nodded once.

He guided her down again. This time she forced herself to relax, taking him deeper than before. When her nose nearly brushed his stomach, Rylan let out a deep, guttural sound. His hand flexed in her hair.

“That’s my girl.”

The praise sent an unwanted shiver down her spine.

He started moving her head in a steady rhythm, not rough enough to truly hurt, but firm enough that she wasn’t in control. The wet sound of her mouth on him filled the quiet room. Saliva dripped down her chin. Her eyes stayed locked on his even when they watered.

Rylan’s breathing grew heavier.

“You’re getting so good at this already,” he murmured. “Taking me like you were made for it.”

One of his hands left her hair and cupped the side of her face, thumb brushing the corner of her stretched lips. The touch was strangely intimate while he continued to use her mouth.

Lila’s thighs pressed together. She was wet again — embarrassingly so — and the fact that she was getting turned on from this only made her feel more helpless.

Rylan noticed the shift in her scent. His eyes flashed.

“You’re dripping just from having my cock in your mouth,” he said, almost in disbelief. “Jesus.”

He pulled her further down until her throat fluttered around him. Lila made a choked sound, fingers digging into his thighs. Rylan held her there for a few seconds, eyes locked on hers, before letting her up for air.

She gasped, a thin line of saliva connecting her bottom lip to the head of his cock.

Rylan’s thumb wiped it away, then pushed it back into her mouth.

“Clean it up.”

She closed her lips around his thumb without thinking. His eyes darkened even further.

“Good girl.”

He guided himself back between her lips. This time his control slipped. His hips started moving in short, shallow thrusts, using her mouth in earnest. Lila could only hold on and take it, eyes watering, saliva running down her chin and onto her chest.

“I’m going to come,” he growled. “And you’re going to swallow every drop. Understand?”

She made a small sound around him that he took as agreement.

Rylan’s grip on her hair tightened. His thrusts grew shorter, deeper, until he finally pushed all the way in and held her there. The first pulse of his release hit the back of her throat. Lila swallowed hard around him as he came, thick and hot, groaning low above her. He kept her locked in place until he was finished, only then allowing her to pull back.

Lila sat back on her heels, breathing hard, lips swollen and shiny. A little of his release had escaped the corner of her mouth. Rylan reached down and wiped it with his thumb, then pushed it between her lips again.

She swallowed.

For a moment neither of them spoke. The only sound in the room was their uneven breathing.

Rylan tucked himself back into his sweatpants, then crouched down in front of her so they were at eye level. His hand came up to cup her jaw, tilting her face toward him.

“You did well,” he said quietly. 

He leaned in and pressed a slow kiss to the corner of her mouth, tasting himself on her lips.

Lila’s voice came out rough. “I still want to leave.”

Rylan’s thumb brushed over her bottom lip. There was no anger in his expression — only calm, absolute certainty.

“I know.” He stood and held out his hand. “But you’re not going to.”

Lila stared at it for a long second before taking it. Rylan pulled her to her feet, then picked up the discarded shirt and slipped it back over her head himself, dressing her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Come downstairs,” he said. “You need to eat.”

He walked out of the bedroom without looking back, completely confident she would follow.

And after a moment… 

Her bare feet followed him down the stairs.