Chapter 15

He pulled me closer, his body grinding into mine with a ruthless intent that made my knees weak. I could feel the power in his arms, the way he held me against the wall like I weighed nothing at all. Every thrust was deeper than the last, driving the breath from my lungs until all I could do was cling to him.

“Tell me you’re mine,” he demanded, his voice a low command vibrating against my skin. “Say it.”

“I’m yours,” I managed to choke out, my voice trembling. “Ryder, I’m yours.”

That seemed to snap something inside him. His pace became frantic, almost violent, his hips slamming against mine with a force that made my vision swim.

“That’s my girl,” he roared, the sound tearing from his chest as he buried his face in the crook of my neck. His teeth grazed my skin, not biting hard enough to break, but enough to make me cry out. He was relentless now, his body a machine of heat and muscle, driving into me with a rhythm that felt like it was shaking the very walls around us.

My legs were trembling, barely able to hold me wrapped around him, and I felt my control slipping away. The pleasure was too sharp, too much—a building pressure in my gut that made my toes curl and my back arch violently against the plaster.

“Ryder, please—I’m close—” I sobbed, my fingers clawing at his shoulders.

“Then let go,” he commanded, his voice thick and ragged.

The word was a permission, a release, and I took it. My body tightened, every muscle coiling like a spring until I snapped. A high, broken cry tore from my throat as waves of pleasure crashed over me, so intense it felt like my bones were melting. I couldn’t even breathe—I just clung to him, my face buried in his shoulder, sobbing his name over and over.

“That’s it,” he groaned, his own voice sounding wrecked. “Give it all to me, Haven.”

He didn’t slow down. If anything, he pushed harder, his hips driving into me with a frenzy that matched my own release. I could feel him trembling against me, his muscles coiled tight, his breath coming in short, jagged bursts against my ear.

“I’m—Ryder, I’m—”

“I know,” he growled, his voice dropping to a primal register. His grip on my thighs tightened, his knuckles white, as he delivered three final, punishing thrusts that seemed to reach right into my soul.

A guttural roar tore from his throat—not a human sound, but something older, more dangerous. I felt his entire body go rigid against mine, his muscles locking like stone as he released inside me. The sensation was overwhelming, a flood of heat that made my vision go white and my head thud back against the wall.

“Haven,” he gasped, his forehead dropping onto my shoulder. He was shaking—actually shaking—his chest heaving against mine as he tried to catch his breath. “God, you—you’re everything.”

He stayed there for a long moment, pinned to me, his weight heavy and warm. Slowly, his grip loosened, but he didn’t pull away.

His lips found my neck again, softer this time, his breath warm and shaky against my skin. “You okay?” he murmured, his voice losing that edge of aggression and replacing it with something almost tender. It was jarring—the man who had just been tearing into me like an animal was now checking on me like I was something fragile.

“Yeah,” I breathed, my voice barely audible. My body felt like jelly, every muscle humming with the aftershocks of what we’d just done. “I’m okay.”

He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes still dark but softer now. His thumb traced the mark he’d left on my neck, a possessive gesture that made my heart skip. “You’re shaking,” he noted, his brow furrowing. Without waiting for an answer, he scooped me up again—my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist—and carried me back toward the bed.