Page 65 of Knight’s Dominion

“We mate, then carry on living our own lives. There’s no affection between us—this is not some love match. I won’t be tied down. I can’t give you that. It’s not who I am. I don’t need someone to protect me, and I won’t stop fighting. I won’t leave Vince or the demi who trust and believe in me, either. But I will give you this, this part of me, to make you stronger, to make me stronger, so we can have a better shot at winning this war.”

Why did her words feel like a knife to the sternum?

She was right, of course. It made perfect sense. Increased power and an outlet for all the hunger they stirred in each other, without all the confusing emotional garbage. They were programmed to want this, to need it. She held no affection for him, and didn’t want it from him in return.

But if she thought she could just walk away after they mated, he needed to clue her in. “We’re going to fuck, Grace, but you need to know, it won't just be today. That’s not how this works. I’m hardwired to want you, and that will never change. Do you understand?"

She nodded. “That’s fine, as long as you understand why I'm doing this, that it will never be more than that.”

“Yes,” he said, even though that single word felt torn from him.

She grazed her nails down his back, and he shuddered. She liked that, seeing his tiny loss of control. He could see it in her eyes, the way they flashed slightly.

He leaned in, nipped her bottom lip. “I promise you, I won't ask you for more..." He held her gaze. "I'll never ask for more than this." He ground his erection against her tender flesh, and she gasped. Unable to stop himself, he leaned in and gently bit down on the tendon straining beneath the skin at the base of her neck, sucking hard enough to leave a mark, then trailed his lips along her jaw to her ear. “And FYI, when we fuck, I’m in control. That's the way I like it, and so will you."

"Is that right?"

“Yes.”

“So. Damn. Arrogant."

Despite her protest, the way she trembled told him she wanted it, wanted to hand over that control to him. “You like that, too.”

She growled under her breath, and he chuckled.

"You're still asking for a lot,” she finally said.

"I know, but that’s how it has to be.” He cupped her breast and squeezed lightly.

Her breath grew heavy. “What do you actually want from me? Before we go any further, I need you to spell it out as well.”

What was he saying? He barely understood it himself. So he told her the truth. "I'm not sure, but I do know I’ll need more—more of your time, more of your attention." He cupped her between the thighs. "And more of this hot, tight pussy."

She moaned and her head fell back. “I’m…ahhh.”

“You still want me inside you?”

“Yes, I…I can't think. I'm so hot, I need..."

"I know what you need, and I’ll make you come as many times as you can take." He lifted her in his arms carefully and carried her into the bedroom, his head spinning from what she’d just told him, what she’d agreed to.

Grace rubbed against him, lost to her need, undulating in his arms…then let out a small cry of pain.

He smoothed her hair back from her beautiful face. "Shhh, I’ll take care of you, but you have to be still or you’ll hurt yourself."

"What's wrong with me? Ahh." She squeezed her thighs together, legs scissoring restlessly.

"It's my blood, it's strong and you needed a lot. The doc said this could be a side effect."

She groaned. “How long?"

"A day or two." He placed her on the bed carefully, and she reached for the front of his jeans, tugging open the button. He pulled back out of reach. In his current state, if he took her, he'd hurt her and he'd rather cut off his own arms than do that.

"Please," she whimpered and spread her legs. "Fuck me, Chaos. I need you. Make the ache go away."

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. She was bare and swollen and so damn wet.

His dick was a steel rod in his pants, so hard he could barely walk, and Grace lay sprawled on his bed, open and begging for his cock. His restraint was as close to snapping as it ever had been. "I'll make it better," he choked.