“Why can’t I have both?”

“Another time,” he promised. “For now, just feel, relax. Aaah, that’s it.” He pulled his wet finger out and worked it in slowly until he couldn’t go in any further. From there he thrust his finger . The pleasure had her gasping. Vera could sense his patience waning.

“So fucking beautiful. I can barely wait.”

His finger left her and then the bed dipped and she heard footsteps. She turned her cheek to the other side to see him going to the bathroom.

“You better not leave me like this.” He came back with a bottle in his hand. “What is that?” Unease had her legs closing.

He came back to her and split her legs back open again . “It’s lube.”

She couldn’t stop from laughing. “And what, you just brought that with you on the trip? You know just in case.”

He laughed. “No, it was in a drawer in the bathroom. It’s meant for massages or...”

She heard the cap open and the sound sent chills down her arms. A heavy hand fell to her ass, plumped, and massaged the flesh with a possessive hand.

“God I love your ass.” The way he said it made her melt. The man was simply after her heart, there was no doubt about it.

She felt a finger stroking gently over her tight entry almost as if...seeking permission. Her body was thrummed so tight that if he sucked her nipple hard enough she was sure she’d come.

She nodded against the bed and then there was pressure and his finger worked back through her muscles. She sighed at the intrusion. He’d oiled his finger and now it slid in easily.

He pulled back and she couldn’t stop the pitiful groan that left her. Just as quickly, two fingers were pushing into her. She tightened against the much wider invasion feeling like she was splitting apart. It hurt at first but then pain left and only felt... incredible.

“Wow,” she said, having a hard time making her mouth work. She heard his grunt of approval , then he was working those two fingers in and out, the passage way was slick and so tight. She could feel everything about his fingers, the bump of his knuckles, the skin rubbing inside her.

His fingers pulled out of her and when they didn’t return, she turned to see what he was doing. His hand caught the back of her head and turned her back away. Alpha. The man reeked of dominance.

It was as though her confession about control h ad set something off inside him or maybe he just wanted to out do Dmetri, or maybe he just really loved her ass. Either way she was dying to know.

She heard the cap on the bottle again squeeze then snap shut. The bed dipped and his hands cupped her buttocks squeezing them firmly and moving them wide. She wanted to turn to see him but knew he wanted her to stay just like this. She felt like an offering. Except he was the human. God, he didn’t feel that way though.

A hard round nudge pushed at her tight entrance . It hurt and she naturally tightened her muscles . The hands on her cheeks grew softer, ran loving strokes up and down her back.

“Relax baby, trust me. You know you can trust me , right? I would never do anything to hurt you, Vera.”

She did know that. This man had spent his whole protecting people, especially women. She nodded her head and made her body relax.

He came back again and she was surprised how easily her body opened and gave around him. He kept just the head of him there and already her breathing was wild.

It was pain yet it didn’t hurt. She felt full yet he wasn’t inside. Her body was thrumming on the brink of something huge and he wasn’t even inside her. She didn’t know if she wanted to buck him away or have him plunge inside.

His hands came back, stroking softly through her hair, rubbing the tense muscles in her back, relaxing her, coaxing her body into softening. And she did. She pushed in further and couldn’t stop from crying out. It wasn’t a cry of pain though.

He didn’t miss it either. He pulled back to leave just his wide head inside her, then gently pushed back in a few inches, rocking so slowly inside her.

“I wish you could see how beautiful you look wrapped around me. To be the only man here. You’re mine, b aby. Do you hear me? All mine.”

She started to respond, but he stabbed all the way in. She keened below him, her hips rocking, fighting against him at being so fully taken. She clawed at the bedsheets like an animal and tried to pull herself away from him.

It was too much. Yet so damn good. She had no idea what to do, but her body was bucking wild at the big intrusion. Jacks hand fell between her shoulders blades and held her down. She tried to push against him but it was useless. There was no moving this man. As he held her down, he worked his cock out of her tight muscles, sliding with the lube he used, and there was a lot of it, she felt it dripping out of her, sliding between her thighs.

He worked his cock out to the tip then pushed in. Again and again as her body fought below. On the fourth stroke, it was like magic. Her wild cries turned soft and sexy. Moans filled her as the most incredible sensation rushed through her.

“Good baby, you’re doing real good.” His other hand stroked her back, her hips, and ass cheeks so softly compared to his thrusts that grew rough and wild.

She could feel his orgasm pulling up tight in him. His breathing changed, his grip tightened, and his hips jerked faster and faster, harder until the sound of his hips slapping loud against her ass echoed off the walls.

Vera screamed as her body seized up tight. Her orgasm exploded from her body like a rocket. Her ass and pussy clamped down hard as she fought to stay conscious and not fly off the bed with her orgasm.

Jacks slammed into her one last time, the muscles working him were too tight, too strong, and he lost himself. She felt the long, hot spurts of cum filling her as his cock pulsed again and again. Hot liquid filled her deep .

She’d never felt anything like it. She tightened her muscles and clamped down on him, wanting to keep him there forever.

He groaned above her and only after she wrung him dry did he pull out and fall next to her, pulling her into his arms.

“I think I’m in love,” he laughed, toying with a lock of her hair.

Vera’s breath caught and she was glad that she had her face buried in his neck so he couldn’t see the pain ed look on her face. Or worse, the hope that had lit up her eyes for a second before he laughed.

A horrible cold surrounded her heart. He would never love her. After they got back home, he’d say goodbye and that would be the end. It was almost too painful to think about.

Just like Dmetri. A very small part of her had been happy when he finally broke it off. The first time she’d told him she loved him, she was met with awkward silence—that was two months in to the relationship. She’d said it only three other times in the year they were together. Each time, he’d smile at her and kiss her, an uncomfortable glint in his eyes.

Vera relaxed into his strong arms and listened to the strong beat of his heart.

One thing was sure . There was no way she could continue to see Jacks. She’d tried that kind of relationship before, and she was worth more than that. She meant what she said to Dmetri, she deserved someone who actually loved her.

She would cherish every last moment together with him. Then she would spend the rest of her life picking up the pieces of her heart and try to put them back together.

“I think that covers everything for the Kategan treaty,” Brayden said. “I am sorry about the complications with Ariss; I assure you that she, her guardian, and Master Claude will be dealt with accordingly.”

“When you find her, you mean,” Jacks said, a lethal scowl on his face. Vera turned away from him before he could see just how much she liked the ferocity in him.