Chapter 51

The moment I shut the door behind me, her scent hit me like a punch to the gut—vanilla and lily of the valley, lingering on my skin, taunting me, clinging to me like a brand I didn’t want to shake. It was maddening. That scent wasn’t supposed to get under my skin, but it was there, woven into every inhale, igniting something primal, something dark.

The memory of her body pressed against mine burned behind my eyes, the shock in her face when I’d leaned in, the heat sparking between us like a live wire. And the way she’d pushed back, twisting the power balance on its head, leaving me against the wall with her hand around my throat. She’d been fierce, unflinching, looking at me like she owned me in that instant, and something in me had cracked. Even now, I could feel her fingers on my neck, phantom pressure still lingering, reminding me she hadn’t backed down, not once.

I let out a shaky breath, my hand finding its way to my throat, pressing against the spot where she’d held me, where her skin had seared into mine. Her scent still curled around me, haunting, tempting, and my body betrayed me, heat pooling low and fast, my pulse pounding in time with the maddening need clawing its way up my spine.

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, but I didn’t stop, my fingers drifting lower as I leaned back against the wall, eyes closing as I let the memory of her wash over me. I leisurely unbuttoned my slacks, and pulled my cock out. My chest vibrating with a growl as my fist tightened around the head and I thumbed the slit to smear the pre-cum into my skin. I could almost hear her voice, the quiet menace in it, the unyielding resolve that dared me to push her further. The taste of her, the feel of her body so close to mine—it was burned into my mind, replaying like some twisted dream.

My breath hitched, and I couldn’t hold back, couldn’t stop myself from giving in. My hand moved faster, every nerve igniting as I relived that moment, the way her scent had flooded my senses, the raw, unfiltered power in her eyes as she’d held me against that wall. She’d made me feel… helpless. Out of control. But gods, it only made me want her more, made me crave the challenge, the burn of her defiance.

I could picture her wedged between Gideon and me, fighting us against the ecstasy she deserved while we gave her our all. My free hand gripped my knot, feeling it swell and throb even more as I stroked myself, imagining her tight pussy squeezing every drop of cum from me.

Her name slipped past my lips in a low groan, the need spiraling until I hit the edge, my body tensing, that image of her—unbreakable, unafraid—searing itself into me. When the release finally came, it was sharp, fierce, ripping through me like a tidal wave, leaving me leaning against the wall, catching my breath as the aftershocks hit. But even as I opened my eyes, the craving still simmered, a dull ache that refused to fade, her presence lingering like a ghost.

I pushed myself off the door and headed for the communal bathroom, knowing I needed to clear my head. The cold water did nothing to calm the fire she’d ignited, every brush of my hand against my neck only bringing back the feel of her fingers around my throat. I scrubbed at my neck, trying to erase the feel of her hand, but it only seemed to burrow deeper, reminding me that she’d marked me in her own way.

Back in the room, I found Gideon sprawled on his bed, his usual lazy grin on his face, like he’d been waiting for me. Before he could say a word, I crossed the room, my mouth crashing into his in a kiss that was anything but gentle. I poured every ounce of frustration, every bit of that unspent fire into it, tasting him with a hunger that left no room for words. His hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss until I was drowning in the heat of it, letting it smother the embers of my obsession for her.

I pulled back, breathless, my gaze locked on his, the hunger still smoldering in my eyes. “You want her,” I said, voice rough and low, barely above a whisper. “And I’ll help you get her. But know this…” I let a slow, wicked smile spread across my face. “She’ll have both of us, or neither. Got it?”

His grin widened, a spark of something just as dark flaring in his eyes. “Deal.”

And with that, the game was set.