Page 108 of Avenging Azalea

My breath faltered as I tried to push the air out of my lungs.

“Mmm, that’s good,” Titus said, his voice low and gravelly.

He kissed the corner of my mouth again, and his tongue teased me gently. All I could do was blink at him. His fingers gripped my chin as he gazed at my face.

“Breathe, Fawn,” he commanded and then smirked.

“Breathe,” I repeated as the misfiring of all my brain cells continued.

I could almost picture them running around in circles and crashing into one another, not sure what the hell was happening.

Titus smiled, but it was unlike any smile he’d given me before. It was sexual and carnal, and my body shook as the hair stood on the back of my neck. Normally, the sensation would freak me out and send me running, but not with him. There was no fear.

“What’s happening? Am I dreaming,” I asked, not really wanting the response if he said yes.

Instead of answering me, Titus kissed me softly. I moaned and opened for him as he took control and devoured my mouth. Our tongues teased and danced together. My heart was full. I’d wanted him for so long. For him to look at me with desire, to touch me like a lover, and to show me the love of a real man.

What was going on? I was caught between pulling him down onto the couch and pushing him away. I needed to do something before my already twisted emotions took a headfirst dive off a tall building. Before my mind could figure out what to do, Titus broke the kiss. But his lips remained touching mine.

“Fuck you taste sweet, Little Bird.”

His chest muscles flexed under my touch. My entire body ached for him, though the worst of it was centralized right between my thighs.

“I don’t understand what’s happening here,” I said. “What about V⁠—”

Titus crushed his lips to mine again, stopping me from saying Vera’s name. I moaned as he kissed me harder, more demanding than before. His hand snaked around to the back of my neck, and I shuddered as his grip tightened.

This time, when he pulled away, my willpower to say no teetered on the edge of the skyscraper with my rapidly fraying emotions. He wrapped his other arm around me, and there was no denying the raw power he possessed as he stood up straight and brought me with him like I weighed no more than one of the couch’s decorative pillows.

With my arms around his neck and legs around his waist, I mentally clung to my disappearing morals. We were apparently walking, but I hadn’t registered the movement until his bedroom door closed with a bang behind him.

“Tell me now if you don’t want me,” Titus said.

I searched his amber eyes.

“Of course I do, but…”

Titus nipped at my bottom lip, sucking it slightly into his mouth and once more stopping my protest.

“The wedding is off,” he said, and the world stopped completely.

“What?” The single word came out in a hopeful gasp.

“It’s off.”

“How?”

“I don’t want to talk about it right now. There is only one thing I want. One thing I’ve been dreaming of. One thing that I crave more than my last breath. That’s you.” I licked my lips and tried to swallow past the shock lodged in my throat. “So, this is what will happen.”

Titus lowered me to my feet, but it was a good thing I kept hold of his shirt, or I would’ve been on the floor. My legs were so shaky.

“I’m going to make you mine, Little Bird.”

He’d ripped off the mask that had been hiding his emotions from me. Everything was laid bare in his eyes…love. Forbidden, imperfect, beautiful love.

I smiled, the corner of my mouth pulling up.

“And what do I get in return?” He matched my smirk as I teased him.