Page 58 of The Forbidden Alpha

I was a wire stretched too tight, vibrating with a need that felt like it would shatter my bones. My hips bucked instinctively, chasing the friction of his hand, but he held my wrists pinned, his jaw set.

“We’re done here,” he said, his voice instantly firm as he stepped back.

“We didn’t finish,” I rasped, moving my hand up and down his length. My thumb rubbed over his tip, smearing the slickness down his length.

“Do you even know how many women you’ve been with?” I hissed. His hand gripped my wrist.

“Truth. Yes, I do. Your turn,” he said, voice rough, his eyes dark with a mix of his own jealousy still simmering from my answer about Shane. “Did you try to look for me?”

My voice died in my throat. I tried again, “Yes.”

Ethan’s gaze pierced straight through me, the gold in his eyes flaring hot and accusing as he read the lie written across my face.

“You broke the rule,” he ground out. “I won’t make you cum. Not here. Not tonight.”

He withdrew his hand, and I bit my lip to stop the protest from the loss of his heat. I watched as he adjusted his clothes, his movements stiff and controlled, while my knees buckled. He grabbed me, my body trembling with an aching pulse of need.

“Let’s get you some books.”

I didn’t say anything. I reached down, surreptitiously wiping the slick combination of our fluids down the side of my dress. As he led me from shelf to shelf, I mindlessly grabbed a few. He held them in his free hand. We checked out and stepped out of the store. The cool air hit my heated skin. I caught my reflection in the dark tint of his car. My hand rose instinctively, fingers ghosting over the bare skin of my throat. I stared at the empty space for a heartbeat too long. Then, I dropped my hand, smoothed my dress, and climbed into the passenger seat without a word.

The drive was silent, but even through the haze of lust and frustration, anger welled inside me. I’d be damned if I let a man tell me I could or couldn’t cum.

I reclined my seat all the way back. “What’re you doing?” he asked, his gaze darting to me as I lifted my feet to the dash. I ignored him as I hiked my dark knit dress up to my hips, slipping my fingers between my legs. The car swerved and he cursed. The spark of pleasure flared as I chased it. I thought of the way his fingers had felt inside me back at Lovestruck, and copied him. Slow at first and quickly picking up speed. My core tensed, squeezing as I looked at him. His side profile was still, his shoulders bunched, his knuckles white on the wheel. Knowing I held that power over him, I came.

“Ethan,” I moaned.

“Fucking hell,” he bit out.

I swallowed, closing my legs as I dropped my feet to the ground. I smoothed my dress down with deliberate slowness.

“You could have given me that, been part of it, but you chose to punish yourself. And that’s fine. You don’t have to please me, but don’t think for a damn minute that you get to decide what happens to my body. I may be your mate, Ethan, but I’m your partner, or nothing at all.”

We drove the rest of the way in silence, and I was perfectly fine with that.

Chapter 31

The walk from the car through the front doors to the elevators felt like miles. Every time Ethan’s hand brushed near mine, the air crackled. He didn’t look at me, his focus fixed ahead, but I could feel his aura pulling at me. We stepped into the elevator, and the ascent began. We hadn’t spoken since the car.

The elevator doors slid open and the hairs on my arms stood. Something was wrong. Ethan stepped into the foyer, and my senses, usually dull, suddenly sharpened. There was a sickeningly sweet, invasive floral scent—cloying and oily as it hit the back of my throat, making my back straighten and something rip inside me.

My gaze darted to Ethan to see if he noticed this, but he seemed distracted. His phone went off, cutting through our silence. He picked it up. That was the first time I’d seen him use it. He glanced at me before walking out onto the terrace. His voice vibrated through the glass, a low rumbling I felt more than heard.

“As promised, I’ve sent out the contract. They’re safe so long as they keep their end of the deal.”

I stepped into the living room and the first thing I noticed were the lilies, arranged in a sleek glass vase right in the center of the coffee table. That explained the strong smell. They hadn’t been there this morning and the space looked tidier than it had been. A blush shawl was draped over the back of my chair—the one I’d been sitting in this morning. Someone had been here, and they hadn’t just cleaned; they had marked their territory.

Every square inch of the space I’d started to think was mine felt like I was the intruder.

My spine was ramrod straight as I clenched my fists. My nostrils flared, the scent burning like a warning. I knew why Ethan didn’t notice the intruder; he was used to her being here. Was she still here?

“I have to handle something,” Ethan said, his gaze tense as he appeared at my side. “I’ll be back soon.”

He said he’d replace her, but she was still here, still present in his life.

I wouldn’t beg for the truth anymore. He might be the King who brought kingdoms to their knees, but I was the woman destined to rule at his side. I wouldn’t stand in Sabine’s shadow, and I wouldn’t be a guest in my own home.

I nodded, turning my back to the elevator before the doors hissed shut. He left without another word, leaving me alone in her floral-scented silence.