Page 18 of Lust and Honor

I can’t look away from him. His dark eyes take me in slowly like I’m the most beautiful woman on earth. His other hand brushes through my hair, his fingertips gliding up my neck, grazing my brows, then tracing the freckles beneath my eyes.

He inhales deeply and exhales against my face, the scent of cigarettes mingling with his cologne, filling my lungs. A strange sensation prickles across my entire body. After studying my face for a long moment, he pulls his finger away from my lips, and I finally manage to speak.

“I came here to thank you.”

It’s the truth. That was one of my reasons for coming.

Suddenly, he buries his face in the crook of my neck, drawing in a deep breath before murmuring in my ear, “I know a lot of ways to say ‘you’re welcome.’ I’ll show you all of them tonight.”

His voice is low, rough, and unmistakably masculine—and his meaning is crystal clear, he wants me. That can’t be right. He must have me confused with someone else.

I swallow hard, trying to wet my dry throat. “But I think you’ve got me…”

A loud knock at the door makes me jump, my heart dropping to my stomach. But it’s Maxim’s reaction that truly roots me in place. In a flash, the seductive, magnetic man turns into a vicious beast.

“Get lost! No one comes near me until I say so,” he bellows.

His sudden aggression startles me, and he sees it. Because when his gaze returns to me, it’s once again calm and sensual, as if nothing had happened. He takes my hand and leads me toward his bed, stopping at the foot of it.

“Want a drink?”

I shake my head. I’ve had enough alcohol tonight, and I need to stay sober to figure out how to navigate this mess. But when his hungry gaze lingers on my breasts, I feel my nipples harden under the desire his presence ignites, and I wonder: do I even want to escape this?

The truth is, this violent man—who I watched kill a filthy pig with his bare fists—looks at me like I’m something he suddenly can’t look away from and treats me like delicate porcelain. He’s the man I’ve dreamed of for years, a wish that seems to have come true.

Sure, Sister Maria always said a woman of honor never gives in to lust, but I never said I wanted to be a nun. As her voice clashes with my own thoughts, I quickly grab Maxim’s wrists when his hands reach the hem of my T-shirt.

“What are you doing?” I whisper, breathless and torn between conflicting emotions.

He caresses my cheek with the back of his hand and answers in a firm, almost menacing tone, “Don’t worry. I’ve got you. Now move your hand, good girl.”

There’s something wild flashes in his eyes that tells me I’m not leaving this room tonight unless he lets me. The answer to all my inner conflicts boils down to one sentence:

“I have to do this.”

That one thought tears down every wall inside me, giving me an excuse to cross every line I once swore I never would. I release my hands, letting Maxim pull off my T-shirt and bra in one smooth motion. Cool air hits my bare skin, but the fire in his gaze cancels it out completely.

His chest rises and falls in shallow breaths. He places both hands on my bare shoulders, sliding them down to the swell of my breasts. His fingers circle my nipples, hard as stones, before he suddenly grips both firmly. The sensation tilts my head back as need tightens low in my stomach.

Maxim lets out a deep sigh and lays me down on the bed. He stretches out beside me, propped on his side, and does the most unbelievable thing. He starts sucking my breasts. I clutch the sheets and stare at him, stunned. His mouth covers more than half of my breast, devouring it with hungry lips.

Along with an intense pleasure I never knew existed in this world, I feel my walls clench harder. Before his mouth moves to the other breast, his hand slips expertly past the waistband of my jeans, bypassing my panties, and settles on my pussy. The soft moan that escapes my lips is involuntary.

Hearing it, he slides his body up over mine and whispers into my mouth: “Fuck. Even your voice is pretty.”

Two fingers circle my clit as he kisses me, slow, firm, burning hot. His weight pins me to the mattress while hard muscle presses against every soft part of me, dragging me closer with every touch.

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back. This is my first kiss ever, but he’s so skilled that I fall into his rhythm. When I feel the heat of his tongue in my mouth, I devour it with a hunger, as if it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted.

His fingers venture further, gliding through my folds, and when they pass over my slit, I arch my hips and moan into his mouth. He pulls his hand from my panties and shifts his body slightly away from mine. One hand braces against the sheets as he stares down at me, looking like a fallen angel dragged straight out of hell.

The two fingers that were just between my legs now hover near my lips, and I’m burning so hot with lust that I open my mouth without hesitation and suck on them hard. A wicked grin spreads across his face. He drags his fingers to the corner of my mouth, then lowers himself over me again.

He kisses me so fiercely I can’t even feel my lips anymore. Straightening up, he keeps his eyes locked on me, and on my breasts, as he unbuttons the top of his shirt and peels it off.

This man is the full package. A face like a Greek god, and a body built for violence, adorned with intricate tattoos that somehow make him even more irresistible. Among the captivating designs spread across his chest, I glimpse the image of a woman with wavy hair and several dates etched into his skin.

He unbuckles his belt and steps off the bed, tugging both his pants and boxers down in one motion. His cock springs free, and a cold sweat beads on my forehead.