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She stops after a few seconds and pulls off. Her eyes narrow on me. “Death.”

Fuck. I know why she calls me that. It’s usually a fucking challenge, but right now, it’s a plea. She doesn’t want Luke Foster, the guy who loves her and almost lost her. The one struggling to figure out how to cope with what I’m feeling.

She wants Death. The asshole that took from her when she was not willing to give in.

The dick who displayed her on stage and spanked her ass in front of the whole student body. The guy who showed up in her bedroom and made her strip naked for his friends. The one who took her firsts because they were always meant to be mine. She was always meant to be mine.

My darker side.

The one that was front and center before she burst into my life. And instead of fighting me, loved me.

She rises to her feet and strokes my cock as she leans into me, leaving open-mouthed kisses on my chest until she reaches my nipple. Her gaze flicks up to mine, and she gives me a wicked smile. She licks it and then sucks on it before biting and tugging on it.

Fuck. I don’t want to give her my darkness. I’m not sure either of us can handle it right now. Not after everything that’s happened. All the hatred that I feel for those assholes has been brewing inside me.

I don’t want to give her that.

“Princess,” I chastise, trying to ignore the slide of her nipples against my arm. The soft, wet kisses on my skin. Her hands on me.

“What, Death?” She cocks an eyebrow and slides her hand down my cock. “You don’t want to play?”

“Do you know what you’re asking for?” My words are quiet but they resonate in this room. “Do you know what we went through?”

She blows out a breath and shakes her head. “No, I don’t. I don’t even know what I went through.” She leans in and peppers my chest with kisses between sentences. “But I do know that I had to be scared. That I put all my hopes in the knowledge you would find me. That I probably stalled as best as I could before I let that asshole stick a needle in me. That it took everything in me to run and leave Penny and Jack behind with those monsters.”

Warm tears touch my chest along with her kisses. I cup her jaw with my hand around her neck and tilt her face to mine. Feeling her pulse race against my thumb, I breathe out. “And?”

“I would have done anything to protect Jack, or Nico, or Eli, or Caden, or you.” Tears flow freely. “I would have taken on anyone to keep you safe. So yes, I can understand why I let that monster inject me. Even if it might have killed me, it would have given you all time to get to safety. The only reason I would have left Jack was because I was more dangerous to him by being there.”

Eli wraps his arms around her from behind, resting his head against hers. I’m still hard, but sex is the last thing on my mind. She needs to get this out. I could see it bubbling in her for the past few days, chewing away at her insides.

She takes in a shuddering breath and closes her eyes, hiding from me. But then she opens them and I see her. All of her and I can breathe again.

“You put yourself at risk to come get me. Nico could have been hit by that van. Jack could have ended up with his throat slit. You three could have died trying to rescue me. How do you think that makes me feel?” She doesn’t hide the pain in her eyes. Doesn’t hide from me. “I can’t live without any of you. I need all of you. And I need you to stop treating me like a fucking piece of glass.”

I narrow my eyes at her, but she’s too deep in her feelings. She’s not helpless.

She blows out a breath and laughs bitterly. “I’m already broken. You guys are my glue, and I need you. I don’t want to be treated differently. I want you to fuck me, Death. I want you to pull my hair and force yourself so deep in me I can never get you out. I’m done being coddled.”

“Are you, princess?” I arch an eyebrow at her.

“Yes, for fuck’s sake.” She tugs on my cock and swipes angrily at her tears. “Stop whatever the fuck this is. Hit each other if you need to but fuck me. I want you. I want you the same as I did a week ago. I want you like I’ve always wanted you.”

For a second, I search her eyes. The tears are done, but that challenge still remains. I lift my gaze to Eli. “Sit on the edge of the bed.”

He tilts his head and releases Harper. I’m going to push this, and he knows it. But fuck, she can take it. He takes off his pants before sitting. I squeeze the sides of Harper’s throat and look down at her eyes.

Eyes that burn back at me with love and need. She’s not fucking helpless.

“Finish undressing me, pet.”

She lights up like I just gave her a diamond necklace all over again. I release her, and she sinks to her knees to help me step out of my pants.

Before she can get up, I grab her ponytail and tug her head back. She gasps.

“Get my cock nice and wet, pet.”

She wets those red lips. I almost wish she’d worn lipstick that smears. I’d love for it to be all over my cock and across her cheek. I love when she’s a beautiful mess for us. She opens, and I thrust into her throat deep. She grips my thighs but not to push away.