Page 54 of Knight’s Salvation

God, that hurt. She hung on, fought back the tears stinging the backs of her eyes. “I know.”

He lifted his head, his gaze moving over her face.

“But I’m not greedy. I’ll take whatever you can give me, for as long as you can give it to me,” she said.

He squeezed his eyes shut. “I’ll only hurt you.”

“I know what I’m signing up for. You’ve told me how it has to be, and I’m telling you I want it anyway.”

He didn’t answer with words. No, he made a sound that was full of need and hunger and had heat curling low in her belly. Finally, he leaned in slowly, so damn slowly, breath puffing roughly from between his lips, and he took her mouth. The smooth warmth of his firm lips covering hers was perfection

He started kissing her with so much anguish and longing it tore her apart.

His hand moved between them, and he took the hem of her shirt in his trembling fingers. He lifted it, tugging it over her head, and flung it aside. His hands moved to her back next so he could undo and remove her bra. When she was bare, he ran his callused fingers over her sensitive skin. Nothing felt better than having his big hands on her. Nothing.

Until he bent down and took an aching nipple into his mouth. She cried out when he bit down gently then sucked away the sting. Need pulsed through her, rushing through her veins like a wildfire.

Oh God, she needed more. She needed to feel his skin against hers, pressed tightly to her own, the heat of it, the texture, the scent of him filling her head. She just needed more of Zenon.

Reaching down, she tugged at his shirt until he did what she wanted and pulled up, letting her lift it over his head. The sight of all that smooth, cut, inked skin made her mouth go dry. She’d seen it before, but now she took her time. “Can I touch you?”

He nodded.

“You’re sure? I won’t if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“I want you to. Touch me, Mia…please.”

He watched as she lifted her hands to press against his pecs. She moved them down, keeping an eye on his reaction to her touch the whole time. She didn’t want to do anything that might make him uncomfortable. He sucked in a breath as she trailed them over his abs, loving the silky texture beneath her fingers.

“Okay?”

He moaned. “Yes.”

The tattoo covering the right side of his stomach was unusual, and she traced the lines with her fingertip. His big body shuddered above her, but then he took her hands and moved them back to his shoulders. That’s when she felt them. Fresh scratches marred his already scarred skin. She stiffened.

Zenon shook his head and wrapped his fingers around the side of her neck, squeezing gently. “It’s not what you think,” he choked. “I promise you that.”

Whatever this was, it caused him pain. She could see it in his eyes. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him as well. He couldn’t be her prince. She didn’t have the right to ask more of him. And nothing he could tell her would change how much she wanted him, not ever. “Okay.”

His eyes drifted closed, and then he was kissing her again. She trailed her hand higher, her fingers drifting to the side of his throat, over the rough scars there. His neck was thick and muscled like the rest of him. Her thumb grazed over his Adam’s apple and she reveled in the pure masculinity of him. Her head swam as he kissed her so deeply it tugged low in her belly.

One of those big hands moved down between their bodies to work her jeans open and he slid them along with her underwear down her thighs.

When she lay naked underneath him, he pulled back and took her in, all of her, until she was squirming under his heated gaze. A low growl rumbled from his chest, and then his head was between her thighs, strong hands lifting her ass higher, taking complete control of her body.

Mia’s thoughts scattered as Zenon took his time loving her, bringing her to the brink time and time again until she was begging and desperate. “Please…oh God. Zenon, please.”

Relief came when he slid two thick fingers inside her, pumping in and out of her body at a slow, steady pace while he continued to suck and tease her clit. Moments later she was coming, her orgasm so powerful she cried out, body trembling uncontrollably. And then it started all over again. He took her there over and over, until she was a sobbing puddle beneath him.

She tried to pull him up, wanting him inside her, but he just shook his head and pushed her spent body until she came again. By the time he stopped, opening her eyes was impossible. Moving was impossible.

He shifted and tucked her into his side, surrounding her with his warmth. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Why was he thanking her?

Then sleep came and she couldn’t resist its pull.

Zenon didn’t closehis eyes, not once through the night. Couldn’t. He didn’t want to miss one second of his time with Mia. After she fell asleep in his arms, he carried her to his bedroom and lay her down in his bed. Where she belonged. Her scent was all over his sheets, and the knowledge that she’d slept here while he was gone pleased both him and his demon.