Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 141532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
She bit her lip, her gaze on his face. “You don’t like the word no? What does that even mean? I imagine you’re going to hear that quite often from me because you think you can rule the world.”
“I rule your world, kotyonok, and that’s all that should matter to you.” He got up to go into the bathroom. He left the door open and she could hear the water running as he washed himself.
Ania stared after him, not quite sure whether he was teasing her. “You’re not ruling my world. I’ve gone my own way for a very long time. I don’t think Evangeline’s or Ashe’s husbands rule their worlds.”
“Maybe not, but I’m not married to either of them. Don’t worry, baby, I intend to rock your world as well as rule it.” There was a trace of amusement in his voice. “Spread your legs for me.”
She felt the blush start and was very glad it was dark. “I can do it, Mitya.” She held out her hand for the washcloth.
“Not a good start, woman. You don’t want to argue with me over something so ridiculous. Save your energy for battles that truly matter to you. I like cleaning you up. It feels like taking care of you, so spread your fucking legs and let me do it.”
“Nice.” She cooperated, but only because he was making her laugh and she needed to. Everything had been so intense, from the discussions about her father to the way he’d taken her body.
He was so gentle she had to blink back tears, proving she was far too emotional. He sat on the end of the bed while he slipped the warm washcloth down her thighs. “Ania, I intend to make your life a very happy one. I’m not going to be with another woman. I’ve spent years without any hope of finding you, and you all but dropped into my lap. You’re beautiful. You like my rather rough style of sex. I need certain things from you in the bedroom, and it’s clear you’re not only willing to give them to me, but you get off on them too. I look at you and can barely breathe sometimes. Stop fighting me on this and try.”
“You have all the control.”
“Is that so bad? I’m a male leopard. A shifter. We aren’t human, and the rules for our society aren’t the same. Put yourself in my hands and see what happens.”
“If I don’t, you’re going to take control, aren’t you?”
He nodded. His hand was once more cupping her breast, his thumb sliding gently over her nipple. “That’s who I am, Ania. It will always be who I am. Just now you gave up all control to me and look what happened.”
Her body was still singing. She’d even had a few aftershocks when he’d used the washcloth on her. She couldn’t deny the sex had been amazing. Terrifying, it was so intense, but beyond amazing.
She moistened her lips. Could she? Could she give him control outside the bedroom as well? She wasn’t certain she was capable of that. Or if she trusted him that much to put her interests before his own.
“Do I seem like a submissive yes-woman to you?”
“Why would you think I would want you to change? I like who you are. I don’t want submission from you. I want your trust, yes, but I intend to prove to you that you can trust me. Because I’m willing to lock you up to keep you safe, does that make you think I want submission? You can fight me all you want. It isn’t logical, and I think you know that.”
She sat up slowly and scooted to the headboard. Mitya immediately tucked pillows behind her back. She caught the sheet to cover herself, but he tugged it down.
“I love looking at you. I think I could spend years just staring at your body.”
That made her smile. “I would hope you’d want to do more than just look.”
His eyes took on that feral, intense glitter that sent a shiver down her spine. “I could devour you, kotyonok.” He leaned down and bit her inner thigh. It wasn’t just a nip and yet instantly she was damp again. Her nipples peaked. He smiled at her. “See, Ania. Your body knows me. It loves whatever I do to you.”
“That’s because you totally short-circuited my brain,” she admitted with a smile. That much was true. He had. The way he was looking at her made her want to experience his particular brand of sex all over again.
“Ania, can you at least concede that I’m right about your father? It is a debt of honor I must fulfill. When he can no longer stop his leopard, I have to be the one to handle it.”
She bit down hard on her lip and felt the sting immediately, knowing she’d drawn blood. It wasn’t fair to Mitya. She’d already accused him of being a murderer if he did what he said and allowed his leopard to kill her father’s. But what did she want him to do? He was right.