Rage

Chapter 10

Maeve

A warm body slides into my bed behind me, wrapping a strong arm around my waist.

I freeze as his lips brush my ear—mint, tobacco, and the soothing citric smell of good whiskey. “It’s me, Princess.”

Immediately, I relax. Only Killian would ever come into my bedroom, would feel comfortable enough to be in my sanctuary. Everyone else was too afraid to go into unwanted territory.

His firm body is a welcoming weight, a leg sliding between my bare ones, holding me close.

“What happened to the body?” Sleep is trying to pull me back under, but I nestle closer to Killian. I need to make sure things are settled.

Michael is gone and a weight has left my shoulders. Free, relaxed, I feel like I can do anything.

“Handled.” He moves my legs, his hardening cock lodging against my backside. “Your father is home.”

His lips trail over my neck, and I move, allowing him access.

Although I’m tired, my body heats as the hand on my stomach slides lower. I had him hours ago, and I want more. This desire has never been here before. My pleasure has always taken a backseat to survival. Now, it’s back with a vengeance. My breathing picks up, and I lean against him, breasts pushed out as I seek his fingers where I need him most. I’m aching for his touch.

He chuckles. “Did you miss me already?”

“Killian,” I warn, trying to push his hand further south. He’s not having that, which infuriates me.

Quickly, I flip us over, straddling him as he adjusts to sit. I know I’m not as strong as the hitman, but he certainly acts as if I have all the power. That’s something I’ve always wanted—the power, the control, the safety that comes with it.

Because I’m sadistic, I hover over his bare pelvis, not letting him anywhere near me. He’s completely nude, and it’s a glorious sight: coiled muscle, inked skin, and pale scars. He’s beautiful.

The smirk he gives me is teasing, edged with desperation.

I like this Killian. Eyes beg me to lower, hands crushing my hips as he restrains himself from forcing me closer. A girl could get used to this.

“What did he want?” I ask, lips brushing his jaw, nipping at his chin. There’s a sharp intake at the bite of pain, but he moves his neck, allowing me more access.

“Nothing to interrupt this right now.” His words are pained as I lower my head to his chest. Taking one silver piercing in my mouth, I tug it with my teeth, and his hips buck. “Maeve…”

“I’ve decided,” I say suddenly, sitting up. My wet core is just out of reach as he hungrily takes everything in. “This clan needs to change.”

“And I’m sure you know exactly what kind of changes we need, don’t you, Princess?”

Sinking onto him, slowly, tauntingly so, I watch how his eyes roll back into his head. He curses darkly, neck flexing with his restraint.

This is power I’ve never had. I’ve never been allowed ownership of my body, of my pleasure, never allowed to set the tone, never allowed to ignite or deny. Killian is offering this to me on a silver platter, letting me use his body as I see fit, and I’m holding on to it with both hands.

“I want to watch it burn,” I whisper into his mouth, stealing a hard kiss. “I want to watch my father bleed out for thinking I wasn’t good enough to lead. I want to wipe that fucking smile off his face when he sees the daughter he sold to a monster became what he feared most. Powerful. In charge. Captain .”

He growls, fisting my hair, letting my hips set the punishing rhythm. Skin slapping, I can feel my body tighten, need coiling through me quickly as the release rises on the horizon. Harder, harder, I ride him, chasing that high.

“ Captain ,” he purrs under me. God, it sounds good coming from his lips. His hands move with my hips, never halting my progress. He’s long and hard, allowing me to lead while adding the right kind of pressure between my thighs. “I like the sound of that.”

“Can you follow me, Killian?” I pant, rolling forward. Sweet friction burns at this angle, and my eyes flutter. I tweak one nipple, rolling the other in my hand, head falling back to enjoy the rush. He’s watching me with bold desire. “Can you have me as your leader?”

I don’t know what would happen if he couldn’t follow a woman. Couldn’t follow me . The O’Brien clan has never had a woman leader. If he didn’t fall in line, the great Killian Linwood, no one would.

“I will happily let you burn this entire organization to the ground and walk over the charred ashes just to be at your side. Then I’d build it back up in your image.” My orgasm crests, him surging under me, thrusting on every beat, his words muffled and strained. “There’s nothing I would love to see more than you sitting on the throne of your empire, your family’s clan under your control, and you, covered in blood, forcing everyone who ever doubted you, ever hurt you, to their fucking knees.”

The images are enough to drive me on, and I shout in relief, feeling him grip me tighter. I moan his name as his release barrels into me, following me over the edge in a tired, fully satisfied state.

I drop to his chest, body spent, warmth spreading through my chest.

“I’ll follow you to the ends of time, Maeve. Just say the word. I’m yours to command.”

Nuzzling into his neck, I breathe him in. Mint, tobacco, sweat, and danger. I’m sated, safe in a killer’s arms.

This is love, safety, and freedom, all rolled into one. And Killian is mine.

Tomorrow, we can worry about taking over the clan. I can worry about my father and the consequences of my actions later. Right now, in his arms, this is where I belong.

We can face everything else together tomorrow.

THE END