36. Sam
36
Sam
“ A re you sure?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “I can’t remember everything that bitch said, but the main thing she wanted was for me to leave you. She wanted to stop me becoming your mate.”
The memories of the incident were hazy, like trying to spot a tree through a murky window during a rainstorm. I knew what it was, but I couldn’t see the individual leaves.
There was something else there though. Something I was forgetting…
‘ You’re making things up again. Nothing else happened. She just wanted you to leave Zeke. ’
Fury flickered in Zeke’s eyes. “Don’t let Gloria rush you into this, Sam. I need you to want it for you, for us. Not because of her.”
“It’s not just because of that.” I raised my hand to cup Zeke’s face, my muscles screaming in agony. “I’d already come to this decision, Zeke. When Gloria found me, I was on my way back to you. I was going to tell you that I’m ready. I want to be yours, forever.”
Zeke’s lips twitched, then they curved into the most beautiful grin I’d ever seen. “You mean it?”
“I do.” I smiled back at him, the happiness bubbling up in me enough to make me forget all the aches in my muscles. “I really fucking do, Zeke. I know you wanted it to be special and romantic, but I don’t want to wait. Not for another second, Zeke.”
A tear slid down his cheek as I continued.
“I remember what I said to you when I was compelled. The agony on your face when you thought I was walking away from you.”
“I knew you didn’t mean it,” Zeke whispered. “Deep down, I didn’t believe it because I know you love me.”
“I do.” My hand was trembling with the effort of cupping Zeke’s face, but I didn’t let him go. I needed this connection. We both did. “But I remember, Zeke. Someone was able to have power over me, power that led to you being hurt. I can’t accept that, Zeke. I won’t. So I want you to make me your mate so no one can attempt to come between us again.”
“No one will be able to compel you either,” Zeke said. “Those who have been marked or bonded can’t be compelled.”
“All the more reason then.” I shifted onto my side, wincing as my ribs screamed. “I don’t know about you, but going through this bullshit twice is plenty for one lifetime.”
“You’re telling me,” Zeke said darkly. “If I wasn’t immortal I’d be concerned about my blood pressure. I never want to see you go through that again.”
“Mark me then,” I whispered. “I’m ready, Zeke. Make me yours.”
“You know, you implied earlier that this wasn’t very special or romantic,” Zeke rasped. “But I think you’re wrong. I can’t think of anything more special than you asking to be my mate. Or anything more romantic than it happening in the bed we share. The bed we will continue to share until it falls apart.”
“We might want to start having sex in the other room then,” I said solemnly. “The slats on this will never last if you keep railing me the way you have been. Which, for future reference, I’d like you to.”
Zeke’s laugh rumbled up from his chest. “Fuck, I love you, Sam.”
I winked. “Trust me to take the tone down a notch.”
“I wouldn’t have you any other way.” Zeke leaned forwards, placing his lips on my brow. He held them there for a moment. “And now you carry my mark.”
I touched my forehead. “I can’t feel anything.”
“You can’t see it either, but it’s there.” Zeke’s voice trembled. “I can feel you, baby. Not completely, but some.”
“You can? What do you feel?”
“Well, mostly happiness.” He wrinkled his nose in concentration. “And you’re in pain. Especially…”
His gaze latched on to my wobbling arm, my hand pressed to his cheek. “Oh for fuck’s sake, Sam. You should’ve said.”
I tutted as he removed my hand and tucked it in at my side. “I’m fine, Zeke. Honestly.”
Zeke gave me a look that told me I could expect a lot of this behaviour in future. Was it bad that I liked that thought? Did it make me a terrible person?
‘ It does. If you accept the bond, what if he can tell exactly what you’re thinking? He’ll know what an awful person you are then. ’
Zeke cocked his head curiously. “What were you thinking just then?”
I winced. “Can you read my thoughts?”
“No, only your emotions and if you’re in danger. It’ll be the same when you accept the mating bond, except it’ll go both ways and be more amplified.”
“Oh.” It hadn’t occurred to me that that would happen. Now I had a whole new set of things to worry about…
‘ He’s marked you now. It’s too late. You’ve ruined everything. He doesn’t have a choice about the mating bond. If you don’t accept in the next few minutes, you could die. ’
“Okay, I don’t know what’s causing you anxiety, only that something is.” Zeke stroked my hair gently. “Talk to me, baby.”
“What if my OCD starts to affect you?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. “You’re going to have a front-row seat to all the bullshit my brain throws at me on a daily basis. How did we not consider this before?”
“I did consider it.”
“You did?”
“Yes, Sam,” he said, giving me a tender smile. “I’ve considered all of it, and I can’t wait.”
His words caught me off guard. “You…what?”
“I can’t wait,” Zeke repeated calmly. “I’ll be able to tell when you’re spiralling faster than just watching your tells. I’ll know if an environment is too stimulating so I can try and figure out how to alleviate it for you. If there’s something or someone making you uncomfortable, I’ll be able to step in and help.”
My voice was thick. “But what if it becomes too much? What if you want to walk away? Take a break from it?”
“I will never walk away from you,” Zeke vowed. “I love you. All of you. I hate what your brain puts you through, but I don’t hate it. I can’t, because it’s part of you. I’ll be there on the days when you need a break, helping to make it a little easier for you. I’m not worried about it. If anything, I’m more concerned about you getting a front-row seat to my temper and foul moods.”
His lips were turned down, eyes troubled. I touched his cheek again, ignoring his growl as he felt the ache through the mark he’d given me. “We’ll keep taking laps. As long as we’re communicating, everything will be okay.”
Zeke exhaled. “God, you’re perfect.”
“No,” I said softly, “neither of us are perfect. We’re both a little broken. Our edges are jagged, but you know what? We fit together perfectly.”
“That’s true. No one could fit me like you.”
“Same.” I smiled. “Which is why, Zeke, I accept the bond.”
I’d barely finished speaking when white light exploded from Zeke’s chest. I squinted against it as my eyes adjusted. I blinked, my jaw falling open as I took in the delicate white cage encasing us.
Tears filled my eyes as a sudden rush of emotion hit me. Joy. Excitement. Lust.
I felt it all.
But it wasn’t from me. At least, not all of it.
“I can feel you,” I murmured in awe as the light faded away.
“Is it too much?” he whispered, anxious eyes searching my face.
“Never.” I nudged forwards so our noses brushed together. I inhaled deeply, marvelling at the feel of him. The confidence he had in us. The certainty he felt about this.
It reassured me more than any words could have. My OCD was silent. I knew it wouldn’t last long, but it would have to find another weapon to wield.
I’d never question Zeke’s love for me again.
“I love you,” I said fiercely.
“I know, baby.” He tapped my chest. “I can feel it. I’m the luckiest fucker alive. I won’t lie though, I like hearing it too.”
“Good.” My lips twisted up in a grin as I brushed them against his. “Because I like saying it.”
His lips caught mine fully and I sank into his kiss. Each touch reverberated through the bond, our lust and joy feeding into our caresses. Before long, we were tugging on each other’s shirts, needing more. More skin. More touch. More everything.
Our clothes fell alongside us on the bed, our lips parting only when completely necessary. Skin touched skin as we pressed ourselves together as tightly as possible. His erection was like hot steel against my own, our hips subtly grinding together.
It wasn’t enough. I needed more of him. Closer. I wanted him taking up all of me, claiming me.
“Wait,” Zeke suddenly gasped against my mouth. I whimpered in frustration as he pulled away, his hungry gaze making me want him right back where he’d just been. “You’re not in pain now, right?”
My arms were around his neck, one leg thrown over his waist, and not a single muscle was protesting. Huh. “No. That’s so weird. I feel completely fine.”
I felt relief-tinged pride from Zeke. “It’s my healing. It’s working.”
A thought occurred to me, and a smile spread slowly across my face. “Does that mean I’ll need less recovery time?”
Zeke’s eyes darkened as my meaning sank in, but he held himself back. “Maybe we should wait a bit. You were sore this morning.”
I wriggled until I was straddling a bemused Zeke. “I’m definitely not sore now. Angelic healing for the win.”
“Gotta take those wins.” Zeke lounged back against the pillow, one of his hands going under it, his biceps bulging deliciously. It was obvious now that he wasn’t human. He had an aura of danger and perfection that couldn’t be achieved by a mere mortal.
I wouldn’t have said he was an angel though. There was nothing saintly about how he was watching me, nothing angelic about the emotions rippling through the bond, just pure, carnal lust. An immortal ready to claim his mate in the most physical of senses.
And Zeke thought he was the lucky one here. Hilarious. It was definitely me.
Putting my hand on one side of his head, I lowered my head to kiss him again. “I’m going to ride you until you’re screaming my name. Now how’s that for a win?”
Zeke’s laugh cut off abruptly, a scowl passing over his face. “Yes, please fuck off out of earshot. We have zero intentions of being quiet and you can keep us safe from further away.”
I winced. “I’m guessing you weren’t speaking to me.”
“No,” Zeke grumbled. “Micah was reminding me that they were still outside the door.”
“And with your hearing…” I dropped my head onto Zeke’s shoulder as the humiliating realisation sank in. “Oh fuck.”
“Don’t be embarrassed.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who said you were going to ride me until I scream your name.”
“True, but I’m the one who will be screaming it.” Zeke manoeuvred me until he could see my face. “And trust me, baby, that’s what’s going to happen.”
“But what if one of them hears?”
Zeke stroked my face. “They won’t, that’s why Micah gave me a heads-up. And if they do ever hear us in future, they won’t say anything. Well, not more than once, anyway.”
‘ They’ll all be talking about you. Thinking you’re some kind of sexual deviant. ’
“Nope,” Zeke said quietly. “I don’t know what your OCD just said, but I can guess. No one will think anything other than what a lucky fucker I am. Besides, I can guarantee even you’ll hear Nox and Micah. The two of them are incapable of being quiet.”
I sat with the intrusive thought for another beat, but for the first time ever, I wasn’t alone. Zeke’s calm strength carried through the bond, reassuring me without words.
“That’s good, because neither are we,” I said, surprising myself with how easy it was to let the intrusion go. “At least, I can’t be quiet. Whether you can remains to be seen.”
“You have a short memory.” There was a quiet click before Zeke slid slicked fingers down my crease. That explained why he’d had his hand under the pillow earlier. Guess that was where he’d stashed the lube. “I moaned so loud in the shower that the glass vibrated.”
“I don’t remember,” I lied as his finger found the puckered circle of skin. “You’ll have to remind me how you sound.”
“Now that can be arranged.”
I sealed my mouth over his, kissing him deeply as he prepped me. As I’d hoped, there was no soreness from earlier, just the delicious stretch of Zeke’s talented fingers working me open. He crooked them, tapping on my prostate.
It was difficult to say who moaned louder.
“Fuck, it’s like everything’s doubled,” Zeke groaned, breaking away for a second. “Pleasure on overdrive.”
“Yes.” Unlike Zeke, I wasn’t capable of full sentences, the sensations threatening to overwhelm me. I was pushing back on him now, riding his fingers. My cock was bouncing against his stomach, hard and dripping. “Now. Inside. Now.”
Zeke carefully removed his fingers, the hot head of his cock nudging against my tight ring of muscle. “Careful, baby.”
I huffed. Yeah, that wasn’t happening. I couldn’t wait. Not a second longer.
I sat up and bore down, sinking onto his entire length in one go. My eyes rolled back in my head at how full I felt. In this position, he was deeper than he’d ever been before.
Zeke grabbed my hips, not to slow me, but like he needed something to hold on to. “Sam, oh fuck. Fuck. ”
I couldn’t help but give him a little smirk. I wasn’t even moving yet, and I already had him moaning my name.
Not loud enough though. Suddenly, I didn’t care that the others might hear us. Part of me wanted them to. Wanted them to know it was me taking Zeke apart. Me giving him this pleasure.
Because he was mine, and I was his.
Rolling my hips experimentally, I moaned as my prostate started to sing. Fuck, this was so good.
“Sam,” Zeke begged, wetting his lips, “please move.”
Unable to deny him, I put my hands on his pecs to brace myself.
Then I started to ride him.
I went slow at first, letting my body adjust to the size of him. Lust and pleasure bounced along the bond, precum leaking from me as each new zing took me higher, making me move faster.
I was bouncing on his cock now, my thighs burning from exertion. I didn’t care though. How could I when it felt this good?
Zeke bucked up into me and I cried out. My nails scraped against his chest as pleasure coursed through me. “More. Right there. Right there. ”
He growled, shifting his feet to give him better purchase. Then, he unleashed himself.
I cried out his name, my head falling back as he fucked into me relentlessly. His hands on my hips were all that were keeping me tethered. The constant pressure on the small bundle of nerves had my orgasm barrelling towards me. There was nothing I could do.
Nothing but hold on and enjoy the ride.
“Sam,” Zeke gasped. His head was thrown back, veins popping in his neck, but still his eyes were on me. “Sam, I’m going to come.”
“Me too.” I grabbed my shaft. “Fuck, me too.”
Zeke knocked my hand away impatiently, replacing it with his. “Yes, baby. Come all over me. I want it.”
Almost instantly, I granted Zeke’s wish. Cum jetted out of me, spraying all over his torso. Some hit his neck, his chin.
Zeke groaned, his tongue swiping out to catch some. His hips bucked once more, and he was coming. “Sam!”
Ecstasy slammed into me through the bond, making me cry out again. My cock jumped, more white shooting out. I clung to Zeke’s chest as the waves of pleasure kept crashing through me.
When they finally died down, I stared down at Zeke in disbelief. “What the fuck was that?”
Zeke gave a throaty chuckle, reaching up to thumb at my lips. “That, baby, is one of the many benefits of being mated.”
“So glad we did this,” I wheezed, collapsing on his chest. I winced, immediately regretting that decision. “Ew.”
“Shower time,” Zeke said, patting me indulgently. “Want to walk or be carried?”
I hesitated. ‘ If you say be carried, he’ll judge you. ’
Zeke must’ve sensed the spike in my anxiety. “Carrying it is.”
I buried my head in his neck as he lifted me off the bed without a second thought. “Thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed my temple. “All of you, for all of always.”