EIGHT
Grace
The moment the door shut behind us, I followed Dillon into his home and up the stairs. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my skin tingled with anticipation. Tonight had been full of fear, adrenaline, and relief, especially when he and Conall walked back through the door.
Dillon led me to the bedroom, his large hand resting on my lower back, guiding me through the darkness. The room was stark, with only a large king-sized bed covered in black sheets that reflected the dim silvery light from outside. The walls were painted a deep shade of navy blue, making it seem almost claustrophobic. He turned to face me and took my face in his hands, his eyes fierce as he stared down at me.
“Grace,” he growled softly, “you really do not know what you’re getting yourself into.” There was an edge to his voice that told me he was dead serious. “Training starts tomorrow, whether you like it or not.” His words were like bullets piercing the air between us. His grip tightened on my face as if to drive home his point. “I will make sure you can protect yourself better than anyone else.”
I took a deep breath and nodded slowly. “Thank you, Dillon,” I whispered back, my voice just as intense as his. “I want this too.” He understood. Really understood how much this meant to me.
As we stood there looking at each other under the pale moonlight streaming through the curtains, I couldn’t help but notice the hard lines of his jaw and shoulders that seemed even more pronounced. He looked every bit the powerful man of danger and mystery that had first captivated me. But now I saw something more. A glimmer of vulnerability in those forest green eyes. A flicker of emotion that belied the tough exterior.
Without another word, Dillon leaned down and captured my lips in a searing kiss. It was rough and demanding, his tongue plundering my mouth possessively. I moaned against him, my body melting into his solid frame.
His hands slid down to grip my waist, fingers digging into my hips almost painfully. In one swift motion, he lifted me up, and I instinctively wrapped my legs around him. He carried me the few steps to the bed and threw me down on the firm mattress.
I gazed up at him towering over me, breathing heavily, his eyes dark with lust. He yanked his black t-shirt over his head, revealing the sculpted muscles and ink. Tattoos swirled across his chest and arms.
“Take off your clothes,” he commanded gruffly. “I need to see you,” he grunted, and that was all the confirmation I needed that tonight had changed everything between us. No more half-in, half-out. I found exactly who I was looking for.
“Fucking hell,” I whispered, my fingers fumbling with his belt buckle, the clink of metal echoing through the room as I finally freed it from its constraints. He groaned, low and deep, as my hand slid inside his pants, curling around his hard length.
He pushed me back onto the bed, our bodies colliding with a ferocity that took my breath away. He nipped at my neck, his teeth scraping against my skin as he positioned himself at my entrance. I could feel the heat radiating off him, the raw power that emanated from every inch of his body.
As he entered me, I gasped, my nails digging into his back as he filled me completely. He moved with a relentless pace, each thrust pushing me further towards the edge. It wasn’t gentle, it wasn’t loving. It was primal, animalistic. It was the merging of two bodies, two souls, in the most raw and unfiltered way imaginable.
The friction between us was intense, my body clenching around him as he moved deeper and deeper. I could feel every inch of him, every ridge and vein, as he hit that spot inside me that sent shivers down my spine.
“Harder,” I begged, my voice barely a whisper as I arched my back, grinding my hips against his. He complied, his thrusts becoming more urgent, more demanding. I could feel the pressure building inside me, my orgasm just beyond my reach.
“Fuck, Grace,” he groaned, his voice ragged as he slammed into me, our bodies moving in sync as we chased our release. I could feel him growing harder inside me, his cock pulsing as he neared his own climax.
With one last thrust, I felt myself shatter, my orgasm washing over me in waves of pure ecstasy. He followed shortly after, his own release spilling inside me as he collapsed on top of me, both of us panting and sweaty.
We lay there for a moment, our bodies still connected, as we caught our breath. The room was filled with the scent of sex and sweat, and I couldn’t help but smile as I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close.
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t perfect, but it was real, and it was ours. And in that moment, I knew that I never wanted it any other way.
“Damn,” Dillon muttered, his voice hoarse with the aftermath, his arm slung heavy over my waist.
“Damn,” I echoed, because what else was there to say? In this life, you didn’t get many moments where you could just be. No looking over your shoulder. No questioning if someone was who they said they were.
I turned to face Dillon, studying his profile. His jaw was set, brow furrowed slightly even in rest. I knew the wheels never stopped turning in his mind. The man seemed to always be on the lookout for the next threat. It was the price that came with his position, with the empire he’d built. An empire I was now inextricably tied to.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked softly, tracing a finger along the ink swirling over one muscled, veiny bicep.
His beautiful green eyes flicked to mine. “Honestly? I’m thinking that a month ago, I never would’ve believed I’d end up here. With someone like you.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Someone like me?”
“Someone good,” he said simply. “Pure. Untainted by all this shit.”
I let out a humorless chuckle. “I think we both know I’m not as innocent as you think. I chose this, remember?”
“You know, when I made that dating profile, I was just looking for a quick fuck, nothing more,” he admitted gruffly.
I snorted. “Gee, thanks. You sure know how to make a girl feel special.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, almost a smile. “You know what I mean. This life…my life…it’s not exactly conducive to relationships.”
“I’m a big girl, Dillon. I know what I’m getting into.” I propped myself up on one elbow to look at him directly. “Question is, are you ready for it?”
His jaw clenched and unclenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek. For a long moment, he was silent. Then, slowly, deliberately, he turned his head to meet my gaze.
“No one’s ever stuck around long enough for me to find out,” he whispered, and there was a flicker of something vulnerable, although he would probably never admit it.
The sweat on our bodies cooled, making the air feel almost chilly. Dillon propped himself up on one elbow and looked into my eyes, his gaze intense. Like he was trying to memorize my face. I met his stare, finding an openness there that I hadn’t seen before.
“Look at us,” he spoke in a deep rumbling voice, “lying here together. It’s like we were made for this chaos.”
I couldn’t suppress my laughter, a genuine sound that took me by surprise. “Made for each other or made for the messes we find ourselves in?”
“Grace,” he exhaled, his tone tinged with raw emotion. “I’m in too deep with you now. Deeper than I ever planned to be. It’s like destiny threw you into my path, a grenade with a charming smile, and now I can’t imagine going back to how things were before.”
“Before me?” I teased, though his words stirred something inside me—something warm that I didn’t want to examine too closely.
“Yeah,” he confirmed, his hand resting on my hip, thumb drawing lazy circles on my skin. “You’ve got me tangled up in ways I didn’t think possible.”
“Good,” I whispered. “Because I’m not done with you yet, Dillon. Not by a long shot.”
“There’s no way I’m giving you up. I want to wake-up next to you every morning and fuck you to sleep every damn night.”
I bit my lip, tasting the salt of sweat and the remnants of our earlier lovemaking session. The moment was still charged with that electric hum of desire. His confession hung between us, raw and unpolished.
“Same,” I said, the word a quick burst from my lips. My hand found his chest, feeling the solid beat of his heart under my palm. “Whatever’s coming, I’m with you. My very own Book Boyfriend. Ain’t that some shit?” I couldn’t help but laugh.
His eyes held mine, that steely resolve I’d come to know reflected at me. “Damn straight.” Dillon’s voice was a husky whisper, his breath warm against my cheek. “Don’t ever leave me, Grace. I need you too much.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” I murmured, tracing an invisible line across my chest, sealing the vow in the dim light of the bedroom.
“Over my dead body,” he countered, gripping me tighter, as if even the shadows could rip me away from him.
I nestled into Dillon’s solid frame, my head on his chest, feeling the rise and fall of each breath. His arms wrapped around me like a shield, strong and unyielding. In that moment, I knew with absolute certainty that he would protect me, body and soul, from anything this dark world could throw our way.
“You know this won’t be easy, right?” Dillon’s deep voice rumbled through me. “The life I lead…it’s not for the faint of heart. There will be times when you’ll want to run screaming in the other direction.”
I tilted my head up to meet his gaze, my fingers absently tracing the lines of ink etched into his skin. “I’m not going anywhere,” I said firmly. “I’m in this, for better or worse. You’re stuck with me now, Dillon.”
A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Stuck with you, huh? I think I can live with that.” He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, his touch lingering.
~FIN~