Chapter 21
Lexie was the most obnoxiously independent woman he’d ever met in his damn life!
He wanted to subdue every part of her, but he couldn’t ignore the way his body reacted whenever she pulled that stubborn, “I don’t need you” routine.
He was rock hard, ready to teach her a lesson on who was in charge.
And yet, when he kissed her this time, it was gentle and coaxing.
Soft, as if he needed to convince her to come to him instead of demanding that she obey.
When her clothes fell from her fingers and Max felt her hands grip his shoulders, sliding up his neck to tangle in his hair, he knew he’d won. And the triumph was headier than any scotch he’d ever tasted.
Max laid her down on the bed, spreading her legs wide so that he could feast upon her sex.
She was deliciously sweet, with a touch of spice, and he licked again and again, sucking on that nub until she started to cry out.
Only then did he back away, almost laughing when she lifted her head, her eyes angry and her fingers curving into claws, as if his Lexie was ready to attack.
The growl that sounded low in her throat indicated that she might.
Reaching out, he pinched her nipples at the same moment that he thrust into her.
She screamed, her body arching in reaction.
He thrust in deeply, nearly blacking out when he found her body was wet and eager for him.
With every thrust, he pinched and tugged.
He needed to hear her scream his name when she climaxed.
He thought back to that video, the one where she pleasured herself, whispering his name when she came.
He pinched harder, thrusting faster and harder, letting his desire take over completely.
She came hard, her juices flowing around his shaft and the sensation of her pleasure pushed him over the edge right after her.
With one final thrust, his body erupted, draining his seed into her body before he collapsed forward, burying his face against her neck.
It was only then, when his knees nearly gave out on him, that he realized that he was still standing beside the bed while she was splayed out beneath him.
When he lifted his head to look at her, she looked stunned and satisfied. Just like he felt. Good! Max was relieved that he wasn’t the only one that was struggling to make sense of this relationship.
Kissing the tip of one breast, he pulled out of her, then carefully lifted her into his arms. She curled into him, her soft breaths teasing his chest while he carried her into the bathroom. The shower was huge, definitely big enough for both of them.
Lowering her feet to the floor, he gently shampooed her hair. Yeah, he knew that she’d showered only hours before. But he enjoyed touching her and feeling the silky texture of her hair.
Her eyes were still unfocused and Max chuckled, kissing her swollen lips. “You’re so beautiful,” he told her as he grabbed a towel. With a tenderness that surprised even himself, he dried her off, kissing the slight rise of her mons as he tenderly rubbed the towel over her soft curves.
“Max?” she whispered, and he heard the confusion in her voice.
Max stood, towering over her in a way that made Lexie feel unreasonably small. Had she always been this tiny? Surely, she hadn’t shrunk in the past year. Then it hit him. “Shoes,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes as the realization struck.
“What about shoes?” Lexie asked, grabbing a smaller towel and wrapping it around her damp hair.
“You’re always wearing heels,” he explained, grabbing a towel for himself and wrapping it around his waist. “I was wondering why you seemed so short.”
Her scowl was immediate and, frankly, adorable. “I’m not short,” she grumbled, stomping out of the bathroom. “You’re just unreasonably tall.”
Max smirked, his eyes sparkling mischievously as he caught her around the waist, pulling her back against his chest. Lexie squealed, her laughter bubbling out as he nuzzled her neck, his lips brushing lightly over her skin.
“You’re short, woman,” he teased, his tone playful but firm, as though it were an irrefutable fact.
To drive the point home, he gently nipped her earlobe, earning a gasp that made him grin.
He felt her body relax, softening against him, but he forced himself to pull back.
Their last round had been more intense than he’d anticipated, and she might need a few hours to recover—not that it wasn’t tempting to start all over again right now.
“Go get dressed,” he ordered, swatting her hip lightly for emphasis. “Then you can grade essays while I work.”
Lexie turned, clutching the towel tightly around her body as she gave him a pointed look. “Max, I really need to go home. I can’t concentrate here. My students worked hard on their essays, and I owe it to them to give them my full attention.”
He walked over to her, his expression softening as he cupped her face in his large hands.
“You have your own office here,” he reminded her gently.
“Why don’t you settle in there if you don’t want distractions?
Then we can have dinner together later and,” he added, his voice dropping to a low, intimate rumble as he leaned in to kiss her softly, “maybe experiment with more of what we enjoyed this morning?”
Lexie’s cheeks flushed, her tongue darting out to lick her lips, and Max barely restrained himself from leaning in for another kiss. But he knew himself—and her—too well. If he kissed her again, they’d end up back in bed, and as tempting as that was, they both had responsibilities to attend to.
“I’ll need to drive back to my house to get them,” she pointed out, her tone soft but insistent.
“Get dressed, Lex,” he replied, pulling away with visible reluctance.
She was a walking temptation; one he could barely resist. His gaze followed her as she moved around the room, and his thoughts wandered to the future.
What would she look like pregnant with their first child?
The idea made his chest tighten with anticipation.
He smirked as he leaned back against the doorframe, watching her. Soon, he thought.
Max paused, reaching for a clean pair of jeans and a soft blue sweater.
His thoughts wandered as he dressed. Does Lexie even want kids?
He hadn’t asked her outright, but the possibility was there.
After all, she might already be pregnant.
This morning, he had forgotten about using protection the second round.
Not that it mattered much to him. In his mind, the future already felt inevitable—even if Lexie hadn’t caught up to it yet.
And once they were married, he didn’t plan on bothering with contraception.
Since their wedding was only seven days away, it didn’t make sense to start now.
But then a small, niggling thought crept into his mind: Maybe I should talk to her about this first.
He made a mental note to bring up family planning with Lexie over dinner. Maybe she didn’t want children right away. Maybe she had dreams or plans she wasn’t ready to set aside just yet. That was something he needed to consider.
The thought gave him pause. Discussing things with a woman wasn’t something he was accustomed to. Normally, the women in his life had served a single purpose: stress relief and physical release. He never had to think beyond that.
But Lexie? She was different. She wasn’t just in his life—she was changing his life.
Because of her, he’d have to figure out how to navigate a real relationship.
Marriage wasn’t about dictating every decision.
At least, not entirely. He’d read enough to know that a successful relationship required give and take, which would be new territory for him.
On that note, Max paused by the door, his gaze drawn to Lexie as she pulled on her jeans.
His eyes lingered on the soft lavender lace of her panties before they disappeared beneath the denim.
A faint smile curved his lips. Good choice, he thought with satisfaction, congratulating himself on picking the perfect color.
The soft lavender complemented her pale skin beautifully.
His mind wandered further. What about black lace?
Elegant, but predictable. Red lace? No, too harsh against her delicate complexion.
Scarlet wasn’t her color. Pink? Yes, pink would be perfect—soft, sweet, and playful, just like her.
But then… gold? Gold would bring warmth to her skin.
Yes, gold could be stunning. Maybe silver? No, too cool.
He shook his head slightly, amused at himself.
Stop thinking about lingerie, Max. Focus.
But his gaze lingered just a moment longer before he turned away, a quiet satisfaction settling in his chest. Lexie might be challenging him in ways no one else ever had, but that only made him more determined.
Whatever their future held—whether it started with a baby or just the two of them—he’d make sure it was a future they built together.
Lexie turned sharply, catching him mid-stare. Her shirt hung loosely in one hand, leaving her clad in a lavender bra that accentuated her curves and the fitted jeans. Her expression was sardonic, a silent challenge in her raised brow and the tilt of her lips that seemed to say, “Need something?”
Max chuckled, unbothered by her indignation, and stepped back to give her space.
He pulled on his own jeans and sweater, then slid into a pair of loafers.
When he returned, he found her frowning in front of the mirror, one hand gently brushing her jaw as she stared at the faint bruise marring her skin.
The sight ignited a spark of anger deep in his chest. “He did that to you,” Max growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Stepping closer, he placed his hands firmly on her shoulders.
His grip wasn’t hard, but it carried a weight that demanded her attention.
“I promise you, Lexie, no one will ever hurt you again.”
She met his gaze in the mirror, her big beautiful eyes reflecting not just worry but something deeper—fear.
“Max,” she began softly. “When we were together last year, I didn’t know what you did.
Not at first.” She paused, swallowing hard as though the admission were difficult to voice. “But I figured it out.”
He didn’t respond immediately. His work wasn’t something he had ever felt the need to defend. It was harsh, yes, but necessary. His policies and the men under his command kept the Northwest region from descending into chaos. Order required control, and Max was the one who provided it.
“You’re safe now, Lexie,” he said again, his tone firm but quiet, as though willing her to believe it. His fingers tightened slightly on her shoulders—not to hurt her, but to offer reassurance.
Her lips parted, and for a moment, he thought she might relax into his touch. But then her eyes darkened, and her shoulders stiffened beneath his hands. “Safe from Enzo, maybe,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “But not from you.”
Max’s chest tightened at her words, his grip loosening as though she’d struck him. “Lexie,” he began, but she shook her head, cutting him off.
“I’ve seen this before,” she said, her voice firmer now, though still tinged with vulnerability.
“The way a man uses his power to control the people around him. My father…” Her voice cracked, and she hesitated, drawing a shaky breath.
“My father controlled my mother completely. She had no choices, no freedom, no life outside of what he allowed. And I swore I would never let someone have that kind of power over me.”
Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, Max was silent, his jaw tightening as he absorbed her admission. “You think I’m like him,” he said finally, his voice low and measured, though there was a hint of something raw beneath it. Not anger—something deeper. Hurt.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, her gaze dropping to the floor. “But you scare me, Max. The way you move through the world, the things you can do… the way you just… took over my life.”
Max let out a slow breath, his hands falling from her shoulders.
“I’m not your father, Lexie,” he said, his tone quieter now but no less resolute.
“What I do isn’t about control—it’s about protection.
You. My people. The entire region. But you?
” He stepped closer, his voice softening as he met her eyes.
“You’re not someone I control, Lexie. You’re someone I protect. ”
Her gaze lifted slowly, meeting his, and he could still see the conflict in her eyes. Fear, yes, but also hope. She wanted to believe him—he could feel it. And that made him more determined than ever to prove himself to her.
“You have my word,” he said, his tone steady as he cupped her face gently, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones. “I will never take away your choices. And I will always fight to keep you safe. Always.”