Mine To Protect (Mine #6)(18)

He shook his head even as her touch seemed to burn right through him. “I’m still standing.”

“For how long? None of us will live forever, and when you face danger so much…” She stared at the cloth. At the wound on his arm—the newest wound. “If we’d still been in bed, still been sleeping, we could both be dead now.”

“We’re not.”

“Because we got lucky.” She washed off the cloth. Dried his arm. As she worked, she kept her gaze on his injury and she didn’t look up into his eyes. “He didn’t want to kill you, though. He was there for me. He even said you could walk away.”

Victor’s hand curled under her chin and he tipped her head back, forcing her to look up at him. “Did you think I was going to leave you?”

Her gaze was so deep. So green. “I wanted you to leave. I wanted you safe.”

She actually thought he’d abandon her? “I would never leave you like that.”

“Not even to save yourself? What is wrong with you?” Now she sounded angry. “Your life should come first. Not me, not—”

He leaned forward and kissed her. Not rough and hard. Not taking or demanding. Just…

A kiss.

Soft. Light.

Because he could be gentle, some of the f*cking time.

“I would never leave you,” he said again, whispering those words against her lips. He needed her to understand this. “I don’t care how many hitmen come your way, I am going to be there. To get to you, they will have to go straight through me.”

Her lashes lifted and tears gleamed in her eyes. “That’s what scares me.”

“Baby, haven’t you noticed? It takes a lot to slow me down. Bullets, knife attacks…I don’t get taken out easily.”

Her gaze searched his. There were so many emotions in her green stare. “What are you doing to me?” Zoe finally said, her voice husky, breathless.

“I’m keeping you safe.”

“No.” She shook her head. “You are doing a whole lot more than that.” She leaned onto her toes and pressed her mouth to his. “You’re making me fall for you.”

His heart jerked in his chest.

“That’s so dangerous,” Zoe told him right before she lightly nipped his lower lip. “More dangerous than you can imagine.”

Hadn’t she realized it yet? He liked danger. His hands slid to her waist, and he lifted her up, positioning her on the sink.

“Victor! No, your arm!”

“I don’t even feel it.” He kissed her. Not so gentle this time. Harder. Rougher. He was riding an adrenaline high from the night and that powerful surge just blended with his lust for her.

You’re making me fall for you. Hadn’t that been part of the plan? That stupid bullshit plan? Only…

Baby, you’re getting under my skin.

He kissed his way down her neck. Her hands had fallen to grab onto the sink, holding it tightly. He wanted her holding him tightly, as if she’d never let go. He licked her. Sucked her skin. Felt the frantic beat of her pulse beneath his mouth.

“Victor…”

His eyes squeezed shut. Did she know that she sounded like pure sex? His every wet dream? That husky voice, that little moan that she gave…

“If you don’t want this,” Victor rasped. “Say no…now. Say it and I will walk away.”

He’d walk right back out into the cold night air because he’d sure as hell need to cool off.

“I want this. I want you.”

Those words were all he needed to hear.

His hand slid down her body. She kicked off her shoes, and they hit the floor with a little thud. He caught her jeans and her panties and pretty much just yanked the things off her.

Her breath panted out. Her eyes were bright with need. Her cheeks flushed.

“You are so beautiful.” He meant that. He’d always thought she was beautiful.

His hands slid between her legs. There was something about watching his hand…seeing his fingers touching her, stroking her…Zoe is mine.

It was a primitive thought, unsettling. He’d never been primitive with other lovers. Sure, he liked rough, hard sex, but touching someone, feeling this strange link that went far past some civilized surface, that went straight to his core…

I don’t know what the hell is happening to me.

She arched her back and gasped as his fingers stroked deeper. He wanted her to come, right there, with his fingers in her, with his gaze on her, with her body jerking at his touch.

He wanted to be in her, so f*cking deep. He wanted her to know that she was his. He wanted her—

To think I belong to her.

“Victor! I’m so close—”

And his cock was about to burst in his jeans. But he didn’t have a condom. Shit, shit! He kept stroking her. Her pleasure would be enough. He’d watch her, then he’d jerk off. Or, hell, just watching her might send him over the edge. His fingers slid over her clit and her hips pushed against his hand.

“In me, Victor! Come inside of me!” Her voice was demanding.

“Baby, I don’t have another condom…” Just saying the words hurt. “This is for you. Just…you.”

His thumb pushed on her clit and his fingers thrust into her. She came right then, gasping, her sex squeezing him tightly and she was so insanely gorgeous. Even more beautiful when pleasure swept over her face