The moment her shoulders hit, Jace stretched on top of her, sliding low enough to press a kiss to her stomach. Abby tensed, touching the top of his head. “Jace, you don’t have do that—”
He caught her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Look at me, Abby.”
She propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at him. The vulnerability on her face made his heart turn over. He pressed another kiss to her stomach, keeping his gaze pinned on her face. “When I look at you, do you know what I see?”
She shook her head once, her gaze riveted to his.
“I look into your eyes, and I see a woman who loved her sister, a woman who’s so loyal to those she loves that she’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe, including teaming up with the bastard who killed her sister.”
Her face softened. “Jace—”
He pressed another kiss to her stomach. “When I hear your voice, it’s as if the angels have gifted me with a moment of perfection, a whisper of peace in a life that doesn’t deserve it.”
Her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. “My voice has done so many terrible things,” she whispered. “You might feel guilty for killing my sister, but I’ve been responsible for destroying good men and making them kill hundreds of innocents.”
At her words, he finally began to understand why she could look at him and not see a murderer, because she believed she was the one truly at fault. He laughed softly, a laugh filled with the shared pain of causing harm they’d never intended. He moved up her body and kissed her, trying to pour into the kiss the words he couldn’t articulate, a kiss that told her that he understood her pain, and that it would never mar the way he saw her.
He broke the kiss, searching her gaze as he pressed his hand to her stomach. “And when I kiss these scars, I see a woman who endured a hell that would have killed most people. I see courage.” He kissed her. “And beauty.” He kissed her again. “I see a survivor so brave that I’m humbled by the fact you look at me and see anything worthwhile.”
A tear trickled down her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry that my voice made you do something so terrible. It’s not your fault. You need to understand that. It’s my fault. I’m the one responsible for my sister’s death. I killed her, Jace. Me.”
He took away her words with a kiss, using the intimacy to shield them both from the pasts that tormented them so deeply. He palmed her belly again, kneading the ridged flesh with his knuckles, as if he could break apart the scar tissue and give her a second chance at life. He deepened the kiss, pouring himself into it, wanting nothing more than to take away her pain. “Kiss me back, sweetheart. Let yourself feel how incredible I think you are.”
Chapter 14
Jace knew the moment Abby succumbed to the kiss. Her body softened, and her arms went around him again, holding him tight against her. With a low growl, Jace moved his hand along her ribs. He slipped his hand under her bra and cupped her breast, flicking his thumb over her nipple.
She twisted under him, a tiny gasp of pleasure escaping from her. He grinned and grasped her shirt, pulling it over her head in one deft move. The moment her shirt was off, his world seemed to stop. He was stunned by the magnificence of her body. Her breasts swelled above the cotton of her sports bra, and he loved the curve of her hip. Her belly bore the marks of her bravery, the beauty of her soul that had survived the abuse, and triumphed over the assault.
Abby put her hand on his arm. “The way you look at me is amazing,” she whispered, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I never thought anyone would look at me that way.”
Jace stretched out beside her and kissed her, framing her jaw with his hand for a moment, before sliding his palm lower, along her neck. He traced the curve of her collarbone, then let his fingers drift over the cotton of her bra. He hooked his fingers beneath the elastic band, then slipped it up her arms and over her head.
The moment it was off, he palmed her breast, letting the soft flesh fill his hand as he kissed her again. Her skin was soft, almost like silk, her body blessed with all the curves of being a woman. Desire mounted inside him, and his wolf paced restlessly, needing to claim her. Jace held both in check, however, determined to make Abby understand how much he cherished every kiss, every touch, every moment with her.
Still rubbing his fingers across her nipple, Jace kissed her jaw, grazed her earlobe with his teeth, and then scraped them across her collarbone. Abby slid her fingers into his hair, her gentle touch like fire.
Jace kissed his way across her skin, honoring every dip and curve of her body, until he reached her breasts. He swept his tongue across her nipple and then blew gently. Satisfaction surged through him when she shifted restlessly. He could feel she was completely attuned to him, sensitive to his slightest touch, as he was to her.
He slid his hand over her hip and to the waistband of her jeans as he continued to weave magic with his lips on her breasts. When his fingers landed on her zipper, he felt the subtle shift of Abby’s hips toward him, accepting his touch, asking for more. He was so connected to her, he could sense every move. It was as if he could feel her soul inside his body, as if every one of her emotions had become a part of him.
He’d never been so connected with another human being. It was surreal, and probably should feel threatening, but it didn’t. It made him burn with life and desire, awakening parts of him that had been long dead, or maybe never even alive.
He caught her mouth in another kiss, this one more desperate than the last, as his need for her began to escape the edges of his control. He unfastened her jeans with one hand, and then palmed her stomach, lower this time, his fingers touching the edges of her underwear. Raw, carnal need ate away at him as he recalled touching her on the stairs. She’d been so responsive, completely entrusting herself into his safekeeping. Her orgasm had been a gift, proof that she’d relinquished fear about Lucius so she could focus on Jace, trusting him to alert her if danger mounted.
That was what he lived for: safeguarding those he’d vowed to protect. To have Abby surrender to him so completely when hell was breaking loose around them had awakened in him a fierce, almost savage need to protect her, to rise above the shit that Grigori had thrust him into.
He slipped his hand lower, his fingers tangling in the silken curls and then the damp folds of her body. She gasped his name, but he deepened the kiss, not allowing her space to break free of him. Her hips moved restlessly under his hand, matching the rhythm, inviting the intimacy.
“I need more,” he whispered into the kiss. “I need all of you.”
She nodded, her fingers going to the waistband of his jeans. Primal need poured through him and he rolled off her, shucking his jeans and tossing them aside. Abby propped herself up on her elbows, her eyes burning with emotion as he grasped her jeans and tugged them down over her hips, taking her underwear along.
He couldn’t take his gaze off hers as he slid her pants over her feet. They dropped to the floor with a soft thud, and then he lowered himself on top of her, letting their skin touch inch by tantalizing inch. Her breasts brushed his bare chest. His thighs settled on hers. His cock rested on her stomach. The sensation of her body against his was electric, a whirring hum of sparks shooting through him, eliciting searing awareness in every nerve.
Abby smiled and slid her arms around his neck. “Amazing,” she whispered.
“Perfection,” he agreed, as he bent down to kiss her.
Her lips were soft, but her kiss was bold and courageous, stripping him of what little resistance he still had left. He was insatiably aroused by her vulnerability and courage, but her boldness undid him. With a low growl that was more wolf than man, he slid his knee between hers to part her legs. She locked her ankles around his hips, a statement of such trust that his throat actually tightened. With Abby, it didn’t feel like sex. The physical attraction was undeniable, but it was so much more with her. He felt like the physical need thundering through him was driven by his soul’s need t
o connect with hers, not just the way her body felt against his.
His cock ached with need, and his muscles were trembling with the effort of holding back, but he would not take her before she was ready. He wanted to make this more than right for her. He wanted to make it a moment that would heal all the broken fragments of her soul and wipe away all the remnants that Lucius had left behind.
He kissed her again, more deeply, summoning all the tenderness he’d had to shed when he became alpha. He reached inside, trying to find the softness that he wasn’t allowed to have, while he slid his hand over her hip, tracing designs on her skin. Her fingers tightened in his hair, and he felt her body soften under his as she allowed herself to merge with him, allowing them to merge into a perfect union.
She was damp and ready for him, and he knew he couldn’t wait anymore. He tightened his grip on her hair and then adjusted his hips so his cock was pressed against her entrance. He wanted to keep kissing her, but even more, he wanted to see her face, and he wanted her to see his. He needed her to ground herself in him, to know that the man she was with treasured her. He broke the kiss and pulled back, just enough to be able to make eye contact. “You need to know something,” he said, as he moved his hips, pressing more tightly against her.
Her eyebrows went up. “And what’s that?”
“I will always protect you. You’re mine now, and that means you will never have to fight your battles alone.” As he spoke, he sank inside her, connecting them the only way that mattered.
She gripped his shoulders, shifting as he drove deeper. “You don’t need to say that, Jace. I want this as much as you do. It doesn’t have to come with promises—”
Anger rushed through him, a deep fury that she actually believed that. “Wrong.” He stilled his hips, forcing himself to stop, refusing to continue until she understood the truth. “This does have to come with promises. You matter. You deserve to be worshipped, not used and tossed aside.” His fingers tightened in her hair, and urgency coursed through him. “Don’t ever say that this doesn’t have to come with promises. There’s no other way. You need to understand that. You deserve promises, and you have them from me.”
Her brow furrowed as she listened. “You mean that,” she whispered, her voice soft with wonder.
“Damn right.” He drove deep again, satisfaction rolling through him when she gasped. “I’ve been living as an alpha for years. My job has been to protect and lead, not to feel or care, but you’ve reached inside me and ripped apart the shields keeping me focused. You make me want to be a better man, not just a better alpha.” He framed her face. “When you look at me, you see the man I want to be, the one I’ve been trying to be for so long. You make me feel like I have a chance. You matter, and this matters.” He buried himself even more deeply inside her, and she gasped again, her fingers digging into his shoulders.
He grabbed her hand and set it on his chest, over his heart. “Tell me you feel this.” His heart was thundering, and it felt hot, as if the wolf inside him was clawing to get out.
Her eyes widened, and she nodded. “I do.” She spread her palm across his chest. “It feels like I’m touching your soul.”
“You are.”
Her face softened. “Thank you, Jace.”
He framed her cheeks with his hands and kissed her, summoning the most tender, most passionate, most honest kiss he could summon, trying to let her see everything he was and everything he wanted to be. She wrapped her arms around him and held him to her, accepting his kiss, and offering him the same.
His throat tightened, and for a split second, he couldn’t breathe. He felt as though he needed to wrap himself around her, threading his soul through hers until they were so tangled that they’d never come undone.
She gasped and arched beneath him, her hips moving in a tantalizing rhythm with his. He braced his palms by her shoulders, his muscles flexing as he thrust again and again, the heated coils within him twisting tighter and tighter until—
“Jace!” Abby gasped his name, her body tensing as the orgasm ripped through her, dragging Jace ruthlessly with her. He bucked against her, holding onto her as the orgasm claimed him, ricocheting back and forth between them until all that existed was an unending cycle of climax and completion, again and again until finally, mercifully, it released them both.
Jace sank down beside her, keeping most of his body on top of hers, just allowing his weight to settle on the cot. She snuggled against him, tucking herself into the shield of his body as they both fought to catch their breath. Perspiration was glistening on her body, giving it a magical sheen that almost did justice to the enormity of what had just happened.
What had just happened? He felt as though he’d fallen thousands of feet through a vortex, being spun ruthlessly around and around, until he had no equilibrium, no foundation, and no sense of where he was supposed to be. Except he knew exactly where he was supposed to be: right there, with Abby, and nowhere else.
Chapter 15
Abby rested her head on Jace’s shoulder, tucking herself up against him. His arm was around her, his fingers gently playing with her hair. She sighed, amazed at how relaxed and at peace she was. Her body had been strung with tension for so long she’d forgotten what it felt like to be able to breathe deeply and let herself relax into the mattress.
It was because of Jace, and everything he offered her. She ran her hand over his chiseled chest, still in awe of his physical perfection. He was elemental beauty and grace, everything Abby wasn’t, and yet, he’d made her feel like she was the oxygen he needed in order to breathe.
She spread her palm out on his chest, counting the beats of his heart. His skin was still hot, the warmth pouring into her like the warm sunlight on a cold day. Was that his wolf energy? Or just his own inner strength as a man?
He put his hand over hers, trapping it. She watched his fingers encircle hers, his strong hand dwarfing hers. “You make me feel safe,” she said quietly. “After Lucius, I was afraid all the time. I felt as though he was in the shadows, stalking me, ready to attack at any moment.”
His fingers tightened around hers, and he brought her hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to each knuckle. “I want you to feel safe,” he said, his voice equally as soft. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you, but we can’t ignore the truth.”
She frowned. “What truth?”
He rolled onto his side to face her, draping his leg over her hip. “The fact that if I hear that song, I will shift and kill.” He traced his finger along her jaw. “You’re safe with me now. I promise you that. But that song…” He shook his head. “It owns me.”
Guilt settled deep in her chest. She knew he spoke the truth, because she’d seen so many wolves try to fight it, and all had failed. But she’d also seen something else. She’d seen Grigori, Lucius, and Damien learn to defeat it, because their drive for control and dominance was so strong. Jace had the same inner drive, but his was protection and safety of others…of her. Could a good heart be strong enough to defeat it, the way a black heart was? “It’s not that simple,” she said.
“Because Grigori and Damien have managed it.” His words were grim, his jaw tight as he acknowledged that they had succeeded where he hadn’t. “Tell me about Grigori. I need to know it all. Why is he after you? Why Lucius?”
She sighed, not wanting to go there, but knowing she needed to. She couldn’t hide from the nightmares anymore. Grigori had Seth, and the only way to get him back was to face it. She focused on the warmth of Jace’s leg over her hip, and in the intimacy between them that somehow kept the darkness of her past at bay. “My mom was Grigori’s mate when he was young. They met when she was fifteen, and he was twenty-five. He was the son of the pack alpha, powerful, handsome, and charming. He was captivated by her beauty, and he claimed her. She was swept up by him and fell for him immediately. She was sixteen when she had my sister.”
Jace’s eyebrows went up, and he ran his hand down her arm and over her hip, as if he sensed that she
needed him to ground her. “And you?”
She nodded. “She was eighteen when she had me. She’d been so young and innocent when she first met Grigori, that she couldn’t see how depraved Grigori and his father were. She was completely under his spell.” She bit her lip, focusing on Jace’s eyes to ground herself. “I saw so many terrible things,” she said. “They loved to torture innocents. Men, women, children. It didn’t matter. It was—” She shook her head to clear it. “When I was seven, my nightmares were constant. I was terrified that Grigori would come into my room at night and take me, like he’d done to the others. I started singing to distract myself, then one day…” She stopped, as images of that terrible night flashed through her mind.
“Look at me, Abby.” Jace’s voice was gentle, drawing her gaze to him. His eyes were blazing with barely contained anger, but she knew it was toward Grigori. Somehow, his anger chased away the fear, cocooning her in his strength.
She held up her hand, and he took it, sliding his fingers between hers before bringing her hand to his lips and lightly kissing it. “Continue,” he said softly, between kisses.
She watched his lips press against her skin, focusing on him instead of the memories. “I was hiding in the trees near a clearing where they’d staked out a male shifter and his two daughters. I was so scared for them, and for myself, so I started to sing. I knew they wouldn’t hurt me, because I was Grigori’s daughter, and therefore he was the only one allowed to hurt me. I thought singing would help bring them peace, but instead—” She stopped.
Jace slipped his hand behind her neck and kissed her, his mouth tender and demanding at the same time. He didn’t stop the kiss, continuing until she melted against him, her body crying out for his touch. He broke the kiss and began to nibble down the side of her neck. “Let me guess. Your song made the dad shift and attack the others. Grigori or his dad saw it happen, figured out your talent, and decided to use you.”
Dark Wolf Unbound (Heart of the Shifter #2) Page 12