Page 74 of The Naughty Prospect

Darla grinned, all teeth. “Who better than the prodigal daughter? Maple left a power vacuum. The sheep need a shepherd. The council already tapped me to ‘interim’ preach. Turns out, a little backbone and a hot set of pipes go a long way.”

He stared at her for a long moment, like he was seeing her for the first time. “You’re insane.”

She shrugged, letting the flannel slide down to her hips. “Runs in the family.”

He sat up, hair a mess, face raw with confusion and something else—awe, maybe. Or terror. “You sure about this?”

She looked down at him, slow and deliberate. “The church has money. Real estate. Loyal followers. I’m not burning it down, I’m inheriting it.” She bent to his ear again, her tongue flicking the lobe. “And I want you on my security detail.”

He grabbed her by the waist and hauled her onto his lap. “You want the MC to play bodyguard?”

“I want the MC to run the show.” She ground her hips against his, feeling him harden again, cock twitching against her thigh.“It’ll keep the bikers out of jail and the wolves at bay. Legit front, underground perks. Nobody gets hurt unless they ask for it.”

She could see the wheels turning in Axel’s head. He was a brute, but not stupid. “You’re gonna be a preacher,” he said, as if saying it out loud would make it less absurd.

Darla wrapped her arms around his neck, her breasts pressed tight to his chest. “I’ll be whatever the fuck I want.”

He kissed her then, hard and punishing, biting her lip until she moaned. She let him throw her back onto the rug, the coarse wool burning her skin as he spread her thighs and dove between them. His beard scratched, his tongue soothed, and when he slid two fingers inside, she gasped loud enough to set the little angel on the tree quivering.

She fisted his hair, yanked him up. “I want you inside me when I make the announcement,” she said, voice hoarse.

He needed no more invitation. He hooked her legs around his waist, lifted her up, and carried her to the wall. She clung to him, nails digging furrows down his back as he pinned her with one hand and slid his cock in deep. He fucked her against the brick, rough and relentless, until she clawed at his shoulders, begging for it, the word “Harder” a broken prayer in her throat.

He bit her neck, not gently, and growled, “You’re full of surprises, Pastor’s daughter.”

She came around him, every muscle locking tight, and it felt like being reborn. When his own orgasm hit, he roared into her mouth, slamming her harder into the wall, and the glass in the window rattled.

When it was over, he let her slide down, held her there, both their bodies shaking. They sagged to the floor, pressed together, the taste of blood and sweat and ozone in the air.

Darla tucked her face into his chest, lips still curved in that dangerous, knowing smile. “It’s just the beginning,” she murmured. “We’re gonna build something that lasts.”

Axel said nothing. He didn’t have to. He just held her tighter, eyes blazing in the Christmas lights, already counting the ways to keep her safe, to keep her his.

Outside, the world was white and silent. But inside the loft, the future was chaos, blood, and brilliance—and for once, that was exactly how they wanted it.