Page 181 of House Ignis

Gods. I already ached for him.

He stripped, and I sank to my knees without a word, eyes locked on his. His breath hitched as I took him into my mouth, slowly at first, then deeper.

“Fuck, darling,” he groaned, one hand tangling in my hair.

His shadows twitched across the bathroom tile as I worked him until a dark, broken sound tore from his chest.

I pulled back, looking up at him from beneath my lashes. “Couldn’t help myself.”

“Turn around,” he rasped, his voice rough as smoke.

He spun me toward the tile, hands gripping my hips as he pressed against my back. The shower roared around us, steam thickening the air as he took control.

My knees nearly gave out, but his grip held me steady. Shadows curled around my thighs as he turned me again, lifting me against the slick tile beneath the steaming water.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, losing myself in him, in the bond, in the darkness curling around us.

And then his eyes changed.

Pitch black.

My breath caught.

I should’ve been terrified of the void staring back at me. But gods help me, part of me wanted to fall straight into his darkness and never find my way out.

By the time we made it back to bed, Aether and Zya had long since slunk off, clearly over our endless need for one another. My body felt boneless as I sprawled against the sheets, absently playing with the dark strands of hair across Asher’s forehead. His eyes were silver again, his thumb tracing lazy, possessive circles against my hip.

But my mind wasn’t on him. Not fully.

Jax’s journal was a secret heartbeat beneath the mountain of throw pillows beside me. Thank the gods he hadn’t noticed it.

“What’s on your mind, darling?”

“Nothing.” I forced a smile and brushed my lips against his jaw. “Just… I still can’t believe you’re mine.”

I cupped his face, hoping the lie didn’t show.

“Mmm.”

He caught my mouth in a deep, consuming kiss.

Gods, I could drown in him.

Then he slipped from the bed. I pouted as he tugged his gym shorts over his hips, shamelessly watching him.

He caught me.

“You keep looking at me like that, darling, and we’re never leaving this room.”

“What if I don’t want to leave?” I teased, letting the sheet slide lower.

His gaze followed it, hunger sparking back to life in those silver eyes.

“Fuck it.”

The shirt he’d been about to pull on hit the floor.

I barely had time to laugh before he lunged for me, catching me beneath him once more.