Page 151 of Devour

Axl doesn’t wait for the officiant to finish the sentence. His hand is on the back of my neck, and his mouth is on mine before the last word leaves the man’s lips. He kisses me hard. I curl my fingers into his jacket and hold him to me, kissing him back. His tongue pushes past my lips, and I let him take whatever he wants because I love being owned by my king. My pulse pounds between my thighs, and I’m already wet from the way his hand warms my back.

He pulls back just enough to press his forehead against mine. “Mrs. Hollister.” His voice is low so that only I can hear it. “We’ll give them their show, and then I have plans for you, little heathen.”

I’m counting on it.

I grin against his mouth, and he drags his thumb across my bottom lip before stepping back. He turns to face the room with his hand on the small of my back.

Dane rises first. Whitney is on his arm, and she gives me a warm smile as they approach. Dane grips Axl’s hand and pulls him in close. Whatever he says against Axl’s ear makes my husband nod once. Whitney cups my face the way she did when I was in the hospital and presses her lips to my forehead.

“I’m so happy for you, sweetheart.” She squeezes my hands before Dane guides her toward the exit. They don’t stay for claimings.

A few others rise and follow them out. The ones who want to watch settle into their seats, and the energy in the room shifts. This is what most of them came for. The ceremony is the formality. The claiming is the show for these fucks.

Priest steps around to the front of the platform and drops into a chair in the front row beside Kase. He leans back and stretches his legs out, crossing his boots at the ankles. “Whenever you’re ready, Your Majesty.” He waves his hand toward Axl.

“Fuck off, Priest.” Axl doesn’t look at him, but his mouth tips.

Kynlee squeezes my arm from behind and whispers, “I love you, slut,” before she moves to sit beside her brother.

They all asked me if I wanted them to leave and not stay for this part, but I told them to stay. If the rest of these fucks are going to watch, what difference does it make if they’re here?

The Sinclair brothers and their wives stay too.

Axl turns back to me, and I watch his jaw work. He knows what he has to do.

“On your knees, Mrs. Hollister.”

My thighs press together under this ridiculous gown. I don’t look at anyone else in the room. I hold his stare and lower myself to my knees in front of him. The fabric pools around me on the stone floor, and I tilt my chin up because I want him to see what this does to me. I’m not ashamed of wanting to kneel for him. I’m not ashamed of a goddamn thing.

He reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulls something out. My chest tightens when I see the neon red glow between his fingers.

It’s his mask.

Axl slides it over my head. The red glow cuts across my vision. His thumb traces along my jaw. I’m looking at him through the mask.

“They don’t get to see your face when I fuck you.” His voice is rough and low and just for me. “That hasn’t changed, little heathen. That’s never going to change.”

My pussy clenches from his words. I can feel everyone watching. I can hear them whispering about what he’ll do next. And I don’t give a single fuck because the only person who matters in this moment is in front of me.

He stands and offers me his hand. I take it, and he pulls me to my feet, then walks me backward until my thighs hit the edge of the table behind us on the platform. The table is mostly only used for claimings.

He lifts me by the waist and carries me to the other side so my back is to the audience, then pushes my shoulders back until I’m lying flat. The gown spreads across the surface and spills over the sides. He positions himself between my legs and faces the room.

His hands slide up my thighs under the fabric, pushing the gown higher. His fingers hook into my thong and drag it down my legs. He holds the lace up for a second—just long enough—then tucks it into the inside pocket of his jacket where the mask was.

He leans over me, hands planted on either side of my head. His face fills my entire view through the red glow, and his mouth is at my ear. “You’re not getting those back either.”

I giggle as he looks up, nodding to someone.

There is movement near my head. I tilt my head up and see Priest positioning himself in front of the table. Kase follows, standing beside him. Crew takes the other side, crossing his arms over his chest.

The three men stand shoulder to shoulder, facing the room with their backs to the table. A wall of muscle and ink between what Axl is about to do to me and every set of eyes in this cathedral.

A murmur rolls through the crowd. Someone laughs, and I’m pretty sure it’s Thorne.

Axl looks down at me, and his mouth tips. “You didn’t think I was going to let any of those fucks see what’s mine, did you?”

“I fucking love you.” I’m smiling so hard my cheeks ache.