Page 91 of Glutton for Punishment

I never see him smile; his smile is devastating.

“At first,” I admit, “you intimidated the hell out of me. But once I got to know you…” My voice softens. “I saw how special you were too, Maddox. Of course, it drew me in. How could it not?”

His smile fades into something more serious.

“The way you care.” I hold his gaze. “The way you never stop trying to make things better, even when your entire world is built against that. Your loyalty to the people you care about. The way you never back down.”

I smile.

“And everything you did for me, crafting that potion to help me.”

His expression changes instantly as the warmth fades. He looks away, and I can tell something is wrong.

“What is it?”

“I almost didn’t give it to you,” he says so low I almost miss it.

“What do you mean?”

He looks away again. But instead of embarrassment, I see guilt.

“Actually… I had it the day before your trial, but when I went to give it to you, I saw you with Atticus.” His jaw tightens. “And I let my jealousy get in the way.” He exhales.

“Yes, part of me was concerned what your power level could mean politically if Pride got you in their grasp.” His voice lowers. “But the truth?”

His eyes find mine again. “Watching you smile at him felt like getting gutted.”

My breath catches. I didn’t know.

No idea he felt any of this before my trial. That he felt this strongly before the magic of the bond pushed us together.

“Are you mad?” He asks, face tightening.

I shake my head and his shoulders loosen just slightly.

“No, Maddox. I can understand why you hesitated. Protecting your people, what you built.” My voice softens. “But in the end… you came through. You chose me over your doubts, because you knew it was the right thing to do.” I brush my thumb along his jaw. “Because that’s who you are.”

My chest tightens around the truth of it.

“You’re loyal to a fault. You fight for what’s right even when it costs you.”

His gaze darkens as emotion swells in my throat. “I love that about you.”

Maddox goes still as he searches my gaze. Then his hand slides behind my neck, pulling me toward him.

His lips crash into mine. Hard and desperate, like his patience has snapped.

I gasp into the kiss and he uses the moment, pushing his tongue deeper into my mouth while I kiss him back just as hard. He pulls me against him as his hand tangles in my hair while the other grips my waist hard.

A dam in me breaks, flooding me with how much I want this. It doesn’t feel like the bond. It feels like fire between us. Like every stolen glance and every moment of restraint detonates all at once.

He groans against my mouth as my tongue touches his. He knees himself closer between my legs and slips his hand under my ass, easily lifting me up and against him.

As he stands, I wrap my legs around him and feel just how much he wants me too. The hardness presses right against my leg.

His forehead presses to mine when we break off our kiss, coming up for air, both of us breathing like we just ran a marathon.

Dark eyes lock on mine. “Sleep in here with me tonight.”