The Pact

by Suzanne Wright

Dax’s eyelids lowered a little. “You were mine long before you were his.”

“Just the same, I know what I’d be walking into. You’re dependable. Honest. Principled. Not a user—I’ve known too many of those.” He dipped his head slightly, his eyes darkening. “You also take my cock like it’s what you exist for.”

“You and I have that in common, don’t we? We both had something good once. We both lost it. And we’ve both failed in our attempts to find it again.”

I’m surprised you haven’t already thought of it. Unless you aren’t aware …?” “Aware of what?” “Dax owns a publishing company. Anyone who married him could probably get their hands on some free books.” The addictive reader in me perked up. “He does? How awesome.” And definitely worth writing down.

I wonder if she is the reason

“I know. It’s a flaw, but it works for me, Mrs. Mercier.” Shooting her a dark look, I set the bottle on the table. “Don’t do that.” “You’ll go by that title soon. Might as well get used to it. It suits you.” I waved a hand. “Whatever. Eat your fries.” “Sure thing, Mrs. Mercier.” “I said, don’t.”

“It may be an arrangement, Addison, but we’re not going to have separate bedrooms or any of that shit. You’ll sleep next to me, where you’ll belong.”

How many kids do you want?” I really hoped they had his mismatched eyes—a silly thought, maybe, but I loved them.

“Because there’s no chance of us sharing a bed without me fucking you raw.”

“The only time I could really keep you off-balance was when we were in bed.”

“You know, Addison, not many people make me laugh. But you could always manage to do that.”

“Wear whatever kind of lingerie you want for the wedding night, but I want your pussy completely bare. No little strip of hair here or there. I want not one thing between my tongue and your flesh.”

It wasn’t long later that the part arrived where he appealed for anyone who objected to the wedding to speak up. I tensed, not trusting that someone wouldn’t say something. I heard slight mutterings coming from Ollie quickly followed by my mother hiss-whispering, “Feel how you want to feel, but hold your fucking peace.”

Like how one of Rafael’s bodyguards watched Raven with a protective eye—I’d initially thought he was interested in her, but now I was thinking that maybe Rafael had asked him to keep watch over her.

“I only intend to fuck my wife for the first time in our bed.”

“I’m going to explore, use, and defile you. Every inch, Addison. Every fucking inch of you will ache for what I can give you. By the time I’m done here, your body is going to know exactly who it belongs to.” He pulled my head up, his gaze locking on mine. “And it’s never going to forget.”

I don’t need or want any space from you.”

Cats can be tricky creatures, but they’re not very difficult to train.” “Even if they’re psychopathic?” he asked. I shot him a glare. “Hey! Gypsy is not a psychopath. She needs some love and understanding.” “She needs a therapist,” he countered.

I’d offered to do it so that he could have an interrupted sleep, but he’d glared at me like I’d suggested removing my rings. “You sleep in this bed. Our bed. No other,” he’d then stated.

“Maybe you’re right. Or maybe, like Little Red Riding Hood, you don’t see the big, bad wolf in front of you. Maybe you don’t really want to see him, so you tell yourself he’s not there.” I swiped my tongue along the inside of my bottom lip. “I see him. As wolves go, he’s pretty intimidating. Dangerous for sure. But not soulless. And, well, I kind of like him.” His eyes fairly crackling with that indefinable emotion, Dax lowered his mouth to mine. Almost to mine. With mere inches between our lips, he said, “Good. He kind of likes you, too.”

“I’d heard that being a woman’s first can make a man very possessive. Turns out it’s true.” He slammed me down on his cock, the shock of his possession stealing the air from my lungs, making my overstretched walls burn and pulse.

“Hearing you pledge such loyalty to me, I have to wonder if you have any idea who you married. You say you see the wolf, but I’m not sure you really know what I’m actually capable of. I suppose it’s moot, though. You made your choice. It’s too late for you to go back on it now. I wouldn’t let you if you tried. You’re mine. I made you mine. You wear proof of it on your finger.” He paused, his eyes blazing. “And you always fucking will.”

“So what’s happening here is you have a wife who’s all class and beauty but will crack open a beer, not bitch about the shitload of junk food, and will watch live sports with you and your buds?” “Yes,” Dax replied. Maverick shook his head. “You’re a lucky fucker.” Dax’s mouth curved into a self-satisfied grin that said, I know. Well, so long as he knew.

We’ll let bygones be bygones and whatever.”

Lmao

“Sometimes, we think we don’t want something. But then when we get it, we can’t imagine life without it.”

“We live with our choices, Grayden. You made yours—it wasn’t her. Like it or not, she’s mine. Any baby that grows in her belly will be mine. The come that’s right now leaking out of her is mine. You have not one thing to do with her. Focus on your kids and the ex-wife you went back to. They’re the ones who need your time and attention.”

Addison is it for me. I love her. There won’t come a day where I don’t.”

“You know I’m not a person who instinctively shares what they’re feeling, so you’ll know I’m not going to regularly say the sweet shit that people in relationships like to hear,” he’d said. “Sweet shit?” I’d echoed, amused. “So I’m going to tell you here and now—there is not one thing more important to me than you. You’re everything. All I need in one little package. I love you, Addison Mercier. That will not ever change. Not even for a single second. Never forget it.”