Connor's Claim (Body Count, #2)

by Jolie Vines

Everly was toe-to-toe with me, breathing hard. Beseeching me with her gaze. Then her damn focus dropped to my lips. My resistance dissolved. I grasped the back of her neck and kissed her with a clash of my lips on hers. Savage anger met perfect upset. But, oh fuck, the touch broke a fever through me. She gasped against my mouth, and her sound of desire nearly buckled my knees. She tasted so fucking sweet.

“I own ye now. Just as ye own me. I’ll defend your life with mine and give ye everything ye want. A home, my last name, the blood of anyone who hurts ye. I’ll fucking knock ye up, too. As many times as we want.”

“House rules. Ye live here now. With me. You’ll be full of my cum all the time. These,” he groped my breasts, the image lewd in the mirror’s reflection, “are to be bare whenever we’re alone here.”

“Your body is so beautiful. You’re perfect, Everly. I need ye to know that because what I’m going to do next is going to be disrespectful as fuck.”

Someone thumped at the door. “Everly, open up.” It was Arran. I let him in. He burst inside, his dark-blond hair a mess I imagined at Genevieve’s hands, and his expression fraught where he looked his friend over. “Is he sick?” I touched my forehead in embarrassment then gestured to the sedative case. “Nope. I knocked him out and now I can’t get him back to our apartment. I messed up.” Arran stilled then pressed his fist to his mouth. Incredulity warred with amusement in his expression, but he fought to neutralise it. “Can he hear me?” At my nod, he addressed the prone man on the bed. “Listen up, brother. I’m going to carry you upstairs, then we are never speaking of this again.” His gaze took in the room, me, then Connor. All Connor’s distinctive tattoos were on display. “There’s a problem in how recognisable he is. He can’t be seen like this. Aside from reputation’s sake, he’ll fucking murder me.” “I know!” I squeaked.

I rolled her onto her back, fitting myself between her legs. “As declarations of love go, how did I do?” Her dazzled gaze held mine. “Say that word again.” “Declaration?” She smacked my chest. “Love,” I countered, and my pulse raced. “I loved ye at first sight and I never stopped. I wanted ye, needed ye, all those words were my world.”