Undying Hunger (16 page)

What the hell have I done?

Chapter Seventeen

Markus couldn’t sleep.

He sat with his legs propped up in the spare chair, his eyes closed, but he was very much aware. The steady drum of the shower in the other room filled his ears, torturing him with images, fantasies, of what moved under the water’s spray: Alexandria, naked, her skin glistening as water sluiced down her back.

Groaning, he repositioned, unable to shake the mental picture. His cock jerked, and he grunted from the relentless ache inside his balls, no matter how many times he jerked off.

After their encounter, he’d had to relieve some of the pressure when he’d bathed, but the reprieve had been only temporary. The moment he’d stepped back inside the bedroom, the scent of her arousal lingering in the small space, a wave of desire had hit him with hurricane force. He’d been a kite in a whirlwind of lust no longer able to control which direction he blew. And Alexandria was the eye of the storm. His calm center. However, if she knew the whole story about the monster in her bed, she’d send him crashing back down to earth.

Yet when she’d drawn him into the bed with her, there’d been no way he could resist touching, tasting, and pleasuring her. Watching her come with her flavor on his tongue had been intoxicating. No other drug on the planet could compare. One taste, and he was addicted. If he lived for the next millennium, bringing her to orgasm every night, it still wouldn’t be enough. He would never get enough of Alexandria. But she was an addiction he had to escape.

Once this was all over and he knew she was safe, he had to let her go. That was why he refused to ever permit himself inside her. He couldn’t allow things to ever go that far. If he ever spilled his seed within her, felt the tight walls of her pussy squeezing his cock—and he knew she’d be tight as hell—no one would ever take her from him.

He was a son of a bitch. A murdering bastard. He deserved every nasty name in the book. But he wasn’t so much of a dick that he’d condemn a female he cared about to a life with him.
Fuck.
She’d done this to him. Gotten under his skin and forced his heart to open, to feel. But he didn’t know how to do this. How to care so damn much without pulling her into his darkness.

The sound of the shower on the other side of the door slowed to a trickle, and the faucet released its familiar squeak having successfully cut off the flow. Alexandria shouldn’t have been awake this early. Based on the lingering fatigue in his limbs, the sun hadn’t fully set. But the last two days hadn’t actually been typical.

Markus stilled his movement, staring at the nothingness behind his eyelids. With any luck, she’d climb back into bed and rest a little longer. Then once darkness fell, he had business to take care of.

Namely, hunting down Enrique.

Putting an end to the disastrous chapter of his life titled “Marguerite.”

Alexandria didn’t deserve to live with a target on her back because of his past. Markus coiled the sheet around his fingers. “I swear, Vixen, with every fiber of my being,” he whispered into the shadows. “I’ll set things right. I’ll make sure any threat to your safety is eliminated—permanently.”

It’s what he did best. His father had made sure of it.

The bathroom door clicked and opened. Alexandria barely made a sound as she padded across the floor, then cool fingertips glided over his bare abs. His breath stalled, and her hand roamed south.

Oh fuck. What was she up to?

Her palm settled on his fly covering the swollen ridge of his cock, and his brain short-circuited.

“Alexandria…” he forced out through his clenched jaw. His eyelids popped open, and he captured her wrist. Although the voice inside his head roared for him to allow her access.

“I don’t know why you didn’t join me in bed this morning.”

“You needed rest,” he grumbled, her palm not budging from its resting place on his erection. “Not something more.”

“Well, it’s been hours, and I’m feeling much better.” Her free hand traveled over the tats along his arm.

“The sun hasn’t set yet. You shouldn’t even be up.”

“My dreams wouldn’t let me sleep,” she said. “My mind kept replaying what happened last night.” She lifted her leg and inserted it between his. Markus dropped his feet from the chair and pushed back, giving her more room between his thighs. “And what didn’t happen last night,” she added, a seductive smile playing on her mouth as she went down on her knees.

Ahh, hell.
He shook his head. “Vixen, come on. You’re not playing fair.”

“I think I’m playing more than fair.” She knocked his hold away from her wrist and proceeded to open the button to his jeans right before she lowered the zipper.

He should stop her.

A decent man would get his ass out of the chair.

Alexandria reached inside and delicate fingers wrapped around the end of his cock. She pulled it free, dragging a groan from his throat in the process.

But since when had he been a good and decent man?

Glancing up, she ran her hand up and down the shaft. He moaned.

“Damn, what am I going to do with all this?” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Lips he knew felt like the delicate petals of an awakening rosebud. Dewy soft, waiting for that first kiss of sun and rain. “I can barely get my fist around you.”

Opening wide, Alexandria sank her mouth over the flared head. Silky, wet heat engulfed him, and he seized the arm of the chair with his fists. The wood released a loud
pop
under the pressure.

“Shit…”

Lower and lower she traveled the length of him until the head of his cock bumped the back of her throat.
Holy fuck.
His balls jerked, drawing tight. No way would he last with her. Not like this. He was too hot. Too hot for her, for too long. But damn, watching her go down on him…a fantasy come to life. An unreal moment in time.

She coughed and drew back, spiraling her hand back up his length. At the top, she glanced up from under her lashes and flattened her tongue along the back of his cock. Watching him, she slowly worked the sensitive underside in small circles.

“That’s it,” he hissed, and his head lolled. “Christ. You’re killing me.”

Up and down, she moved over his shaft, her palm gently squeezing his length as she tortured him with her tongue. Teasing him. Drawing him so damn close, then backing off.

His breathing reduced to harsh pants. Her tongue dipped into his slit, and Markus reared his head.

“You taste so damn good,” she mouthed over him, her lips caressing the sensitive flesh.

Cum raced to the forefront of his cock, ready to blow. He growled and seized the base of his shaft with his fist, shutting down his orgasm. “Son of a bitch!” he gritted out, and kicked his chair back away from her.

Not like this!
He wouldn’t come like this with her.

“Markus!” she cried out from her position on the floor, her eyes wide with confusion. “I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”

“Fuck, no, baby,” he said, his words guttural, and tugged her onto her feet. “I want you too damn much.”

He claimed her mouth with his own, the taste of his pre-cum on her tongue. Her hands were on his back, nails biting into his flesh. Gripping her hips, he ground his erection against her, desperate for the feel of her.

Unable to take another second without being inside her, Markus broke away. “Need you.”

“God, yes,” she gasped.

Dizzy and frantic with need, Markus guided her around. Placing a palm between her shoulders, he bent her over the side of the bed. She’d dressed in the thin slip of a nightshirt he’d brought back for her, the hem stopping at midthigh. He grabbed it, yanked it up, and exposed her bare bottom. His cock throbbed at the gorgeous sight of her pussy, the folds swollen and glistening with arousal. For him. He cursed, barely able to draw enough oxygen into his lungs from the heavy burden of lust pulling him under.

“Dammit, Markus. Don’t stop.”

Grabbing the aching girth of his cock with one hand, his other braced on her hip, he moved in closer. The head of his shaft nudged her heated core, arcing another bolt of desire up his spine.

“Please,” she muttered. “It’s okay. I want you.”

It’s okay.
Her simple two words of validation echoed inside his skull.
It’s okay.

But taking her wasn’t okay. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes.
She’s not yours to possess.
If Alexandria knew what he’d done to her, this would never be okay.

Summoning every thread of control, Markus stumbled back.

“Shit!” He swiped a hand down over his face and spun around. He had to get some air. Needed air that wasn’t drenched in her scent. He bolted for the door to the upstairs and swung it open.

“Markus!” she called out. “Where are you going?”

Taking the steps two at a time, he charged for the surface. The only thought on his mind: escape. If he didn’t, there was no way he wouldn’t be buried to the hilt inside her.

On the first floor of the cabin, Markus targeted the front door. Footsteps pounded on the stairs behind him. He had to get out. Markus flipped the dead bolt and snatched the doorknob.

“Don’t you dare cut out on me!”

Closing his eyes, he sighed. “Let me go, Vixen.”

“Why?” she croaked. “I don’t understand. What did I do wrong?” Her voice sounded strained. Hurt.

Fuck.
The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her even more. It was the one thing he’d tried to avoid. Rearing back an arm, Markus swung forward and slammed his fist into the wood. He slapped both palms onto the battered door and hung his head between his arms. “It’s not you,” he groaned.

“Isn’t that what they all say?” she scoffed.

“I’m telling you the truth.” Facing her, he pressed his back to the door.

“Then I don’t get it.” She shook her head, padding closer.

His pulse thrummed at her approach, still too high off her scent. He curled his fists, needing the strength.

“Your body tells me you want me.” Her focus lowered to the hard evidence between his legs. “But you won’t touch me.” Her throat worked. “At least not in that way.”

“I can’t,” he bit out. “End of story.”

Alexandria’s eyes flashed, and she bridged the gap between them. “The hell that’s the end of it! You can’t just do that to me and expect I’ll walk away without questions. You have no idea what it cost for me to—”

“To what?”

“Never mind.” She reversed course.

“No, you don’t.” Markus pushed away from the door and captured her before she could escape. “Tell me.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She shook him off.

“Sorry.” He grasped her shoulders and spun her back around. “You don’t get a pass that easily, not after you had me spilling my guts last night.”

“You just blew me off like I wasn’t good enough for you to actually take to bed, and now you expect me to open up?” She slammed her palms into his chest, knocking him back, and stormed toward the basement stairs. “Go to hell.”

“Dammit!” He descended the staircase after her.

“Leave me alone,” she shouted the moment he crossed the threshold. “You wanted away from me so damn bad, get out!”

“You don’t understand, Alexandria.” He tried his best to be patient, which defied the core of his being, as he edged toward her. Except the vixen countered his every move. “Would you stand still for one minute while I try to talk to you?”

“Shoe’s on the other foot now, asshole.” She sneered. “How the hell does it feel?”

A spark of anger ignited, but he quickly snuffed it before it burned out of control and he said something he didn’t mean. He needed to stay calm. Bracing his hands on his hips, he mentally started a countdown from ten. At least the momentary battle between them had quenched some of his lust, allowing his brain to function at a higher capacity than early caveman.

“Sucks, doesn’t it?” she added, crossing her arms and planting herself in one position. “Start talking.”

“I’ve handled this wrong.” Markus sighed. “I should have never allowed things to get this out of hand.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It’s just…” He raked her with his gaze. “Not touching you when…” Fuck. He couldn’t get the words out right. Communication had never been his strong suit. For the majority of his life he’d been more of a man of action. Kill first. Ask questions later.

“A lot of words, Markus.” Alexandria strode closer, putting them face-to-face. “But as usual, you haven’t given me the real explanation. Why, when it comes down to you actually making love to me, do you try to escape my presence?”

Markus cupped her face, and his eyelids shuttered. “Don’t you want to return to your beloved Enclave family?”

“What kind of question is that? Of course I do.”

“Then I have to keep my hands off you, or more specifically, it’s my other body part that has to keep its distance.”

She frowned. “Are you saying that if you make love to me, you don’t think…?”

“If I ever got inside you, Vixen,” he gritted out with a shake of his head, “once would never be enough. And do you think your sister, or anyone else back at that mansion, would ever approve of you being in my bed?” He scoffed and turned away to drop his ass on the edge of the bed. “Once I’ve taken care of things, I have to let you go.” His fingers curled into the denim encasing his thighs. “We have to stop before there’s no going back.”

Alexandria eased down onto the mattress beside him. Close, but far enough away there was no way they’d touch.

“What can I say?” he said. “I have a bit of a possessive streak. I tend to like to keep what’s mine.”