64: Ada's POV

*”Home.”*

It felt like my heart skipped a beat. His arms had wrapped around me so securely, his face buried between my neck and shoulder and he’d taken such a deep breath the moment I’d leapt up and my arms had wrapped around his neck. For a second, I thought I’d imagined the sentence coming out of his mouth. But then I opened the bond between us and I felt it. The relief, the contentedness, the joy. It all seeped into me from him. Sahara whined with happiness in my mind. 

I gripped him tighter. He set me down on my feet and unlaced his arms from around my body. His hands gripped my hips tightly so I pulled back. Nik’s lips crashed against mine, and the scents of lavender and bourbon became the only things I could smell. Heat coursed through my veins as his lips gently worked against mine. I loosened my grip around his neck and leaned my body against his. He smirked against my mouth and I couldn’t fight the smile that formed as Nik pulled away. 

My fingers raked through his oil slick hair before I released him. He looked down at me and brushed his knuckles against my cheek, “Hello, dove.”

Tears pricked my eyes and his thumb whisked them away as they fell. His brows furrowed as a deep frown formed on his lips. I shook my head, struggling to form words. My throat and chest both tightened painfully. I reached up and brushed my fingers against his face. The muscle in his jaw ticked at my touch. His body tensed and his eyes closed as he sucked in a breath. 

I trailed my fingers down his neck, “I think I might love you.”

Nik took a step back from me. His eyebrows shot up and his lips parted. His skin paled as he blinked, “What?”

“I—I—I—,” my heart thudded in my chest as panic seemed to grip at every muscle in my body. I dropped my hand, “Nothing, Nik.”

“Don’t do that,” he growled, his black eyes going matte, “Say it like you mean it, Ada.”

I rolled my shoulders back and stood up straight. My hands dangled limply by my sides. Nik’s shadows swirled out from him, filling the space that was now between us. I worked to keep my voice even, “I said I think I love you.”

“Like you mean it,” a shadow caressed my jawline. 

My gaze met his. His body was taut, his eyes matte, but there was something expectant in his gaze. Like he was just waiting. I balled my hands into fists and sucked in a deep breath, “I love you, Nikolai Ashford.”

The corners of his mouth twitched upward, but his expression remained stoic. For a moment, all I could hear was the thudding of my own heart in my chest. Then, his eyes roamed to my lips as his voice echoed down our bond, *”And I love you, Ada.”*

He rushed forward, attaching his lips to mine. The shadows pushed our bodies together as Nik lifted me from the ground. I wrapped my legs around his waist. Nik’s hands cupped my ass, squeezing roughly. I rolled my hips against him. He groaned against my lips as he walked us across the room. Soon, my body was being laid down on my bed. 

“I missed you,” I whispered when Nik pulled away and stood beside the bed. 

His eyes remained matte, but softened around the edges, “I missed you, too,” his voice was husky, and I chewed on my bottom lip as my eyes scoured his body, “The things I want to do to you, my dove.”

For the first time, his suit was rumpled. His hair was disheveled. A light flush was on his cheeks. I knew I’d caught him off guard with my confession of love, but I hadn’t expected him to be so… raw. His onyx eyes were locked on my lips as my gaze returned to his face. Liquid heat was pooling between my legs. I squirmed on the mattress, panting beneath his gaze.

“Do them,” I stated firmly.

He rolled his neck, letting out something between a pained moan and a strangled groan, “Those are dangerous words.”

I lifted my body onto my elbows, “Do,” the challenge in my voice was clear, “Them.”

Nik smirked. He stalked around the bed, shedding his suit jacket. I watched the muscles in his forearms flex as he rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. Nik nodded at me, “Take off your clothes,” I complied, quickly stripping out of every layer that was covering my flushed skin, “Spread your legs.” Again, I didn’t hesitate. The cool air lapped at my exposed center and goosebumps covered my flesh. “Good girl,” he murmured as his eyes locked on my pussy, “Take your fingers and spread yourself wide for me.”

I swallowed but trailed my finger down my stomach. My thumb and forefinger traveled over my slick slit and spread everything open. Nik hummed his approval. I held this position for what felt like minutes. My fingers got more slick with each passing second as my clit began to swell. I wanted to rock my hips, move my fingers. Provide myself with some form of release. 

Shadows emerged from Nik, spilling onto the bed around me. They tickled against my skin, light as a feather but solid enough to provide a small amount of pressure. I sighed as they made their way over my body. The sensation was good, but it wasn’t quite what I wanted. 

“Keep still,” Nik ordered, “Don’t make a sound,” he leaned against the poster of the bed and crossed his arms, “And do not come until I tell you to.”

Shadows held me in place at my shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. I didn’t fight against them and tried to focus on steadying my breathing and not making a noise. This became difficult as they trickled over my clit like soft little breaths. I felt the pulsating sensation of my pussy clenching against emptiness. Nik smirked as the shadows shoved my fingers further apart and spread me even wider. 

His voice was thick with want, his cock hard enough to have the tip pressing against the waistband of his suit pants, “My dear, Ada. You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.”

Without warning, shadows plunged within me. I’d thought he couldn’t make them into anything more than a pressurized mist. I was wrong. These were solid and constantly adjusting to fill me, stretch me. I couldn’t fight the way my hips bucked at the sudden sensation of fullness. Nik clucked his tongue and the shadows within me dissipated instantly. 

The bed dipped beneath Nik’s weight as he crawled over to me and pinched my erect nipple between his thumb and forefinger. I gasped and he pinched the pebbled flesh even harder. My mouth slammed shut as my eyes met Nik’s. His lips tugged up into a smirk as his free hand brushed down my side. I shivered and my eyelids fluttered. 

He pinched my other nipple lightly before releasing both. His fingers disappeared from my skin before suddenly reappearing between my legs. They tickled against my inner upper thighs and it took all of my concentration to not shift or make a noise. When I managed it, Nik placed a gentle kiss against my temple. I nearly jolted when the tips of his fingers ran between the two of mine that were still spreading my center wide. 

Somehow, by some miracle, I managed to stay still. Nik’s breath was hot on my ear, “Do you want me to finger you, Ada?”

I simply met his gaze. Nik’s middle finger slid down my opening before slowly inching into me. My chest heaved with my breaths, but I stayed completely still otherwise. His hot lips grazed against my earlobe, then my neck. Nik’s finger moved out of me, then back in. I bit back my moan as his lips continued to wander down my neck. 

“Tell me what else you want,” his words were whispered against my skin as he slid another finger inside of me. 

The words were before I’d even processed that they ran through my mind, “Mark me.”

Nik’s body completely stilled. He pulled his fingers out of me, all shadows disappeared and he sat up, “What did you say?” 

“Mark me,” I repeated, the words feeling foreign against my tongue. 

He watched as I sat up, closing my legs. He gave a small shake of his head and turned away from me. Nik’s voice was hoarse, “I can’t, Ada. I can’t mark you.”