I made it as far as the hallways before I felt the hand grab my arm. I gasped, whirling, my heart jumping into my throat, even if I knew who it was.

Or maybe because I knew who it was.

Damon’s eyes narrowed at me, his jaw tight as they searched my face.

“Something’s wrong,” he said quietly.

I shook my head. “Nothing’s wrong,” I said quickly.

“You’re shaking right now, I can feel it.” He frowned. “Adele, just tell me what’s—”

“Maybe you should go,” I said quickly, hating the words as I said them. But all I could think about was the conversation in the throne room with my father and Mallory.

“He’s a killing machine is what he is.”

A killing machine. The man I loved, who’d shown me things I’d never dreamed of, who made my heart soar, who loved so fiercely, was a man capable of killing.

“Tell me what the hell is going on,” he growled, pulling me against him.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I snapped, jerking away. “Don’t you have a war to go fight in?”

He scowled. “Where the fuck did this come—”

“Some people to go murder?”

His mouth snapped shut, and his eyes narrowed.

“I see.”

I laughed a hard, brittle laugh. “Oh, you see?’

“I see that you’ve been talking to people about me.”

“Don’t accuse me of—”

“Adele, stop.”

I gasped as he yanked me against him, his hand going to my cheek.

And I melted. Instantly, I went right back to the part where I was so crazy in love with this man, before I heard those terrible things about him. Before he scared me.

“I wasn’t accusing you of anything, I only meant that you’ve heard things about me.” His jaw tightened. “Things I wish you’d never had to hear. Like my war record.”

I looked away.

“Ask me.”

I glanced back at him. “What?”

“Ask me. It’s here, between us, so let’s talk about it.”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t know if I want to know anything more about that.”

“I want you to know,” he said quietly. “So you can understand. You want the truth? Well, the truth is, yes, I’ve killed. A lot. But I’m not a murdering psychopath, Adele. I’ve killed in war,” he growled.

“I— I know,” I said quietly.

“No, you don’t.”

His voice was cold, but he held me tightly, like he was afraid to let me go.

“The people I killed were people who were okay using children as shields, or worse, as suicide weapons.” His voice broke slightly, and I looked up to see him looking away this time, a faraway look in his eyes.

“The people I killed in war were monsters. They were people who’d rather blow up a whole village of innocents rather than let a damn laptop get taken by coalition forces. Here, with the separatists, the people I killed were those who’d rather blow up a busload of school children, or just everyday people going to work to feed their families, just because of a difference of fucking political opinions.”

His jaw tightened, his teeth flashing, and suddenly, he took a deep breath and looked back at me.

“So yes, Adele, I’ve killed. But I can promise you, the world will not miss the type of people I did.”

We were silent for a single second, before I slid my hand into his hair, craned up on my toes, and kissed him. It wasn’t a world-rocking, panty-melting type kiss this time, it was just a deep, connecting, soul-bonding, never-let-me-go kiss.

And it lasted for longer than I can even remember.

When we did pull away, I threw my arms around him.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said softly, stroking my back. “I should have told you about that part of myself.”

I bit my lip, the tension gone now as I looked up at him.

“So how did you get in here?”

He grinned. “That’s your first question?”

“Should I have another one?”

His grin turned downright hungry.

“You’re not curious about the present I gave you?”

I blushed, squeezing my legs together and feeling the naughty little warm nubs of the inserts rubbing against me.

“Maybe. I think I know what they are,” I said quietly. “I just don’t know how they— ooooh.”

My words faltered, and my eyes rolled back as the pleasure suddenly rocked through me.

“Oh my God,” I gasped, faltering, my hands clutching his tuxedo jacket as if I might fall without the support.

Damon grinned. “Surprise, baby girl.”

I panted, the vibrations teasing through my clit and against my ass, making my knees shake and instantly soaking my panties.

“You’re evil.”

He chuckled. “I know. I think you love me for it though.”

I froze.

“Adele—”

“I do love you, you know.”

I said it quietly, my heart hammering in my chest. Damon just wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, searing kisses across my mouth.

“I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything,” he said, his voice tight.

And I knew he meant it.

This man who’d stepped out of nowhere into my life was my everything, which I why the next thought that filtered into my mind was like a twisting knife.

But I had to tell him.

“I have to tell you something.”

The grin on his face dropped. “What is it?”

I hugged him tight, burying my face in his chest before pulling away.

“There’s been a decree.”

The words felt like lead in my mouth.

“My father has officially decreed that I have to find a suitor.”

Damon growled. “Well, you’re eighteen. I suppose it was a matter of—”

“No, Damon,” my voice broke. “Tonight.”

The fire roared in his face.

“What?”

I nodded, feeling the tears start to well in my eyes. “I’m to be married by the week’s end or she’ll — I mean, my father — will find a husband for me.”

Damon’s eyes narrowed. “This is from Queen Mallory, isn’t it?”

I nodded glumly.

“She’s the one putting the pressure on, isn’t she? And it’s her threat. Am I right?”

I nodded again.

“Of course she’s behind this,” he muttered. “If only they’d—” He shook his head.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about now,” he said quietly, pulling me against him.

“What are we going to do?” I said quietly,

“I’ll—” His face was grim. “I’ll think of something, I swear it.”

I could feel the tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. “Damon, I can’t find anyone else. I don’t want anyone else!”

“And no one else is going to have you,” he snarled with a low growl that got me tingling, despite the situation.

“You’re mine, baby girl,” he said lowly, pulling me tight against him. His hand dropped to my ass, cupping it and pulling me against him possessively. “Mine and only mine.”

“I’m only yours,” I whispered back, leaning up and kissing him. He responded hungrily, growling as his lips parted and his tongue found mine.

I was suddenly aware of two things. One, we were in the middle of a hallway, even if it was empty. And two, at some point, my cousins were going to miss me, even if Imogen and Isla had already gone missing from the ball themselves.

“We—”

“Someone could see us,” he nodded, finishing my sentence. “You should get back to your cousins, too, before you’re missed.”

“I don’t want to leave you.”

“I’ll find you later,” he growled, his eyes fierce.

“What if I want you now?”

He smiled. “Adele, baby, you should—”

“No, I mean what if I want you, right now.”

And I did. I wanted him fiercely right then. I wanted him to just take me, and make me his. I wanted him to make me his so no one else could ever take me. Which is exactly what I told him.

“I want you to take me,” I whispered, my voice heavy with lust. “I want you to make me yours, right now.”

His eyes blazed, and I felt his hands tighten on me as he groaned.

“Baby girl—”

“Please.”

His eyes darted to a door near us, and I gasped, giggling as he suddenly yanked me with him as he opened it and dragged us both inside. It was parlor room of some kind, dark and empty.

Exactly what we needed.

I moaned as he slammed me up against the closed door, pressing tight against me and kissing me hard. His hands skimmed up my legs, pushing my dress up around my waist. I whimpered into his kiss, my own hands going to his tuxedo and pushing at his jacket. My fingers found the buttons of his all-black dress shirt, frantically undoing them as I felt his fingers run over the edge of my panties.

“I— I want you to fuck me,” I gasped, pulling away from his wonderful lips. “I mean I really want you to fuck me. I want you to take it, tonight. Make me yours.”

Damon pulled back, his hand coming up to stroke my cheek. “I— I won’t. Not like this.”

My face fell, but he only moved in to kiss me, passionately.

“Believe me when I tell you that saying that is the hardest thing I’ve ever said,” he grinned. “But I mean it. I won’t take that last part of you that’s yours to give here in some side room, in secret, at a damn party like something cheap. When I do take you there — and I will.”

I shivered at his words.

“When I do though, I’ll take my time. I’ll take my time and I’ll make it right for you, I swear.”

“But I really want you,” I moaned, feeling his cock throbbing so hard against me through his tuxedo pants. “I just want you to take me, hard, so badly right now.”

“And who says I can’t?”

I gaped as he suddenly spun me around, pushing me against the door to the room.

“Spread your legs, beautiful,” he growled into my ear, his voice hard and demanding. “Spread your legs for me right now.”

I whimpered, doing as he asked. His hands pushed my gown up around my waist, and I shivered again as I felt him drop to his knees behind me. Fingers slid into the panties he’d gotten me, but he didn’t pull them off, he just pushed them to the side. I moaned as I felt his finger stroke through my dripping wet lips, teasing my clit as his breath came hot across my inner thigh.

His mouth moved right against me, and I cried out into the dark room as his tongue pushed deep inside my pussy. He groaned into me, his tongue fucking in and out of me as he hungrily tasted me. One hand held the panties to the side, the other rubbed a thumb over my clit. I moaned deeply for him, pushing back against his wicked mouth as he tongued my little pussy so wonderfully.

His mouth trailed up, and I cried out as his tongue found my ass. He teased, filling me with that deliciously naughty feeling I always relished when he was especially dirty like this. He tongued my ass while his thumb rubbed circles around my clit, until I was panting, my knees shaking against the door.

He stood, and I whimpered as I heard the jangle of his belt buckle.

“You want me to fuck you, do you?” He growled, the steeliness in his voice making me shiver in anticipation.

“You want me to just take you and make you mine?”

I moaned as I felt his thick cock against my leg.

“On your knees, baby girl.”

My pulse hammered in my ears as I did as I was told, dropping to the floor and turning. I swallowed thickly, my hungry eyes devouring the sight of his huge cock bobbing in front of my face.

“Open those sweet lips, Princess,” he growled.

I panted, feeling my pussy dripping arousal as I opened my mouth, leaned forward, and wrapped my lips around his big dick.

Damon groaned, his hand sliding into my hair.

“Fuck, just like that baby.”

I moaned around him, his thick shaft stretching my small mouth. I sucked as much of him as I could into my mouth, letting my spit drool down his pulsing shaft as I stroked him with both my hands.

Damon pulled me up, kissing me fiercely before spinning me and pushing me back against the door. I whimpered, feeling his hard, muscled body press against my much smaller one. I felt him reach down and drag his cock over my thigh, slipping it between my legs and letting me feel every hot muscled inch of it as he brought it higher. He pulled my panties to the side, letting the head of his cock drag over my dripping wet pussy. He moved it higher, and I moaned deeply as I felt him press the head against my tight asshole.

“You want me to take you, do you?”

Damon rocked his hips forward, and I cried out as he pushed the wet head of his thickness into my ass. I panted, the pleasure and the pain mixing so deliciously and making my head spin as I clung to the door. I moaned as he pushed in deeper, his big dick stretching me wide and making my legs shake. He moved his hands to my hips, gripping me tight as he growled and buried the remaining inches of his cock deep inside.

Suddenly, I felt one hand pull away, as if he was reaching for something. And I was about to turn my head when I felt it.

The panties. Specifically, the little vibrating nub that was still pressed against my clit.

I now knew why he’d left them on.

“You’re a bad man,” I groaned, my whole body on fire as the combination of the vibrations on my clit and the huge cock in my ass set me ablaze.

“Trust me, Princess, I haven’t shown you ‘bad’ yet.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” I hissed back, knowing that I was provoking him and loving that I trusted him enough that I could.

Damon growled, pulling back and then burying his cock balls-deep back inside. I shuddered, crying out, my nails clawing at the door as the vibrations on my clit only got more intense. He leaned in close behind me, his mouth finding my neck and biting the tender skin there enough to make me gasp.

My pussy throbbed with raw desire, my body trembling for him as he started to thrust in and out. His hand left my hip, and I cried out as it suddenly came back down across my ass with a spanking slap.

I could feel my body respond so wickedly, only getting more turned on, only blazing even hotter.

“You like that, don’t you baby girl?”

“Yes,” I gasped, rocking my hips back to meet his thrusts, the pleasure rolling through me.

His hand came down again, and I whimpered, the little nub against my clit sending me reeling.

I was so close already. The combination of this being so damn dirty, and knowing we could get caught, and knowing I had to go back out there after letting this dominant, gorgeous, all-consuming man do this to me was too much, and I knew I was going to explode at any second.

Damon growled as he fucked my ass, his hands gripping my hips tight, his mouth leaving bruises down my neck I couldn’t even care less about at that point.

“Damon, I’m— oh God. We don’t have much time!”

“Then you better come for me, honey,” he growled back, thrusting deep and making me squeal as he filled me to the brim.

“You better come quick, and when you go back out there to your fancy ball, with all those fancy princes, I want you to remember something.”

I moaned, my face against the hardwood of the door and my breath catching in my throat as I felt myself start to tumble over the edge. His lips moved to my ear, and I shivered as his breath teased my neck.

“Remember that you’re mine.”

“I’m yours, always.”

“Remember that when you’re back out there, missing my hands on you, and missing my thick cock deep inside you.”

I moaned loudly, starting to fall.

“Remember that when you can feel my hot cum deep inside your ass while some little limp-dick of a prince tries to chat you up.”

My eyes squeezed shut, the vibrations on my clit sent me tumbling, and I felt the dam begin to break.

“Remember that I love you, always.”

I exploded.

I screamed, loudly, not even caring who heard me as the orgasm slammed through me. Damon roared as he drove in deep, and I could feel his thick cock throbbing deep inside as his cum filled my ass. He kept pumping into me, sending me into aftershock after aftershock, before I finally begged him to turn the panties off.

He chuckled as he switched them off, kissing my neck and letting me sag into him.

“Holy shit,” I gasped, my pulse racing faster than it’d ever gone before, my whole body on fire from the intensity of what we’d just done.

“Did I hurt you?” Damon said quietly.

“No.” I smiled and turned to kiss him. “No, never.”

“I will figure this out, Adele.”

I only nodded, not sure what we could do, but knowing I didn’t want to dwell on it. Not then.

Slowly, he withdrew, pulling my panties back into place. I thought of his filthy words from before, about feeling him deep inside, and I blushed, squeezing my legs together as I smoothed my dress back down.

“I— I do have to go back out there.” I turned back to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him. “Later?”

“I’ll find you, don’t worry.”

I nodded and kissed him, hard and deep, before pulling away and reaching for the door.

“You promise?”

“Always.”