Cole
The gala was finally here. Can you believe it? But my mind was elsewhere, consumed by the image of that fucking jerk laying his grimy hands on my precious love.
It took every ounce of self-control not to rip his head off right then and there.
The images played on a loop in my mind, gnawing at my sanity. If I even had any left. Hell, I wasnât even sure I had a heart anymore.
Brayden was still nowhere to be found, which raised the questionâwhy? His absence didnât bode well. Either he was in cahoots with Adam, a thought I couldnât bear to entertain, or he was in danger.
Iâd figure that out once I was back home.
It was early morning, and the gala wouldnât be until much later in the evening. I needed to mark her again soon, but this time it would be permanent.
I was taking a huge risk, but it was now or never. Our bond would be stronger, but it would also be visible to anyone who saw it.
I made sure Kaden knew not to barge in. The last thing I needed was for Raven to walk in on meâon us.
âLittle dove!â I called out through the suite.
Immediately, I heard her. The soft patter of her feet echoed through the rooms until she was standing before me. She shifted nervously on her feet, and even though I couldnât read her thoughts, her body language spoke volumes.
She wasnât afraid of me, but she was nervous.
I took her small hands in mine, my thumb gently stroking the back of her hand as she looked into my eyes. Her gray eyes were like storm clouds, heavy with unshed rain.
âThe gala, as you know, is tonight and I need to mark you,â I said softly. Without a word, she swept her hair back, revealing the faded bite marks from weeks ago.
I smiled but slowly shook my head.
âNot there.â I gripped the hem of her shift and slowly pulled it up and over her head. She raised her arms to help me, revealing her beautiful body.
I tossed the shirt aside and let my fingers trace a path from her hips to her neck, finally resting just above her right breast.
âHere. But this time, it will be permanent. It will hurt at first, but then you will feel me as I feel you. Do you understand what Iâm saying?â
She continued to gaze at me before finally nodding.
âWords, Olivia. I need to hear you say it.â
âYes, Cole. I understand.â
Her sweet voice was all the reassurance I needed. I pulled her onto my lap, her legs straddling me.
I gathered her hair in my hand and tilted her head back, not forcefully, but enough to give me better access to where I was going to mark her.
I pulled her closer, her eyes closed and her breathing slow and even. My fangs extended easily, and I began to kiss and lick the area I was going to mark.
As I savored the sweet taste of her skin, she let out a small whimper. That was my cueâI plunged my fangs into her skin.
She cried out in pain at first, but to make the mark permanent, I had to go deeper. I slowly pushed my fangs further into her tender flesh. Her hands instinctively found my chest and tried to pull away.
I caught both her wrists with one hand and twisted them behind her back. She whimpered as I pushed further, and once I was all the way in, she let out a small scream.
I sucked on her skin, wishing I could comfort her, but there was no stopping this. I mixed her blood with my venom and slowly pushed it back into her using my fangs. Her screams gradually turned into quiet moans.
I released her wrists and hair as I retracted my fangs and pulled her back. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, and tears stained her cheeks.
She seemed to be in a daze but didnât immediately pass out like before. Blood was trickling down her chest and staining her bra, but I could still see it.
I licked and gently sucked on the area. The marks were there, surrounded by a small circle, and her skin had sunk in a bit.
I scooped up my tiny mate and carried her to the bathroom to clean her up and let her rest before our final night in this godforsaken city.