His Virgin Mate(52)

I had not expected her to see everything. In that moment I became truly vulnerable, standing before her, awaiting judgment.

I hunted. I killed. That side of me was part of my nature, part of my reason for being. Yes, I served the Coalition Fleet and my people, did things no one else could do. But that did not mean the reality of my life would be any easier for her to bear. I had foolishly assumed I could keep her from knowing the darkness in me. She was goodness and life, innocence and warmth. If she turned from me now, I wasn’t sure I could survive the loss.

“Lexi.” Her name. It was the only word I had, and a lifetime of longing, of loneliness, went into it.

“It’s true. I wanted to see the challenge, to see you beat the major.” She lifted her hands to my face, holding my jaw, keeping me close, so close our breaths mingled in the small space between us. “But in reality, I couldn’t bear to wait until later to see you. I felt you get hurt and I…I needed to know you were okay. I’m yours, Von. But you’re mine, too.”

Lexi went up on her tiptoes and kissed me, the first time she’d initiated our contact, the first time she’d made love to me. With a soft moan, I wrapped my arms around her and crushed her to me as she molded her body to mine.

Yes. This was what I needed. My mate, warm and responsive in my arms, offering me solace and acceptance, offering me everything.

Forcing myself to end the kiss, I took her wrist and led her to the bed, felt the thrum of her rapid pulse.

“That wasn’t a dream, but a nightmare. Somehow you were with me on our mission. I didn’t want that for you, but it seems marked mates can’t keep much of anything from each other.”

I sat on the edge of my bed and pulled her to stand between my parted knees. She was at just the right height for me to take a hard nipple into my mouth.

“After the dr…nightmare, I have complete faith in your abilities. I’m sorry I didn’t understand about today. I didn’t mean to place myself in danger, but you can’t hide me away to keep me safe.”

“Yes, I can,” I countered, moving my hands to her narrow waist.

“No, Von. Maybe you don’t understand what it means to have a mate. I will worry about you. I will be afraid for you, no matter how skilled you are in battle. And I was with my friends. I assumed the only person who might be in danger at the challenge was you.”

“You doubt my abilities,” I grumbled.

“No. I’m in love with you. You’re mine. You worry about me, I worry about you. That’s how it works.”

“Yes, but your worries were unfounded,” I added, thinking of how weak Cosmo was. “Cosmo was no threat to me.”

“I understand that now. But I wanted to see you and make sure you were all right. I didn’t know the others would get all handsy.”

“You are an unclaimed female. You are beautiful. You were alone.” I covered her lips with my fingers when she opened her mouth to protest. “Before you say Katie and Dani were with you, they, too, are unclaimed and unprotected. The company of another unmated female does not shield you from the advances or seductions of eager potential mates.”

“Yes, I understand now.”

“So you will be spanked for not listening to me.”

She tried to step back but I held fast.

“I will not,” she said, her voice very adamant.

I slid my hands down her legs over her dress until I reached the hem, then changed directions and worked my way back up, this time on her bare skin. Higher and higher I went until I cupped her bottom. Her bare bottom.

“You went to a challenge with your pussy bare?” I barked.

This pussy was mine.

“I… I did it for you, so after—”

Her words cooled my anger, but made my balls ache.

Pushing the dress up, I lifted it over her head, dropped it to the floor with all the haste of an eager lover.

My breath hissed out as I looked my fill. Pale skin, upturned breasts, tight nipples, slightly rounded belly, flared hips, perfect pussy.

“After, what? What did you hope would occur?”

“I hoped you would claim me, make me yours.” Her voice got quiet, perhaps even shy. She had not yet learned to tell me exactly what she needed, but she would, in time. Someday I hoped to return home to find her sprawled naked in my bed with her legs open wide. She would smile and lift her breasts, and beg me to make her scream.

“You’re so beautiful, mate. Perfect,” I murmured as I nuzzled her breast. Her fingers rose to tangle in my hair and hold me to her. The gesture soothed me as nothing else could. The scent of her welcoming heat drifted to me, the sweetness of her skin a balm to my senses. But it was her touch, filled with such love and trust, that unmade me. I would do anything for this woman. Fight. Kill. Beg. Steal. Break my vows to the other Hunters and the Fleet. I would lie down and die in her place with no question, and the intensity of the feeling running through me made me tremble.