face, the stubble tickling her palm as he held her tight to him as if afraid to let go. This big alpha protector was shaken by what had happened, and she wanted to soothe him.
“I love you too, more than you’ll ever know, and I’m so sorry.”
Her finger found his lips, stopping the apology that wasn’t his to give. “No, this isn’t yours to make. Frederick alone did this, and he’s dead now and can’t hurt you anymore.”
“Maybe not, but I do regret that Frederick took you.”
“I know, but none of this is on you. You’re everything he wasn’t. I used to think you were stuffy, but you’re not. You’re solid and dependable, kind, and sexy as sin.”
“Oh yeah?”
She grazed her lips over his ear, her hand sliding the zip of his fly down so she could feel the hard length of him in her hand. His breath hissed out as she grasped his erection, sweeping her hand over the pre-cum gathered at the tip.
Jack cupped her chin, forcing her eyes to him. “I need to feel you, firefly.”
“Then take me, Jack.”
He stood with her in his arms and placed her ass on the edge of his desk. Sweeping his hand wide, paperwork and stationery fell to the floor as he cleared his desk for her. His hand in the centre of her chest, he pushed until she was half lying on his desk, her feet dangling to the floor as he stepped between her legs. He looked magnificent, all dark and brooding but with the soft light of love on his face for her—only ever her.
His eyes devoured her, the blue her favourite storm, his hands stroked over her skin as he drew her sweats—the only thing she could find in his locker to wear—down her legs, taking her panties with them. His palm pressed to her mound, the heel of it applying delicious pressure to her clit.
She moaned as she reached for his cock, stroking over him as he positioned himself at her entrance. This wasn’t about making love, this was about affirming life and their connection. Jack swept his cock through the wetness of her desire as he reached behind his nape with one hand and drew his shirt over his head, revealing the bruise from the bullet hitting the vest and the defined muscles which made her so tongue-tied.
“Lose the shirt, firefly.”
She had no argument when he went all alpha on her; it turned her on like nothing else. Shucking her shirt, she saw pleasure tinge his cheeks when he saw she was braless.
He gripped her hips and pushed into her, hard and fast, her body instantly adjusting to his size as she cried out in pleasure. The feeling of being full as she pulsed around his dick made her whimper. He didn’t stop to let her adjust but began to fuck her hard and fast, his face a mask of brutal strength and beauty.
“Promise you’ll never leave me.”
His words affected her, making her feel wanted, needed. “Yes.”
“Say it. Say the words.”
“I’ll never leave you, Jack. I’m yours.”
She felt him shudder as he began to move faster, his thumb on her clit, the desk moving with each thrust.
“And I’m yours, firefly, for as long as you want me or until the day I die.”
Her heart and body felt full of love for this man, and she knew she’d never stop loving him. He was her soulmate, and she was his. “Never. I’ll never not want you, Jack.”
“My soulmate, my heart.”
Her body pulsed and her climax hit, almost drowning out the beauty of his words, but he whispered them against her neck as he let his climax take him and collapsed against her body, her arms holding him tight against her.
“I love you, firefly. I don’t deserve you, and I certainly don’t know what you see in me when you’re such rare beauty both inside and out, but I’ll never stop loving you or thanking the universe that I have you.”
“Jack, you’re so…”
His finger covered her lips. “Don’t ruin it, firefly.”
Astrid laughed, feeling free for the first time in a decade. She still had battles to fight, but she’d do them with this man by her side.
It felt strange to be back at the Palace. Her perspective of it had changed now she knew her man had links to this place and any children they might have would too. They hadn’t discussed kids, but she knew she wanted them with Jack and that he’d make a wonderful