\[Rosco’s POV\]
I stare down at Denali as she stares up at me with sparkling eyes full of anticipation and a silent emotion that she is refusing to speak. I noticed it earlier in the day but didn’t think much of it, but by the way, she remains quiet and almost seems to be holding back. I can't stop myself from wanting to know what is going on in her head.
“What’s wrong?” She murmurs, running her hands down my back and causing delicious tingles to rush through me. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Remaining silent, I continue to stare at her, wondering if I asked what was in that beautiful head of hers if she would tell me. I knew that we still had a way to go, but we also made a lot of progress, and I hoped that by now she would be completely honest with me.
“I’m just wondering,” I begin, leaning down and kissing her lips. “What is going on in that head of yours?"
Up until this point, I was more than able to read people, and even before now, I was able to read Denali. I could only assume that whatever it was she was keeping from me was so important to keep a secret that she would actually work so hard to hide it.
"I..." she begins, before worriedly chewing her lips. “There’s something I want to say, but I’m afraid to say it.”
Something she was afraid to say? I don’t know why, but something about that leaves me uneasy. Was it something that I wasn’t going to like hearing? That was all it could be, right? Otherwise, why would she be afraid?
Immediately, my mind begins to whirl with what it could possibly be and what the result of saying it would be. She couldn’t possibly be wanting to leave me due to fear of our newly awakened bond, could she? Or did she already know that she wasn’t the only one who shared the bond with me?
Fuck! Was I too obvious back there? Did I let on that I felt the bond with both her and Elise?
“Hey,” Denali murmurs, snapping me out of the spiral that was beginning to take over. “I think I should be the one asking what is going on in your head. You look ready to kill someone.”
Flinching, I realize too late that I was actually letting my emotions show due to how comfortable I was with her, and I instantly regret it.
Leaning down, I wrap my arms around Denali and pull her close while nuzzling my head against her shoulder. A shiver races through her body as she begins to tangle her arms and legs around me, and in the moment, I just want to melt into her.
“If I say what I want, will you promise to not run away?”
Frowning, I pull away enough to stare into her eyes, but even now I can’t tell what it is that she wants to say.
“I would never run away from you, mi reina,” I murmur, kissing her. “And it’s driving me crazy that you’re keeping something from me.”
For a moment, Denali doesn’t speak as she continues to take me in, and when she finally decides to open up.
"I..." she begins again, hiding her face in my chest. “I…ove…ou.”
Her voice is muffled as she speaks, but from what I can hear, I feel my heart clench, and not in a bad way.
“Can you repeat that?” I ask, reaching down and gently cupping her chin. “I didn’t quite hear.”
Smirking, I watch as her cheeks flush a beautiful pink from embarrassment over already saying it and having to say it again.
“I already said it,” she murmurs. “Are you going to really make me say it again?”
“I didn’t hear it, mi reina,” I chuckle. “So does it constitute as really saying it?”
I knew that picking on her wasn’t exactly the way to go about it, but I wanted to hear it. I wanted to hear those three words with every fucking fiber of my being.
“Please,” I continue, widening my eyes and jutting out my lip. “Repeat it, mi reina.”
As I speak, I run my hand down her side and then slowly begin to let my fingers trail along the plains of her ass, and when I reach I give it a squeeze and pull her harder against me so a gasp of excitement and shock escapes her lips.
“Let me hear it,” I husk, nipping at her ear and then her jaw. “I want to hear it, mi reina, are you really not going to tell me?”
Growing quiet, I continue to attack her body while moans escape her lips, and when she loosens herself from around me and rolls over, I know that she is giving in. Staring up at me, she opens her legs and then gives me an expectant look, and I know I’ve got her.
“You want this?” I ask, sliding my hand between her thighs and dipping my fingers between her folds. “Only if you repeat what you said.”
Smirking, I push my finger into her core and hook it.
“Rosco,” she whimpers, spreading her legs wider. “Please.”
“Only if you repeat what you said, mi reina,” I counter, pulling my finger out. “If you won’t say it, I won’t give you what you want.”
Once again, I push my finger into her and begin to slowly move it, but when she starts to roll her hips along with my motions, I stop and watch her.
“Say it, mi reina,” I order, grabbing her arms and pinning them above her head before I wrap my mouth around her nipple. “Before I torture it out of you.”
If she didn’t want to openly repeat, I was more than willing to make her say it. To this point, I had gone easy on her because I didn’t want to scare her away, but I was done holding back my true self.
“What will it be, mi reina?”
"I..." she whimpers as I shove another finger into her. “I…”
By how much wetter she was growing, I knew that she was actually growing interested in the torture I was mentioning, but when she finally nods and then swallows, I know she is going to say those three words again.
“I love you,” she whispers, looking so fucking adorable in her embarrassment. “I love you, Rosco.”
I never in my life thought that hearing three simple words would make my soul come alive, but in that instant, I felt like everything was so much brighter and that I was truly alive for the first time.
“Please say something,” she whispers as I continue to just stare down at her, unspeaking. “I…”
“I love you too,” I murmur before slamming my mouth against hers while my fingers begin to work her. “So fucking much, mi reina.”
Until this moment, I didn’t realize that those were the words that I wanted to hear, but now that I have, I want to hear them again and again.
“Say it again,” I growl, pushing my fingers deeper into her. “I want to hear it again, mi reina.”
As I speak, I quicken my actions until I feel her beginning to grow close, and then I remove my fingers.
“Rosco,” she whimpers in disappointment. “Why?”
“What did I say?”
Tightening my hold, I grab her breast and give it a squeeze before letting her nipple slip between my fingers so that I can pitch it and then pull.
“I want you to say those words again.”
I wasn’t going to be satisfied until I heard them a thousand or even a million times. They were like a drug and just one hit from them and I was already addicted.
“I love you,” Denali rasps, beginning to wriggle. “I love you, Rosco.”
“That’s it,” I growl, moving my hand between her thighs once more so that I can begin to finger her while my thumb works her clit. “Again.”
“I love you,” she repeats for the fourth time. “I love you.”
“That’s a good girl,” I murmur in satisfaction. “Keep saying it.”
“I love you.” She moans as she finally reaches orgasm. “Oh goddess, Rosco.”
“From this point on, you’re mine, and you’ll never escape,” I hiss, pulling my hand free and shifting my body so that I’m on top of her. “And if you dare attempt to leave, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth, do you understand?”
“I do,” she beams, pushing herself against me. “And I wouldn’t dare leave you. I love you, truly. Now, fuck me.”
"Yes, maam,” I grin, giving her exactly what she wants. “Your every fucking wish is my command.”