Chapter 85 DID HE...?
MERRIELYNN.
When we got back to Cormac’s apartment, he didn’t say a word.
He slammed his keys onto the coffee table with no care, the loud clatter making me glance at him. My eyes followed his movements.
Without looking at me, he strode to the kitchen.
I stood awkwardly near the door, watching him. He came back a moment later, shirtless, with something in his hand. I couldn’t see what it was, but his face was tense, and he didn’t stop or say anything as he walked straight to the balcony.
I exhaled, not realizing I’d been holding my breath.
Cormac had been distant the whole drive back, and now he was even more so. Part of me wanted to follow him, but I knew better. Instead, I focused on finding my things.
I spotted my phone on the bed and slid it into my bag. My clothes from before were still folded neatly. I packed them up, ready to leave.
The sooner I got out of here, the better. Cormac clearly had his own stuff to deal with, and I didn’t need to get in the way.
But as I stood by the bed, holding my bag, I hesitated. Something about leaving without saying anything felt… wrong. I sighed, setting the bag down and heading toward the balcony.
When I stepped outside, the cool evening air hit me first.
Cormac was sitting on a chair with his feet propped up, facing the city skyline.
He seemed less tense, but as I got closer, I noticed his eyes were closed. For a moment, I just stood there, studying him.
There was a cigarette pack and lighter resting on his thighs, with a single cigarette tucked behind his ear.
His dark hair was messy, falling over his forehead, and the way the fading sunlight hit his skin made him look almost unreal. It struck me again, like it always did—how handsome he was.
Sometimes, it hurt just to look at him.
I reached out, touching his bare shoulder lightly. “Cormac,” I said softly.
His eyes snapped open, and I jumped back as his canines suddenly elongated, tearing into his bottom lip. He cursed, his voice rough, and licked his lips.
I stared, wide-eyed, as the two cuts on his lip healed almost instantly.
“What the hell was that?” I blurted out, still trying to process what I’d just seen.
He sighed, leaning back in his chair, his voice detached. “It happens sometimes.”
“That’s not an answer,” I said, crossing my arms. His gaze slid up to mine, and we locked eyes. For a moment, neither of us said anything.
“I want to go home,” I said finally, breaking the silence.
This time, he didn’t argue.
He just nodded.
I turned and went back inside, heading for his bedroom to grab my bag.
Cormac followed me, though he didn’t say anything. When I reached for my bag, I glanced over and saw him rummaging through the top drawer of his dresser, probably looking for another shirt.
I hesitated, the words forming in my mind before I could stop them. Cause despite today’s events, we still had a pressing matter at hand. “When are we going to take care of the…problem?”
He paused, glancing at me. “What problem?”
I rolled my eyes. “Like what just happened out there. Your teeth don’t just come out randomly, do they?”
He didn’t answer, which was answer enough.
I frowned. “It’s because of your rut, isn’t it?”
Cormac turned to face me fully, his expression tight. “And?”
“So, when are we going to take care of it?” I asked, meeting his gaze.
For a second, I thought he was going to brush me off again.
Instead, he folded his arms across his chest, his stance easy but his eyes getting more and more intense by the minute. “What are you doing right now?”
His question caught me off guard.
I blinked at him, the meaning behind his words sinking in slowly.
My heart raced, and I swallowed hard.
He was right—this might actually be the perfect time.
I didn’t know what would happen next, but I… didn’t want to back down.
The air between us… grew heavier.
Slowly, he took a few steps toward me.
He lifted a single eye brow.
Like he was challenging me.
Well I wasn’t going to back down or away.
I lifted my chin, “Well, I don’t see why n––”
He didn’t wait for me to finish before he pulled me in and kissed me. Hard.
He pulled me to him and moulded his lips to mine with a bruising force.
I moaned out, tilting my head back. And that’s when he tore his body away from mine suddenly.
Cormac spoke into the sudden silence. “Tell me what I can do. I won’t push you if you don’t want this.”
It sounded crazy, but I did want this.
And it was only fair to help him out of the situation I put him in.
“I want you to keep going,” My voice came out smaller than I wanted it to. “Don’t stop.”
Cormac let out a ragged breath, scrubbing his hand over his mouth. “Are you inexperienced?”
Slowly, I nodded.
“Fuck.” He cursed, backing away from me. And then he asked, “Are you sure about this?”
He looked at me, his gaze so potent I was surprised I didn’t disintegrate from how intense it felt on me.
I hesitated.
Sure, part of me wanted to pull away... but another part wanted to let go—to stop thinking and just feel.
“Don’t think, Cormac.” I whispered, inching close enough to kiss him. And when I closed the distance between us this time, I could tell I’d won.
I could feel his hesitation and the pull of his restraint as his hands trailed upward on my body, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
The tension built almost... painfully.
The space between us felt charged—like the air itself was alive with all the things we weren’t saying.
He took me to his bedroom.
Stripped me till I was standing naked in front of him.
I took a step closer until I could feel the heat of him. His hand came up, brushing his thumb along my jaw before tilting my chin up.
When he kissed me, I forgot everything else happening around us.
His lips moved against mine like he’d kissed me a hundred times before this and not just once. My hands found his shoulders, steadying myself as the world tilted slightly beneath my feet.
It felt unreal.
The taste of him was dizzying, and the sound of his quiet breath against my skin made my pulse race as he nipped and bit along my skin, my neck, kissing and pulling between his teeth till I had to press my thighs together to keep standing on my feet.
When he drew back, our foreheads touched, and for a moment, neither of us said a word.
He looked down at me, eyes dark as he murmured, voice low. “I’ve got you.”
And then he walked me toward the bed, where he laid me down and wrecked havoc on my body.
By the time I came up for air, my thighs were trembling and my body was covered with a light sheen of sweat.
My clothes? I didn’t know where they were anymore.
The hard lines of Cormac’s muscles were all I could see in the darkness. He was panting as hard as I was as he watched me cover my naked breasts with my arm.
All I could hear was the sound of us breathing the same air.
He rose up on his knees, his broad chest heaving as he drawled, “Lay down for me. I’m not done.”
The heat in his gaze had to match the inferno swallowing up my body as his eyes drank in every inch of me his mouth was just on.
I rested my back against the sheets once again as he crawled over me. His green eyes were the only thing in my vision before he kissed me again.
“Do you have a condom? I breathed, my voice shaky.
Cormac’s body tensed over mine.
So... obviously.
He began to pull away, but my hands dug into his shoulders, “What’s wrong?”
“Let’s not-”
“No.” I cut him off.
We’d already come this far.
He rested his hands on either side of me, and then his forehead dropped to mine.
Our breaths intertwined.
“What’s wrong?”
He shook his head, his breathing coming out ragged, “I can’t.”
“Why?”
“ I just can’t…”
He trailed off as my hand drifted lower, running over the obvious bulge in his sweatpants. His body leaned forward, pressing into my hand.
“You want this,” I whispered, reaching up to cup his face, “Just as much as I do.”
“Do you want this?”
My hand slipped into the waistband, sinking into his briefs. He held his breath, and I hesitated for a second before wrapping my hand around him.
It pulsed in my grip at the same time he let out a low curse.
“S-show me what to… what to do.”
He didn’t move a muscle.
I whispered, “Please,”
He shook his head slowly, then his hand came down over mine, assisting me to graze the length of him. His jaw tensed.
I stroked his erection, up and down, gaining confidence and tightening my grip the faster I went.
He fisted the pillow above my head, a groan slipping out of him as he leaned down and kissed me again.
Feverish.
Hot.
My toes curled.
And then I felt wetness coating my hands, as he tensed and cursed over me.
Holy shit.
Did he…
Did I just.
I looked down, seeing the glistening mess.
I did that… to Cormac Graves.
His fingers came down on my chin, forcing my gaze up to meet his.
Dark, blazing green eyes held mine captive before he leaned down and kissed me again.
Our heartbeats merged. Our limbs tangled... and my heart felt thick with a feeling I was scared of uttering out.