Chapter 156 Chapter 156
Violet
It was sudden, catching me mid-sentence, stealing the words right out of my mouth. His lips pressed against mine with desperate intensity, like he could pour all his conviction into this one kiss.
I resisted for maybe half a second before melting into him, my hands coming up to grip his shirt. He tasted like mint and something darker, something uniquely him. His hands slid from my shoulders to my waist, pulling me flush against him.
“El…” I began but his tongue flicked deeper into my mouth as his fingers buried themselves in my hair. I was plucked off the floor and then thrown on the bed in an instant.
The soft mattress caught me, and before I could catch my breath, Elijah was over me, his body hovering just inches away, his eyes locked on mine with a tenderness that made my heart ache.
The room around us faded, the dim lamplight casting warm shadows on the walls of his bedroom. It was just us, suspended in this fragile moment where fears and doubts felt a little less heavy.
He leaned down slowly, giving me time to pull away if I wanted to. But I didn't. I couldn't.
Instead, I reached up, tracing the line of his jaw with my fingertips, feeling the faint stubble there that spoke of his restless days.
His eyes softened, and he pressed a gentle kiss to my palm, then my wrist, trailing feather-light touches up my arm until his lips found mine again.
This kiss was different…slower, deeper, like he was savoring every second.
His tongue danced with mine in a rhythm that sent warmth spreading through my chest, down to my core. I arched slightly beneath him, my body responding instinctively, craving the closeness like I had starved for it all my life.
Elijah's hands were everywhere and nowhere all at once. The gentle explorations made me feel cherished rather than claimed.
He cupped my face as he kissed me, thumbs brushing away the stray tear that had escaped during my earlier confession. "You're not ruining anything," he whispered against my lips, his breath warm and reassuring. "You're saving me."
I wanted to argue, to list all the ways this could go wrong, but the words dissolved as he shifted, his mouth moving to my neck.
He nuzzled the sensitive skin there, planting soft kisses that made me shiver. My hands slipped under his shirt, feeling the hard planes of his back, the muscles tense with restrained desire. He was so strong, yet with me, he held back, letting me set the pace.
"Violet," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that vibrated against my collarbone.
He pulled back just enough to tug his shirt over his head, revealing the broad expanse of his chest, marked faintly by old scars from pack skirmishes I'd only heard whispers about. I traced one with my finger, and he caught my hand, kissing my knuckles before guiding it to his heart. It beat steadily, fiercely, for me.
Emboldened, I sat up slightly, my fingers working the buttons of my blouse with trembling hands. Elijah watched, his gaze full of admiration, not hunger—at least, not yet.
When the fabric parted, exposing my skin to the cool air, he helped ease it off my shoulders, his touch reverent as he kissed the newly bared curve of my shoulder.
“Did I tell you how beautiful you are?” He murmured against my skin.
“Not really” I replied honestly.
His brows furrowed as if he was wondering if I had lied but then he looked me in the eye and replied.
He slowly reached for the rest of my clothes, shedding layers in unhurried silence until we were bare against each other, skin to skin in his bed.
“Well then I will tell you now. You are the most beautiful creation of the Moon Goddess, both inside and outside. So you can’t be toxic, can you?”
The world outside, with its threats and judgments, couldn't touch us here. Elijah's body was warm and solid above mine, but he didn't rush.
He settled between my legs, his hardness pressing gently against me, as I stared at his tattoos.
"Tell me if you want to stop," he said softly, his forehead resting against mine, our breaths mingling.
"I don't," I whispered, pulling him closer. "I need this. I need you."
His eyes searched mine one last time, then he kissed me again, slow and deep, as he shifted his hips.
The tip of him nudged at my entrance, and I gasped at the intimate contact, my body already slick with anticipation. He entered me inch by inch, so carefully, giving me time to adjust to the fullness of him. It was a connection, a slow burn that built from my toes to the tips of my fingers.
Elijah's arms braced on either side of me, let me breathe in for a moment and began to move with gentle thrusts that rocked us together in a steady rhythm, each one drawing a soft sigh from my lips. My hands roamed his back, nails grazing lightly, urging him on without words.
Pleasure coiled low in my belly, as he kissed my neck, my breasts, whispering my name like a prayer.
"You're beautiful," he breathed, his lips brushing my ear. "So perfect." His hand slipped between us, fingers finding the sensitive bundle of nerves at my core, circling with just the right pressure to make stars burst behind my eyelids.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, until I was trembling beneath him, my breaths coming in short gasps. Elijah's pace quickened just a touch, his own control fraying as he watched my face.
"Elijah," I moaned, my voice breaking as the wave crested.
Release washed over me in gentle pulses, my inner walls clenching around him, drawing him with me. He followed moments later, a low groan escaping his throat as he spilled inside me, his body shuddering with the intensity of it.
We clung to each other through the aftershocks, hearts pounding in unison. Elijah didn't pull away. Instead, he rolled us so I lay atop him, his arms encircling me protectively.
His fingers traced lazy patterns on my back, and I nestled my head against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the fear receded, replaced by a quiet peace. But even in this serenity, I couldn't shake the gratitude swelling in my chest. And with it the guilt of his mom’s words began to grow heavy as well.
Lifting my head, I met his gaze, those deep eyes that always seemed to see right through me. There was a hunger there now, simmering just beneath the surface, not wild but intense, like a fire banked but ready to flare.
"Thank you," I said softly, my fingers brushing his cheek. "For standing against Nate. For choosing me over... everything."
At the mention of Nate's name, Elijah's eyes darkened, flaring with a dangerous glint that made my pulse quicken.