Chapter 17

She slips on an oversized band shirt, and my heart stills.It’s one of mine.

“Most people can’t fight off an assassin.”

“Most people don’t deserve to be in your orbit,” I counter, black eyes narrowed.

She turns, the shirt barely reaching the top of her thigh, and I exhale.Fuck.

“Linwood—”

“How is he, by the way?” I taunt, standing abruptly. I need something to soothe this ball of rage that wants to break something. Preferably him.

Stalking over to her, I inhale her scent and groan. “Did he fuck you the way you like?”

Jealousy rises like an ugly wave, clawing up my throat. I don’t fight it, I won’t. There’s no point. It can’t burn me worse than the ignored love searing my heart.

Her cheeks flush, and she snorts. “How is thatanyof your concern?”

I tsk, moving so close our chests brush. This close, I can see the gold flecks in her eyes. The ones that remind me of the fires of Hell—where this fucking love will take me.

For her, I’d go.

“Oh, Princess,” I coo. “He looks like there isn’t much in those expensive dress slacks anyway. Is that what happened? Dick too small? He can’t find the clit?” I grin wolfishly as she glares, cheeks bright red. My finger draws up her exposed leg, enough to fan the flames of longing. “After feeding you like a child, the least he could have done is fucked youproperly.”

She steps away. “Need to know the positions we tried?” she taunts, eyes hard. “Or maybe how many times he made me come? I can’t remember exactly, but I can try?—”

Wrapping her wet locks around my fist, I make her look up at me, smirking grotesquely. There’s a bite of pain as she flinches, but she doesn’t make a sound. I want her to hurt as much as I am—maybe more.

“Unless you want me going into his apartment and gutting him in his sleep, you’ll keep your mouth fuckingshut,” I growl.

Maeve scoffs, lips twisting into a nasty smile. “What’s wrong, Killian? Can’t handle knowing I’ve had others in my bed?”

“Shutup,” I whisper, deadly coiled. Jealousy lodges in my stomach, burning me from the inside out.

“You can’t think you’re the only one.” She snorts. “Thearrogance. Newsflash: you’re notthatgood.”

My control snaps, and I lunge forward, crashing my lips against hers.

Slamming us into her bedroom door, we collide, tongues and teeth biting. The tang of blood hits my mouth, and I moan, lapping it up like it’ll give me life. Because that’s what Maeve is. Life, love, destruction—mydestruction.

Her soft curves give under my weight, and I move my knee, pinning her to the door. She whimpers, and my cock hardens. I know that sound—I’ve had dreams about hearing it again. It’s my fucking salvation.

My fingers dig into her skull, painfully holding her as I pour every bit of my want through the kiss. I want to claim, take all ofhistouch from her, cut it away, so only mine remains.

Pulling back, I suck on her bottom lip, running my tongue roughly over her cut.

“I don’t care if you’ve had a different lover for every day we’ve been apart,” I mumble, chest heaving, heart pumping wildly. I’ve had nightmares about never kissing Maeve again, and yet, here it is. “I’ll strip every single one of their touches from your body, burn all traces of you with my lips. I’ll lick your pussy clean of their cum and then fill you up with mine. I’m theonlyone who fucking matters, Maeve.Me.”

Shocked, she raises her fingers to her bruised lips. Now she looks wrecked. This is how she should have looked coming home from his place. Fucking annihilated.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” she whispers, eyes wide.

“No, you’re right. I should have done it sooner.”

Just knowing I’ve replacedReese’skisses with mine spurs me on.

“I can’t fucking stand knowing he’s had you,” I mumble, looking down at our legs tangled together. God, they look perfectlike that. Two halves back together. “I want my touch to be the last one you know.”

“Killian, I’m with?—”