Chapter 171
Chapter 171:
“Yeah,” I said simply. Ace wasn’t playing games… He was tugging and tugging. He wants her. Our mate.
“Why?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
She bit her lip. She freaking bit her lip. What kind of torture compares to this?
I grunted. Was she even aware of what she was doing to me? I doubted it… The innocence in her eyes?
I swallowed hard, feeling Ace go quiet in my head. There was no point in dodging the truth, not with the bond humming between us like a live wire.
“Because you’re my mate,” I said, the words firm and unyielding. “And I want to take care of you p>
Not just take care of you, I also want to be freaking buried inside of you. Her breath hitched, her fingers tightening around the cup. For a moment, she looked like she might argue, but then her shoulders sagged, and she exhaled slowly.
“You don’t have to do that,” she murmured, her gaze dropping to the tea.
“I want to,” I said, stepping closer until I was standing beside the bed. “And it’s not just the bond, Jasmine. It’s you p>
Her head snapped up, her eyes widened as they peered into mine. By the goddess, Jasmine was going to be the end of me. Definitely. Her face pulled into a frown, like she wanted to tell me something, but then she pursed her lips, her gaze shooting up at me instead.
That innocent look… was it just me, or was she looking prettier as the days went on?
She bit her lips again, looking away.
“What’s that?” Ace was alerted, as he sniffed… her arousal.
“Fuck it p>
This was definitely the end of me.
“We can’t do this, Ace. Yesterday we went too rough on her. We can’t do this today p>
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⫽𝖼𝗈𝗺
Ace growled.
“She needs to rest.” I was fighting him.
Her arousal was strong, hitting my nose, and the more I tried to fight it, the stronger it got. What the hell was she thinking? Why was she torturing me? “Jasmine p>
“Ryder p>
We both called at the same time. I frowned, though I loved how my name rolled off her mouth. But definitely, I’d prefer a sweeter name.
I turned to her, my gaze locking onto hers for a brief moment, then leaned in just a little closer. My voice dropped low, deliberately teasing.
“Ryder?” I grinned, dragging my name out with mock softness. “Is that how you call your husband p>
Her eyes widened just enough to give me a satisfying glimpse of how my words were hitting their mark. She didn’t even try to hide the flush creeping up her neck, the heat radiating off her only making me want her more.
I could feel Ace stirring within me, his pulse matching mine, raw and hungry. Her flustered reaction was a goddamn trigger, pushing every limit I’d been holding back.
She stammered, the confusion in her voice like music to my ears.
“Last I checked,” she said, lifting her hand and waving her fingers in my face, “there’s no ring here p>
And just like that, the air between us shifted. Ace growled—deep, guttural—and I could feel his fury burning through the bond. No ring? No claim?
She had no fucking idea what she was playing with.