He hovered above me, breath shaking, the heat of him pressed against me as he whispered, "Tell me now. If you don't want this, if you don't want me, say it. I'll stop."
Gods… The way his voice broke on it. The way he meant every word. The way he held himself back even though he was trembling with need, It hit me like a strike to the ribs: He wasn't taking anything from me. He was offering. If I let him have me like this, beneath him, pinned, passive. I wouldn't just be saying yes. I'd be repeating old patterns. I'd be surrendering the ground I'd spent years trying to reclaim. No. Not this time. Not with him. I lifted my hand and pressed two fingers to his lips, stopping whatever tender plea was about to spill out next. "I want you," I whispered. "Just not like this."
His brows furrowed, confused, worried, ready to pull away. Before he could, I pushed against his chest, guiding him back, rolling us with a burst of courage I didn't know I had. He let me move him. Easily, instantly, falling onto his back as if my slightest touch was command enough. I climbed into his lap, straddling him, looking down into his stunned, wrecked expression. "I'm saying yes, but I'm taking the lead. I want you, Malvor."
He broke. All that teasing restraint he'd been holding onto? Gone. His mouth crashed into mine, hungry, reckless, perfect. His hands were everywhere. Hot on my waist, sliding up my ribs, cupping my breasts, tweaking and pinching each nipple. Holding me like he needed to memorize the feel of my skin before he forgot his own name. I kissed him back like I wanted to pull him inside my lungs. Somewhere in the chaos of heat and breath and hands, a thought burned through me: I don't want to be beneath anyone ever again. Not tonight. Not with him. This is mine.
I pulled away from our kiss with a wet pop. He froze, breath shaking, eyes dark with lust. "Annie…?"
Oh gods, his face, he looked like I'd just taken his entire universe and tilted it on its axis. "I said I want you," I said, grinding my hips into his hard length.
His jaw dropped. Actually dropped. Then a slow, wicked, reverent smile curled across his mouth. "Oh… oh, darling. You're going to ruin me."
"Good," I said, leaning in until my lips brushed his. "I plan to." His hands hovered at my hips, not grabbing, not guiding, just waiting. Letting me decide. Letting me choose. It poured something molten and overwhelming through me. His gaze dragged over my body, hungry and awed, tattoos flickering gold beneath my palms. "You are... gods, Annie, you are unreal."
"You talk too much," I muttered, and kissed him just to shut him up. Then I shifted. Just enough for both of us to feel the hot, thick promise of him waiting between us.
Oh gods. I looked down. What. The. Actual. HELL. I blinked. "Malvor… what the actual fuck."
He smirked. Smirked. "Exactly as big as I wanted it to be."
"You arrogant tower of chaos, where does that even GO?!"
"Oh, Annie," he purred, "you tell me." He didn't move. He didn't push. He didn't guide. He just watched me with something between awe and torment, hands barely touching my waist like if he gripped too hard he'd break the moment. And gods help me… I loved it. I slid my palms up his chest, feeling his breath stutter beneath my fingers. This was mine. My choice. My pace. My danger. My pleasure. I used both hands to hold him in place. I braced myself, inhaled, and began to lower my hips toward him. I rolled my hips praying it would go in. I rocked until it finally pushed past the tight barrier of my body.
The heat hit first. Then the pressure. Then... Oh. Oh gods. There it was. A sharp, sweet ache, a hot stretch of reality bending around want. My breath tore out in a helpless gasp, my body clenching, trembling, adjusting. His hands flew to my hips, not to hold me down, but to steady himself.
"Annie— fuck—" His voice cracked. "You're… gods, you're perfect. So tight, hot and wet."
I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry, scream, or laugh hysterically. "Spell tower," I muttered through gritted teeth. "Absolute menace."
His laugh was ragged, broken, wrecked. "You're going to kill me."
"Good," I whispered, lowering myself a little more. "Die pretty."
The burn sharpened as I began to move slowly up and down. It softened into molten heat. My breath hitched, eyes fluttering as my body finally began to accept him. To welcome him. To want more. He swallowed hard, head falling back, tattoos blazing gold with magic across his skin. "You're… you're choosing this. You're choosing me. Gods, Annie…"
His words empowered me. I rolled my hips experimentally. His entire soul left his body. He made a sound I'll be replaying on my deathbed. "Chaos take me, do that again."
I did. Slow at first, letting my body adjust, letting the heat bloom and spread, letting myself feel every shiver, every clench, every pulse of pleasure unfurling from deep inside me. I felt full. In the best way. Like my body was pushed to its limit. Like I was made for this. His hands slid to my breasts. He rolled my nipple in his fingers then trailed his tongue over the ache. His eyes never left mine. Dark. Worshipful. Wrecked.
"You are… gods, you are everything," he breathed.
"Then hold still," I whispered, leaning forward. "Let me take what's mine."
I moved. Slow. Then deeper. Then faster. Finding a rhythm that made my breath break into sharp, choked little sounds I couldn't have held back if I tried. He groaned like he was being dragged into the abyss by bliss alone. His hands tightened on my hips, not guiding, just trying to survive me.
"Annie... I can't, I can't think... gods—"
"Good, stop thinking." I rocked against him harder, chasing the heat building under my skin, feeling it coil tight in my spine, my thighs, my breath. His eyes rolled back for a moment, and he sucked in a shaking breath like he was fighting for control.
"Come with me," he begged, voice ruined. "Don't... don't leave me behind—"
"I'm right here with you..." I could feel my orgasm building so close. He reached between us, just a brush of his fingers where I was already trembling barely holding on. His fingers rubbed my clit with amazing skill. Oh, Oh gods, I shattered. The pleasure tore through me so hard my vision went white. My whole body shook, arching, clenching, riding every wave until I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't speak.
He broke with me. His hands dragged me into his chest as he groaned into my neck, body shaking beneath me like I'd stolen every breath from him. We collapsed together, breathless, limp, tangled. I slumped forward onto him, chest heaving. "I can't feel my legs."
He wheezed a laugh. "I can't feel my soul."
We stayed like that, both of us slowly reassembling our skeletons. "Water," I mumbled into his shoulder.
"I gave you the divine experience of a lifetime," he groaned, "and you ask for hydration?"
"Yes, and snacks. And possibly a parade."
He kissed the side of my jaw, still breathless, still stunned, still looking at me like I'd rewired the cosmos. "You've earned everything, my Annie."
For the first time in my life… I knew it was true.