RUTHLESS POSSESSION

CHAPTER 5

The taste of rain and blood lingered on my tongue as Killian’s mouth claimed mine with a wild, unrestrained heat. Outside, the storm raged, but inside the ruined study, the only atmosphere that mattered was the electric current pulling me deeper into his grip.

He lifted me by the waist, effortlessly setting me back onto the edge of the desk, stepping between my knees until there wasn't a breath of space left between us. His wet, linen shirt was soaked through, clinging to the heavy contours of his chest. His fingers tangled into my hair, tilting my head back as his kisses dragged down my jawline, finding the sensitive curve of my throat.

"You're a menace, Elena," he growled against my skin, his teeth lightly grazing my collarbone, sending a fierce, shivering heat straight to my core. "Most women in your shoes would be weeping on the floor."

"I told you," I gasped, my fingers digging into his broad shoulders, holding him close as his hands slid up the back of my thighs. "I don't break. And I'm not 'most women.'"

"No," Killian murmured, his dark eyes snapping up to meet mine, black pools filled with a terrifying, absolute obsession. "You aren't. You're mine."

He didn't give me time to process the weight of his words. His hand slid around my waist, pulling my hips tightly flush against his, letting me feel the hard, unyielding line of his body. The sheer contrast between his lethal, violent nature and the intense, possessive care in his touch made my head spin. He had just executed a man at my feet, yet the hand gripping my waist was steady, protective, and unmistakably demanding.

A heavy step at the ruined doorway broke the spell. Viktor, his second-in-command, stood in the frame, his eyes fixed firmly on the bloodstained floorboards, ignoring the intimate stance between us.

"Boss," Viktor reported, his voice crisp. "The estate is secure. The rest of Marcus’s men have been dealt with. But word is already spreading that your long-standing debt with her mother was settled."

Killian didn't release his hold on me, keeping one arm firmly wrapped around my lower back. "Let them talk. Tell the inner circle that anyone who thinks she's a soft target can answer to me directly."

"Understood, sir. What about her mother?"

A cold, dangerous smirk curved Killian’s lips. He looked down at me, his thumb tracing the flush on my cheek. "Leave her to sink in her own debts for now. When the time comes, Elena will decide how we collect."

Viktor gave a quick nod and retreated, closing the battered door as best he could.

Left in the quiet once more, Killian leaned in until his lips brushed against mine, his tone dropping into a low, velvet promise. "You wanted survival, little mouse. Now you have an empire backing you. Tomorrow, the real lesson begins."