Once You’re Mine: Chapter 26

The present…

I don’t know what possessed me to kiss Hayden.

Maybe I thought to distract him. Maybe it’s something I’ve wanted to do since the day I met him. Either way, Hayden Bennett is mine for this brief moment.

I wish it could be longer.

He goes perfectly still, the length of his body like granite against mine, cold and hard. However, his lips are warm and soft. I let instinct take over and continue sweeping my mouth over his, light and coaxing. Silently begging him to kiss me back. Even going as far as teasing him with little flicks of my tongue along the seam of his lips.

For a breathless moment, he remains motionless. Then a low groan rumbles at the back of his throat, and his arms encircle me, crushing me against his chest. He immediately takes control of the kiss.

And me.

His mouth ravages mine, our lips and tongues colliding in a battle for dominance. He’s already won, but this is a show of strength. And of need. Every breath, every touch heightens the denied and reckless longing I’ve been fighting.

He deepens the kiss, and his fingers dig into my skin, branding me inch by inch. Second by second. His hands trace my curves through my dress before finding bare skin along my back, leaving a scorching path that continues down the backs of my thighs.

I’m lost in him.

Sensation bombards me from all over. My skin sighs with pleasure wherever he caresses me, and the places he doesn’t cry out for him. A moan builds in my throat, half encouragement, half desperation. I want more.

I want all of him.

The music pounds, the resounding beat an echo of my heart as it pulses wildly. I slide my fingers into Hayden’s hair, gripping the silky strands and anchoring myself to him before I lose myself completely. Arching into his hold, I’m thrilled by the feel of his hard body pressing mine, the length of his cock pulsing against my belly.

I release the moan gathered on my tongue, offering it to him, telling him without words how much I need him; in ways I can’t describe and certainly don’t understand. He absorbs the sound, answering with a low growl that only heightens my arousal to an unhealthy level.

He must sense the dangerous territory we’re in because he breaks the kiss. My hands fall to his shoulders, and I cling to him, not only dazed, but unwilling to let go just yet. Breathless and disheveled, our gazes collide, mine bright with passion and his dark with lust. I stare up at him, still burning wherever he touched me, unable to put out the fires traveling along my skin, heating me to the point of combustion.

At that moment, an eternity passes as desire continues to rush through our veins. Then sanity returns, and Hayden’s gaze shutters, becoming glacial once more. If not for his lips reddened by our kiss and his hair sticking up in places from me gripping the strands, I’d never know this man just fucked me with his mouth.

“You’re full of surprises,” he says, his voice full of awe. And something else I can’t identify. Something that makes my heart stutter in my chest.

Before I can respond, Levi interjects. “He’s definitely not your brother.”

The sound of his voice yanks me fully into reality. I begin to turn to look at him, only for Hayden to grip me so forcefully that I can’t do anything except twist my head. The other man glares at me and I inwardly wince.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

“Save your apologies for me, Miss Green.” Hayden says. “I’ve already made it clear that I don’t share.” When I swing back to look at him, his gaze is locked on Levi. “She’s mine.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

I stiffen at Levi’s retort because Hayden’s eyes narrow to little more than slits. “Hey.” I grab a fistful of Hayden’s shirt and pull on it until his focus shifts to me. “You said you were going to take me home. Let’s go.”

Hayden flicks his gaze from me to Levi and back, with a muscle throbbing along his jaw. I reach up and run my fingertips over the area, hoping that a simple touch will soothe the beast in front of me. The one holding me tenderly. Possessively.

“Please, Hayden.”

My plea is what causes the change in his demeanor. If I thought I knew the power of words, the power of petition behind them is stronger.

“We’re leaving,” he says.

I turn to locate Harper, finding her staring at us with unabashed delight and amusement. “I need to make sure my friend is okay first.”

“She’s the reason you’re in this predicament,” he says, his tone sharp.

“I don’t care.” I hand him the cufflink, my gaze stern. “I won’t leave without knowing she’s all right.”

Hayden blows out a breath. Then his hands fall away from me, but he secures an arm around my waist, hauling me to his side. “Be quick.”

Without any hope of getting free from his hold, I motion Harper over. Leaving Darren behind, she walks up to us, her gaze searching Hayden’s.

“Bennett,” she greets.

He dips his head in acknowledgement. “Flynn.”

“How’d you know my last name?” She rolls her eyes. “Never mind. What are your intentions with Calista? I want to know before you kidnap her.”

I massage the spot between my eyebrows. “Harper…”

“What?” she asks, her lips pursed. “Do you think I’m going to just let you leave with him and not know what he’s up to?”

“You didn’t seem to have this issue when she was with someone other than me,” Hayden says.

“That’s only because Levi and Calista hadn’t gotten to the mouth-fucking yet. If they had—”

“He’d be dead,” Hayden says flatly.

“Okay, that’s enough.” I give my friend a smile that starts to falter under Hayden’s stare. “I really appreciate you looking after me,” I tell her. When he scoffs, I shoot him a dirty look. “Everything’s fine, and I’m choosing to leave with him, but I don’t want you to be alone.”

Harper’s brows gather. “Me? I’m fine. It’s you that should be worried… well, about you.” Her gaze briefly darts to Hayden. “You don’t have to go with him if you don’t want to. We can leave right now.”

Darren, still standing fairly close to her, frowns, but she waves a hand in dismissal. “It’s always ‘girl-bros before man-hoes.’ Sorry, dude.”

Like Levi, Darren slinks off into the crowd. The people in the club haven’t dared to venture closer, but they have gone back to dancing. It helps dispel some of the tension now that the other men have left. It’s almost back to being a girls’ night out.

As much as it can with Hayden filling the space with his brooding energy.

“If you hurt her,” Harper says, poking his chest, “I’ll kill you.”

He gives her a curt nod. “Understood.”

“Harper, don’t say things you don’t mean,” I say, my gaze darting back and forth to confirm no one overheard her.

“She meant it.” When I blink up at Hayden, he stares back, certainty etched into his features. “I’ve seen the eyes of a killer, and she is very serious.”

Harper grins maniacally. “Yes, I do. Remember that, Bennett.”

Hayden guides me through the club with his hand on my hip, keeping me flush to his body the entire time. The further we get, the more the crowd becomes scarce, until we’re outside and completely alone. My nervousness builds with every step I take, like a snowball that eventually becomes an avalanche.

Except I’ll be the one buried alive because of Hayden.

Maybe that’s why I set my foot down at a wrong angle. The heel of my shoe snaps off, throwing me off-balance. I don’t have time to cry out for help before I’m quickly falling to the ground. Hayden’s arm tightens around my waist and he keeps me upright by crushing me to his side while using his free hand to grab my arm.

“Are you all right?”

I nod, still breathless from my near accident. “I think so. My heel broke.” I laugh, but it’s hollow and mocking. “Of course it would break today of all days.”

“Why is that?”

“My ex-fiancé bought me these shoes and I saw him today. It’s the universe trying to tell me something.”

Hayden’s mouth thins. “Take them off.”

Before I can offer a retort, he snatches me up into his arms, holding me tight. I grip his shirt, the sudden movement making my heart race. Though, not more than the man holding me.

I stare up at him, stunned to find myself in his embrace. His eyes blaze into mine, intense and searching. For a moment, the sounds of the city around us fade away, my entire world wrapped up in the man dominating my senses.

He carries me effortlessly across the sidewalk and stops in front of a trash can. “Take them off and throw them away.”

“I’m sure they can be repaired.” When he shakes his head, I bite my bottom lip. “They’re the only pair I own. I can’t just get rid of them.”

“I’ll replace them ten times over. Throw those shoes away before I lose what little patience I have left. If I would’ve known another man bought them for you, I would’ve burned them long before now.”

I stretch my arm to awkwardly reach for my shoe, followed by the other, and toss them in the trash. As soon as it’s done, some of the tension lining Hayden’s body dissipates. Not enough for me to completely relax, but I’ll take anything I can get. It’s hard for me to anticipate the right moves with him.

Especially when everything I do seems to piss him off.

Except the kiss.

That might be the one thing he hasn’t gotten mad about. Which makes me wonder why he’s always showing up when all I do is frustrate him? The alcohol in my system encourages me to give voice to the question, but my heart begs me to wait. What if the answer crushes me? I can’t hear his response yet.

Not when he’s cradling me to his chest like I’m precious to him.