<h4>Chapter 21: Chapter 21: KISS ME</h4>


    <strong>MAEVE’S POV</strong>


    There wasn’t a grain of hesitation in the way he took me. Like he had something to prove—something he’d craved for months, years even.


    Like he was done pretending he didn’t want this.


    His tongue slid past my lips, tasting, taking, owning.


    I was too frozen to kiss him back at first, breath caught between the inferno of want that came alive in me and the instinct to shove him off.


    Nheless, like I’d lost my fucking mind, I didn’t do thetter.


    Instead, my fingers dug into his shoulders, holding on like he was the only solid thing in a world that had gone sideways.


    He groaned—deep, dark, feral with desire—and the sound went straight to my thighs.


    Ivan didn’t let up. His hand fisted the back of my shirt, dragging me closer until there was no space left to breathe.


    It was humiliating how easily I melted under him, how easily my body remembered him.


    I sank into his scent, and fuck, it was just as intoxicating and addictive as I remembered. It was insane how it drove my wolf to the edge—and pulled her in all the same.


    I needed nothing else in that moment.


    I thought of nothing but the way his mouth moved over mine—rough, yearning—kissing me like it wasn’t enough. Like he was trying to crawl inside me through sheer will.


    My head spun. I was drowning in the filth of the forbidden. And fuck, I didn’t want toe up for air.


    Still, I tried to push against him—some small piece of sanity screaming at me to stop—but he didn’t move.


    Instead, his grip slid lower, fingers digging into my ass as he dragged me flush against the hard bulge pressing into my stomach.


    The feel of him made my stomach tighten, my breath hitch—my whole body sparking to life under his touch. I remembered exactly who he was in bed.


    This was insane. Reckless. Everything it shouldn’t be.


    And yet, Ivan showed no sign of stopping.


    His tongue tangled with mine again—wet, insistent—his teeth catching my bottom lip like he couldn’t get enough.


    "Kiss me," he rasped against my mouth, voice rough with need. "With tongue. Just like that. Fuck."


    The rawness in his voice sent a fresh wave of heat between my legs. I was wet. I was throbbing. Dizzy from the overwhelming pull of him.


    His hand slid lower again, fingers pressing against the heat between my thighs through my dress—teasing, possessive—like a man who knew exactly how to undo me.


    And goddess help me—it felt good.


    His lips moved to my jaw, his breath hot against my skin, his grip fierce like he never wanted to let go. My body ached for him. Every nerve alive with him.


    "You think I haven’t dreamed about this?" he rasped roughly against my ear. "Fuck, Maeve. I’ve dreamt about you. The sounds you make. The way you’d look with my hand between your thighs—begging me to stop while clenching like you never want me to."


    He pressed his hips harder, grinding his hardness against me.


    "I’ve been dying to hear you breathe my name with my cock buried so deep, you forget every reason you ever ran from me."


    His finger almost made it—almost slipped between my thighs and found the aching wetness already waiting.


    But reason mmed into me. Forced me out of the hypnotizing daze of his scent, his words, his addictive touch.


    I almost moaned. But then—


    "Stop!"


    The word tore out of me, desperately, breaking through the fog choking my brain. He froze.


    His eyes burned into me as I shoved him back with everything I had left, finally breaking free of his hold.


    My back mmed against the wall, cold seeping into my spine as I struggled to catch my breath.


    The shame hit like a tidal wave. My chest heaved, my skin still burning where he’d touched me, but all I could think—Goddess. Devon.


    Devon.


    I hadn’t thought of him once. Not while Ivan kissed me. Not while I kissed him back. Not while I let him touch me like that.


    My wolf snarled, furious at my retreat, wing inside me, but I shoved her down.


    It hadn’t been just a kiss. It was everything. Passion. Rage. Need. All the things I swore I’d never feel for Ivan again—and yet, I did.


    And the worst part was that nothing had changed. Ivan still wasn’t on my side. He regretted nothing of his past actions to me.


    That pissed me off to no ends.


    I clenched my fists tightly, forcing my face back into something cold and indifferent.


    When I spoke, my voice came out icy. Furious.


    "You had no right to do that."


    "Do what? Kiss you?" Ivan’s lips tilted, just the slightest, into a grin.


    He looked predatory, like he had every intention of dragging me back into his arms and devouring me all over again.


    I red daggers at him. "Yes. You had no right to kiss me—none! And if you ever try that again, I swear to the goddess, I’ll make you regret it."


    "Why? You liked it." He smirked, raising a brow as his eyes dragged over me in that goddamn sexy way. "Don’t lie—you were making those pretty little noises like you wanted me to keep going." He tilted his head, voice dropping as he added, "Can’t really me me for wanting a second taste."


    "I didn’t like it," I snapped, a hot wave of shame crashing over my pride. "If you must know, I detested it. Every second of it. It was nothing more than a mistake."


    He chuckled, tilting his head. "Mistakes don’t taste that good, and you know it."


    His gaze burned into me, that dark, consuming intensity that made my pulse spike against my will. My stomach clenched, my breathing shallow as the charged air between us thickened again.


    I tried to look away, desperate for escape, but there was nowhere to turn. He trapped me without even touching me.


    Ivan wasn’t backing down.


    He looked like all he wanted was to press me back against the wall, kiss me again, and strip everyst bit of my resolve away. My clothes, too.


    In fact, he dared to inch closer.


    But I wasn’t having any of it. Not again.


    I needed to shut this down before I lost myselfpletely.


    I scoffed, stepping back like his presence physically repulsed me.


    "You know what? We’re done here. This—whatever the fuck that was—is never happening again. Get that through your head."


    "I’m not done talking to you," he said, voice rough, possessive, almost pulling my arm back, but I dodged him like he was a gue.


    "Don’t you dare touch me. And well, I’m done," I retorted sharply. "I need you to leave. Also, consider this yourst warning."


    "Warning?" he scoffed, like the idea of me threatening him was ridiculous, almost amusing to him.


    I narrowed my gaze, my tone dropping dangerously low.


    "Listen carefully, Ivan Cross. My wolf may be drawn to you because of the wrath bond, but that doesn’t give you permission to cross the line between us. The next time you try it, I will kick you so far up your balls you’ll beg for death. You got that?"


    "Maeve—" he started, but I cut him off before he could say another word.


    "One more thing. The mating bond between us—I want it gone. Dissolved. Completely. You have 24 hours to figure out how to rid it."