The Struggle (Titan 3)

“I love you,” I said, curling my hand around the back of his neck. “I love you so much.”

Seth made this partially animalistic sound that caused my blood to turn to molten lava. Heat spread into the very core of my being. I pulled his mouth down to mine and I kissed him like I was drowning, and I was.

We couldn’t wait.

There was no need for long, lazy caresses or drugging, hazy kisses. I was ready. He was ready. I needed him. He wanted me. I shifted my hips as he reached between us with one hand, guiding his rigid length to me. He whispered those beautiful words against my lips as he pushed in, his size, his hardness stretching and burning in the most exquisite way.

Back arching, I kicked my head back as a keening sound escaped me. Seth caught my chin, forcing my gaze back to his. He held my stare, and I couldn’t look away. His mouth hovered over mine as he slowly, maddeningly pushed in, inch by nerve-wrecking inch.

“Seth,” I gasped out, lifting my leg and hooking it around his hip. He went deeper and deeper until there was no space between our hips, until we were one.

He groaned my name in the air between our lips. “I can’t . . . I need you—need this now.”

“Don’t wait,” I whispered. “Don’t.”

Seth rumbled out a curse and then his hips started moving. Each thrust, each retreat sent bolts of electricity through every cell. My body quivered as my anticipation swelled. I wrapped my arms around him, digging my heels into his legs. Every place he was hard, I was soft.

Panting in shallow, uneven breaths, I held onto him as his thrusts quickened, losing all rhythm. He dug his arm into the bed and lifted me up. He moved as hard and fast as I’d ever felt. His lean body covered mine as his hips pounded in and out. His breathing became ragged, and everything . . .

Everything became frantic.

Our hands were clenching and clutching. Sweat beaded on my skin. I was rising up and being pressed back into the mattress, taking each thrust and reaching for more, always more. My name dripped from his lips. Soft cries parted mine. Tendrils of pleasure coiled tightly. My nails grazed his skin as I rocked against him. A curling, burning heat seared my skin.

I couldn’t take it.

My body exploded.

Pleasure thundered through me as inaudible sounds filled the room—sounds I don’t think I’d ever made before. Each lunge of his hips went deep and then deeper, over and over, and then he planted himself deep in me, his mouth claiming mine as I felt him jerk and spasm. A storm passed before he stilled, and I held onto him, held onto all that this meant as sweet aftershocks rattled me to the very core.

Dragging his mouth from mine, he lifted his head. His eyes locked with mine. He said nothing. There wasn’t a need for words. The corner of my lips tipped up. His did the same, and we just looked at each. We just . . . watched each other.

Then Seth eased onto his side, slipping out of me. My hands slid down his arms as he rested his forehead against my breasts. Our legs were tangled. Our breathing and hearts slowing. Neither of us moved for several long moments.

“You okay?” He pushed the tangled, damp strands off my forehead.

“Yeah.” I turned my body into his. “That was . . .”

“Everything,” he murmured against my cheek.

Yes. That was everything.

“Gods, Josie.” He wrapped his arms around me, fitting me to the side of his body. “You’ve . . . you’ve made my life.”

I smiled broadly. “That sounds impressive.”

“It is.”

Nestling against his chest, I pressed my cheek to where his heart raced. Seth reached down, tucking my leg between his. He shuddered, and I felt his lips brush across my forehead. Tears filled my eyes, because I was finally . . . I was finally where I was meant to be.

But it was more than that, so much more.

Seth gently shifted me onto my back, easing half his body onto mine as if he sought to shield me. His hand moved from my lips, trailing down the center of my body. It came to a stop over my stomach. His fingers splayed, and my heart jumped as I lifted my gaze to his.

The line of his jaw was soft, his touch even more so. “You know what?”

“What?”

One side of his lips quirked up. “You’re going to be my very own MILF.”

I blinked. For a moment, I didn’t think I heard him correctly.

“And I’m going to be your DILF.”

My mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

Seth grinned as he gave me a lopsided shrug. “It’s true.”

I stared at him and then I turned, laughing as I threw my arm around his waist. “You’re so . . .”

“Amazing? Perfect. Sexy? A beast?”

Giggling, I shook my head. “You’re insane.”

“Insanely in love with you.” Gathering me against his front, he folded his arms around me. “Josie?”

Having no idea what he was about to say, I murmured, “What?”

Seth coasted his hand down my spine and then back up to the nape of my neck, where his fingers curled in a possessive, protective hold. A heartbeat passed and then he said, “Thank you.”

Chapter 31

Seth traced invisible patterns on my skin, a circle over my upper arm and what felt like a cross along the line of my shoulder, and other times it felt like he was playing tic-tac-toe with himself along my back.

We were lying on our sides, facing one another. Seth had pulled the blanket up to our waists. Well, he hadn’t used a hand to do so. The blanket sort of just moved on its own.

I really missed being able to do all those cool things, but I was trying not to think about the bands.

“So Alex knows?” he asked.

“Yeah. It was weird with her being there, but it was nice of her to be there for me.” I was busy circling my finger around his nipple. “I was really freaking out. Being pregnant isn’t something I . . . I planned on.”

“Really?” he teased.

Grinning, I lifted my gaze. His eyes were closed, and those impossibly long lashes fanned his cheeks. “I never even thought about wanting kids. It just wasn’t something I thought about.”

“I never thought about it either,” he admitted, his finger trailing up my arm. “Never seemed like an option.”

Up until he reached his god-hood or whatever you wanted to call it, Seth hadn’t had a future, so that made sense. I bit down on my lip as I studied the striking lines of his face.

Sometimes, as shallow as it sounded to admit, I got a little lost just looking at him. I could remember what I thought the first time I’d met him. His beauty had been so cold, almost unreal and untouchable. Not anymore. There was a warmth there, a softness that couldn’t be denied.

I flattened my hand over his chest, feeling his heart beat strongly. “I’m . . . I’m scared.”

His lashes lifted and his hand stilled on my arm. His gaze searched mine. “Josie . . . psychi mou.”

I loved it when he said that. My soul. That broke me in the very best ways every time. “I know it’s common, right? I mean, I guess most expecting . . . moms are. I just don’t know if I’m doing things right.” I glanced down at my belly, wishing I could talk to my mom or my grandmother. “That I’ll mess up. It’s just scary.”

“I’ll be here.” Seth cupped my cheek, drawing my gaze to his. “You’re not going to be alone in this.”

“I know.” A few moments of silence stretched out between us. “I’m surprised that I’m still pregnant after everything that happened. This baby . . .”

“This baby is a fighter. Can we be surprised?” A half-smile formed. “You’re a fighter.”

“So are you.” How could he not realize that?

“Both of us are,” he corrected, smoothing his thumb over my lower lip. “But I was born into a life where fighting was first nature. You were thrust into this. In a way, you’re stronger than most Sentinels.”

I wasn’t sure about that. I was scared witless by the fact I was pregnant. I had no idea what giving birth was going to be like, and I seriously doubted it would be a fun thing to go through. Raising a child, being responsible for a little being, was terrifying because I knew there was a good chance I’d drop it once or three times. And that’s not even acknowledging everything else going on.