With one thrust, Maddox was seated all the way inside of Evangeline. It was a hundred times better than he remembered. The way she gripped him, how hot she was, how incredibly tight. She squeezed him so much, it took him a second to regain control before he exploded before he’d even had the chance to stroke in and out once.
He wasn’t the only one who needed a moment. Evangeline let out a low, throaty moan when he entered her, shifting just enough to let him know that she was feeling every inch of his length.
“You okay?”
“I know we’ve done this before, but, uh, it’s been a while for me. I just have to adjust—” She let out a rush of air, breathing in, getting used to his size. “It, wow, this feels amazing.”
Maddox felt his chest puff out. If just sliding inside of her once got a wow, wait until he really got moving. He braced himself on his elbows, careful to keep his weight off of her, drawing out until just the tip was left inside. Then, when she was ready, he slammed back in.
Once he got going, he didn’t stop.
Evangeline’s tits bounced as he mounted her, thrusting with everything he had. He dipped his head low, aware from the flash of concern on her face when he got close that he had shifted enough to worry her. He could feel his fangs lengthening, but he knew he would only use them for the claiming bite.
It had been forever since he proved to Evangeline that he knew how to work around his fangs. Once he took her breast between his lips, lathing her nipple with his tongue, she forgot all about his glowing eyes, his extended fangs. He didn’t know what happened in the time since he left Evangeline alone in that room, but the woman who came to him knew exactly who he was—what he was—and as she fell prey to the pleasure he gave her, the only expression she wore was one of bliss, never fear.
He wanted to go forever, but he already knew he wasn’t going to last. After making sure she got off a second time, rubbing her clit forcefully in time to his powerful thrusts, Maddox knew that he wouldn’t make it that much longer.
One last time.
He’d give her one last time to change her mind.
Maddox needed to make sure she was still with him. It was one thing to mate her. She could take it back tomorrow and, sure, it would fucking hurt, but he’d understand. If this was just another way for her to convince him that she was harmless before she tried to run, he could forgive her using his body this way. He totally deserved to be treated like a plaything after everything he did to her.
But bonding?
It was forever.
“Are you sure?” he panted. His fangs were the longest they’d ever been without entering into a partial shift, aching to plunge into her skin. “If you changed your mind, I can still stop. We don’t have to do this right now. Give me the word and I’ll put out. I don’t have to bite. We have forever, Ang, and I’ll take your word for it. You don’t have to prove anything to me.”
They had mated countless times before, but the urge to bite—the urge to claim—had never been as strong as it was in that moment. Just like Evangeline wouldn’t sign the bonding license until they were officially married, Maddox refused to claim his mate until they were legal and bonded.
The marriage license was safe in the top drawer of his nightstand. Fuck the bonding license. He needed to make Evangeline irrevocably his. The government wouldn’t decide that. His claiming bite would.
But only if she wanted it.
Her little breaths as she came down from her last climax were music to his ears. And even they paled in comparison to the way she moaned out her answer.
“Don’t you dare stop. Claim me, baby. Do it now. Make me whole.”
That was a tall order. He had no way of knowing if claiming her would help her regain her memories. It would strengthen the bond—he was almost positive that it would—but that didn’t mean everything would go back to the way it was.
He fucking hoped so, but he didn’t know.
Call him a selfish bastard. Maddox didn’t give her even a second to reconsider her answer. The bond wouldn’t let him. With one last thrust, he shuddered and emptied himself into her. It was the first time his wife accepted his seed without anything between them and that realization sent his orgasm into the atmosphere. At its peak, he buried his mouth into the supple curve where her neck and her shoulder met and struck.
His fangs slid into her flesh like a hot knife through butter. Maddox had hoped that she wouldn’t feel any pain and from the way her pussy clenched down on him and her fingers dug into his shoulder blades, he figured she got as much pleasure out of the claiming bite as he did. Her blood was hot, rich and tangy, and he decided it was only right that he had some of her inside of him while she had him inside of her.
Evangeline let out a squeak of surprise, then a low throaty moan as her muscles clenched, squeezing his cock. It sent another jolt of pleasure through Maddox.
When he had finished, when there was nothing left to give her, he lapped leisurely at his bite, sealing it for her. His cock was softening, the force of the claiming enough to drain him for now. It wouldn’t last. He’d be ready to go before long, but it took a little wrangling of his hips to keep the connection.
He left the tip of his cock inside of her, desperate not to leave her heat. Evangeline didn’t seem to mind. She snuggled into him, pressing her lips to his left pec, before closing her eyes.
He tucked his mate into his side, wiping her sweaty brow, running his palm gently over her hair. The long dark strands were everywhere, tangled and knotted from the mating. As she snuffled, snoring softly, her breath blowing on his overheated chest, Maddox urged her closer.
Their breathing slowed, the scent of sex, of lust, of Maddox and Evangeline filling the air. It was fucking delicious and, as he calmed his racing heart, he let it settle over him.
Evangeline was quiet. He was almost sure she had fallen asleep