Amalgamate

Chapter 23

Rowan was proud of herself, for the first time since her dampening spell had been lifted she'd avoided being totally consumed by a powerful male. Cuan never touched her though. Maybe touch had something to do with it? She made a mental note to remember that the next time she was delving into the arts of physical persuasion. She hadn't taken Cuan's bait, even though it was expertly delivered. She smiled at herself in the mirror while wrapping a towel around her. She was learning how to navigate these men.

Heading down the vacant hallway desperately in need of some clothes she couldn't help but grin. She'd sent Cuan away. But, as she passed an open doorway, a hand grabbed her upper arm and pulled her into a darkened room.

She struggled, but in the midst of everything her arms settled on an expanse of muscled torso nearly three times her width. As the stranger pulled her in closer, she felt increasing warmth, not just between them, but within herself- son of a bitch! No, no, no. She couldn't believe how easily her body betrayed her. Her mind told her body to fight him off, but her body told her mind to fuck off- and it was winning.

Lips crushed hers, forcing them open. Probing over her soft, inexperienced tongue the stranger tasted her. She tried to pull away when a large hand cupped the back of her head pulling her into him, consuming her. Her body stirred because she knew it was Cuan, and it wasn't just that she needed this. She wanted him.

Once she allowed herself to admit that she wanted to be dominated by this man she stopped fighting him. Maybe being with a man would finally help her body get over this totally engrossing need to have sex with whoever the most powerful man in the room was. Her mind tried to rationalize with her body, but it wasn't listening. She wasn't proud of her behavior, but she didn't think it was entirely in her control either.

Rowan moaned as their tongues wrestled for control. Running her hands over the muscular chest and shoulders of the stranger whose naked and moist body was now molded to hers, she allowed her fingers to trail lower until they reached...a towel. Yep, it was Cuan. She wanted him to know that she could be just as direct so, she pulled his towel down wherein she found his dick standing at attention.

Cuan removed her towel in turn. His powerful, expansive hands caressed her upper, bare back before moving lower. His thumbs and fingertips teased the delicate skin over her ribs before moving lower, where they finally settled on her hips.

Rowan's need overwhelmed her. Wrapping her arms around his neck she lifted herself up to straddle his hips, lightly grazing his cock with her warm core.

He growled at the contact. The feel of her against him was euphoric, but it was going to far...too fast. It took everything he had to pull away from her. No woman had ever produced such a need in him. He knew his balls would be in agony if he stopped their momentum, but it would be worth it because his theory would prove true. Rowan could not resist a powerful man. And that was the kind of thing that would get her killed. She needed to get a handle on it...quickly. As hard as it was for him, he peeled her away from him and threw her on the bed across the room.

She bounced off the bed and rolled to the floor. WTF just happened? Her head was fuzzy and her core ached for him.

Cuan picked up his towel and threw it over his shoulder. The look on Rowan's face was one of pure confusion.

She stared at him as he turned toward the door. 'He's leaving?'

Laughing at besting her, he walked out of the room. Leaving her like this felt like shit, but she needed to learn this lesson. He was saving her life and that was all that mattered.

She was experiencing a level of frustration unlike anything she'd ever known before... a big fucking donut for four. None of them really wanted her like that. They only wanted to work her up and watch her suffer. They enjoyed getting one over on her. Seb had almost killed her. Greer had beaten the holy hell out of her. Callum had denied her. But, she hadn't wanted any of them like she wanted Cuan. Maybe it was the build up of a deep seeded need, or maybe it was him. Either way, she didn't want to hurt him like she'd wanted to hurt the others. Her body ached for a different kind of physical release.

She was straining to control the rage building within her. Had Cuan known about Callum? Was he testing her? Or was he really this detached? What was it about her? The men she wanted, starting with Ian and continuing to present day, never wanted her. As much as she told herself it didn't matter, it mattered a lot to her. In fact, it was damn near paramount. Why?

Rowan stopped herself from heading down the road of self-pity and loathing, directing her focus instead on getting whatever this energy was out of her. Feeling the pent up power and rage within her reaching its precipice she knew it had to be released somehow. Instead of hurling Cuan through a wall, which seemed to be her go to move, her eyes narrowed and her nails elongated.

She spent the better part of fifteen minutes tearing the room apart. Despite her efforts, this was a different kind of physical exhaustion. One that she knew may dampen the rage, but would never satisfy the beast. There was something primal within her...and it was clawing its way out.