The Reborn Sovereign of Ruin, Bound by His Star

Arik’s eyes darkened, and his amusement shifted and deepened, becoming warmer and far more dangerous.

Liam felt the change through the bond before Arik moved again.

Something between them, careful and burning, pressed against the quiet room until the amber ether lights seemed softer around the edges.

Arik lowered himself another fraction, so Liam felt his full weight.

"Say that again," Arik said.

Liam swallowed.

His hands had ended up at Arik’s shoulders without permission from his dignity, fingers curled into the fabric of his sleep shirt. Arik’s hair had fallen forward slightly, with dark strands brushing his forehead, giving him the appearance of a man who should not be allowed to smile close up.

Liam lifted his chin. "No."

Arik’s mouth curved. "No?"

"You heard me."

"I did."

"Then suffer with the memory."

Arik laughed softly, the sound brushing Liam’s lips before becoming another kiss.

This one wasn’t as careful as the first, but it was still restrained enough that Liam could feel where Arik was holding himself back.

Arik kissed him like he had been waiting a week, like he had survived empty nights, lab excuses, unfinished conversations, and Liam’s infuriating ability to turn emotional avoidance into engineering discipline.

Liam answered him and understood why he tried to put a distance between him and Arik.

He answered too easily.

His hands slid from Arik’s shoulders to the back of his neck, fingers finding the loose dark hair there. Arik made a low sound against his mouth, and Liam felt it travel through the bond with enough satisfaction that he nearly bit him on principle.

So he did.

Lightly.

Arik froze, chuckled under his breath, and pulled back just enough to look at him.

Liam’s breathing had become embarrassingly unsteady.

Arik looked worse.

’Good. Excellent. Finally, some justice.’

"You bite when cornered," Arik murmured.

"You knew that already."

"Yes." His thumb moved along Liam’s side, slow, warm, still above the fabric. "I like being reminded."

Liam’s face heated. "You are shameless."

Arik looked at him for a long moment, and the teasing softened. His gaze moved over Liam’s face carefully, taking in the flushed skin, the parted mouth, and the fingers still locked at his nape.

Then his voice lowered.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Liam stared at him.

Outside the smart glass, Alexandria moved in quiet blue lines, distant and irrelevant. Inside, the room had narrowed to Arik above him, the warm press of his body, the bond bright under Liam’s skin, and the question that did not allow him to hide behind sarcasm.

"No," Liam said.

Liam tightened his fingers in Arik’s hair before Arik could say anything devastatingly sincere.

"But," he added, because he was still himself and refused to be swept into anything without terms, "if Kamal appears with breakfast, a tray, or a moral opinion before I have slept, I will destroy your household."

Arik’s laughter felt warm against Liam’s chest, and his head dipped to press his forehead against Liam’s. "Noted," he murmured, his voice still rich with amusement. "Kamal will be given strict instructions to consider this room a biohazard zone until further notice.

The picture was so absurd that Liam almost smiled. But Arik had lifted his head at that exact moment, and the amusement in his golden eyes had been replaced by something else entirely. Something that made Liam’s breath catch.

"No more distractions," Arik said, his voice low and serious. "Just us."

He lowered his head, and this time when their lips met, there was no restraint.

The careful control Arik had been exercising all evening finally shattered, and what remained was raw, hungry, and utterly possessive. The kiss was a claiming, a silent communication of all the things Arik hadn’t said, all the things Liam had refused to hear.

Liam responded with equal intensity, his hands sliding from Arik’s hair to his back, pulling him closer until there was no space between them. The heat of recognition burned between them, blurring the line between his feelings and Arik’s.

Arik’s hands moved with purpose now, one sliding beneath Liam’s sleep shirt to trace the muscles of his stomach, the other tangling in Liam’s hair to angle his head for deeper access. The touch was electric, sending shivers through Liam’s body that had nothing to do with the ambient temperature of the room.

"Still reconsidering?" Arik murmured against his lips, his voice rough with desire, golden eyes burning.

Liam’s response was to bite his lower lip, not gently this time. Arik’s sharp intake of air was followed by a low growl that echoed throughout Liam’s entire being. He retaliated by shifting his weight, pressing his thigh between Liam’s legs in a way that made Liam arch against him.

The room seemed to shrink around them, the distant city lights forgotten. There was only the sound of breathing, the rustle of fabric being pushed aside, and the pounding of hearts that beat in sync through their bond.

When Arik finally entered him, the slow stretch and burn made Liam’s head fall back into the pillows, moaning. Liam’s back arched, his fingers digging into Arik’sshoulders as he adjusted to the sensation.

"Alright?" Arik asked, his voice strained with the effort of holding still.

Liam’s answer was to wrap his legs around Arik’s waist, pulling him deeper. "Move," he demanded, his voice rough with need.

Arik obeyed, setting a rhythm that started slow and deliberate but quickly grew more urgent. Each thrust sent waves of pleasure through Liam, building higher and higher until he was gasping, clinging to Arik as the only solid thing in a world of sensation.

The bond between them pulsed with their shared pleasure, amplifying everything until Liam couldn’t tell where his feelings ended and Arik’s began. It was overwhelming, intoxicating, and pheromones were thickening the air, making it difficult to breathe without the scent of warm stone and caramel consuming Liam’s thoughts.

When release finally came, it was with a cry that was half Liam’s, half Arik’s, their voices mingling as their bodies shuddered together. The pleasure was so intense it bordered on pain, a white-hot explosion that left them both breathless and trembling.

They collapsed against each other, limbs tangled, bodies slick with sweat. The room was quiet now except for their ragged breathing and the distant hum of the city. Arik’s weight was comforting, warm, and heavy.

Liam nuzzled his face into Arik’s chest, sighing. "You are more tame than your face suggests." He said, settling in his mate’s hug.

"Liam..." Arik groaned.