The Liger's Mark Read Free Page A

Surely the fates would allow her that much when her mate was already planning to leave her.
    His mouth moved lower, skimming across her belly and down until he reached the smooth flesh of her sex. His tongue flicked through the folds, tempting and teasing, making her cry out with need as she speared her hands into his hair and tugged him closer. His husky groan washed over her then his lips surrounded her swollen clitoris. He tugged it, licked it, sucked it into his mouth. Two fingers plunged deep in her channel, rubbing her slick walls and making her want more.
    “Who do you belong to?” he demanded, tongue batting her clit as he glanced up her body to capture her gaze.
    She shook her head, denying him. He didn’t get to make that claim. Not unless he was staying.
    He worked her higher, bringing her to the cusp of orgasm and keeping her balanced on the sharp edge of it.
    “Who do you belong to?” he demanded again.
    “Myself,” she answered. “No one but myself.”
    He growled against her folds, and she came with a harsh cry. She was still in the throes when he turned her over onto her knees. Her hands flattened against the floor as he came up behind her. A hard grip on her hips then he was slamming deep, tearing a cry of pleasure from her lips. He pummeled her flesh, punishing them both with the reminder of what they would live without.
    She caught the sob that wanted to escape and heard the answer to it in the rumble of his chest.
    “My name,” he urged. “Give me that much.”
    So much torment in his voice. Pain and even anger. It was hurting him as much as it was hurting her, but the knowledge brought her no relief. Mating shouldn’t hurt.
    “Kenzie.” He crooned her name reverently.
    “Gabriel,” she whispered, unable to deny him.
    She heard his groan of relief just before his teeth sunk deep again. His arms wrapped her tightly against him as they shared the type of pleasure only mates can. As the last echoes faded, he continued to hold her. She felt his heart beating and wondered if it was breaking as hers was. When he pulled away, she forced her trembles to still and used the cold that washed over her to help strengthen her resolve not to cry in front of him. Not to beg one last time for what he was unwilling to give.
    Neither of them spoke as he opened the hatch, and they gathered their clothes. She could sense his remorse just as she could his determination to leave. Nothing she said would sway him. When she finished dressing, she stood, refusing to meet his hooded gaze or take the hand he held out to her.
    “I’ll walk you back,” he offered.
    She shook her head.
    “Kenzie—”
    “Don’t,” she interrupted. “You have a mission. People counting on you. You need to go. I’ll head back—alone.”
    “I never meant to hurt you,” he whispered again, the truth of his words hitting her hard.
    “Just go,” she said.
    His fingers caressed her cheek before he turned, but she refused to give in to the desire to look at him. She didn’t wait for him to get in the car, to drive away. It was enough for her that he’d turned away from her, his intentions clear. His emotions washed over her as she forced her feet to move. He was filled with guilt and pain, so deep and intense it rivaled her own. There was one difference between them, though. He’d been the one who’d made the choice to walk away. She was only following his lead.
    She wrapped her arms around herself, doing her best to hold herself together as she made her way back toward home and the others. She knew something had happened as soon as she hit the yard. Joy was in the air and without asking, she realized Abby and Tah must have welcomed their child into the world. The first baby born into their pride. It was fitting the child should be from their alpha and his mate.
    Reno briefly stopped her, his nose twitching as he gave her a funny look, asking if she was okay. She’d served with the majority of the pride as a Marine, and they