The room was still now.
The music outside was a distant throb, the murmured voices of other patrons fading into irrelevance.
Inside the booth, there was only the slow, heavy breathing of two bodies tangled together.
Ryan cradled Angel against his chest, one hand splayed protectively over her bare back, the other threading slowly through her tangled hair. His touch was gentle now—soothing, grounding, a stark contrast to the fierce possession of moments before.
Angel whimpered softly against his skin, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso, her body still trembling with the aftershocks of their shared climax.
She felt... safe.
For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt safe.
Ryan bent his head and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her temple.
"You did beautifully," he murmured against her sweat-slick skin.
Angel shivered—not from cold, but from the weight of his words.
She nuzzled closer, pressing her cheek against the hard plane of his chest, listening to the steady thud of his heartbeat.
No one had ever touched her like this before.
No one had ever treated her like something precious.
"I..." Angel's voice broke, raw and vulnerable. "I didn't think anyone would ever... want me. Not for real."
Ryan tightened his hold around her.
"You were never unwanted," he said firmly. "They were just too blind to see your worth."
He leaned down, catching her gaze with his own—gray eyes sharp and unyielding.
"But I see you," he whispered. "I saw you the moment you stepped onto that stage."
Angel blinked rapidly, fighting back tears.
She had danced for survival, danced because it was the only thing she could sell that didn't involve a gun or a needle.
She had never danced to be seen.
Until now.
Until him.
Ryan cupped her face in his large hand, thumb brushing tenderly across her swollen bottom lip.
"You belong to me now," he said, voice low and fierce. "You're mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine to shape into something even greater."
Angel let out a shuddering breath, her body relaxing completely against him, surrendering not just her flesh—but her heart, her soul.
"Yours," she whispered, sealing her fate.
Ryan smiled—small and genuine.
"Good girl."
He shifted, lifting her effortlessly into his lap again, wrapping his arms fully around her.
For long minutes, they simply sat there—skin to skin, hearts beating in rhythm, the bond between them solidifying into something unbreakable.
Angel closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift in the safety of his embrace.
Tomorrow would bring change.
Tomorrow, he would awaken the true power sleeping within her blood.
Tomorrow, she would become something more than anyone had ever dreamed.
But tonight?
Tonight, she was simply his.
And he was hers.
------------------------------------------------------------------
The first light of dawn crept through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of Ryan's private penthouse overlooking the New York skyline. The soft, golden rays kissed the edge of the pristine white sheets, painting the luxurious room in a warm, honeyed glow.
Angel Salvadore stirred against the crisp sheets, her body still sore but deliciously satisfied from the night before.
She blinked sleepily, her eyes adjusting to the gentle morning light, and for a moment, she simply breathed—listening to the comforting sound of Ryan's steady breathing beside her.
She turned her head and found him lying on his side, one arm slung possessively over her waist, the other tucked under his head. His face, usually so sharp and commanding, was relaxed in sleep—still devastatingly handsome, even more so in the soft vulnerability of dawn.
A slow, tender smile spread across Angel's lips.
He had kept his promise.
He had claimed her, worshipped her, cherished her.
She shifted carefully beneath the sheets, feeling the tender ache between her thighs—a delicious reminder of his possession—and the growing thrum of need already beginning to build again.
Her body craved him.
Her soul craved him.
Unable to resist, Angel lifted the edge of the sheet and slipped underneath, moving with slow, feline grace.
She kissed a slow trail down his chest, nuzzling the firm muscle, inhaling his clean, masculine scent. She nipped lightly at his taut abdomen, smiling when she felt him stir.
Ryan's breathing hitched slightly, his body responding even in sleep.
Encouraged, Angel let her hand trail lower, tracing the hard lines of his abs before wrapping her fingers around the growing length of his cock.
He was already half-hard.
Angel grinned mischievously.
She leaned down, pressing a soft, open-mouthed kiss to the head of his cock, her tongue flicking out to lap at the bead of pre-cum already forming.
Ryan groaned low in his throat, his hips twitching.
His eyes fluttered open, heavy with sleep and heat, locking onto hers.
"Good morning, sir," Angel whispered, her voice husky with desire.
Ryan's mouth curved into a lazy, wicked smile.
"Good morning, little angel," he rumbled.
He tangled a hand in her hair, guiding her mouth back to his cock.
Angel needed no further encouragement.
She took him into her mouth, slow and deep, hollowing her cheeks as she sucked him with languid, worshipful strokes.
Ryan watched her through hooded eyes, his free hand trailing down her bare spine, over the curve of her ass, savoring the sight and feel of her submitting to him so beautifully.
After a few minutes of her slow, torturous worship, Ryan growled and pulled her up by her hair, dragging her mouth off his cock with a wet pop.
"Enough teasing," he rasped.
He rolled her onto her back, pinning her beneath him with his larger frame.
Angel moaned, spreading her thighs eagerly, welcoming him into the cradle of her body.
Ryan settled between her legs, grinding his cock against her dripping entrance, teasing her mercilessly.
"You want me to take you, little angel?" he asked, voice rough.
"Yes," Angel gasped, writhing beneath him. "Please, sir. I need you."
Ryan didn't make her wait.
He thrust into her in one slow, devastating stroke, seating himself deep inside her slick heat.
Angel cried out, her back arching off the bed, her nails digging into his shoulders.
Ryan set a slow, sensual pace—long, deep thrusts that brushed every sensitive spot inside her, making her sob with pleasure.
He kissed her as he moved, slow and thorough, claiming her mouth just as thoroughly as he claimed her body.
Angel wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding him close, her body surrendering completely to his control.
Ryan shifted slightly, angling his thrusts to hit deeper, harder, making Angel's cries grow louder, more desperate.
She clung to him, gasping his name between broken moans, her body trembling on the edge of release.
Ryan reached between them, his thumb finding her clit, rubbing tight, fast circles.
Angel's orgasm tore through her like a tidal wave, ripping a scream from her throat as she convulsed around him.
Ryan followed a heartbeat later, spilling himself deep inside her with a hoarse groan, grinding his hips against hers as he emptied himself completely.
They collapsed together, a tangle of sweat-slicked limbs and gasping breaths.
Ryan gathered her close, cradling her against his chest as they both came down from the high.
He kissed her forehead tenderly, stroking her hair.
"You're perfect," he murmured.
Angel smiled, nuzzling into his warmth.
She felt full.
Satisfied.
Loved.
And she knew, deep in her bones, that this was only the beginning.