Caged (Dark Empire #2)

Sixteen.

Ethan

My chest fucking hurt, but it shouldn't have surprised me that she slept in the guest room after our fight. The few hours sleep I did get were plagued with multiple nightmares, the worst of them about Ashlee getting killed by that Russian prick.

I was too harsh. She didn’t know and it was my fault. The fact she felt she couldn't ask me for a simple night out fucking hurt. Everything fucking hurt. I knew that I was protective, but it was because I loved her. We should have at least been able to communicate.

I needed to change before I lost her. I needed to fix this and apologise.

I knocked on her door. “Ashlee, please open up.”

Silence.

“Please, can we talk?”

Again no reply. I tried opening it but she had it jammed somehow. “Ashlee, please, I'm sorry. Come out and talk to me, baby.”

When I got nothing back, I released a sigh and went downstairs. She'd have to come out eventually. I'd give her some space for now.

I sat at the kitchen counter waiting, and ten minutes turned into an hour. One hour turned into two, and two into three. There was no sign of her and I hadn't heard the door open at all.

Mags stormed in, his eyes narrowing as he took in my dishevelled state. He paused, the tension thick in the air, his frown deepening when he saw the darkness under my eyes and the weariness etched into my face. I looked as broken as I felt, and his expression told me he knew it.

“Ethan, what happened?”

“We argued last night.”

“About?”

I released a groan and recounted what had transpired between us.

Mags released a sigh. “You didn’t help things, Ethan. I know she acted rash, but she didn’t know. She also can't help how she feels.”

“But she isn't trapped.”

“And you just need to make sure that she knows that. She’s been stuck here or at the club since the wedding, so no wonder she feels like it. Put yourself in her shoes.”

I ran a hand through my hair with a groan. “I handled things badly. Mags, I should have told her the full story. I just didn't want her to see me like the stupid boy I was. I got myself into that situation and then acted the victim.”

“You are the victim. Jesus Christ, Ethan, don’t you ever think that what happened to you was your fault. Your actions were stupid, yes, but what they did to you was disgusting.”

I swallowed a lump in my throat. “What am I meant to do now?” My voice broke to match the shards of my soul.

“Fix things with your wife. She threw the card at you, pal. You still have her heart, even when she’s upset and angry.”

“She won't come out of the guest room,” I whispered.

“Let me go and speak to her.”

I nodded, and watched him leave. I prayed that he could talk her out because I'd be fucking damned if I was losing my wife over some miscommunication.

We needed to do better. I needed to do better.

Time seemed lost on me, and then I heard quiet footsteps approaching.

I turned around and saw Ashlee standing there in sweatpants and a baggy top, cradling the black kitten. The sight of her nearly broke me. "Ashlee, I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice barely holding steady.

"So am I," she replied, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"You two need to talk. I'll take care of that black furry thing." Mags walked past us, heading toward the kitchen. Ashlee set Luna down, and the kitten scampered after Magnus as he opened the cupboard.

I motioned for Ashlee to walk ahead, and we moved to the sofa. Sitting beside her, I turned to face her, desperation in my eyes. "Ash, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to be mad at you."

Her eyes filled with tears, each one a dagger to my heart. "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean to say that we weren't working. Ethan, I don’t want to leave you."

I inched closer, opening my arm for her. I needed her to come to me, to make the first move. When she finally leaned into me, I wrapped her in my arms, holding her like my life depended on it.

"Baby, I would never stop you from going out with your friends, but you need to be careful. You're a Prezello, Ash. There are places you can't go anymore."

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, her voice breaking. "Hannah suggested it, and we didn’t know."

"That's why you need to talk to me," I said gently.

"I was scared you'd say no. Ethan, I feel like I have nothing except you two and work."

I sighed, pulling her closer. "I’m so sorry, baby. I promise to give you everything you need. If you want to go out, just tell me. If you want a girls' night out or in, let me know. I'll never take your freedom away, sweetheart, never. You just need to be safe. I'm so sorry you felt otherwise."

Her sobs intensified, her pain tearing me apart. "I'm sorry," she cried.

"Shh, I've got you. It's okay, sweetheart. It's done. Now we move forward. We both need to communicate more."

I need to do better by her.

I held her as she cried, her tears soaking into my shirt, vowing to never let her feel alone again. “Ethan.” she sat back to stare into my eyes after a few minutes. “I love you so much.”

I reached out and wiped her tears away. “You are everything to me, baby. I honestly don’t want to live without you. Life is an empty hollow shell without you in it. It’s pointless. I would rather end it.”

Her lips parted as another tear fell.

“What Dmitry said...”

“I told him that I could never betray you.”

I leaned forward and kissed her softly. “Thank you for being faithful, Ash. I promise that I'll be better. I'm sorry that I never told you the full story. I just didn’t want you to see me as that stupid little boy. I fucked up and started it.”

She released a sigh. “I understand. Ethan, what they did...you were still the victim. You never deserved that.”

I kissed her again. “It was my fault that they got me though.”

“I love you, Ethan.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

I sat back and held her against me, grateful that I still had my beautiful wife. It was more than I deserved.

Mags soon appeared in the doorway, leaning against it with his arms crossed. “Do we feel better now?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“Good. Ash, are you feeling better?”

“I am,” she mumbled. “Thanks, Mags.”

“My pleasure, Red.”

“We're going out tonight,” I said, making a spontaneous decision.

“Where?” Ashlee asked.

“To dinner. A date night for the three of us.”

“All of us?” She leaned back with wide eyes.

“Yes, sweetheart, the three of us. Mags is part of our family. A date night isn't complete without him.”

The smile on her face was priceless and reassured me that I'd made the right decision. Plus, I would be lost without him as well. He was the anchor holding us together.

Mags came and took a seat on the other side of Ashlee, placing his hand on her thigh.

“I’m going to make some coffee. How about you two pick us a film?”

“Yeah, okay,” Ashlee said.

I placed a kiss on her head before standing, letting Magnus take my place in cuddling her. I was just happy that my wife was smiling again. The world was a much brighter place when she was smiling.

***

I burst into the bedroom, my pulse quickening at the sight of Ashlee preparing for the night. The navy blue dress she had laid out was stunning, but it was her standing there in nothing but her bra and panties that ignited the fire within me.

I closed the distance between us in two strides, seizing her lips with a ferocity that left no room for doubt. She was still mine, and I needed her to feel it, to know it deep within her soul. I needed to claim her, to mark her as mine, and leave no question of our bond.

Some raw primal instinct seemed to take over, my cock hardening at the thought of damn well owning her.

I turned her around, abruptly bending her over the bed and yanking her panties down. “You're mine, Ashlee,” I growled.

I pushed two fingers straight into her pussy, pumping them fast and hard until she was dripping around me. Then I freed my erection and lined myself up, claiming her body in one hard thrust.

She cried out as I filled her to the hilt, my hand wrapping around her throat as I started stroking her.

There was nothing gentle or loving about this. I was claiming my wife and making sure she knew who she belonged to. It was a primal need I'd never felt before, a fierce demand in my body making me do this.

“Mine, baby. I can't ever lose you. You're mine.”

She cried out again as my hips slammed into her, my thrusts unforgiving. I'd never taken anyone this rough before, but some strange force had me possessed. I needed to claim her. I needed my seed to fill her sweet hole.

“Your pussy feels so fucking good, sweetheart. So tight and perfect.”

I pulled her upright, my lips sucking on her neck as I continued stroking her with my shaft. Then I sunk my teeth into her hard enough to mark her flesh. She cried out at the sting of pain before releasing a loud wanton moan. I sucked on her skin making sure to leave my mark. Everyone needed to see that this woman was taken.

“Fuck, baby,” I groaned. “Come for me. Need to feel you.” My voice was strained, my balls beginning to tighten. “Yes, Ashlee, fuck yes!”

My hand was still around her throat, my other one holding her hip hard enough to bruise. I felt her beginning to spasm around me making a warmth spread up from the base of my spine, and then she cried out as her orgasm hit. It pulled me down with her, my cock jerking and filling her with my cum.

“Christ,” I panted.

I kissed her neck hard before releasing her. “Such a good girl.” I pulled her panties up and slapped her ass as she fell onto bed limply. “You’ll be eating out with my cum leaking between your thighs tonight, sweetheart. Never forget who your husband is. You're mine, baby.”

“Christ, Ethan,” she panted, turning to gaze at me. “Where the fuck did that come from?”

I honestly had no idea. “Why? Too rough for you?”

“No, it was amazing,” she said with a wide grin.

I kissed her hard, my tongue plunging into her mouth with hunger. Then I walked across the hall to the bathroom for a quick shower.

I felt lighter knowing that she was still mine. Some sick twisted part of me loved the idea of her being out with my cum dried between her legs. Yes, I was possessive, but I could be a good husband at the same time. Who said that being possessive meant that she wasn't free to do what she wished? This marriage would never fail us. I wouldn’t let it.

By the time I came out of the shower wrapped in a towel, Ashlee was wearing her dress.

“I hope you've kept your panties on,” I said.

“I didn’t change them,” she muttered, her cheeks flushing red. “I feel dirty though.”

I smirked. “Good. You are my dirty girl, eating out in public like that. How do you think Mags will feel about it?”

“He’ll probably want to add to it.”

I smirked. Too right he would and I might just give him the chance tonight. It had been too long since he'd stayed with us.

I quickly changed into a casual navy blue suit to match Ashlee's dress, and then we got into the car after sorting Luna out. We were picking Mags up on the way for once which made a change to him always driving.

“Where did you book in the end?” Magnus asked as we drove through the busy streets.

“A fine dining restaurant,” I replied. I'd already told him that much earlier. “Only the best for us tonight. Plus, it brings me great pleasure to know that my wife is eating somewhere posh with my cum dried between her legs like a dirty girl.”

Mags snapped his head toward me with hungry eyes. “Cum filled panties, yeah?”

I smirked. “Yeah. She needed a reminder of who she belongs to.”

“I’m not a possession,” she mumbled from the back.

“No, you're not, Ashlee, but you're still ours.”

“Since she's ours, it's only right that I fill her with my cum too,” Mags said.

“How about tonight?” I asked. “I’m sure Ash would love to have you stay with us.”

I was aware that he'd never stayed in my bed before, but I could deal with that. Part of me quite liked having us all together however messed up that was.

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll leave my mark on her as well. I didn’t miss what you did to her neck.”

I looked in the mirror and saw Ashlee biting her lower lip. She loved us claiming her body because we always made it good for her. As much as we chased our pleasure, we gave it in return tenfold.

As much I was looking forward to our date night out, I was looking forward to getting home and watching Magnus ruin our girl even more.