20. Keaton
Chapter 20
Keaton
T he last thing I wanted to think about was Windsor's summer solstice party. I had enough on my plate. Stepping off the ice, I loomed over my new wife, her eyes glued to my every move. She tried to look away, but the interest was there. That was enough.
"Come on," I said, heading towards the locker room.
She hesitated but followed, her footsteps quickening to match mine. "Where are we going?" she asked, breathless as she caught up.
"You're going to help your husband undress," I replied without breaking stride.
Her eyes widened. "What?"
I pushed open the door to the locker room and held it for her. "You heard me."
Elodie stepped in, looking around nervously. The scent of sweat and ice filled the space. She avoided eye contact, but I could see the curiosity flickering behind her guarded expression.
"Keaton, this isn't?—"
"Just do it," I interrupted, pulling off my gloves and tossing them aside.
She bit her lip but approached me cautiously. Her hands trembled as she reached for my helmet. She had an issue with unstrapping my helmet, but I didn't offer to help. I waited.
Watched.
Once she finally unstrapped it, she lifted it off with care. The cool air hit my face, and I took a deep breath.
"You're good at this," I said, more to break the tension than anything else.
Elodie’s cheeks flushed. "I’ve had practice."
"Oh, yeah?" I asked, feeling an edge creep into my voice. "You saying you've stripped someone's equipment off before?"
Her hands froze, her eyes darting up to meet mine. The uncertainty in her gaze made something ugly twist in my chest. I'd never felt jealous before, but there it was, gnawing at me like a dog with a bone.
"O-of course not," she stammered, looking away. "You saw the bed this morning."
I couldn't help the bitterness that slipped into my tone. "Just because you were a virgin doesn't mean you haven't done things with anyone else."
Her eyes snapped back to mine, wide and hurt. But all I could think about was the idea of someone else touching her, seeing her like this. It infuriated me.
"No," she said softly, almost pleading. "There's been no one else."
The raw honesty in her voice did something to me, but I shoved it aside. I focused on the way her hands moved to unbuckle my chest protector with careful precision.
"You don't need to lie," I said, more gruffly than intended. "I just need to know."
"I'm not lying," she insisted, meeting my gaze head-on this time. Her eyes burned with a quiet fire that made my jealousy seem petty and small.
I watched her for a moment longer, then nodded slightly. "Fine."
She resumed her task, fingers working quickly to undo the straps and laces holding my gear together. As she peeled away each piece of armor, the tension between us shifted into something more complicated—something neither of us knew how to name yet.
She moved on to my shoulder pads, fingers fumbling with the straps. Her touch was tentative, almost reverent. For a moment, I let myself relax under her hands.
She swallowed hard but continued, unfastening my pads and setting them aside. Finally, she reached for my jersey, lifting it over my head. Our eyes met again, and something unspoken passed between us—a challenge, a question.
Her fingers shook as she pulled off the straps of my shoulder pads, then my neck protector. When she reached my elbow pads, I saw the concentration in her eyes, her brow furrowing slightly as she worked the straps free. She hesitated when her fingers touched the waistband of my shorts. I could feel her uncertainty radiating off her in waves.
"Watch," I told her, my voice low but commanding. I loosened the shorts myself, letting them fall to the floor with a soft thud.
I sat down on the bench and looked up at her. "Unlace my skates."
Her eyes flashed with something—defiance, maybe. She didn't like being bossed around. It made me smirk, just a little.
She knelt in front of me and reached for my laces. Her hands fumbled at first, struggling to find the right grip. The frustration in her eyes was clear as day.
"You need to unlace them all the way down," I said, leaning forward slightly to show her. "Like this."
I demonstrated with one skate, loosening each lace from top to bottom with practiced ease. Her sharp eyes followed my movements intently.
She took over again, this time more sure of herself. Even so, it took longer than it should have, and I could see the determination etched into every line of her face.
Finally, she got both skates unlaced and pulled them off my feet, careful not to cut herself on the blades. The socks were next, peeling off the hockey tape before stripping them down. And then, finally, the shin guards.
As she stood up, I caught a glimpse of something more than just frustration or defiance in her expression—something deeper that made me pause for just a moment before brushing it aside.
"Good," I said simply, standing up and stepping out of what remained of my gear. "Now get out."
Her mouth dropped open, eyes wide.
"Unless you want to suck my dick before I've showered?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.
She blushed furiously, ducking her head and turning away. Without another word, she hurried out of the locker room; the door swinging shut behind her.
For a moment, I just sat there, the echo of her footsteps fading into silence. The reality of it all hit me then—I was married. It was a strange feeling, a mix of responsibility and something else I couldn’t quite name. Somehow, just the fact of being married entwined Elodie's wellbeing with mine. I felt responsible for her in a way that was new and unsettling.
Would this have been the same with Lola? Doubtful. Lola and I had history, but it was tainted with betrayal and manipulation. There was no genuine care there, only obligation and resentment.
I wondered if I’d fucked everything up by marrying Elodie. She was innocent in all this, dragged into my mess because I needed an escape from my father’s plans. Was it fair to her? Probably not.
But it was too late to worry about that now. What was done was done.
I stood up and made my way to the showers. The water pounded against my skin, washing away the sweat and grime from the game. As the steam rose around me, I tried to clear my head. This marriage might have been a hasty decision, but I couldn’t change it now. All I could do was move forward.
After drying off and getting dressed, I headed out of the locker room, my mind still tangled with conflicting thoughts about Elodie and what our future held.
I needed to figure this out. For both our sakes.
I walked down the corridor, my mind still tangled. As I turned a corner, I saw her near the vending machines, surrounded by two girls from the academy. The tension in the air was palpable.
"…know you were supposed to marry William," the one with buck teeth insisted, her voice dripping with contempt.
"You've ruined everything," the other one, the fat girl, pointed out. "William was going to save us."
"You're so selfish," Buck Teeth spat.
Elodie's shoulders stiffened. "I'm selfish? She was selling me?—"
"We both know William is the best you were ever going to get," Fat One interrupted. "He was rich. You would have been taken care of."
"I didn't love him," she said firmly. "He was twice my age. If you wanted out of debt, why didn't you marry him?"
A smirk tugged at my lips. This was what she needed—to stand up for herself. I leaned against the wall, watching the scene unfold but ready to step in if necessary.
"Love?" Buck Teeth scoffed. "You think love matters? You're such a child."
"Yeah," Fat One chimed in, her voice full of disdain. "This isn't some fairy tale. You had a chance to secure our future, and you threw it away for some…. I don't even know what."
Her eyes flashed with defiance. "It's not silly! I'm not going to marry someone I don't love just because you think it's convenient."
Buck Teeth's face twisted in anger. "You ungrateful little bitch ."
I pushed off the wall and took a step forward as Fat One cut in again, her voice sharp and malicious. "Your mother would be so disappointed in you."
Elodie's mother?
Elodie jerked back like she'd been slapped.
"That's enough," I said, my voice cutting through the air like a knife.
All three heads snapped towards me, eyes widening in surprise and fear.
"Why don't you both crawl back to whatever hole you came from," I said, my voice dripping with contempt. "You're not worth the dirt on my wife’s shoes."
Buck Teeth's face turned beet red. "How dare you?—"
"I dare," I cut her off, stepping closer. "You insulted my wife. So, get lost before I make you regret it."
Fat One opened her mouth, but nothing came out except a strangled sound of indignation. Both of them scowled, their faces twisted in anger and humiliation.
"Let's go," Buck Teeth finally managed to spit out, grabbing Fat One's arm.
They stomped away, their footsteps echoing down the corridor. I watched them go, feeling a grim satisfaction settle in my chest.
When they were gone, Elodie looked up at me, her eyes wide. "That wasn't very nice," she pointed out, her voice soft but steady.
I shrugged. "They insulted my wife. I'm not going to be nice."
She blinked, clearly taken aback by my bluntness. For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence between us was thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension.
Finally, Elodie broke the silence. "Thank you," she said quietly, her eyes dropping to the floor.
I didn't respond right away. Instead, I reached out and gently lifted her chin so she would meet my gaze again. "You're my wife now. No one gets to treat you like that. That reminds me. Call your bitch of a stepmom. Tell her to have dinner ready for us. I want to meet her."
Elodie’s eyes widened, confusion etching lines on her face. "What?"
"You heard me," I replied, my tone leaving no room for argument. "For some strange reason, she and your ugly stepsisters think you should care that you were promised to some asshole before me. I intend to remind them that's not the case. I'll write her a check, and they can all fuck off from your life, just like I promised."
She looked away, her steps slowing as we walked through campus toward the parking lot. The sun was setting, casting long shadows that stretched across the pavement.
"What?" I asked, stopping to face her. "What is it? I told you I'd get you out of it, didn't I?"
"Yes, but…" She let her voice trail off, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
"You didn't think I'd follow through?" I pressed.
"It's a lot of money," she murmured, glancing down at her shoes.
"Good thing I have a lot more," I replied without hesitation.
We reached my car, and I unlocked it with a click, turning to her.
"I don't bullshit, babes. When I say I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it."
She nodded slowly, still processing everything. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for the door handle.
"Get in," I said, softer this time.
She slid into the passenger seat, and I walked around to the driver’s side. As I started the engine, the car purred to life beneath us.
The drive was silent at first, tension hanging thick in the air between us. Finally, Elodie took out her phone and dialed her mother’s number. Her voice was quiet but firm as she spoke into the phone.
"Hello? It’s Elodie… Yes… We’re coming over for dinner. He wants to meet you. No, no, bringing William is a bad?—"
I snatched the phone from Elodie; her startled gasp filling the car. Holding it to my ear, I could hear the muffled protests from the other end.
"If he's there, you're responsible for what happens to him," I said, my voice cold and steady. "Elodie belongs to me now. You can accept it or you can fight it, but listen, lady, you fucking fight me on this, and your life is going to get a hell of a lot harder than it already is. I don't think you know who the fuck you're talking to."
There was stunned silence on the other end before the call disconnected. I tossed the phone back to Elodie, who caught it with shaking hands.
She looked at me, eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear. "How?" she asked after a moment.
"How what?"
"How do you just… talk to people like that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the road as we pulled into my driveway. "Practice," I said simply.
The silence between us was heavy as I parked the car and killed the engine. Elodie stared at me for a long moment before finally looking away. The uncertainty in her gaze tugged at something deep inside me—something I wasn't ready to confront yet.
I felt a surge of possessiveness over her as we walked through the front door of the mansion. Her steps faltered slightly, but she kept pace with me.
"Go to my room and get on your knees," I told her gruffly. "I'm going to have you practice something else."
A flicker of trepidation crossed her face, but she didn't look away from me. Brave thing.
We made our way up the grand staircase and down the long corridor to my room. I pushed open the door and stepped aside to let her enter first. She hesitated only for a moment before walking in, the soft click of the door closing behind us echoing in the quiet room.
Elodie slid down onto her knees, looking up at me with those wide, innocent eyes. The sight of her like that made my cock twitch in anticipation.
"You're going to learn how to suck my dick," I said, my voice rough with desire. "Open your mouth."
She glared at me, defiance burning in her gaze. It only made me want her more.
"You're mine," I said, leaning down so my face was inches from hers. "I don't give a shit who you were promised to before, got it? Now open your mouth."
She hesitated for a split second before parting her lips, submitting to my command. The sight of her mouth open and waiting sent a jolt of heat through me.
I pulled out my hard cock and grabbed the back of Elodie's head, guiding her closer. Her breath hitched slightly as I pressed the tip against her lips, but she didn't pull away.
"Good girl," I murmured, feeling a dark satisfaction as she took me into her mouth.
Her tongue was tentative at first, unsure of what to do. I tightened my grip on her hair and guided her movements, pushing deeper into her warm, wet mouth.
She gagged slightly but quickly adjusted, finding a rhythm that had pleasure coursing through me. Her eyes stayed locked on mine, even as she struggled to take all of me.
She didn't know what she was doing, that much was clear. But there was something about that, something in her innocence that pushed me over the edge more than it should have.
More than it had before.
"That's it," I groaned as she hollowed her cheeks around me. "Just like that."
I could see the fury and the hunger in her eyes as she continued to work on pleasing me. It was intoxicating—knowing that she was mine, body and soul.
"Fuck," I muttered as she found a rhythm, her mouth working expertly despite her lack of experience. "You're so good at this."
She created a delicious pressure with her tongue against my shaft that had me teetering on the edge. The sight of her on her knees, submitting to my every command, sent waves of pleasure crashing over me.
"Swallow every last drop," I commanded through gritted teeth, feeling the tension building to an unbearable peak.
With one final thrust into her warm mouth, I couldn't hold back any longer. The orgasm hit me with a force I'd never experienced before, powerful and consuming. I emptied myself into her mouth, my body shuddering with the intensity of it.
Elodie didn't pull away. She swallowed everything I gave her, her throat working to take it all down. The sight alone nearly drove me over the edge again.
When it was finally over, I pulled her off her knees and kissed her hard. The taste of myself on her tongue was strangely intoxicating, adding another layer to the possessive need that still thrummed through my veins.
I broke the kiss just enough to whisper against her lips. "You fucking belong to me, got it? No one else can have you."
I didn't understand this fierce need to consume her, to possessive everything about her. It… it didn't make sense.
I released her.
"Now, go shower and get dressed," I muttered. "We're going to cut those bitches out of your life for good."
I didn't look at her as she left.
I couldn't.
I needed… I didn't even know. Elodie was making me feel things I'd never felt before, and I didn't know if I wanted to kill her or fuck her until I understood why.