50. Reign
T he carriage ride is bumpy as we make our way to wherever Lukene is taking me. He chooses to sit beside me instead of across, his presence warm and reassuring. He holds my hand the entire journey, and I’ve never experienced such a simple yet intimate gesture. His calloused thumb gently scrapes across my palm, soothing me in ways I didn’t know I needed.
I never thought I’d be blessed by love’s embrace, yet here I am. Lukene may not have spoken the words “I love you,” but his actions speak volumes. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for this man.
When the carriage comes to a stop outside a large building, Lukene hops out and extends his hand to me. As I climb down, the realization of where we are hits me. It’s the theater my father used to take me to as a child. Involuntarily, tears swell in my eyes as the familiar music filters out into the air.
“Come on.” He pulls the hood of my cloak up and places an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get inside.” The look he gives me is pure love.
But as we start to walk in, I freeze. I can’t go inside. The thought of experiencing this place without my father is too much to bear. Leaning his head to the side, eyes slightly squinting, he assesses me, like he always does—like he is privy to my thoughts.
“We can stay out here if you want,” he says softly, and I nod, grateful for his understanding. “Show me where you and your father would sit and listen to the music.”
Leading him to the side of the building, where the sound of music swells, we stand in silence as the rain seems to soften, creating an intimate cocoon around us.
The music reverberates through the walls, an intense symphony of raw emotions and unattainable power. It begins as a haunting piano melody, its notes steeped in longing and loneliness. As the song unfolds, violins join in, weaving sorrow and passion with a hint of possessiveness. The strings seem to cry out, their vibrations resonating with the tearful clouds. The crescendo builds, and with it, the percussion erupts, creating a storm of sound that echoes in my heart.
Closing my eyes, I lose myself in the melody. The somber notes speak to my aching soul. Suddenly, I feel warm hands on my face. Opening my eyes, I see Lukene, his expression tender as he wipes away my tears—tears I hadn’t even realized I was shedding. Music has always had the power to move me.
“You are the ideal storm of raining elegance and windy chaos, with a hint of hailing fierceness. And yet, I just want to get destroyed dancing in your rain and drown in your essence,” Lukene admits.
“Dance with me,” he requests, stepping back and extending his hand toward me.
My heart skips a beat as I take his hand. He pulls me close, our bodies fitting perfectly together as we begin to move. His gaze locks onto mine with an intensity that makes my heart race. The rain starts to fall harder, embracing us as we sway to the rhythm.
As the tempo of the music increases, so does our movement. We are perfectly in sync with each other. Each movement is purposeful yet graceful. The moment is magical. The rain, the music, memories of my father, Lukene… my heart feels full. He twirls me around, my rain-soaked hair spinning with me. As the song gets to its final notes, he spins me out, a huge smile on his handsome face. Then he spins me back into him as he dips me. He kisses me deeply. Pulling me up slowly, his lips don’t leave mine.
The kiss is a promise—a promise for a future, for love, for more laughter, for more moments. His tongue is warm as it explores every corner of my mouth. “Luke…” I breathe against his lips as I pull away, my eyes still closed, relishing the closeness.
“Yes, Reckless?” His voice is laced with a playful smile.
My heart hammers in my chest, warmth flooding me despite the cold rain. “Take me home,” I whisper.
Home .
I have a home—a place where I belong. It’s not just a physical location but wherever Lukene is.
* * *
As we enter the room, Lukene immediately strides to the fireplace, setting to work on a fire. We’re soaked and chilled to the bone from the biting wind and relentless rain. Pulling off my cloak, I hang it on a hook near the mantle, savoring the heat radiating from the roaring flames.
Lukene approaches his armoire and pulls out two sets of night clothes. Handing me a pair, he says, “Here, you can change in front of the fire and try to warm up. I’ll change in the washroom.” He plants a soft kiss on my forehead before slipping away.
He hands me a long-sleeved nightshirt and pants, but I decide to choose something different. I walk over to the armoire and sift through the stack of clothes Sasha brought. My fingers graze the delicate fabric until I find the thinnest, laciest nightgown—one that leaves little to the imagination.
As I remove my wet clothes, discarding them in the corner, I slide the black nightgown over my skin. The cool, silky material glides across my body, settling just above my knees. I sit in front of the fire, anticipation and nervousness mingling within me.
Hearing the washroom door click open, my heart races, matching the pace of my lust-filled thoughts. Lukene steps out in just his night pants, which hang low on his hips, showcasing his muscular chest, chiseled abs, and the tantalizing ‘V’ tapering beneath. Inhaling sharply, I take him in, captivated by the way the golden glow of the fire accentuates his tanned skin, making him look every bit the dark prince he is. His chest moves sensually with each measured breath, his smoldering gaze fixed on me as he walks closer, a seductive smile playing on his lips. He has his head leaning to the side as he uses a drying cloth to dry his hair.
“Like what you see, Reckless?”
I stand on shaky legs as he approaches. “Meh, I’ve seen better,” I fib, trying to play it cool, repeating the words he once muttered to me.
“Lies.” He chuckles, the sound low and inviting. “Turn around. Let me dry your hair.”
Doing as I’m told, I turn my back to him. He brings the drying cloth up, gently tending to my hair. Once finished, he tosses the cloth aside and lowers his mouth to my shoulder, kissing it softly. A shiver runs down my spine, and I lean my head back slightly, eyes fluttering shut.
“This isn’t what I gave you to put on,” he says breathily, in an approving tone, as he lifts the thin little strap of my nightgown and slides it down, planting another kiss to my skin, causing me to ignite with desire and desperation for him.
I smile. “I decided to wear something more… comfortable,” I reply with a teasing smile.
He begins to trail kisses from my shoulder to my neck, murmuring against my skin, “Well, I guess I’ll buy you these in every color, so you are always… comfortable.” I feel his smile against my neck.
He bites down gently, not hard enough to hurt but enough to send a thrill down my spine and heat flooding my core. Turning around, I wrap my arms around his neck and crash my lips against his. I need this. I need him. Like darkness needs light, I need him. Our tongues dance together as he slowly walks me backward until my back hits the wall. The kiss deepens, his tongue swirling against mine, tasting me, savoring me like I’m his favorite flavor—something he can’t get enough of.
He breaks the kiss, pulling back slightly. “Tell me what you want, Reign.” His voice is breathy, heavy with desire. “Just tell me exactly what you want, and I’ll make it happen. Anything you desire.”
His massive hand cups my breast, and he kisses my neck, urging me to give in. I turn slightly, offering him better access. “You will do anything?” I ask, my heart pounds in my chest.
He meets my gaze, sincerity etched across his features. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. You have to see that by now.”
“What if I say I want you to kill someone for me.”
His smile turns sinister as he leans in, kissing my neck while whispering, “All I need is a name, Reckless. Then it will be done.”
He trails his hand down my breast, gliding over the fabric of my gown until he reaches the hem. With a swift motion, he pushes his hand up beneath my gown, finding the proof of my arousal. Realizing I’m bare beneath the silk, he lets out a low moan, slipping a finger inside me.
“What if I say I want you to give up your kingdom and run away with me?” I ask, my hands finding their way to the front of his pants, gripping him through the fabric. He moans at my touch.
“Then I will topple every stone in this palace. I would turn them into pebbles. Nothing would remain but ruins. We can escape to Wemdrah,” he vows, licking a path from my neck to my mouth before biting my bottom lip.
“What if I say I never want the sun to set?” I smile at my playful, ridiculous question, but he’s quick to answer.
He pulls away from me and looks at me with such a serious look on his face. “Then I would find a way. I would find the strongest, rarest magic and lasso my shadows around the sun, holding it in place so it could never set.”
I smirk at his response, a sound of delight escaping me as he picks up the pace of his fingers. “And what if I say I want you to take me against this wall?”
He licks his lips, eyes smoldering with desire as he growls, “Then I will fuck you so thoroughly against this wall that all the other walls will envy what I’m doing to you.”
He slams his mouth into mine, our kiss hungry and passionate. I can’t get enough of him—his mouth, his tongue, his presence. I spin him around so his back meets the wall, never breaking the kiss. He pulls me closer, deepening the connection.
Dropping to my knees, I slowly pull down his pants. His long, thick cock springs free, and looking up at him through my lashes, I lay my tongue flat against the base, trailing it up to the tip. This man is a god or maybe the devil, but I am simply addicted, and I can’t get enough. If he is the devil I’d gladly burn in the double hells for him.
He moans and leans his head back against the wall. I swirl my tongue around his fat tip. Leaning up I spit on it, rubbing my hand the length of it before I finally put it in my mouth. He is so girthy and long I don’t think I can get it all in my mouth, so I bring my hand up to help. I move my mouth up and down, hollowing out my cheeks, while my hand follows my movements. He tastes delicious, forbidden. Each taste is a seductive whisper, drawing me deeper into a world where indulging in my deepest, darkest desires takes over and every sensation is amplified.
“Fuck,” he moans, leaning his head back against the wall.
His hands find their way into my hair. He grips a handful of it tightly as he begins to thrust in and out of my mouth, hitting the back of my throat. I feel wetness gush between my legs as his grunts and moans fill the air around us. I pop off his cock and lick his balls back up to the tip before I put it back in my mouth again. Spit is dribbling down my chin and his meaty cock as I move it in and out of my mouth.
“Gods, Reign,” he moans.
His hands tug on my hair, pulling me off his cock as he gazes down at me, his eyes ablaze with intensity. He releases my hair and bends down, scooping me into his arms. With me cradled against him, he strides over to the bed.
He throws me onto the mattress, then grips my ankles, yanking me toward him until my bottom is perched at the edge of the bed. My heart races with anticipation, a whirlwind of dark desires swirling within me as I yearn for the devil before me.
He leans over, capturing my mouth with his, and the kiss is infused with passion and longing. As he pulls back, he grips the top of my gown. “Can I?” he asks, his eyes searching mine for permission.
I nod, giving him the go-ahead. With both hands, he rips my gown in half, shredding it to pieces. “Much better,” he murmurs, leaning down to lick both of my breasts, sending shockwaves of pleasure racing down my spine, enveloping me in the very essence of him—my dark prince.
He trails his tongue down my body, stopping to kneel before me. His shadows swirl around him, gripping my legs on either side, holding me open for him. My breath hitches as I prop myself up on my elbows, watching him intently.
He slips his hands under my ass, using his thumbs to spread me open. Leaning in, he swipes his tongue from my opening to my clit, sucking it into his mouth and moaning at the taste. “I’m the devil tasting heaven, and it is sinfully divine.”
He closes his mouth over my aching center, flicking his tongue furiously against my clit. My head drops back, soft moans escaping me as waves of euphoria wash over me. I feel like I’m floating on shadows, suspended in a realm where indulging in my deepest desires is all that matters. But I need more. As if he can sense it, he removes his hands, placing one just above my pelvic bone and applies pressure. He brings the other one up, driving in two fingers, while he continues to lick and suck me.
“Luke…” I moan. “I need you.”
He pauses, looking at me with a seriousness that sends shivers down my spine. “Then tell me what you want.”
I can barely think through the haze of desire, but I manage to utter, “I want you inside me.”
It’s as if his self-control snaps. He stands, gripping my arms and moving me all the way onto the bed.
Then he climbs on top of me.