Chapter 30 Aurora
AURORA
Life has been…weird.
Not as strange as being here, at one of the Royalty’s meetings tonight. With my husband at my side.
With his hand on the small of my back. While my parents’ eyes shoot daggers at us from across the room, with Winston’s jaw purple thanks to my husband.
But, yeah. Weird.
Very.
It’s been days since Everett’s confession. Since he said he cared. About me. The woman he seemed to despise for no apparent reason.
I got under his skin.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach when I heard him say those words. When I saw how honest he’d been. Fireworks exploded before my eyes.
I shouldn’t have wished for that. His attention. His affection. This confession.
When someone blackmails you, kidnaps you, or forces you to do anything, the logical reaction is to hate them.
Which I did. I hated Everett for a little while. I feared him, mostly.
In the present moment, I’m addicted to him. Attracted to him. Mesmerized by him.
He’s been healing me one day at a time. So much so that when I volunteer at the hospital, I can cuddle the babies without shedding a single tear.
Whenever I start freaking out with them in my arms, I remember how Everett holds me every night.
How he loves me.
His attention drags me out of the dark.
The pain, the tears, being degraded and ignored—I’d do it all over again, just so I could be his.
“You okay?” His voice is rich and soothing. Soft. But it’s his power that eases my mind.
No one’s come to greet us yet, but when they do, I won’t be scared. No one can hurt me when he’s around.
Not Stafford’s dad and brothers, who are in deep conversation with Lina Bernard.
Neither can Ivy, Lina’s daughter, who murmurs something to her father. Her husband, Tanner, doesn’t look our way either.
Stafford isn’t a threat, Everett reassured me back home. My husband’s only friend nods absentmindedly at his mom, Susanna. She keeps stealing glances at us, then at my parents.
“Better than okay.” I shoot a smile up at him. My smile grows wider still when I see his eyes flicker to my black elegant gown, to my high heels. His appreciative glance drives me wild. “I’m doing great. Why wouldn’t I?”
That’s the truth. The people who treated me as a prisoner throughout my entire life are at a safe distance.
Everett’s presence is protective enough. It’s everything I need.
He’s all I’ll ever need. His devotion. His total control over me. Everything he does grounds me. The weight of his collar around my neck and his rings around my finger too.
I’m owned, yet I’ve never felt so free. Ever.
He still hasn’t opened up to me. And for him, I’m being patient. We’ll talk when he’s ready.
Besides, actions speak louder than words. And around me, at home, Everett’s screaming.
As soon as he’s back home from work, he won’t leave my side. He comes looking for me.
I still crawl to him. He still gets so hard for it. Only difference is, he doesn’t ignore me.
He spoils me rotten. Feeds me and passes my drink from his mouth to mine. Every morning and evening without fail. While I kneel between his spread legs.
Then he slams into me in the middle of the night.
At the rising memories, a shiver runs through me. My thighs clench and I groan at how good the butt plug feels.
“Well…” The corners of his gray eyes crinkle. His lips curve into a small smirk when heat races up my cheeks.
“Well?” I blush harder, because fuck. It pleases me to please him.
“I asked because this is the first time you’ve attended as my wife.
Everyone’s curious. They were staring when we walked in.
” Goosebumps prick my skin as his lips lower to my ear.
His charcoal-tailored suit brushes against my arm, making me wish I could tear it off him.
“I bet they’re whispering about us now. So.
Tell me the truth. Are you bothered by any of it? ”
“By them?” I twist my head so my cheek rests against Everett’s shaved one. “Fuck. Them.”
The sound he makes at the back of his throat is low and growly. It says it’s the answer he needs from me.
More heat pools between my thighs. His possessiveness makes my head spin.
“Good girl,” he murmurs.
“Am I?”
He pulls away, but only a little. Enough to stay within reach. Enough for me to see him raise his hand, see his gold wedding band flickering in the dim light of the room.
My breath catches when he places a strong finger beneath my chin, tipping my face up to his.
He’s all sharp angles.
He’s both cruelty and beauty wrapped up in one.
He’s mine.
“Yes, you are.” His gaze darkens. “Though I’m not opposed to punishing you some more. Have a repeat of last night.”
Last night. When he put the collar on my clit, zapped and fucked me into so many orgasms that I blacked out.
When I woke up, my cheeks were tear-stained and my mouth was full with his cock. He wasn’t thrusting into me, no. My husband, who takes and tortures, put his dick in my mouth for the sole purpose of calming me. Like he did on our wedding night.
His plan worked. I draped my arm over his legs and drifted off.
Just like that.
“What a filthy little wife I have.” His thumb grazes my jaw, moving slowly and deliberately. “You’re replaying it in your head, aren’t you?”
I gulp. My knees threaten to give in. “I am.”
Awareness prickles over me, ruining the moment we shared.
I scan the room. These people aren’t sneaking glances anymore, nor do they ignore us. They blatantly stare. They watch as Everett leans into me, his mouth a hairbreadth from mine.
If he notices their attention is on us, he’s doing a great job at hiding it. “Patience.”
“Actually.” My lips feel dry. I lick them, gathering the courage to ask for this one thing he won’t give me on his own. What I thought I could wait for. “Since you’re in a generous mood…”
The way he huffs a laugh, the sheer joy from having me in his life, it twists my heart.
Why can’t he always be like this?
Carefree. Unguarded.
I love him when he’s scowling and cruel. Except I’m not selfish when it comes to him. I wish him a heartache-free life, even if it means that I’ll live a punishment-free one.
“Tell me,” he demands, his expression sobering.
“I want to, but…” Though no one’s standing close to us, it’s still possible that they’ll overhear me.
“But?”
“Okay, so…” I lower my voice. “Tonight, before we do all of that—”
“You mean, before we fuck?” Nothing has ever sounded viler, hotter, than the word fuck on his lips.
“Yes.” His eyes lock on my lips the second time I lick them. “Before that.”
I’m burning up by the time he looks into my eyes. My cheeks must be as red as my lipstick.
“I thought we could—we need to talk.”
“We need to talk.” He’s mocking me, furrowing his brow. “This isn’t some kind of romcom, princess. You don’t get to break up with me. I won’t give you a divorce. Never.”
“Uh, news flash.” I stand up straighter. He levels me with a wicked glare. “I’m a free woman. I don’t want a divorce, but nothing’s stopping me from getting one if I did.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
“It is.”
“Keep it up.” Spankings. Electro play. Orgasm denial. These punishments are there, in the tone of his voice. In the tilt of his head. “Try me, and see where it gets you.”
Suppressing a moan is a struggle. The inside of my cheek burns from biting it so hard.
Good thing no one sees my peaked nipples. My ruined panties.
As soon as I catch my breath, I whisper, “You’re the worst.”
“You flatter me.” He smirks, tightening his grip on my chin. “Especially since you’ve barely had a taste of what I’m capable of.”
Someone’s walking toward us. I can’t tell who he is—can’t look anywhere but Everett’s handsome face. I sense him though. Hear the sound of a man’s shoes on marble floors.
“I said I don’t want a divorce,” I blurt out. “I want to talk. That’s what I’m asking for. You’ve been mostly quiet, which is fine. I get it. You have secrets. We don’t know each other all that well. Thing is—”
“Everett.” Although I haven’t attended these meetings often, I recognize the voice.
Stafford Hale.
“Please.” As challenging as it is in these heels, I rise higher while pulling on Everett’s jacket.
My lips find his ear to continue this important, private conversation.
I’d wait longer for him, but I feel like we’re almost there, like he wants me to push it.
“We have to start somewhere. Zap me, hurt me, call me a slut. But for fuck’s sake, talk to me. ”
Stafford clears his throat. I could punch him right now.
“We’ll talk at home.” Everett trails his hand lower, squeezing my throat. A show of power to the rest. Of his dominance. “Be good. Don’t leave my side.”
“Yes, master.”
My mocking tone gets me what I was aiming for. A tighter squeeze and Everett’s low growl.
“Be. Good.” He rests both hands on my shoulders, putting some distance between us. Then he turns to his only friend. “Stafford.”
“Hey.” Green eyes glimmer as he looks at Everett and me. Stafford runs his hand through his short red hair. It’s as immaculate as his light gray suit. “I see you two are in the middle of something. I just came here to say hello to the newlyweds.”
Everett’s lips pinch into a tight line. “You can stay.”
I watch as the two launch into a conversation about work, the stock markets, clients, and any other clandestine matters.
While they talk, I start wondering.
Stafford clearly isn’t upset about what Everett’s done. About his friend forcing this marriage on me. He smiles at my husband.
He understands him. I can tell.
He must know how much pain Everett’s been through. He must agree that Everett is entitled to such ruthless revenge. Or he didn’t like the idea, but Everett told him we’re on good terms now.
If it’s the first option, then whatever happened to Everett must’ve been devastating. More than I could ever imagine.
Lead lines the bottom of my stomach. Guilt threatens to swallow me whole.
Everett senses it, placing his hand on the small of my back. Same as before.