Arabella
One moment I am eating amazing petit fours, the next I am being bulldozed over by a gigantic beast. Thankfully, my wineglass was empty. Kip and Bert hide right away.
“New friend! I’m Jett! I love you, do you love me? I think we will be big-time friends—you like my dads? Aren’t they the best? You are the best. Let’s be friends. Is that stew? Did I mention I want to be friends?!”
It appears the large dog is Jett.
“It’s lovely meeting you too, Jett. Yes, we can be friends.” I giggle.
“You understand me! Yes! Will you be my mom? I love my dads, but I like your face. I love you. Will you scratch my belly?”
“Sorry about that, Duchess. Jett doesn’t know many boundaries.”
“It’s okay, Grayer. He just wanted to introduce himself.”
Grayer kisses my shoulder at the same time he tries to get Jett off of me. “I love hearing you say my name,” he whispers in my ear.
Grayer is quite distracting. While the others found it appropriate to wear shirts, it’s my dark prince who is shirtless.
He is just too beautiful. His tattoos seem to span his whole torso, along with his arms. And the muscle.
It was really hard to focus on eating, one of my many favourite things to do, with a view like that.
I think he has caught me gawking a few times, giving me that knowing smirk.
If he is being extra obsessive because he just needs to get me out of his system.. I think I could take one for the team. Then he opens his beautiful mouth and says the most possessive, sweet things, and has me melting for more reasons.
It feels like he sees me as more than just Arabella, the servant or thief.
“Jett, you better not be telling her all our secrets.” Koi pets Jett, now also coming closer to the bed.
“Well, we will leave you be. Jett, let’s go, boy.” Sylas and Archer set to leave. But Grayer and Koi remain on the bed. They turn around and shoot them a look. They are all staring weirdly at each other, silent, until Grayer lies back groaning.
“Fuck. Fine, I will leave, for now.”
They all leave, and I once again hear the door locking.
That was weird.
* * *
Because I had quite the nap, I am wide awake late into the evening.
Having tidied up, rearranged the room, paced anxiously, and stared blankly out the window, I’m now overcome with utter boredom.
Thankfully, they left the bottle of wine.
Perhaps it’s time to christen the bathtub and start that book.
With no soap bubbles or oils, it may be a little lame, but a hot bath is still a hot bath. My muscles had felt quite sore from running away from the princes. I bet they would laugh, knowing that brief run still effected me. Again, probably a simple warm-up for them.
I open “The Duchess and the Rake,” and the irony isn’t lost on me.
I pour the last remaining drops of the wine and enjoy the pure bliss as I submerge further into the basin.
All I would need is bubbles and maybe more of those little desserts.
. The bathtub is big enough, maybe even for a naked prince to join. Then this would be perfect.
I close my eyes and lose myself in the water’s warm embrace, losing track of time within the warm water and lust filled pages.
“Arabelly! The dark prince has snuck into your room from the balcony!”
My eyes snap open as I quickly get out of the tub, the cool air raising goosebumps, and wrap a thick towel around myself.
Sure enough, he is standing right outside the bathroom door as I open it, still shirtless, as if it’s his room.
“Duchess,” he growls. His eyes heat with hunger.
I am naked, hidden behind a tiny towel. We stare at each other, and I think he is going to kiss me, until he looks over my shoulder.
He shoulders into the space. Noticing the bubble-less bath, empty bottle, glass of wine, and embarrassingly, he picks up my book.
He flashes me a devious, dimpled grin that has me clenching my thighs.
I have had way too much wine and read too far into that book for him to look at me like that.
“Would that make me the Rake, Duchess?” I laugh, almost dropping my towel. “I love hearing your laugh.”
“Something tells me the other princes don’t know you are in my room. Why are you here, Prince Grayer?”
“I wanted to see you. Alone.”
I nod and exit the bathroom. I can feel him trailing behind me.
“Grayer,” I say with a sigh. He places his large hands on my shoulders, pulling me back to rest on him.
“This isn’t right. You will pick a bride soon.
” I turn around to face him. I have to crane my head just to meet his eyes; he is so tall.
“The other princes don’t want you to fuck me.
And really… I-I can’t just be a novelty.
” I dared to put a hand on his chest, feeling his erratic heartbeat.
“Stop trying to push me away, Arabella.” He takes my head into his hands.
A tear falls down my cheek. Never have I felt such a tender caress.
“My duchess, I want to court you. I don’t want the others.
I don’t know why I am so drawn to you, but I am.
And it’s not only your beauty. Watching you pull the knife on that doctor and command the street like a queen made me realize I need to have you in my life.
I couldn’t give two fucks about my duty.
I don’t want to upset my brothers, but I can not deny myself when it comes to you. ”
“So it was you who found me and stalked me?”
“I am sure my brothers wanted to, too, but I was persistent.” He winks.
That’s when I notice the updates to his magical heart pendant; right beside his fire gem lies my glass orb. I play with it in my hands and muster a whisper. “You kept it.”
Staring into each other’s eyes, kissing him would probably be my damnation.
The sweetest torture. I know I can’t have him, yet it’s me who brings him down for the kiss.
His kiss is urgent as he wraps his big arms around me, bringing me closer.
It may be unwise, crossing this line, yet it feels to right.
We are both panting as we split apart. He puts his forehead against mine. “Intoxicating, just like I thought your kiss would be.”
He looks down at our attached bodies, the towel barely hanging on for dear life. “I want to do this right, court you like a gentleman. But I am not a gentleman, Duchess. All I want to do is rip off this damned towel and make you mine. Can I make you feel good, Arabella?”
Like a virgin, all I could reply with was a breathy moan. Especially as I feel his cock harden even more against my body.
“You would like that, wouldn’t you?” He backs me up to my bed until the back of my knees hit the edge. “When we first met, I believe you requested for me to get on my knees for you. To worship you.”
Grayer gets on his knees for me, my dark prince. Moonlight paints the room in dark shadows, yet the intense heat blazing in his eyes is unmistakable. Even though he is on his knees, he is still so tall that his head is at my navel.
“If you want this, my love, you will need to take off that towel.”
I hesitate. From this vantage point, he wouldn’t see my scars, especially in the dark, moonlit room. But what if he doesn’t like what he sees? I have seen the women he has pursued in the past, and I can’t compare.
He must notice me struggling with the war on my mind, but doesn’t push me. I feel his large hands running up and down my legs as if to soothe me. But all it does is make me feel even hotter. So, without overthinking it further, I drop the towel.
I hear Grayer’s sharp intake of breath. Which makes me instantly worry that he doesn’t like what he sees. I go to reach for the towel again in embarrassment. But instead, he grabs my wrists, stopping me with a surprising, firm grip.
“You are so fucking stunning, Arabella.” He lets go of my wrist to go back to my legs, working his hands up along my body. Kissing my thighs whilst reaching for my breasts.
He pushes me down onto the bed, my legs still hanging over, spreading my legs open. Excitement and nerves send exhilarating tingles along my spine.
I reach for his head, but he catches my wrist, gently. “Not yet,” he murmurs, his voice rough with want.
I writhe as he slowly kisses along my stomach, to my thighs. Everywhere, save for that particular bundle of nerves I crave. It’s maddening as much as it is stimulating.
“You are everything, Duchess,” is all I hear before he finally fastens his glorious mouth to my clitoris, the feeling of what feels like a tongue ring, doing wonders. No man has ever tasted me in such a way, my whole body feeling alight with pleasure.
He groans like a man starved. His large hands bite into my thighs with his firm grip, as if never wanting to let me go. My breath turns shallow as I begin to rise to that peak, only for the maddening man to stop with a knowing smirk, kissing my thighs reverently in false apology.
“I love watching you fall apart,” he hums against me, voice muffled but thick with heat. “When I allow you to come, don’t hold back on me, Darling. Give me all of it, Arabella.”
He gently slides two of his fingers inside me, skillfully guiding me back to the fire in my core he is building.
It’s too much and not enough all at once.
I clutch at his hair, pulling him deeper into me, chasing every flick of his tongue.
He answers with a low growl that vibrates through me. That’s all it takes.
My thighs tighten around his head as the wave crashes. Sharp, hot and shattering. I cry out, hips jolting as the orgasm rips through me. But he doesn’t let up. He holds me there, mouth relentless, coaxing every last tremor from my body like he’s drinking down my pleasure.
“Fuck, Duchess,” he pants against me, voice thick. “That was the prettiest sound I’ve ever heard. You taste so fucking good. I’d have this for dessert every damn night.”
I can’t even form words. I just laugh breathlessly as I tug him up by his neck. The hard kiss I give him tastes of me on his lips: slick, sweet, and unapologetic.
“Your turn, my dark prince?”
Grayer groans, but to my surprise, he lifts me as he gets up. Grabbing me by the back of my thighs effortlessly.
“I desperately want those lush lips around my cock. But I want to take my time with you, my love.” I am surprised when he lays me down at the top of my bed. Tucking me in with care.
I can see the large outline of his very hard dick in his pants. It has me biting my lip. The rumours seem not to be wrong about the well-endowed fire prince.
“Don’t look at me like that, Duchess. I am trying really hard to be a gentleman.
” He goes into the bathroom, coming back to my bedside with a glass of water.
“My brothers are looking for me, and as much as I don’t care what they think about you being mine, I don’t want them to get rid of you because of how you affect me. ”
With one last searing kiss, he heads out onto the balcony. I sit up a bit, the cool air hitting my flushed face, and look over as I see him start to climb down the towering stone walls.
“Holy fuck!” I get out of bed, still very much naked, and go out to the balcony to make sure he is okay. He hangs off the edge effortlessly as he looks me up and down.
“I will never tire of seeing that view. Goodnight, Duchess.” He pulls up from the edge and places a chaste kiss on my lips before quickly climbing down the stone wall.
With a shake of my head, I return to the soft embrace of my bed. My body is still tingling, in shock at what transpired. It’s a dangerous feeling.
I can see him stealing my heart, only to break it.
I am just a novelty. Once he fucks me, all those sweet words will probably disappear. And when he sees the scars on my back, he will probably feel disgust.
I need to be careful.