Chapter 76
SEVENTY-SIX
LAUREL
I adjusted my gold earrings and stared at myself in the mirror, chin raised.
I was breaking the rules tonight. If I was going to be down there, pretending to celebrate this awful engagement, I was at least doing it in a dress I loved.
Not another one in crimson.
This one was a pearly pink, and the soft fabric draped over my arms and hips before flowing to the ground. It had been gathering dust in my closet for years, waiting for me to be able to wear it. Plus, you know. Pockets.
Kaos was sitting on my bed, chin resting on his knees and arms wrapped around them. He caught my eye, and the warmth in his gaze made butterflies take flight in my stomach again.
“What?” I asked, shifting on my feet.
“You’re so pretty,” he said, grinning at me. He stood up and stretched like Muppet did, before coming over and taking me in his arms like we were dancing.
I still didn’t know how to trust this new, sweet Kaos. But every moment he looked at me like that, my walls came down a little more. If this was a trick, I didn’t know if I was strong enough to resist it.
“I have to go,” I said, stepping back.
His grip tightened, and his eyes flashed. I sensed a fierce protectiveness coming from the bond, a rage that made his lip curl. “No,” he said. “Don’t go to them. Stay with me here. I’ll keep you safe.”
I did feel safe here, I realized.
With him holding me.
The first time I’d felt safe in this villa.
“I have to,” I said, lifting my hand to rest gently on his arm. “I won’t be alone.”
“Not alone,” he said, his hand dropping to my chest, delicately tracing the neckline of my dress over the swell of my breasts.
He’d watched me thread a wire through this seam earlier, so his touch seemed to be reminding himself of that, but as his fingers brushed across my skin, a swirl of arousal pulsed to life between my legs.
My nipples hardened, and I bit my lip as his eyes met mine, a fierce hunger alight within them.
I shivered as his fingers followed the swell of my breasts, as his touch became more exploratory, as the look in his eyes darkened. My breath hitched as his hand cupped a breast, stroking my nipple through the fabric. I looked up again, only to have his lips catch mine in a kiss.
Pleasure rippled down my body, all the tension I didn’t know I was holding melting as I let out a moan and tugged him closer.
His kiss was fierce, desperate, and I ran my hands down his torso as he continued to claim me.
His taste was of sharp absinthe and licorice, an undercurrent of static buzzing on my tongue and spreading over my body in a prickling wave of heat.
His hand was still palming my breast, the touch causing my clit to throb and slick to soak through my panties.
His other hand came to my hip, dancing over the silky fabric.
I could have cried in relief, the throbbing of my bond mark replaced by a tingling pleasure that was driving me desperate for him.
I pressed closer, needing his solid sureness against me, and I perfumed like a cloud as I felt the outline of his hard cock through his sweatpants.
He groaned in response and lifted me up by my hips, setting me gently so I was sitting on my vanity.
We broke our kiss, and I panted, feeling hot and needy as his hand slipped under my skirts, hiking them up to my waist.
His pupils were blown, his lust pouring through our bond and feeding mine, and I whimpered and shifted, pulling the bunched fabric back more until my lace panties were visible.
My shoulder was throbbing, but the pain was meaningless as I shifted back, exposing myself to him.
I needed him now, needed his cock to fill me with his scent, his claim.
A part of my mind was screaming at me that I was going to ruin the dress, that I might be late, that I shouldn’t trust him, but I ignored it. None of it mattered; I wanted to stay here in Kaos’s arms as he held me and ravished me.
He hummed in delight as he slid his hand up my inner thigh until he was running his thumb over the soaked fabric above my clit.
A needy whine escaped me, and I breathed in his scent deeper, gripping his shoulders as his touch sent out another wave of pleasure.
“You’re mine, Laurel,” Kaos growled, tugging his pants down.
I could feel the pounding need within him and within myself too.
This was what I was aching for. I wanted him, and I wanted him now.
He stepped out of his pants and tugged at his underwear until his cock was bobbing free.
I stared down at it, breathless. It was thick, especially in the middle, and it was already swollen, red veins outlined down the shaft.
It was pointing at me, as if straining for me, and my pussy clenched desperately on empty air as I took it in.
His electric scent was enveloping me like a haze, like a madness, and I let out another needy whine.
My nipples were hard, rubbing against the fabric of my dress, and my pussy throbbed as he stepped closer.
Both our eyes were fixed on the sight of the head of his cock coming to rest against my awaiting slick and heat.
He stopped, letting it rest there, and I gave an impatient growl.
One of my arms was holding me up, but the other scrabbled at his hip, urging him closer. He tugged my panties down, in agonizing slowness.
My head fell back as he entered, pushing just the tip inside. I was clenching around him, stars dancing in my vision as I finally felt him inside.
He released a strangled groan. “You’re so perfect,” he said, steadying himself. His lips found my neck, kissing the bare skin exposed there before he pushed forward, sheathing himself in one delicious move.
I could feel a stretch as I accommodated his girth, and slick escaped around him as he bottomed out with a hiss. I wrapped my bare legs around him, needing us to be closer, closer until we were joined completely.
His hair tickled the skin on my shoulders as he nipped and sucked at my neck.
He started a rhythm with his hips, rocking me and driving me feral as he moved inside.
I was buzzing with his energy, pleasure like waves crashing through my body.
All the weight I’d been shouldering was gone, dissolved, as my alpha worshipped me with his body.
“Kaos,” I groaned, and he snarled again, his hips thrusting harder. One of his hands was steadying me, protecting my bad side, ensuring he wasn't hurting me.
“You’re mine, Laurel. Mine,” he said, the words coming out in harsh pants. “When you go out there tonight, I’ll be close by. I’ll be there if they try anything.”
I clung to him harder as I felt his promise echoing through the bond into my very soul.
“Mine,” he said again, his free hand slipping down so he could circle my clit. I gasped at the touch, my scalp prickling as I came, as I shuddered and clenched around him. “I want you to feel this all night, Laurel,” he said, his thrust rattling the vanity behind me.
It was pain twisted with pleasure; it was so much and not enough.
“I want you to feel me when you sit and walk, feel how I’ve claimed you, feel my cum leaking from your tight cunt and remember you’re not theirs.”
I cried out at his words, because yes, I wanted that, needed that.
I was trembling under him as he mercilessly worked my clit, and I gripped him as a second climax gripped me, making stars burst in my vision.
He grunted, stilling as he came alongside me, and we clung to each other as the ecstasy roared around us, sweeping over us so completely.
I panted, and he pressed a kiss to my neck.
“I’m going to destroy them,” Kaos said, not letting me go yet. He was tense, his eyes darkening. I’d seen that look many times on him as he’d fought in the Sink. “I’ll make them suffer. I’d do it tonight if I could.”
Nodding, I brought my hand up to stroke his face. “I know,” I whispered, and rested my forehead against his. “I know you will.”
I had to clean up and get ready all over again, but it didn’t matter. Kaos was by my side, helping, and I felt like he’d given me a little bubble of protection.
I texted Finch to let him know I was heading over to the party. He texted back, telling me he was waiting for me by the side entrance. We hadn’t talked much since his apology, and I wasn’t sure where we stood. I wasn’t sure where I wanted us to stand.
I tried to steel myself against seeing him in yet another suit as I rounded the corner of the fountain.
This outfit, though, was full formal wear, and my pussy didn’t stand a chance, not even so soon after being wrecked by Kaos.
I was stuck admiring the way the suit hugged his ass for a moment. I looked away and cleared my throat.
He turned around, doing a double-take that made my heart stutter. “Laurel?”
“Did you not recognize me?” I asked, amused.
“No, um, you look very pretty.”
My grip tightened on my purse.
“Thanks,” I said, and the words hung in the air between us. Part of me was screaming at me to smile at him and welcome his awkward compliment, but I wasn’t ready for that. He’d seemed sorry when he’d apologized, but he’d still been responsible for my torture at the hands of Madison.
Finch folded his arms, turning toward the casino. “You all set for tonight?”
I nodded. Tonight, I’d be trying to get Dax’s phone and sneaking it away, so we could duplicate it as a live version. No big deal.