Chapter Nine
MERRICK - NOW
My soul ached for Era as she tucked her knees to her chest, her breathing uneven, irises blurred by tears.
We’d moved to the green loveseat as she’d told me her story.
“I did what was promised. Esther became my official seamstress, her dresses becoming the most sought after in Otacia.” Her lip trembled, her voice hardly audible as she said, “At least I did one thing right.”
I let the silence stretch for a few moments. “What happened to her?” I asked in a whisper. “To Mabel?”
Her eyes remained distant as she shook her head slowly, her tears spilling over. “Can’t,” she choked.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I comforted as she began to cry, scooting closer to her. I pulled her into my lap, her face nuzzling into my chest. “It’s okay…”
She shook her head, her fists clenching my shirt. “It’s not…It’s not okay.”
I tried to think of what might have happened, but no scenario I could conjure felt right. But I wouldn’t press her, wouldn’t force her to speak about something she wasn’t ready to share.
When her breathing steadied, she looked up at me. “So, you see,” she told me softly, “Silas saved me. And that is why betraying him…why being with you…” She released a frustrated sigh, shaking her head.
“But he told you that you could find love elsewhere if you wished, no?”
“That was before anything occurred between us,” she clarified. “The first couple of months of our marriage, we stayed friends. And even then, I knew Silas remained faithful.”
Well, until Lena came back.
Gods…I should tell her.
“And then…then I kissed him. I had kissed him, telling him I’d wished to try. And for me, he did.”
I ran my fingers along her scalp, through her blonde strands, and she sighed. “And he makes you happy?” I murmured.
Orbs of ochre shifted back and forth between my darkened ones as she searched my face. She didn’t have to answer. With my gift, I knew.
“Are you in love with him?” I asked instead.
“I care about him deeply…” she said quietly. “So, yes, I love him.”
“But are you in love with him?”
“Just stop,” she whispered, then broke out of my embrace, lifting herself from the couch. But she didn’t walk far, halting only steps away.
“Why?” I challenged.
“Because…” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You…you confuse me, Merrick.”
“I know your feelings for me, Era,” I began, rising to my feet and closing the distance between us. “I’ve known them for a while.” I leaned forward, my hand gently grazing her skin. “Have felt how differently your emotions soar when you’re around me.”
“Stop,” she pleaded in a whisper, but her emotions crashed into me—aching with want. She didn’t resist as my fingers slipped between her thighs, brushing over the thin barrier of her underwear.
“For once, don’t you want to choose something for yourself? Choose what you want, not what you should?”
She remained silent, but I felt everything as my fingers began to swirl.
I leaned closer, my lips brushing her ear. “What would you choose, Erabella?” I murmured.
She was silent for several moments, offering nothing but breathless moans until she uttered quietly, “I want you to force me.”
My whole body stiffened, and I tore myself back, not expecting that as an answer. “…What?”
“I want—I need you to force me.”
“Force you?” She nodded, and my eyes widened. “You want me to force you to have sex with me?”
Embarrassment spread through her like ink in water. Still, she said, “I will keep backing out. I will keep making excuses, keep letting my guilt stop me from doing what it is I actually want.”
“Era…” I shook my head. How could she ask that of me? I’d never force her to do anything, certainly nothing sexual.
“I’m giving you permission,” she explained softly.
“But if you want me to stop—”
“Yolkstinger.” My brows pinched, and she clarified, “If I say that, you will know I truly want you to stop.”
“Well…that is certainly the least sexy word you could’ve picked.”
Her lips twitched, her shoulders relaxing.
“So…” I crept closer, and she took a step back. “You want me to claim you, Era?”
Her cheeks colored fiercely, and she shook her head no, her lips betraying her by tilting upward.
Excitement hummed in my veins, desire burning through me in the most pleasant way. “Hmm…” Stepping closer, I lifted my hand, brushing my thumb over her bottom lip. “You’d look so pretty with my cock in your mouth. Should I make you do that first?”
Her eyes flared. “Merrick, I—”
I couldn’t help myself, not with the feelings she felt, not with my own selfish desires. I embraced her and met her wide eyes, the brown shining orange from the lamp light. Her breathing hitched, and I pulled her lips to mine.
There was nothing gentle about the kiss. Nothing sweet. No, it was a claiming—it was every unspoken word, every refrained action.
Era tore away, backing toward the bedroom. Fear and lust swirled through her mind, and it only aroused me further.
“Are you going to run from me, Era?” I crept closer, my voice going low. “This house is small. Not many places to hide.”
She retreated a few more steps, her hands traveling back to brace herself against the door.
With the slightest flick of my wrist, Era yelped.
Panicked, her eyes shot behind her back, and she whimpered when she saw the ice handcuffs binding her wrists together.
I stepped forward, my lips brushing across her cheek. “Try to fight me with those on,” I purred into her ear.
“Gods…” Her eyes were heavy, her chest rising and falling as I kissed her temple.
“What should I do with you, hm? Should I force you to your knees?” I kissed down her neck in small, soft pecks. “Should I restrain you to the bed and bury my face between your legs?”
“Please…don’t…” she moaned as I licked up her throat.
“You aren’t very convincing.” I slid my hand under her shirt to fondle her breast, releasing a low grumble as my thumb brushed over her nipple.
“Stop,” she begged, and I silenced her by pressing my mouth to hers.
I’d have worried, hearing her say that, if not for my gift.
Gods, feeling the desire, the lust that radiated off her, was almost too much to bear.
I kissed her passionately, teasing her nipple with my touch.
Era swirled her tongue around mine, greedily exploring my mouth before she used all her strength to shove me back with her chest.
I gripped her arms and slammed her against the door, kissing her harder. Era moaned into my mouth as I lifted her leg, settled myself between her thighs, and ground my pelvis against hers.
She broke our kiss, panting into my mouth, “Get off me, Merrick.”
“No.” I rocked into her, then rasped, “Get in the fucking bedroom.”
She grinned over my lips, her voice like silk as she murmured, “Make me.”
I tore away from her, gripping her arm and hauling her away from the door. I damn near ripped the thing off its hinges as I shoved it open and then hauled her inside.
She resisted. “Wait, Merrick—”
Her arms were still bound behind her with my ice. “Get on the bed.”
Heat crept up her cheeks, her eyes bouncing between the bed and me before giving me a daring look.
Force me.
With a fluid motion of my hand, I freed her from the restraints.
Her wide eyes went to her reddened wrists, her body frozen in place as I prowled closer.
I lifted two fingers to her throat, frosting the tips with ice.
I traced them slowly across her skin, then pressed in.
I wouldn’t break the skin, but the threat of it was enough to make her obey. “Take your shirt off, Erabella.”
At her answering silence, I pressed the ice shards deeper into her neck, and her breathing quickened.
“Off. Now.”
She cautiously lifted her gaze, biting down on her lip as she crossed her arms, lifting the fabric over her head.
I resisted the urge to free her breasts—to rip that bra off. Instead, I let my warmer hand trail down her toned stomach. “Now I want you to take my pants off.” Slowly, I slid the sharp, frozen tips down the column of her neck, and her eyes rolled shut. “Pull them down.”
I gritted my teeth, caging my groan as she hooked her fingers inside the waistband of my pants, slowly sinking to her knees before me.
I allowed her to jerk the fabric down, leaving just the undergarments.
The outline of my cock was a loud provocation, arrogant and unashamed, unlike the bashful warmth that crept up my face.
My fingers were still pressing into her neck, her beautiful face gazing up at me, awaiting instruction.
“Do you have any idea how hard it's been, feeling all that you do? Knowing just how perfect these lips have felt pressed against mine and refraining from tasting them again?” I allowed the ice to melt from my hands, running my dripping thumb over her pouty lip. “Feeling that yearning, that desperate need every time our lips have touched, when I feel the same exact way?” I pressed my thumb forward, demanding entry, and Era took the digit into her mouth, sucking on it lightly. A shaky exhale escaped me, and I murmured, “It’s been a cruel punishment.”
I removed my thumb just as she opened her mouth to speak. “You aren’t the only one who’s suffered,” she said quietly.
My heart picked up speed. “Tell me what you want.”
Those stunning eyes shifted between mine. “I want you to have your way with me,” she answered lowly. “I want you to fuck me so hard I forget how to breathe.”
Fuck.
I slowly clasped my hand around her neck and gave it a light squeeze. “Then you are going to remove your bra, and you are going to lie on your back on that mattress. Got it?”
I squeezed tighter, and she gave me a rushed nod. Upon my release of her throat, she reached back slowly, unhooking the clasp. I loosened a strangled breath as her breasts fell free, her cinnamon-dark nipples hardened to peaks.
“You are stunning,” I whispered, trailing my fingertips along the supple curves. “My Gods…”