Chapter 6 Raven
SIX
RAVEN
Inever imagined I’d be married at nineteen. I certainly never envisioned myself tied to a mobster, never mind kissed by one.
Yet here I was.
I was still reeling from his words when the car came to a stop, and by the time we made it into his building’s glass elevator, I was freaking out.
He said there’d be no sex in the immediate future, and yet, when he’d kissed me, I would have let him do whatever he wanted.
And that terrified me more than anything else had so far.
I lifted my head and found him watching me with those wide blue pools that I feared I’d lose myself in.
Somehow it didn’t seem like a bad way to go.
“Breathe, Raven.”
His voice centered me, and I took a deep breath.
The elevator doors slid open to reveal a very impressive foyer, the white marble on the floor and sleek amber furniture instantly putting me at ease. Even at a glance, I could tell a single piece was worth more than what I’d make in a year at Velvet Desire, but it had a cozy quality to it.
“Welcome home.” His hand came around to the small of my back and he nudged me forward. “I’ll give you a tour tomorrow, but for now, straight to bed.”
He led me down the corridor, passing a magnificent kitchen and a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, behind which the city lights flickered under the full moon. If I squinted, I was sure I could make out the Empire State Building in the distance.
He opened the door at the far end of the hallway. “This will be your bedroom.”
I walked inside, stopping just shy of the plush Persian rug. I glanced around at the paintings and expensive tapestry and suddenly felt out of place. A California king bed was centered in the room with a crisp comforter, plump pillows, and soft sheets that called to me.
“I’ll mess up your place,” I murmured, gazing down at the state of me. My bare feet were filthy and my dress was scrunched and tattered beyond any hope of salvation.
He approached me slowly. An intoxicating heat rolled off of him in waves, sinking into me.
“Don’t worry about it. The cleaning lady, Aela, comes three times a week,” he said.
Then he raised his hand, letting it hover an inch from my cheek. I watched him hesitate before he closed the distance and let his fingers trace the line of my jaw.
“I’m sorry,” he rumbled.
I cocked my head and my cheek molded into his warm palm. “For what?”
“For forcing you into these shackles.” His lip quirked as if amused. “I’m sure the last thing you ever wanted was to marry an old man like me.”
I arched my brow, surprised by his apology and even more that he seemed to mean it. “So you admit you’re old?”
He scoffed. “Compared to you… yes.”
“I might have exaggerated slightly when I called you old,” I replied slowly.
He reared back at that, his fingers twitching against my temple. “I’m almost twice your age.”
I smiled. “Age is just a number.”
His nostrils flared. “A big fucking number in our case. You’re probably used to boys, not men about to enter the fourth decade of their life.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
He sighed. “Listen, neither one of us really signed up for this arrangement and it was thrust upon us in one night. We can take our time to get to know each other. Take things slow. I don’t want you to be scared of me, and I certainly don’t intend to force myself on you.
One day we’ll have to consummate our marriage, but it won’t be today. ”
My throat tightened and I merely replied, “Well, that’s a relief.”
“Relief that I won’t force myself on you?” he asked.
“Yes, because if those were your intentions, I’d have to kill you.” He seemed amused at my retort, but it was my next words that made an impact. “I’m a virgin, so I’m not exactly rife with experience.”
He froze.
“Are you shitting me?” I shook my head. “A virgin?”
“Yes,” I answered truthfully.
His fingers traveled down my throat with a feather-light touch, leaving goose bumps in their wake and drawing a wistful sigh from my lips.
“I almost wish that I didn’t like…” He hesitated. “Certain… things done a certain way.”
“What things? What way?” I questioned.
“You’re way too young for this conversation,” he muttered under his breath, and a thought struck.
“But not too young to marry, huh?” He shook his head but didn’t answer, which only piqued my curiosity, so I continued questioning him. “Do you mean… kinks?” I asked curiously. “Or are you into BDSM?”
He stiffened, but I noticed the way his pupils shot wide. “What do you know about that stuff?”
I cleared my throat. “I said I was a virgin, not a saint.”
His shoulders started shaking. For a second, I stood there staring at him, worried maybe he was having a stroke, when he threw his head back and started laughing. It wasn’t a light chuckle, but a deep, booming kind of laugh.
“Damn, I needed that,” he stated softly, still chuckling while his eyes danced with a mixture of heat and amusement. It made my heart flutter, which had to be proof that I’d lost my mind.
I swallowed, my throat bobbing with the movement. Any residual amusement vanished from Aiden’s gaze, replaced by a dark heat. Much to my horror, my pussy clenched in response.
“Get some sleep, Raven.” He removed his hand from my throat and I blew out a frustrated breath, missing his touch. What the hell was happening to me? I pursed my lips, about to protest him telling me what to do, but his next words stopped me: “As for me, I think I’m going to take a cold shower.”