Chapter 31
My fucked-up knight in black armor carries me effortlessly into the castle.
I rest my head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart while mine is erratic, making my chest ache. Part of me wants to shove him away, but this is the first time someone has forced me to depend on them. It’s strange… and comforting in an unhealthy way.
Let the Stockholm syndrome begin.
I perk up the instant he stops in front of a room on the third floor. A security panel sits to the right of the door. It’s a sleek device that’s been seamlessly integrated into the castle’s historical ambiance.
Xavier places his hand on the flat surface, and it scans his palm through a complex pattern recognition system that’s too advanced for a mere fraternity. Once his identity is confirmed, the heavy wooden door unlocks with a subtle click, and he walks inside.
The room is spacious with high ceilings and walls adorned with ancient decor alongside modern light fixtures. A large bed made up of solid wood dominates the center of the floor, draped in deep crimson and black material. The only light shining in the dark room is an electric candle, creating shadows that flit across the opulent furnishings.
Xavier sets me on the bed, his gaze never leaving mine. “Don’t move.”
“You already caught me.” I lift my unscathed shoulder in a half shrug. “What the hell else am I going to do?”
“That’s fair.”
He leaves the room and enters what I assume is a joining bathroom. The sound of running water reaches me before Xavier returns. His signet ring winks at me as he makes his way across the room, and I drop my gaze. I don’t remember him picking it up, but I wish he’d left it behind.
He leans over me. I lift my head and eye him warily as he grazes the unmarred skin around my brand mark. His touch is gentle for someone who threatens to kill people every five minutes.
It’s difficult to breathe with him so close, his lips a few inches from mine. Our kiss in the forest fills my mind. I’m quick to shove it aside, but the damage is done. My nipples harden, and I clench my thighs to keep from squirming.
“Am I hurting you?” he asks softly. He flicks his gaze to mine and the concern there threatens to drown me in their silver depths.
I shake my head, unable to speak with his breath skimming my mouth and his fingers on my skin. He straightens and turns to the nightstand to grab a first aid kit. Without him touching me, I collect myself.
“You had that kit ready to go, huh?” I ask. “You were pretty sure of yourself?”
He sets the box next to me, his mouth a hard line. “I wasn’t coming back here without you.”
“But you don’t even know me.”
“I know you more than you think.”
“And?”
He stops rummaging through the medical supplies to look at me. “And what?”
“Did you bring me here just to fuck me? Or am I a victim in the Order’s agenda?”
“Depends.”
“Are you always this confusing?” I ask.
“Do you always talk this much?”
“Yes, actually.”
His lips twitch with amusement as he pours a clear liquid onto a cotton ball. “This is going to hurt.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and give him a quick nod. The cool solution contacts my inflamed skin, wrenching a groan from me. However, the sting is nothing compared to the agony I experienced earlier.
Xavier works quickly, his touch efficient but gentle. Possibly even tender. After cleaning and drying the wound, he applies medicine over my raw and battered skin, causing me to stiffen until a cool relief spreads across my skin.
I sit still, hardly breathing, as he places the gauze over the wound, pressing firmly. Xavier holds it and secures the dressing with medical tape. Once he’s no longer touching me, I crack an eyelid.
“Done?”
“Yes.”
“Thank goodness.” With a sigh, I slowly lie down, my exhaustion overriding my vigilance. “If you’re going to fuck me, do me a favor and be quiet when you do.”
His laughter floats over me, giving flight to a thousand butterflies in my stomach. I sneak a glance at him, only to find Xavier already looking down at me. He crawls onto the bed to lie beside me, and my breathing thins. I stop breathing completely when he traces the seam of my lips, his gaze bright with lust.
“If you can sleep while I’m inside you, then I’m not doing it right,” he says.
His words are playful but serious, sexy but shocking. Just like him, they leave me confused. And intrigued.
I turn my head to hide my face. I’m too tired to keep my feelings secret. This dangerous man already has complete access to my body, the last thing I need to do is give him a glimpse of my mind.
And certainly not my heart.
I should be screaming at him for dragging me onto the altar and branding me, but I don’t have the energy right now. That’s what I tell myself at least. There’s something about this man that leaves me feeling high, as though on the precipice of danger. Or bliss.
Either one could wreck me.
Xavier’s comment hangs in the air, a provocative statement. And a promise. It sends a rush of warmth to my cheeks. And then there’s his proximity, creating an awareness within my body that brands me just as much as his ring has.
I gasp at the feel of his fingers grazing my throat. He trails them up and down, slowly and methodically, as if he has all the time in the world to touch me. As if he’s pleasured by it.
A shiver snakes its way up my spine, and I can’t stop it in time.
“Are you cold?” he asks.
Does it count as a lie if it’s just a sound? “Mm hmm.”
He continues his gentle exploration of my body, now tracing feather-light patterns across my collarbone and along the curve of my shoulder. He’s careful not to get too close to my wound, for which I’m grateful. The longer he touches me, the warmer I become.
His deep, silky voice reverberates in the dimly lit room, filling the silence with a soothing hum. “You need to get under the covers.”
“Make me,” I mumble, too tired to care about anything.
I can hear the laughter in his voice as his breath skims my ear. “If that’s your attempt at reverse psychology, you should know it doesn’t work on me.”
The lopsided smile I’m fighting tugs at my lips despite the vulnerable situation I’m in. The mattress dips right before Xavier moves me so that my head rests on one of the fluffy pillows. I roll onto my side and curl into a ball, dismissing the thud of his boots landing on the floor. As well as the rustle of clothing that follows.
I’m not sleepy enough to ignore the weight of his arm when he drapes it across my waist and his fingers dig into my hip, pulling me back against his chest. I blink in the darkness at the unexpected maneuver. Yes, he’s still acting domineering and possessive, but now there’s an intimacy to accompany it.
“You did well tonight,” he says. His words are a whisper that grazes my neck and makes my skin prickle.
“I fought you and lost.”
“That was inevitable.”
I roll my eyes although he can’t see me. “You’re such a jerkoff.”
“Words like that will get that ass of your spanked, Delilah.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,” he confirms. “You carry my mark on your shoulder and that makes me fucking hard. What do you think it’d do to me to see your ass reddened by my hand?”
I suck in a breath just as he grinds into me, his cock pressing along my spine. The idea that he desires me is overwhelming. After the boys in high school avoided me like the plague, I figured no one would want me. I wonder if Xavier likes the idea of having his prize or if there’s something more…
“One thing you’ll learn soon enough, Delilah, is that I never go back on my word. If I say it, I fucking mean it.”
“So when you say I did well, you meant it?”
“Yes. Everyone expected you to run and hide. To cower or beg. You didn’t. You accepted the challenge, and even though you were out of your depth, you never stopped fighting me.”
I consider his words, letting the weight of them sink in. Xavier doesn’t seem like the type to give praise lightly. It feels good. The warmth of his body behind mine is even better.
“I have another question,” I say.
He sighs, and the sound is so normal, so human, it makes me smile in the dark.
“I have a feeling it’s going to be one of many.”
“You’re not wrong.” I pause, choosing my words carefully. “Are you in a relationship with someone?”
When he doesn’t answer immediately, I”m certain the unspoken answer is a “yes.” It’s like a knife to the gut, sharp and unexpected, and has my stomach clenching.
“Why?” he asks.
“Just answer the question.”
“I don’t do girlfriends.”
“Oh.”
For some stupid reason, disappointment floods me. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s not like I want to be in a relationship with the man, especially not after learning he’s a bigger asshole than I originally thought. However, there’s something inside me that can’t quite help but feel used. Or like he’ll throw me away when he’s done with me.
Xavier shifts before grabbing my shoulder and forcing me to lie on my back. He crawls on top of me, caging me in with both hands planted on either side of my head. He grips my chin and forces my gaze to his.
“I don’t see other girls. I’m not?—”
I scoff. “Xavier?—”
“Don’t interrupt me,” he snaps. His tone has my body responding in the most inappropriate way. “I’m not interested in anyone else,” he says, his eyes boring into mine. “Only you.”
I study his gaze, searching their gray depths for lies and deceit. “Really?” The vulnerability in my voice shocks me, but not more than the man on top of me.
“I’ve already told you, Delilah. I mean what I say.”
I continue staring up at him, my emotions conflicted. He caresses my jaw the tiniest bit, and it sends me further into confusion. I can’t help but think of Brenda and speculate on whatever history they have.
“You’re just saying that because I’m your bride,” I say. “If you’d caught someone else, you’d say the same shit to them.”
“If you hadn’t been forced into the Bride Hunt, I wouldn’t have taken a bride.”
I make a face at him instead of telling him to get the fuck out of here with that bullshit. My reaction must be a little too easy to read. His expression hardens, his grip tightening.
“It’s not just the truth. It’s a fucking fact.”
I open my mouth, but he slips his thumb over my bottom lip, dragging it across my tongue.
“Eventually, you’ll learn to trust me.”
“You’re crazy.”
He shrugs. “You’re not the first person to say that, and you won’t be the last. Doesn’t matter because it won’t change a fucking thing.”
I shake my head, removing his hand, but he presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth, his lips lingering. I don’t respond, and he doesn’t move. When he pulls away, his eyes are glittering with lust. And something deeper.
He moves to lie on his back and drags me toward him. He tucks my head under his chin, his fingers tangling in my hair.
“Sleep, little raptor.”
The order is quiet, spoken softly, and I have the strangest urge to obey him.