Epilogue
IRIS
I unlocked the door to our greenhouse with the dainty silver key that Archer had gifted me what seemed like a lifetime ago. The door creaked open.
A warm, golden light spilled from the doorway and my eyebrows furrowed, confused. It was only when the door opened fully and I saw the space that I gasped, hand flying to my mouth automatically.
Thousands of little candles dotted the greenhouse, casting shimmering light and shadows on the many leaves and flowers.
Tall ferns arched above me as I moved towards the centre, swaying in a gentle breeze from the open windows.
Archer was standing by the fountain, its worn stone and rushing water a welcoming sight.
His eyes lit up as he saw me enter, and I felt that invisible, inevitable pull towards him that I’d sensed from the very first time I’d met him in his classroom.
‘Hi there,’ he said. He had on a pristine black suit, the utter contrast to his white hair. He looked fucking beautiful.
‘Why do you look so smart?’ I asked.
‘I came straight from a meeting,’ he said, and at my confused look he added, ‘With the new board of Blackthorne University… I am happy to confirm that they aren’t serial killers.’
‘As far as we know’ I joked. A smile broke out across my face, ‘Archer—’
‘Just come here.’
I let out a small squeal and ran towards him, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. He lifted me up and spun me around like something from a fairytale.
‘I love you,’ I breathed.
‘You have no idea,’ he said back.
When my feet reconnected with the floor I looked up at him. ‘Are there any updates on Sinclair? Or any of the others?’
He shook his head. ‘No. Nothing.’ His eyes were bright. Happy. ‘We’re okay. And anything that does come up, we’ll deal with it.’ He squeezed me to him. ‘I’ve got you.’
‘Pfft,’ I scoffed, ‘I can take care of myself.’
He laughed. ‘I know you can, but let me keep just a bit of my masculinity, please. I know you can easily protect us both and I’m ultimately useless.’
‘Good to know you understand.’ I winked.
He reached out his hand to me and I took it, letting the warmth of his fingers seep into mine.
He led me around the fountain and down some stone steps into a small area completely encased in flora.
A crimson coloured blanket lay out on the floor, with a small wooden tray holding two glasses and a bottle on it.
‘Wow,’ I said. ‘But hey, I thought I was bringing the blanket?’
‘We needed two,’ he said, smiling. ‘We’re sleeping in here tonight, so I wanted you to be warm.’
‘We’re sleeping in here?’ I said, excitement flooding in.
He took my hands, looked down at me. ‘Iris, this is the first time we don’t need to hide.
’ The intensity in his beautiful eyes made me instantly warm between the legs.
‘The first time we don’t need to sneak off anywhere…
Of course we’re sleeping in here.’ He put his palm on my cheek.
‘Now I have you, I’m never letting you go. ’
I looked back to the blanket and noticed all the pillows stacked beside it. ‘I really hope you don’t,’ I whispered.
A sly smile curved his lips. He indicated for me to sit, so I did.
The blanket was so soft beneath my palms – I couldn’t help but run my fingers up and down the fabric as I sat down and crossed my legs.
I shrugged my woollen cardigan off and set it to the side – it was humid in the greenhouse. Comfortable.
‘Wine?’ Archer asked.
‘You have to ask?’
Laughing – the sound music to my ears – he poured two glasses of red and passed one to me.
‘What are we toasting to?’ he asked.
I thought for a moment. ‘Us.’
‘I can get on board with that,’ he smirked.
We clinked our glasses together, and I couldn’t help but reminisce of our first time here. We were just strangers, then. Two opposites. Two different lives. Two people who shouldn’t have ever been drawn together, yet here we were. We were put through hell yet came out unscathed…
Well, relatively.
‘Do you remember the first time you invited me here?’ I asked, sipping my wine and staring up at him over the rim of my glass.
‘How could I ever forget?’ he whispered, tracing gentle patterns on the bare skin of my arm. My whole body tingled at the sensation. ‘You know, at first, I wasn’t even sure if you’d follow me in here.’
I huffed a breathy laugh. ‘Honestly, neither was I.’ I bit my bottom lip mischievously. ‘But, I’m glad I did.’
He didn’t answer straight away, just ran his finger along the rim of the wine glass, thinking, and then said, ‘Me too.’
His eyes became slightly distant all of a sudden and I grew worried that his father was playing on his mind again – as it had every now and then over the last few days, despite his obvious attempts to outrun the thoughts.
I knew he wasn't ready to confront it – his feelings, his past – and that was okay.
He knew I was here for him whenever he was. He knew I would always be here.
To bring him back to the present, I chose to taunt him in a way I knew he’d love. I scratched a non-existent itch at the nape of my neck, and accidentally knocked the loose strap of my camisole down off my shoulder. I saw his eyes instantly move to where it hung innocently off my arm.
Then, I took a sip of my wine, and slid a finger across my bottom lip, followed by my tongue.
Instantly realising what I was doing, he said, ‘So, that’s how tonight's going to go?’
‘I have no idea what you mean… Professor,’ I said sarcastically, twirling my finger around my ponytail in the way I knew drove him mad.
His eyes grew dark and an evil smile played about his lips. ‘You need to behave, Miss Blackthorne,’ he said dangerously.
I tilted my head innocently, ‘Or what, sir?’
‘Or I’ll have to punish you,’ he said quietly.
I instantly became aroused. My nipples peaked uncomfortably against the fabric covering them, demanding to be let free. The warmth between my legs bloomed into full on need.
Need for him.
He set his glass on the stone wall beside us, and I quickly followed suit. If tonight went anything like last time, we’d only spill it anyway. God, I hoped it would.
His fingers skimmed the hem of my skirt and I bit my lower lip in response.
‘Are you trying to turn me on?’ he asked.
I shook my head innocently. ‘I would never.’
‘Because if you’re lying, you’ll be in big trouble.’
‘Oh, no…’ I didn’t try to hide my sarcasm.
‘That’s it,’ he snapped, sitting up and wrapping one hand around both of my wrists, pulling me to him. I let out a small gasp before his lips were on mine. It wasn’t gentle, it wasn’t loving, it was brutal.
And perfect.
His tongue swept my mouth as his fingers wrapped in my hair. I moaned at the sensation crawling through my body at his touch.
‘Turn around,’ he growled. ‘Now.’
I did so instantly, swivelling my legs around to face away from him. Suddenly, his hands were on the back of my neck, pushing me down, down, down.
I felt one hand crawl under my torso and pull me upwards, so I was on all fours before him. My breath came in heavy and hot.
‘I warned you that I’d punish you,’ he breathed in my ear.
As one hand lifted my skirt up to expose my skin, the other slid my panties down my thighs, until they were at my knees and I was bare before him.
I didn’t even have the chance to breathe before he slid two fingers inside my folds and I gasped.
My back arched at the sensation and a moan slid past my lips.
‘Fuck, Archer.’
His spare hand came round to grip my mouth, muffling my moans as he finger fucked me with no remorse. ‘You’re so wet, my love.’
Lights danced behind my closed eyelids as I thrust back and forth from the motion of his fingers inside me. The whole world disappeared, and it was just me and him.
The sensation grew and grew until my climax was one breath away. I was so close… so close… and then, teasingly, he withdrew, leaving me empty and gasping for more.
‘No,’ I begged.
‘Sit up,’ Archer said, his breath tingling my ear.
I did as he said, a small whimper slipping between my lips at the movement. I could feel the absence of him inside me.
I heard him rustling around for something behind me, and then a moment later his mouth was at my neck, kissing and biting.
His tongue lapped at the skin there like a starved man, driving me crazy.
I reached up and twined my fingers in his hair, pulling at the strands, determined to just feel him, as he moaned into my neck.
‘Archer,’ I breathed. ‘I need you.’
He stilled, and slipped his fingers around my wrists, bringing them gently together behind my back. And then I felt the sensation of my wrists being bound by what felt like a soft, satin ribbon. I gasped as he pulled it tight, the ribbon digging into my skin in the sort of pain that I relished.
‘I don’t care what you want,’ he murmured. ‘You’re being punished, remember?’
My stomach flipped at the threat in his tone. Dark and dangerous. I swallowed hard.
‘Don’t move,’ he said quietly. And then a second ribbon, slightly wider than the first, slipped over my eyes. It felt soft and gentle on my skin, and my world went dark. I felt his fingers working it into a bow behind my head and then pull tight. ‘Good girl,’ he growled.
I embraced the darkness, and leant back into his touch. His strong fingers moved around to my throat and squeezed gently, cutting off my airflow and sending me wild.
‘Please,’ I whispered.
‘Shhh,’ he said. ‘Or I’ll have to gag you, too.’ I moaned before I could stop myself. ‘Oh, is that what you want?’ I tried to shake my head but his fingers had moved to my jaw.
I felt myself being lowered to the ground, before my back gently hit the blanket. I couldn’t move my hands apart, so they were pinned under me, and the loss of control turned me on way more than I cared to admit.
Another moan slipped free, and I heard Archer undo his trousers, followed by the sound of them being thrown to the side.