Chapter Thirty-Four #2
I wanted to ensure they knew they were never alone. They might have their mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, but only those of us who had been there could truly share in the nightmares, the scars, and the memories.
Once I’d found each jewel and created—I didn’t know...a Facebook group chat or some way of always being there for each other, I then wanted to track down my half-siblings.
I wanted the girls and boys I remembered huddling in that nursery block to know they weren’t alone like I’d always thought I was.
Q might not want anything to do with his father’s bastards but me?
I was one of those bastards, and it was about time I did what I’d failed to do as a kid and look out for them.
Ily didn’t say a word as I marched with the slightest limp up the patio steps and into the lounge at the back of the chateau. Toeing off our snowy boots, we cut through the dark living room, avoiding a few dog chew toys and Lino’s scooter.
Everyone had retired, leaving the place in shadow.
The scents of pesto pasta that we’d shared for dinner still lingered in the air, garlicy and homey, adding yet another layer to my happiness.
Ily giggled under her breath as we cut into the foyer, and I pushed her against the banister of the fancy curved staircase.
“You’re suddenly very eager.” She grinned.
I kept my eyes on hers all while flashbacks of my past tried to distract me with memories I’d willfully forgotten.
The paintings on the walls differed to how they’d been when my father had dragged me through the house to the wing where he kept his harem. The carpet had been gold then, but now it gleamed a dark blue.
The first day Tess had taken us for a tour and shown us where the indoor swimming pool was, the conservatory, and offered the use of the library, I’d feared my memories would overwhelm me.
But somehow...those ghosts kept fading the longer I heard laughter in the halls instead of screams. The horrors of my childhood blew away each time Lino charged past with the dogs or I caught my brother yanking Tess into the shadows for a quick grope.
Tipping my chin down, I pressed my mouth to Ily’s.
She moaned and yanked her gloves off, then threaded her fingers through my hair. Her tongue speared past my lips. She took the kiss and made us ignite with all those flames, all that heat.
Grinding my hips against her belly, I rocked against her.
Our kiss turned wild. Our heads dancing, noses grazing, teeth occasionally clacking.
I groaned as I cupped her breast, only to find a handful of jacket. “You’re wearing far too many clothes.”
She snickered. “I know how to fix that problem.”
“Me too.” Grabbing her hand, we shot up the stairs.
We laughed as we ran-limped down the corridor.
We tripped into our room, kicked the door closed, and attacked one another.
This was good.
This was passion.
I could handle being rough as we tore each other’s clothes off.
I could participate as she dropped to her knees, took me in her mouth, and sucked me.
And I could allow a piece of my blackness to unfurl as I snatched her from her knees, tossed her onto the bed, and smothered her body with mine.
What I couldn’t do was bite her until she bled or spank her no-longer-bruised skin.
Her fingers landed on my back, tracing the nasty mess of scars.
Her legs snapped around my hips as I reached between us and guided myself to her scorching wet heat.
She gasped as I penetrated and groaned as I slid all the way home.
We lay there trembling, gasping as we returned to each other after being apart for so long.
And then, we began to move.
Slow at first.
A rocking, a claiming.
We kissed and licked and despite her fingers turning to claws on my back, deliberately granting pain to retaliate, I stayed kind.
Worshipping.
Our eyes caught as I looked down at her, flushed in my embrace. Knowing I was inside her. Feeling her all around me.
I couldn’t stop myself as I tipped her chin to the side and latched my mouth on her neck. I licked her scar and kissed her softly.
“Do it,” she groaned. “Bite me.”
I licked her again instead. I ignored the urge of all that darkness. I fell into lust, not cruelty.
I arched into her, taking her hard but devotedly.
She gasped as I thrust into her and moaned with frustration as I refused to go too far.
The bed tapped against the wall with our every rock.
“Henri...please.”
Her plea was too similar to my dreams when she refused to wake up.
I withdrew and plunged back inside her. “Here. Have me. Take every piece.”
Her hands landed on my ass, pulling me harder against her. “You’re holding back.”
“Ily, stop.” I groaned. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Even if I beg?”
My blood heated with black. “Especially if you beg.” I captured her mouth and kissed her. Shutting her up. Silencing her temptation.
My pace increased until our hearts thundered, and the sounds of sex echoed around us.
This wasn’t just missionary. Despite my attempts at being kind, threads of dominion worked its way between us.
I used her all while loving her.
She fought me all while staying quiet.
Having her here. Being inside her.
Fuck, I reached that pinnacle far too quickly.
“Come with me,” I grunted, thrusting faster, deeper.
“I don’t think I can without—”
“I’m not going to hurt you, mon c?ur.” Reaching between her legs, I rubbed her clit. “I’m going to worship you every damn day from now on.”
“You can worship me and—”
“Stop talking and come for me. I want to feel you shatter.”
Her eyes closed and her brow furrowed.
I waited for her to try to break my resolve again.
But then she went submissive beneath me, granting every inch of her sovereignty to me.
Merde.
A lightning bolt in my veins.
The wickedest surge of power.
I grunted with despair. “Ily...don’t. Please don’t make me hurt you.”
Her eyes flared, locking onto mine.
Whatever she saw inside me made her wince. Cupping my cheek, she bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Fuck me, Hen. I’ll come for you.”
Lowering my head, I kissed her. My fingers stroked her clit, hard and rhythmic.
Sucking in a breath, she shuddered as her internal muscles feathered around me.
“That’s it,” I whispered. “Fuck, yes. Do that again.”
My eyes rolled back in my head as she clenched around me, dragging a curse from the depths of my blackened soul.
Fuck me.
Why?
Why did she have to feel so good? So hot, so wet, so mine?
Why did I want to hurt her all while I loved her with every scrap of my soul?
My hips rutted faster, my body taking control.
Her submission made me inch closer to that line and an orgasm wrapped thorny and sharp around my spine.
“Yes.” She cried out as I hit the top of her. “God, yes.”
“Fuck.”
Her arms landed above her head on the pillow, granting me complete control.
“Christ.” I jack-knifed into her, again and again. “You feel so good. Fuck, you feel so good.”
With a gasp, she surrendered her final piece.
My hand clamped over her wrists above her head, pinning her down.
Her entire body jerked with pleasure. Her eyes turned molten as she obeyed me like a good little—
Nope.
Not going there.
She arched her hips, driving me harder, deeper.
I lost myself all over again.
I tried to make love to her, to honour her and respect her.
But with every moan, she did her best to shove me into my monstrosity—the creature who would happily fuck her and bleed her and use her as if he didn’t need her in order to survive.
Our eyes locked as we fell into a silent war.
A battle neither of us acknowledged.
But the beast inside me did. Blackness whispered how quickly she’d come if I—
No.
Never again.
I shook my head.
I locked down those thoughts.
And Ily gave up with a huff. With a twist of her lips and a wanton moan, she shattered around me. Milking me to my own lacklustre climax. Granting us a release all while that release didn’t satisfy.
We came together.
We finished at the same time and snuggled until we fell asleep, but the truth hung between us in the dark.
Whatever had happened on that island had changed both of us.
It’d freed the most monstrous parts, the most honest parts.
I’d warned her what might happen if we played Victor’s sadistic games.
It seemed now we were paying the price.
The price of love being forever wrapped up with inescapable bindings of pain.