Chapter 38 #2
“Raffaele,” I gasped, my voice breaking as his teeth grazed my nipple. The combination of pleasure and pain left me trembling, my hips shifting against him in a silent plea for more.
His dark eyes flicked up to meet mine, his lips curving into a wicked smile. “Tell me what you want, Vivian.”
“I want…” My words faltered, my cheeks flushing as I struggled to find the courage to say what I was thinking. But I didn’t need to. He already knew.
I pushed against his chest, and his brow furrowed for a moment, confusion flickering in his gaze. But he let me guide him, sitting upright on the couch as I rose to my feet. His hands rested on my hips, his thumbs brushing against my bare skin as I stood in front of him.
“What are you doing?”
“Something I’ve been thinking about for a while.” My cheeks burned as I reached for him, my fingers trailing down his chest to the waistband of his pants. “Something I want.”
“Are you sure?” There was an uncharacteristic vulnerability in his voice, like he was afraid of pushing me too far.
“I’m sure.”
His eyes darkened, his lips parting as I tugged his pants down and freed his thick, hard cock. The size of him made me hesitate for a fraction of a second before I wrapped my fingers around, and he let out a low groan, his head tipping back as I stroked him slowly.
“Fuck, Vivian,” he murmured roughly. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
I smiled, confidence sparking in my chest as I sank to my knees in front of him. His hands moved to my hair as he watched me with a mixture of hunger and disbelief.
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to, Raffaele.” I leaned forward, my lips brushing against the tip of him. His grip on my hair tightened, a low curse slipping from his lips as I flicked my tongue over him, tasting the salty evidence of his desire.
I took him into my mouth slowly, my lips stretching around him as I worked to accommodate his size. He was so thick, so impossibly hard. I moved slowly at first, my hands braced on his thighs as I focused on him, on the way he groaned my name, the way his body tensed beneath my touch.
“You’re so good,” he murmured, his voice rough with praise. “So fucking good, Vivian.”
His words sent a thrill through me, and I took him deeper, my hands sliding up to cup his balls. He let out a low growl, his hips jerking slightly as his hand tightened in my hair.
“Relax your throat,” he instructed. “Let me in.”
I breathed through my nose as I took his cock even deeper, my lips brushing against the base of him. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I didn’t care. The way he was responding to me made it all worth it.
“Fuck,” he groaned, his other hand coming up to cup my cheek as he guided me, thrusting slowly into my mouth. “You’re perfect. So fucking perfect.”
I moaned around him, the vibrations making him curse again. I hollowed my cheeks, my hands moving in time with my mouth, and that was all it took.
“Vivian,” he cried out, his release hitting the back of my throat. I swallowed every drop, still stroking him as he shuddered beneath me.
I pulled back slowly, my lips swollen and my chest heaving as I looked up at him. He pulled me into his lap and crushed his lips to mine. His hand slid between my legs, his fingers finding my clit.
“You’re so wet,” he murmured against my lips, his tone filled with both awe and satisfaction. “Do I do this to you?”
I nodded, moaning as he circled my clit, sending sparks of pleasure through me. I reached down, intending to still his hand, but instead, my fingers brushed against him, finding him already hard again.
“How is that even possible?” I asked.
“Because you’re so fucking sexy, Vivian. I can’t get enough of you.”
He stood, lifting me effortlessly before turning me around and bending me over the back of the couch. Bracing my hands against the cushions, I shivered as he traced my back, his touch firm and possessive.
“Tell me if it’s too much,” he said as he positioned himself at my entrance.
“It won’t be,” I replied, my voice shaky with anticipation. “Please, Raffaele.”
He thrust into me in one smooth motion, and I cried out, my body arching as he filled me completely. He stayed still for a moment, gripping my hips as we both adjusted to the overwhelming sensation.
“Gods, Vivian,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “So tight. So perfect.”
He began to move, his thrusts slow and deliberate at first, but quickly building in intensity. Each movement sent a jolt of pleasure through me that made my legs tremble. His hand slid around to my front, his fingers finding my clit again as he drove me closer and closer to the edge.
“Raffaele,” I moaned as I teetered on the brink. “I—I’m—”
“Come for me,” he growled, his pace relentless. “Let me feel you.”
I clenched around him as my climax ripped through me. He followed moments later, his groan low and guttural as he buried himself deep inside me.
The firelight danced across the room, painting the walls in shades of gold and amber. I lay on the rug, my body tangled with Raffaele’s, the warmth of his skin pressed against mine. His fingers combed gently through my hair, a soothing rhythm that lulled me into a state of quiet contentment.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt peace.
But the gnawing truth just beneath the surface wouldn’t stay buried.
I stared at the ceiling, trying to push the thoughts away, but they crept in anyway, like shadows seeping through cracks in a door. I was the reason for all of this—the reason Raffaele’s powers had faltered, the reason his father had found me, the reason for the hell we’d both endured.
If I had resisted Izo’s siren song, his fucking kiss, none of this would have happened. I had transferred Izo’s will to Raffaele. That’s why his powers waned, why his illusions cracked, why his father sensed me. All of it traced back to me.
I swallowed hard, the guilt tightening around my throat like a noose. If Raffaele was going to be successful in whatever he was planning, he needed to know the whole truth.
Raffaele’s hand stilled in my hair. “What’s wrong?”
I turned to look at him, my heart constricting as I took in the peaceful expression on his face. How could he look at me like that? Like I wasn’t the monster who’d brought all of this on him?
“Vivian,” he said, his eyes searching mine. “Talk to me.”
I sat up and pulled the blanket around me as if it could shield me from what I had to say. The words stuck in my throat.
“I…” I clenched my fists. “I need to tell you something.”
He pushed himself up on one elbow, his gaze sharpening. “Go on.”
I forced the words out before I could stop myself. “It’s my fault. All of this.”
His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
I took a shaky breath, tears burning in my eyes. “Izo. The siren from the Ashen Faction...”
Raffaele tensed. “How do you know who that is?”
“He lured me out to the sea with his song. I kissed him—or he kissed me. I don’t even know anymore. But his magic… it got into my head. I transferred his curse to you, Raffaele. That’s why your powers faltered. That’s why your father sensed me.”
I dared a glance at him, but his expression was unreadable. The bond between us was quiet, unnervingly so, and it only made my panic worse.
“I worked with him,” I blurted, the confession spilling out in a rush.
“Behind your back. I was scared, and I was alone, and I just wanted to break free. I wanted to get back to Will. I thought—” I buried my face in my hands.
“I thought I could escape all of this. But I didn’t think or care about what it would do to you. ”
Tears streamed down my face, and still, he said nothing. The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.
“Please,” I begged. “Please say something. Anything.”
Raffaele sat up fully, staring at me with those dark, inscrutable eyes. Then, to my surprise, he cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing the tears from my cheeks.
“I don’t fucking care,” he said.
I gaped at him. “What?”
“I don’t care,” he repeated, his gaze holding mine. “None of it matters.”
“But—”
“Vivian, you are my wife. I am your husband. You are mine.” His eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “Fucking Izo can get into magical creatures’ minds with minimal effort. I can only imagine how easily he was able to penetrate your human consciousness.”
I bit my lip, shame flooding through me. “Yes, but… I wanted to break free. There was a part of me that made a conscious decision without being forced. I wanted you to lose your powers. I wanted to be rid of this fucking necklace.” I reached up, my fingers brushing the cold metal around my neck.
“I didn’t give you any reasons to want to stay with me, and absolutely no reason to trust me.
I recognize how much bravery it must have taken to tell me now.
” His gaze softened, and to my shock, I didn’t see anger or betrayal.
I saw… love. He reached out, and with nothing more than a purposeful touch, he removed the choker.
“Izo has been a thorn in my side for years,” he said. “I hate the bastard for using you as a tool to get to me. And he’ll fucking pay for messing with my wife.”
I watched as the wheels in his mind began to turn, his expression growing thoughtful. Through the bond, I could feel the shift in his focus, his determination taking hold.
“You’re plotting,” I said quietly.
“Always.”
“What are you thinking?”
He sighed. “I thought I was losing my powers because of the madness that runs in my family. Illusion magic, dark magic—it takes a toll. My father…” His jaw clenched.
“He was always evil, but in his later years, he became maniacal. Unreasonable. Dangerous. That’s the price of the magic we wield.
But I was wrong. It wasn’t madness. It was Izo. ”
He pulled me close, his arms wrapping around me as he buried his face in the curve of my neck. His breath was warm against my skin, and the bond pulsed in quiet reassurance.
“Let’s not talk about it anymore,” he murmured. “Not tonight.”
I nodded, resting my head against his shoulder. For now, I was content to simply exist in his arms and forget the world outside the cabin.