Chapter Nine
The best beach for a holiday lay two hours south of Kaneera City.
The same beach that altered the trajectory of how she wanted to live her life.
When her parents came to the beach, her brother had disappeared doing whatever the hell he wanted.
Her parents liked meeting up with their friends to drink mimosas and eat lobster.
That left her all alone to do whatever, including watching a homeless man for hours, wishing she could help him.
James drove his McLaren, speeding down the freeway with ease. She hadn’t been to the beach in ages and wondered how much had changed. The sun was high with puffy clouds hanging out in the blue sky.
“I’m sorry this is a short honeymoon.”
She turned from looking out the side window. “I don’t mind. I know you have a business to run, as well as important Coalition issues to attend to.”
He shot her a quick glance. “I thought we’d have an early dinner, then a walk on the beach, followed by fucking like bunnies.”
“I hope it’s not that fast,” she teased.
He chuckled. “If it is, I’m sorely losing my touch.”
“Do you come to the beach often?”
“No,” he replied. “In fact, I’ve only been to the beach once before today. David brought me, about a month after my parents died. Tried to cheer me up. I didn’t like the sand in all the unmentionable places.”
“Yeah, that is the downside.”
“When was the last time you were here?” he asked.
“I haven’t been back since the man died. Never wanted to go back. So, when my family went on vacation, I stayed back with the nanny. When I turned fifteen, I began volunteering in the library.”
“Are you apprehensive about seeing the pier again?”
“I guess we’ll find out,” she replied.
Half an hour later, they cruised into the small beach town.
There were a few people walking on the boardwalk, but the beach season was officially over.
Once they made it to the beach house James had rented, he parked inside the garage, and she exited the McLaren.
Someone had aired out the cottage, and her shoes made little click-clacks over the hardwood floors.
One wall was nothing but glass, giving a breathtaking view of the ocean, so she opened the tri-fold door.
The cool ocean breeze ruffled her hair, the tang of salt heavy in the air.
In the distance she saw the pier, nothing but a grey bridge extending into the ocean. James had asked how she would feel seeing it again, and all it did was beckon to her.
“Do you want to go now?” he asked.
She jumped. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” He came up behind her and wrapped her up in his arms. “Do you want to go down there?”
“Nah,” she said softly. “We’ll stick to the plan and go after dinner.”
“All right.”
****
They ate a seafood dinner in one of the boardwalk restaurants.
After James had paid the bill, he held out his hand to her, and she linked their fingers together.
As they headed to the pier, the sun sank slowly into the ocean as the tide rolled in.
Her second night as a wife. Kleya glanced down at her left hand where her diamond engagement and wedding ring sparked in the twilight.
“Still want to stay my wife?”
“Of course. What kind of question was that?”
“We should talk about the upcoming test I have to face.”
She looked at him sharply. “Test? For what?”
He took a deep breath. “I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t tell you, but we agreed to a partnership. It seems I have to pass some type of trial to lead the Coalition.”
“Actually, I’m not even surprised at that. It sounds like something a secret society would do. So, what is this test?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “My grandfather only told me that it might be something I don’t even recognize.”
“That means we can’t prepare ourselves for it.”
“Correct.”
“Does this test determine if you get the leader position?”
“I assume so.”
“Then why have a council? Why not have this test be the deciding factor, and not all this rigamarole secret bullshit?”
He opened his mouth, as if he had something more to say, but then he shook his head. “That is a very good question.”
They reached the pier, but high tide prevented them from going underneath. So, instead, she picked up seashells and threw them back into the rolling waves. Lights from the pier and surrounding beach houses illuminated the sand and cast the water pitch black.
“The water is scary looking, isn’t it?” she asked him.
James had his hands in his pocket, watching her with a bemused expression on his face.
“It’s the unknowing,” she continued. “I think that’s why I have no desire to learn scuba diving. A leviathan could be waiting to devour me.”
“I don’t know about a leviathan, but I would love to devour you.”
Kleya stopped throwing shells and made her way to him. Tomorrow, they had to head back to the city. She didn’t want to miss a moment of their honeymoon, so she might as well take advantage of having James all to herself.
“I think it’s time you had your wicked way with me.”
A devilish smile stretched across his mouth. “You’re about to have a sleepless night.”
They returned to their rented cottage, and at the door, he turned and picked her up. She giggled and slid her fingers through his hair.
James carried her into the bedroom and let her glide down his body until her feet touched the ground.
Slowly, he undressed her, first sweeping her shirt over her head and unhooking her bra.
They fell unnoticed to the floor. He skimmed his hands over her breasts, rolling the nipples between his thumb and index finger.
Leaning over her, he took one nipple between his teeth, tugging gently, shooting pleasure-pain down through her belly and making her pussy clench with need.
“Oh,” she moaned, throwing her head back.
His exploring fingers hooked her leggings and panties and dragged them down. When he knelt, she placed a hand on his shoulder as he helped her step out of them.
Then he stood and undressed, and she watched as every inch of his buff and tattooed body was revealed to her admiring gaze.
“My turn to play,” she murmured.
She fell to her knees and gripped his rock-hard cock.
Kleya ran a finger over the tip, catching the moisture leaking from the hole.
Looking up at him, she licked it off. She might not know how to give a blow job, but she knew the concept.
Almost lazily, she pumped the silky-soft shaft and more pre-cum leaked from the tip.
She licked the fluid before sliding her mouth over the head.
With a moan, his hips bucked against her face, and he took over, holding her head as his cock slid in and out of her mouth.
Sealing around the shaft her cheeks hollowed.
In and out, he pumped, guided by her hand.
Then abruptly, he pulled away. She looked up at him in confusion.
He picked her up. “I’m not coming in your mouth.”
Laying her down, he settled between her parted thighs and lined himself up before pushing into her body.
Luckily, there wasn’t any pain. All she felt, all she saw, was him.
Her partner, her lover. How could she not love him?
When he found his release, she watched it play over his face.
Utterly captivated knowing she was the person who brought him such pleasure.
When he finally opened his languid eyes, he snared her in the depths.
Then he reached down to touch her clit, rubbing in a circular motion.
Her body immediately responded, tightening up until her climax crashed through her.
She was boneless. Just floating from the pleasure high he gave her. Surely, he felt it, too. Felt a closeness never felt with someone before.
“I love you,” she whispered.
His body tensed, but he didn’t say anything for a long moment. So long, she regretted admitting anything.
“Our relationship is not based on love,” he said flatly. He didn’t even realize that he had just broken her heart. “I told you that. What we have is strong. Unity. Partnership. Respect. Those are what’s important, not fairy tale words that exist only in fantasy.”
The dreamlike moment shattered.
She rolled away and sat up. “Of course. You’re right.”
“Kleya.”
She looked over her shoulder. His face was somber.
“Please understand. Our life together will be better this way.”
What could she say to that? He’d been nothing but honest. Nodding, she padded into the bathroom and locked the door. She needed a moment to herself. Turning on the shower, she finally let the tears fall.
The ride home the next day was in silence. To avoid any complicated conversation, she leaned her head back and pretended to sleep.