39. Leo
CHAPTER 39
Leo
A week has passed since the incident with Veronica and Aiden, and we still haven’t heard from the police.
We have been busy helping Myles and Chloe with the finishing touches on the wedding. During the day, we are separated: she’s with my sister, and I’m with Myles. The only times we were together were at night when she’d stay over.
By the end of the day, we were too exhausted from wedding duties to have a full-on conversation. But our exhaustion didn’t keep us from having sex.
Fucking her on my bed, in the shower, on the island counter. Almost every surface of my place has been christened with the unholy acts Veronica and I have performed.
Ever since that night with Aiden, Veronica has slept over. We have not spent the night at her apartment once. She barely goes there anymore; only to grab some clothes to keep at my place.
It feels like we are living together, and I’m unsure what to think of it. We are old enough that living together so soon into our… relationship shouldn’t be a huge deal.
But why does it feel strange?
This is what I wanted when we were in the asylum. I wanted her to be mine, and I wanted to live a normal life with the woman I loved. If I have that now, why does it feel so different from what I expected? Maybe it’s because of the events leading up to this point.
The revenge. Her killing that man and then framing Aiden. All this wedding planning.
Everything has thrown me off balance because naive Leo, back in the day, thought a relationship with Veronica outside the asylum would be all sunshine and rainbows.
Instead, the relationship is like one natural disaster after another.
As I finish brushing my teeth, I hear my apartment door open. Car keys jingle as they are tossed onto the counter, and the sigh that leaves her mouth is loud enough for me to hear in the bathroom.
The day of wedding festivities has drained her once again. It almost makes me laugh because I’m sure this is not what Veronica wanted to do with her freedom. Help plan a wedding and also be a Maid of Honor.
Grinning while shutting off the water, Veronica appears behind me. In the reflection, I take in her exhausted features. Her tired eyes are paired with dark circles from not resting well. That might be my fault, seeing we can’t keep our hands off one another.
“Long day?” I ask as I grab a towel to wipe off my face, still holding a soft grin.
“You have no idea.” She leans her head back against the wall. “How come you never look as exhausted as I feel? I mean, doesn’t Myles have you running all over the place too?”
I toss the towel onto the counter and spin around, resting against the vanity.
“Chloe has chosen to do more of the planning. That’s the way she wanted it. Could you imagine if Myles were to plan the whole wedding?”
A slight smile creeps on Veronica’s lips. “It would be a circus.”
A laugh escapes me at her words. I push myself away from the counter and move towards her. “It would be a disaster. We got everything done on his list of things to do.”
Her bottom lip juts out, and she groans. “Lucky you. Our list is never-ending.”
I smile down at her. “It has to end at some point. The wedding is next week.”
“Is it bad that I can’t wait for it to be over?” Her head angles forward more, green eyes boring into mine.
She usually takes the contacts out when she gets home. It is the first thing she does because she knows how much I love her brown eyes.
“Not because of the planning, but because I want to get the whole standing up in front of everyone out of the way.”
“You never did do well in group settings.” I smirk.
The memory of the only time she attended a group session at Black Lake rolls through our minds. How she wouldn’t speak about the details of her being there and instead talked about how much she missed sex.
“How about this?” My hands lift to hold her face. “While we stand up there, you just keep your eyes on me. That way, we are the only ones in the room. No audience.”
She hums, mulling over the idea in her head before she grins. “Staring at you during the whole ceremony while you look handsome in your suit might get me all hot and bothered.”
“Then you better learn to behave yourself.” I tip her chin up, my lips pressing against hers lightly.
“And if I don’t?” There is a hint of playfulness in her tone when I pull back, and from that alone, I know we won’t be getting much rest tonight.
“Well, you’ll be punished for ruining my sister’s wedding because you couldn’t keep your legs closed.”
“You know”—she lifts on her toes enough to hover her mouth over mine—“if you were to give me a preview of this punishment and how bad it would be, maybe I’d be so scared that I’d have to behave myself.”
A deep chuckle leaves my throat, my breath hitting her lips. She darts her tongue out and hums as she licks her lips, tasting the mint from my toothpaste.
“You think so?”
“Mhm.” Her nod is slight, and her eyes have fallen half shut with lust. They remain on my mouth as she says, “I’ve always been a hands-on learner. You know this.”
“Fine, I’ll show you, but on one condition,” I say, pulling back enough to look into her eyes.
“And what is that?”
“I’ll give you a preview of the punishment if I can take you out on a date.”
Her jaw drops, eyes growing wide. “A date?”
“We’ve been so busy with the wedding stuff, and before that, it was the whole Aiden thing.” My thumb brushes along her cheek. “We haven’t had time to do couple things… like dates.”
“Hmm…” her brows dip. “Okay. A date would be nice. The only ones I’ve ever been on have ended in the man getting hurt.” I raise an eyebrow at her confession. It shouldn’t surprise me. Veronica had informed me of these altercations while we were in the asylum. “Not you, though. Unless you ask me to.”
She winks, making me laugh before I say, “I’ll plan everything. You just be ready when I tell you to.”
“So bossy.” She smirks.
Leaning forward, I kiss her lips and then nip at her bottom one. “You have no idea.”
“You want to boss me around tonight?” Veronica lifts her hands, running her smooth palms up my bare chest.
“Will you let me?” I raise a brow as I ask. She always loves to defy me, not listen, and make things more difficult.
“Yes, sir.” Her eyes flick up to mine, where a heated desire burns.
A low hum travels up my throat as my thumb presses against her bottom lip. Slowly, I tug down as I stare at her. “Take your contacts out.”
Once I release her face, she moves to the vanity and easily removes each contact, tossing them into the trash. When she finishes, she turns around with a smirk. “Now what?”
“Remove your clothes and sit on the edge of the bed.”
Veronica pushes herself off the counter and strips out of her clothes, allowing them to fall to the floor.
Reaching behind her back, she unclasps her bra. It meets the floor with the rest of her things. She stands there in only her underwear.
“Forgetting something?” I point to the black lace covering her bottom half.
“What if I wanted you to take them off for me?” That smirk rests on her mouth, but she rolls her eyes when I lift a brow at her defiance. “Fine! I’ll do it myself.”
She hooks her thumb into the waistband and bends forward, sliding the material down her legs. Those brown eyes remain on mine the whole time.
Veronica steps away from the clothes discarded on the floor and goes to walk past me to the bedroom. Before she can get too far, my hand whips out to grab her throat.
She gasps at the sudden lack of air. “Did you roll your eyes at me?” Doing her best, she nods. “Fucking brat.”
Unclasping my hand from her throat, she lets out a cough before entering the bedroom. I hear the comforter shift under her weight when she sits down. I leave the bathroom to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, palms face down on her thighs.
Her chest is moving heavily as she fights to control her breathing. The anticipation is killing her. Bypassing where she is sitting, I go for my closet. After finding what I need, I grip it tightly and move towards her.
I watch her eyes drop from my face to the object in my hand, and her eyes light up. “You still have that?”
I lift the belt into the space between us. “Of course I wasn’t going to get rid of it. It holds a special memory. Except tonight, it’s not going over your mouth.”
Her throat bobs as she swallows. “Where is it going?”
“Patience, Vee,” I stand before her, my foot lightly kicking hers to the side. “Spread your legs.”
She obeys. Her legs spread wide enough to show me how wet she already is. While holding the belt buckle, I let the other side coast along her inner thigh.
The leather slides lightly against her skin, and the closer I get to that spot she so desperately wants me to touch, the heavier her breathing becomes. I slide the belt over her clit, barely touching it, and her legs begin to tremble beneath me.
“You’re so responsive, little angel.” I nudge her legs further apart. Wrapping the belt around my hand, I bring the flat end down to her clit. She draws in a shocked breath from the slap. “You want me to make it hurt?”
Nodding, Veronica’s eyes remain on mine as I remove the belt. I allow her some time to prepare, but I bring the leather down again once I'm ready. She hisses out from the pain, and I take enjoyment in it. I notice that her lips are slightly parted, but her teeth clench together to suppress the noises she truly wants to make.
“Don’t hold back on me now, Vee.” I slap her with the belt again, and this time, I’m rewarded with a low moan. “I should have known you would enjoy this a little too much.”
Veronica doesn’t speak. Only a moan leaves her mouth at my words. Her eyes are half-lidded, mouth still slightly opened.
When she looks up at me, her pupils are blown out. Desire has taken over her body, which has now begun to tremble just from the three slaps.
Smirking, I tilt my head and look at her in awe. It’s almost like she is in a trance. I lift a hand, brushing my fingers against her cheek. I continue the movement until I slide my fingers through her blonde hair.
She recently got it done again. Her excuse was that she needed it to look good for the wedding, but the truth was that the brown was starting to make her look like her old self.
And we can’t have anyone recognizing her.
The light strands are soft as they slip through my fingers. I can smell the shampoo she uses from here. It’s a mix of lavender and vanilla. The scent consumes me. Not only now but all the time. Since she has been sleeping over every night, she showers here, so the bathroom is heavy in her scent.
But the worst is the bed. The pillow she uses overflows with the scent of her. My sheets no longer smell like the shampoo or body wash I use. The sheets, pillowcase, and comforter all reek of her vanilla and lavender.
Not that I mind.
Her head slightly moves in my hold, bringing me out of my mind. Veronica nuzzles into my hand, taking this moment of stillness to calm herself and bring her back to the feeling of pleasure instead of the pain.
Well, that won’t do. This is supposed to be a punishment, after all.
Snaking my hand around the back of her head, I dig deep into her hair until my fingertips meet her scalp. My fingers constrict around the strands, and I yank hard. Her head falls back, eyes opening more in shock that the brief gentleness is gone.
“Wasn’t that my punishment?” Her voice is soft, shaking with each word she speaks.
The corner of my lips tilts upward, a sharp breath leaving my nose. “You said you wanted a preview.”
“What if I want more?”
“Did you do something that deserves more punishment?” I strengthen my grip on her hair, pulling her head back more.
She grins up at me, a playful expression etched on her face. “I could probably think of something I’ve done today that deserves a punishment.”
“Do you ever behave?”
“Sometimes… for you.” Her eyes go soft for a moment, a twinkle in them that will soon be diminished.
I lean forward, kissing her on the forehead before releasing her hair. Bringing the belt up, I unwrap it from my hand and hold it in front of her face. The last time I used this, I covered her mouth to keep her noises at bay. In a janitor’s closet at the asylum. We couldn’t have people hearing her and finding us.
Instead of sealing her mouth shut because I want to hear her moans, I lift the leather to her eyes. She watches me with confusion, raising her eyes to look at my face.
“Be a good girl and close your eyes.”
The demand comes out gently from my mouth. I’ve learned that Veronica won't disobey me if I make my demands sound a little friendly. Being kind in the midst of being dominant provides me with what I want.
Her not fighting me.
Slowly, Veronica closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. The breath rattles in her chest, rising and falling to the sporadic rhythm of her heart. It doesn’t matter how many times we do this; her reaction is always the same.
With the belt pressed to her eyes, I secure it around the back of her head. She is breathing heavier now, not knowing what is about to happen.
“Leo,” my name leaves her mouth breathlessly.
“Lie back on the bed.”
Her hands leave her thighs, pressing down on the mattress, and then she pushes herself further back. When she finds a spot, her back meets the mattress below her. Her knees stay bent, just the way I want them.
My eyes fall to her hands, where they fidget with the comforter. I chuckle to myself and say, “You nervous, Vee?”
“Do you blame me?” she asks quietly. “I can’t see anything. I don’t know what you are going to do. I don’t like being caught off guard.”
I hum, lifting my hand until it hovers over her knee. Extending a finger, the tip of it trails against her skin. Immediately, goosebumps appear all over her body. Moving my finger to the inside of her leg, I push it to the side, spreading her open.
“I know,” I state in a low voice. “Which is why I’m doing this. Because I know it’ll drive you crazy.”
“You know what? I’ll behave at the wedding.” Her tongue pops out from her mouth, wetting her lips.
My tongue clicks the roof of my mouth. “It’s a little too late, little angel.” I hook my thumb into the waistband of my shorts and shove them down my legs. Gripping myself in my hand, I start to pump my cock, internally groaning at the feeling. “You wanted this.”
I can’t take my eyes off the spot between her thighs. She is dripping from being punished with the belt and from having her sight taken away. As much as she says she doesn’t like being blindfolded, it’s turning her on.
A gasp leaves her as the bed dips beneath my weight. Without a word or a demand, I take matters into my own hands. Placing both hands on her knees, I push them forward until they meet her chest. She closes her mouth, attempting to steadily breathe out of her nose. Smiling to myself, I pinch her nose shut, forcing her to open her mouth again.
Her right hand comes up to grab at my wrist, but I’m faster than she is. With my free hand, I wrap my fingers around her hand and roughly press it into the bed. “Keep your mouth open, Vee. You’re not going to hide those pretty noises you make when I drive you wild.”
I release her nose, and she keeps her lips parted. Trailing my thumb down, I run it along her bottom lip before I insert it into her mouth. Veronica wraps her lips around my thumb and sucks as if she were working my cock.
Moaning at the feeling, I don’t give any warning when I line myself up to her entrance and thrust violently inside of her. This position, with her legs bent to her chest, allows me to hit deeper than I have ever been before. Her mouth loosens around me, and a loud cry leaves her. Her hands fly up, bracing against my arms, and she tries to push me off.
“It-it’s too much,” she whimpers.
“Is it?” I pull out only to shove myself back into it. “Because the way your pussy is gripping me, I think you’re handling it just fine.”
A thunderous moan leaves her as I quicken my pace. I grunt as her nails dig into my skin, surely drawing blood. She latches onto my arms and drags her fingers down to leave claw marks.
I stop momentarily, not to let her catch her breath, but to remove her hands from my arm. With both wrists secured in my hands, I place them above her head and press them hard into the mattress.
My whole body is now lying on her, and I continue my thrusts. The breaths that leave her mouth are frantic and short as I drive into her with so much force it's making me lose my breath.
“You’re so deep,” she whines against my mouth.
“You love it.” I lightly kiss her. “Don’t you?”
The word that leaves her is barely a whisper, but I hear her when she says yes.
“No misbehaving at the wedding.” I take her bottom lip in my mouth and bite down. She whimpers at the pain. “That doesn’t just mean with me, Veronica. That means with all the other guests. Do not do anything stupid.”
“I won’t.” The words are full of promises, and I believe her.
“Good.” My hips rock roughly until I still inside her. Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I groan as I spill into her.
I don’t move for a few seconds until I finish coming. Then, I slowly pull out of her, and her body freezes.
“Leo… I didn’t?—”
“I know.” I cut her off, getting off the bed.
She quickly removes the belt herself. Her eyes squint, adjusting to the light. When they grow fuller, I can see the clear tears in them. “I told you I would behave.”
“You did, but you wanted a preview of the punishment, and that’s what it was. No orgasm.” I scoop up my shorts and walk to the bathroom. Over my shoulder, I say, “If you aren’t going to clean yourself up, then go to bed, Veronica. It’s been a long day.”