14. Ray
14
RAY
T he house is quiet now, and the only sounds coming from the fire are crackling faintly downstairs. She pauses at the base of the stairs, her fingers brushing the fireplace screen as if to reassure herself it’s secure. Only then does she follow, her steps soft and deliberate as I lead her up ahead. My fingers grip the railing, smooth wood cool beneath my touch, but my focus is on her—the weight of her presence, the soft sound of her breathing as she follows me.
When we reach the landing, I glance back. Her green eyes meet mine, glowing faintly in the dim light from the chandelier overhead. There’s hesitation there, mingled with trust, and it makes something in my chest tighten. I gesture toward my bedroom, the door slightly ajar at the end of the hallway.
“This way,” I murmur, my voice low, almost a growl.
The room is bathed in moonlight, its clean, modern lines softened by the silvery glow spilling through the large window. The bed dominates the space, its dark wood frame grounded by an intricately patterned rug. I close the door behind us, the soft click echoing in the stillness. She lingers near the edge of the bed, her fingers brushing the soft fabric of the burnt-orange throw draped across the comforter.
“Take your clothes off,” I say, my voice steady, though the coil of heat low in my gut tightens like a vice.
Sophia’s eyes meet mine, wide but not startled. There’s a flicker of hesitation, the kind I’ve come to recognize. She lifts her hands to the hem of her cardigan but pauses, fingers curling into the fabric. Her gaze drops, and she bites her lower lip—a small, telling motion that sends a jolt straight through me.
I step closer, lowering my voice. “Sophia.” Her name is a command, but my tone softens, threading through the tension between us. “What’s wrong?”
Even though I sense her hesitation stems from being self-conscious, I want her to say it. To own it. To hear herself and realize how little it matters.
She resists, shaking her head and letting her hand fall away. “Nothing,” she whispers, but the crack in her voice betrays her.
I don’t let the silence linger. In two quick strides, I invade her personal space, tipping her chin up gently with two fingers under it. Her green eyes glisten as they lock on mine. “Don’t hide from me, Sophia. Not now, not ever.”
She closes her eyes for a moment, drawing a breath like she’s steadying herself. When they flutter open again, her vulnerability is raw, unguarded. “It’s just... hard,” she finally admits, her voice soft. “Knowing what you’ll see.”
My chest tightens. “I know exactly what you mean, but you needed to hear yourself saying.” I hold her stare for a second, lifting an eyebrow.
Her brows pull together in confusion. “Why?”
I cup her cheeks, brushing my thumbs over her skin before pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. I lean my forehead against hers. “Because you should never be afraid of how I’ll see you.” As I speak, I guide her hand down between us, letting her feel the throbbing bulge in my pants, the evidence of my desire. Her breath catches. “You think you’re scarred, broken—but all I see is the woman who sets me on fire. The one I can’t resist. But you’re still haunted by the scars that motherfucker left.” I squeeze her fingers around my hard cock. This? It’s all you. All the woman you are.”
I step back slightly, holding the edges of her cardigan and easing it off her shoulders, revealing the truth she carries on her skin. The smooth, polished lines of her prosthetic gleam in the moonlight, a testament to her strength and survival. The scars beneath it stretch like battle lines, mapping her pain and resilience.
I let my fingers trail gently down her arm, not missing the slight hitch in her breath. My hands slide back up to cradle her face. “Sophia,” I whisper, my voice rough with the emotions I don’t want to hide from her anymore. “You are a goddamn warrior. You’ve faced hell and walked through it. Don’t you dare think for one second you have to hide from me.”
Her lips tremble as they part, but no words come. She doesn’t have to speak. Her body says everything, leaning into mine, seeking warmth and reassurance. I press a kiss to her forehead, then her cheek, letting my lips linger near hers. “You’re the strongest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever known,” I murmur, my words low and hot against her skin.
A ghost of a smile touches her lips, tentative. “You really think so?”
“I know so.” I step back just enough to hold her gaze, letting her see the truth in mine. A slow grin pulls at my mouth. “Now, strip.”
Her laugh is soft and shaky. The sound warms me as she obeys, peeling away the rest of her clothes with deliberate slowness. When she stands bare before me, I take a moment to drink her in, memorizing every curve.
She’s perfect. Every scar, every inch of her. Perfect. And tonight, she’s mine.
“Stay there,” I say, my voice rough with need. I step to the dresser, rummage through the top drawer, and pull out a silk tie.
When I turn back, her green eyes darken with anticipation. “What are you doing?”
I smirk, holding up the tie. “Improvising.”
The silk binds her wrists. It’s smooth against her skin as I tie it carefully, ensuring it’s secure but not too tight. I guide her to the bed, the mattress dipping slightly as I lay her down. Her hair fans out against the pillows, a fiery halo that contrasts beautifully with the cool tones of the room. I secure the other end of the makeshift restraint with a knot in a hole in the headboard.
I grab a sleep mask, slipping it over her eyes and adjusting it snugly behind her head, letting it serve as a blindfold. Her breath hitches, sharp and telling, and I lean down, brushing my lips against her ear. “You okay?” I ask, my voice a low rumble.
“Yes,” she whispers, her words a soft promise. “I trust you.”
The words ignite, deep inside me, a primal need to claim her, to make her feel things she’s never felt before. My hands skim down her body, caressing her curves and scars, every inch of her.
I swallow a hard nipple, flicking it with my tongue and rolling the other between my fingers. I suck and pull at them, making Sophia squirm under me, moaning. Her gasps fuel my hunger, and I switch sides, cupping one breast, still humid from my lips, as I devour the other.
Sophia’s body undulates, the sweet aroma of her pleasure filling my nostrils. I abandon her breasts to crawl down her body to her pussy, starving for her taste. “Come for me, pet,” I command, and she delivers.
I drape her long, glorious legs over my shoulders and drink her orgasms. They come in waves, and I can’t stop feasting on her. The harder I suck her clit, the more she gives me. When her moans turn to groans, she’s reached her limit.
I kneel on the mattress, giving her a breather and myself time to watch her. A subtle quiver makes Sophia’s body vibrate as she tackles the chain reactions I’ve set out. This feeling, this notion that I can give her this much pleasure is intoxicating. I don’t need any additional stimuli to want to fuck this woman. Right now, I’m hungrier than a man stranded in a desert.
I move to stand beside the bed and rip off my clothes in record time. “Brace yourself, pet. I’m gonna fuck you hard and fast.”
She trembles from head to toe as I climb on the bed again. I undo the knot on her wrists, keeping the blindfold on.
“On all fours,” I bark the order, sliding a condom on my erection and positioning myself behind her.
My own release has been coiling up inside me so tightly I know I won’t last long. With a swift thrust, I impale myself in her tight pussy. “God! You’re so fucking hot!” I slap the right side of her ass.
“Ray!” She wails as her walls squeeze me and the smell of another orgasm wafts between us.
“You like it rough, pet?” I smack her left ass cheek. Her flesh jiggles as the contractions multiply inside her sex. “Just like I enjoy it too.”
I set up a frantic rhythm, pushing and pulling my hips, my hands alternating between slapping her butt, yanking at her hair, and digging into the soft flesh of her hips. The harsher I get, the louder she moans. All the while, her wet pussy devours my hard cock.
“You’re. Made. For. This!” I say, my words a guttural growl as I drive into her, marking each word with a deep thrust forward. My dick swells to a painful size.
Her legs and arms shake. “I can’t take it anymore, sir,” she whispers.
“Almost there!” I promise seconds before my release explodes deep inside her body. The rubber casing can barely contain the hot jets as I unload.
With black-and-white spots swimming in my vision, I slow down my movements. White-hot pleasure scorches me, pumping my blood so fast that I feel like floating. The next moments become a dreamlike reality where our bodies entangle. I pull Sophia up to kiss her senseless.
I want to devour her.
I want us to become one.
I want us to fuck like this forever.
For now, I’m content with these earth-shattering sensations that still vibrate through my muscles. As the intensity subsides, we lie tangled together until my heart returns to its regular rhythm.
I slip out of bed and head to the bathroom. The cold tile under my feet is a sharp contrast to the heat still radiating from my skin. I grab a clean cloth, wet it with warm water, and return to Sophia.
She stirs as I gently run the cloth over her skin, cleaning her of the mess we’ve made. Her eyes flutter open because the blindfold has fallen, and I’ve no idea when. She watches me with a softness that makes my chest ache.
“You don’t have to do this,” she states, her voice rough with exhaustion.
“I want to,” I reply, leaning down to press a kiss to her shoulder.
Once I’m done, I throw the cloth in the wastebasket and grab a bottle of lotion from the nightstand, massaging it into her reddened skin. With a soft sigh, she smiles as her body relaxes under my touch.
“You’re full of surprises,” she praises me.
I chuckle. “Better get used to it.”
The confession surprises the hell out of me, but I own it. It is true I want more from her than this night. The idea terrifies me. However, I’m too tired to worry about that.
We settle back into the bed, the covers pulled snug around us. She curls into my side, her head resting on my chest, and for the first time in forever, I feel a strange sense of peace. It’s fleeting, I know that. My world is too dark, too dangerous to hold onto something so pure and beautiful as what we’ve just shared. Tonight, I’ll let myself have it.
Her breathing evens out and I stare up at the ceiling. I’ve spent years building walls to keep people out. But Sophia... she’s slipped through the cracks. Now, I don’t want to let her go.