Chapter 12 #3
I can’t help the small yelp that leaves my throat in surprise and, maybe, approval.
My hand tenses on his stomach, fingers curling until I’m scraping my nails against his skin.
“What do I need to do for you sweetheart?” I swear to god Cassian is purring at me.
“Should I kiss you until you can’t remember why you want the last word?
” The hand on my throat drags me down until I’m pressed against him, on my elbows now in an imitation of how he’d been when I’d been against the wall.
But now it’s me with my forearms braced on either side of his face.
Except, I don’t feel like the one in control.
He doesn’t relent, instead wrapping his arm over my shoulders to urge me the rest of the way down until his lips reach mine once more.
He’s gentler this time. Sweeter. At least at first. He licks and teases at the seam of my lips, taking his time before he slides his tongue against mine.
The hand on my thigh slides around to my lower back, and he holds me against him as his hips arch so he can grind against me once more.
“Should I make you come? Stay here all night with you on your back and my face between your legs to taste your pretty pussy? I’ll let you grip my hair and beg me for all the things your boyfriends would never do to you.” He licks at my lower lip and a shiver goes down my spine.
“You don’t know what my boyfriends have or haven’t done for me,” I mutter, just to have a say in this.
“Maybe another time I’ll tell you all the things I know about the two guys you’ve dated.
” Cass chuckles, biting my lower lip before I can express my surprise.
“Would that earn me the right to come back, Winnie? Or…” My breath falters when he pauses, and I’m ashamed to realize I’m hanging on every single word that comes out of his mouth.
“Or should I fuck you until you can’t remember your own name, and the only thing you can say is mine?” My stomach twists at his words, and I can barely remember why I told him he had to leave and not come back. Clearly, my brain cells have melted from the heat in his words.
Cassian watches me, humor written all over his face.
“Oh, you’re too easy, sweetheart,” he chuckles at last. His hands move, going to my hips, and before I can question why, he’s rolling us over until my back is against my comforter and he’s on his hands and knees above me.
“So what’ll it be?” he teases, searching my face.
“But if you’re too overwhelmed by the options, I can just make the decision for you. ”
“Where was the option to make tin foil hats, discussing our conspiracy theories, and drinking sparkling water?” I ask in a voice that’s way too breathy and much too unsure. “I wasn’t replying because I thought that one was still coming.”
His snort nearly cuts me off. “You hate sparkling water, Winnie,” Cass points out dryly. “But that’s okay. I get it. That’s your way of telling me to pick. Don’t worry.” His sudden grin is predatory, wolfish in its appearance. “I’ll get in your good graces. I’m sure of it.”
“How do you think you—” His lips crash into mine again, but this time his movements are urgent and rushed. His fingers grip my tee, yanking it up and over my head without ceremony and leaving me in just my running shorts that feel incredibly too short right now.
Cassian kisses down my throat, reaching up to grip my hair and force my head back so he can have unobstructed access to my neck. His kisses turn sharp, and I whine when I feel his teeth sink into my skin while he sucks a mark that’s sure to bruise. But he doesn’t stop with one. Or two.
Or five.
By the time he’s left at least six marks on my neck and shoulders, I’m a fucking mess under him. I can barely focus on my ceiling, or anything other than the pleasant sting of the bites and the way he’s admiring his handiwork with his fingers and tongue.
“So pretty,” he murmurs. “You’ve always been so gorgeous, Winnie. And finally, all mine. Just like you should be.”
“All yours?” I parrot, trying to remember why that makes the hair at the back of my neck prickle.
“All mine,” he repeats confidently, kissing the hollow of my throat.
“And I intend to prove it to you as many times as it takes.” I shiver under him as he kisses a path down my chest, lifting his head to flick his tongue over my nipple as his hand comes up to cup my other breast. The dueling sensations are enough to have me shuddering, and my back arches off the bed as I bite back a needy whine.
His words and my protests to them slide out of my mind like oil when I feel the tease of his teeth on my sensitive skin, but before I can do more than suck in a breath he’s sitting up, fingers hooked in the hem of my running shorts.
Then he stops. Just…stops. I open my eyes, surprised to find them closed, and gaze up at him in utter confusion as I wonder if I’ve given him a sign that I don’t want this.
With my eyes on his face, I see the small twitch of a smile on his lips, and he shifts to press his fingers to my hips.
“I just wanted you clearheaded for a moment,” Cassian murmurs.
“I want to make sure you want this, Winnie.”
“I thought I was being pretty obvious with the embarrassing noises I’ve been making. None of which I’ll never admit to, by the way,” I ramble. “Even under torture.” I shift slightly, nervous at his scrutiny, only to stop when his fingers press down on my waist.
“I need you to tell me you want this,” Cassian states. His eyes never leave mine, and the weight of his gaze is unnerving enough to make my stomach twist. “I need you to tell me that, because once you say yes, you don’t get another choice, Winnie.”
My mouth twists in a nervous grin. “No takesy-backsies?” I joke weakly. “I’m not sure that’s how it works.”
“It is with me.”
“What if I say no?” I’m curious, more than anything. Will he really just…leave? “Will you leave?”
He smiles fully, looking both predatory and mischievous. “If you say no, I’ll help you put your shirt back on and go back to just kissing you. If you say no, I’ll pull you into my lap and watch reruns of Bridezillas with you.”
It’s a little unnerving that he knows my favorite show, but I push that thought away. After all, we’ve already established that this isn’t quite normal.
“But I won’t leave. No, that’s not on the table anymore.” He drops back down to his elbows over me, brushing his lips sweetly to mine. “You opened the door for me, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “You let the monster in, so closing it now won’t make me go away.”
This time, a shudder trails down my spine, but I can’t decide how much of it is from fear and how much of it is from something way less appropriate for the situation.
“You make it sound like a threat.”
“Oh, it is one,” Cass assures me, burying his face against my throat to kiss and nip at my skin. “It’s always been a threat.”
“You make it sound like…” I trail off when he bites down, causing me to shiver. “Like you’re the bad guy or the villain here.”
He chuckles softly, but doesn’t reply for a few moments. His tongue licks a line up my shoulder, curving around my neck, until finally he licks up my jaw. “I am the villain here, Winnie,” he murmurs in my ear. “So, what’s your answer?”
“I suppose it would be rude of me to tell you I’m tired or would rather watch Bridezillas,” I hum thoughtfully, as if it’s a decision. “But if I say yes, do I get to see you with your shirt off? Seems only fair.”
Without hesitating, Cassian sits up and tugs his shirt off over his head, tossing it to the floor near the bed. My eyes immediately fall to his chest and abs, lingering on the sharp cuts of his hips my fingers ache to touch.
At least, until I see the scars that slice across his skin. I reach up without thinking, only to stop with my hand hovering just centimeters from him. My eyes flick up to his, and in response, Cass reaches out and grips my hand, pressing it to his warm abs over one of the worst slashing scars.
“They don’t hurt, and I’m not shy,” he murmurs. “You can touch them all you want. If this is you saying—”
“Yes, yes. This is me saying yes,” I tell him arrogantly, rolling my eyes in exasperation. “Yes, oui, si, ja—” He tackles me to the bed with a laugh rumbling in his throat, fingers gripping my hair to yank my face back up to his.
“You’re such a brat, you know that?” he growls, nipping at my bottom lip.
“Fuck, Winnie.” His hand finds my shorts, and he yanks them and my underwear down without any struggle.
Hell, he makes it look easy, considering I can barely get pants on without both hands and falling on my face.
“Next time I’ll make you pay for what comes out of your mouth, but—”
I cut him off with a yelp when he suddenly thrusts two fingers into me and curls them upward. “Oh, fuck,” I whine, my hands flying up to grip his shoulders. “Cassian—”
“Too much?” he teases softly. “Don’t even try. I bet you’ve been wet for me since I leaned over you against the wall. Your other boyfriends never knew that, did they? The way you’re just begging to be pinned and fucked and put in your place.”
“My place is—”
His other hand grips my throat and he snaps his teeth together inches from my lips. “Shut up, Winnie.” He laughs lightly. “I want to fuck you right now, not teach you a lesson for your mouth.”
I want to push him. I want to see what he’ll do if I don’t shut up…
but his fingers are a damn good argument against me doing that.
At least for now. I moan in appreciation, arching my hips into his hand as he adds another finger.
“Fuck,” I sigh, opening my eyes to gaze up at his face.
“Has anyone told you that you’re really pretty, Cass? ”
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “But I’ve never really cared about what anyone else thinks. I only care what you think.”