Chapter Eighteen
ESTRELLA HAD BEEN SO adamant at getting Lysander in a private room that she hadn't been able to quite plan ahead. And so by the time they faced each other, alone behind a locked door, she found herself gaping and panicking, mouth opening and closing.
Her husband arched a brow. "I'm assuming you've a reason for bringing me here in such a fashion."
"You k-know why," she stammered. It was impossible for him not to, especially with that now very-noticeable bulge underneath his pants.
"I'm afraid I don't."
His bland tone had her blinking. Was it possible that he really didn't know? She could feel her cheeks heating up as she awkwardly gestured towards his erection. "I'm talking about that. I don't think it's wise for you to go out there without...well, doing s-something about it?"
Her hands moved the entire time his wife was talking, almost as if she was flapping about just to get her mind off the fact that she was practically pressuring a man to have sex with her. It was amusing as hell, and try as he might, he couldn't keep his lips from twitching.
This, at least, was the one thing about her that he knew she hadn't faked. Couldn't even if she wanted to. He had more than enough experience to know whether a woman was genuinely attracted to him or not.
And Estrella?
She might be feeling awkward and embarrassed right now, but there was also no mistaking the way her breasts had swollen in size in the past two minutes, no mistaking the way she couldn't stop wetting her lips every time her eyes drifted to his erection.
She wanted him alright...and goddammit, but he wanted her, too.
Despite everything he knew of her...
It just wasn't the beast in him that craved.
"You have to be more specific." When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with need, and his eyes were now filled with blatant lust as they devoured his wife's already trembling body. "You have to choose how I take you. Remember?"
Estrella could feel her mouth drying. Now that he mentioned it...oh, she so did. She remembered how his monstrously oversized cock could take her in three lovely ways.
Vagina. Mouth. Ass.
All she had to do was choose, but...
Lysander saw Estrella swallow hard, almost as if she was preparing herself—-
And then her gaze lifted to his, and she whispered, "It depends."
"Depends?" The answer bemused him.
"How much you can take with the amount of time we have left?"
It took him a moment to realize Estrella had just made her first sexually provocative joke with him, and Lysander threw his head back with a laugh.
The sound had Estrella's knees knocking hard against each other in relief.
Oh, thank God. She had been terrified that Lysander wouldn't even crack a smile, but no.
Her eyes smarted. This beautiful man whose wicked laugh had her toes curling.
..this was the Lysander she had come to know and love.
This was the old and new Lysander combined, and not the hurtfully icy one that had stayed away from her bed even if it meant risking Ammon's fury and having the beast destroy him from within.
"Lysander." She just couldn't help whispering his name. Needed to say it. Needed to see if he really was back and hers again—-
And when their eyes met—-
Ma belle etoile.
A sob tore out of her throat as she threw herself at him.
His arms snapped around her.
And then they were groping each other, trying to release pertinent body parts without accidentally ripping any clothes—-
AAAAAH!
Estrella let out a moan as his massive cock finally slid home into her already quivering pussy.
He laid her on the back of a table, and her legs locked automatically around his waist.
Their coupling was fast and breathtakingly torrid, and throughout it, his hands remained twined with hers, and his eyes...not once did it drift away.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
God.
He made her feel so, so beautiful when he was like this, and it was almost like before, and she could almost pretend everything was alright.
Almost.
But even as pleasure began to twist inside of her, and her body began to tighten and writhe, she couldn't quite forget...
Even as she started coming, her inner muscles tightening, even as she heard him reach his own orgasm with a growl, and he was hauling her closer and pounding into her faster and harder like he needed her pussy drowning in his cum—-
Even then...she couldn't quite stop feeling scared that this would all end.
So much so that when she felt him start to pull away, the words were out before she could stop them.
"I love you."
And then she was crying, heartbreakingly silent sobs that had the beast inside him howling.
He stared down at her.
FUCK.
And he knew...
It was impossible to hate her. Impossible to stay away. Just fucking impossible.
Because—-
It is the same for me, my Star.
Her head jerked up, her stunned, tear-stained gaze flying to his, and he stared back at her unflinchingly.
I love you. His hands slowly slid to curve around her waist and gently help her up, his cock still inside her pussy.
I love you. And she began to sob harder, almost as if she had made herself wait for him to repeat the words, just to be sure she hadn't been dreaming.
Her arms went around his neck, and he breathed hard as the familiar fragrance of her enveloped him, and he could once again feel the lovely softness of her body against his.
I'm sorry, Lysander. Her words were a shamed whisper, and his arms tightened around her.
It's all in the past. He told himself that the fact that she apologized was enough, and they could move on from there.
I know I disappointed you. But even as she said the words, she was unconsciously shying away from thinking of all those times she had been horribly presumptuous, not knowing that by doing so...she was allowing Lysander to misunderstand what she was being sorry about.
Just don't lie to me again. You must promise me that.
Estrella nodded against his chest. "I promise.
" At that point, she was ready to promise him the moon, she was just so glad and relieved they were okay again.
So glad that she didn't realize those words were the biggest mistake she could make.
They were the final nail in her coffin, thoughtlessly spoken words that gave credence to every one of Fina's lies.
She would regret them soon, but for now...it was perfect.
Lysander's gentle touch as he helped her up and licked the corners of her lips clean.
Lysander taking her hand into his as he led her out of the room.
The twins smirking. The soldiers whistling and making bawdy jokes about their future liege being conceived with the whole world of preters as witness.
And when they were finally outside, and thousands were waiting with bated breath to see what Lysander Allard had come to show...
He glanced at his mate. Once I turn, they will see with their eyes what you've married.
She pursed her lips. Which is? The most magnificent man alive? Or...the sexiest beast in the planet?
The prince threw his head back with a laugh, shifting as he did, and the crowd gasped as an icy blast of wind swept over the entire colosseum. When they opened their eyes again, a beast stood where the prince once was.
Twelve feet of pure muscle, of ancient power and strength, with curved horns, fangs and claws, and a tail that was as deadly as the rest of him.
Ammon.
And then the beast knelt down, its claws digging deep into the ground. A moment later, and the crowd gasped again, and this time, even the twins were stunned, and Estrella had tears in her eyes.
Lysander was reshaping the ground with his power, the soil moving, shifting, and crumbling to his command.
Walls of solid hard ground rose and fell.
Trenches were created just as quickly as they crumbled.
Sinkholes opened and closed. This was the power Lysander risked everything for, and this was the power that Lysander would use to protect his race.
Perfect, she thought dizzily. So, so perfect that she didn't see the darkness coming for her until it was too late.
****
IT WAS SAID THAT THE work of a spy consisted of 99% waiting and 1% action, which was why patience and timing were everything - and why, even with her blood boiling with anger at how the princess had so blatantly seduced the prince in front of everyone, Fina made no move of her own and simply kept to herself. Waiting. Spying. Biding her time.
A ball hosted by L'Alliance had followed after Lysander's display of power at the colosseum, and Fina hid in its shadowy corners, waiting and spying, until finally her patience was rewarded and she found the venom that only snakes like her could ingest and spit out.