Chapter 46
Two Weeks Later
The fire crackled softly, its golden glow flickering across the room. I stood near the hearth, one hand wrapped around a glass of brandy, and the other resting on the mantle. The scent of burning wood mixed with the faintest trace of her perfume.
It lingered everywhere now, and I loved picking up little hints of her throughout the house, but especially in our room. The house was quiet, wrapped in the kind of stillness that came from long days. Our son had been tucked in an hour ago.
I’d been the one with the privilege tonight of orchestrating it and then reading him a bedtime story. I’d stayed for a while, just watching him sleep, memorizing the peaceful rise and fall of his chest, the way his fingers rubbed the fur on his bear. Safe and sound.
My little family. The knowledge settled deep in my chest, filling every space that had once been hollow. I let out a slow breath and took a sip of my drink, the warmth spreading through me.
The fire crackled again, embers shifting, and I stared into the flames, content in a way I hadn’t ever experienced. All that existed was a steady certainty. I heard the soft creak of the door behind me. A small smile tugged at my lips before I even turned around.
She was home.
I didn’t turn right away, but my smile deepened. Swirling the brandy in my glass, I kept my gaze on the fire.
“Come here, please,” I commanded, my voice low and steady.
Without hesitation, the soft shuffle of her feet sounded against the rug.
I instantly felt the familiar presence of her at my side, close enough that the heat from her body wrapped around me.
I finally glanced up, taking in the way her hair was slightly tousled from the breeze outside, the faint flush on her cheeks.
“How’d it go?”
She tilted her head slightly, as if considering everything, and let out a loud exhale. I chuckled. “It was…good.”
I arched a brow. “Just good, huh?”
Her lips twitched, but she didn’t immediately answer. Instead, she reached for my glass, stealing it from my hand before taking a slow sip. She climbed onto my lap. No invitation needed. She was growing so much. Her eyes flickered up to mine as she swallowed, amusement dancing there.
“Alek was cute…”
“Cute?”
“Yeah, in a nervous way.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Of course he was.”
She handed the glass back, her fingers brushing against mine. “Kinsley impressed the hell out of me with her feigned shock and excitement. Like she hadn’t seen the place twice before we brought Isabella.”
“Ah, yes. And how did Isabella take it?”
She hesitated. My amusement faded just a little.
My girl sighed, rubbing her fingers together like she was still holding onto something unsaid.
“It may take some work on all our parts. She kept going on and on about how no one wants a tattoo from someone who doesn’t have any tattoos.
I’m not sure how true that statement is but, yeah.
She kept going back and forth with Alek about it. ”
“I see, and what did Alek say?”
“He’d tattoo her—whatever the hell she wanted. Tonight, if need be. That or she could tell people she had one in a private area that was for her man’s eyes only.”
I laughed loudly, imagining that didn’t sit well.
“And yes, she got really loud at that point. But I think there is more to it. I left her in her studio. She mentioned something, and I don’t know if I started it or what.”
I grew serious. “Okay, like what.”
“Promise you won’t be angry with me.”
I set my drink down on the side table and reached for her hand, threading my fingers through hers, grounding us both. “I promise.”
It’s what she needed. I was still learning her, too. She squeezed my hand in response, then let out a breath, shifting closer. “Andy, I want to wait. I want Winter by my side when I marry you.”
I paused and evened out my breathing. Was she really worried I’d be upset over that? “Angel—”
“It’s really important to me. I know it’s unrealistic. We may never find her so I think a time limit. Like we make the basic plans and then I don’t know if we haven’t found her in two years…” Her voice trailed off.
“Can I talk now?”
“Yes, Sir. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I will wait two years, five years, ten years. However long you need me to. I love you, Victoria, and I will never force you to do something outside your comfort zone.”
“Oh, God, thank you. I promise it won’t be five years or ten,” she breathed, relief tinging her voice. “Isabella knows, and well…Kinsley does as well, about waiting. Isabella said she was waiting to get a tattoo until the four of us were all together.”
“I see. Well, we can play all of that by ear. Now is that everything?”
“Yes, Sir. How were things here?”
I smiled, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “Quiet. Easy. Just the way I like it.”
“Sounds like the perfect evening.”
“I know what would make it more perfect.”
“Yeah, and what might that be?” She raised her eyes to mine and let them drift to my lips.
“I could tell you, but it’d be more fun to show you. What do you say? Where is your head?”
“Scene negotiation words? I see you, Dr. Marcel.”
It was something we established early on. If I asked her, ‘where is your head?’ she knew where mine was. “And your answer?”
She slipped from my lap and positioned her body at my feet beautifully. Another thing we established. My cock throbbed with her answer.
“I’m at your disposal, Sir. What would you like to negotiate this evening?”
“A trip to the playroom. As to what takes place tonight, that’s solely up to you. What does my angel crave this evening?”
“Oh, hmm. Well, I forgot my headphones, so while Isabella drowned out the surrounding conversation on the way home, I was forced to listen.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, apparently teasing is something the Blade does a lot with Kinsley. She was tormenting the Reaper on the way home about it.”
“Teasing, is that the word she used?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe not that exact word.”
“You want me to edge you, pretty girl?”
“Sounded kind of fun. At least she made it seem so.”
“Very well. Anything else specific?”
“There was mention of toys, sensory items. But if that’s too much, I understand. I know we are still learning how to do this. Well, I am, at least the proper way. How did I do?”
“Excellent. You did excellent, angel.”
I stood, and she remained seated, waiting for the signal. Her eyes were now glued to my cock. I held my hand out and pulled her to her feet. With anticipation thrumming through my veins, I led her to the playroom.
We’d already gone over the rules. This wasn’t our first trip downstairs. After punching the code in, the door unlocked, and I ushered her inside.
“Soft lighting,” I commanded, and the system responded. Low lights, just enough to set the mood and illuminate the room.
I scooped her into my arms and walked her over to the bed. A shiver of anticipation danced through her, and I chuckled. Slowly, I set her down close enough that the backs of her calves touched the bed.
My fingers undid the buttons on her dress, and I pushed it off her shoulders. It drifted like a feather to the floor, and her breath hitched. The skin of her waist under my fingertips was smooth. She stood before me in her bra and panties.
“I’m beginning to think you do this on purpose.” I fingered the hem of her panties.
“I don’t, I promise, Sir. I knew I’d be out with Alek and the girls today. It didn’t seem approp…” Her voice trailed off as I warned her with my eyes. She was getting good at reading my facial cues and body language.
“Plus, these are new,” she said innocently.
“The last conversation we had, you mentioned me tying you down. If you had to use your safewords as an answer, how open to exploring it would you be?”
“Green, Sir.”
She responded without hesitation, and my heart leaped. Little by little, she was opening up.
“Good to know. So edging and tying are on the table. Or bed, I should say. Sensory and toys are as well. We’ll start easy on those. One last question. Do you have a preference on the ties?”
Her brow furrowed. “I’m not fond of rope, but you showed me those soft leather tie downs. Maybe those?”
“Yes, those are a favorite of mine.” I walked over to the large chest on the far wall and opened a drawer. Once I pulled them out, I raised my eyes to hers.
She gulped. I cocked my head to the side.
“Green, Sir. I’m still green,” she said in a rush.
I smirked, happy that she knew I wanted a response. It didn’t take me long to secure the soft leather to the headboard and footboard. But it was when I stepped back and undressed that the energy shifted. Her breathing was shallow as the last of my clothes hit the floor.
Once I was naked, her eyes traveled down to my cock, where they stayed. Even as I moved toward her, they stayed fixed, with her pupils dilated. I was already raging hard, and the sight of her breathing so heavily sent a rush of anticipation through me.
My arms reached around for the clasp of her bra. The head of my dick brushed up against the front of her panties as I nimbly unhooked it, trying to pace myself. I wanted to rip it from her body, but that was not the goal tonight. And tonight was all about her.
I peeled the bra from her and leaned close enough for my chest to graze her nipples.
Slowly, I trailed my lips over her neck and then down her shoulder.
I moved my mouth over the top curve of her breast and then directly on the achingly hard nipple in front of me.
I couldn’t help it. My tongue reached out and lightly glided around her smooth breast.
“Fuck, you taste so good,” I murmured as goosebumps covered her arms and she shuddered.
My hands rested on her hips as my tongue continued to leisurely explore the top of her breast. With excruciatingly slow movements, my lips closed as I placed small kisses against her sensitive skin.
I kept each kiss light as a feather until my cheeks rested on the inner swell of her perfect breasts.