Chapter Thirty-One
Elizabeth
“I owe that boy of yours one, too. Your grandmother letting him go doesn’t change that.”
“Lizochka, it’s dangerous. That man’s probably a budding serial rapist…and killer. His parents can hide it only for so long.”
“You fucking bitch!” He backhands me so hard my brain rattles in my skull. A coppery tang fills my mouth, warm liquid dripping from a nostril.
Lamplight glints off the knife in his hand.
My breathing is shallow and fast, panic and terror twisting like vipers. I brace myself for another blow…
Large, warm hands wrap around my wrists.
“Shh… Easy. You’re safe, Elizabeth.”
Safe.
The word hangs in my mind…
Strong arms enfold me from behind. Fear spikes, then dissipates as a tender kiss is pressed to the base of my neck.
“It’s okay. You’re safe, Elizabeth. You’re safe.”
The softly whispered words roll over me, calming me, driving away the chills.
Dominic.
He’s wrapped his nude body around mine so that we’re spooning. Only a sliver of light coming in through the gap in the blackout curtains pierces the darkness. I blink and feel wet tracks on my face. My tears have soaked the pillow.
He presses light kisses on the back of my neck, murmuring, “It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
I part my mouth, swallowing a hot lump as an old yearning and gratitude fill my heart. Dominic isn’t the first man to say I’m safe. Tolyan said the same after he delivered a brutal knockout kick to Andy’s head. And Tolyan kept me safe—but it’s my body he’s been safeguarding. With Dominic, it’s my spirit.
This probably makes me an idiot—to feel so protected with a man who’s vowed revenge. But my heart seems to have a difficult time reconciling this tender man with the furious one from ten years ago.
As sleep clears from my mind, I start to note the soft strokes of his fingers against the pulse points on my wrists. The gentle gesture and the feel of his lips on my neck send a wave of longing through me. My breathing grows uneven.
I need to show him what his tenderness means to me. How much I still love him for this sweet, amazing heart of his.
I shift, moving my backside against him, my motions small and careful, lest I break the delicate cocoon of intimacy around us. He’s already hard, prodding against me.
Yes.
I roll him on to his back, then part his thighs to kneel between them. His shaft is thick and pulsing, the balls resting heavy.
“Elizabeth…”
I feel my name on his lips like a physical caress, the most poignant urging in the world. I kiss his abs, licking the ridges, running my lips over the navel, feeling his muscles jerk at every touch, his breathing growing rough with every erotic tease. I feel his hot gaze on me, and I merely smile, letting my hair spill over his thighs. He used to enjoy having it tickle his skin. And from the sharp intake of air, that hasn’t changed.
I feather his thick, muscled thighs with kisses. He’s so strong, so powerful.
“I love your body,” I whisper, gripping his erection tightly in my hand, just the way he likes.
He always reacted as though I was a sex goddess with my mouth, even when I went down on him that first time and did a pretty bad job of it.
“What matters is you—not what you’re doing. Because it’s you that it’s so damn hot.”
And this time’s no different. His abs and thigh muscles jerk visibly, his lips parting. I run my thumb up until I bump into the underside of his cock head, swiping across the tip. He exhales roughly, the tendons in his forearms flexing. Clear liquid beads over the slit at the end of his dick, and I lick it, tasting slick salt, smelling musk and heat.
I pull my hair to one side, so he can watch his cock slide into my mouth. He always loved the visual, and I want him to derive as much pleasure out of it as possible. Nothing turns me on more than knowing I’m driving him crazy with my touch.
I move along his shaft, hollowing my cheeks, using my tongue, making him groan, his hands fisting the sheet underneath us. His pelvis pumps to the rhythm I set, as though he can’t bear to be still. I revel in the bliss unfurling in his dark gaze and react as though his pleasure is my own—my nipples tight, my inner thighs wet and my clit throbbing.
His breathing is erratic and fast, his eyes wide and unfocused. His neck and cheeks flush, and I know he’s so, so close. I draw him in as deeply as possible until he almost bumps into the back of my throat. His groan grows louder.
“Elizabeth… Fuck!”
He pulls out desperately, levering his torso up, and grabs my shoulders.
My eyes on him, I lick my lips…and hold my breath.
* * *
Dominic
The surprise in Elizabeth’s gaze turns to anticipation as I drag her up. My whole body’s on fire, and I’m so fucking close to coming, my dick throbbing painfully. The way she was sucking it like a lollipop… My cock twitches again, insisting it goes back into her luscious, wet mouth.
“Dominic?” Her voice is soft.
I coil her thick hair around my fist. “God, I want you.”
Holding on to what remains of my control, I kiss her, feel the soft lips yield, parting and letting me in. She tastes like me—tastes like her. She had an ugly nightmare. Tear tracks are still visible on her beautiful face, dark half-circles under her eyes. The sight tugs at my heart. I don’t want to come alone in her mouth. I want her to forget the bad dream, replace the terror with pleasure.
We kiss endlessly, tongues stroking, teeth nipping, lips teasing—the heated air between us. Her heart hammers; I can feel it against my chest. She tightens her hands on my shoulders, then slides one down until it wraps around my dick.
Air hisses out, and I grip her wrists and put them above her head, her back on the tangled sheet.
“I like this—having you at my mercy,” I rasp against the soft valley between her breasts, my eyes on hers to make sure she’s okay with this.
Licking her lips, she squirms. “Let me touch you.”
“Nope. You’re too distracting. And too damn sexy.”
“Me?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
I pull a taut nipple into my mouth, licking, sucking, nipping, loving the velvety texture and the way her back arches, her thighs parting, her soft moans and panting an aphrodisiac to my already heated body.
I let go of the nipple and draw the other one into my mouth. My free hand skims along the gorgeous arch of her back, then cups the sweet roundness of her ass and squeezes it the way she loves.
She strains, writhing. I can feel her wet heat against me, and I let out a gratified grunt. My thumb runs down, from her swollen clit to her opening. Unable to resist, I slip the thumb inside, teasing the slick sensitive tissue there.
“Oh my God.” She throws her head back, flexing her inner muscles. “Dominic, please.”
Her eyes are squeezed shut, her face flushed and twisted as though she’s an agony.
For a fraction of a second, I wonder if she’s going to ask me to make it hurt—but thankfully she doesn’t. She merely spreads her legs wider and begs.
“Inside me. I want you slamming into me, fucking me hard until you drive everything out of my mind except you.”
Her words shatter my control. I throw her legs over my shoulders, spreading her as widely as possible. I push into her hot, wet pussy, feel it clasp my swollen length inch by inch. Then I rock, I thrust, watch the mounting ecstasy rushing over her delicate features, her tits bouncing with every drive.
She sobs, crying out, her reaction honest and open. We were always fully honest in bed.
Too bad we couldn’t be honest out of it.
The thought slides into my mind like a cold knife. Gritting my teeth, I banish it as I chase her orgasm and mine.
She arches her back, her inner muscles starting to spasm. I know she’s at the precipice, and I thrust even harder.
She throws her head back and screams, her nails digging into me. I keep driving into her, letting her ride the orgasm, then pull out at the last second and spurt all over her belly, my whole body tight and shaking.
I collapse, shifting so I land heavily next to her, waiting for my breathing to even out. I wanted to lose myself inside her. Instead, it feels like I found myself.