by CR Robertson
“I would fill you, consume you, destroy you, and then rebuild you.”
I writhed against his fingers as they slipped between my legs, caressing my tormented flesh. He stroked my channel, his thumb finding my clit. His lips met mine as he devoured me.
“Tell me,” Xavier coaxed, his lips still pressing delicate kisses on mine. “Tell me what images you touched yourself to in the darkness.”
“I wanted him to show me what passion was in a world filled with mundane. I needed him to tear down my fake world and make me feel what was real. He was a monster, but for once he wasn’t a man only intent on his own pleasure.”
His finger dipped inside my soaking core. I’d lost count of the number of times I fantasised about this.
“Never once did I want the hero to save me, only the monster,” I confessed, panting. “I wanted him to steal me away from my existence and make me belong to him alone.”
“You’re mine, Cassandra, now and forever.” His lips crashed into mine, forcing my head back into the bedpost.
Xavier was a powerful, raw force of nature that compelled you to grant him access to your soul. He peeled you apart and left you emotionally vulnerable and bleeding. I was terrified and beyond aroused at the same time.
“I need to feel you,” I gasped when he finally released my mouth, leaving my lips tender and swollen.
Tonight Xavier was possessive, his touch asserting his ownership. I never thought I would enjoy being bound and tormented with his sensual touch, yet I found myself craving his featherlight caresses. He tugged the belt back in place over my aching nipples, the pressure making them throb with my pulse.
His skin touched mine, his clothes gone. There was nothing more I needed right now but him. I wanted to touch him, run my fingers through the smattering of hair on his chest, and feel the hard muscles that pointed all the way down to his huge erection that was rubbing against my lower lips.
The world was filled with monsters who smiled to your face and plotted your demise behind your back. Xavier was a creature of darkness who vowed to protect those he loved. The fact that he’d killed to protect me made me want to weep in both despair and gratitude.
He loosened the belt around my thighs before his mouth slayed me, alternating between sucking, licking, and biting me. It was too much and not enough. He moved my legs over his shoulders as he knelt before me in his own brand of submission, consuming me until I screamed one release after another.
“Zee,” I whimpered. “I don’t think I can take any more.”
He slowly stood before me, dragging the blindfold off me, his fingers on my chin capturing my head to tilt it up. “You’ll come again and again until there is nothing left in your body but the pleasured pain of another orgasm ripping through you. Tonight you will obey me, and tomorrow you can love and honour me.”
The words of our vows made me shiver.
“Zee,” I breathed his name.
His cock rubbed my too sensitive flesh, his forehead pressing to mine. “You make me feel too much,” he admitted in a dangerously low tone. “I wanted to walk away from you, but you captivated me, ensnaring me in a web of dangerous emotion.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered, our gazes locked in battle.
His hands grasped my hips that were still restrained by his belt. My nipples felt raw rubbing against the leather as I’d struggled earlier. His erection pushed into me, my mouth falling open as I strained to tilt my hips.
Xavier’s lips skimmed my ear. “The monster would be unable to stop himself, taking you there and then against the rocks where you were still restrained. His need for you too great to carry you away.”
I gasped as he pulled back and thrust up into me again. There was nowhere for me to go, no way I could angle my hips to facilitate him.
“Please,” I begged, not knowing what I needed him to do or stop.
He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, lightly biting down on it. “I love it when you beg me.”
“Please, Zee. I need…”
“What?” He thrust up again and my eyes rolled back in my head.
I needed everything—his touch, his possession. His cock moved so deep inside me that I didn’t know where he stopped and I began.
He forged into me again. “What do you need, Cassandra?”
In moments when he became my master, he always called me by my full name. It made me feel naughty that I had two lovers—my loving husband, and a master who commanded me. “Just you,” I admitted in a low tone.
His fingers gripped me until I wriggled uncomfortably. The upward angle bordered on pleasured pain, my body held in place by the restraints. There was nowhere to hide from his thrusts, his domination.
This had been my fantasy, my darkest desire that had terrified yet excited me. Xavier was morphing it into something sexy and erotic. His body claiming mine was driving me insane with pleasure, my core on fire from the aggressive friction. We sacrificed ourselves to each other at the altar of flesh and desire. Our moans and groans replaced our vows, and our bodies sliding against each other became our pledge to each other.
Pressure built low in my stomach like a tsunami gathering force to push back to shore. My nipples rubbed the restraints, the belt on my hips pressed against my pelvic bone, and the constant rhythm of his engorged cock all combined to form a mind-numbing orgasm. It tore through me, burning everything in its path until I was nothing more than an undulating mass of muscle spasms and nerve endings firing throughout my body.
Xavier exploded deep in me, his heat flooding me. His lips found mine as he held himself oh-so deep in me, his tongue tangling with mine.
“Fuck, baby, you okay?” He released the restraints and took my weight on him, carrying me to the bed to massage my poor arms. My breasts throbbed in protest at the blood flooding back to them after being encased in leather for so long.
“How did the reality live up to the fantasy?” he asked.
“The fantasy always had sand in my lady bits,” I deadpanned.
He looked at me, his lips splitting into a grin that made my stomach flip. “I’ll remember that for the next time. Word of warning, sand is abrasive, so you better pack some soothing ointment for our honeymoon.”
“Hmmm,” I snuggled into his heat, wrapping my leg over his. “Where are we going for our honeymoon?”
“It’s a surprise.” He kissed my forehead.
I knew it was a few weeks away, but a girl always wanted to know what to pack.
“Zee?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s your ultimate fantasy?” The man owned his own sex club chain and had probably tried every position possible and then invented some along the way.
His fingers stilled on my skin.
Pushing myself up, I stared at him for several seconds. “It better not involve butt plugs,” I warned.
His lips tilted up in a lazy smile. “Nothing so dramatic, baby. I wanted to find a love like my mum and dad. He’s been miserable without her, embarking on endless affairs to try and find someone to fill the hole she left in our lives. I realised a while ago I was doing the same. My greatest fantasy was to find the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. She’s currently lying in my arms.”
I could think of nothing to say to that, no smart comment or witty remark.
This man could have had his pick of some of the most glamourous women in the world. His social media was filled with models and gorgeous creatures with skimpy clothes. A few weeks ago, I realised it was all an image created by him and his two closest friends.
“Thank you for choosing me.” I pressed a kiss to his chest.
“Thank you for accepting me.”
I crawled over my husband until I could wrap my arms around his neck to kiss him. Xavier rapidly took control, his tongue dancing with mine until I could barely breathe anymore. He flipped me on my back, those tempting lips smiling against mine.
Neither of us were prepared to get any sleep, because there was only one wedding night.
<
br /> ***
Chapter Twenty-One
Xavier
My jaw was so tight that my head was starting to throb with the start of a migraine. Jordan’s report contained considerably more information than the scant document we’d received from the Council. The men who’d stolen those jewels had a far reach, deep pockets, and an extensive friends list. It wasn’t as simple as walking in and taking our property back.
“There is a reception this weekend for prospective buyers for one of their auctions,” Jordan said, swallowing another mouthful of scotch. “My guess is those jewels will be in the auction along with other less savoury commodities.”
Perverts were lurking everywhere we looked.
“What do we need to get in?” I asked, my foot tapping against my knee. A year ago, I had all the time in the world to sort these problems out. Now, I had a wife waiting at home for me. It was time to hand this shit over for someone else to worry about.
“An entrance fee and someone glamourous on your arm that makes it look like you’re there to buy something special for them,” Jordan replied.
“Why do we need someone on our arm?” Ash asked. His temper had been foul these past few days, leading me to believe Uncle Lucas had had a quiet word in his ear. He’d had too much to drink and been very touchy-feely with Lucrezia at my wedding.
“These auctions have a lot of jewellery in them. Women clinging excitedly on your arm and whispering in your ear tends to make you buy more,” Jordan replied dryly.
It was true. If Cassandra looked at me with her huge pleading eyes, I’d put a few noughts on what I’d pay for an item.
“Do we have decoys to take with us?” I asked.
Jordan’s eyebrow quirked. “I think they might notice that the newly married man has the wrong woman on his arm.”
“No one knows I’m married.”
Ash laughed bitterly. “I guarantee there are women out there already lamenting you being taken off the market. Stop being naïve.”
I glared at him for several seconds until he finally met my gaze.
“What?” he snapped, rubbing his hands down his face. “Your Uncle Lucas told me to stay the fuck away from Lucrezia. He doesn’t want a Blackwood in the family.”
“What did you say?” Jordan asked.
Ash stared at the ceiling. “I think my open-ended invitation to Tuscany has been withdrawn.”
“Give him time to cool down,” I replied. Uncle Lucas’ bark was often worse than his bite. He tended to overreact when it came to his daughters.
Jordan was silent, staring into his glass like it contained the secrets to the greatest mysteries of the universe.
“How’s Megan?” I asked.
His eyes contained agony when he glanced up. “Fine. She ordered cushions the other day.” His tone was remote, distancing him from the situation.
“You’re only causing both of you pain by denying your feelings,” I commented.
“Megan deserves a man who can give her everything she’s always wanted. She used to talk about kids and dogs, baking cookies at the weekend. Those are things I can’t give her.”
“Bullshit,” I barked. “The two of you can’t keep your hands or eyes off each other. That type of attraction is rare, considering you’ve known each other a while.”
“She’s fragile,” he argued.
“Then don’t break her.”
We stared at each other in a silent battle, the muscle at the side of his jaw pulsing.
“For a moment after I got Cas back from that madman Malcolm, I was going to walk away. I argued that she was only in that situation because she’d run from me.” I pinched the bridge of my nose at the memory of her lying pale in that hospital bed. “Then I realised the only person who would love her the way I did was me.”
Jordan didn’t reply and returned to staring into his glass again.
“How many passes can we get to the auction?” Ash asked.
“Four,” Jordan replied. “Technically, two plus guests.”
“I’ll run the op from here,” Ash said, rubbing his hands over his face again.
“Tell me I don’t have to take Cas,” I begged, not wanting to drag my pregnant wife into this shit storm.
“If I have to take Meg then you have to take Cas,” Jordan retorted.
“Where is it?” I asked, dread unfurling deep in my stomach.
“No idea. The location is released a few hours in advance. They obviously think whoever is coming will have access to the means to arrive on time.” Jordan looked as unhappy with the situation as me.
When we paid Marco a visit a few months ago, we thought he was a player who tried to cross my uncle. Now it turned out he was involved in a heavily armed biker gang who liked to dabble in global theft. This was rapidly spiralling out of control. Fucking awesome.
“I guess I better go and share the happy news with my wife that she needs to go dress shopping.” I reluctantly pushed myself up. “Will we be able to take weapons in?”
“I have a few ideas. Leave it with me.” Jordan looked as weary as I felt.
***
Cassandra was sitting at the table, surrounded by paperwork. Peeking over her shoulder, I saw they were title deeds to properties.
“You do realise you don’t work anymore?” I asked.
She jumped, her hand covering her heart. “You scared me,” she accused.
“Whatcha doing?”
“I was working on the deeds to your new venture. Technically, I can still work as your own private solicitor. The contract was between Bartholomew enterprises and my old firm. Your business wasn’t included.”
“Most women would be happy to stay at home and rest.”
Her eyebrows hit her hairline. “I’m not most women.”
My lips twitched before I kissed the end of her nose. “And I’m grateful for that every day.”
Her brow furrowed as she studied me. “You look worried.”
I sat down opposite her and picked up the brochure for the property with all the images in it. We never selected a new venture based on location but how it felt when the three of us walked inside. If we could visualise what it would become, then we bought it and worried about all the other details after that.
“Zee.”
I glanced up to meet her troubled gaze.
“I can’t help if you don’t talk to me.” My apartment used to be a place where I sat and debated my problems alone for hours.
“There’s a problem that needs sorted this weekend, an auction we need to attend.” Cas continued to stare at me, waiting for me to continue. “I don’t want to drag you into my world.” I finally admitted.
She picked up one of my hands, her fingers intertwining through mine. “This world belongs to both of us now.”
“Yeah, but I’d rather you didn’t meet the man I am when I’m not with you.”
A sad smile touched her lips. “You mean the man who killed those evil men who wanted to rape and murder me?” She shrugged. “He’s kinda hot, but don’t tell my husband I have a weakness for bad boys.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.” A smirk danced on my mouth at the way she liked to play with our marriage.
“Why are we attending an auction?”
I sighed, reality sinking in. “Someone stole something from the Council. It’s our job to get it back.”
“Why your job?”
It was a damned good question. Over the years, we’d dealt with all of these security threats ourselves, jetting across the globe. It had been an adventure, but the fun was fast disappearing from it the more we discovered about the men who ran the Council. Malcolm had left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth.
“Honestly?” I said softly. “I don’t know anymore.”
“What type of auction?” She diverted the conversation back to the original point.
“One that only the very rich can afford to attend. Looks like you’re going dress shopping to become Mrs. Bartholomew.”
Her teeth bi
t into her bottom lip, fire igniting in her eyes.
“My wife needs some dresses and several pairs of expensive and sexy shoes,” I informed her. I’d already prepared for this moment when I was planning the wedding. My wallet was in my jacket pocket hanging in the bedroom.
Leaving Cassandra sitting at the table, I wandered into the room and retrieved it. “Here.” I handed her the new black credit card with her name on it. “Spend what you want.”
She stared at it for several seconds before raising her gaze to me. “Zee, you don’t need to pay me to be here. I have my own money.”
“Humour me,” I replied. “You can’t access your inheritance at the moment while we’re looking into any other potential threats surrounding you. I want to spoil my wife.” My lips spread into a huge grin.
“You’re being a dick.”
“You’re obsessed with my dick.”
“It got me fat,” she snapped, fixing me with her laser glare she used to try and intimidate me.
“He bought you a new pair of shoes since your other shoes didn’t fit your swollen feet.”
“My feet thank your dick.”
A laugh erupted from me at the ridiculous conversation. “He’d appreciate you using that card to buy some lingerie.”
“Would he indeed.” Cassandra pouted. “Does he have any preferences?”
“Yeah, my dick likes silk and lace, nothing cheap since it chafes him.”
Her eyebrow arched. “I’ll take his requirements into consideration.”
“Need any help?” I nodded to the paperwork.
“No, it sounds silly, but I don’t trust outsiders at the moment after what happened. This gives me something to do and allows me to see inside your world.”
“Why don’t we take a trip up and see around the new place next week? It should have most of the fantasy rooms installed by then.” I touched her hand with the tip of my index finger. “The builder phoned. Our house is nearly ready. He wants to know the colour schemes for the rooms and nursery.”
That got Cassandra’s attention. “I hadn’t even considered the nursery,” she confessed.
“I took a walk around your old home. There’s a lot of stuff there from your childhood. I didn’t know whether you wanted to include some of your past into our new home.”
