Except she was wrong.
Because Rafe had just rejected me. Again.
And I had just lived up to my mother’s legacy all right.
Along with Mama H.
I was another in a long, illustrious line of losers.
Fuck them. Fuck this patriarchal system. Fuck them all!
I took one last look at Rafe with the belle he’d chosen over me and then started to stomp towards the exit.
But right before I could take a single step, the girl in yellow standing in front of Rafe collapsed.
As in, she dropped to the floor like a freakin’ stone.
The other women gasped, some screeched. I froze. A couple of men stepped forward, rather calmly considering the situation, and picked her up by her arms.
“Another one down,” joked a man from the back of a group of men, and there was snickering laughter.
“Hasn’t happened in a few years,” another said.
“Is she okay?” Rafe asked, wide-eyed, reaching out a hand uselessly towards the woman who was already being dragged off. She was blinking and looking around even as the Elders pulled her from the room, her silk gown sliding smoothly on the marble floor.
“She just fainted,” said one of the Elders, stepping forward. “It happens sometimes. You chose poorly.”
Rafe looked around like a deer in a gunsight who realizes he’s about to get it. “What does this mean? What happens now?” he gulped hard. “Is it over before I’ve even started?”
The Elder paused and stared at Rafe critically. The man was familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Was he the father of one of Rafe’s friends? I’d occasionally run into the families of the powerful through my association with Rafe and his friends, but that didn’t mean I’d memorized their faces.
Gah, why was I even still standing here? This was bullshit, and frankly, no longer any of my concern.
I was about to continue my journey out the door and towards a bottle of tequila so I could forget this stupid night had ever happened when suddenly I heard my name.
“You chose poorly, so now we will choose your belle, and you will have one last chance to pass your Initiation. Fallon Perry will be your belle.”
I all but choked as I spun around to look at the group gathered on the other side of the ballroom.
Me? How the hell did they even know my name? Why would they choose me? Had Mama H done something? But she couldn’t have known Rafe would choose the wimpy blonde in yellow or that—
“Not her,” Rafe said, the words spitting out of his mouth like a staccato shotgun blast. “Anyone but her.”
They hit their mark. I was shocked I managed to stay on my feet and hated the fucking tears that bit at my eyes. My nose stung and in that moment I fucking hated Rafe Jackson. I couldn’t believe I’d ever— That I ever thought I’d— That I’d ever felt anything for him, that I’d ever—
“It’s her or no one and you fail,” the Elder said ruthlessly. “It’s her or you leave the Oleander tonight in disgrace and never return.”
Now Rafe was the one who looked like he’d been blasted by buckshot. His eyes came to me reflecting devastation and confusion.
Another man broke from the pack of men, the fabric of his silver robe swishing smoothly as he crossed the room to me. I could only watch, shocked into silence and stillness by all that was happening. It was only once he got closer that I realized I recognized the man.
It was Rafe’s father.
He barely stopped once he got to me. In a swift motion, he reached out and grasped the pearls around my neck. In the same action, he yanked them hard. The silk string broke and pearls scattered across the marble floor, bouncing and dancing away, the tinkling noise the only sound in the otherwise silent room.
Rafe’s father took the broken necklace and walked back to his son. When he shoved it towards Rafe, Rafe put out his hand as if reflexively.
“Let’s hope you make better decisions from now on, son,” his father said, voice hard. “I expect my eldest son to bring me pride and not shame.”
“It is done,” said the first Elder. “The Initiate’s belle has been chosen.”
Then the canes began to pound the floor again all over the room.
Holy shit. It looked like I wasn’t a reject after all.
I’d just been named a belle of the Order of the Silver Ghost.
5
Rafe
I wanted—
No, I needed to speak to her. I needed a moment of privacy so we could discuss what was about to happen. Did she know? Did she know that we were expected to fuck tonight? Right now? Did she know the Elders would be in the room and watching?
How could she?
I only knew because Sully had told me the rumors were true. I was ready for this, or at least as much as I could be. I had prepared for this. But no way could Fallon be ready. She should have chickened out just as the belle in yellow did. She should have run away for her own sake.
If I could just have a moment with her alone, maybe I could talk some sense into her. Maybe if she pulled out of this Trial before we “consummated” the partnership, the Elders would choose another belle and I wouldn’t lose the Initiation. Maybe there was still time…
But when we entered the guest room on the second floor, I knew deep down we were too late. This was going to happen whether we liked it or not.
The room was large and had its own fireplace. The king-size, four-post canopy bed barely filled any of the massive space. There was plenty of room for a sitting area with a small couch and two high-back armchairs that sat before the handcrafted mantle. The room had richly-woven rugs, crafted wood furniture, collectible books in a custom-made bookcase, and antiques dating from the civil war era. The large window with thick and luxurious drapes overlooked the pool and rose gardens of the expansive grounds. The Oleander Manor truly was magnificent both inside and out.
I knew, without the Elders even saying so, this would be our home for the next 109 days.
The first beat of the cane announced it was time for the consummation to begin.
Silver cloaks, voyeuristic eyes, and fucked up sexual desires stared upon the empty bed waiting…
Waiting for us to fuck.
And even though I knew he was there… I refused to look at my father. I couldn’t look at him. I couldn’t focus on the fact that he was about to watch me fuck my childhood best friend with a room full of spectators.
As if Fallon knew that prolonging the inevitable would only torture us, she unceremoniously removed the light purple dress she wore as she kicked off her heels. She didn’t even keep her undergarments on but stripped completely naked without even casting a glance in my direction.
Once nude, she raised her eyes and locked eyes with mine.
Challenge?
Yes, challenge exuded from her tiny frame. She wasn’t going to hold up this process. She was ready… ready for me.
Knowing I had to do my part in starting this sick performance, I spun her around to face the bed and pressed my chest up against her back.
I didn’t want to see her eyes. I couldn’t have Fallon Perry looking at me as I fucked her.
Having the Elders lined up to watch was sick and twisted enough, especially considering one of them was my goddamn father!
But Fallon… I didn’t want to look into her soul. I couldn’t.
She deserved better than this. She shouldn’t be here.
The beating of the canes began, and I knew there was no turning back.
Beat after beat, and I realized they weren’t going to stop.
Jesus Christ… we were going to have an eerie soundtrack as we fucked.
I cupped her breasts with each of my hands and pressed my hard cock against the seam of her ass. I shouldn’t be hard. I shouldn’t be aroused in the slightest, but Fallon was naked, and my cock had a mind of its own.
Brushing my lips against her ear, I whispered, “We don’t have to do this. If you tell me to stop, I will.”
I d
idn’t want to hear the words, but I would have honored her wishes. It would have meant the end of the Trials, and I didn’t want to fail, but at the same time, this wasn’t just some belle, some stranger. This woman was too fucking special to allow her to go down this dark rabbit hole by force.
And also, the complete madness in all this was that I wanted to fuck her. I wanted my cock buried deep inside of her regardless of our circumstances. What that said about me, I wasn’t sure. But my throbbing dick spoke loud and clear. And I wanted to make sure that Fallon actually wanted this too.
I was in the middle of a hellish situation and really should be focusing on getting past the Initiation and make this sex as quick as possible, but her magnetic pull was just too much. When she’d stripped her ball gown off right in front of everyone without an ounce of shame or embarrassment on her face, and briefly looked at me with those sultry eyes laced with challenge, the gloves had come off.
I was a red-blooded man after all, so what did anyone expect? And Fallon was the hottest woman I ever had the pleasure of seeing completely naked.
I brushed my lips on the column of her throat and tried to ignore that Fallon seemed scared, her every muscle tense, her limbs stiff. But holding her softness in my arms, my goal was to make her relax against me, become pliant, languid, because no matter what nightmare we were in the middle of, this was still going to be our first time having sex.
I never thought this day would ever come. And here it was.
“Just do it. Get it over with,” she said as she tilted her head more to the side, giving me better access to kiss on her neck, which I didn’t dare.
The act of a kiss seemed far too intimate. I couldn’t make love to Fallon in front of everyone. Fuck, yes… I had no choice. But I sure as hell wasn’t going to be loving, sensitive, and romantic while my goddamn father and his old cronies watched on.
Bending her over so her palms rested on the mattress, I readied myself for what would come next. Massaging her breasts between my fingers, my cock throbbed even harder when Fallon quietly mewled in pleasure. Her tiny whimper of lust had my cock twitching against my pants, begging to be satiated.
“Do it,” she purred while reaching behind her, grabbing hold of my thigh with one hand and pulling me even closer to her perfectly-shaped ass.
Lowering my hand away from teasing one of her nipples, I ran my fingertips down her firm belly to her mound, cupping it while I nearly growled into her ear. Finding her clit, I pressed lightly and moved my finger in a gentle and circular motion.
I loved hearing the catch in her breath and thrived on how it was obvious she enjoyed my touch and even wanted more when she gyrated against my hand. I knew I could make her cum this way if I wanted to take more time and all eyes weren’t on us—maybe I would save that for another day.
Unzipping my pants and taking hold of my cock with my other hand, I guided my dick past the folds of her pussy and eased inside her silky warmth with enough pause for her to adjust to my girth.
Blocking out my surroundings, I began pushing and pulling, feeling the walls of her sex squeeze tightly around me as I did so.
I was inside her. I was fucking Fallon… and it felt so right. So fucking right.
Fallon clung to my hand that still rested on her pussy, moaning softly. “Rafe,” she said barely louder than a whisper between her gasps.
The sound of pleasure leaving her lips captivated me completely—impressive considering we weren’t alone.
The passion built with every movement, and I felt an impending orgasm build. Part of me wanted to be done, end the night, but a more powerful and controlling part of me wanted to make this feeling last a little longer.
I wanted to claim her harder and with more force. Fallon was finally mine, and after tonight, there would be no question. We couldn’t turn back time after this. We couldn’t just go back to being friends. My cock was buried deep inside of her, and as I pressed my balls against the firmness of her ass, I knew we had crossed a line to possession.
She was mine. Truly My Fallon now.
It was animalistic in belief. Primal. But I couldn’t fight the carnal urge to fuck her longer than planned. I didn’t want to leave the tight warmth of her pussy.
As if we were connected by mind and not just body, Fallon pushed her ass hard against me, driving me deeper inside. Her simple action silently told me she didn’t want gentle and loving, but rather wanted a true fucking just as much as I did.
She gave a sharp gasp as I thrust into her with the full force that I had been holding back. Wrapping her dark hair in my fist, I gave it a tug until she turned to look back at me.
Her eyes were glazed, her mouth slightly open as she nodded her understanding, and I could actually feel the walls of her pussy constrict around my cock. It was all I needed to truly start fucking her with fury.
I moved my finger, which still rested on her clit, determined to make her cum right alongside of me.
I wasn’t going to last much longer but waited until I could hear her repeated moans of absolute desire become cries of completion. The spasms of the velvet walls of her pussy around my cock were all it took for me to explode inside her.
Electric jolts of pleasure ran through every vein in my body. Never in my entire life had I experienced something so erotic, so tantalizing, and so fucking unbelievable as fucking Fallon Perry.
I wanted to fuck her again.
And again.
I only wanted to fuck Fallon Perry forever and ever… consumed.
It took Fallon pulling away to convince me that I hadn’t just died or had an out-of-body experience. Every ounce of skin on my body buzzed in euphoria. This woman had captivated not only my body, but my entire being.
Feeling her shudder, however, reality sunk in. I realized that I could feel goose bumps on her skin as I caressed her back.
She was naked. Vulnerable to the eyes of the Elders—
The canes began to bang hard against the floor, and what had been a moment of pure bliss had suddenly returned to hell with silver-cloaked devils all around me.
With the final beats of the canes, the Elders left the room.
Now, the true test would begin.
We were alone to face our demons together.
Without saying a single word, I lowered the bedding and then guided her to bed for sleep.
There was so much I wanted to say. So much I wanted to discuss. We needed to come up with a plan. We needed to talk about the fact that we had just had sex and what did that mean. Hell, we needed to catch up after years of being apart.
But not tonight.
We’d had enough for one night.
As if I were doing nothing more than tucking in a lover for bed, I covered her up and watched her close her eyes.
Yes, we needed to close our eyes and maybe…
Just maybe…
When we opened them again, this would all be over.
But when I stripped and crawled into bed beside her, I couldn’t resist. I had to. I had to move a piece of her raven hair lying across her face and tuck it behind her ear just as I had always done when we were young.
Her eyes opened.
And we both just stared.
6
Fallon
When I woke up, it was to find his eyes on me. Our eyes caught, just as they had last night, after he’d— After we’d—
My heartbeat had still been pulsing so hard, his cum spilling out of me. Even now, the morning after, the memory of his body inside mine after all these years… Just the memory was so visceral it was like it was still happening.
The shudder started again in my body, and I jerked out of bed, horrified.
“Fallon, can we—” he started to say, but I fled to the bathroom and slammed the door behind me before I could hear the rest of that sentence.
No. No we could not.
I slammed my hands over my face, then dragged them down. Holy shit. Holy shit. I’d finally had sex with Rafe Jackson. And it had been, oh God,
it had been—
I glimpsed the hollow woman in the mirror across the vanity.
She looked shell-shocked.
Because sex with Rafe had been earth-shattering. I mean, I’d always suspected it would be. But to finally have it confirmed, at the worst possible moment—
I squeezed my eyes shut, but that didn’t help anything, because I just remembered every touch, every caress of his body against mine. The way he pushed my hair behind my ear afterwards, the way he always used to when we were kids, the past and the present blurring and making my heart burst open with hope and agony.
My eyes snapped open at the thought. No. Dear God, no. How many times could a girl put her heart through the blender over one boy?
That wasn’t what I was here for.
I was here to get what was owed me.
I gave one decisive nod and then stomped over to the shower, turning it to the hottest setting I could. I would wash that boy off my skin and out of my system once and for all.
* * *
Half an hour later, we were seated at a ridiculously long, elegant table, me at one end, Rafe about twelve feet away at the other end. This seating arrangement suited me just fine. Much easier to ignore him if he wasn’t right in my face.
I hadn’t given him much of a chance to say anything to me after I’d gotten out of the shower and dressed, even though he’d tried. But I’d spent most of the last half hour in the shower, then flounced out just in time for breakfast.
I could tell he was steaming and had plenty to say to me, in that Rafe way of his. He had a terrible poker face. There was obviously something he wanted to get off his chest, maybe many somethings, but frankly, I wasn’t in the mood.
The shower had helped my resolve. I was here to do a job and not Rafe Jackson or anybody else was going to keep me down anymore. I was a woman with a plan.
“This is ridiculous.” Rafe finally tossed down his silverware with a loud clank, which I could only just hear from so far away. “We need to talk, Fallon, and I refuse to sit here and shout across the breakfast table.”
Opulent Obsession: A Dark Secret Society Romance Page 5
