by Alexa Riley
“Where is he?” I ask. I wonder if it’s really that easy. Where will I go from here? I’m not sure that it matters too much at this point. That had been my plan—to get away—and it looks like I’ve done it. Now I need to figure out what to do next. If I could pick, I would fall back into this bed and not move for a week.
“Your uncle or the king?” She raises her perfect eyebrows in question. My cheeks heat, and she laughs again. I bite my lip, feeling a little embarrassed. The last thing I should be thinking about is a man. I should be more worried about what I’m going to do next. “I’m sure James will be along any moment now. As for your uncle…” She shrugs. “You’ll have to ask James about that.” She releases my hand and gets up from the bed.
“I’m sure you need your rest, and food will be here any moment.” She smooths out her clothes as she speaks. “I’m going to see about ordering you some clothes. If you make a list of things you need, I’ll make sure we get them.” She points to a pen and pad sitting on the nightstand.
“Why are you doing all this for me?” I question. No one has been this nice to me since I came to live here.
“James told me about your family.” Her face softens. “I know what it’s like to be all alone, but you’re not anymore. You’re going to have a family now.”
I start ask what she means, but she interrupts me. “I’ve said too much already. You need to eat and rest. I just want you to know you’re safe here and your life is about to change for the better. I can promise you that.” She leans down and kisses me on the cheek.
“I’ll be back as soon as James will share you again,” she laughs as she strolls from the room, leaving the door cracked open. I slide from the bed and make my way over to the door that is no longer locked.
I jump back when a man walks in. I squeak in surprise. “Sorry, miss,” he rushes to say and lifts the tray in his hands to show me why he’s here. “I brought you something to eat.” He walks over to the sitting area off to the side and places the tray down. The smell of food makes my mouth water and reminds me how hungry I am.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
He gives me a nod in response and lifts the lids off the different plates. “I’ll take it from here, Marko,” a deep voice rumbles. Every cell in my body stands to attention. Without even looking, I know it’s him. James. The king.
“Of course, sir.” The man heads towards the door.
“Don’t come in this room if I’m not in it,” the king tells Marko.
“Or course, sir,” Marko says again before shutting the door behind him and leaving us all alone.
I stand there fidgeting with the tie on my robe, unsure of what to say. James’s eyes roam over me for a moment, his gaze becoming heated as he makes his way towards me. I have to fight taking a step back from him. His size is intimidating, but I don’t want to be rude. This man hasn't done anything but be nice to me so far. I should be thanking him.
My breath stills when he raises his hand and pulls the robe that had fallen off my shoulder back up. “I don’t like other men to see you like this.” Possessiveness rings in his words. Then he tucks one of my long dark curls behind my ear before trailing his finger down my neck. The feel of his finger leads my body to respond to him in a way I’ve never felt before. I gasp and my mouth falls open as he leans down, his lips but a breath from mine.
Chapter Six
James
Relief falls over me when my lips press to hers, knowing she has finally woken. I knew the doctor told me that she would be okay, but I still worried. I paced the end of the bed for hours. I’m surprised I didn't wear a track in the rug. It took my mom finally calming me down and telling me to go find out more about my girl before I finally pulled myself away. She reassured me she would stay by her side and keep an eye on her.
Her soft lips mold easily against mine, and a sweet vanilla scent envelops me. A small moan leaves her lips. Her fingers dig into the front of my shirt. I pull her closer, delving my hand into her long silken locks of hair. I never knew something could be so soft before her. I lick the seam of her mouth, wanting her to open for me. I need more of her sweet taste.
She does as I command. I slide my tongue between her parted lips, deepening the kiss. I have to fight walking her back to the bed and tossing her down onto it and taking what will soon be mine. I want to do this right. She has lost so much in her life already. I want to make sure everything from this point on is perfect, more than she could have ever hoped for.
If someone told me I’d be acting and thinking this way when I woke up this morning I would have laughed. How wrong I would have been. I’ve never felt such a connection to a person before and I don’t even really know her yet. But it's there. I can feel it.
Reluctantly I pull my mouth from her, resting my forehead on hers. We are both breathing heavily. I have to close my eyes for a moment. The sight of her swollen lips and reddened cheeks make me want to kiss her all over again, and I know where that will lead. Taking a few calming breaths, I open my eyes when feel her release the hold she has on me.
I grab her wrist, placing her hands back onto my chest. “Don’t pull away,” I tell her gently, watching the blush run all the way down to her neck.
“That was amazing,” she whispers with a small hitch in her breath. I run my thumb across her swollen lips.
“You’re what’s amazing, princess,” I tell her.
She gives me a small smile. “I’m not really a princess.” She shakes her head and looking up at me through those thick eyelashes.
“I know.” She’s my princess. “But you’ll be queen soon enough.” Her lips part a little in a small gasp, and I kiss her quickly, silencing any rebuttal she might have before grabbing her hand and pulling her over towards the sitting area. I know I need to feed her. I want to show her that her needs will always come before mine, no matter that my cock is the hardest it’s ever been in my life and I want nothing more than to toss her onto the bed and have my way with her. I’m going to do what she needs. Not me. Always.
I sit down in one of the chairs. She goes to sit in another, but I pull our linked hands and send her falling into my lap. She lets out a little giggle-snort, making me smile for the first time in hours. I bury my face in her hair for a moment, breathing her in, reminding myself that she is okay. I smell my own shampoo on her and it makes my cock grow even harder. The thought of her smelling like me satisfies something primal deep within me. I never thought I was such a caveman before. She is pulling that out of me.
I brush my nose along her neck, tickling her and making her wiggle on my lap. She draws in a startled breath when she rubs right against my hard cock, and some cum leaks out, desperate for her. I have to fight back a moan that wants to escape. She wiggles again, and I grab her hip, stilling her. I know that if she keeps doing that I will cum all over myself.
“Let me feed you,” I tell her, placing a kiss on her neck before pulling back. I reach for a plate and set it on her lap. “I didn't know what you’d want, but you can never go wrong with pancakes.”
She licks her lips. “I can’t remember the last time I had them.” I pick up the fork and cut her a small bite before bringing it to her mouth. She parts her lips, taking the bite and moaning quietly at the taste. I grit my teeth to keep from reacting and try to focus on feeding her.
“I can do it, you know.” She glances over at me and bites her lip. I know she can, but I also know she is enjoying this. I think it’s been a long time since someone took care of her. I want to have the honor of doing it. It also cools the anger that’s still simmering through me at all the things I found out about her uncle and how he’s been treating her as if she was a slave. He didn’t even send her to school.
“I know you can, but would you allow me the pleasure?” I ask her. She nods, opening her mouth again. She takes another bite from me and lets out another one of those sexy moans. I don’t think she knows it’s the fucking sexiest thing I’ve heard in my life. I had no idea a sound could turn me
on this way.
I set the plate down when she is done and hand her something to drink. I can’t stop myself from kissing the side of her mouth and licking a smudge of syrup on her lips. “What do you want to do today?” I ask, trying to get my mind focused on something else besides doing what I want to do in this moment.
She shrugs, and her robe falls off her shoulder again, revealing her bare skin to me. My eyes go there, and I want to kiss and mark it. “Hopefully my mom will have clothes here soon for you. I can’t let you out of the room like this.” I lean in and kiss her shoulder, my control slipping. She adjusts her position, letting me have as much room as I want. I give a small nip before making myself pull back. My eyes go to where I left a small mark. It will have to do for now.
Soon I’ll have a ring on her finger and an heir in her belly. Then she really will be marked by me. No one will miss that she belongs to me then. “I have some clothes in the bag I was carrying.” Yes, I’d seen the rags of nothing she had. They weren't fit to touch her skin. I wouldn't allow it.
“We’ll be getting you new ones. Ones that are more fitting for someone of your stature.” Her eyes search my face. I see so many questions lingering there. “If you don’t like them, we will get you something else. We will just make do with whatever my mom gets for now. So you at least have something to cover you.”
“Okay.” She agrees so sweetly. Even that’s a fucking turn on. I wonder if I’ll live the rest of my life with a constant hard-on now that I have her.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, focusing on the mark on her face. I didn't find much satisfaction in the punishment I issued to the guard who struck her. My anger is still bubbling.
“It’s fine. I forget about it until I touch it.” She tilts her head and raises her hand to her cheek, but I catch it, kissing her palm. “Is the guy I punched okay? I really didn't mean to. It was just a reaction when he grabbed me.”
Jesus. She’s so fucking sweet. I can’t believe she’s worried about him. “You didn't hurt him,” I tell her and nothing more. She doesn't need to know what I did. I’m guessing that wouldn't sit so well with her if she’s worried about the punch she gave him. I release her hand, and she brings it to my face. I lean into her touch.
“Thank you for everything you’re doing for me. You’ll never know what you saved me from.” My gut clenches at the idea of what her uncle might have done with her. He’s a drunk who was always looking for easy money from what I gathered. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do with him. Not until I learn more about how he treated her.
“I’d do anything for you,” I vow to her, because she has no idea how she saved me, too.
Chapter Seven
Kate
I stare into James’s dark eyes, a lump growing inside my throat that I’ve been holding in since he pulled me into his lap and started to feed me. This man is really a gentle giant. I’m not sure how I feared him for even a second. He treats me like spun glass.
I want to believe everything he’s saying, but I think there’s something he’s keeping from me. I have a feeling he doesn't want to let me go. I know I must hold some appeal. My grandma always told me that I was beautiful, and the way my uncle and his friends always stared at me made me even more aware of it. I didn't like when they did it. But with James, it feels like something different. For the first time I don't want to hide my body. I want to explore this.
I can tell he’s holding himself back. I want his mouth back on mine. I’ve never felt so much as when he kissed me, brushed his mouth against my neck in the softest caress right before he gave a small nip that shot right between my legs, dampening them. I tilt a little, letting the robe fall even more, parting my thighs and knowing that is where I need the relief the most.
I hear him suck in a deep breath. His dark eyes grow even darker as his attention fixes down my body to where the robe has parted and reveals my bare skin My cheeks warm, but I fight my shyness and don’t close them. I want his touch more.
“Princess.” His voice is deeper now. Warning rings in his tone, but I’m not scared. No, I’m excited and filled with something I can’t find a name for. I love when he calls me that. It feels right. I’m his princess. Though he said I’d be more than that. I wanted to question it but was scared of what he might say. That maybe I’d misunderstood him.
He places his hand on my leg, slowly running it up my thigh. I have to fight grabbing it and moving it faster. The rough texture of it leads me to moan. “Fuck. I should stop,” he says, but I don’t think he’s talking to me.
“Please don’t,” I plead, the words tumbling out of my mouth with no shame. I think I would die if he did. I wiggle a little, trying to get his hand closer between my thighs. Need like nothing else weighs heavy on my body.
“I could never deny you,” he tells me as he grips me, pulling my legs further apart. My robe falls off my shoulder, completely baring almost all of me to him. His breathing grows even heavier. Seeing how much I affect him makes my shyness slip away completely.
“Your thighs are coated.” His fingers brush against my inner thighs. “I need to taste you.” I think he is going to bring his fingers to his mouth, but in one swift movement he’s standing with me in his arms and carrying me over to the bed. He gently places me down and comes over the top of me, his big body blanketing mine. “Tell me you want your king to feast on you.”
“Please.” I try to push my hips up but can’t move with his weight on top of me, reminding me once again how overpowering this man is, how easily he could take from me if he wanted. But he’s not doing that. He’s asking, and I’m almost begging him to do it.
His mouth takes mine in a deep, hungry kiss. I moan, trying to pull at his clothes. I’m completely naked, my robe discarded, while he is still fully dressed. “Not yet,” he tells me as he pulls his mouth from mine. “If I undress, this will go too far.”
“Yes. I want that,” I push, wanting everything. I’m greedy for it.
“I will give you everything, but in time.” He trails kisses down my neck, licking and sucking between small bites. “I will do right by you. I was granted such a gift as you, and I will treasure you as I should.” His sweet words bring tears to my eyes. I still can’t believe this is real. I’ve toiled all these years, and now it’s as if I’ve been dropped into the middle of a fairy tale.
He sucks one of my nipples into his mouth, and I moan out his name. I don’t know how much more I can take. I need release so bad. My body is achy and heavy. James moves farther down my body, kissing my stomach before parting my thighs wide to make room for his broad shoulders.
He looks up at me, his dark eyes locking with mine. He reminds me of a predator that just caught his prey and is about to take what he has claimed as his. He drops his head and he licks me slowly. My head falls back as the sweetest pleasure I’ve ever felt flows through my body. His fingers dig into my hips as he takes another long, slow lick, before his hands tighten even more and all his control snaps.
Then it feels like his mouth is everywhere, devouring me as he sucks my clit into his mouth and growls against my center. My back bows off the bed as everything inside of me shatters and I scream out his name over and over again.
He keeps going until I have to beg him to stop. My body is unable to take any more. I lie in the center of the bed feeling like I’m floating on a cloud. I don’t want to move. He crawls up my body, leaving kisses in his wake. Each one makes me squirm a little as my body is still sensitive from what he just did to it.
He pulls me on top of him, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hold. “Thank you,” he says against the top of my head before kissing me there.
I laugh. “Shouldn't I be the one saying thank you?” I let myself sink into him, still wishing he didn't have clothes on. I want to be skin to skin with him and to feel his warmth against me. I can’t remember the last time someone held me close. It was probably when I was a young girl.
“No, that was the sweetest thing I’ve ever taste
d.” I tuck my head under his chin, suddenly feeling a tad shy. His hands explore my back, gently massaging me. My eyes slowly fall closed, and I try and fight it, but sleep is taking hold of me.
“I’m scared if I fall asleep I’ll wake up back in my uncle’s home,” I admit.
“I can promise you that will never happen. You’ll wake in my bed like you did once already,” he tells me gently.
“This is your room?” I smile, liking the fact he put me in his room. It only confirms that my feelings for this man aren't one-sided and that the things he’s saying to me are true.
“Our room,” he corrects as I slowly drift off to sleep.
Chapter Eight
James
I lie there stroking her back as she slips off to sleep. I’ve never felt so utterly content. Normally my mind is always racing, thinking about what needs to happen next. I never sit still, but I think I could lie like this for hours, enjoying the taste of her pussy still on my lips as I hold her close, reassuring her that she will wake in our bed and nowhere else.
The hitch of fear I heard in her words when she talked about the nightmare of waking up back at her uncle’s hit hard. I know what needs to be done. I’ll rip that house down. There will be nothing left of it by the time I’m done with it. I’ll own his land and everything he once called his own. Then I will give it to her to do whatever she wants with it.
When I hear soft little snores from her, I smile and slide myself out from under her. There are things that need to be done. I stare down at her naked body, her thick, long hair falling everywhere around her. My balls ache for release, and I know I won’t be able to get anything done like this.
