by Rosie Praks
“May I ask who this beautiful woman is?” Julian said for the first time, garnering attention back to him.
I turned to Amelia, who was beside me. She seemed to almost shrink in size at the attention bestowed upon her.
“This, Julian,”—it was Sebastian who spoke—“is Amelia Nelson. She’s my secretary.”
Julian took Amelia’s hand and kissed the knuckles. “Amelia Nelson. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
Amelia flinched and smiled nervously. “You might not remember, but we met at Moonlight, when you helped Kimberly.”
“No wonder you looked familiar. I’m so glad to finally know you. How are you doing as Sebastian’s secretary? If he doesn’t treat you right, you are welcome to work for me. As my secretary.”
I went red with rage. I bit my lip until I felt blood oozed in my mouth.
Oh, Julian. You're too good at playing the perfect gentleman. There's no way I’ll let Amelia fall under your spell too.
“Sorry, Julian. But Amelia is a really good secretary. We get along well.” Sebastian squeezed Amelia’s shoulder possessively.
I smiled at Sebastian for saving my friend’s life. And turned to Julian to smirk at him.
More fire burned in Julian’s eyes. By now, that stormy grey had turned a molten black. And they captured me in their gaze. I shivered.
My heart hit its peak again, but my attention was cut off. The ushers were already asking people to their seats. Cameramen and news reporters were already aligned at the bottom of the stage. It was time for the signing to take place. Papa walked onstage, followed by Julian.
Julian carried himself with style, a lethal gait, full of confidence and charisma. I wanted to slam him down so much. Kick him in the nuts, so he would ooze with less charm.
My seat was beside Papa. I whispered to Amelia that I’d chat with her later tonight. She nodded, and I went my way.
As I climbed up the stairs, I was aware of a pair of grey eyes focused on me. A speckle of mystery there. I ignored him. After what he said and did to me a week ago, there was no way I would respond like that whimpering fool again.
The signing took place quickly. I signed. Julian signed. Camera flashes. A few easy questions were asked, and the night ended.
Or so I thought.
“To commemorate the relationship between Devereux and Henderson, I would like to offer a gift to the Henderson,” Julian announced, spellbinding the audience, myself included. “Miss Kimberly Henderson, would you do me the honor?”
I paused in my step, heart in my throat. What was Julian getting at? What gift?
“Miss Kimberly Henderson.” Julian’s voice echoed along the huge hall again. But still I didn’t move. My mind was too stunned. It was only when Papa patted my arm that my brain kicked into gear.
I glared at Julian as he walked closer to me. Somehow my throat was constricted and I couldn’t breathe. But I couldn’t walk away either. All the press was watching me. I couldn’t embarrass Papa. So I waited, with only the sounds of my heartbeat making any sort of noise. The press went quiet.
Julian approached me, a sly smile on his face. And inside his hand was a red box. I knew immediately what it was. The rose pendant necklace.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 5
I found myself sitting still like a mannequin. Julian’s mannequin. He was clasping the necklace around my neck in front of the whole crowd. His nose gently brushed across my skin, a subtle move that could be seen as an accident by the press. But this was no accident. Julian had planned for this moment from day one.
Again, I fell into his trap.
“I told you, you would accept my necklace,” he hissed into my ear. “You’re my woman, Kimberly. Remember that. Not Sebastian. Not Josh. You’re mine.”
I found my heart yearning, yet I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do a thing except endure it all.
My whole body throbbed with an explicit need. I was a burning furnace, heat raking up my core, making my insides mush. I could no longer focus on anything except the feel of his fingers caressing my neck, in front of everyone.
And everyone watched. Amelia. Sebastian. Papa. The press. And all the guests here tonight. Admiring me for wearing that rose pendant necklace.
Time moved so slowly. I wanted to get out of there. I needed to be by myself. I needed to think. Gather my thoughts about what I really felt about Julian.
Did I hate him? Did I love him?
I didn’t know what I should be feeling anymore. All I knew was I wanted him inside me. Like right now, as I could feel his erection pushing into me from behind. But I hated how he'd manipulated me in those past two weeks. I didn’t do anything wrong, so what did he see in me to choose me as his pawn?
Was I just some unfortunate girl who happened to catch his eye? Or was I some random girl he picked up without a thought?
What was I to him? And what was he to me?
As soon as I felt his fingers leaving the heat of my skin, I raced downstage, aiming for an exit to the side hall. But I wasn’t fast enough. Julian twirled me around so fast I lost my bearings, crashing into his chest. He held me tight against his torso, the flat of his palm positioned against the small of my back.
“Dance with me. To honor our union,” he voiced for everyone to hear, linking our fingers together and drawing his face closer to mine.
We had an audience who surveyed our every move. Each word I spoke, each action I took, would affect Papa’s reputation.
But I couldn’t do this anymore. I couldn’t stay beside him and not be affected by him. He consumed me. He'd turned me into a woman that craved only for him.
I twisted my hand from his, unlinking our connection. I smiled, a pretend smile that had my heart drumming in fear of the action I was about to perform.
“I’m sorry, Julian.” I took a step back. “But I’ve already promised Sebastian I would dance with him. Maybe later tonight?” I quirked an eyebrow in his direction, then dashed around, searching for Sebastian. Thankfully, he was still standing next to Amelia.
I raced toward Sebastian and caught his arm, dragging him onto the dance floor, folding his arms around my small waist before he could even protest.
“You’re a confident woman, Kimberly,” Sebastian whispered into my ear. “Do you clash with Julian?”
“Help me with this favor, Sebastian,” I curved my fingers around his neck, resting my head on the crook of his shoulder. “I don’t get along with him.”
“I can see that. He’s throwing daggers at me.”
“Let him. It doesn’t affect me.”
“It affects me. I have a wife.”
“I know. Amelia told me.” I looked up at Sebastian then, seeing the rage, the hurt, and the betrayal in those dark irises. At that moment, his eyes reflected my own pain. “Do you love her?”
“What do you know, Kimberly? You’re just a child.”
“I’ve been heartbroken. I know how that feels.” I consoled him. “To love someone. When they turn back and betray you, it feels like a knife slicing through your heart. Don’t you feel the same too?”
“It seems like we have a lot in common.”
“That’s what I said before.” I gazed up at him.
Sebastian smiled and his lips moved ever so closer to mine. I closed my eyes, wanting to know what it felt like to have another man’s lips on me. Since Julian, I'd never had the opportunity to kiss another man. But tonight, I wanted to try, despite this one being married.
What would this kiss be like? A soft brush or a gentle slide across my lips? A hot, hard peck or a forceful, aggressive thrust of the tongue? Would it feel any different to Julian? Would I feel those scorching flames erupting from that one small touch? Would I feel that slow burning sensation that quaked my entire foundation?
I positioned myself, lips pursed forward, waiting for that moment.
But it never happened. Someone yanked me off Sebastian, and I was dragged blindly to an isolated place. Everything happened so fast,
so when I got my bearings again, a hot tongue was thrust aggressively down my throat. My back was pressed against a wall and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t hear anything. Only the sounds of water dripping.
Oh God. Am I in the bathroom again?
My focus came back, and the face I saw was Julian's. He was growling and licking my neck, whispering obscene nonsense in my ears.
“Stop playing hard to get, Kimberly. Let’s just fuck and get all our emotion out.”
“Then let’s get our emotion out first.” I lashed out at him. “And then I’ll decide whether we can fuck.”
He wavered, unsure, before pouncing on me and sucking my neck again.
“I can’t explain. I just can’t,” he pleaded, his hot breath burning my skin. At that moment, I saw the old Julian, the gentle, solemn Julian again.
“What secret are you hiding?” I voiced, my tone soft, almost back to that caring woman who loved her partner endlessly.
“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you right now.”
Sorry. Julian said sorry. It was that same timid voice, that same man I used to love. Or still loved.
But Julian was only acting. He grinned devilishly. “So you still love me after all.”
His eyes changed from the deep grey to a slow-burning grey. He laughed and dug his fingers into my flesh, bringing my face closer. Cradling my head, he drew his nose to my nape and inhaled my scent.
“Let me go, you fucking bastard.” I yanked my head away, aiming to kick him in the groin. But he was fast, knowing my movement in advance, placating me with his arms arresting my limbs.
He chuckled again, his nose digging deeper into my nest of hair once he wound his arms around to imprison me. “You smell wonderful, Kimberly. Were you pleasuring yourself before coming here?”
I was aghast. This disgusting man.
Again, I pushed him off, but he wouldn’t be moved. He was an erect column that no amount of force could tilt. I gritted my teeth and slapped him hard, with enough force to swing his head to the side.
His eyes sparked up and the beast was now on full display. “I love it when you're aggressive. You turn me on big time.” The soft fingers threading through my hair were no longer soft. Now he fisted his fingers and yanked my head back, trapping my lips with his when he kissed me again.
His kiss was demanding and urgent, like he wanted an immediate answer to something I hadn’t a clue of. He tore at my lips and kissed along my jaw, incapacitating me to move farther. I was a caged animal, trapped in his arms' prison.
His hands moved restlessly up and down my body, looking for a place to explore, searching for a sanctuary to rest. And he found it. At the junction of my thighs.
He snaked his hand under the green fabric and rubbed my clit through my lacy boy shorts. I whimpered, creaming myself.
“I want to taste you, Kimberly. I want to feel your pussy on my lips,” he rasped in my ear, pulling the fabric of my dress up and folding it over my shoulder, exposing my lacy boy shorts for his viewing.
Julian slowly crouched, his tongue licking at the nub of my breast, all the way down to the valley between my thighs. Running his finger underneath the band, he pulled down the thin material, revealing my bared core.
Julian licked his lips, eyes shining bright as he faced me. Then he plunged forward, sucking at the folds of my sex, just like a cat licking cream.
I was unprepared for the euphoric feeling that exploded deep inside me. How long had it been since Julian kissed me there? It felt like light-years away. My legs trembled and it was only with the support of his shoulders that I continued to stand.
“Julian. No. Not here,” I panted, protesting further when his tongue parted my folds and stroked my throbbing clit.
And it hit me hard. Again.
I shuddered, my body arching so far back I hit the wall. I ended up yanking his hair for further support, or else I would fall.
But still I for craved more. My body bent and arched forward, my hips rotating all around, wanting Julian’s tongue. Wanting to gain the most pleasure out of it.
I came again and again, climax hitting me with just his lips on my sleek folds.
And suddenly my name echoed through the walls. I couldn’t quite hear with all the soft pants I exuded from my lips. But my name grew louder and louder. And then I froze.
Amelia. She was standing outside that door, calling my name.
I stilled Julian’s head to stop him from lapping at my clit.
“Kimmy-berry. What was that just then? Are you okay? Is Julian in there? Are you two fighting?”
Oh God. Papa was standing outside too. Had they heard me screaming when I climaxed?
“I think we should just leave them to work it out themselves.”
Please, Sebastian. Please take them away.
But Papa was still standing outside talking to me. “Why don’t I go in and we can have a chat?”
Julian eyed me from below, his lips still sealed to my sex. I could tell what he was thinking. That bright spark in his eyes provoking me, daring me to tell Papa, Amelia, and Sebastian to come in and witness our carnal state. But I couldn’t say anything. I had my fist in my mouth to stop myself from moaning.
Julian looked displeased. He gently blew soft air onto my clit and then savagely sucked at my folds. I trembled and my whole body rocked.
“No. No. Pa-pa… I’m… f-fine.” I tried speaking, but with Julian’s expert tongue on my clit, rolling about, I couldn’t form a cohesive sentence. “We… we… are talking. We… we… ummm, need some time alone. We… ahh… are trying to reach some form of agreement.”
“Are you sure?”
“Y-yes,” I hissed, hoping for him to just go. I didn’t want Papa to see me in this state.
Thankfully, they all left. I could hear their footsteps slowly disappearing.
The tension seeped out of me.
“That was very cunning of you.” Julian was suddenly right in front of my face, his lips glossy and wet. “You just want to enjoy yourself in peace, am I right?”
I didn’t reply. I was too consumed with lust, anger, and rage.
But Julian didn’t stop with his nonsense. “Want to taste yourself?”
His lips sneered, and he kissed me, transferring my essence from my core to my mouth.
I could taste myself. Honey and sweet. And with the combination of his tongue stroking my own again, I was on cloud nine, lost to the feeling of pleasure, losing myself to this abhorred monster.
I sucked at his lips, wanting more of what he offered. But he pulled back just when I was starting to become addicted.
“You are one insatiable woman,” he said with a lustful growl as he picked me up and sat me on his lap.
Spreading my legs wide, his fingers continuously played at my sex, cupping it, massaging it, rubbing it, gently spreading the sleekness of my essence in and around my outer lips and into my folds. The action was so erotic I came again, leaking all over his fingers.
Julian took the action of a panther, groaning and growling, kissing me along the nape of my neck again, as if marking his territory on me. I was stuck in a euphoric state. I could no longer think of anything. All I wanted was for his cock to be inside me. I didn’t care anymore if I hated him or if he was the one who had manipulated me and made me cry all those weeks ago. Right now, what I needed was him.
Yes. Him. Because without him, I knew I’d be missing something. Without him, without his cock inside me, without his arms wrapped around me, without his male scent engulfing me, I knew I’d be a little lost lamb. I realized at that moment, I couldn’t live like this. I needed him and wanted him more than I needed and wanted anything in this world.
Julian was right. We’d fuck ourselves crazy. We’d get this lustful state out of our systems first. And then we’d talk. We’d lay out every single secret on the table. We’d bare our souls to each other. That way we’d come to some understanding. That way, I’d know at least what was hidden in his heart. That way, we’d no longer sta
nd for judgment.
Julian must have been feeling the same, sensing I was giving up all hope of resisting. Unzipping his pants, his hard cock sprang out.
And my breath shook.
Oh God. One full week of not seeing that cock and now I salivated. I wanted to taste him. Just like he'd tasted me.
I slid off his lap and fisted his shaft in my hand. Without further ado, I pumped him with my mouth.
In and out, I took him. He tasted sweet but still very addictive.
I didn’t know how he saw me. Maybe the bitch who was lusting after his cock, but at that moment, I just didn’t care. I was in my siren state, too high up in the sky to come down and view anything in a normal, rational mind. I needed to satisfy myself or I’d burn alive in this flame.
I felt Julian grabbing my hair, forcing his shaft to go deeper into my mouth. I complied, bobbing my head to match the rhythm of his thrusting.
An animalistic cry erupted from his mouth then, and with one final movement of his hand, he came, spurting his essence inside my mouth.
I swallowed half, the other half dribbling down my chin.
Julian was quick on his knees, yanking my head to meet his lips, sucking and licking his own essence like I did moments prior.
We kissed like this, tearing at each other’s lips, teeth clashing against each other like hungry animals starving for each other’s taste.
Julian parted my legs to encircle his hips, wanting to taste other parts of my body too. I lay flat against the cold, hard floorboards, allowing him to do as he pleased.
He rained kisses down my neck, all the way to my collarbone, then gave his undivided attention to my breasts. He sucked my buds, licking and twirling them with his tongue, scorching my skin.
More kisses were bestowed on the journey from my breasts to the center of my navel. Each kiss in itself was like a little burn, searing my skin and rocking my core.
I panted. I squeezed my eyes shut. “Julian. Please.”
And it only took one small movement for him to insert his hard shaft. But he didn’t move. He hauled his body up until he was facing me.
