by Sarah Bailey
“I think we’re both at fault for different reasons. I’d like to try and put this behind us so we can move forward… together.”
“Together?”
He took my other hand in his.
“Yes, you and me. Us. Together. No matter what I ask you to do, it’s to protect you from him. To keep you safe. I meant what I said at the zoo. This goes both ways. I am yours and you are mine.”
My hands tightened in his before I let them go and shifted closer to him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his chest with a gentle touch so as not to aggravate my back any further.
“Will… will you stay here with me?”
“Didn’t you want space?”
“Not any more. I just want you.”
He shifted back a little, lowering his face and brushing his nose against mine. His hand curled around my waist, thumb brushing over my stomach. His breath dusted across my lips.
“Liora,” he whispered.
My name on his lips sent my pulse skittering out of control.
“Dante.”
His mouth met mine in a gentle kiss. Pulling away, he shifted up onto the bed and tugged me onto his lap. I cupped his face with one hand and the other ran down his chest. He shuddered, letting out a groan. We kissed again. It wasn’t passion. It was desperation. We needed each other. Needed the connection. Craved it with every breath we took.
His fingers tangled in my hair, gripping the strands. I pressed closer, my nipples brushing against his chest, sending sparks across my skin.
“I want you,” he murmured against my mouth. “I want you so much.”
I fumbled with his boxers. He shifted enough for me to pull them down. His fingers were between my legs, stroking me. My body felt tight, my back hurt, but I didn’t care. I reached down and grabbed his cock. He shifted his hand up onto my thigh and I sunk down on him. I held his face in both hands, kissing him. He gripped both my hips, encouraging me to rise and fall on him. He felt so good. The events of the night melted away, leaving just me and him.
He sat up straighter, hands running up my sides before his fingers tangled in my hair. His other hand splayed out across my back. Whilst it stung a little, the pain kept me grounded. It helped me focus. Each lash mark reminded me I’d enjoyed every moment of his punishment. I’d let go of so many things in that room with him. So many burdens I didn’t realise I still held onto.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, releasing his mouth as I rested my forehead against his. We were both breathing heavily, staring into each other’s eyes. There were so many unspoken words between us.
Don’t leave me.
Stay.
Be in this with me.
We can face this together.
I am yours.
You are mine.
I couldn’t leave him. Not because of Zach. My feelings ran too deep. I’d have to cut them out by the root if I was ever to be free of Dante. I had no desire for freedom. He’d ensnared me. I was his. And Dante? He was mine too.
I rode him harder, feeling the now very familiar sensations building inside me. I ran a hand down his chest and my fingers found their way between my legs. As if he knew exactly what I needed, he gripped my hip and thrust up inside me whilst I stroked myself. It sent ripples across my skin. Wave after wave of intense bliss pulsated through me. I moaned, shuddering and clenching around him. He continued to thrust into me, grunting as he met his own end.
He collapsed back against the headboard, taking me with him. My head lolled on his shoulder with his fingers still stroking through my hair. There weren’t any words, so neither of us spoke.
After catching my breath, I pulled away, grabbing the tissue box off the bedside table before I slid off him. I cleaned up. Sex without condoms was a little messy, but I didn’t care. It’d been exactly what we needed.
We curled up under the covers together with me pressed up against his chest and my hand curled loosely around his waist. My eyes grew heavy. I listened to the sound of his breathing and the steady thump of his heart against my fingertips.
I hoped we could put this evening behind us. Hoped we could learn from this and move forward.
I should’ve known this was only the beginning of the horrors awaiting us.
I should’ve known Dante and I weren’t safe.
Not whilst Zach still lived and breathed.
And not whilst his threats loomed over both our heads.
Chapter Sixteen
Dante
I watched her sleeping for the longest time, tracing my fingertips down the lash marks covering her back, careful to be gentle so she wouldn’t stir. Liora was the most beautiful girl I’d ever known and seeing the marks I’d made on her back, marring her perfect skin made me so fucking hard. I wasn’t about to wake her up for sex though. She’d been through enough. Christ, we’d both been through enough fucking shit yesterday.
I shook myself inwardly. Now wasn’t the time to think about my father and his threats. He’d fucked things up between Liora and me last night and I wasn’t about to forgive him for it. At least I knew why she was so upset. I was fucking pissed as fuck at her brother for ever making her feel like she was a freak. She could never be a freak to me. Liora was like a breath of fucking fresh air. And I was done denying I needed everything about her.
“What are you doing to me?” I whispered. “How do you make me feel so vulnerable when I’m around you?”
It was as if she could strip everything back with a single glance. I never let her know that’s what she did, but it was the truth. The way her forest green eyes seared into my soul was unnerving at times. Did she know she was doing it? Did she realise she had that much power over me?
I leant down, pressing a kiss to each mark on her back in turn. She uttered a soft sigh, but her breathing didn’t change. She was still dead to the world. Such a fucking beautiful sight she was. So innocent with her blonde hair a mess on the pillow. That halo she always wore. Fuck. I didn’t want her to change it. Her hair suited her the way it was. When we’d first met, it’d been longer, but now, it framed her face perfectly.
“Christ, Liora, you make me feel things I’ve never felt for anyone,” I murmured against her skin. “I hated seeing you in so much pain last night.”
I didn’t want her to wake up and hear me confessing this shit to her. I wasn’t ready to face up to the reality of how I felt about this girl. How she was the only thing keeping me fucking sane in this mess.
I shifted away, snagging my boxers from the floor and pulling them on before I stood up. I left her in the room I’d designed for her whilst I prowled to my bedroom and pulled on a t-shirt and shorts.
It was Saturday, so the staff weren’t here. I took the stairs two at a time and strolled into the kitchen. I noticed the cafetière had been used. Brent was up then. At least he wasn’t in here. I wasn’t in the mood to discuss what happened last night. Not when he knew I’d taken Liora in the playroom. I’d seen his disapproving expression when he told me he’d seen her back. It wasn’t like he didn’t know what happened in there. It was for her, not for me. I didn’t have to explain that to Brent though. It was none of his fucking business.
I set about pulling various things out of the cupboards deciding she deserved breakfast in bed. I wanted to make shit up to her. Make sure she understood I cared about her. Wanted to make her happy even if it cost us everything. Liora was worth that. She was worth everything I’d gone through.
I was just mixing up pancake batter when I heard the front door slam. I frowned. Had Brent gone out? He usually told me if he was. Except it wasn’t Brent at all. I heard footsteps down the hall until they stopped at the kitchen door. There were only a few people who had the keys to my house.
“Hello James,” I said without turning around. “What brings you here?”
The twins never came here so it could only be him. I knew what Brent’s footfall sounded like. He lumbered around like a fucking beast.
Why the fuck was my brother here? He almost never came around willingly even though I’d told him enough times he was welcome here whenever. I suppose it didn’t help that he hated me and that was entirely my fault.
“Is Liora here?” he asked.
“She’s sleeping. Why?”
“I need to talk to you.”
I turned, setting the whisk down in the bowl. He was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. He did not look happy.
“About what?”
Of course he hadn’t come here wanting to actually see me. Not for the first time I felt like the world’s worst fucking sibling. Even though this was for his own good, it still didn’t sit right with me. It never had.
“What is really going on?”
“You’re going to have to elaborate.”
“You might be able to fool the twins into thinking she’s your girlfriend, but not me.”
I raised an eyebrow. Is that what this was about?
“She is my girlfriend.”
She was now, at least. I hoped I’d made that clear enough to her yesterday. She wasn’t my pet or my gift. She was just mine full stop.
“I don’t fucking believe you. You and Dad are involved in something and she has everything to do with it. Tell me the truth.”
“The truth? What truth would you like, James?”
He huffed, looking even more put out than before. His brow furrowed.
“I thought it was all in my head, that what I heard didn’t amount to anything, but then you show up with her.”
I stiffened.
“Heard what exactly?”
“You and Dad last year, you were talking about her, weren’t you? Arrangements and stuff and then that time where Dad almost ripped me to shreds and you pulled him off me, I heard the name Stewart. Drop the act and tell me the truth. What is she to you and Dad?”
I took a step towards him.
“Like eavesdropping on us, do you?”
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m not an idiot, I’m your fucking brother and I deserve to know what the hell you and Dad are involved in.”
I wasn’t going to tell him anything. I’d been careful to keep him out of this. Keep him and the twins safe.
“I’m not involved in anything with Zach and Liora is my girlfriend.”
He sighed, uncrossing his arms from his chest and straightening.
“I knew this was a bad idea. Fucking Avery meddling in shit. You know, she told me to give you a chance. Seems to think there’s something good still lurking underneath all that fucking bravado you put on, but she’s wrong, isn’t she? You’re just like him.”
I clenched my fists. I wasn’t like Zach at all.
“You have no fucking idea what you’re saying.”
“Don’t I?”
“You wouldn’t understand even if I did tell you the truth. Just leave it alone, James. It’s better that you stay as far away from this shit as possible.”
His eyes widened a fraction.
“What do you mean?”
“I just told you to leave it alone.”
He stepped towards me.
“No, what do you mean?”
I ran a hand through my hair, stepping backwards until I hit the counter.
“Did you ever stop to think why I took you and the twins away from Zach in the first place?”
He eyed me for a long moment.
“No.”
“Then perhaps you might want to consider that before you start accusing me of being like him. You might want to remember what he did to all five of us.”
His face crumbled. I knew the exact words to hit him with.
“Don’t bring her up.”
“Then don’t toss around accusations. I protected you. Think about that next time you want to come around here and have a go at me.”
“Dante…”
“What? What do you want me to say, James? I’m fucking tired of this.”
He looked like a little lost puppy, staring up at me like I’d just stamped all over him. I couldn’t fucking take it. I was exhausted. Putting up these walls between us. Trying to protect him. It’d taken a toll on me.
“I’m sorry.”
My heart almost stopped in my chest. What the hell was he apologising for? If anyone needed to do that it was me for treating him like shit for too long. It didn’t matter why I’d done it; I knew I’d hurt him.
Before I could reply, Liora walked in. Her hair was tousled and she was only wearing a robe, her bare legs on show. And fuck if it didn’t do things to me seeing her like that. My heart slammed against my ribcage and my cock stirred in my shorts.
James turned at the sound of her footsteps, eyes widening.
“Oh… hello,” she said.
I wanted to reach out to her and hold her to me, but I stayed where I was, watching the two of them silently. James shifted on his feet.
“Hey… um… I should go.”
“You don’t have to,” I said without thinking.
“No, I really should.”
“James…”
I made to take a step towards him but he put his hand up.
“I need time, Dante, just… leave it.”
He nodded at Liora before walking out. Her green eyes met mine as she teetered on her tiptoes. Christ, she was so damn cute, it almost killed me. We both heard the front door slam.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“You were supposed to stay in bed.”
If she noticed I’d avoided her question, she didn’t comment on it.
“I wondered where you’d gone.”
I indicated the bowl behind me.
“I was making you breakfast until James turned up.”
“Why was he here?”
I shook my head. I really didn’t feel like rehashing that conversation. Especially not with her. I’d already said enough last night.
“Dante—”
“Come here.”
She frowned but took a step towards me. I reached out, snagging a hand around her waist and pulling her into me. She hissed at the contact with the lashes on her back. I felt shit momentarily before my mouth descended on hers. She clutched my t-shirt, a small mewl of surprise emitting from her throat. Warmth spread through me. She tasted so sweet. She always fucking did.
She flattened her palms on my chest and pushed me back. Her lips were red and glistening. I picked her up and planted her on the counter next to the bowl and continued preparing breakfast. I was very tempted to untie her robe to see if she was wearing anything else underneath it, but I resisted the urge.
“Why was he here?”
“Just leave it alone.”
She put a hand on my arm.
“What’s going on?”
I sighed.
“He wanted to know the truth about you, but obviously I can’t tell him that. Zach would kill me.”
Literally. He wouldn’t tolerate me revealing his dirty fucking secrets to James. No matter how much I wanted to heal the rift between us. And we’d been this fucking close to having a genuine conversation without any of the bullshit before she walked in. It didn’t matter. All of it was better left unsaid right now. Better for James because if Zach found out he’d come here and demanded to know the truth, he wouldn’t hesitate to teach James a lesson. With his fists. He didn’t give a shit that his son was a twenty two year old grown ass fucking man.
I looked at her. Her eyes held the compassion I knew I’d see but didn’t deserve in the slightest.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
I shrugged her hand off and went back to making her breakfast. I set the pan on the stove and let it heat up.
“Dante… don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Just shut me out like that. Didn’t you tell me we’re in this together?”
I had, but this was different. Shit. Why did she see throu
gh me? Why did she have this much damn power over me? I needed to regain some semblance of control over this shit. I needed her to stop trying to get in my head.
“Do I look like I want you to play therapist for me right now?”
She flinched, her eyes betraying how my words cut her.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Just sit there quietly and let me make fucking breakfast for you. Can you do that one thing for me or are you content with pushing me further? I’m warning you, I’m not in the fucking mood.”
She stared at me, but kept her mouth shut. The myriad of emotions flashing across her face killed me. I’d upset her. I knew that, but I couldn’t fucking help it. James being here had messed with my head and now her pressing me was making it worse. Why the fuck couldn’t I just be normal for once?
I continued with what I was doing. Keeping my hands busy would stop me lashing out at her any further. She didn’t need that from me at all. Hell, she really didn’t need any of this shit from me. I’d put her through far too much last night. What with making her eat like a dog in front of Zach and then putting her up on the cross and whipping her delicate skin. I didn’t deserve her being nice to me or trying to help me.
I pulled out plates and mugs, setting the table in the conservatory before I sliced up fresh fruit. I cooked the pancakes, making sure to turn them at the right time until there was a nice stack of them for both of us. I made tea and set everything out on the table.
She sat on the counter, waiting for me with her hands in her lap. I stepped towards her, nudging her legs open as I cupped her face.
“Don’t be upset with me.”
She didn’t answer.
“Liora…”
Her green eyes were pools of pain and her fists clenched in her lap. I dropped my hands to them, placing them at her sides. I undid the belt of her robe and sucked in a breath when I pushed the sides back, revealing she was wearing nothing underneath.
“I’m such a bastard to you,” I whispered, dropping to my knees in front of her.
I closed the distance between my face and her pussy, keeping her legs open with my hands banded around her thighs.
“Dante… what are you—”
