Wicked Rule (Heartless Kingdom Book 1)

by K. I. Lynn

  The image of her with a baby filled my mind, and I smiled. “Yes, she will.” She demonstrated her devotion to family with her sisters. Her maternal instincts to protect were strong.

  Her moans resonated in my mind and I internally cursed. I needed to heal and quickly, because I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out from being buried inside her.

  More than that, I wanted to take the first step to ensure she would always be mine, and that was making her my wife.

  Over a week had passed since we began staying in the Hamptons. As with every morning, I took a swim, keeping up with it to become stronger in the water, and exited the pool just as the sun was reaching its peak. I had to admit, the Asylum was quickly becoming a favorite of the many properties the family owned. True, I hadn’t been to that many, but I loved being close to the city while feeling like I was far away. It was refreshing.

  Rhys had come out again the night before, and he and Atticus had spent the morning locked in the office. It was difficult for Atticus to relinquish any of his responsibilities even for a short period of time, and I worried it was hindering his healing.

  A physical therapist was coming soon, and I hoped it would help. Seeing Atticus in pain always made my guilt flare up.

  I padded down the hall to our room in my cover-up, my hair a damp, wavy mess. A shower would be good, followed by some lunch, and then maybe I could pry Atticus away for some relaxing around the pool.

  My eyes widened when I opened the door. Atticus was sitting on the end of the bed, his sling half off.

  “What are you doing?” I screeched as I rushed forward.

  “I hate this thing,” he grumbled, grimacing as he stretched out his arm.

  I took hold of his arm, checking over his wound. “It’s starting to look better. The bruising is fading,” I said.

  “Get that look off your face,” he growled.

  I blinked at him, our eyes meeting.

  “I can’t fucking stand to see it. You have no guilt that needs assuaging.” His other hand tugged on my arm until I was standing between his legs. “You did not do this. I will be fine. Healing just takes time.” He reached up and lightly touched the last remnants of my own wounds. “Besides, I should shoulder the guilt. How many days did you suffer because I couldn’t protect you?”

  I cupped his face and pressed my lips to his. “You saved me. That’s what matters. And you are not ever allowed to scare me like that again. Got it?”

  “Yes, my dear.”

  I slapped at his chest. “You know I hate it when you call me that.”

  His bad mood faded away. “I think you secretly love it.”

  “Couldn’t you find a better term of endearment?”

  “What would you prefer? My Lia?”

  I scrunched my nose at that one. “Mom called me Lia.”

  “Baby and other overly used filler names are out.” He hummed as he thought it over. “My love?”

  I pursed my lips. “Better.”

  “Darling?”

  I shook my head.

  “Waitress?”

  I pulled back and glared at him, which made him throw his head back in laughter.

  “You think you are so cute, and you are not at all,” I said.

  “My beautiful wife.”

  Heat rose in my cheeks. “You like calling me your wife.”

  His eyes sparkled. “I do.”

  “In a few months.”

  His brow furrowed as he stared out the window. “Do we have to wait that long?” He looked back toward me, our eyes locking. “Can’t we just go to the courthouse one afternoon, and after I can call you that and it be true to your standing?”

  “What about the wedding?” I asked.

  “You didn’t say no. There is hope. With regards to the wedding…my mother would slaughter me in my sleep if we didn’t go through with it, but who is to say we can’t marry legally and still have a ceremony months later?”

  “Nothing, I suppose. She’ll flip, though.” Vera’s angry face from the hospital flashed in my mind.

  “I’m not afraid of her. Are you?”

  “Deathly,” I said, then let out a laugh.

  “Well, if you won’t marry me right this instant, which I’m going to guilt you on over the next five months, especially when my mother is driving you crazy, there is one thing I know we could do.”

  “And what’s that?” I asked, curious as to what he was up to.

  “A small bonfire.”

  I pulled back and looked down at him. “Bonfire?”

  “I have our contract with me.”

  My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. “Really?”

  He nodded. “You love me. That was all I ever wanted.”

  My chest clenched, and my heart soared, a smile overtaking my face. “I do love you. Okay. Let’s do that. Then we’ll go get married.”

  His brow furrowed, and his lips twitched. “What?”

  I shrugged. “Once that contract is burned, I can’t exactly let you get away. Gotta nail it down. Seal the deal. Make you mine.”

  His forehead rested against mine. “I’ve been yours from the moment our eyes met.”

  My heart felt like it was going to explode if he kept talking to me like that. “Can we add the Binder of Doom?”

  His expression dropped. “Have you read it?”

  “Cover to boring-ass cover. I find talking to the real thing is a much better way to get to know you and your family.” My brow scrunched. “Though maybe keep the family tree, property, and company lists.” They would be good for reference.

  “If you will become my wife today, I’ll get the matches.”

  I was certain a manic expression grew on my face. “Give me ten to take a shower.”

  It was possibly the shortest shower of my life, the adrenaline of what we were about to do buzzing in my veins. I threw on a sundress and sandals while letting my hair air dry and applying some simple eyeliner and mascara.

  “Is this okay?” I asked as I turned to him. It was definitely not a de Loughrey approved appearance, and so I was shocked by the warm smile that graced his face.

  “Perfection.” He reached out and took my hand and we descended to the first floor to look for Rhys. We found him in the office, sitting at one of the three desks inside the large room.

  He looked up as we entered. “Why so excited?” he asked.

  “Do you have that prenup on you?” Atticus asked. While it was the first I’d heard of it, I wasn’t surprised. With a man of his status and wealth, it was a given.

  His gaze snapped to us. “Dear cousin, you aren’t thinking about going against Auntie Vera, are you? If you are, I will weep for you.”

  “Shut up and tell me yes or no.”

  “I do, but it hasn’t been revised since my initial draft months ago.” He turned his attention back to his computer, and a moment later turned the screen toward us.

  As I looked over the document, which I knew was a necessity no matter what our original contract stated, I was overwhelmed. Even back in the beginning, when he didn’t owe me anything past our contract, he had insured that I would be okay. That I wouldn’t struggle and any children would be well taken care of. Even a place to live free of rent.

  I nodded, fighting back the overwhelming emotions. “Print it. I’ll sign it.”

  “Now?”

  I smiled at him and nodded. “We’re going on a field trip, want to come?”

  Rhys’s eyes widened as he looked to Atticus. “Now?”

  He shrugged. “Why not?”

  He blew out a breath. “Get Penelope in here. We need a witness.”

  Two hours later we walked out of the local courthouse as Atticus and Ophelia de Loughrey. Officially married.

  My heart was so full, and I couldn’t stop smiling. The Rock was more than just a very expensive ornament. It had meaning that bound the two of us together.

  “Well, cousin, you finally got the girl,” Rhys said with a smile.

  Atticus
tugged me to his side. “Yes, I did.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. “And I’m never letting her out of my sight again.”

  “Because she gets into trouble, right?”

  “Correct.”

  “Hey!”

  Everyone laughed, which was good after all the heaviness we’d been through.

  “I’m going to work with Chef for a celebratory dinner,” Penelope said as she headed down the hall.

  “And I’m going to check the champagne and wine stock,” Rhys said with a wink.

  Georgiana let out a giggle as she looked to Hamilton, who was staring off grumpily. She wrapped her arms around his and pulled. “Come, Hamilton. I think the newlyweds need a little alone time.”

  Hamilton’s face twisted and he glared at me. Did he have a brother complex or did he really just hate me?

  “You can tell me all about Uncle’s assistant.”

  Hamilton’s eyes widened before narrowing. “What do you think you know?”

  She beamed at him, then looked to me, giving a wink before tugging him outside.

  “I wonder what that was all about,” Atticus said as he watched them walk away.

  “Maybe hell froze over?”

  “Hmm. Well, no need to worry about him.” He pulled me closer with his good arm. “I think it’s best to consummate our marriage.”

  My skin prickled in anticipation at just the thought. “What about your arm?”

  His lips ghosted up the column of my neck. “It’s been far too long since I’ve been buried inside your pussy. As my wife, it is your duty to relieve me, is it not?”

  “I don’t want to shirk my duties.” I grabbed his belt and pulled, directing us up the stairs. “That would be a bad start as your wife.”

  He chuckled and leaned down, a mischievous grin on his face. “I’d have to punish you.”

  “Well, you’ll have to catch me first,” I said, then ran up the stairs and down the hall.

  “You have to be quicker than that,” he growled as he smacked my ass.

  A shriek of laughter left me and I picked up the pace, flinging the door open to our room. I stopped in the middle of the room, my body tense in anticipation, jumping when the door slammed shut.

  His arm wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me into him.

  “Caught you,” he whispered against my ear, sending a delicious shiver down my spine.

  Heat spread through me, and I turned to find his eyes dark and heavy.

  “Get this fucking thing off me,” he growled, pulling at his sling.

  Once it was off we clawed at each other’s clothes, frenzied in our need, our lips crashing together, his tongue brushing against mine sending heat and electric shocks to settle between my thighs.

  “My wife,” he whispered.

  Skin against skin was filled with warmth and comfort, love and desire. Only with Atticus could I feel these things. We climbed onto the bed and I cupped his face, pulling his lips back down to mine.

  He wrapped his arms around me, cringing as he froze.

  “Your arm…”

  He gripped my jaw, his eyes dark. “Don’t worry about my arm. Any note of pain, erase it, because I will ignore it for one reason—your pleasure.”

  I pushed on his chest and he fell back down to the bed. “Then we’re doing this my way,” I said as I straddled his hips.

  With my hands flat on his chest, I rocked my hips against his hard length, wetting it, teasing us both with the light friction. Each time my clit brushed against his hard flesh, I got a little bit wetter and needier.

  His hands dug into my thighs, and a groan left him. “Ophelia, it’s been weeks. Stop fucking with me.”

  I bit down on my bottom lip as I smiled down at him. “So bossy.” I rose up and reached between us, lining him up before slowly sinking down on his cock.

  His eyes rolled back, and his muscles tensed. I could tell that as much as he enjoyed the view, he wanted to flip us so that he could have control. Each roll of my hips elicited another groan.

  I leaned forward, my nipples brushing against his chest. “There was one last thing I forgot to tell you.”

  “What?” he asked, the strain coming through in his tone, the thick cords of his neck standing out.

  I brushed my lips against his and made sure his gaze didn’t leave mine. “I stopped taking my birth control.”

  It was like a switch was flipped. His pupils dilated, and suddenly I was thrown onto my back. His hips slammed against mine.

  I stared up at him and the wild, needy desire that emanated from him. With his good arm, he pinned my hands above my head while his other arm kept my leg against him.

  “Take my cock,” he growled as he pulled back, then slammed back in.

  My vision blurred as shocks rocked my body. “Yes. I want it all.”

  “Who does this pussy belong to?”

  “Y-you,” I choked out.

  His grip on my wrists tightened and his thrusts became more forceful. “All for me. Your heart. Your body. Your orgasms. All mine.”

  “All yours.” I squeezed my walls against his cock, causing him to curse against my ear. “Just as you are all mine.”

  “Everything that I am is yours.”

  My mind was going black, caught up in the system-overloading pleasure of each bottoming rock of his hips. Every muscle wound tighter as my body geared up, climbing higher and higher into euphoria.

  “Look at me,” Atticus said, his forceful tone cutting through the fog.

  The deep, dark intensity of his blue eyes was too much and my back arched, a cry leaving me as my muscles snapped, shaking with each pulse of my orgasm.

  “Always,” I managed to whisper as I came down, shocks still rocking me.

  He cursed and slammed his hips hard against me, a roar leaving me as I felt him twitch deep within. His breath came out in harsh pants and I watched as clarity returned to his eyes. Strength left him, and he relaxed beside me on the bed.

  We were married. I was officially Ophelia de Loughrey, and madly in love with my husband.

  A smile crept up on my face as I lay there, boneless, staring up at the ceiling as I felt Atticus’s warmth beside me.

  “How do you feel?” I asked.

  “Indescribable.” He patted his chest, rubbing at it with a curious look on his face.

  “That feeling in your chest? That’s called happiness.”

  He pulled my hand up to his lips and placed a kiss against my knuckle. “You make me feel this way. Only you, my beautiful wife.”

  A happy sigh left me, and I scooted closer to rest my head on his chest, the soothing beats of his heart beneath my ear.

  For so long I’d been uncared for, unloved, with nobody to stand up for me.

  Then a handsome king came and took my hand, and for the first time in a long time, I felt cherished.

  It turns out, even wicked things can love.

  January

  I stared at my reflection and bit down on my lip, unbelieving of the woman before me. It seemed like something I would be used to after all these months, but still, every time the de Loughrey stylists got ahold of me, I transformed into another person.

  Today, the styling was a little different, and the dress white.

  While Atticus and I had technically been married for five months, it was our wedding day.

  “Lia! Lia!” Andrea called out as she ran into the dressing room, bounding as usual, her eyes wide as she looked at me. “You look just like a princess!”

  I beamed at her. “Right?” I felt like my smile was going to break my face in half. I hoped Andrea would always stay so bright and cheery.

  “You know she’s going to tell everyone in school her sister’s a princess now, right?” Brooke said, her expression pinched in annoyance.

  “That’s mean!” Andrea pouted.

  Brooke rolled her eyes. “Oh, grow up!”

  Andrea stomped her foot. “No, cause then I’ll be mean like sissy.”

  “Girls,
calm down,” Aunt Stacey called from the doorway. She stepped up to me and smiled as she took my hand. “You look beautiful, Ophelia.”

  I squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”

  “Your dad would be proud of you. For all you did.”

  “Atticus is the one to thank.” He prepared for Lou to be an issue long before he became one. The man was always two steps ahead of everyone.

  “But it’s because of you, and for you, that Atticus helped so much. Paul was the same. He loved you more than anything.”

  My eyes started to water, and I had to fan them to keep the tears back. Stacey had really liked my dad, and she’d helped him a lot when things started to crumble with my mom. As far as sides went, blood wasn’t thicker than water, and her allegiance was with my father.

  “I wish he was here,” I said, my voice cracking.

  “He is. In you, and in your grandfather.”

  I perked up at that. “Is he here?” After reconnecting with my grandfather on my dad’s side, we had talked in some form nearly every day. That connection to my dad was the last piece my damaged heart needed to heal from the pain I’d had to bury for so long.

  She nodded. “He’s waiting to walk you down the aisle.”

  “Hey, Lia?” Brooke said, stopping by the door.

  “Yes?”

  Her brow scrunched and she chewed on her bottom lip. “Thanks for everything.”

  “Yeah, yeah! We love you, Lia!” Andrea said, popping back through on the other side of Brooke, her smile blinding.

  “I love you both. Spring break we’ll do something, okay?”

  Brooke cracked a half smile, something I’d gladly take from my moody, hormonal teenage sister. “Can’t wait.”

  The door closed behind them, and I was once again left alone. Which was weird—where did all my bridesmaids go?

  Vera originally wanted ten bridesmaids, but I’d talked her down to Holly and Atticus’s sisters. It gave a little more of an intimate feel having a small wedding party with such a huge guest list.

  The door creaked and I expected to find someone from my bridal party, but instead the most handsome man in the world appeared.

  “Atticus, what are you doing here?” I asked as he strode forward.

  Once he reached me, he wrapped his arm around my waist, gripped my jaw, and pressed his lips to mine for a toe-tingling kiss.