My breath catches in my throat as I take in the sight of him, all tousled hair and piercing green eyes that seem to see straight through to my very soul. He's clearly freshly showered and changed, the crisp scent of his soap mingling with the unique aroma that is purely him.
For a moment, we simply stare at each other, the air between us thick with a tension that has my heart pounding in my chest. Then his gaze rakes over me from head to toe, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth as he takes in my appearance.
"Where are you going?" he asks, his voice low and rough with an emotion I can't quite decipher.
"To see Lily," I reply, reaching for the door handle once more.
But Nickolas is faster, his hand slamming against the wood and holding it firmly shut. "You're not going," he growls.
I suck in a sharp breath, frustration warring with the instinctive urge to submit to his comm
We arrive at Lily’s, and I retrieve the spare key from under the carpet, allowing Beatrice and I access to her house. As we step inside, the strong scent of herbs overwhelms me, stirring a deep sense of concern for her well-being."Lily?" I call out, my voice echoing through the stillness. "It's Amelia."A muffled response drifts down from the upper floor, and I turn to Beatrice with a pleading look. "Would you mind waiting here while I go up and see her?" I ask, my tone laced with a desperate sort of urgency.Beatrice nods, her expression soft with understanding. "Of course, child," she murmurs, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "Take all the time you need."With a grateful smile, I make my way up the stairs, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. When I reach Lily's door, I pause for a moment, drawing in a shaky breath before raising my hand to knock."Come in
It's only when we reach his room that he finally sets me down, all but throwing me onto the bed with a force that steals the breath from my lungs. I scramble to sit up, my heart in my throat as I watch him pace the length of the room, his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides."I'm sorry," I blurt out, unable to bear the tense silence any longer. "I know it was reckless of me to leave the castle, but I had to see Lily. It was important."Nickolas rounds on me, his eyes flashing with a fury that sends a shiver down my spine. "So you could ask her about your family," he snarls, his lip curling in a sneer. "Don't bother denying it, Amelia. I know she's your cousin."I feel the blood drain from my face, my mouth falling open in shock. "How...how did you...?""You think I wouldn't fucking notice the resemblance?" he scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. "The way you two are so close, the
"Amelia," Nickolas calls out, his hand gently waving in front of my face to recapture my attention.I blink, my mind snapping back to the present. "Sorry, what did you just say?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly as I stare at him."I was..." he begins, but I can't bear to let him finish. The raw vulnerability in his eyes is too much."Don't repeat it," I interrupt quickly, my heart aching for him. I can only imagine the courage it took for him to reveal to me the first time."Amelia," he continues, his voice barely above a whisper, "I know it's a lot to take in, and I would understand if being with someone like me isn't appealing anymore. But please, still be in my life. It wouldn't be complete without you."His words wash over me, and my heart swells to the point of bursting. Tears well up in my eyes as I take in the man before me—so strong, yet so afraid of losing me. I never imagined that Nickolas, being the enemy, would ut
NICKOLASI step out of my room, a sly smile tugging at the corners of my mouth as I recall the look on Amelia's face moments ago. The way her eyes widened in surprise, the flush of disappointment that stained her cheeks when she realized I wasn't going to let her cum...it was everything. Fuck! That woman will be the death of me, I think ruefully, shaking my head as I make my way toward the stairs.As I descend down to my office, my thoughts drift back to our earlier conversation, to the way Amelia had reacted when I'd finally given voice to what happened to me. I still can't quite believe how well she took the news, how she didn't recoil in disgust like I'd always feared.I know she only let the subject drop because she could sense how difficult it was for me to speak of, and for that, I'm more grateful than I can put into words. As much as I want to be open with her, to lay myself bare in every sense...revisiting that time in my life
AMELIAI wake up to the feeling of callous hands wrapping around my waist once more. Picking Nickolas's familiar scent in the air my heart immediately calms, knowing it’s him. Rolling over to face him, his lips capture mine in a searing kiss that steals the breath from my lungs.His hand slips beneath the thin fabric of my shirt, cupping my breast and kneading the sensitive flesh until I arch shamelessly into his touch, a breathy moan escaping against his mouth. "Nickolas," I whimper, my body coming alive under his skilled fingers."For being daddy's good girl, you get a reward," he rumbles, his voice rough with desire. He pulls from my lips and tugs my shirt over my head and tosses it aside, his heated gaze raking over my exposed skin like a physical caress. I feel myself clench at the blatant want in his eyes, a fresh flood of arousal dampening my thighs."So fucking perfect," he
“As I said, I was raped, and that doesn’t fully explain how I got these scars. To understand, I need to tell you my story from the beginning. My mother was one of the king’s human sex slaves, young and beautiful. When she ended up pregnant with his child - me - he knew she had to escape before I was born because his mate and my wretched stepmother, Jane, hadn’t conceived by then. Desperate, she fled into the night, leaving everything behind to give me a chance at freedom and to save me from Jane’s inevitable wrath if I were born in the castle.For five precious years, we had a small taste of happiness, though always glancing over our shoulders. Then Jane finally tracked us down. She threw us into a dank, lightless cell, more tomb than prison. Every day, she visited to rain blows upon my mother’s wasting body, beating her till her once lovely face was mottled with bruises and blood. The guards took their turns with her as well, violating her
I part my lips to respond, but the door suddenly bursts open behind us. I scramble off Nickolas's lap as he shoots to his feet, both of us whirling to see who has barged in so abruptly."Nickolas!" Eric's voice rings out, slightly breathless, as he holds the door open. His eyes are bright with urgency and...excitement."What is it? Who did you find?" Nickolas demands, his entire body thrumming with tense anticipation."Little one..." He crosses the space between us in two long strides, his hands coming up to cup my face. His palms are rough, calloused from years of hard work, but his touch is gentle, almost reverent. "I'm so sorry. I'll be back before you know it. I promise."I can see the excitement in his eyes to finally have a lead on Lord Easterlin. My heart swells with a profound warmth to witness Nickolas' steadfast resolution to find Lord Easterlin - something I never dared dream of seeing from him.&n
I spend the day with Lily before returning to the castle late at night. As I step into our shared bedroom, I freeze, my breath catching in my throat at the sight before me. Nickolas stands with his back to me, his sculpted body bare as he strips off his clothes, the fabric dark and heavy with what can only be blood. He turns slowly as if sensing my presence, and I feel my knees weaken at the sight of his chest and abdomen that's painted red, the blood still wet and glistening in the dim light."Like what you see?" he asks, his voice a low, cocky drawl that sends shivers down my spine."No," I lie, tearing my gaze away, my cheeks flushing hot."Hmm," he smirks, clearly seeing through my feeble attempt at nonchalance. To my surprise, he doesn't stop undressing, his movements deliberate and sensual as he unzips his fly and sheds his stained pants and boxers. I can't help but stare, my core clenching with need at the glorious sight of my mate naked before me,