Page 64 of While You Sleep

I wailed, my legs shaking. It was too much, but there was no escape. I was at his mercy, and, god, I wanted it. I craved being controlled, manhandled, fucked, cherished by this wild thing, this man capable of anything, but knowing I was the exception. I clawed at his back, wanting more and terrified of the huge feeling inside me.

Cillian was a furious storm and I was barely hanging on, but I was terrified if I clung too tight, he’d throw me away like everyone else. “Don’t let me go,” I sobbed.

“Never,” he snarled.

I wouldn’t survive it, not losing him. I knew it now. This feeling inside me was too big. It was violent and unapologetic and wrong, but so incredibly right. We were right, together.

“Whatever happens, promise me, you’ll never let me go,” I said again because I was spinning out of control, my feelings, my fears all there, so raw and exposed and there was no hiding them.

He pulled me from the wall and took us to the bed, falling to his back and taking me with him. He was still inside me, and I clawed at his chest, grinding down on him, fucking him, claiming him like he had me.

His hands came up and he fisted my hair and pulled my face close to his. “I promise, pet, I will never, ever let you go.”

I threw my head back, crying out, shaking and rocking against him as I came so incredibly hard.

Finally, I fell forward, and Cillian rolled me, still thrusting into me, growling and snarling like the monster he was, not letting up until he came with an unhinged roar, bucking inside me until he was spent.

He fell beside me, pulling me into his arms, and kissed me tenderly.

I shook against him and quietly sobbed, unable to hold it in.

Cillian rolled me to my back, studying my face as he swiped my tears away. “Why are you crying?” he asked, only curiosity, fascination, in his gorgeous eyes, no fear. He’d sworn never to hurt me and he knew he hadn’t caused me pain.

“Because…because it was so good. Because I never knew that…that it could be like this,” I said through my tears.

“Me either.” He slid his thumb over my cheek. “Fuck, pet, you’re so beautiful when you cry.” He made a low sound, deep in his chest. “Mine,” he said, then pulled me back against him.

His.

Chapter Twenty

Sophia

I walked into my father’s house, Danny right behind me.

Celeste had called earlier that morning. Tommy was missing me. He was home from school with a cold, and she’d asked me to stop by to cheer him up. “Is he up in his room?” I asked her as she strode toward me. I wasn’t interested in making small talk with her. If it wasn’t about Tommy, we had nothing to say to each other.

“Go on up,” she said and smiled at Danny. “There’s lunch on the terrace, please help yourself.”

Danny ignored her and followed me toward the stairs.

“Tommy doesn’t know him, Sophia. He’ll be scared with your guard dog hovering,” Celeste said.

I smiled at Danny. As annoying as it was, she was right. “Have some lunch, I’ll be fine.” He shook his head, about to argue. “I’m fine. I’ll call if I need you.”

His jaw tightened, but he did what I said. Danny didn’t go out to the terrace, though, he stood at the bottom of the stairs, and I knew he wouldn’t budge until I came back down. He didn’t trust my father in the slightest, that much was obvious. None of them did. What they thought he could do, I had no idea. He’d already done his worst, right? Luckily for me, his worst was starting to look like the best thing to ever happen to me.

I walked down the hall, tapped on Tommy’s door, then walked in. “Hey, buddy…” The bed was empty. I walked into the room, assuming he was in the bathroom. “Tomo?”

The bedroom door clicked shut behind me and I spun around.

My father stood there.

“Where’s Tommy?”

“At school.” He was nervous.

“Celeste said he was sick.”

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