Page 92 of Of Daggers and Deceit

Bodhi grunted with every hard thrust as he fucked me into the ground. My fingers grasped for friction on the floor, my hips bucking to meet him thrust for thrust. Tingles began at my feet, and I gripped him tight, afraid he was going to punish me again and draw away.

“Don’t stop.” My grip tightened on his arm as the tingling crept upward.

“Fuck,” he grunted as he picked up his relentless pace, and the only thing I could do was hold on. My skin chafed against the floor with every thrust, but I barely noticed, too caught up in the feel of him. The tingles surged, and I erupted, my orgasm almost blinding.

My lips fell apart, and Bodhi’s mouth landed on mine, silencing whatever sound dared to escape me as he punched his hips inside me once, twice more before stilling.

We didn’t move for several beats of stillness. His skin on mine felt clammy and slick, though I welcomed it.

That was magic. Perfect.

He kissed me on the nose before dipping to my lips, then lower to lazily swirl his tongue around my nipple.

I batted him away, feeling myself clench around his softening cock still inside me.

“Stop! Too sensitive.”

He laughed and rolled me on top of him, making no move to separate us. I knew I could sleep like this: cozy, content, determined.

Everything else around us was destroyed—except for this.

Tomorrow night was the last thinning of the shield for the year; so much was riding on the night. My childhood home was turned upside down, with drawers open and contents strewn, scattered on the floor around us. But everything in my arms couldn’t have been more perfect, more right.

Two more nights, and our lives will have changed. I just prayed everyone I loved will have survived it.

RILEY

Istood in front of the bookcase, running my finger along the spines, pretending to look for a new book to read as I listened to the conversation near the elevator.

“Please assign someone to keep an eye on her tonight. She is not to venture. She is only to access the rooftop before the shield thins. She is not to leave. Her safety is of the utmost importance. Do you understand?”

I rolled my eyes. Goddess, he treated me as if I was a tiny child in need of a parent.

Sly grunted out his reply. “Absolutely, sir.”

Over the past week, Zander had been far more present, especially since news broke of the missing Benefactor. Tonight was the first night he was leaving me. Apparently, he was choosing to perform his usual ritual elsewhere, which was interesting and a little alarming.

The sound of footsteps approaching warned me of his impending arrival before his hands wrapped around my waist from behind, the feel of them heavy against my skin. I could appreciate the pleasant moments of affection if I chose to block out all his other controlling behaviours. I’m sure someone would love him for that, but I knew it would never be me, the weight of which was becoming a burden.

I drew my hands away from the bookshelf and rested them lightly on his, turning my head to the side. I allowed an elated sigh to escape me as I closed my eyes, not daring to look into his. Perhaps if I closed my eyes and sunk into the moment, pretended I was somewhere else, with someone else, I could endure this loveless life.

Zander came with so many intolerable edges, but he desired only me, so I was the only chance at change for us here, the last attempt to pierce his hardened heart. That had been the original goal anyways, long before I’d become desperate and an accomplice to murder.

He tucked his head into the crook of my neck, warming the skin there, though it failed to soothe the worried tension in my chest.

A blooming part of me felt a deep sadness that I didn’t love him. I didn’t believe he truly loved me either, not in the way I needed or wanted. After all, how could a man like Zander love another so deeply when his ultimate love was power?

Even when I challenged him, which was inevitable at this point, I’d decided I would do my best to look after him and keep working towards my original goal, if that was what destiny required of me.

Even if it meant I might never truly know what it was to love so fiercely and be just as loved in return.

“I need to go, my love,” he murmured beneath half-lidded eyes.

I sucked in his sickly-sweet scent, forcing myself to maintain a balanced expression even though I wanted to turn away from it.

Instead, I smiled warmly, my hand lifting to his tie to straighten it. “I know. Maybe after this is all over, we can spend some quality time together.”

His eyes lit up in a hopeful glow. “I would like that very much.”

---