Page 45 of Cardinal

She allowed me to do that despite what she had been through.

I was the only man to have such an honor.

Her face scrunched up softly as her hands gently wandered her cute face. "Do I have something on my face?" Her soft voice worried.

"No, but now I am wishing I came all over it instead of having you swallow." The thought slipped off my tongue before I could control it. I just hope it wasn't too much for her right now.

Honestly, I didn't mean for my thought to voice itself when the image of her sweet face painted with my cum burned itself into my dirty mind. Well, hopefully, tonight will be the start of something new for us, and I will get the opportunity to make that vision come true sooner rather than later.

"You want to do that to me?" Shit. I didn't like how wary she sounded with her shying body.

Easing off, I held my hands up in the air as I shrunk my shoulders to make myself seem smaller. "Only if you allow me to. If not, then I will get rid of the idea immediately." I promised her with a serious look as I slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. "We won't do anything you are not comfortable with. You will set the pace of our relationship and what we will and won't do. Whatever rules you set forth will be what I operate within." I assured her in all seriousness, slowly crawling over to her with each word because she had scooted back into the center of the bed.

Sighing softly with concern, I remained on all fours as I reached a hand out and cupped her face. "What is on your mind, principessa?" As open as Juliet was with me, she still had a habit of clamming up when push came to shove. The only time she let me have it was when she was really upset.

Juliet's face twisted softly along with her fidgeting hands, and it didn't take long for her shoulders to tense up with her growing anxiety. "I…" Her mouth shut as it opened, her nervous tongue darting out for a split second before her bottom lip tucked between her teeth.

"Juliet." My soft voice grew stern as I tightened my grip on her face. "Look at me."

Gasping sharply, she let her shaky eyes find mine. "Sorry… It's just… When you said that, the image of it ran through my mind, and I was scared at how turned on I got from it. I mean, it's so dirty and wrong, and I know what we just did probably wasn't any better, but it just feels weird for me to want and like that."

"Oh, amorina, come here." Scooting up in the bed, I pulled her up by her arms and settled her in my lap after I swapped spots with her. "That is perfectly fine, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise." Sneering dryly, I flashed her a confident grin. "Besides, who gives a shit what others think and say. It is fine as long as you are happy and it's not self-destructive."

Cradling the back of her head, I held her close and tight and pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head. "I know it is going to be a long and hard road for you still, and it will be for a while, but that won't deter me from you. I have already accepted the fact you will be more hesitant when it comes to anything sexual or physical contact-related." Stroking her hair, I showered her face with soft and caring kisses. "Given everything, I still want to be with you, or at least try to give a relationship between us a chance. You will need a lot of time and patience, all of which I am more than willing to give you, no matter how long it takes."

Softly, she pushed against me to lean back and look up at me with a saddened curve of her lips and teary eyes. "What if I am never ready? It's not fair to you. What if I am never ready to go all the way again? What if you never have sex again?" She worried, her frown deepening with every question that flew out of her mouth.

I felt bad for chuckling in response, but I found her fretting too amusing. "I am not some horny teenage boy who is going to throw a fit because I can't get my dick wet." I teased her in hopes of lightening her mood up. "I can handle no sex until you are ready. Worse comes to worse, I got my own hand and the shower. I don't need sex to function and live." I assured her with a warm yet firm smile. "I have faith in you, and I know that with time and help, you will get there. And I will be there with you every step of the way."

Gently, I grabbed her face and brought her into a deep kiss. "We will talk more about this in the morning after breakfast. For now, relax while I get ready for bed." I murmured against her lips before settling her under the covers and kissing her forehead. "Drink some water, too, while I'm gone," I told her as I got off the bed, picking up the water bottle I always kept at the bedside and setting it next to her. "If I don't see some of it gone, then I'll pull you out of bed when I'm back and make you drink." I threatened her in a playful voice before leaving to go through my nightly routine.

Once I was done, I slipped next to her in bed and secured her lovely body right against mine by wrapping my arms tightly around her waist. "Good girl," I spoke into her hair when I saw the water bottle on the nightstand across from us with a large volume missing.

Her body tensed against mine briefly as she peered up at me. "Wait, are you having me sleep here with you?" Her eyes were bright with hope but distant with fear.

"Well, I'm certainly not having you sleep in your room with the balcony busted like that," I remarked sarcastically with a snort, earning a smack in the chest from her.

"And whose fault is that?" She retorted with a chuckling snort and roll of her eyes.

"Well, if someone had let me into my own home," I chided playfully with a smirk and raised brow.

Grabbing her sides, I dug my fingers into her, making her giggle and laugh. "Are you going to lock me out again?" I asked with a playful growl and laugh of my own as I continued to tickle her.

"You're such a jerk!" She laughed while whacking my hands with hers. "And it's your fault, I warned you." She retorted through her fits of laughter. "Take me seriously next time, and I won't." Her uncontrollable laughter grew in volume. "I promise." Gasping and snorting through her laughter, she continued to struggle. "Please, no more tickling." She begged through strained laughter while struggling to breathe.

Ceasing the attack on her sides, I tightened my arms around her waist again and pulled her flush against me. "I won't go on any more dates, business-related or not, unless you are with me or it's with you, promise." At least it wasn't too important of a date tonight. Otherwise, Juliet really would have had her ass handed to her.

"Now," kissing her forehead, I ran a hand up her back to her nape, holding it firmly, "Sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Keep me safe all night?" Her small voice was muffled by my chest.

Chuckling softly, I kissed the top of her head.

"Always, amorina."

Safe in the arms of The Devil, how ironic.

Chapter 25

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