Page 22 of Emerald

At the door, Anatoly paused, turning back to face me. "For what it's worth," he said quietly, "I am truly sorry for what was done to you. No woman should ever have to endure such brutality, such viciousness. If there is anything I or my organization can ever do to help you heal, you need only ask."

I swallowed hard, a lump rising in my throat. "Thank you," I managed, my voice thick. "That means more than you know."

Anatoly gave me a sad smile, his hand resting briefly on my shoulder in a paternal gesture that made my eyes sting. Then he was gone, ushering his daughter out into the waiting car and disappearing into the cold New York night.

I stood in the doorway for a long moment, watching them go. "You all right, princess?" Finn murmured, his breath warm against my ear.

I turned to face him, my arms sliding around his neck as I pressed myself against the solid length of his body. "I'm fine. Just... processing, I suppose. It was a lot to take in."

Finn made a low noise of agreement, his lips grazing my temple. "Aye, it was. But you handled it beautifully. Like the queen you are.”

I huffed a laugh, tilting my head back to meet his gaze. "Are you just buttering me up so I'll let you back in my bed tonight."

His eyes darkened, his hands flexing on my hips. "Our bed, Cara. I’m not leaving your side again."

I trailed my fingers down his chest, feeling the muscles tense and jump beneath my touch. "You did abandon me most cruelly this morning, leaving our bed cold and empty when you slipped out at the crack of dawn."

Finn groaned, his head falling forward to rest against mine. "Fucking new man got himself in a bit of trouble. He’s dealt with now," he grumbled, his brogue thickening with frustration. "If I'd known the promotion to second-in-command came with so much goddamn problem solving, I might've asked for a demotion instead."

I grinned, nipping playfully at his jaw. "Too late now, love. You're stuck with the responsibility... and with the terrible burden of satisfying your queen whenever she demands it."

He growled, low and hungry in the back of his throat. "Is that so? Well then, I suppose I'd better get to work. Can't have you thinking I'm shirking my duties, now can I?"

"Mmm, definitely not." I pulled back with one last kiss to the corner of his mouth. "But I think I’d take you more seriously if you were on your knees saying that.”

Finn barked a laugh, shaking his head even as he let me lead him down the hall by the hand. "Minx," he said, his eyes glinting with affection and desire. "You'll pay for that cheek later, see if you don't."

"I so hope so,” I said, heat rushing through my body at the thought of it. We slipped into my private rooms and locked the door behind us.

The moment the latch clicked, Finn was on me, spinning me to face him and capturing my mouth in a kiss that stole the breath from my lungs. I sank into him with a moan, letting his familiar heat and hardness of his body consume me.

"Fuck, I've been thinking about this all day," he rasped against my lips, his hands roving greedily over my curves. "Wanted to bend you over that big mahogany desk and fuck you until you screamed.”

A bolt of liquid heat shot through me at his words, my core clenching with need. "And I would have let you Finn.”

Finn made a strangled noise, his hips rolling against me in a dirty grind that made my toes curl in my shoes.

I grinned up at him. " And speaking of..." I broke away from his embrace, giving him a little push towards the bed. "I believe I told you to be on your knees. Something about worshipping your emerald queen's body with that clever tongue of yours?"

Finn's eyes flashed, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth even as he obediently dropped to his knees at the foot of the bed. " I do live to serve, after all."

"And serve you shall," I purred, hitching up my skirt as I perched on the edge of the mattress. I wasn't wearing anything underneath - a fact that became immediately apparent as the fabric bunched around my waist, baring my already glistening folds to his hungry gaze.

"Fucking hell." Finn said, his eyes devouring me. "You're fucking gorgeous.”

I threaded my fingers through his hair and guiding his mouth to where I needed him most. "Show me how much you adore me, Finn. Show me what that tongue of yours can really do."

He groaned, a broken, desperate sound that vibrated against my core and made me gasp. And then he was on me, licking and suckling and delving deep, stoking the fire in my veins to an inferno.

I threw my head back with a cry, my grip tightening in his hair as I rode his face shamelessly. Finn moaned in encouragement, redoubling his efforts until I was writhing and shaking on the edge of release.

"That's it, love," he murmured, his lips and chin shiny with my arousal. "Let go for me. Want to feel you come apart on my tongue.”

His words were my undoing, the coil of tension in my core snapping with a force that punched the breath from my lungs. I shattered with a hoarse scream, my body convulsing as pleasure crashed over me in relentless waves.

Finn worked me through it, his clever fingers taking over as his lips moved to my clit, lashing the sensitive bud until I was coming again. By the time he finally eased back, my breath laboured and my limbs felt like jelly.

"Holy fuck," I panted, flopping back onto the bed in a boneless sprawl. "I think you just broke me."

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