Page 123 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

He spread his knees, pushing her legs wider still before he pulled all the way out and slowly sank back in a few times to loosen up the muscles that had tensed in her frustration. Then it was all hard thrusts and thick pumps that had her nails sinking in deeper and more of those fucking sounds that drove him mad. It was rushed kisses and nipped skin, hands roaming, and feeling around every inch of his cock. It was throwing her other leg over his shoulder at some point so he could sink in even deeper.

He knew she was close, those cries desperate and her hips grinding mindlessly against him as he drove into her again and again. That was when he let his darkness loose. It had been hovering and waiting, but now it wound around her throat andtightened. Forced her hands above her head. Held her in place as her climax shuddered around him. With the next thrust, he held himself deep, hitting that perfect spot. But it was her light flaring and raking down his darkness that had his cock jerking deep inside her, his own release barreling up his spine and making his eyes roll back with a growled, “Fuck.”

Later, after he’d slowly lowered her legs, kissing her calves along the way, and after she’d crawled back into bed from cleaning up, she was lying with her head on his chest. Her soft breathing told him she was close to sleep. He’d already sent a text to Luka telling him they wouldn’t be at dinner.

“I need to tell you something,” Theon said softly, his fingers drifting through her hair.

“Is it going to ruin this?” she asked, nestling in deeper to his side.

He swallowed thickly, feeling a contentment he’d never felt from her before.

“Then tell me tomorrow,” she murmured, taking his silence as his answer.

“I can’t,” he finally answered.

She let out a sigh, pushing up and off of him, wrapping the comforter around her bare body. “What is it?”

The question was filled with resignation and acceptance.

“I received word you are to go to Faven tomorrow,” he said, his hand clenching beside him. “Someone will come to collect you first thing in the morning.”

Tessa stared at him for a long moment before she nodded once, eyes darting to the balcony windows. “So I should pack or something?”

“Ford can do that,” he answered quickly, not wanting her to get out of the bed.

“That’s stupid. I can do it myself.”

“In the morning then.” When she still hesitated, he added, “Take what you need from the bond tonight.”

Her eyes snapped to his. “Is that why we did this? Wait. Is that why you picked me up from lessons early?”

“Yes.”

“And it’s why you were so testy with Mother Cordelia?”

“I was ill-tempered with Cordelia because she punished you for no reason,” he retorted.

She huffed a humorless laugh. “That is nothing new, Theon. You should have left it alone.”

“Absolutely not. There was no reason to punish you when I was standing right there. That is not her place,” he argued.

She pursed her lips, tugging the bedding tighter around herself. Her emotions shifted from irritation to unease.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” he said, leaning forward to tug her lip from where she was worrying it between her teeth.

She sent him a fake smile. “I’m fine. Is Luka here?”

Theon stiffened. “He’s downstairs. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Can he come up here?”

“Why?”

She fidgeted, looking out the window again. “Can he sleep with us? Like he did at Arius House?”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You threw a fit when you woke up next to him in bed.”

“I did not.”

---