Page 49 of A Debt of Darkness

He hauls me onto his lap and peppers me with kisses. I squeal and he continues, laughing as his breath tickles me and his lips send electricity pulsing over my skin.

“Bath, lea,” Henry grins, lifting me into his arms and carrying me to the bathroom. He sits me on the edge of the tub as he runs a hot bath and removes my clothes. I wince and he slows, asking if my discomfort comes from pain or his gaze.

My fingers whiten as I grip the bathtub. “Both.”

“You’re my wife, Ivy. I adore you. You’re beautiful. You’re mine, as I am yours.” His head drops to my neck and I moan as he kisses me. “This isn’t negotiable, lea.”

He pulls back and removes his shirt. His body’s perfect and he knows it. He’s using it to put me at ease and it’s unfair. Unreasonable. Undeniably hot.

Henry smirks and helps me out of my underwear, offering me his hand as he helps me into the bath. I complain about the heat and he tells me to stop fussing as he undresses. I turn around and he laughs low, stepping into the bath and wrapping his arms around me.

“Relax, lea. I won’t play with you tonight.”

Warmth pulses between my legs and I’m more awake than I was moments ago. Much more awake.

I squirm and he holds me firmly, refusing to let me go. I groan and his hold loosens as he works my aching muscles, easing the stiffness and helping me relax. He’s washing me and taking away all the pain from earlier and I melt, collapsingonto him as the hot water starts to tire me out.

He pours water over my hair and shampoos it, making sure he cleans all of it and untangles all its knots. By the time he’s finished, I’m clean and content and he’s made sure he’s paid attention to every inch of my body and every corner of my soul.

“You are beautiful,” Henry whispers, and he pulls me onto his lap. His erection digs into me and I startle, moving away quickly. He’s faster and I’m yanked back against him. “This is why I didn’t fuck you on our wedding night, Ivy.” He trails a finger down my spine and it excites me in a new and surprising way. “I won’t fuck you until you’re begging for my cock, lea. I want you so damn desperate for it that it’s driving you insane.”

I hum and he laughs again.

“Do you need to tell your Master something?” he asks, still carefully cleaning me methodically. “Effort and honesty, lea.”

I groan and the heat spreading over my cheeks has nothing to do with the hot water or his erection. “I haven’t…”

He waits.

“I haven’t… I don’t know…”

Henry stays silent and makes me work harder.

“I’ve not… I’ve never…”

I groan and bring my hands down on the water in frustration.

“You’re a virgin.”

I nod and my humiliation is complete.

“I know,” Henry says without a hint of judgment in his tone.

My mouth falls open and I turn around, surprised. Henry isn’t fazed and he’s so damn beautiful that he steals my breath.

“Why do you think I didn’t fuck you? You weren’t readyand you’ve already had so much stolen from you. I couldn’t take what wasn’t freely given.”

He pulls my head against his chest and I lie on him, relaxing in the bath. It's intimate. It’s gentle. It’s nice. It’s the opposite of what I’ve endured and it’s enough to make me relax. My tiredness creeps up on me and I start to doze, barely questioning what the hell is happening as I fall asleep on him.

15

TAKE THINGS SLOWLY

IVY

My back aches. My arms and legs are stiff. My chest is tight. My hips hurt. I never realized your hip bone could be sore, but apparently, my body’s determined to teach me something new.

“Morning, lea.”

---