Page 64 of Tainted Saints

But I’m speechless. Rendered fucking mute by her confession. No one has ever given me that sort of power over them and trusted me to look out for them in such an innocent way before. It’s a heady rush, and a responsibility that I will gladly take on, my dominant and controlling nature craving someone to fully take care of. Someone who needs me above all others, who knows that I will keep them safe, no matter what.

“Then you have it, Duchess. Always, if it makes you happy,” I choke out, my hand trembling as I reach for my glass of whiskey and bring it to my lips.

“Forest said that you’ll come to the Ambassador’s coronation celebration the Sunday after too, as my guests,” she casually says as she cuts another piece of steak.

“He did?” I question, managing not to choke on my mouthful of alcohol as I hurriedly set my glass down.

“I can invite you as I’m now a patron of the Pound, and it would mean so much to have you there, even if we can’t be open about…” she trails off, and I automatically reach for her hand, tangling our fingers together and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“Of course we’ll be there. We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” I assure her. “Now, let’s finish up as we still have dessert.”

Her eyes light up, and I know it’s partly because she’s not usually allowed sweet things, her mom keeping her on a strict diet when they do feed her.

“I’m ready for pudding,” she states, practically bouncing in her seat and I frown at her.

“I think I could rustle up something a bit more exciting than pudding,” I scoff, standing up to collect plates and walking to the kitchen area.

“Oh, no.” She giggles and the sound stops me in my tracks. It’s so light and carefree, I need to make her do that more. “I meant dessert. We call it pudding back home.”

“Huh,” Forest murmurs, helping me to clear the plates. “You guys say the strangest things.”

“Excuse me!” she exclaims, laughing when she passes Blaine and he pulls her into his lap, Forest grabbing the glass she was trying to clear away. “I’ll have you know that we speak the King’s English unlike you barbarians.” I chuckle at the way she makes her voice even more British, sounding like those stuck up assholes we get at school sometimes.

“You hear that, fellas. She thinks we’re barbarians,” Forest states, a dangerous gleam in his eyes that has my heart racing. “I say we show her exactly how barbaric we can be.”

ChapterTwenty-Eight

“We Go Down Together” by Dove Cameron, Khalid

ASPEN

“I saywe show her exactly how barbaric we can be.”

Forest stalks towards me, his green gaze predatory, and my heart races, the sound of my pulse loud in my ears the closer he gets. It’s not fear that makes me feel a little lightheaded. No, it’s anticipation of finally having them all. I may have known them for only a short while, only properly known Lan and Forest for a handful of days, but my soul knows that we belong to each other, no matter what my head tries to tell me.

Blaine strokes a soothing palm down my side, his touch sending goosebumps all over my skin even through my clothes. His other hand comes around to the front of my trousers, his deft fingers popping open the button and pulling down the zipper.

“Up, angel,” Forest quietly commands, taking my hand in his and helping me to my feet. Blaine pushes my trousers over my hips, and they land on the floor with a swish of fabric. “Goddamn, sugar. I fucking love your lacy underwear.” He bites his lower lip in the sexiest way, heat pooling in my core at the look of adoration and want in his green eyes.

My entire body flushes hot at his words, at the way I can feel all three of their heated stares on me, burning me from the inside out. Letting go of my hand, he reaches out, his fingers undoing my cardigan one button at a time. I’m breathless by the time he’s done, my fingers aching to touch him, but I keep my arms at my sides, letting him undress me until I’m just in the lacy underwear he loves so much.

“Fucking stunning, Duchess,” Lan admires, and I turn my gaze to see him leaning on the kitchen island, his large arms crossed and his ink on display, the outline of his hard dick visible through his grey sweatpants. I lick my lips at the sight, and when I tear my eyes away to meet his, he’s grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

“Come,” Forest orders, drawing my attention back to him as he tangles our fingers together and leads me down the short hallway to what I assume is Lan’s room as it’s the only room I’ve not seen yet.

My breath stutters out of my chest when I step through the open door, seeing the two beds filling the space, suddenly making what we’re about to do, what I’m desperately hoping we’re about to do, all the more real.

“Trust us,” Lan whispers in my ear, and I shiver, my nipples pebbling inside my bra.

“Always,” I breathe back, and he brushes a light kiss on my cheek that leaves me tingling all over.

I freeze as something that feels soft as silk is placed over my eyes.

“Shhhh,mi amorsita,” Blaine soothes as my vision goes dark, panic threatening to overwhelm me.

“Let us teach you to love the darkness, Duchess,” Lan adds, his palm skating down my arm, his touch comforting and restarting my breath. I take a steadying breath through my nose, centering myself in this moment, not in my past.

I gasp when the clasp of my bra is undone, the straps tickling as they make their way down my arms. A warm, hot mouth sucks in my nipple, and I moan at how good it feels, at how much losing my sight has heightened the sensation.

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