Page 18 of Sunshine & Ink

I focused on my breathing.

In and out

His big hand was doing unimaginable things to my insides, was twisting me around like a pretzel, my breath coming in little pants so shallow and quick I felt dizzy.

He pressed the needle to my flesh and I bit down on my lip at the painful sting, but to see Raker with his hand spread over my skin was still to feel that rush of lust, that prickling awareness of his body.

His brow was furrowed in concentration, and he wasn’t looking at me, which meant I could look at him, as much as I wanted, without feeling embarrassed.

He was such a brutal, beautiful man. The way his dark, pitch-black hair was swept back from his forehead. The way those dark eyes narrowed as he concentrated on his work. The savage lines of his face, and hard obstinate cast of his chin and jaw.

I looked down at my thigh. Even though he hadn’t said what he was making, I thought I could tell now. Dark licks of fire, bold serpentine marks.

The combination of sharp, even slices of pain and Raker’s firm hands on me began to have a hypnotic effect, and I felt my cunt clench at the way he had me at the brink without even touching me there.

People began to leave for lunch as Raker worked, so it was a shock to hear the door opened brusquely and then the sharp, no-nonsense tap of heels on the floor.

I looked up to see a woman with a copy of the Elders’ Holy Words in her arms and a prim look on her face.

“Mr. d’Sanguine,” her very proper voice said. “I thought we could spend some time together. Maybe do a daily devotional. Did you forget about our lunch date?”

I jerked up, but he had such a firm grasp on my thigh that my body barely moved.

“Ah, Elizabeth,” Raker said, twisting halfway around. “I don’t remember making a lunch date. As you can see, I’m busy today.”

Although his massive shoulders were still bent over my body, of course I couldn’t resist, and I looked curiously at her. I saw a very beautiful woman with that copy of the Holy Words. She had lovely thick chestnut hair, wound up in an elegant bun, cool gray eyes, and a perfectly symmetrical face with a tall, elegant figure.

Unlike me, who was dressed in a skintight top and no bra, and tight mini shorts, she was dressed very modestly, in a long skirt and blouse despite the heat.

Although she was beautiful, she had an unpleasant curl to her lip and she looked at me like she thought I was gross, something filthy under her shoe.

“I see that you are busy, but I would like to go out to lunch to discuss our upcoming marriage.”

Marriage?

My stomach plummeted and jealousy roiled inside me. She must be from one of the Founding Families or someone very important.

“Marriage negotiations are with your father, not you,” Raker said.

“I can still refuse,” Elizabeth replied, and then Raker did turn around.

“I doubt very much that you would, however,” he said dryly.

She hesitated, then gave him a bright smile that looked artificial to my eyes.

“Iwantto marry you,” she amended. “After hearing how highly-favored you are of the Elders. I just want to meet to discuss how we can advance our mutual causes.”

There was a beat of silence.

“All right,” Raker said after a moment, “But you’ll have to wait over there on those chairs until I’m done her tattoo.”

His phone buzzed then, and he put the needle down to take the call in the other room.

I felt a bit sick that he hadn’t introduced us, and some foolish instinct made me say, “I’m Sunni.”

She flicked her gray eyes at me, her face transforming from that fake pious smile to one of cold contempt.

“I don’t need to know a whore’s name.”

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