Page 49 of The Cursed and the Broken
His hand strayed to my thigh, sliding higher, higher, until he cupped the apex of my thighs. I gasped, every part of me alight with that touch.
All it would take was another kiss. A moment of weakness to fall into his arms.
“What’s the matter, Freckles?” he breathed onto my neck, twisting a stray curl and tucking it behind my ear. “Afraid you’ll like what I can give you?” His hand trailed up the waistband of my pants and he traced the sensitive skin there, making me shiver in delight.
I groaned, his lips a breath away from mine. I squeezed my thighs together, trying to alleviate the building tension. I wanted him so bad I ached with desire.
Nostrils flaring, I couldn’t help arching my spine into his touch. What’s wrong with me? “You can’t give me what I need,” I whispered back.
“But I can give you what you want.” His lips grazed my neck and I had to stifle a gasp. His touch was fire, burning my skin, blazing down my body to places that had no right to be pounding so painfully. So deliciously.
I held him at arm’s length, slapping a palm to his bare chest. “If we do this, it’s just sex,” I said a little breathlessly.
He lifted his head, staring at me dangerously. “Just sex,” he purred. “And we can go back to hating each other in the morning.”
Dante leaned closer and, so help me, I closed the gap between us, crashing my lips against his own. He pinned me to the wall, grinding against me as I weaved my fingers through his hair and sighed against his lips.
My hand travelled down his stomach, feeling each ridge beneath my fingertips until I traced the vee above his pants. He stiffened beneath my touch, his cock riding higher. I was charting dangerous territory, but gods help me, I craved his touch so badly.
His fingers dipped lower down my pants and I knew he could feel how wet I was. As if he could read my mind, he pressed one finger against my nerves and lifted it to his lips, tasting me.
My gaze darted to the bed and I swallowed. This wasn’t like the times I’d been with other boys. A man stood before me and I had every confidence he knew just what to do with those hands. With his cock.
I was way out of my league. My insecurities swept in—my fear of abandonment and betrayal sucking the breath from my lungs and splashing water on my heated skin.
A frustrated sound ripped from my chest. “I can’t do this.”
I shoved him out of the way, storming to the corner of the room and gulping down a few breaths. I needed air, needed space, or I might just buckle under the pressure. He was right. I didwant. My body thrummed with it, the memory of his touch still sending waves to my core. Why was I so afraid of letting go? He was going to be myhusbandand, regardless of whether we liked each other, I may as well try to enjoy the parts of him thatdidn’ttalk back or bait me.
His eyes burned holes in my back, but he didn’t pry or try to persuade me. He simply gave me the space I needed, let me think in peace. Gods, I was such a fool.
As I removed the corset with painstaking difficulty, I suddenly realised why I was holding back. Like a punch to the stomach, the air rushed from my lungs, releasing the tension inside. No one,no onebar my family and Erika knew who I really was. I’d tried once, to open up to others, to share a piece of myself with my kith. I’d done so with Hanna, and once she tired of me and found better things, she’d ripped my dignity to shreds and played on my fears.
It pained me to admit, but I was scared. Terrified of letting someone in, only to be hurt once again. Even if it was just sex, even if it was only physical. I told myself those lies, but did I really hate him at all? Even a little?
I sighed.
If I let down my walls for Dante and he hurt me, would I crumble past the point of coming back? Could I rebuild my foundation? I didn’t think so. Not with a war looming, the cultists out for blood and Fate coming to claim me for her own undoubtedly terrible schemes.
Better to be distant. To keep him at arm’s length, even if that put a strain on our relationship—our marriage.
When I shucked off my pants, ready to dash into bed before Dante got a good look at the exposed skin my shirt didn’t hide, I turned only to find him curled up in bed. Snoring. My heart sank with disappointment. Of course he didn’t care what I was going through. He had given me no indication he would give two shits in the morning.
Besides, I had been the one to call it off. Still, a part of me hoped maybe he’d change my mind. It wouldn’t have taken much to convince me.
Who falls asleep that quickly anyway? Now that’s a magic power I could use. Sighing, I thought about sleeping on the floor, but to hell with him. I slid under the covers, still aching with the need to release some tension.
Shuffling, I considered sliding a hand down my underwear, but before I could summon the courage, his giant arm wrapped around me and pulled me towards him.
I squeaked, feeling myself practically lifted into his embrace. He was pleasantly warm and his scent of leather and musk washed over me like a gentle kiss. I nestled in, his muscled bicep like a comfortable blanket to weigh me down.
Right before I nodded off, I shuffled my ass into his crotch, smiling to myself. I hoped he had good dreams over what he was missing tonight.
If he was going to tread dangerous waters likecuddling, I could too. Spiteful of me? Maybe.
But two could play this game.
TWENTY
