Page 55 of A Baron of Bonds
“What else would you have me do?” he continued in desperation. “Tell me what I must do to make you see that I do notbreatheif you do notbreathe. My heart does notbeatif yours does notbeat.” He clenched his teeth and spoke through them, “I do not live if you do not live.”
I cupped his cheek, my fingers pressing into his skin so he could feel me there. I needed him to know I heard him. I needed him to know his heart had spoken to mine, and I had finally listened. “You’ve done enough,” I breathed, nodding and letting it sink in. Finally, I was beginning to understand that his suffering was real and tangible, and though I had not really lived those seven years, neither had he.
He led me through that market to show how his choices affected me. His constant love, and care, and pursuit to return my memories had affected me, too.
His life and mine had always been bound. From the first day Heimlen had given him his task to find me, our lifelines werelinked, and I was the one who had not understood that enough in that moment. I had not stopped in that field of clover to admit that whatever path I chose, I chose it for both of us.
“I understand, Rev.” I kissed him, bringing myself closer to his chest, my legs wrapping around his waist in the heat. “You’ve done enough…and I understand.” I pressed my hand into his chest. “You breathe, I breathe. You live, I live.”
His mouth slammed into mine at the same moment he slid his fingers into me, the water easing his way as he curled them forward. I gasped in rapture, clinging tightly to his arms. My cries were muffled by his mouth as he continued the motion quickly, rising within me unparalleled indulgence in his ability to please me.
I came quick and hard, rocking on his fingers as they curved forward easily, slick with my body’s reaction to him.
“Let me show you living, Karus.” He lifted a cup to my lips. I had no idea where it came from or what it was, but I gulped it anyway. The bitter taste of styris tea gone cold trickled down my throat.
He took the cup from me and downed the rest, tossing it over the side of the tub. The clank of copper hit the tiles—something neither of us cared for or heard as he pulled me on top of him. All of him.
I rode my high again in the water, now splashing out of the tub in waves over the side. I didn’t hold back. I slammed onto the thick of him over and over, bringing a guttural moan from the back of his throat.
I had little room to move and, in my frustration, I slammed my hand on the side of the tub, wanting more, needing more than I was getting in our confined space.
Knowing what I meant, he lifted us out of the water, my legs wrapped around him. He stepped over the edge of the tub, bringing us to the puddled floor, wet and warm.
There we were again, two lovers consuming each other on an ornate pattern of floor tiles, this time in spirals of ocean waves. Each edge cut into the skin of my back, and once again, I didn’t care as long as he filled me with everything I wanted.
All I’d ever want in this life—I was sure of it—was him. He only assured me more as he nipped at my neck and circled a thumb over my hardened, swollen center.
I cried out again, unsure if I could handle this, unsure if I was breaking, my soul leaving my body to be swept away into the steam, never to return to the flesh that writhed in utter ecstasy on the washing room floor.
“Rev,” I pleaded, “Please.” I was beyond desperate for his pace to quicken and release me from the edge of bliss that I longed to tumble over.
He grabbed both of my hands in his, stretching my arms over my head, similar to how we had done when we were physically bound.
He didn’t hold back, he didn’t wait, he slammed into me, rocking my entire body with his—kissing me with his fire that only flared for me.
Just me.
And as we slipped into the loose state of an earth-shattering end together, I relished in the glory of understanding everything he wanted me to—that even in these moments of undiluted pleasure, we were one.
I was his, he was mine, and we lived as the other lived, deserving this, deserving the pain of life, the joy of happiness and completion. I’d love him forever, tiled floor or not, and not once, not ever again, would I take that for granted.
His breath was mine, his heart, mine—his life was my mine and mine his to the end, to the very day we no longer drew air into our lungs, whenever that day would come.
Chapter 31
Rev
After we cleanedup the water on the floor, and after we fed each other cheese, fruit, and bread, we were back at it again.
This time on the one bed in the room.
This time with rope.
Chapter 32
Karus
“Black flowers bloomedalong the roots of the Blight. Their centers were blue and they glowed. I’d never seen them before, and I think they bloomed from me.” I opened my eyes to watch Rev’s reaction. I wanted to see the wonder and worry on his face rather than just feel it.
