Page 42 of The Queen
Felix moves closer, his eyes locking onto mine. He doesn’t say a word; he doesn’t need to. His arms wrap around me, strong and steady, and for a second, I let myself lean against him. It’s a respite from the coldness that grips my heart, a silent acknowledgement that he is family. “You’ve got this.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, my voice muffled against his chest.
“Anytime,” he says, his breath warm on the top of my head. “You know I’ve got your back.”
I nod, pulling away slightly to look up at him. His face is serious, but there’s a softness in his eyes that wasn’t there before. It’s like he gets it—the chaos inside me, the storm that’s just now starting to settle.
The night air is cool and damp against my skin, and for a moment, I just stand there, trying to align my thoughts. It doesn’t work; everything’s still a jumbled mess. “I’ll catch you later. I guess we both have some soul-searching to do.”
“Nah, I’m good.” He brushes it off with a shrug.
Nodding, I watch as Oliver opens the front door and waits for me to brush past him to enter.
“I’m going to clean up and sleep,” I murmur.
He grabs my hand, “Will you be okay?”
Smiling up at him, I nod. “Always.”
I make my way upstairs, each step heavy with exhaustion. Stripping off my clothes, I start the bath, watching as the steam begins to curl up from the hot water. I slide in, the heat is searing, enveloping my weary body.
I close my eyes, letting the warmth seep deep into my muscles, untangling the knots of tension one by one. It’s no use thinking about what comes next, not when every bone in my body screams for rest. But still, that uneasy sense that the fight isn’t over keeps scratching at the back of my mind.
“Fuck it,” I mutter to myself, sinking deeper until the water laps at my chin. For now, this bath is my sanctuary, my respite from the world outside, and I’ll soak in it until I’m ready to face whatever hell awaits me next.
19
RAPHAEL
I watchEliza from the secret cams set up in her bathroom, my breath hitching at the sight of her in the bath. Water droplets cling to her like they can’t bear to fall away. She’s lost in her own world, her hand moving between her legs in a rhythm that has me rooted to the spot. The bathwater sloshes dangerously close to the edge as she masturbates, her head thrown back in abandonment. Christ, she’s a vision, and I can’t peel my eyes away. The way her fingers work at her slick cunt sends blood roaring to my own arousal, making me painfully hard within seconds.
It’s a fucking torment, being this close to her pleasure but not being a part of it. My hand moves to my pants, unzipping the restraint because there’s no fucking way I can stand this without some relief. I grip my cock, stroking in the same rhythm Eliza follows, imagining it’s her hand on me instead.
My need for her claws at my insides, hot and demanding. I need to touch her, to feel her under my hands. Screw patience. I strip off my clothes, my dick bouncing in front of me as I stride across the bedroom and down the stairs. Pushing open herbedroom door, I cross over to the bathroom and linger in the doorway as she pants out an orgasm that I’m sorry I missed.
“Raphael,” she breathes out, and it’s all the invitation I need to slide into the water behind her.
“Eliza.” My voice is thick with desire. I’m close, so close I can feel the heat from her body. I reach out, and my hands find her skin silky and warm from the water. I trace the tattoo on her back, the skull and rose that’s become a symbol of who she is: fierce and beautiful. My hands roam over her curves, which I’ve memorised but can’t get enough of.
She leans back against me, her head resting on my shoulder. I tighten my grip, my fingers slipping over her slick skin as I anchor her to me. This moment with her is where I belong. This is our sanctuary in the shadows of our lives, in the dangerous alliance of our families’ legacies. Together, we’re something else entirely—something wild and uncontrolled.
She turns in the water and leans in. I’m drawn like a magnet to the pull of her lips. The kiss lands, hard and hungry, no holding back. It’s fire, it’s raw need wrapping around us, tangling us up in a frenzy. Eliza’s hands claw at my back, pulling me closer, and I’m lost in the taste of her, the feel of her tongue thrusting against mine.
We break apart only to crash back together again, our kisses deepening, more desperate with each meeting. Our bodies press tight, leaving no space, no air between us—just this scorching heat that threatens to burn us both alive.
The water splashes over the side of the bath as she moves back. “Bedroom,” she murmurs, and it’s all the direction I need.
We’re a tangle of limbs as I rise and lift her out of the bath.
Lowering her to the bed, my stomach twists into a knot as we teeter on the edge of something I’ve never done before. I fuck. Hard and savage. But this is different. This is soft and gentle, and just the two of us.
Our wet skin sticks to the sheets, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing does, except the way she looks at me, the way her body arches into my touch, seeking more, seeking everything, and I plan to give it to her—all of it. Every last piece of my soul that screams her name in the quiet dark.
Her breath comes in soft gasps, the sound mixing with the silence of the room. Our bodies are close, so close I can feel her heartbeat racing like mine. Her eyes lock onto mine, green and intense and full of something fierce that grips me tight.
“Eliza,” I start, my voice is barely above a whisper, but it’s all emotion, all raw edges and nerves laid bare. “I love you. I need you to say it back.” I need those words more than I’ve ever needed anything.
She searches my face, her gaze steady even as her body trembles against mine. “Raphael,” she starts, her voice strong despite the vulnerability I see swimming in her eyes. “I love you too. So much.” Her fingers dig into my skin with a kind of desperation that tells me she means every word. “You need to understand how deep this goes for me.”
