Page 62 of Their Reckless Thief
Her breath hitched as I took one of her hardened nipples into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue before sucking gently. She twisted against my hold, not to escape but to get closer. The taste of her skin and those soft, breathy moans fueled the wildness clawing at me. I released her hands, sliding my fingers down her sides until I reached her panties.
“Let me see all of you,” I murmured, my voice thick with need. She nodded, her chest rising and falling rapidly as Itore the lace from her body, leaving her bare beneath me. The moonlight kissed every curve, every perfect inch of her. I was certain no artist, or poet, could ever do her justice.
My lips trailed down her stomach, to the inside of her thighs, where I nipped and licked my way closer to where she needed me most. Her scent—heady, intoxicating, uniquely hers—surrounded me, and I breathed her in like I’d never get enough. Her hips bucked toward me, a silent plea, and I answered by sliding my tongue against her, slow and deliberate. She tasted like pure sin, and I was a man damned.
She cried out, her hands fisting in the grass, her body writhing as I teased her clit with my tongue and thrust two fingers inside her. She clenched around me, pulling me deeper, and I reveled in the sounds she made—the gasps, the moans, the way she said my name like a prayer.
“Look at me, Celeste,” I growled, raising my head just enough to meet her gaze. Her eyes were half-lidded, glazed with pleasure, but she obeyed as I curled my fingers inside her, hitting that spot that made her whole body tremble. “Let go for me. Let me feel you.”
Her response was immediate, her body arching as she shattered. I held her through it, my fingers never faltering, my tongue coaxing every last wave of pleasure from her until she was limp and whimpering beneath me.
When her breathing steadied, I flipped her onto her stomach, unable to hold back any longer. Her ass was a masterpiece, and I couldn’t resist biting it gently before positioning myself behind her. “You’re mine,” I growled, sliding my cock through her wetness before pressing into her, inch by inch. “Say it.”
“Yours,” she gasped, her voice a mixture of pleasure and desperation. “Gods, Dorian, I’m fucking yours.”
As I filled her, as her body welcomed me in ways I hadn’t thought possible, I knew it was true. She was mine, and I washers, and nothing—no force in this world or the next—could change that.
18
CELESTE
Two weeks had passed,and things had settled—at least on the surface. I’d gotten back into my routine, falling into the rhythm of my life like a well-worn record, but it was different now. Everything felt... heavier. More complicated. And I couldn’t shake it.
Dorian had come by a few times, slipping through my window like he always did. His presence had become a constant, a strange comfort I hadn’t even realized I needed. He was close, physically and emotionally, always there, always...him. I hated how much I’d come to rely on that closeness. It was like he was a part of me now, something I couldn’t ignore, even if I wanted to. And truth be told, I didn’t know what the fuck that meant. I didn’t know how to feel about it.
Things between Vivian and me were still tense. We weren’t fighting, exactly, but there was a wall between us that I couldn’t break through. I knew she didn’t approve of anything I was doing. Of Dorian. Of me spiraling deeper into my Phantomine habit. Hell, maybe she was right, but I wasn’t ready to face that yet.
I had bigger shit to deal with, like my current heist.
The job today had my nerves buzzing like live wires. I was heading back to The Below, and my stomach was in knots. I hadn’t been back since... well, since Vincenzo had stopped me from drowning myself and then kicked me out of his life like I was nothing.
The thought of going back into his territory, of being so close to him again, filled me with a weird mixture of anxiety and longing, though I hated to admit it to myself. I didn’t want to think about that. No, Icouldn’tthink about it.
I took another hit of Phantomine, the familiar warmth spreading through me and dulling the sharp edges of my nerves. My mind settled, but the unease didn’t fully go away. It never did. Not anymore.
“Viv, you there?” I tapped the mic in my ear as I approached the tear in the Veil, my pulse quickening as the shimmering distortion came into view.
“Loud and clear,” Vivian said through the earpiece. “You ready?”
I slid through the opening, the familiar buzz of magic pulsing lightly against my skin. I took a deep breath and blew Carl a kiss, who gave me a half-smirk as I slipped past him.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I muttered, passing the various creatures in line to enter into the human realm. The shift was instant. The heavy air, thick with magic, clung to my skin, and the low hum of energy filled the space around me. It was like stepping into another universe, and in another way, it was like coming home.
I made my way to the underground garage where Roberto kept a car for heists that were farther away. I unlocked the door and slipped into the dimly lit, industrial space, heading straight for the black SUV.
I wasn’t used to driving magic-powered vehicles. They were similar to cars in the human world except they didn’t need gas.The magic that pulsed through The Below powered the vehicles as they drove.
As I drove, my mind raced. I cranked up the music, trying to drown out the thoughts swirling in my head, but it wasn’t enough. The second I passed the street that led to Vincenzo’s mansion, every muscle in my body tensed, my heart rate spiking like I was in freefall.
I had to fight not to turn down his street. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles white as I forced myself to keep going straight.
What the fuck was wrong with me?
I hated how much he haunted my thoughts. Even now, weeks later, I couldn’t shake the way he’d looked at me that night. His hands had been so tender, so careful when he’d dried my hair. His voice had sounded so godsdamned broken when he told me to leave. It didn’t make sense. None of it did. He was a controlling asshole, a dangerous vampire who probably had bodies buried in every corner of The Below.
I swallowed hard, trying to push the memories out of my mind. I couldn’t afford distractions right now. I had a job to do.
Focus, Celeste.
