Page 55 of Knight's End
“I don’t care. I need to see him.” Ryan was wrong. Dec needed someone. I’d given him space, but he needed to know that he was loved. He needed to wash away whatever his mother felt and feel what I felt about him instead.
Ryan shook his head but opened a secret passageway. He led me through the tunnels and stairwells until we arrived at Declan’s old room, the one he’d stayed in when he apprenticed under my fathers. When we pushed open the entrance in the wall, I could hear the smack of the whip.
The scent of blood hit my nostrils almost immediately.
Declan was hunched over his bed, clutching the bedpost. He was shirtless and his back was striped with blood. He held a cat o’ nine tails limply in one hand.
Horror and sadness swirled in my gut as I rushed toward him.
“Dec!”
Ryan stayed back, but I wrenched the cat out of Dec’s hand.
“Bloss—” he protested when he saw me, but I pushed him back against the pole. I swung the cat so that the straps lashed his ass through his trousers.
"Ow!" he exclaimed.
A tear rolled down my cheek. But I lashed him again. Then I threw aside the cat. “You told me you’d come to me if you needed this. I told you I’d help—” I choked on an angry sob. Seeing Dec like this was a smack to the heart. “She’s not worth this.”
Dec was quiet for a moment as he processed my words. “Bloss, without my powers–"
"Sard your old powers. You still have a mind. You still have a heart."
"Not to her."
"Well, they mean something to me." I grabbed his arm and pulled him around. I leaned up on my toes and shoved my face right in his. “I'm your queen now. Not her. What she wants does not matter."
Declan's breathing grew shallow. His eyes didn’t reach mine. He stared at the floor.
"Did you hear me? You’re mine. I want you. I sarding love you. And that bitch doesn’t matter,” I yanked at his hair until his blue eyes rose to meet mine.
"You are so hot right now," he whispered.
I slammed my lips onto Declan’s. I slammed my mouth into his like it was a weapon. I tried to cut through his damned ignorance about his own self-worth. I tried to carve my initials into his soul. My hands squeezed his shoulders, my fingers reached into his back. But I was done with gentleness. Declan didn't need gentleness, he needed to be claimed.
I pulled back and looked at the other man in the room, "Ryan," I called, "come here."
My dark giant pulled away from the wall and walked toward us.
I turned back to Declan. "Ryan and I love you. And we’re gonna show you how much. I want you to use your power."
I took a step away from Declan and he reached for me. I shook my head. “Feel me. Do you feel what I’m feeling?”
Declan’s pale blue eyes swam with emotion. “Yes,” he breathed.
I reached forward and undid the ties that held Declan’s trousers closed. I knelt as I pulled them down and unlaced his boots. Ryan slowly traced the smaller man's side and triceps.
Declan's eyes flashed to mine. "I'm not —"
I grinned up at him. "Ryan's gonna spank you while you ride me. We’re gonna give you what you need.”
Declan's ice blue eyes lit up at the very thought. The expression on his face made me grow wet.
Ryan reached down and helped me up. He slid the top of my dress down. My nippled hardened immediately at his touch and he tugged them, one after the other as Declan watched.
Declan’s breathing grew shallow.
Ryan put his lips to my neck as he shoved down my skirt and bared me to Declan’s gaze. Ryan’s huge hands stroked the inside of my thighs, making me spread them open. But then he stopped his kisses and caresses. He held his right hand out toward Declan. “Suck my fingers,” he commanded.
