Page 1 of His Wife

ChapterOne

LEANDRA

Each time he touches me, I feel it deeper, its effect more profound. It digs deep into my soul, penetrating every wall I have ever built. I’m weak against it, unable to fight the descent into oblivion with him, lost forever, and God knows I never want to be found. Not as long as I’m with him.

In bed at night, just the feel of his breath against my skin has my blood instantly rushing to the surface, heat accelerating through my body, causing my head to spin with the promise of pleasure he delivers every single time.

It’s in the dark that his blue eyes gleam the most, their brilliance keeping my gaze captive. We’re connected. So in tune with each other. It’s easy to convince myself that we’re meant to be. There are so many lies my mind can tell whenever I’m under his spell, so many fables weaved within his touch. He makes me reckless, not caring about the consequences I might face when all this is over.

I’ve never been one to play with fire, yet with him, I crave to burn. I pray for my destruction if it means I can find my ruin in his palms, his fingers, his mouth, his body. I never imagined I’d one day find myself in the arms of a man whose name once sent shivers down my spine. Now, his name ignites a spark—a raging inferno that makes my body ache for him.

Alexius.

Alexius Del Rossa.

My husband.

The man I vowed to hate, only to fall into the snake pit where my heart now beats for him. I am his. I want only him. Every second spent with him is one moment closer to my undoing. He will steal my breath and corrupt my soul. I know that. I can feel it when my heart starts racing whenever he’s near me. Warning knocks against my chest when I struggle to breathe every time his sapphire gaze takes me captive. And those moments when his silent presence sends a flush to my cheeks and crazed butterflies to my stomach, that’s when I know the lines have blurred and nothing is as black and white as it was when it all started. That I’m no longer the scared girl he propositioned with an envelope that held the power of a different life for me. And whenever he touches my cheek, his eyes glazed and beautiful with him lost in thought, I can see a glimpse of a man who no longer seems to hate what I represent and loathe who I am to him.

His wife.

Maybe it’s a twisted fantasy of a girl who once had nothing, and now lies at the feet of a king. Or maybe it’s the dream of a woman who longs to find love in this dark world.

Either way, Alexius Del Rossa will be the end of me.

I hear the clink of ice cubes, imagining him taking a sip of his whiskey, savoring the rich taste on his tongue while he watches me with blue eyes threatening to ignite. But there’s something different tonight. He’s different. The air is heavy, loaded, and thick. Like time is ticking by, closing in on the inevitable.

The end of our arrangement, perhaps.

“Your thighs burning yet?” I shiver from the sound of his voice. “You’ve been in that position for a long time. Your stiletto heels are starting to sink into my carpet.”

I shake my head. “There’s a different part of me aching right now.”

“I can see that. Your pussy is blushing for me, all pink and swollen.”

“Please,” I beg. “How long are you going to leave me like this?”

“For as long as I fucking like.”

On the floor and crouched, knees bent and pulled wide, I steady myself. My hands are tied behind my back, the silk constraints wrapped around my wrists. The blindfold is soft against my skin, my lack of sight causing me to focus on nothing other than the rich timbre of his voice that could carry me to orgasm with words alone.

I can feel his eyes on me. The heat of how he watches me spread open and naked. Vulnerable.

“Submission suits you, stray.” I hear the ice cubes again. “How can you be this perfect angel at my side, yet you’re this tempting siren at my feet? You’re my perfect contradiction.”

The sound of his heavy footsteps coming closer has me shivering with anticipation. I let out a breath hearing him unzip his pants, the fabric brushing across my knee as it falls to the floor. My heart beats a staccato rhythm against my ribs, my blood singing for the next fix of the euphoria only he can give.

Slipping in behind me, his naked thighs press against my shoulders, I settle back between his legs as he sits down on the mattress. I’m trembling at the first feel of his fingertips against my spine as he draws lazy circles along my skin. Blindfolded, I’m forced to endure the heightened pleasure and torture of his touch. It’s gentle, tender yet poisonous, as it infects me inch by slow inch, and the sound of his steady breathing, the feel of it dancing along my naked shoulder, has me leaning my neck to the side, hoping he’ll place his red-hot lips on my flesh.

“Who knew the stray I picked up off the streets would end up at my feet, eager for my cock? An insatiable little slut who thrives on the knowledge of her husband’s dick throbbing for her.”

Fuck. My insides are a mess when his choice of words meant to insult only feeds my need. It’s the dark shadows of my soul that relishes it, seeking ecstasy within the depths of our depravities. With a quick sweep of his hand, he slips my hair over my left shoulder, finally touching his lips to my skin.

He shifts, and I moan at the brush of the tip of his cock along my back. I can smell him—the spicy smell of sandalwood and the sweet scent of sex that emanates from our pores whenever we’re together like this.

He reaches over my shoulder to palm my breast, twisting my nipple between his fingers, and I jolt from the sting, sucking air through my teeth. While his lips explore my naked shoulder, I can feel that something is off. It’s him. He seems…troubled.

“What’s wrong?”

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