Page 49 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

“Fuck, River, don’t stop, right there,” she cries, and I don’t let my fingers falter, giving her exactly what she needs.

I’m close, so fucking close, “come baby, I need to feel you on me before I come.” I grit out through my teeth.

She clenches around me as she comes with a loud moan and my pace becomes animalistic. I fuck her harder and faster until I am groaning my own release. Our sweat slicked bodies fall into the counter. I kiss her shoulders, neck, cheeks. Anywhere I can reach as she tries to catch her breath. I will never get enough of her.

She laughs, “okay now I am definitely ready for a bath.” I laugh with her, pulling out of her. I scoop her up and move until I can step into the bath with her in my arms, holding her against me as we sink down into the hot water.

Chapter 29

ELLE

Once again I don’t recognize the girl, no the woman, staring back at me from the mirror. The black satin gown hangs by two silver straps and flows completely to the floor, hugging in at my breasts and waist. My hair is styled in a messy bun with a few tendrils escaping on either side of my face and a simple wing liner and red lip combo completes my look. The silver stilettos finish off my ensemble perfectly, all ready for a family celebration. It’s New Year’s Eve and in spite of everything going on, Helen insisted on a family dinner and instructed us all to dress for the occasion. So here I am, dressed and ready to go, so why can’t I force my feet to move, to turn around and leave this room and join my family to celebrate even if just for one night.

It just feels stupid to celebrate something so mundane and regular, but that’s what I’m fighting for right? The chance to live, the chance to survive, the chance to just be a normal eighteen-year-old girl with no enemies. Yet all I think about is the last time I got dressed up like this. All I can see is my brother's bloodied body and my daughter being carried away by the enemy. But this isn't like last time. Zack is here and alive, Cassie is here and I'm here, nobody can find us, we are safe. For now. We won't truly be safe until I finish this and wipe everyone else off the board. But what's one night off war?

My thoughts are interrupted when my door swings open and I lock eyes with Zack in the mirror. He’s here, he’s safe, he’s alive. He’s dressed in a fitted grey suit, paired with a dark pair of loafers and a silver tie. God, it warms my heart to see him like this. He almost looks like himself now; the handsome, young CEO that could conquer the world. Yet, the reminder that he almost died is still there, in the way he holds his shoulders and the slow limp he does as he moves towards me. That makes the warmth in my heart fade, as anger and desperation burn through me instead.

“You look beautiful sweetheart.” He grips both my shoulders and drops a kiss to the side of my head.

“You look pretty handsome yourself, Z.” I feign a smile, but he sees right through it.

“You okay?” He asks and it’s a loaded question, I haven’t been okay for a long time.

I exhale a slow breath before I whisper, “I’m nervous.” Admitting that out loud to him makes me feel weak, but I am so sick of being strong all the time. Too much has happened. I lower my eyes to the floor so he can’t see the shame I feel in admitting that.

“I know. I feel it too.” He replies and my eyes snap back to his in the mirror. “It never stops,” he goes on, “it plays on repeat in my head, I just watch her get taken over and over again while I lay there helpless.”

My frown is instant, “you were bleeding,” He has got to believe that none of that was his fault.

“Exactly!” He snaps causing me to startle. Zack can be harsh when he needs to be, I’ve seen it, but never with me. “I vowed to protect you, both of you and when it mattered most, I failed. I’m sorry.”

I turn to face him, “don’t you ever apologize to me again, if anyone should be sorry, it’s me. You were never supposed to be a part of all this.”

He shakes his head in disagreement, “all of this is because of me.” He disagrees. “I won’t fail you again.”

“You could never fail me Zack, you're my brother, you’ll always be my hero.”

“You’re your own hero Elle King, you always have been.” He smiles softly and I can’t bear it. I throw my hands around him and take comfort in his embrace.

I should wish that I never laid eyes on Greg Donovan, that he never did those awful things to me. But without them I wouldn’t have Zack, I would still be living blissfully ignorant in a jail I called home with parents I thought loved me. Now I am surrounded by a family that I would die for, but more importantly, I would live for.

“We are going to end this, and all make it out alive and in one piece, right?” I ask, but it comes out muffled against his chest.

He pulls back and looks down at me, “Right,” he agrees, and he almost sounds like he believes it. Almost. “Now come on, I was sent in here to get you, everyone is waiting. Let’s go.”

I nod, turning to take one last look in the mirror before smoothing down my dress and then following him out of the room.

As soon as I make it to the living area my eyes immediately zone in on Cassie. She’s here, she’s safe. She’s also surrounded by five beautiful protectors: Marcus, Lincoln, Jace, Logan and Asher are all with her, dressed in beautiful black suits and listening intently to her like she is the center of their whole world. I know she’s mine.

She’s wearing a beautiful black dress with a silver bow attached to the back, the skirt puffs out a little and stops at her knee. Someone has braided her hair and fixed a little crown to her head. She looks perfect and it looks like our dresses were made to match. I had one of Max’s guys pick both of them up from Robert in Havensgrove yesterday just for the occasion. Jace is saying something back to her when he glances up and spots me, stopping mid-sentence. They all look to see what got his attention.

“Damn, sis! Looking hot!” Logan calls out from across the room.

Asher groans, “I really wish you wouldn’t make it sound so creepy when you say shit like that.”

“Would you prefer I compliment you, baby?” He winks at him and Ash as usual rolls his eyes before stepping towards me and kissing my cheek, always the gentleman.

“You look beautiful, Hells Bells.” He smiles softly, but I can see the darkness flaring behind his stormy blue eyes. He is just waiting for his next chance at revenge.

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