Page 73 of Tarnished Queen

I stare deep into her eyes so she knows I mean what I say next. “You, Belle. Always you.”

Instantly, her eyes brim with tears and her chin wobbles. She's barely holding it together. Mere seconds from a breakdown.

“Are you really that surprised?” I grab her hand and bring her fingers to my mouth. One by one, I press a kiss to each of her fingertips. Belle watches me like it might be a dream.

"All I've done is make things more difficult for you, Nikolai." She's arguing against herself even as she draws closer to me. "I betrayed you and brought my family B.S. to your doorstep. And I've fought you every step of the way."

"Why is that?"

"Why what? Why did I fight?" She frowns, seriously considering the question. "I guess… I guess I didn't know how to let someone else take care of me. I've been handling everything on my own for so long."

"For too long," I interrupt. "Maybe it's time you let someone else call the shots for a while.”

She leans forward and presses a kiss to my jaw. Then her lips move to my ear. “Tell me what you want, Nikolai. Tell me what to do.”

She doesn’t have to tell me twice.

“Unzip my pants,” I command. “Wrap your hand around me.”

Belle obeys, her small hand making efficient work of my pants and boxers. When she slides her fingers around me, I groan. “Stroke me.”

She moves in slow, deliberate strokes. Her thumb works over my ridges and across my tip. She swirls her palm on the way back up, applying an excruciating friction that has me pumping into her hand while we’re both still fully clothed.

If I’m not careful, this will end well before I’d like it to.

I pull back and gesture to her clothes. “Off. Take these all off.”

Belle pulls her shirt over her head while I undo her jeans. She lifts her hips so I can slide them down her legs, pressing kisses to the warm skin of her thighs and her calves.

“You’re perfect,” I tell her. “Every fucking inch of you. Perfect.”

Her face flushes. “I never took you for a liar.”

“You don’t believe me?” She shrugs and tries to drag me closer, but I pull out of reach. “We can’t keep going until you believe that.”

“I thought power didn’t work that way,” she argues. “Aren’t you supposed to convince me of your way of thinking?”

I smirk. “Good point. Touch yourself.”

Her eyes flare. “What?”

“Touch yourself and you’ll know.” I grab her hand from her thigh and slowly place it on her belly. Her fingers twitch like she wants to move them lower, but they stay still. She isn’t sure yet. “Make yourself feel good. Explore how perfectly you’re made. Do it until you understand.”

“Nikolai, I don’t know if I can—”

I cover her hand with mine and slide her fingers between her legs. Her skin is warm, and when she curls a finger against her slit, I can feel how wet she is.

She sighs, and I draw my hand back. As much as I want to stay here, touching her… I want to watch her even more.

Her movements are timid at first. Small strokes, her legs pressed tightly together. But as she finds a rhythm, her body has no choice but to respond.

Belle lets her thighs fall apart. Her head falls back and her eyes flutter closed. I watch her lips part in a sigh as she rocks her hips against her own fingers.

I give my cock a rough stroke, but I hardly need it. Watching her is more than enough.

"Tell me how it feels."

Her eyes meet mine, the pupils blown wide with desire. "Good. Better with you watching. Everything feels better when you're with me."

---