Текст книги "Vicious secrets"

Автор книги: Morgan Bridges

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

Chapter 32XAVIER

Delilah fucking Scott.

In my bed.

In my arms.

In my control.

For three long years, I’ve pictured this moment, yearned for it. Most things don’t live up to my expectations, leaving me disappointed again and again. But this woman? She exceeds every fantasy I’ve created.

If I was a whimsical person, I’d think I was dreaming or hallucinating at least. However, the sound of her breathing, along with the feel of her warm body pressed to mine, reminds me that this is reality. For the first time in my life, I’m hit with a sense of fulfillment and contentment that I didn’t know existed.

Now that I know, I can’t live without it.

Memories of the Bride Hunt race through my mind, the adrenaline-fueled chase through the forest, my unwavering determination to claim her. I fought and eliminated Eric and Benjamin to have her. Fuckers.

Not only them, but the rest of the recruits as well. I watched them during the ceremony, daring them to clap and cheer as a result of Delilah’s suffering. I didn’t have to.

They saw her fight, and their silence reflected their respect. My bride cursing at them, at my father especially, is a memory I’ll always savor. Very few people have the balls to do what she did. I admire Delilah more than I can ever say with words.

I run my fingers through her hair, marveling at the softness of it against my skin. She stirs slightly, nuzzling closer to me with a sigh. Does she feel safe with me, or is she so deep in repose that she’s forgotten the things I want to do to her?

My cock instantly gets harder than stone. A-fucking-gain. I groan in the darkness and dig my fingers into her hip to stop myself from taking her. She will choose me. I said it earlier, and I still mean that shit.

Delilah will beg for my cock.

I won’t accept anything less than her complete surrender. She will succumb to her need for me.

When she does… fuck me. I’ll never be the same. Even now, I nearly lose my mind at the memory of her coming on my hand. The sound of her moaning. The feel of her body trembling. The scream of ecstasy that echoed in the trees and reverberated in my soul.

I want all of that and more.

Delilah will give me everything. In return, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Even if that means taking on the Order. She’s worth it all.

My money.

My power.

My sanity.

I’ve lost my fucking mind over her. I’m beyond obsessed, beyond fucked when it comes to her. Unhinged, and willing to kill for her.

Die for her.

If she knew the depth of my dedication and loyalty, she would be the one with all the control. As I drag my gaze over her sleeping form, I repeat my vow to her, to serve her and only her.

“Votum meum tibi1,” I whisper. “Tibi semper sum.2”

My father’s disapproval during the ceremony is going to come back and haunt me. But I couldn’t bend to him. Not when it meant setting a precedent when it comes to her.

No one, not even the esteemed council members, will dictate how I deal with my bride.

That doesn’t mean I won’t play by their rules. To directly and openly defy the Order is the same thing as putting a pistol in your mouth. Despite their love of legacy and family ties, they’ll put you six feet under before you can blink.

For better or for worse, the Bride Hunt brought Delilah to me.

Claiming her, having the right to this woman without restriction is what I’ve been wanting since the day I first saw her. Although I don’t prefer it this way. Originally my plans were to take her as a wife, not as a bride, but like most things in life, my plans got fucked. Now, all I can do is keep her safe now that she’s on the Order’s radar.

How she got there is still a mystery to me. My first suspect is Eric because he’s a fucking sadist. Not to mention he tried to run her down with his car. However, I can’t get rid of the nagging feeling that there’s something or someone else at play here.

Could Benjamin have brought Delilah to the Order’s attention in hopes he could have her as his bride? I scoff in the quiet. He knows better than to expose her like that. Now she’ll have eyes on her every fucking minute until she dies.

Or marries me.

There’s a possibility that my father learned about my obsession concerning her. I doubt it. I’ve hidden her like the gem she is, deep underground in the darkness where nothing could touch her.

Until now.

I’ll have to navigate this situation with all the subtlety and cunning I possess, along with my skill set. Knowing how to kill is an art form, and I’ve become a master. Even so, my father’s influence is not to be underestimated.

In this game of shadows and savagery, I’m playing for the highest stakes. Her very life rests in my hands. So does her body.

All that’s left for me to win is her heart.

1 My vow to you.

2 I’m yours forever.

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Chapter 33DELILAH

Imoan.

The noise is low and throaty, a siren’s call, an invitation to any man within hearing range. It’s the sound of a woman drowning in pleasure. And pain.

There’s an ache between my thighs, an insatiable need to be filled. To come. I may be innocent, but I’m not ignorant to my body’s needs.

A delicious pressure surrounds my clit and I arch my back, letting my knees fall to the side, opening my legs wide. My hips lift of their own accord, and my pleasure intensifies.

“That’s my good girl.”

The deep, sinful voice registers. I gasp, my eyes flying open.

Xavier. Fuck.

I jerk up my head, the fog of sleep instantly disappearing. Between my thighs, Xavier’s dark hair grazes my skin with every hard pull of his mouth. He circles my clit with his tongue, and my toes curl. Another moan gathers in my throat.

My body has already surrendered to his expert touch. I can’t let my will do the same.

I thread my fingers in his hair and tug. He growls in protest. The vibrations against my sensitive flesh have me biting back a groan.

I yank on his hair again, forcefully this time.He doesn’t budge, just sucks me harder.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I say between pants.

He flicks his gaze to mine, the silver pools swirling with mischief. He releases my clit with a soft pop, and a rush of cold air replaces his mouth. A whimper slips out, and I briefly squeeze my eyes shut, embarrassed by my need.

He smirks at me from between my legs. It’s a devastating sight. “What does it look like?”

“Stop.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“Not good enough, Delilah.”

I glare down at him, a silent demand for him to leave me alone. His gaze darkens, and the gleam in his eyes is a wicked promise.

He grips the backs of my thighs and drags me down the mattress so I’m closer, my skirt bunching even more around my waist. Then he buries his face in my pussy. It flutters, begging him for things I’ll never say out loud.

“I’ll scream,” I warn.

“Promise?” he murmurs against my skin.

Before I can respond, his tongue slips inside my pussy. A moan bursts from me, and I bite my lip to stifle the sound. He doesn’t stop. The wet slide of his mouth on my flesh has my eyes rolling back.

“Oh, God.”

“Either you moan my name…” He reaches up and wraps his fingers around my throat and squeezes, cutting off most of my air supply. “Or you don’t speak at all.”

“Xavier.”

“That’s better,” he says.

I grip his hair as he fucks me with his tongue, pulling him closer instead of shoving him away. He maintains his grip on my neck, keeping me in place, reminding me with every shallow breath how dangerous he is. I can’t move or speak. I can only endure the pleasure.

Then he’s lifting my leg, placing it over his shoulder, spreading me wider. And he devours me. Each lick and suck is calculated. When I’m close to coming, he slows his pace until I’m ready to beg him to go faster. Harder.

He keeps me right on the edge, a prisoner to his mouth and tongue, until I’m a writhing, panting mess. And the entire time, his hand is a vise around my throat.

“You want to come?” he asks.

I nod, tears of frustration pricking my eyes.

“Words,” he snaps.

“Yes.” It’s a wheeze, but it’s all I can manage; the tiny puff of air all that he allows me to have. At this moment, he owns me.

“Say my name.”

“Xavier.”

“Again.”

“Xavier. Please.”

“You’re being such a good girl for me.”

He loosens his grip on my throat, and air rushes into my lungs. Then he’s licking me faster, harder. With purpose. His tongue dips inside me before he circles my clit. My orgasm takes hold, wringing the life out of me.

I scream.

Xavier groans.

He tightens his fingers around my throat and squeezes once more. He continues to suck and lick, extending the climax until it’s unbearable. When I try to scramble away, he pins me in place with his hands, his tongue a weapon of pleasure that forces me to come again.

When he finally lifts his head, a satisfied smile twists his mouth. “You’re so fucking beautiful when you come.”

“I hate you,” I whisper, my throat sore.

He dips his head and drags his tongue along my slit, collecting every bit of cum. Then he licks his lips, tasting me, his eyes never leaving mine. “No, you don’t.”

Through the haze of lust, I catch a glimpse of his face. His expression is intense, his jaw set, his eyes glittering with something dark.

It’s unhinged.

My breathing is still ragged as he sits up and stares down at me, his gaze trailing the length of my body, making me shiver. When his eyes return to my face, the fire in their depths scorches me.

“Finally, you’re mine,” he murmurs, his tone soft but fierce. “All fucking mine.”

I part my lips to respond, but a knock at the door cuts off the words.

“Who is it?” Xavier snaps, his gaze still on me.

“Open the fucking door, recruit.”

I recognize the voice belonging to the council member from the ceremony, and scramble from beneath Xavier. The man on the other side of the door knocks again, harder.

Xavier jumps off the bed, and I do the same, my skirts swishing loudly. I wince when my movement pulls at my wound, but I ignore the pain, more focused on the unexpected visitor.

I sneak into the bathroom and shut the door. After waiting three seconds, I open it a crack. Xavier strides across the room and opens the door with a jerk. He’s greeted by a man that’s an older version of him. He has the same build, the same eyes, and the same hair color, but with a few streaks of gray peppering the sides.

The man’s eyes sweep over Xavier, his gaze cold and critical. “Is she here?”

“Why do you care? The brand is on her shoulder.” Xavier narrows his gaze. “She’s mine.”

He crosses his arms over his chest, a subtle sign of defiance. The older man’s nostrils flare, and a muscle flickers along his jaw. The tension between them is like smoke, thick and toxic.

The other man lifts his hand, revealing a black envelope. “This is a summons, son.”

Ah fuck, that’s his dad? No wonder Xavier is a little cracked in the head.

He rips the envelope out of his father’s hand and gives him a curt nod. “Anything else?”

“Yes, actually. Why did you fuck up your vow? Don’t think I missed the slight change. You pledged your loyalty to her instead of me.”

I blink in confusion. Why would Xavier do that? I get that he’s attracted to me, but a public vow is something else entirely. After watching their brief exchange, I can only guess Xavier did it to provoke his father. It really has nothing to do with me.

Xavier shrugs. “So?”

“It’s fucking disrespectful,” his father replies. “If the other recruits weren’t present, I would’ve resumed your training. It seems you’ve forgotten it already.”

“Even if I managed to forget a lifetime of torture, my scars would still remind me.”

My stomach drops, and my fingers tremble on the doorknob. Torture? Sympathy swells in my chest.

“Don't test my patience,” his father says. “Answer the question. Why?”

“Because any oath I take doesn’t mean shit when it comes to you. You made sure I understood that early on.”

The man doesn’t respond immediately. His eyes are fixed on Xavier, the hardness there fading. “I don't expect you to understand. When you’ve taken my place on the council and the weight of generations is upon your shoulders, maybe you’ll realize that I did you a service. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be strong enough to have a bride. Let alone keep her.”

Xavier stiffens. It’s almost imperceptible, but not to me. I’ve watched his man every second of every minute since he first cornered me in the forest.

“Keep her?” he repeats.

“Don't tell me you thought the Order was done testing you?” The older man shakes his head, his smile patronizing. “She will remain yours as long as you’re one of the top three recruits. If your performance dwindles during the Trials, she will be given to another recruit who is in the top.”

My pulse quickens, and the bathroom suddenly feels too small.

I’m nothing more than a toy to be shared by recruits, used to keep them motivated. In whatever way they decide.

“The Order wants results,” the man continues. “Because of me and my training, you will be the best. Your bride is a reflection of you, but you are a reflection of me. Never forget that. If you think to embarrass me again, I’ll kill her.”

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Chapter 34DELILAH

Achill runs through me, freezing every ounce of blood in my veins. Xavier doesn’t so much as twitch. Not a muscle. Obviously, this isn’t the first time he’s dealt with his father threatening him.

“Is that all?” Xavier asks, his tone bland.

His father stares at him for a beat longer. Then his gaze shifts, zeroing in on the bathroom door. I freeze.

Xavier moves, blocking his father’s line of sight. His broad back conceals me, and I’m able to breathe easier.

“The summons,” the man says, his voice hard.

“What about it?”

“Read it,” his father orders.

Xavier’s cool expression remains. “I already know what it says.”

“Read it, son.”

I press my lips together, not understanding what’s happening. Without looking at his father, Xavier tears it open and pulls out a small slip of black paper. His expression remains unchanged, giving away nothing. Meanwhile, I’m standing with my mouth hanging open.

With an exhale, Xavier asks, “How long do I have?”

“Until the ceremony. It’ll add another feather to your wings.”

Xavier nods and places the slip of paper in his pocket. “I’ll get it done. Now get the fuck out.”

His father gives him a stiff nod and turns to leave, closing the door behind him. The silence is deafening. I watch through the small crack, waiting for Xavier’s reaction.

When he pivots, he’s calm and collected. The look in his eyes, however, is pure fire. “How much did you hear?”

I open the door, my cheeks heating. “Everything.”

“Good.”

I jerk back, surprised. He stalks toward me, his gaze focused, his mouth set in a hard line. His anger is a physical presence, swirling around him.

I swallow, my throat suddenly dry. “What's going on?”

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

I narrow my eyes. “That’s not good enough.”

“Delilah.”

“Xavier,” I say, imitating his tone.

“Don’t challenge me. Not right now.”

I lift my chin, unable to stop the small act of defiance. He shakes his head and grabs my hand, tugging me forward. He walks us back into the bedroom, the mattress dipping when he sits down and drags me onto his lap.

He slides his fingers around the nape of my neck, his thumb stroking the skin there. His touch is gentle. I hate it.

Well, I’m trying to hate it.

“Look at me,” he says, his voice quiet but firm.

I don’t comply. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“I have to leave, Delilah.”

I turn my head, my gaze colliding with his. “You’re leaving?” When he nods, panic expands in my chest, making it ache. “Someone just threatened to kill me, and you’re talking about leaving me here? Am I going to have to fend for myself? Or are you going to hand me over to another recruit?”

He growls, the sound deep and dangerous. It skitters along my skin, raising the tiny hairs. “No one will fucking touch you,” he says. “Especially not another recruit. I already told you: I don’t share.”

“But your father said⁠—”

“I won’t let that happen.”

I stare at him. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because the only way that’ll happen is if I’m dead.”

“What does that mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

“You’d die to protect me?”

He grips my neck, his finger digging into my skin. “I’d die for you, yes.”

“Don’t say shit like that.”

He arches a brow. “Why not?”

“Because you don’t even know me.”

He releases my neck to grab the hem of his shirt. I lean back and he lifts the material, exposing his chest. It’s the things wet dreams are made of.

There’s a scar on his shoulder, along with a tattoo of a bird perched on it. I’m no bird-ologist, but I guess it to be a falcon or maybe a hawk.

“Look,” he says, pointing to the scar. “This is from the knife wound you gave me three years ago.”

I stare down at the pale line on his skin, my mouth going dry. Guilt churns in my stomach, and I shove it away. He shouldn’t have been sneaking into the house.

But he did save me that night.

“What about it?” I ask.

“That’s how long I’ve been watching you. Since then, I’ve learned everything I could. Your likes and dislikes, your dreams and fears. Every important detail of your life, I know.”

I blink at him, trying to absorb his words. “Why would you do that?”

He lowers his shirt and places his hand on the back of my neck, gripping it again. The pressure is slight, but it has me leaning into him.

“Because,” he says.

“Not good enough, Xavier,” I say, throwing his words back in his face.

“Because I’m obsessed with you.”

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Chapter 35DELILAH

Xavier’s words echo in my head, filling the air with their significance. This is insane. He can’t be serious.

I open my mouth to call bullshit, but the look in his eyes stops me. There’s no humor, no teasing. Nothing except the truth.

I shift uncomfortably on his lap, and his gaze darkens. His fingers tighten around the back of my neck and he brings me closer, his face inches from mine.

“I told you before, you’re mine. The other recruits have never had the privilege of touching your body. I have. They’ve never tasted you. I have. And they sure as fuck haven’t heard the sound of you coming. But I have. That’s why I marked you. That’s why I’ll kill anyone who thinks they can take you from me. Do you understand, Delilah?”

I suck in a breath, his confession a jolt to my senses. “Xavier.”

He presses his forehead to mine and inhales. “Fuck, I love the way you say my name.”

“What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?”

“Be a good girl.”

“And if I’m not?”

“Then I’ll punish you.”

I blink at him, half turned on, the other half—the smarter one—apprehensive. “What about the other recruits? What will they do to me?”

“Nothing, if they know what’s good for them. All of the recruits took a vow of celibacy for our senior year, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t try other things with you. Things I’d kill them for. You have to be careful while I’m gone.”

“Xavier,” I whisper.

“Yes, bride?”

“Don’t leave me here alone.”

“You won’t be alone. June is here.”

June. I forgot all about my friend, which makes me a piece-of-shit human. My only consolation is that Xavier is a force of nature, one that destroys you before you have time to protect yourself.

I shake my head, my chest heavy. “She’s hurt and probably traumatized.”

“But not my girl.” He looks at me with pride, stroking my cheek. “I’m going to talk to Declan. He’ll watch over you while I’m gone. With him having his own bride, he’s the least likely to fuck you.”

“Benjamin can do it. Erm, I mean, watch over me, not the other thing.”

“Fuck no,” Xavier says, his tone sharp.

He tightens his hold on my neck to the point of discomfort. I try to pull away, but his grip is too strong, so I glare at him. Xavier only leans closer, his eyes narrowed.

“Never say another man’s name to me in my fucking bed.”

I swallow, my pulse pounding at the dangerous edge in his voice. “But he’s family.”

“I’m your family now, Delilah. It’s only a matter of time until your name matches mine.”

“You’re fucking crazy. And you need to let go of my neck. You’re hurting me.”

His fingers fall away, and I rub the ache in the column of my throat.

He watches the movement, his eyes darkening. “You have no idea what I want to do to you, do you?”

“No, and I don’t want to know.”

“Liar.”

“I don't know what your problem is, but I’m not letting go of Ben,” I say, desperate to change the subject.

“Your loyalty is one of my favorite things about you, but it’s misplaced. It belongs to me now.”

I roll my eyes. “Get fucked.”

“Careful, little raptor. That’s a very tempting offer.”

I scowl. “Ben⁠—”

“Enough,” he says. “I don’t trust Benjamin with you.”

My heart jumps, and I suck in a sharp breath. “Why? He’d never hurt me, unlike some people.” I give Xavier a pointed look.

“He wants to fuck you, Delilah.”

Denial is quick to rise, and I sputter. “No way. He sees me as a little sister. That’s it.”

“He does see you as someone precious, but he also wants to fuck you. He’s conflicted because you’re his foster sister. All you have to do is give him the slightest provocation, and he’ll fucking take it.”

“Are you talking from experience?”

“You’re my obsession,” he says, ignoring my question. “When it comes to you, I’m the furthest from immune.”

I stare at him, not sure what to make of that. He’s not making any sense. But that hasn’t stopped my heart from stuttering in my chest.

“I know for a fact that Ben feels the same way I do,” I say.

Xavier gives me an exasperated look. “He’s wanted to fuck you for three years. Maybe even longer. Trust me, he’ll take any chance he can to get close to you. Why do you think he chased you in the woods? He wanted you to be his bride, not mine.”

I scrutinize Xavier’s face, searching for lies, but there’s nothing. Nothing except a truth I’m not ready to accept.

“You’re wrong, and I’ll prove it to you,” Xavier says. “Has Benjamin ever touched you for longer than necessary under the guise of affection?”

“I—”

“Has he ever looked at you with longing and you mistook it for platonic love?”

“Wait.”

“Tell me, did he ever say something that could’ve held an underlying message?”

My stomach drops. I want to tell Xavier to go fuck himself, but his words have provoked my memory bank. Images from the past flit before my eyes of me and Ben.

The look in his eyes the night before he left for college. The way he said he wanted to kill Frank for me... I should have noticed sooner.

“No.” The denial holds no power. I shake my head as though it’ll clear my mind of the uncertainty plaguing me. “This isn’t how things are between us.”

“One final question. I know he sees you as something more, but do you see him as a brother?”

I clamp my lips, refusing to answer.

With his free hand, Xavier takes a strand of my hair and twists it around his finger. “A man who is in love with you, a man who has been a brother figure, or a man who is a member of the Order... which do you see?”

My chest rises and falls with every shallow breath. “Ben is my brother.”

“Is he, little raptor?” Xavier’s hand stills as if he’s desperate for my answer. “Don’t lie to me. Not about this.”

“Yes.” I glare at him. “I’ve never looked at Ben like that.”

“I love the way you look at me.” He releases his hold on my neck and strokes his finger along the bottom of my lip. “Like you want to kill me, but you want to fuck me as well.”

I don’t say anything. There are a million questions bouncing around in my head, but I can’t form a single word with Xavier gazing at me with hunger in his eyes. After being ignored and rejected by guys throughout high school, his attention is unnerving and exhilarating.

I’m addicted to the feeling of being wanted, something I never felt this intensely before. Even with Ben.

“He’s my brother,” I whisper. It’s the only bit of truth I’m willing to recognize. Everything else has major implications that’ll come with change. I don’t want to lose my relationship with Ben.

“He doesn’t see you in the same way.”

“I…” I close my mouth, unable to convince myself that Xavier’s wrong.

He drags his lips along my jaw. “He’ll fight me for you. And he’ll lose. I won’t hesitate to get rid of him.”

“Don’t hurt him.” When Xavier doesn’t readily agree, I lean back and squint at him. “Promise me?”

He presses his mouth to mine, stealing the rest of my plea. It’s a soft kiss, meant to comfort. And to remind me I’m his.

The gesture is too tender to be from a killer. My body remains stiff with reluctance as he coaxes me with every sweep of his lips and every caress to my skin. When I don’t give in, he cups the side of my face and angles my head to trace the seam of my mouth with his tongue.

I’m torn between fighting Xavier and losing myself in him.

“Promise me,” I repeat against his lips.

“That’s not a vow I’m willing to take, not if it keeps me from you.”

“If you hurt him, I’ll never forgive you.”

Xavier’s gaze hardens, a mixture of frustration and anger flitting across his face. He leans back as if my words have physically struck him.

“I see,” he says, his voice a whisper swallowed by the tension in the room. “I promise not to hurt him… unless your life is at stake.”

The heat of the moment dissipates as quickly as it arrived, replaced with a cold, stark reality. Xavier would kill someone I love to keep me alive. I could never choose myself over Ben, but Xavier would. Without hesitation.

“Okay,” I say.

My stomach knots as my voice hits the air. Deep down, I recognize I’ve pushed Xavier to his limit. His compromise in this situation might be the only security I can cling to.

The complexity of our relationship, bound by a contract but initiated years ago, is something I’m struggling to navigate. However, I can move forward knowing Ben is relatively safe from Xavier’s wrath.

As long as I don’t provoke it.

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