Текст книги "Vicious secrets"
Автор книги: Morgan Bridges
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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 18 страниц)
Chapter 26DELILAH
Un-fucking-believable.
Xavier and the other masked man engage in a struggle, each one trying to gain the upper hand, creating a window of opportunity for me. I sprint away from them, legs burning and lungs shuddering. The echoes of their fight follow me as I push through my discomfort and fear.
My muscles protest each step, and thorns from the underbrush cut my skin. A low-hanging branch scratches my cheek. All of these injuries are but a sample of the pain I’ll experience if I give up.
With each stride, I replay the recent interaction, all of my thoughts centered on Xavier. I recognized his voice. It’s haunted me since the other night in the parking lot when his body was pressed against mine and his whispered words grazed my ears.
I knew he was part of the fraternity, but to come face-to-face with him under these circumstances is something else entirely. Then for him to say I belonged to him while using that stupid nickname? There’s no doubt in my mind who he is.
He won’t catch me.
I force myself to go faster. The canopy of leaves overhead signals my lack of freedom. The edge of the forest can’t be too much further. I hope.
A quick glance over my shoulder reveals nothing but impenetrable darkness.
The idea of being caught makes me push my body to its limits. My chest heaves, the burning of my lungs searing me from the inside out. They spasm, robbing me of breath until I stagger, falling to my knees.
The hairpin lands in the grass beside me. I hang my head, gulping in air like a fish on land. My vision blurs with tears, and I blink them away. I can’t afford to cry, despite having every reason to.
When I lift my gaze, I gasp. The scream on my tongue never reaches the air. Xavier’s voice wraps around my throat like a fist, choking me.
“You’re beautiful on your knees, little raptor. Crawl to me and I might let you come.”
“Fuck you.”
His eyes brighten behind the mask. “That’s the idea.”
Adrenaline shoots straight to my heart. I grab the hair pin before jumping to my feet. Then I take a step back. He doesn’t follow. Instead, he stands there and watches me, his silver gaze gleaming with yearning. Is it pure lust, or is it something deeper? Something darker?
“Don’t touch me,” I say.
“When I catch you, I plan on doing more than that.”
“Not a fucking chance. You’ll have to force me.”
He stalks forward. “I’m happy to oblige.”
“X, wait!”
The voice, as familiar as my own, causes me to halt. I spin around to find Ben, his features hidden behind a mask with a black patch over the left eye. Xavier studies Ben while coming to stand in front of me, creating a barrier.
Is he trying to protect me from my foster brother?
“Ben,” I whisper, searching his gaze for tenderness, familiarity, something that’ll tell me the man I know and love is still there.
Xavier’s entire body goes rigid, his shoulders stiffening with ire right before my eyes. I peer around him to find Ben clenching his fists. Tension fills the air like a perfume spiced with contempt and violence.
“Delilah, you need to come with me,” Ben says. His tone is cold, but the urgency underneath prickles my skin. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“I don’t fucking think so.” Xavier’s voice cuts through the air. He reaches back and grabs my wrist, the warmth from his fingers seeping into my body as he pulls me to his side. “She’s mine.”
Ben’s eyes widen behind his mask. “Are you fucking serious, X? I asked you to watch over her, and now you think she’s yours?”
Xavier slides his hand from my wrist, along my arm, until he’s gripping the back of my neck in a show of possessiveness. His silence is a challenge, a refusal to yield. The dominance in his touch has my pulse racing quicker than when I was running at full speed.
Ben curses and reaches up to grip his mask, ripping it from his face. “Now that the Order knows about you, you’re in danger, Lilah. Come with me and I’ll keep you safe.”
“She’ll be safest with me,” Xavier says. He strokes the curve of my throat with his thumb. An awareness unfurls in my belly. I’m of half a mind to stab him just for that. “You know it’s true, Benjamin.”
“For the record, I don’t belong to either of you,” I say. I take a deep breath and gentle my voice. “Please let me go. Then I’ll be out of my contract and done with this bullshit.”
Both of them ignore me, their heated gazes locked on each other.
My foster brother extends his hand. “Come here, Delilah.”
Xavier squeezes my neck in warning. Instead of being pissed off, my body betrays me. I tell myself that my nipples hardened because of the cool night air. It can’t have anything to do with the man gripping me like I’m his actual bride.
When Ben takes a step toward us, Xavier lets out a growl and releases me, pushing me behind him. “I swear to fuck, if you come any closer, I’ll fight you for her. And we both know I’ll win.”
“Lilah,” Ben says, his expression pained, “please come here.”
“No.” My lips tremble, regret pricking my eyes with tears. “I can’t, Ben. I won’t let the Order control me. If you love me, let me go.”
Xavier angles his head to look back at me. “He does love you, little raptor. That’s the problem.”
“What?” My question is nothing more than a breeze, a whisper that hits Ben with the force of a hurricane. He averts his gaze, his mouth pinching. “Ben?”
“We can talk later,” he says. When he finally brings his eyes to mine, there’s a vulnerability in them that makes me want to weep. “Delilah, please.”
I take a step back. “I can’t do this.”
A whirlwind of emotion sweeps over me. The atmosphere is thick with unspoken words, hidden secrets, and danger. It coats my skin like fine mist, making me cold.
“I have to get out of here.”
Ben shouts my name as I turn and run, my hair pin clenched in my fist. Xavier responds with a taunt before the sounds of an altercation reach me. I grip my skirt and hike it up to free up my legs so I can run faster.
Once I can no longer hear the fighting behind me, the tears come.
They fall in a steady stream, blurring the trees around me. Roots and leaves crunch beneath my feet, the noise how I imagine my heart sounds as it breaks. I’m not even sure what I’m crying about, but the wind whips through my hair and carries my sobs away, slowly drying my cheeks.
The trees around me begin to thin in number and the canopy of leaves above me lessen, allowing moonlight to clearly light my path. Ahead is a clearing that could be the forest’s edge. The very thought of ending this nightmare has my steps quickening.
My breathing turns into wheezing that has me grimacing. My pulse hammers in my ears, each thump like a fist to my ribcage. I clutch my chest and pray I’m not having a heart attack.
Hope fills me the moment I realize I’ve almost reached the forest’s edge. A meadow stretches before me, offering safety from the darkness. The stars twinkle overhead, sparkling promises of freedom, making me smile.
Just as I’m about to burst through the final cluster of foliage, my sense of exhilaration fades.
Xavier stands there, arms folded, silver eyes narrowed on me.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t catch you?”
His deep, smooth voice has shivers dancing along my flesh. And warnings clanging in my head. I come to a hard stop, eyes wide and breaths ragged.
How can he be standing here when I left him behind with my foster brother?
I quickly scan the area, looking for him. “What did you do to Ben?”
My voice is shaky, fear coating it all over. Do I trust Xavier to tell me the truth? Do I even want to hear it?
“He’s fine.” Xavier waves a hand in dismissal. “Benjamin will be embarrassed when he wakes up because he got his ass handed to him, but that was inevitable. I’m not letting anyone get between us. Not even you.”
I squeeze my hair pin, finding little comfort in the bit of metal. Xavier has taken down two recruits in order to get to me. My chances of escaping him are laughable.
That doesn’t mean I’m going to give up.
“Come here, little raptor.”
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Chapter 27DELILAH
Idon’t move. I’m not sure I can.
“It wasn’t a request,” he says, his tone firmer than before.
“I’m still not coming.”
“You will be.”
He rips off his mask. With fear clawing at my insides, I dart to the side, attempting to slip past him.
Xavier moves with a speed that defies the laws of nature, intercepting my path effortlessly. Before I can process his nearness, he’s yanking my body against his, the hair pin flying out of my hand.
I slam into him, my back to his front, the scent of him flooding my nose. It’s like a secret in the dark, mysterious and alluring with a hint of citrus and leather.
The warmth from his body seeps through the thin fabric of my dress, his strength evident with every corded muscle that presses into my soft curves. He brushes his lips over the shell of my ear, and I stiffen in his embrace, preventing my body from melting into his. The traitorous bitch.
“You can’t escape me, no matter where you run,” he murmurs. “The Order can’t have you. And neither can your foster brother. You’re mine.”
His voice is a seductive purr. With each word, his breath fans over the sensitive skin of my neck, causing tingles to shoot through my body. He drags his hand up my spine until his fingers tangle in my hair, pulling my head back to rest against his shoulder. When he stares down at me, his eyes burn into mine, stealing the air from my lungs.
“Why?” I whisper.
“Because,” he says, his lips a mere inch from mine, “I’ve never wanted anyone more.”
With the moon hanging overhead and the stars as witness, Xavier sweeps his lips over mine. I tense, waiting for the brutality, for his kiss to be nothing more than a weapon. Instead, it’s an act of gentle persuasion, a subtle pleading that catches me off guard.
And it’s with complete reverence.
It’s in every point of contact, from his lips to his touch, a contrast to the harshness he’s always shown. This inconsistency surprises me, leaving me frozen. How can he threaten me in one breath and in the next treat me as if I’m precious?
He only kisses me once. Then he’s lifting his head before I’ve thought about pushing him away. He wraps his long fingers around my throat and brushes his thumb over my jaw, making my heart stutter in my chest.
“What was that for?” I ask, my words thin and airy.
“A test.”
I blink up at him in confusion. “For what?”
“Your response. Or lack thereof.”
“Listen, I do—”
He uses his hand on my throat to silence me. This time when he brings his mouth to mine, it’s different.
The kiss is possessive.
He sweeps his tongue over my bottom lip before darting it inside my mouth, laying claim to every inch.
I don’t even realize I’m kissing him back until he growls low in his throat and rubs his erection against me. He fists the material of my dress before his hand drifts downward…
I gasp at the feel of his fingers on my bare skin as they snake under my skirt. With the same gentleness as before, he trails the seam of my thighs before cupping me fully, his thumb pressing against my clit. Arousal sparks a flame inside that could burn me alive.
The intensity of my reaction causes me to rear back, breaking the kiss. He continues to hold my throat, forcing me to look up at him.
“Stop.” My voice is nothing more than a wheeze. He’s stolen my ability to breathe. To think. Unless it’s about him.
Through my panties, Xavier teases my clit with his thumb, making me clench my thighs. “I will… when you mean it.”
He pinches my clit. It’s the perfect combination of pleasure and pain. I groan. The sound is one of submission, and a plea for more.
“Good girl.” He dips his hand inside my panties, rubbing my tender flesh. “Keep being honest with me, and I’ll give you anything you want. You’re mine. Your body knows it, and your mind will, too. That’s my vow to you, bride.”
I shake my head and pull at his grip on my neck. It doesn’t budge. If anything, he tightens it.
I glare at him. “You’re fucking crazy.”
“And you’re dripping for me.” He presses harder, making me writhe. “Tell me who owns this pussy, and I’ll let you come.”
I shake my head in rebellion, even as my body hums for him.
He dips his head and grazes his teeth over the shell of my ear, nipping at the sensitive skin. “Deny it all you want, but this,” he presses his thumb hard against my clit as I suck in a breath, “belongs to me. Now, you’re going to prove it to both of us. Be a good girl and come for me.”
He tightens his fingers on my neck before working me harder and faster. My body trembles, a physical response to how much his touch affects me. When he grips my throat to the point I can’t draw breath, panic combines with the pleasure, heightening all my senses.
I reach up and yank on his hand to release me even as my orgasm builds. Xavier doesn’t move. He grips me harder, making dots appear before my eyes.
“Shh. Trust me.” He presses a kiss to my temple, a gesture so tender at odds with him choking me. “I’m thirsty, Delilah. I want to you fucking drench my hand.”
My vision blurs from the lack of oxygen, but my need to come has never been clearer. That doesn’t stop my instincts from taking over. I know I’m drawing blood from him as I claw at his hand, trying to wrench it from throat.
Something about the violence spurs him on. As it does to me.
Xavier bites down on my ear, and the pain is the catalyst that sends me over the edge. Only then does he release his hold on my neck, allowing me to suck in a breath. So I can scream.
And come.
Hard.
“Such a good fucking girl,” he rasps against my ear, grinding his cock into my ass.
I buck my hips as wave after wave of ecstasy rolls through me. The pleasure is so intense, my legs shake uncontrollably, and I collapse. The only thing keeping me upright is Xavier’s hand on my pussy. He continues to stroke me, his touch prolonging the high, wringing out every bit of my release until I slump against him, still trembling.
The entire time, he murmurs words of praise. It’s the tenderness in his voice that has me looking up at him. The expression on his face is a mixture of arrogance and awe. I can handle his ego. It’s the amazement that throws me.
No one’s ever looked at me like they wanted to worship and fuck me at the same time.
“What are you staring at?” I snap.
“My bride.”
“I’m not your fucking bride. I don’t belong to anyone, least of all you.”
Xavier reaches out and brushes his knuckles across my cheek, the gesture almost affectionate. He removes his other hand from my panties and holds it in front of my face. It glistens with my cum.
He leans forward to lick the entire length of his palm. Slowly and thoroughly. When I imagine his tongue on my clit, I flinch in shame at the renewed desire pooling in my belly.
“So fucking good,” he says with a groan. “I’ll never forget the way you taste. Now that I know, I’ll crave it.”
I squeeze my thighs together, still feeling the effects of my orgasm. And his words. They shock me, scandalize me. And make me burn. I want to hate him and myself, but I’m too lethargic, too satisfied to care.
“Open,” he commands.
I part my lips. My obedience is immediate. I blame my bewildered state on him and how he took control over my body. He’s right: I didn’t want him to stop.
Before I can close my mouth, his fingers slip inside, and I taste myself on his skin. He growls in my ear, the sound full of praise and frustration. After removing his fingers, he grabs my jaw and crushes his lips to mine, making me taste myself on his tongue.
The salty taste is a reminder of what just happened, of the pleasure I experienced. And the weakness I showed.
I shove him away. Surprisingly, he lets me go. When I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, he grins.
“Delilah—”
“Get fucked.”
He chuckles, the sound a rumble in his chest. “I’ll take that as an invitation for another round.”
I flick my gaze to the clearing. Freedom is so close I can feel it, but I have no idea how to get there with Xavier in my way. After what I let him do, after the way he made me feel, he’s more dangerous than the Order.
“Don’t even think about it,” he says. “If you run, I’ll catch you. And this time when I do, you won’t be the only one who comes.”
I shiver at his threat, at the intensity in his words. As well as the truth behind them. “You're an asshole.”
“Yeah, a horny one, thanks to you.” He adjusts his cock, and I stare, unable to help myself. When he catches me watching, he smirks. “Don’t worry, little raptor, soon enough you’ll know what it feels like to have it fill that tight pussy of yours.”
My mouth goes dry. I want to tell him to go to hell, but my voice deserts me. I don’t want to think about why that is.
I avert my gaze. The clearing is so close. If I could just slip past him, this would all be over. But there’s no way he’d let me. This man is too determined. And powerful. That only leaves me with one choice.
“Let me go,” I say, softening my voice. “Please.”
He shakes his head. “Never.”
“Why are you doing this? What does any of this have to do with the fraternity?”
“This isn’t about them. It’s about you.”
I blink up at him, confused. “Me? How?"
“I’ll explain everything later. But right now, you need to understand that I’m the only one who can protect you.”
I shake my head, unable to wrap my mind around his words. “I don't want your help.”
“I know. You want your freedom. However, you need my protection, even if you don’t want it. The Order has made you a person of interest, or else you wouldn’t be part of this ceremony for the recruits. The only way you’ll get your freedom is through me.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
He shrugs. “It will.”
“So, you’re saying I’m stuck with you?”
He nods, a smile curling his lips. “Until death do us part, bride.”
I lift my chin. “My contract is only for a year.”
“For now.”
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Chapter 28DELILAH
Xavier grips my arm and hauls me against him. I slam into his body, the contact jarring me. Before I can recover, he reaches down to retrieve his mask and shoves it in his back pocket.
Then he takes off.
My feet trip over each other as he drags me with him. I look back at the tree line, my eyes pricking with unshed tears. Part of me still wants to try to get away from Xavier, from this messed-up situation. But his threat to fuck me still rings in my ears.
I immediately push that image away. As well as what transpired between us. The only thing that matters now is figuring out how to get Xavier to release me from my contract. If I’m to be his bride, then he’s the only one who can help me now.
“Are you taking me to the frat house?” I ask.
He corrects me with a chilling finality. “The altar. It’s where the recruits take their brides to complete the ceremony.”
“Like a wedding?” I dig my heels in the dirt, but it’s useless. Xavier never breaks his stride. His determination is relentless, his grip unyielding. “I was told this wasn’t a real marriage.”
“It’s not.”
“Then what is this ceremony for exactly?” I ask.
He doesn’t respond immediately, and every ounce of nervousness in my stomach twists into a ball. From what I can tell, he’s been honest with me so far. Blunt and crude is more accurate. Then why is he hesitating?
He glances over at me, silver eyes glittering in the night. “The ritual symbolizes our commitment to the Order, in the same way the bride will be faithful to her recruit. It’s a binding ceremony, a pledge of loyalty witnessed by all. Once you’re mine, no one can touch you without my permission.”
“Without your…?” I scrunch my face in confusion and irritation. “Are you saying other men will touch me if you let them? What about my fucking permission?”
He slows his steps to turn and face me. I stare up at him, my chin lifted. His eyes darken and the expression on his face hardens, weakening my mental armor.
“No one will fucking touch you, with or without your permission,” he says, his tone cold yet heated at the same time. “Not if they want to live.”
My pulse quickens at the fury in voice and the threat of violence behind it. The blatant possessiveness has my body responding before I can stop it. My breath hitches, and my breasts rise as my nipples harden.
It pisses me off.
“Lucky for you, little raptor, I’m not the sharing kind.”
“I think you’ve made that clear.”
He tilts his head. “Have I? Good.”
Xavier releases my wrist before grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers. I drop my gaze to our joined hands, my lips thinning. This is the way a boyfriend might show affection to his girl, a small physical intimacy that announces to the world that they’re a couple.
I might be called a bride, but we are not together.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Xavier pulls me forward and deeper into the forest. Ahead is nothing but darkness occasionally pierced by the moonlight. We walk in silence, but my thoughts are loud.
What is he going to do to me?
I steal a glance at him before averting my gaze. His face is a mask of concentration that gives me no insight to what he’s thinking. I tell myself I don’t want to know, but it’s a lie.
He fascinates me. In some twisted way, this man with his tenacity and arrogance has piqued my curiosity. I want to know why he’s so intent on having me. Is this just about sex? Power? Or both?
Nerves ripple along my arms and up my throat, making my lips part. “Are you going to rape me?” I blurt out.
Xavier stops and whips around to face me. “Is that what you think?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what to think.”
He studies me for a moment, his gaze digging into my soul. “No, Delilah. I’ll never rape you. When it comes to sex, you will choose me.”
I jerk back, tugging on our joined hands. He tightens his grip and pulls me closer. I glare up at him.
“No, I won’t.”
“Yes, you will.”
“How can you be so sure?”
He leans down and places his lips next to my ear, and his warm breath skims the side of my neck. I resist the shiver his nearness creates.
“How do I know?” he murmurs. “Because the cum on my hand tells me so.”
My face heats, and the sensation spreads to the rest of my body. I can still taste his kiss, feel his touch on my skin. On my clit.
I squeeze my thighs together, hoping my skirt hides the telltale movement. “Are you using me for some weird kink?”
“No.” He gazes down at me and slowly shakes his head. “This isn’t just a kink.”
“Then what is it?”
“A need.”
His tone is soft, but his admission is like a slap in the face. I stand there with my lips parted in surprise while my mind tries to make sense of what he just told me. Is this just a sexual need?
Or does he need me?
“We’re almost there,” Xavier says.
I squint, not recognizing the trees in front of me. That isn’t surprising, considering I ran through the forest like a bat out of hell.
All for nothing.
Tears of frustration gather in my eyes at my failure.
He stops and releases my hand to put his mask back on. I watch him, silently debating whether or not to make a run for it. It’s a stupid thought, but I can’t help it.
I’m so fucking scared. Of everything. Him. The order. The ceremony.
If I try to escape, Xavier will catch me. And then he’ll fuck me with everyone listening. Or even watching. I don’t want my first time to be like that.
“Listen carefully,” he says. He stares down at me, the slashes on his mask making my stomach churn with foreboding. “The recruits want to see you suffer. They get off on that shit. Especially the council member. Everyone saw the fight in you, and now they want to watch you break. Don’t give them the satisfaction.”
I narrow my gaze, tears long gone. “I heard your leader say that my behavior is a reflection on you. Is that why you’re telling me? So I don’t make you look bad?”
“No. I don’t give a fuck what they think.”
“Then why?”
He steps closer. “This is a test, and the Order expects you to fail. They want your fear,” he says.
“And what do you want?”
“Everything else.”
My breath hitches. Just as I’m about to ask him the question burning on my tongue, he takes my hand in his. The feel of his touch breaks my concentration.
What is it about him that has my mind going blank and my body becoming alert?
A woman’s scream shatters the night, echoing in the trees like the wail of an ambulance siren. The agonizing sound is immediately followed with masculine cheers and clapping. My heart slams against my ribcage. Was that Brenda or June crying out?
Xavier doesn’t so much as flinch. He squeezes my hand. I can’t tell if it’s a warning or to comfort me.
He pulls me behind him while anxiety claws at my insides. The trees around us create a wall of black spikes, their trunks covered in shadow. Too soon, the clearing comes into view, along with the recruits.
And the altar.
It’s a rectangular slab of stone. Possibly marble or granite, a dark gray speckled with silver and black flakes. Moss covers the base and the sides, hiding the weathered edges and some of the intricate carvings of long-forgotten symbols. Adjacent to it stands a single brazier, wrought from iron, its curved design hinting at ancient elegance. Smoldering embers cast an eerie glow upon the altar’s surface.
And June.
The sight of my friend lying on top of it almost makes me vomit. She sobs uncontrollably, her entire body shaking as though she’s having a seizure. The flames from the brazier dance on her tear-stained cheeks and torn dress, etching a haunting sorrowful portrait of her distress and suffering.
The recruit with the checkered mask standing directly behind the altar extends a hand to June. His masked face conceals whatever thoughts lie behind the cold demeanor that lines his shoulders. When she doesn’t take his hand, he reaches for her, assisting her down with his arm wrapped around her waist.
June stands on shaky legs and her hair sways back and forth like a curtain in a breeze. She clings to him, her sobs gradually subsiding as he whispers in her ear and she regains some semblance of composure. However, her tearful gaze never leaves the recruit.
“Votum meum tibi,1” he says, looking directly at the cloaked leader.
The council member nods in approval at the recruit. “Votum tuum receptum est.2”
The rest of the young men stand at a distance in a semi-circle, watching the exchange with rapt attention. I scan the crowd, searching for Ben. Once I find him, I can’t stomach looking at my foster brother anymore. He can’t help me now.
I keep my gaze on June as she’s led back to the group of recruits. Brenda lies on the ground at the feet of the guy with the dotted mask. Her expression is blank, as though she’s crawled so far into the recesses of her mind that she’s not mentally present. My heart breaks all over again.
I’m so happy I stabbed that motherfucker. And that he didn’t catch me.
He stands with his arms crossed, his gaze narrowed on Xavier. Then it shifts to me. And flashes with something malicious.
I return his stare. The hatred in his eyes drills into me from across the clearing, making my legs shake underneath my skirt. Even so, I don’t stop glaring at him. Instead, I pull on my rising anger and shield myself with it.
The cloaked leader claps slowly, breaking our staring contest. The man gestures to the empty altar with an outstretched hand and I gulp.
“The second bride has been claimed and branded to serve as a reminder of the power that binds them,” he says. “Only one remains.”
Xavier’s grip on my hand tightens when the leader looks in our direction. The man’s face might be covered with a mask, but I can feel the anticipation rolling off of him in waves. They crash into me, weakening my resolve.
Well, fuck this guy.
Xavier leans down, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s time.”
1 My vow to you.
2 Your vow is accepted.
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