Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
I’ve heard that name before. “Atticus is in Fraternitas?”
“Yes. And a member of Club Empire. It’s a sex club St. James owns.”
“Sex club?”
“Yes.” He fixes the bed and lies down, pulling me on top of him. He doesn’t allow me free rein to touch him, but he seems to love this. He sighs deeply as my weight settles on him.
Honey told me a bit about Club Empire. I want to ask all the questions. “Are you a member of the sex club?”
“Yes.”
“Can we go?”
He just smiles. I pout at him, and he chuckles. “Of course. Why do you think I’m training you?”
“Hmm. So you’re going to train me to be good for you, then you’ll take me to the sex club to show me off.”
“Yes.”
I should be happy. I am happy. This is what I wanted: more chances to gather intel about Fraternitas.
But why does my stomach twist, knowing he’s training me because he thinks of me as a pet, not an equal? It’s not like I actually want to lose myself in being his sub. Why do I want to pretend it’s real?
“Who is St. James?” I ask.
“Another one of my brothers. You met him and the Devil that day we came to sign the contract with your father.”
“He’s in charge.”
“The Devil’s in charge. St. James is the power behind the throne.”
I file this away. There’s so much I don’t know and so much I need to know.
Kaiser strokes my forehead, smoothing out the lines there. He smirks like he knows my brain is working overtime, but otherwise, he has a contented look on his face. I smile to myself, knowing I did that. I put that look on his face.
“I met Jaeger today.”
“I know. You’d like his woman, Elodie. She’s in college, too. Taking classes at NRU.”
“Really? Can I meet her?”
“Soon.”
Yay! “Are you and your brother close?”
“Yes. Growing up, we had to be. He had my back and I had his.”
“And now? He said you live near each other.”
“I have a place in the same building as his and Elodie’s penthouse, yes. But my place is here. With you.”
I blink at that. His voice is serious, like he’s making a promise. I lean back so I can study his face. He might just be talking about where he lives, but I hear a deeper meaning. Has his loyalty shifted?
No, it’s too soon. He’s talking about his home. His priorities. But it’s a start.
I’ll take it.
He runs a finger down my cheek. “I ruined your makeup.”
“That’s okay. I wanted you to.” My skin is taut under the mess he made of my cheeks, the smeared mascara drying with my tears. “Why do you think I wore it?”
“My sweet bride,” he sounds like he’s falling asleep. I smile to myself.
The poison is working.
“Goodnight, husband,” I test it out.
He doesn’t respond. He’s out.
In a moment, I’ll put my head down and rest. For now, I want to study the way the golden candlelight outlines his perfect face.
23
Kaiser
* * *
Bella’s up to something. She’s pliant and eager, as if resigned to her fate.
I don’t trust it. But I can’t keep my hands off her.
It’s not just sexual. Every time we’re in the same room, I have my hands on her. My hand at the small of her back, guiding her. On the back of her neck, massaging the tight muscles until she relaxes.
In the morning, I brush her hair and dress her like she’s my little doll. In the afternoon, after her classes, we watch a terrible vampire show together while I rub her feet. After an episode or two, I lie down and set her on top of me, so she can grind her pussy on me. Even fully clothed, she can come like that, with me goading her.
“I want it inside me,” she whines.
“Not yet, little bride.” I pinch her nipples, enjoying her pout.
“You’re going to make me wait until marriage?” She sounds aghast.
“Maybe,” I say, to torture her. “Maybe I’m old-fashioned.”
She snorts.
“Maybe I don’t want to hurt you.” But I do hurt her, pinching her nipples to make her rock faster.
Before we’re married, I intend to make her come in every room of this house.
Fuck her on every rug. Prop her legs over the arms of every chair and eat her out.
Press her face into each window while I rail her from behind.
But I’m taking it easy. Going slowly. Putting her through her paces.
“You’re kind of gentle with me,” she says one night after a long scene. “You don’t really hurt me.”
I stroke her silky hair. “You don’t need pain.”
“You don’t like inflicting pain. You think it makes you a bad person. A lot of doms think that.” She’s so solemn as she tells me about the articles on dom drop she’s been reading. “You don’t have to hold back, Kaiser. You can punish me.” She reaches up, tentatively, to touch my hair. I allow it for a few seconds before capturing her hand and pressing a kiss to the palm.