“It’s beautiful,” I said honestly, and Alois hummed in approval before grasping my left hand and sliding the band onto my ring finger. The metal was cool against my heated skin, but I felt no nefarious properties within it.
“Now, everyone will know you’re mine,” he said possessively.
“I think they’ll know that anyway, Alois. I highly doubt you’ll let anyone so much as look at me before they’re fully aware of who I am to you,” I said dryly, and a manic grin spread across Alois’ face.
His hands came up to grasp my face, his heavy palms resting against my cheeks, before he lowered his mouth slowly to mine, claiming my lips in a sudden kiss. I tensed and my hands rose to push him away, disgust roiling my stomach. Instead, I fisted them in his shirt and forced the bile back down.
By any means necessary.
A small chuckle escaped Alois’ mouth as he teased at my lips, asking them to part. I opened and allowed his tongue to explore. I’d only ever kissed Torin before and wasn’t sure if that was even real, or if I’d imagined the whole exchange.
This kiss, though, this was real. Alois’ lips were hot against my own, his tongue skilled as he deftly plundered my mouth before nipping slightly at my bottom lip. For the most part, I went along for the ride before tentatively tangling my tongue with his. Alois groaned before pulling back and kissing me chastely once more.
"I would like to continue this back in the manor,” he whispered into my neck. “I’d rather not fuck my wife in Fate’s temple.”
He wants to fuck me.My blood ran cold at the thought.
My heart thundered as I froze, caught between two choices. My lack of voice and continued silence caused Alois to slump slightly, his hands unwinding from my hair and back.
“I understand,” he said lowly, attempting to pull from my embrace. But, for whatever reason, I couldn’t stand the loss of him, couldn’t stand him disappointed.
If fucking him gives you more freedom, more choices—then that’s what you do. By any means necessary.
I sighed into his tunic as Alois’ arms wrapped loosely around my lower back.
“Okay.” I nodded into his chest and felt him stiffen beneath me. His hands slowly pried me from his chest so he could stare into my eyes.
“Say that again,” he commanded, and I obeyed. How could I not? He owned me completely.
“Okay, yes,” I said again, and a feral grin broke out over his face.
“Then let’s go home, wife,” Alois growled, sweeping me from the room.
Chapter 13
Ellowyn
What have I just agreed to?
The thought plagued me our entire way back to the manor and up to Alois’ room. The trek was fraught with silence—Alois snuck heated looks at me the entire trip, which caused me to internally squirm under his gaze.
By any means necessary.
I fought down rising bile when his hand found my waist at some point. Alois’ palm was heavy and warm against my lower back as he led me up the stairs to the third floor, bypassing his personal guards as he unlocked the door.
“You’re dismissed for the evening,” he called behind his shoulder as he ushered me into his sitting room. The guards bowed slightly before leaving their positions, the doorthunkingclosed before they were even out of sight.
Alone in his room together, I fiddled with my hands and the new ring on my finger, unsure what to do or how to even progress. We both knew what I was here for, what would inevitably transpire tonight, but I had little idea how to initiate.
If I thought my experience with intimacy as a Bond Specialist in Hestin would prepare me for this moment, I was sorelymistaken. Stroking a man’s cock or helping to lubricate a woman’s pussy to facilitate sex between two other people was a different beast entirely. It was clinical, almost.
This, though, would be anything but.
I turned from the door, my eyes bouncing from one item to the next, never truly cataloging what I was seeing as my heart pounded at the base of my throat. My palms grew slick and my breathing increased as I felt Alois move, the warmth of his body preceding his presence.
Firm hands grasped my upper arms before he buried his face in my neck.
“You smell like the lavender fields native to your homeland,” he mumbled, and I tensed at his touch.
