Page 15

Lucas’ hands cup my face, drawing me to him for a soul-deep kiss. Then he’s gripping the backs of my thighs and lifting me, my legs wrapping tightly around his hips. He carries me to my bed and stretches over me when the mattress presses against my back.

The sweet hum of the books from my personal collection twists beautifully with the soft gasps of our breaths and the rustling of the sheets as we tangle together in slow, lingering kisses. I suck on Lucas’ thumb with a breathy moan when he slips it past my lips while he trails open-mouth kisses down my center, my thighs spreading to give him room. He kisses my pussy, nuzzling with a deep inhale before licking. I bite his thumb, arching and wrapping my legs around his head.

My body thrums with a mind-numbing pleasure with each soft swipe of his tongue, as if it’s forgotten about all the sex we had before falling asleep. I snarl my fingers in his hair, vibrating when he tilts his head to get a different angle.

I choke on my breath. “Yes! Just like that.”

He hums, his honey eyes sliding up my body to watch me while he slowly licks again. I jolt and hold him tighter to me. My heart aches with the desire that shines in his eyes, the huffs of breath against me as he savors each lick. The hooking sweeps of his tongue make me throb and my thighs melt as I moan, “Lucas…”

“You’re so beautiful, Tor. I love how you’re soft like this because of me.”

My response is drowned out by a gasp when his hand slides down my body until he slips his wet thumb inside me. I tremble, hips undulating desperately when he doesn’t move, leaving it resting there to drive me wild. My entrance lights up with aching desire, and I ride his thumb, head thrown back with my mouth stretched open to whine with each roll of my hips. Lucas moans, the vibrations sending my frenzy to its peak when he licks then softly closes his lips on my clit. My eyes snap open with the throb of pleasure. My thighs spread wide, and I nearly scalp him when my back arches off the bed. The intensity of the orgasm collides into me with a mind-numbing wave. I sob his name and rock my hips to drag the pleasure out more and more, but it’s not enough.

“Please, Lucas,” I pant. “Please. I need… I need…”

He kisses my pussy, and I shiver when he speaks against me. “Whatever you want, Tor. Anything.”

My eyes squeeze shut and I swallow painfully, my head tilting back. He crawls up me, and my hand fisting his hair drags him up faster. His hot body covers me, his heat warming me, but there’s something within me that recoils from the pressure. My brows tighten, and I pull him into a deep kiss, licking into him to taste myself. He shivers, gasping, and rolls submissively onto his back when I push forward. My thighs frame his hips and I draw him up to sitting. His large hands slide up my body when he obeys, his rough calluses and sharp edges of his rings scraping against my skin deliciously.

I groan, lifting up and sinking deep onto his thick cock, my eyes rolling back with the shivers of pleasure that ripple through me. “Your cock is criminal.” I groan, my hips rolling so every aching spot his thumb ignited within me is satisfied. “I’m becoming addicted to it.”

Lucas grins and trails kisses up my neck, my head tilting back to give him more access. “Use me, Torment. Whatever you want. I’m yours.”

Something dark and delicious licks up my center, my eyes becoming hooded. My hips lift and roll, over and over, that thick head of his sending sparks of pleasure until it’s like a thunderstorm. I slam down harder, faster, my eyes closing. His strong hands sink into my hips and I whimper, our lips brushing. His desperate moan, his tightening hands, have my eyes opening again. His magic is all around, and the sweetness mixes with the mouthwatering scent of his skin. His eyes are practically golden like my flames, and he smiles as bright and beautiful as his magic. I shiver, spasming when a tightness within me finally loosens. “Lucas.”

His smile widens. “I love you, Tor.”

I choke on my breath, my pace faltering with the crash of overwhelming feeling. My eyes burn. I bite my lip, but the pain doesn’t help to anchor my mind. I fall deep into this sensation, and I nearly pull away, terrified. But I don’t allow myself. Not this time. I gaze deep into his eyes and feel this terrifying new sensation. But I’ve felt this way before. It’s familiar in a way that almost breaks me.

“I’ve got you, Tor.” Lucas’ gentle words have my muscles going loose, and I collapse against him. He kisses along my shoulder. “That’s it. Just relax. I’ll give you what you need. I promise.”

“Lucas,” I beg his name, my arms trembling around his shoulders. Something slithers around my thighs and I tilt my head enough to see what it is. Gold threads spill from his glowing rings, the tendrils sending a shivering vibration that hums through my muscles to my bones. My eyes roll back in a moan when they loop around me. Lucas moves me up and down on his cock like a puppet. Oh hell, I’m practically sobbing with each stroke, sending my pleasure skyrocketing.

Lucas’ lips brush along my neck, his freed hands stroking me slowly, covetously while his threads resume my previous pace. I throb around his cock with a building tempo. His mouth finds my ear to murmur, “I will never stop loving you. No matter how much you test me. No matter what you do. I will always come back.” I whimper as he whispers against my lips, “Now come for me because I know you love me too.”

“Lucas!” I sob. My orgasm hits me so hard that I thrash against his threads, but they don’t give me an inch of escape. The sensation amps me higher and higher as his hips rock against me, keeping my orgasm rolling through me. I swear tears slide down my face as the intensity cracks open my freshly healed soul.

I’m twitching and whimpering. This ache in my chest is overwhelming, and all I can do is grip him as he holds me.

I catch my breath and beg one more time. “Harder, Lucas. I need it. Please. I need it.”

I viciously drag him up by his hair to kiss me. Thank all the nonexistent arachnid gods, he understands how I need him. His strong arms wrap around me when his back flops against the mattress, bringing me down with him.

Then his feet plant on the mattress and he slams into me hard, fast. I cry out against our kiss, writhing in his hold. I snap my hips down to meet him in a clapping force. A pulse rocks me, building me faster and faster. We kiss and kiss in the quiet glow of my bedroom, and I sob, tears pouring from my eyes. It’s a release I needed, that he knew I needed. I beg deeper and he goes deeper, gripping my hips in a bruising force that I revel in. He goes harder when I demand because it feels so fucking good, and I spasm with another surge of pleasure.

But something is missing. Something that brings on a fresh wave of tears when the memories of another body flood me. It’s so real, as if my grief summoned Valen back to my bedroom. I can almost feel his naked body pressing against my back as I arch into the empty air with a sob. His hands glide up my sides to cup my breasts, and I shift my weight to one arm so I can grip and squeeze myself. It’s not enough.

Lucas, my sweet, kind Lucas, guides me so he can kiss and lick my breasts. I cry out, hips shivering, memories of Lucas cupping and presenting the same nipple to Valen’s mouth while we were in Nora’s spare bedroom flooding me. I convulse, my pussy tightening around Lucas, and he moans, the vibrations amping me higher.

My knees slide wider, giving Lucas more space to thrust up harder and harder as I throb, imagining Valen’s knees being the ones to spread me.

“Oh, fuck…” I gasp, eyes squeezed shut as I fall into the madness of this fantasy, reveling in the surging pleasure and pain.

Valen’s lips brush my ear. “You’re making such a mess, Astoria.” His long fingers feel how wet I am, stroking Lucas’ soaked cock until the man shivers, his hips vibrating under Valen’s touch. Valen’s wet fingers glide up. “Do you miss me that much?” Then his fingers brush my ass, pressing until I open for him.

I scream out so loud that the bed vibrates with the pulse of power that expels with it. I snatch Lucas’ hand, wrenching it from my hip. I shift until I can press his fingers against my aching ass. Lucas gasps, gathering my wetness just like I imagined Valen doing, and slips his thick finger in. I can almost hear Valen’s sinful whisper, “So hungry, Astoria. Let’s fill you up.”

I come so hard that I’m practically ruined. The memory of Valen’s lips ghost up my neck for a dark laugh to vibrate in my ears. Lucas growls my name, and I clench him with a deep moan.