She keened as his words shredded her soul. An argument refused to come out, instead tears gushed forth from her eyes. She couldn’t stand the hatred that seethed from him; his eyes that once looked at her with such adoration, with a love that she had never known, now regarded her with something else. And she felt the loss. A love she had dreamed of her whole life now hovered beyond her straining fingertips, just out of reach. The darkness brewing behind his eyes now sent a chill deep into her core. She bolted forward, dropping her blanket as she pushed past him and ran for the door.
“Nora, wait! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it,” he said, catching her by the arm.
“Let me go!” she cried, struggling from his grasp.
“Nora, please. I shouldn’t have said that. Please, don’t go.”
His hands gripped her shoulders tight, holding her firmly in place while she struggled to free herself. He pushed her back to the wall, cold stone poking through her dress and scraping at her skin.
“I’m sorry, Nora. I didn’t mean it.”
“Didn’t you, Viktor?” She found the words and met his eyes. “You did mean it. And it’s true. It’s all true. Every word. The only part you got wrong is why I sold myself to Cuddy. Why I lay beneath him in tears night after night, enduring the abuse that follows each time I tell him I’m not pregnant. I didn’t do it for me. I did it for my family.”
“What?” His eyes searched hers.
“I grew up poor, Viktor. My father was a cobbler, my mother his assistant. She fell ill years ago. She was so sick and so weak that my father spent all his time taking care of her. They fell behind on bills. He lost his shop, and soon my three older sisters and I were barely surviving. My family was starving, ready to be cast out onto the streets. To keep us safe, my two oldest sisters had resolved themselves to begin prostitution to keep us alive. It was then that Baron Aberdeen saw me on a day I was selling flowers in the market. His wife had died, and he was looking for a new one. He was ensnared by my looks and offered marriage when I refused to lay with him unwed. He called in some favors, had me titled and a new identity created so no one would know he was marrying a peasant. As long as I am married to him, my family is fed and cared for. Should I leave him, they will all be cast back to the streets with nothing.”
Viktor stared at her, shock and sympathy filling his eyes. “Nora,” he whispered, his fingers brushing a tear from her cheek.
“So yes, Viktor. You are correct. I am a prostitute, though I can honestly say I never thought of myself that way until today. But better me laying with one horrible man night after night, than my sisters and I laying with stranger after stranger, for pennies rather than the kind of money that keeps them all fed and safe. If there was another way to keep my family fed, I would do it in an instant. Since that isn’t going to happen, I will deny my heart, the feelings I have for you, and I will rip myself away and return to my prison. Just know, it’s not because I’m choosing money over you, it’s because I will not see my family starve for my own personal happiness.”
Emotions held captive to her resolution broke free. The pain of her situation finally washed over her. The dreams she gave up, the torture she endured, the love she would never know... things she had forced into a dark place in her heart, ripped through her as she let them free.
His other hand clutched her face, tipping her chin up to meet his protective stare. “I am so sorry, Nora. I had no idea. I misjudged you, and for that you have my deepest apologies. I cannot imagine what you have been through, what you have sacrificed, and how you have done it for the love of your family. You are a hero, a true warrior, and someone I will die to protect. I won’t send you back to him. You are safe now. With me.”
“Viktor,” she said, voice cracking while she struggled for words. “I want to be with you, more than anything. But I can’t. I need to see my family provided for.”
“And I will, Nora. I will take care of you all. Do you trust me?”
Her eyes searched his face. Only love and devotion radiated back at her. She swallowed hard and nodded. “I trust you.”
“I love you, Nora, and I will do anything to see you freed from your prison. To have the life you deserve.”
“Viktor,” she gasped, her breath catching in her throat as his lips captured hers. Strong hands grasped her cheeks and pressed her hard into the wall. Their tongues collided as bodies melted, a whirlwind of emotions unleashing beneath his touch. Her own hands reached out, a desperation in her fingertips as she slid them across his chest, the thin fabric of his shirt clutched in her fist while she pulled him in closer. She gasped when his lips pulled from hers, the sweetness of his breath still lingering on her tongue. He towered over her, a look in his eyes burning through her, exposing her in a way she’d never experienced before.
His eyes fell to her breasts, heaving with her quickened breaths. She swallowed hard as his fingers moved to her neck, tracing their way down to the mounds held fast by her corset. Her skin burned in their wake, begging them to come back, yet urging them lower where the ache grew between her legs. His fingers found the ties that held her corset, his eyes meeting hers while he worked the knot, easing it open. One pull at a time, she felt the strings loosen, her breasts screaming to be free as he pulled the string through the last eyelet. Her corset fell open, and only her thin white dress stood between them.
She followed his gaze to the outline of her pert nipples that showed beneath the translucent fabric. She watched his hands reach out, one finger sliding across the peak that screamed for his touch. The sensation sent her head backward and left her gasping beneath his caress. A slow, methodical finger drawing circles around her nipple, coaxing it to harden to a magical place where pleasure mixed with pain. He leaned forward, his tongue tracing its way up her exposed neck, his lips finding their way to hers.
She moaned into his mouth, his finger continuing its tantalizing touch, the heat between her legs growing with each circle. To be touched this way, gently and with love and passion, was unfamiliar to her. A single tear slipped down her cheek and she gave in to the emotions he evoked with his tender touch. His lips slipped away, his tongue sliding down her neck to the crease between her breasts. With a passionate moan, she pressed deeper into the wall.
She felt his hands pulling her dress down beneath her breasts, the chill in the air perking her nipples when they became exposed. She opened her eyes, his own remained fixed on her swollen flesh, her breasts begging for the warmth of his touch. His hands moved to cover them, pressing them up while he leaned down. She inhaled when his tongue touched the tip, and a shock radiated through her as his tongue encircled it. He moved then to the other, the same slow motion torturing her as her body begged for more. A quick flick of his tongue drew a gasp from deep within.
Fingers and tongue worked her breasts and she panted beneath him. The sudden disappearance of the delicious pressure caused her eyes to snap open. Rough hands slipped to her shoulders, her dress offering no resistance when he pushed it down. It dropped to the floor. He stood before her, his eyes burning over her body, falling to the place between her legs that ached for his touch. Nora flushed as she stood exposed before him.
The look in his eyes made her feel protected. Cherished. She was safe with him, safe to feel pleasure and give herself fully to him. His touch wouldn’t hurt; it would cause her no pain. He held her gaze as he lowered himself before her. His hands followed the soft curves of her body and slid past her hips, curving around to take a firm hold of her thighs. Nora’s eyes widened as he coaxed her legs open. He stared at the place that burned like fire between her legs.
Fingers parted her flesh, a flick of his tongue snapped her eyes shut, a scream escaping her lips as her head fell back. She leaned against the wall for balance while her legs quivered below. A single finger found its way inside her. She moaned and pressed forward into the pressure. His tongue worked her flesh, alternating slow then fast, long strokes and short flicks. The opposing sensations built a pressure that threatened t
o cause her to explode. Her legs shook as she rode the wave to the top and screamed when it came crashing down between her thighs. She shuddered against the wall, his mouth pulling away from the throbbing that it left behind.
She had no time to recover. Strong arms swept her up to his chest. He carried her to the chaise and laid her down gently. The soft velvet provided a cushion of softness in stark contrast to the cold wall she had been pressed against. She watched him as he slipped his shirt over his head. Her mouth fell slack while she drank him in. Muscles twitched and bulged as he reached for the front of his pants. She gulped when his pants fell to the ground, and his manhood sprang free.
The chill in the air crisped her skin. She shivered as he lowered himself between her legs. He swept the hair from her face and hovered above her, heat from his body radiating against her skin. She wanted more of him, all of him. More than anything, she wanted to let herself fall.
She reached up and grabbed his back, pulling him down against her. Heat burned between them as his lips devoured hers. Nora gasped when she felt him at her entrance, her wetness coaxing him in. They moaned as one when he entered her, their breaths mingling together as he captured her sigh in his mouth.
She rocked her hips against him, pressing him in deeper. Long, slow thrusts built the pressure she now recognized and desperately wanted again. He quickened his pace, gasping as he drove deep inside. She dug her fingers into his back and felt the wave rise again. His eyes met hers as she rode over the top, his own face twisting in pleasure as he joined her in ecstasy.
She panted below him, his body softening in her arms. He collapsed at her side, a wide grin spreading across his face. A shy smile beneath glassy eyes met his gaze.
“Tell me that wasn’t worth every last agonizing minute of anticipation,” he puffed.
“I never knew it could be that way. That it could feel so wonderful and that, thing, that happened to me. Is that common?” she panted.
“An orgasm, and yes, it will be common every time we’re together. I won’t stop until you’re satisfied.” He kissed her on the forehead.
“Are we really doing this, Viktor? Will you really help me? I don’t know that I could bear to go back after what I just felt.”
Viktor’s playful gaze dropped, and creases deepened around his eyes when he touched her face. “I promise you, love. I promise I will take care of you and your entire family. You will never know pain beneath my touch, you will want for nothing, and you will know love every day for the rest of your life.”
She swallowed hard at the promise. Her fingers traced the tattoo on his chest. There was nothing she wanted more. “Thank you, Viktor. I love you.”
He inhaled a happy breath and pecked her on the lips.
“I have to ask, though. Not that I don’t trust you, but how do you intend to support my family? I don’t care about anything but you, but I need to know they will be safe.”
A cunning smile tugged at his lips and he lay his head back against a folded arm. He pulled her tight into his chest, his other arm wrapping protectively around her.
“I can take care of you and your entire family because all this is mine. I am Earl Vaughn Trevor, and this is my home, my inheritance. Besides this estate, I have more money than a dozen Cuddy’s and I will see to it that your family not only survives, but flourishes.”
Nora’s eyes widened while she craned her neck to view his face. No jest lingered behind his words, no mockery or teasing. A half smile met her eyes, and waggling eyebrows preceded his laugh. He was an Earl.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“WHAT?” NORA SAT UP, her wide eyes bulging while she stared.
“You heard me,” Viktor chortled. “This castle, this land, the title, the money... all mine.”
“I don’t understand. You’re an Earl? How?”
Viktor heaved a breath. It had been over a decade since he abandoned this place. No one, not even Simon or Charlie knew of his past. Nora was the first person he had told. A weight lifted when he said the words to her. A shadowy secret now walking, exposed in the light.
Taking her by the wrist, he pulled her back into his arms. “Just lay here with me for a moment, and I’ll tell you the whole story.”
His lips found her forehead. He pressed his eyes closed tight as he kissed her. Knowing she was his to kiss, his to protect and hold, somehow warmed the castle that held so many painful memories for him. She was a light in the darkness he never knew he needed. A tiny ember in his heart that crackled and burned, refusing to go out, before exploding into a ball of radiant light that sent its warmth to every dark corner of his soul. Now she lay soft in his arms, her body still damp from their lovemaking.
“I was born here, just a few rooms down. My father was Earl Henry Trevor, my mother Countess Isabel Trevor, formally Cadwalader. This was her family’s castle. The two both came from excessive money and lineage. Their marriage was arranged, though it would seem they fell deeply in love.”
She smiled and propped her chin on her hands, resting them on his bare chest. She watched with baited breath as he went on.
“Though I’m told they had a happy marriage and this place was once filled with laughter and love, I have no memories of it. When I was a very small boy there was an accident. Mother and father were traveling together, and something spooked the horse. The carriage careened off the cliff. My mother was killed, and my father left crippled. I was only three at the time.”
“Oh, Viktor, that’s terrible. You lost your mother so young.”
“Aye, it is, love. I’m told she was a spirited woman filled with joy. She was kind to all the tenants on their land, this land, and treated everyone she met as if they were long lost friends. I don’t remember her.” His voice trailed off. Viktor had heard so many stories about his mother over the years that he could almost envision her, but the reality that he never knew her always cut deep. “Her loss was more than my father could bear. He slipped into darkness, anger... despair. This is how I grew up here. There was no laughter, no parties, no visitors. It was a cold, quiet place and difficult to endure. His drinking turned on his rage, his rage making him drink, and so the cycle continued. I spent more time hiding from his tantrums than I did playing or having fun like most boys my age. There isn’t a hiding spot on this estate that I hadn’t found and utilized to avoid the thrashings.”
Sadness filled her eyes when she looked at him, and her soft hand stroked his cheek. He closed his eyes for a moment. The memories of the terror he felt as a boy, weeping in a hole, avoiding his father’s wrath flooded back to him. He could still hear the echoes of his father’s voice reverberating through the halls calling his name, over and over again. Swallowing hard, he pushed the memory from his mind just like he had so many times since he’d left.
“I grew up, grew strong. My father tossed most of the tenants out and only kept a skeleton staff. It was a lonely place, but I endured. I was seventeen years old when my father collapsed. His heart. Too many years of drinking and anger had taken a toll on his body. He had me called to his bedroom. I can still remember standing outside the door of his room debating on whether to see him. To say goodbye. I hated him, Nora. I hated everything about him. What he had done to my childhood, and to this place. He had sucked every ounce of joy from my life, and I wanted to see him dead.”
“Oh, Viktor, I’m sure that’s not true,” she said, her mouth pulling into a frown.
“Oh, I can assure you, it is most definitely true. The horrors I endured at his hand... death was most deserved.”
He saw the anguish in her face. He pushed aside a stray tendril, leaving his hand on her cheek for a moment. “After pacing the hallway for an hour I decided to go see him. I can still smell the stale liquor that infested his room. Even on his deathbed, he was drunk. It was then he told me about my family’s legacy. It would seem that the Trevors come from a long line of political assassins, protectors of the people and enforcers of the law. It’s a group called the Liberta.”
�
�The Liberta?” Nora asked, her eyebrows scrunching together.
“Yes, the Liberta. I listened intently as he told me he was a member of this faction before his accident, the one that left him hobbling with a cane. He retired after his injury, the loss of my mother and his livelihood catapulting him into darkness. On a member’s son’s eighteenth birthday, they are told of the faction and invited to train and become a member. I was only seventeen, but with his impending death, he felt the need to tell me early. He gave me a name and a town; the place I could go should I choose to pursue it. He died later that night, and in that moment, I became Earl Vaughn Trevor.”
“What happened? What did you do?”
Viktor laughed. “I fled from this place as fast as I could. So much pain, so many terrible memories here. I found the man he told me to seek, and I begged him to keep my identity a secret. I wanted no part of this life. He agreed, and I made up a new name, Vaughn Trevor became Viktor. I trained hard, became exceptionally skilled in battle, and I joined the Liberta. I haven’t looked back or returned... until now.”
“So, you’re an assassin?” She stared at his face.
“Yes, is that a problem?”
She traced her finger around the tattoo on his chest. “Do you kill good people, or bad people?”
“Mostly bad.”
“Then I guess it’s not a problem,” she said with a smile and a shake of her head. “And the pirate thing? How did that come about?”
“Well, I always loved the sea and the Liberta needed someone to raid the ships from our opposing faction, The Order of Lions, and from the corrupt Royalty we fought against. I volunteered, using some of my hidden inheritance to buy the Dark Shark and find my crew.”
“Are they all assassins?”
“No, just Simon, though he only joined up on my crew a couple years ago, as you know. The rest are real pirates.”
Beneath The Assassin's Touch (Daggers 0f Desire Book 2) Page 15