by C. R. Jane
In one movement, he reaches down and tears my underwear off me with a savagery that leaves me breathless. I don’t move, I’m frozen with anticipation of what’s going to happen next.
Hands are on my hips, fingers digging into flesh, he draws my tongue into his mouth. I moan as the bulge in his pants nestles against my lower stomach. Alexander’s going to be just the second guy I’ve ever slept with, but I feel like I’m addicted to sex already with how much I want him. It feels like I’ve wanted Alexander like this forever and it kind of feels like a dream that it’s actually happening.
He breaks from our kiss, his eyes glazed over like he’s lost to it. He’s looking at me like he’s starving and I’m the only thing that will satisfy him.
I need him to need me like that. Because that’s how he makes me feel. It’s only fair that we’re on an even playing field.
He tosses me playfully onto the bed behind me, and laughter slips from me. While he towers over me, his gaze lingers over my naked body, devouring me without a single touch. His pants are tenting in front of him, but I don’t dare move to undress him. I get the impression Alexander likes to be in command, which drives me insane with arousal.
“Widen your legs for me, gorgeous,” he asks, his eyes like that of a ravenous wolf, lowering over my breasts, my stomach and to the apex between my thighs as I slide them open.
I’ll do anything he asks, surer of myself than I’ve ever been. He reaches down and touches my heat.
I suck in a sharp breath, my body arching from his fingers rocking against me.
“You’re so much more beautiful than I could have imagined,” he says, his words deep and raspy.
My response is stuck inside me as I soar from his fingers rubbing over my clit. Breathless, my hips sway back and forth under his deft fingers. Waves of pleasure crash through me, and I grasp the bedsheets, a moan on my lips. I’m growing hotter by the second.
With one hand driving me insane, the other unzipping his pants, he never breaks our stare. He pulls away from me for a heartbeat and then he’s standing gloriously naked before me. His cock is hard, the tip dotted with a milky tear. He rips open a condom packet with his teeth, then rolls it over himself with ease. I can’t help but wonder how many times he’s done that, how many girls he’s taken to bed, made to feel incredible. But I drive those thoughts away. They don’t belong here, not today.
“If I hurt you, you let me know, okay?” He climbs over me and settles between my thighs, his weight over me. He feels cool to the touch, which is welcoming against my fiery body. “You’re so innocent, so divine, in ways that make me want to protect you from the world. You’re strong and fiery in ways that make me respect you more than you’ll ever know.”
His tender words surprise me. He’s never been that open about what we have.
“You can’t hurt me,” I say. “But I know you wouldn’t even if you could.” I unconditionally trust him, and my heart is beaming at hearing what he thinks of me. “Why do you want me so much?” I ask suddenly, needing to know.
He just looks at me, his hands on either side of my shoulders. His mouth lowers toward my collarbone and then moves to take a pebbled nipple into his mouth.
I groan at the sensation of his tongue flicking my nipple, at me losing myself under him.
“All I can think about right now is taking you before I’ll go insane.”
His words light me up, and he stares down at me, his blue eyes in chaos. “But you’re asking me why?”
“Yes,” I breathe the word.
He leans forward, his chest against mine, and his mouth claims mine. Our lips and teeth clash, kissing with urgency. I grasp his powerful arms and widen myself for him as he settles between my thighs comfortably, the tip of his hardness pressed against me.
“You make me forget myself, make me feel more alive than I’ve felt in a long time. You remind me that there is still beauty in this world and it’s worth fighting for. When I’m with you I don’t need anything else,” he admits as if he’s confessing a grave sin before my holy altar.
“I feel the same way,” I admit.
He brings his lips to mine and his tongue delves into my mouth as he pushes into me. He thrusts in and out of me, groaning against me, stretching me. I dig fingernails into his arms as he takes me. He’s buried deep inside, and I’m getting hotter, breaths racing, and nearing the edge of climax so fast with each delicious slapping sound.
Unlike Braxton, Alexander fucks me ruthlessly and deep, laying on top of me like a warrior claiming his prize. His mouth moves over to my neck, teeth grazing over my flesh as he slams into me.
My head tips back, my hands fisting the bed sheets as he rides me.
I can’t get enough. I writhe with pleasure; I moan for more.
Alexander is mine. I need him.
Want him.
Desire him.
Miss him.
Adore him.
And I know what my heart wants.
The climax rips through me and I’m exploding. Suddenly, I’m soaring into the sky on Alexander’s touch.
I’m shuddering, screaming, and I shut my eyes tight as I glide with ecstasy. I’m completely lost under him. I throw my head back, my body arching off the mattress.
Alexander stiffens over me, roaring at his own orgasm, and I feel him pulsing inside me.
The world around me dissolves behind the pleasure rocking through me. My eyes slip open and he looks at me with such depth in his eyes as if I can look straight into his soul.
“I don’t want to lose you,” he says with such sincerity that I believe him. He wants me as much as I do him, and I’m scared that if he goes, I’ll be a complete mess.
“Then make sure you don’t,” I say. If I thought my heart was in danger before when it came to the guys in my life, but I’m in real trouble now because I’m all in and they hold the power to completely destroy me if this doesn’t work out.
Chapter 8
(Dante)
I'm sitting in the library when I get a text from my father. We haven't spoken since our last fight when he once again threw Alexander in my face about how much I don't measure up to him. It made for a great holiday at home.
I'm sorry.
I look at the text in disbelief. I don't think that my father has ever apologized to anyone in his life, let alone me. But the words are sitting there on the screen in front of me. I'm not sure what to type back. But he texts me again before I can think of anything.
I would like for us to get closer. I've made a lot of mistakes with you, and I have a lot to make up for. Can we talk about everything tonight over dinner?
Now I'm convinced that someone has stolen his phone. Either that or he's been possessed. There's no way that he would say something like this otherwise.
Father?
I type back, still confused. My phone starts to ring as he tries to call me just then, and I drop my phone in surprise. Knowing that I need to prepare myself if I actually am going to have dinner with him, I quickly text him.
I'm fine with dinner.
I'll pick you up around six?
Now I know that he's been possessed. Along with never apologizing for anything, I can't think of any time that he's asked me rather than ordered me to do something.
I'm nervous as I get ready, making sure that I look presentable enough to meet my father's usual expectations. He’s always preached that we have a certain image to maintain and I’ve spent most of my teenage years dressed in pressed pants and blazers much to my displeasure.
I don't know why I'm bothering to get my hopes up. I've been nothing but a disappointment to my father my entire life, this is not going to change now, I think to myself.
But the little boy who's always wanted his father's approval, that part of me, well he's at least a little bit interested in what his father has to say.
My father picks me up in his usual town car. Our driver, Godfrey, gives me a small smile as he opens the door for me. Father is waiting for me inside
and he actually gives me a smile that looks somewhat genuine when he sees me. The only time he ever smiles at me is in public when we are in front of important people, so I look around to see if the principal has somehow popped up behind me or some other important member of the Council.
But there's no one there.
It seems he's actually smiling at me.
"It's good to see you, son," he tells me, patting me on the back. I just stare at him blankly, still not sure how I'm supposed to react to all of this. He folds his hands in his lap almost nervously before beginning to speak as we drive off.
"Look Dante," he begins, clearing his throat briefly. "I know we've had our differences over the past few years…"
I cock my eyebrow at him. I would hardly call our issues simply “differences”. Maybe mutual hatred would be a better term for our relationship.
He notices my look and clears his throat again. "I've been a terrible man and I’ve failed you as a father," he says.
My mouth drops open. I've literally dreamt of having a conversation like this with my father for years. Imagined what it would be like for him to actually apologize to me for everything that he’s done.
But I don't trust it.
I can't think of any reason for this about face from a man who has continually shown me an amount of disdain normally reserved for your worst enemy, not your son.
"I've come to a realization since our last fight about what I’ve done. And I want to make this right. I know it will take time, Dante. But I'm willing to put in the work. Will you give me a chance?" he practically pleads with me in an earnest voice.
Now it's my turn to clear my throat. I'm experiencing an inconvenient amount of emotion at my father’s words.
"I… would like that," I finally tell him. Because what can I say? Sorry dad, I’m going to hate you forever?
We get to the restaurant. Father has of course picked the fanciest one that the town nearest to the school has to offer. The town actually has quite a few nice offerings due to its proximity to the school and all the wealthy inhabitants of the school and their families. I still prefer the greasy diner that I've been going to the last couple years over anything here though. Thinking about the diner puts a small smile on my face as I think about my date there with Adeline. I wonder what she would tell me to do now in this situation. She would probably tell me to forgive him with everything that's going on with her own father. She’s a much better person than I am.
We walk inside and are quickly seated. My father doesn't even leer at our attractive waitress making it an even stranger evening.
"Tell me all about school," he asks after we are settled in our seats and have ordered drinks and some appetizers.
"It's been fine," I tell him, still feeling strange about having a conversation about myself that my father actually seems to be interested in.
He lifts an eyebrow and I'm once again reminded how much I look like him and how much my mannerisms are similar to the man I’ve despised for so many years. "How has it really been going?" he prods me. And again, the way he’s asking makes it seem like he actually wants to know.
So of course, being the lonely boy that I am, desperate for my father's attention even after all these years, I proceed to tell him about my classes, gossip about the various students from families he would be interested in, and what activities I've been engaging in this year. He looks surprised with how well I've been doing in combat training, and it's just a reminder of how little he knows about me.
"And how are your friends?" he asks. I stiffen at the question because Alexander's part of all of that. If I'm real with myself, I would acknowledge that my hard feelings against Alexander are largely the fault of my father.
I put aside my sudden introspection and tell him a little bit about the last party that Nyx through, and Alexander's work with the Council lately, and the artwork that Finn has been working on. My father listens to me like it's the most interesting thing he's ever heard. We pass the rest of dinner in what practically amounts to companionable discussion. He tells me about his work prospects and plans for trips he wants us to go on. It almost feels like when I was younger, and my mom was still alive. My father was a different man back then. Or at least he hid who he really was much better.
It's only when we get back to the car that my father's carefully crafted veneer breaks. "So, any girls at the school catch your attention?" he asked in a voice that sounds intentionally nonchalant.
My skin prickles at the question. I open my mouth to tell him about Adeline, and then stop, something warning me that my dad has ulterior motives with this question.
"You know me, always playing the field," I joke even though the words taste sour in my mouth.
He looks disappointed at my statement, and I get even more suspicious. "Your stepmom was mentioning that you boys have a new classmate this year. I think she said her name was Adeline Jones. She told me Alexander was telling her that she was quite the looker."
I scoff internally. I highly doubt that Alexander would ever tell his mother a girl was hot, let alone ever talk about Adeline with her. My stepmother is a treacherous viper and even Alexander acknowledges that.
"I've seen her around," I say, being intentionally vague.
"Good, good," he says, almost distractedly as if he's thinking hard about something.
"Have you talked to her?" he suddenly asks, once again peering at me closely.
I lick my lips, suddenly sensing danger. "Here and there. She's a scholarship student and a human. And you know we don't mix with our food much unless we have to," I tell him with a dry chuckle.
My father seems frustrated by my answers. "You know I think it's good for us to mix with the humans every now and again," he says.
I can't help but look at him incredulously. This is from the man whom my entire life has lectured me continually on the superiority of our family compared to our kind, and especially compared to humans.
"If she's a scholarship student, then I'm sure she gets good grades. We both know that you could use help raising those grades of yours,” he says with a chuckle, apparently now trying to convince me of why I should associate with Adeline.
My heart clenches as he confirms that everything this evening has been fake. He makes it so hard to stand him. If he had listened to anything that I’d told him tonight he would know that my grades are in fact excellent, and I'm in the top five of my class. He probably wouldn't care about that though since Alexander is at the top of the class, I think to myself bitterly.
I realize that I've missed something that he’s said when he smacks the leather seat next to him to get my attention, his friendly façade cracking for a moment. "Are you paying attention to me, son?" he spits out through gritted teeth, trying to sound nice even though I can see the anger lurking beyond his eyes.
"Of course. You want me to start interacting with the humans," I answer him matter-of-factly. It's almost like I can see the steam start to come out of his ears at my response.
"Well, I was mainly talking about Miss Jones. Deirdre had such good things to say about her based on the reports coming from the school."
It's all I can do not to roll my eyes. Like I could see Deirdre of all people ever having something good to say about a scholarship student, let alone a human. My father obviously has ulterior motives, but I'm not connecting the dots of why Adeline has suddenly come into his crosshairs.
Unless he knows… No, there's no way that he knows.
Right?
We’re almost to the school when I decide to stop playing around. I’ve had enough.
"Look, let's just cut to the chase. What is this about? I know that you haven't suddenly become interested in helping the new scholarship student...who’s also a human, make friends. So why don't you tell me the truth and drop the charade," I snap at him fiercely.
It's almost fascinating to see the mask he’s been wearing all evening dissolve before my eyes. There's a calculating look in his eyes, and his mouth has adopted t
hat smug, arrogant smirk than I'm used to seeing on his face.
It's one that I’ve spent countless hours daydreaming about knocking off his face.
"Maybe I underestimate you sometimes, son," he sneers. “Okay, let's talk about it. Everyone's buzzing that the new girl at your school is actually an angel. Something that hasn't been seen for hundreds of years if not thousands. Whoever was in possession of her would immediately gain more power than they could ever dream of. That girl is going to be mine."
It's all I can do to keep my face blank. I can feel my hands slightly trembling at his words. This is far worse than anything we thought. My mind begins to race, wondering how in the world we’re going to be able to keep her safe, and I'm only half listening to my father.
Do you understand?" he suddenly asks. I try to quickly recall what he was just saying, but I must take too long to answer because there's suddenly a fist flying at my face. I don't react quick enough to move out of the way and he strikes me on my left cheekbone, hitting me so hard that it probably would've collapsed a human skull. As it is, I'll probably sport a bruise for the rest of the day, even with my exhilarated healing powers.
"You're going to make that little bitch think you’ve fallen in love with her," he hisses at me. "It won't be hard. Documents I’ve seen on her show that she’s been bullied for the past several years. She's probably desperate for attention. Show her a little bit of affection and she’ll be eating out of your hand,” he orders me, the greed practically oozing out of his eyes.
I know I need to put on the act of my life right now if I'm going to protect Adeline. I school my face into the disdainful, mocking look that I've seen on his face many a time. "You can't be serious. Now I know that you're starting to lose your mind, old man. An angel? You haven't met Adeline Jones, have you? There are more interesting rocks to talk to than her. The only angelic thing she possesses is that fucking, tight body that makes the human males froth at the mouth and follow her like she’s in heat. Your sources are wrong, I’m sorry to say. Alexander can tell you that much.”