by Violet Paige
My mother clicked her tongue. “Looks like Sebastian has the same taste you do.”
I rotated in time to see Roux’s hand land on Molly’s wrist. She tried to shake him off. What in the hell was he doing? He couldn’t touch her.
I cut through the dancefloor, ready to rip the head from his neck.
“Get your hands off her, Sebastian.”
Molly’s face was horror-stricken. “D-Damon, wait.”
I barely heard her. I gritted my teeth at Roux.
“Your Majesty.” He smirked. He let go of Molly’s wrist knowing that if he didn’t I would punch him in the teeth.
“Do you want to tell me what the fuck you’re doing?”
“Having a conversation with my tally.”
Molly tried to explain. “I was only trying to tell him—”
I narrowed in on Roux, pushing Molly out of the way. “That was settled at the gala.” I didn’t believe he had the balls or the stupidity to bring that up here. She was never his tally. “You’re drunk, Sebastian. Go home.”
He laughed. “Not your tally.”
“He’s talking about me.” I noticed the girl next to Molly. “Hi.”
“Damon, this is my best friend, Brooklyn. The one I told you about.” She pressed the information with her eyes.
Sebastian puffed his chest. “That’s the problem. What is she doing here?”
My anger started to dissolve and I realized the problem. Roux had no interest in Molly.
“Who let the tallies in here?” he asked. “They shouldn’t be allowed at balls. And not in the prestigious blue ball room,” he mocked. He was definitely drunk.
No one else seemed to notice our discussion. “Shut up, Roux. No one knows. There’s no reason for you to announce it.”
“Lesage is here. You don’t think he’s going to realize the new Royal Consort is a tally?”
I wasn’t comfortable with where he was going with the conversation. He needed to shut his fucking mouth.
“I’ll leave. I’ll just go,” Molly’s friend offered. “I don’t want to ruin your night, Mol.”
“No. You’re not leaving.” Molly spoke up. “You’re my guest. You have every right to be here.”
Roux laughed as if he heard a hilarious joke. There was nothing funny about this. The fucker liked trouble.
“Guest?”
“Sebastian, please,” Brooklyn pleaded. “I’ll go. I’m sorry.”
Molly looked at me frantically. We both knew things were escalating. I still had no idea what Roux’s problem was with Brooklyn.
“Out here,” I ordered.
We hurried through one of the side ballroom doors. We maybe had five minutes before our absence was a problem. They followed me to one of the sitting rooms women used to use during balls. It had been aired out for tonight. There were fresh bouquets of flowers. There were crystal dishes with House of Sauvage chocolates and mints on the tables. I locked the doors behind us.
“Ok. What the fuck is going on?” I turned to them. “And I don’t want to hear your bullshit, Roux. The truth.”
Molly put an arm around her friend. She was visibly shaken.
“She shouldn’t be here.” He pointed at Brooklyn.
“Stop being a dick,” I snarled.
He glared at me. “You think this is going to work out? You realize you have to pay an exit fee.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets. “I know.”
Molly’s eyes darted back and forth. “What is he talking about?”
I shook my head. “I’ll explain later. We have about two minutes before we have to get back to the ballroom. I need to know that the secrecy of the gala is safe between us. Whatever happened between you two is your business until it interferes with me, then it becomes mine. You are walking a fine line right now with that distinction.”
Roux’s eyebrows knitted together. “You bastard. You get everything you want. Even her.”
“Molly hasn’t done anything to you. And I doubt Brooklyn has either. You’re being a royal ass. If you don’t want to be here, leave. Nothing is keeping you here.”
“Except Carina,” he retorted.
Molly looked confused. “Who is Carina?”
“His wife,” Brooklyn answered. “Lady Roux.”
“You’re married?” It was as if a small explosive had been detonated in the middle of us.
“Don’t look at me like that. It was an arranged marriage. Royal convenience,” he explained.
There was no rule in the society that members had to be single. With only a one-night commitment, it didn’t matter, but something had happened between Sebastian and Brooklyn. Carina was apparently a problem.
“Is that why you didn’t want to talk about it?” Molly asked her friend. “You didn’t want me to know he was married?”
“I couldn’t. We agreed. And it was complicated.” Her eyes darted to Sebastian.
He stepped in front of me, separating the girls. He slipped a hand around Brooklyn’s waist, tugging her toward him. “I can’t help it. I can’t get the other night out of my head. And then tonight I saw you by the staircase. Do you know I almost left Carina right then?”
“I can’t either forget it either, but …”
“But nothing.” Sebastian pressed his forehead to hers.
Damn it.
I interrupted. “Roux, you can’t leave Carina. And this can’t happen.”
“I know that,” he hissed. “Some of us can’t write laws and grant positions for women we love.”
“I’m not married,” I corrected him. “You would lose your title. Carina will destroy you. Her family will come after you with everything.”
“Don’t you think I fucking know that?”
“You are the reason Lesage has contracts in place. This is why he has to protect the society. What have you done?”
“Me? You brought a tally into the palace.”
I backed up. I realized he was mad at his situation. Pissed at the world. I received the brunt of it because I had Molly. In his eyes I had won something he couldn’t have. Personal happiness. He had no idea what he was talking about. Molly was the only light I had.
“Can’t we do something?” Molly asked.
I shook my head. “My hands are tied. I granted the marriage. I joined two royal households.”
“But what about the modern monarchy,” she pleaded.
Tonight was supposed to be about many things. Celebrating the cabinet’s vote. Introducing Molly to my family. Sharing our modern relationship with the country. It was not supposed to be about Sebastian’s affair with Molly’s best friend. It wasn’t going to cloud everything I’d accomplished.
I turned to the doomed pair.
“You two have less than a minute to figure this out. Molly and I are going to the ball. But the gala stays intact and I’ll discuss my membership with Lesage. Leave me out of your problems, Roux. Handle this like a duke, not a college sweetheart.”
I beckoned Molly to follow me. She was hesitant to leave Brooklyn.
“Come, we’ll give them a minute.”
We stepped into the hall.
She searched my eyes for an answer. “What is going to happen? I didn’t know he was married. God, Brooklyn looks devastated. This is awful.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, love. I’m just glad that’s not us.”
“I think I should wait for her, in case she needs me.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not an option.” I guided her to the side door. “We have guests to speak to and a waltz to dance.”
“I can’t dance right now. Brooklyn is my friend. This is terrible.”
I tipped her chin forward, staring into her brilliant blue eyes. “There’s nothing you can do. Roux knew what he was getting into when he agreed to marry Carina.”
“But Brooklyn didn’t. What if that had been me? Our tenders could easily have been reversed and tonight you’d be presenting Brooklyn to your family while I had to watch Roux and his wife from acr
oss the room. What if she feels about him, like I do about you?”
I brushed my thumb along her bottom lip. “And exactly how do you feel about me?” I challenged her. I wanted to see if she would say it.
We could hear the music through the doors. The crowd chattered on the other side. The champagne flowed from the celebration.
She sighed. “Like I’m falling in love.”
My chest tightened. My cock twitched. I’d never wanted to take her to bed as badly as I did now.
My lips crashed against hers. “I’m granting your first request as Royal Consort.”
“What is that?”
“We’re leaving the party,” I whispered.
“But I thought …”
I silenced her with another kiss. “Malcom will announce that we’re leaving and then I’m taking you upstairs.” If I had learned anything tonight, it was that time was fleeting. I didn’t want to waste a second of it arguing about someone else’s life when we had an enchanted future ahead of us, and a bed that was calling her name.
“Everyone will know what we’re doing.” She blushed.
I grabbed her ass, and squeezed it as we walked into the ballroom, slipping back into the crowd. I leaned to her ear. “After tonight, no one is going to doubt us again.”
Thirty-Four
Molly
The doors to Damon’s bedroom burst open as he kissed me, kicking them out of our way. His hands tangled in my hair. I groaned as his tongue plunged inside my mouth.
“There’s too much of this fucking dress,” he growled, untying the ribbon at my neck.
The straps fell, exposing my breasts. He licked the nipple before sucking my tit between his hot lips.
“Oh shit.” I pressed his head to my breast.
“Everyone in that ballroom knew one thing tonight.” He kissed and nipped at my other nipple. “You’re mine.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
He pushed the remainder of the dress over my hips. I stepped out of it, leaving a pillow of silk on the floor. I leaned to loosen the straps on the heels.
“No. Leave them,” he ordered.
I gulped.
“I’m fucking you with those on.”
I reached for his jacket. He had more layers than I did. I worked the tie under the collar, while he dropped the royal pants to his ankles. I admired every inch of his sculpted body. I could kiss him and touch him all night.
His boxer briefs were the last to go as I shrugged them over his massive cock.
His eyes lit with lust as I lowered to my knees to take him in my mouth. It was gorgeous. Solid and strong, pulsing for me. My tongue flicked over the soft crown, savoring the dew before kissing along the thick vein.
As much as Damon liked to proclaim I was his, I knew he was just as much mine. That was the beauty of what our bodies had found together.
I opened my mouth as he pushed his shaft inside with a groan. “Fuck, love.”
My tongue swirled with control back and forth, making his hips jut forward. I reached around, grabbing his muscular ass. He sank to the back of my throat and my eyes closed in complete pleasure. I loved how he filled me. How my body reacted to him. How I could do things with him I couldn’t do with anyone else.
“You look so perfect like that.”
My eyes fluttered open and I caught his intense gaze. My core zinged with power. It tingled with electricity.
He pulled out, rubbing the crown over my lips. “Mmm.” I smiled softly. Lost in the feel of his silky skin.
I had waited for this night. Longed for it. Tonight, I wasn’t a guest visiting the king for a one-time fling. I was his. I belonged with him, in this bed. Our bed.
He lifted me from my knees, spinning me toward the sheets. I landed on my stomach.
“How many ways do you want me to fuck you, Molly?” His voice was low in my ear.
“Every way.” I panted.
His palm coasted over me, rounding my ass. I felt his lips against the small of my back before he spread my legs and descended between them. My hips had a mind of their own as I instinctively positioned myself to give him access to my most sensitive areas.
He latched onto my clit before his tongue circled my entrance. I groaned with the added pressure of his thumb on my rosebud.
“Ohh, shit,” I whimpered. He had hit every nerve ending with one swift motion. He was everywhere at once.
He flicked back and forth. My juices flowed freely. I was out of control. My heels lifted in the air as I wiggled my ass toward him.
His tongue traveled backward until he lapped at the tight ring of muscle.
“Ohh.” I rocked into him. I couldn’t stop myself from wanting that heated sensation inside. I wanted his tongue deep in my ass.
He growled, shaking my core with ecstasy. And then he pushed inside.
“Ahh.” I sank against the heat. It ricocheted. I bucked with every thrust, loving how he felt. Loving how different it felt.
He pushed his fingers inside my entrance and I knew my first orgasm was taking off. It spilled through me while he fucked me relentlessly with his tongue and fingers.
“Damon,” I screamed his name into the sheets. There was no gravity. No balance. I was flying as the release took over my body.
I shuddered with one more beautiful quake and then fell on my stomach.
Damon crawled on top of me, rolling me to my back. He nipped my shoulder, slowly kissing my throat and neck. He took one hand and then the other, placing them at the top of the head board.
I looked in his eyes for an explanation. He rose on his knees. He quickly grabbed a pillow and tucked it under my hips then took one ankle and put it on his shoulder and then the other. The glittery shoes sparkled in the air.
He nudged his cock at my swollen pussy.
He grinned wickedly as he stretched my entrance with his crown. I had to adjust to his thickness. He made a few shallow pumps, coating himself in my honey.
I whimpered. I gripped the headboard as he slammed into me with a solid thrust.
“Oh God,” I cried. He was deep. So far inside me. I was practically lifted in the air.
He held my ankles as he surged again, this time stroking my walls in one deliciously slow thrust.
“Fuck, Molly.” His teeth gnashed at my calf. “I can go so deep like this.”
My knuckles tightened as I readjusted my hold on the bed. “Deeper,” I begged.
His cock plunged inside me like a heated rod of steel. I bolted toward him, clinging to the headboard. Nothing had ever felt like this. As if our bodies had melted together, daring me to find where I ended and he began.
His eyes bore into my gaze.
“You. Are. Mine.”
I nodded, matching his counterthrusts with everything I had. “Yours, Damon. I’m yours.”
He sank into me with a powerful thrust and the world spun into oblivion. There weren’t people in the ballroom dancing the night away. There weren’t angry family members or heart broken friends. Only us. Only the universe we made in this bed.
He kicked my ankles off his shoulders and his bare chest grazed over mine as we found a rhythm together. Our bodies slick with sweat. He kissed me, drawing the air from my lungs. I clawed at his back, climbing him, desperate to tie us together forever.
His fingers curled over top of mine on the bed. It gave him resistance to bury his cock deeper.
“Ohh,” I moaned.
“Fuck,” he growled in my ear.
We were reckless with our lust for each other. Our thirst for each other made us greedy. He pumped forcefully inside me as I sucked and nipped at his edible lips.
“I love you, Molly.” He breathed heavily. “All of this tonight is because I love you.”
My orgasm usually spilled through me because of the dirty things he said. But now I was useless to control my body from the purity of his words.
I rocked into him. Clutching his cock. I wanted him to feel it. To know it.
“I love you. I love you.�
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It shattered through me. A flurry of heat and electricity touched every nerve. My body was his. He had taken me. And I was never getting it back. He groaned as his final release attacked him, pulsing in my depths.
He thrust as he climaxed, filling me with his hot come.
“Oh shit.” He rolled on his side.
I kissed his shoulder. “How was my first assignment as Royal Consort?” I giggled.
He laughed loudly. “Pretty fucking perfect.” He leaned forward on his elbow. He made a lazy circle around my navel with his fingertip.
“And the rest of the night? How do you think it went?”
“Other than the bullshit with Roux, I think it was a success.”
“That reminds me. You were going to tell me what he meant about the exit fee.”
He looked at the ceiling. “You don’t want to talk about The Titan now.”
I propped myself up to face him. His fingers moved to my breast. I loved how he touched me. How comfortable he felt with my body.
“I do. I want to know.”
He sighed. “It’s part of the membership. If a member breaks the contract with the tally, in this case that’s you, then he is ejected from the society with a penalty fee. It’s the cost of doing business with Lesage.”
“You have to pay a fee because of me? How much?” I prodded.
“Money isn’t a problem. You know that. Don’t worry about the number.”
“How much?” He was distracting me with his fingers. My body was still zinging from the last orgasm.
“Five million,” he stated.
“That’s insane. You can’t be serious about paying that much money.”
“Would you rather I stay in the society?” He raised his eyebrows.
I bit my lip. “No, but that seems like extortion. You could do so much with that money.”
“It’s to dissuade this from happening.” He twisted my nipple between his fingers. He lowered his mouth to it.
I pulled his head between my hands to steady the impact. I didn’t want him to divert all my attention. I could only take about two seconds more of this before that happened.
“Like Sebastian?” I questioned.