“Sully Sinclair,” I said. “Hawk told me you’re in the business of creating custom yachts?”
“Are you in the market?”
I glanced at Jethro who stayed to the side, allowing me to direct this conversation even though, up till now, I hadn’t really considered making a high-end order for nautical equipment. Eleanor and I had discussed many ways to deliver unforgettable experiences for our troubled husbands and wives who stayed on Rapture, but I hadn’t gone much further with the idea.
Ah well, I supposed now could work. The sooner I spoke to him, the sooner I could claim my wife from Nila Hawk and return to our quarters for privacy. “As a matter of fact, yes. I own a few islands in the Pacific, and my clients are used to a certain level of luxury.” I smiled curtly. “Let’s just say...I like to keep them happy.”
In legal ways this time, instead of illegal.
“So you’re after smaller vessels?”
“I’m after quite a few. Large and small. If you have time to discuss.”
Eleanor should be here.
Rapture was her business venture, not mine. She’d been the one to turn a leased atoll into a highly profitable operation. I didn’t want to step on her toes by ordering ‘toys’ as Jethro called them without her approval.
Jethro touched my shoulder. “I’ll leave you gentlemen to discuss business. I’ll come find you later, Sullivan.”
I nodded as he vanished amongst a group of masked women.
Once I made eye contact with Mr Prest, he sighed and held out his hand. “I can spare ten minutes.”
Chapter Seven
THERE WERE MANY THINGS I loved in life.
Sully’s gravelly voice in the morning as we rolled out of bed and into Nirvana, usually ending our early swim with a quickie before breakfast. Skittle’s gentle feathers as she fluffed up in the crook of my shoulder. The juice of a lychee as I bit into the sweet fruit. The sunrises and sunsets that never failed to splash the horizon with every colour humans could name and many more that we couldn’t.
I also loved the sounds of so many different animals. From the squeaks of otters, to the snuffles of pigs, and the click of fish grazing on coral beneath the sea.
But there was a special kind of love for the velveteen softness of a horse’s nostrils.
Hot air cascaded over my fingers as the dapple grey huffed, scenting me and hopefully accepting me as a friend instead of foe. “She’s gorgeous.” I grinned, glancing at Nila as she undid her mask and dangled it from a fingertip.
“Her name is Warriors Don’t Cry. Moth is her stable name.” She drifted forward, grabbing a handful of oats from a large bin by the tack room. “She was a gift from my brother-in-law, Kestrel.”
“That’s an interesting name.” I laughed as Moth gobbled up the oats from Nila’s palm and blinked innocently for more. Her huge wise eyes framed in the thickest, blackest eyelashes.
“It’s the family tradition of Hawk sons. A bird of prey is given as their nickname. Kes preferred his nickname to his real name.” She threw me a grin. “I guess I can understand why.”
“What was his real name?”
“Angus.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Well, it’s not going to win any sexy awards, but Gus is kind of cute.”
Nila cocked her head. “Never thought about it that way. I always just thought of him as Kes. Our son is named in his honour.”
I wanted to ask what happened, but the hushed way she spoke of him hinted he was no longer alive, and the tragedy still carried pain.
She strolled down the stables, laughing under her breath as a big black beast popped its head over the partition and whinnied. “Yes, Wings. I didn’t forget about you.”
I waited while she scooped up another handful of oats and fed the glistening ebony horse.
“He’s stunning, too.”
“He belongs to Jethro. Has a mind of his own and is steadfastly loyal to one person, but he tolerates treats from all of us.” She scratched his forehead. “Don’t you, grumpy pony?”
He snorted and disappeared back into his stall, biting his hay net with attitude.
Untying my own mask, I rubbed around my eyes and forehead where the material itched. “Do you ride every day?”
“We try to.” Nila grinned, leading me back the way we’d come. Our heels clacked on the cobblestones as our dresses swished in the hay. “Our children were practically born in the saddle, so they have demands.”
“From what I glimpsed of them, they seemed fearless.”
Nila’s eyes shadowed for a moment before she smiled. “I hope so. I hope they remain that way too.”
We walked from the impressive stone stables, through the arched gateway, and back onto the pathway leading toward the bright lights and majesty of Hawksridge Hall. Guests had spilled out onto the deck leading from the ballroom; sounds of music and laughter winged over the lawns toward us. “You have a very lovely home.”
She stopped and studied the hall as if she hadn’t truly seen it in a while. Her head cocked to the side before shaking in disbelief. “You know? You’re right. It is a home, isn’t it?” She smiled brighter. “I think that’s the first time it’s been described as lovely before.”
“What words are usually used?”
“Terrifying.” She laughed. “Murderous. Deranged.”
“Sully said there were rumours about your family and Jethro’s.” My eyes drifted to her diamond collar, reminding me that I had Hawk diamonds gracing my own body in the form of wedding rings. “That it involved debts and death.”
“Yes, well.” Her shoulders stiffened a little as she looked toward the huge pond twinkling with moonlight in the distance. She shivered as if a memory came and went. “Let’s just say that there are things in the past we cannot change. But they had to happen to give us the future we now hold so precious.”
A howl crested in the darkness, making me jump and look behind me. Did they have wolves on this damn estate?
“That’s just Squirrel. Don’t worry.” Nila chuckled. “He’s missing the freedom of running around with his pack. We kept them away from the hall tonight so the hounds didn’t upset the guests.”
“Hounds?”
“Yes, you know? Good for hunting and generally being a nuisance.”
I flinched at the mention of hunting but kept my opinions about animal welfare to myself. “Are they friendly?”
Nila smirked as if she had an insider joke. “Friendly if you’re not running for your life through the woods.”
Something flashed in her dark eyes, making me pry when I probably shouldn’t. “That sounds like there’s a story there.”
“Oh, there is.” She moved closer, our dresses blending as we walked over manicured grass. “A very juicy story. One that involved me naked in a tree and Jethro chasing me on horseback.”
“That does sound juicy.”
She licked her lips. “Can...can I ask you a question?”
“Okay.”
“Is it true that Sullivan created a drug that enables countless orgasms?”
I stiffened. “Where did you hear that?”
“Rumours have a tendency of trickling through all societies.” She rubbed her lips. “Is it true?”
“Well, he’s a pharmaceutical owner. He’s created a great many things.”
Nila nodded with a smirk. “How many orgasms does it give?”
My tension faded a little, sensing her curiosity and not judgment. I felt at ease with her as I did with Jess. Seemed even ladies in castles liked to talk about sex.
I quirked an eyebrow. “How many do you think you could handle in one night?”
She bit her lip, playfulness on her face. “Oh, I don’t know. Six? Seven?”
“Try twenty. Thirty.”
“Holy shit.” She stopped walking. “You’d die.”
“You’re definitely catatonic afterward.”
“Is it safe?”
“No.” I gathered up a handful of my dress. “That’s why he destroyed
the vials he had left.”
“Oh.” Disappointment clouded her face. “Did it work on men?”
I flushed, thinking about Sully the morning I’d fed him elixir and the explosive sex we’d shared. The lust of it. The obsession of it. The danger of it. “Oh, yes. Yes, it definitely worked on men.”
It worked so well, Sully almost died.
I almost died.
Jess almost died.
Elixir was poison hiding behind promises.
“Have you and your husband taken it?” Nila asked.
I nodded. I was sure the heated memories in my eyes gave her all the information she needed to know.
“I can imagine it was something.”
“It was something alright.” I stepped toward the glowing hall again.
“It’s a shame it doesn’t exist anymore. It would’ve been fun to have a night of debauchery. Jethro and I have a very active nightlife, but...I’d like to see just how wild he could become if he only had one thing to focus on and not hear so many things.”
“Hear?”
“Oh.” She waved her gloved hand. “Hear isn’t the right word. He feels more than he hears. Senses, really. He’s much, much better these days, but sometimes, I know he struggles. I’d like one night when he could just switch off and only have one desire. One thought. One need. It would be such a novel experience for him.”
The way she said it made my heart squeeze. She loved her husband. She loved him as much as I loved Sully. It made me want to help, even if I didn’t fully understand how. “Elixir was destroyed because it was far too potent, but...Sully made something in its place.” I kept my voice low even though we were alone. “It’s called cinta. Indonesian for love. It’s nowhere near as dangerous, but it does amplify the lust already between you and your partner, and grants stamina to enjoy each other for longer than usual.”
“What’s it like?”
“It’s like...” I paused, doing my best to describe it. “If a couple who had no lust for one another took it, they might get a small burn to be together. But if a couple already wants each other—if there is that undeniable crackle of chemistry that links your blood to his...it’s incredible. It takes your natural lust and amplifies it. It becomes everything. Every touch is foreplay. Every kiss is...well—” I blushed. “Let’s just say, if you want your husband as much as I want mine, a kiss can be orgasmic. Unlike elixir, cinta doesn’t overload your system with fake desire but magnifies your own to the point where it’s impossible to ignore.”
I smiled, remembering the first time Sully had given us a dose on our wedding night. Still healing from broken bones and muscles weak from his coma, cinta had ensured we’d consummated our marriage extremely thoroughly.
We didn’t use it every time we had sex—Sully was walking elixir to me without needing other stimulants—but on those nights when it was just us, and we fancied stepping into a world of myth with a VR fantasy—where any place and any time could be experienced—we’d dabble.
We’d share a drop of cinta and lose ourselves to nothing but love and lust.
I thought about what I’d packed in our suitcase. What I’d brought, just in case Sully and I needed a break from England before we were able to go home.
“Wow, sounds great.” Nila smiled. “Ah well, if your husband ever decides to sell his magic, I’d like to see if I can give Jethro a night where the rest of the world falls away and it’s just us.” Arching her chin at the hall, she added, “Come on, we better go back. The men will be wondering.”
I followed her, my mind racing. Whatever drugs Sully had cooked up for Jethro’s condition when he was younger were now obsolete thanks to Nila’s love and presence. But...if we could give them a night where there were no other thoughts, responsibilities, or interruptions caused by whatever Jethro suffered, then...I wanted to give them that.
Before we left Hawksridge Hall, I would give Nila a gift.
A small box with the keys to a whole other world.
A world accessed only by virtual reality, desire, and togetherness.
Chapter Eight
“FOUND YOU.” I WRAPPED my arms around Eleanor as she brushed past, her fingers hastily tying her mask back into place. Nuzzling against her neck, I inhaled her, groaning at the scent of orchids, her, and the crispness of English air. “I missed you.”
I’d finished with Mr Prest.
I’d garnered all I needed to know about him, even with his face obscured by a mask. Despite the ruthlessness surrounding him, he seemed legit in his yacht endeavours, and the quick photos he’d shown me on his phone indicated an exemplary product. He’d promised to send through a quote with a range of vessels so I could go over it with Eleanor and see if it was a worthy addition to Rapture and its guests.
As far as I was concerned, I’d been friendly with Jethro. I’d been polite with Mr Prest. I’d put in an appearance and socialised for long enough.
Now, I wanted to be alone.
With my delicious fucking wife.
She shivered as I pressed a kiss against her throat. “I missed you too.”
“I’ll see you later, Eleanor.” Nila waved, vanishing into the ballroom in search of her husband.
Eleanor raised her hand weakly in goodbye, her body melting in my arms as I licked the shell of her ear. “I’m about done with this shindig. You?” I sucked her sunburst diamond earring into my mouth. “I’ve had a hard-on since our dance. I can’t stop thinking about being inside you.” Dropping my hand down her belly, I pressed her ass against me. “Feel that, Jinx? That’s your fucking fault, and I’m done waiting.”
Her head tipped back, landing on my chest. Her long hair wedged against us. “Found a closet we can disappear into?”
“A closet won’t do.” I arched my hips into her ass, grateful no one else was in the shadowy corridor. “I want all of you. I want you naked and begging. I want to take my time and ensure you’re as desperate as I am.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure I’m as desperate as you.” She laughed softly, her breath catching as I fisted her breast, squeezing her nipple through the iridescent material of her ball gown. “Sully...”
“Let’s go.” Releasing her, I grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the masquerade.
“Wait. Do we need to say goodnight? Is it rude if we—”
“It’s rude if I spend the entire night with an obvious erection.”
She smiled, her gaze dropping down my front. “I could get on my knees and help you with that.”
I grinned savagely. “Oh, you’ll be on your knees alright. But then I intend to repay the favour with my head between your thighs.”
Her eyes hooded. “How is that you can make me wet in two seconds flat?”
“How is that you can make me so fucking hard when I had you only a few hours ago?”
“It’s a curse.”
I cupped my hand around her nape, jerking her into me. Our lips touched as I fed words into her mouth. “The best kind of curse.”
I kissed her.
Hard.
Our noses brushed, our masks clacked, and our tongues broke free at the same time, dancing, licking, desperate to drop all pretences of being human and give in to the animals within us.
Struggling to catch a proper breath, I stumbled back and dragged my gorgeous wife down the corridor, past suits of armour, tapestries, masterpieces, and weaponry. We stopped halfway up the staircase, desperation ensuring another fierce and furious kiss before we practically ran the rest of the way to our room.
Wrenching open the door, I tossed her inside before locking it and ripping off my tuxedo blazer.
If I didn’t get out of these clothes soon, I’d tear them off, and I didn’t want to show such disrespect to Nila’s sewing wizardry.
Eleanor backed up, her grey gaze hot and hungry on mine. She licked her lips as I forced myself to be gentle and undo the buttons of my silver shirt instead of ripping them to shreds.
“I suggest you remove that dress, Jinx. Otherwise, yo
u’ll have a lot of apologies to make in the morning when Nila requests her gown back and finds it in pieces.”
She swallowed hard, backing toward the suitcase by one of the huge full-length windows. Staff had entered while we were at the masquerade and drawn the crimson velvet drapes, ensuring no one from outside could see what we were about to indulge in.
“I...I have something.” She kept moving away from me as I kicked off my shoes and wrenched off my socks.
“Whatever it is doesn’t matter. Strip, Eleanor. I won’t fucking ask again.”
She dashed to the suitcase, tore off her long gloves, and unzipped the top pocket. Pulling something out, she copied me and kicked off her high heels, before padding toward the huge mattress and four-poster bed.
Placing the box on the coverlets, she stood in front of it so I couldn’t see all while she undid her mask, shook out her hair, and reached behind her to undo the laces of her gown.
She wasn’t fast enough.
Marching toward her, I spun her around. “Let me.”
She gasped as I worked on the fastenings, pulling on the ribbon trapping her inside. Her chest rose and fell as I loosened the tight material, spilling her breasts free and making my cock weep to be inside her. “Christ, you’re stunning.”
I cupped her breasts, kneading her with paws that couldn’t be gentle.
She turned to face me as the dress puddled to the floor, leaving her in just a pair of sheer knickers. She hadn’t bothered to wear stockings—not willing to wear uncomfortable clothing after living five years basically nude in the tropics.
Her stomach fluttered with eager breath and her hands shook as they reached for my belt, undoing the buckle, then unzipping my fly.
Locking eyes with me, she inserted her hand into my boxer-briefs and fisted my erection.
“Fuck.” My head fell back as she pumped me. No teasing, just torment.
In a rustle of lace, she dropped to her knees.
I swallowed back a growl as her lips wrapped around my cock, her tongue instantly licking at the slit, making me fucking insane.
My hands slipped through her hair, holding the silky chocolate strands, allowing her to suck me but also reminding her who was in charge.
Sully's Fantasy (Goddess Isles, #6) Page 6