“This time, no one will interrupt us,” she teased. Nipping at his throat and pushing him backward with her hands on his chest, Ellora navigated their steps toward the cabin’s sleeping quarters.
Behr laughed, the deep rumble vibrating inside his chest. “Aye, my thoughts exactly, love. I need time and space to make love to my beautiful wife. All. Night. Long.”
His strong commanding hands traveled down her sides, gripped her hips, and turned them around so he could take control of their steps. He marched her back into their suite, pulling her as close as their clothed bodies would allow. Bending low, he brushed his lips over her glossed mouth and felt a buzz of excited energy coming from Ellora. Her body hummed in response to his touch. A shiver ran down the length of her spine, raising goosebumps along her bare arms.
Oh my God, this is finally happening.
Her heavy breaths mingled with his as Behr dove into the kiss, desperate to deepen their connection. Ellora wound her arms around his neck, lacing her fingers through the thick strands, and tugging him into the position she wanted him. Her tongue explored the heat of his mouth, stroking him with all the passion a new bride had for her husband. Behr groaned inside of her mouth as their tongues mimicked the erotic dance of lovers moving against one another.
Strong hands gripped the corset of her gown, ready to pull the beautiful garnet apart as his sexual desire took over his diminishing patience. Behr was desperate to get her out of the heavy fabric, to feel her soft skin pressed against his.
“Turn ‘round, love.”
Behr called upon his control and willed himself to slow down. His overwhelming desire to feel her underneath him commanded every other emotion, making it difficult to think of anything else. Ellora gifted him the honor of experiencing her first time on their wedding night, and he didn’t want to tear her dress apart rushing into anything.
Ellora deserved time, intimacy, and passion, to share a loving bond that would fuse them together… forever. Behr was determined to make her first time as special as possible. He wanted her to remember every moment of this night. And hopefully, the passion they shared would outweigh the inevitable pain she’d initially feel.
Ellora turned, gathering her ink-black hair to one side and letting it fall down over her lace covered breasts. Taking a deep breath, Behr ran feather-light kisses down the length of her swan-like neck, as his expert fingers unthreaded the bodice of her wedding dress. Piece by piece, he revealed the soft creamy skin that lay hidden underneath. Ellora’s pulse raced and her chest heaved with nervous anticipation and giddy impatience.
His pace was agonizingly slow as he methodically undressed her. Her breathing became erratic as the weight of the gown finally dropped in a billowing pile on the floor. Behr gazed down once her scar became fully exposed. The sensitive scar tissue seemed to glow brighter in the moonlight against her skin, the jagged reminder of how close she’d come to losing her life staring him in the face.
There she stood with nothing but a thin pair of white lace panties and the garter holding up her sheer white stockings. Behr dropped heavily to his knees, the hardwood planks groaning in protest underneath his impressive weight. Even on his knees, the large man came mid-way to her back. Gripping her hips with tight desperation, he feared what could’ve happened.
But pride soon took its place, flooding his system… she had chosen him. She was now his to protect. His to love, and his to cherish. Behr let a solitary tear roll down his cheek as he leaned in, laying open-mouthed kisses along the small of her back.
A shiver trickled up her spine as the chilled air touched the hot, wet kisses Behr left behind. Ellora turned her head and witnessed the heavy emotion coming from Behr. It left an ache deep inside her chest. He carefully moved up the length of her back, taking the time to brush feather-light kisses over every inch of her scar. His attentive caresses felt strangely erotic on the over-sensitized flesh.
Ellora closed her eyes, reveling in the sensual grip his strong hands had digging into her pelvis. He kneaded the skin, massaging it and drawing her in closer to his body. Behr continued his torturous pace up her back until he, once again, hovered over her. Gulping down any insecurities that still lingered, Ellora turned into his hold, revealing her bare breasts to her husband for the first time.
Behr sucked in an audible breath as his eyes dilated, taking in her beauty as she stood stoically before him. Ellora had been the object of all his lustful dreams and deepest desires since the moment he set eyes on her, and here she stood… a reality far more breathtaking than anything he could’ve thought up. She was perfect.
Her breasts rose and fell in rhythm with her accelerated heart and deep breaths. She was nervous. Her pebbled nipples, blush in color, begged him to reach out and caress them. Behr gently cupped one breast, running his thumb back and forth along the soft skin. She responded to his tender touch, arching into his hand, letting loose a soft moan. Her eyes drifted closed as she leaned into his hold.
Behr took her into his mouth, suckling onto the aroused bud. His free hand kneaded the other breast, giving the erect nipple a firm pinch. This elicited a throaty groan from Ellora. Her noises nearly drove Behr wild with his own need, but he took his time forging a path to the other side, nipping and sucking across her raised gooseflesh to give the other breast equal attention.
“Oh, Behr, I want you so bad.” Ellora gasped as he swirled his hot tongue around the other nipple. As if operating on their own accord, her trembling fingers made quick work of unfastening each button on his white dress shirt. She’d waited her whole life to meet her soul mate, and now that she finally had him, Ellora couldn’t wait any longer.
She longed to feel his bare skin touching and moving against hers, and that need grew more and more overwhelming as time passed. She craved his closeness, the kind that united two bodies into one. Once Ellora unfastened his belt and unzipped his fly, she froze. Ellora’s inexperience had her faltering, unsure of her next move.
Sensing her hesitation, Behr smiled down at his beloved, cradling her face in his strong hands. He looked at her as if he held the most precious treasure in his arms. Dipping his head, Behr’s lips crashed into hers. Ellora came up on her tiptoes to meet him. Their tongues explored each other, and she was relieved with the distraction. All previous thoughts, insecurities, and doubts melted away with each stroke of his exploring tongue.
Ellora ran her hands up inside of Behr’s shirt, pushing the garment off his large shoulders and onto the ground beside her dress. His broad defined chest twitched and flexed underneath her roaming hands. Her soft fingers traveled their way down the ridges of his defined abs.
“You feel so good,” she whispered against his mouth in between kisses. Her hands came to rest on the waistband of his pants. Growing bolder after every groan from Behr, Ellora slipped her hands inside his tailored pants and grabbed his firm ass.
Behr lost the last remnants of the control he’d been hanging onto. A predatory growl ripped out of his chest and had him panting heavily. His nostrils flared like a raging beast, and his heaving breaths blew Ellora’s hair back from her face. In one swift move, Behr lunged down, gripping the backs of her thighs, and lifted her up. Ellora sucked in a startled breath and instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. She tightened her grip around his neck and attacked his lips once again. The urgency of the raw need she had for her man fueled her mania.
Behr bit and nipped at her heated flesh as he stalked over to the bed. The time to claim Ellora as his, in every way a man could claim the woman he loved, had finally come. No more waiting.
“I need you. Right now, love.” Behr’s raspy voice was muffled as he dragged his lips up the length of her neck.
Behr carefully lowered her onto their bed, placing lazy kisses across her collarbone as he made his way down her breasts, teasing her with flicks of his tongue before continuing his path down. His hot tongue left a cool sensation as he blew air over her tiny belly, then circled around her belly button. Ellora writhed un
derneath him. His erotic manipulations ignited a slow burn in the pit of her stomach and spread outward.
Once he’d made it all the way down to her white lace panties, Behr paused, peering up at her through his thick lashes, his hooded eyes burning with desire for her. That look thrilled her, though she still felt anxious for what she knew was coming.
Behr was taken aback. Ellora looked like a dark angel as her raven black hair fanned out all around her like a black halo. She bit her lip and nodded at his unspoken request. Butterflies flittered around in her belly as Behr hooked his fingers into the band of lace that hid her most intimate beauty and gently pulled them down her thighs. Behr rose to stand at the edge of the bed and gazed down at the goddess that lay waiting for him. “I cannae believe you’re all mine… so beautiful.”
“I’m yours, Behr. Always.” Her voice hitched on the last word, thick with the overwhelming emotions that flooded her. His body immediately responded to her vulnerability and throbbed with need for her.
Behr gripped the waistband of his pants and pulled them down, along with his boxers. When he rose to his full height, Ellora gasped at the magnificence a large man like him boasted. His impressive erection commanded attention. Ellora’s mouth ran dry as she openly stared in amazement. Her temperature rose, and her cheeks flushed as she took in his arousal. Not a single flaw existed on this man.
A smirk formed on Behr’s face as he watched his innocent bride marveling in awe at him, and he lifted a cocky brow. Her eyes shifted to meet his. Ellora bit her lip, curled her finger, and signaled for him to come closer. Behr crawled across the mattress like a predator ready to devour its prey. Ellora’s heart skipped a beat as the mattress dipped under his powerful weight. He gradually climbed up the length of her body, leaving a trail of wet kisses behind.
Ellora stretched out her legs, opening up to him. Now hovering over top, Behr rested his weight on his forearms. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Ellora arched her body into him. Her trembling fingers brushed his thick hair back and away from his face. She needed to see his ice blue eyes, craving that intimate connection between them.
Gazing deep into her emerald green eyes, Behr quaked with the raw emotions that flooded him. He’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Ellora. She was his love, his wife, his everything.
“I love you, Ellora. By God, I love you so much it hurts.”
Ellora melted into his deep gravelly profession as his arousal ground rhythmically against her entrance, stimulating her in a way she’d never thought possible without penetration. Sinking into his pleasurable ministrations, all her nerves melted away as an irresistible pressure built up inside her core after every stroke. Ellora traced his lips with her tongue and dove inside once he granted her access. Moaning into his mouth, she mimicked his erotic thrusting.
An indescribable ache pulsed deep inside her core. Encircling her legs around his waist, desperate to have Behr move inside her, Ellora opened up to him, silently begging him to end her suffering and take her.
“I’m ready, Behr.”
Behr gripped her tiny wrists, raising them high above her head, and laced his fingers through hers. Their eyes locked together, and Behr found himself drowning in their depths as he pushed past her seal.
“I love you, Ellora.”
Troy
Oakwood Cemetery and Mausoleums
Syracuse New York
The driver pulled the company car up to the large historical plot. “We’re here, Mr. Wyndham. Shall I escort you, Sir?”
Troy waved him away. “No, that won’t be necessary. I won’t be long. Keep the engine running. I’ll have Shannon accompany me.” Troy glanced over to his secretary, now that Dalton was gone. Dalton had brought her over from a small town in Scotland. He’d definitely have to thank him for that.
“Shall we?”
Troy extended his hand to hers, and she hesitantly placed hers in his. “Yes, Mr. Wyndham.” Troy smiled at her adorable accent as she spoke his name, and he thought back to her first week as Dalton’s new employee. She’d been nothing more than a scantily clad, bleached blonde, wide-eyed foreigner.
Scared.
She was scared of everything and everyone, thanks to Dalton. Troy took the time to properly train and prep her for the position she was hired for since Dalton was too busy losing his fucking mind. Dalton was stupid. He’d lost focus on the big picture.
Money and power.
Troy gazed over at Shannon as they walked up the beautifully maintained, pebbled path to his former boss’s gravestone. She strolled by his side with a newfound grace. After Troy had been put in charge of her, the first thing he’d done was set her up with a substantial wardrobe change and changed her hair back to its natural auburn color. Her new position required for her to maintain a professional façade at all times. She’d have to act the part she was expected to play.
He stopped their forward march a few yards out from the grave, approaching a stone bench. Lifting Shannon’s hand, Troy placed a kiss on the delicately freckled skin.
“Sit here and wait for me, Shannon. I won’t be long.”
He waited for her reply, which came in the form of a stiff nod, before leaving her side and continuing his trek up the path. She was still frightened, even after all this time had passed. Whatever it was Dalton had said or done to this girl, it definitely left a lasting effect on her, long after he dumped her into his care.
Dalton was dead. Seeing his name carved into the stone slab made this all the more enjoyable. Troy stopped directly in front of the dome-shaped stone and sneered down at his grave. His tall stately frame cast an ominous shadow over the plot. Crossing his arms over his chest, adorned in his new designer suit, Troy shook his head and laughed.
“You stupid fucking fool. I hope you’re having fun dancing with the devil while I sit back and bask in all of your wealth. Or what’s left of it after you almost squandered it away obsessing over a girl who didn't even want you. I came by to thank you…
“Thank you for announcing me as your right-hand man. This was the slip up I’ve been waiting for… after all the years I’ve taken care of all your dirty work and cleaned up after all your messes, all while you were hiding in the shadows. You were too busy stalking unimportant and irrelevant people to pay any attention to your own empire. I’d signed over the entirety of your assets to your right-hand man in the event of your untimely death.
“I never expected it to come so soon. What were you thinking? Giving a man like me power of attorney over all that’s yours… Over-privileged, insecure, pampered little pricks like you don’t deserve to run an empire. Well, your loss is now my gain. I will recoup all you lost during your psychotic downward spiral. I will lift this company up so high it’ll be unlike anything you’ve ever seen. That I promise you. You’ve forgotten the number one rule in this game… Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
“I was neither your ally nor your loyal comrade. I was the ever watchful predator, patiently waiting for the right time to strike. This was what I’ve been after all along. I left Giddeon alive for a reason. I knew he’d eventually find out and come after you. Your irrational obsession with Ellora was a delightful bonus, helping to speed up your inevitable downfall.”
Troy back-stepped away, smirking down on the unfortunate outcome of his intended victim. “Checkmate.”
Striding back over to where Shannon awaited his return, Troy approached with an ecstatic bounce in his stride. “Come, darlin’, the world is ours to conquer. Let’s celebrate.”
Stretching out his hand, he waited. She nervously placed her trembling hand in his, and Troy smiled brightly at her as he helped her rise from her seat. He smiled down at her, gliding his hand to the small of her back, and guided Shannon back to the company car.
“There is nothing to fear from me, woman. I will not hurt you unless you plan to betray me. Otherwise, I will leave you be. I don’t take joy in forcing women to be with me. Unlike Dalton, I like my love conquests to be willing
participants.”
Shannon turned her head, blushing. His forward announcement left her speechless. Troy opened the back door to the car and watched as she ducked her head and climbed inside. Her timid reaction stirred his natural instinct to give chase. Troy wouldn’t force her to be with him, but that wouldn’t stop him from pursuing her.
“Come, rejoice in Dalton’s death with me.” Relief washed over her at the thought that the vile monster was actually gone. Troy commanded the driver to head over to a high-class cocktail bar downtown. Leaning back, he stretched his arm over the back of her seat and pierced her with his domineering and icy gaze.
Shannon’s naturally adventurous spirit and undying curiosity spurred her on as she met his gaze head-on. This mysterious and sometimes terrifying man looked at her in a way no other man had. Back in Portree, it was she who had to come on to men so strongly. But here, with this man, it was he who pursued her… And she loved it.
“Thank you for letting me keep my position in the company, Mr. Wyndham.”
Kissing her knuckles, his eyes narrowed on her lips as they moved. “It’s my pleasure, Shannon. Together, we are going to welcome a whole new era. Are you ready?”
She hesitated for a moment, confused by the kind tone he reserved only when speaking with her. Dalton had been anything but kind, and knowing how dangerous this man truly was, had her keeping all her guards up. Shannon wasn’t sure what it was about her that drew out the kindness from this man, but she didn't want to lose it.
She had to admit to herself that being a part of a wealthy, powerful corporation, and in the favor of the man in charge of it all, thrilled and excited her. After all, she grew up in a small harbor town whose people probably didn’t even notice her absence.
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