Bitter Truths: A Twisted Arranged Marriage Romance (Crimson Falls Duet Book 2)

by Dani René

  “You mean he fucking sold you,” she bites out, anger clear in her tone. Aelin knows a lot more than I ever did. Her dad works with criminals, and I’m sure she hears horror stories all the time. Mine may not be so strange to her as it is to me.

  “I get that, but I haven’t had the courage to see him yet, to talk to my father. I just don’t know how I’m going to sit in the same room with him and listen to his excuses.”

  Aelin sighs. “I’d be fucking fuming, I tell you that,” she says. “I miss you. I want my best friend back.”

  Her words hit my heart deep. The thought of not seeing her again breaks me, and my eyes fill with tears. It’s not goodbye, but I do miss her. I guess I just miss having a friend who I can talk to about things.

  “I have to go, but I’ll call you again,” I tell her, because I need to try and find Lycan. I need to figure this shit out before I can promise her that I’ll be home soon.

  “You better,” she warns.

  “Oh and don’t you go falling in love with Kahn. He’s a…” I want to say killer, or something like that, but I don’t, because I don’t know him well enough. I can’t judge her feelings for Kahn when I’m in love with Lycan and attracted to Darius, who is a killer.

  “Ha! You bet your ass I’ll be making sure he knows just what I’m capable of,” she teases, and I realize she’s not talking about violence. It makes me smile. Perhaps she can soften the man who looks like he’ll easily kill anyone with a snap of his fingers.

  “Stay safe, girl,” I tell her.

  “You too.” She hangs up before I can say anything more, and I blink back the tears. I want to be back in Crimson Falls, I want her closer, and I’m going to have to talk my husband into my plans for a business. I’d love to have Aelin work with me. He wasn’t so sure about me running my business when we first met, but things have changed. I’ve changed.

  Sighing, I sit back and wait for Lycan to come back from his meeting.

  Time for me and my husband to talk.

  By the time Lycan returns it’s dark out. I’ve just finished dinner alone in the room when the door slides open and my husband steps inside. His shirt is rumpled, his tie is undone, and he looks exhausted.

  “Hi.” I smile nervously, still unsure of what to say to him after my confession this morning. He glances at me, those usually desire-filled eyes are weary tonight. “You look tired. Do you need to sleep? How are your wounds?”

  “I want you naked, in the shower, right now.” Is all the response he offers. He doesn’t smirk, grin, or even smile. I watch for a moment as he pulls the tie from his neck before throwing it on the bed. “Did I stutter?” This time, the glow of need dances in his stare and heat flushes from my cheeks, down my chest, all the way to my stomach, where desire coils like a sleeping serpent ready to attack.

  I’m on my feet and racing for the bathroom without another word. And I can almost feel his smile as his gaze burns into my back. Pulling the nightdress that I’m wearing over my head, I turn on the taps. I slink out of my panties and step under the spray, a cold shiver trickling through me as the warming water hits my shoulders.

  Lycan is angry, or jealous, or something, and I’m almost certain I’m in for a punishment after what I said this morning. When he took my ass for the first time, it hurt, but I craved it. I enjoyed every moment. Awareness skitters over my naked flesh, and I turn to find him watching me. His green eyes almost black with feral yearning.

  “So beautiful,” Lycan murmurs as he steps under the spray behind me. “You know,” he starts, as his hands trail over my shoulders, down my arms, before he lifts my wrists and presses my palms to the cool tiles. “All this time, I thought you were a good girl.” His words drip with malice and lust, and his hand connects with my ass in a loud clap, sending shivers of pleasure rippling through me. Another spank before he continues, “I thought you were innocent and sweet.”

  “Lycan—” His free hand which clamps down on my mouth muffles my response, silencing me to the assault. Another harsh swat only earns him a whimper, but it bounces off the glass walls as he continues his punishment of my ass.

  “But instead of being a sweet submissive to me,” he hisses in my ear, and more heat pools between my legs, my thighs clenching only to earn myself another swat, and another. I lose count after a while, my head spinning as my ass tingles with the burn of Lycan’s forceful hand.

  He uses his foot to push mine apart. I’m bent at the waist, holding onto slippery tiles. The same position I was in earlier this morning, but something tells me this isn’t going to be the gentle, loving man from earlier.

  His fingers dip between my folds, finding them slick with need as he taunts me in an unrelenting pace, dipping inside me, pulling out, before thrusting back into my entrance until my knees start shaking.

  “Hold yourself up,” Lycan warns, and I can practically feel his satisfaction from controlling my body with just his two fingers. “So wet for me,” he remarks when he slides from my pussy up to my ass. The tightness of my body has a groan of pleasure rumbling in his throat as he teases me open. It’s slow, deliberate, and without looking, I’m certain he’s smiling.

  Lycan enjoys this. It’s where his demons come out to play. In the darkness, where he can control my pleasure, like I’m a puppet on a string. Once his fingers are deep inside me, he releases my mouth to taunt my pussy with two fingers. I’m open, filled, and bliss hits me when Lycan curls his fingers and gently massages my G spot, sending bright lights sparking behind my eyelids.

  “If you make a noise, it will be my fucking name you scream,” he warns me before his movements hasten. I’m so close. I’m standing on the edge of euphoria as his finger pump inside me, both holes filled with him. And I’m about to crash when suddenly, Lycan pulls from me and I’m left empty and whining with the need to come.

  “Please, Lycan,” I plead, glancing at him from over my shoulder. I can’t help my heart from stuttering at just how handsome he is. Wet from the shower, his dark hair sticking to his forehead, and those eyes are pure, black desire.

  “On your knees,” he orders, his voice gruff, raspy with desire, and his thickness bounces in front of him, jutting out toward me. “Time for you to earn your orgasm,” he informs me. I obey without debate. The water is warm on my back as I take him into my mouth. The saltiness of his arousal coating my tongue, and his fingers tangle in my long, wet strands.

  A hiss of pleasure falls from his lips as I stare up, watching the man I love fall to pieces as he uses my mouth for his pleasure. My tongue licking along the underside of his thick cock as the tip of his erection hits the back of my throat, and I hum in pleasure. Knowing you can bring a man to the brink of madness with just your mouth is powering, a heady feeling I enjoy, which turns me on.

  And watching a man as powerful and controlling as Lycan Shaw at my mercy, is a drug I’ll never get tired of taking. A shot of adrenalin to my veins. He glances down, our eyes locked in a standoff. He’s angry, I’m needy. It’s an equation for disaster, but fuck, it feels good. I swallow him deeper, trying to make sure he can feel every inch of my warmth, the same way I feel every inch of him. The smooth, silky flesh, that’s hard as steel.

  Lycan’s fingers tighten in my hair as I swallow around the tip of him, breathing through my nose as I fight my gag reflex, and that’s when I feel him throb. I reach for his balls. The heaviness in my hand feels good, and I slowly massage them, which only seems to turn him into the hungry wolf I know him to be.

  Lycan fucks my mouth with abandon, and roars his release, loud and feral, and I swallow every drop of his seed. The jets of warmth coating my tongue before I hum my approval as I clean him, ignoring my own desire that’s now at breaking point.

  He helps me to my feet and cups my face in his hands. Lycan brings me close, our lips touching, before he whispers, “Such a dirty girl, now it’s my turn.” His smirk is pure sin when he spins me around and bends me over until I’m in the same position I was in earlier—feet spread, hands on t
he tiles.

  My husband drops to his knees behind me and spreads me open to his heated stare before his mouth lands on my pussy from behind, sending shock waves of bliss through my veins. I cry out this time, and it is his name I call.

  Lycan licks at me, tasting every inch from my clit all the way to my ass, and I can’t stop the heat of embarrassment that warms my cheeks when he does that. Nobody has ever done something like this to me before.

  He continues his ministrations with his mouth, before his tongue dips into my pussy, and he fucks me with it, over and over again, until my body is shaking my knees are about to give out. I’m so close, and I pray with all my might that he doesn’t stop this time.

  His big hands release me, only to spank my ass once, twice, before he dips three fingers inside me, as he sucks on my pussy. Wet noises from between my legs have my face burning once more, but the more he fucks me, the more my nervous energy abates, and I’m lost to the pleasure.

  More spanks.

  More licks.

  Another finger.

  And then everything goes black.

  15

  Lycan

  The clock ticks by, the red letters on the nightstand glare at me. Today is going to be a long one, but I can’t sleep. I’m tense. With my wounds still healing, I should be resting, but lying around in bed isn’t going to get shit done. Even when Kahn told me I should allow him to take over, I couldn’t bring myself to agree.

  Usually, he’s the one I call when I need help. But this time, it’s personal. More so than ever before. Knowing we’re about to take down Lorenzo makes me anxious. I’m not sure what we’ll find in that convent, and to be honest, I’m not sure I want to know. But we have to save those girls, which means doing the dirty work.

  Most times, my men head out on a job and I stay at the office, but this time, I can’t hide from it. I want to be there. I glance at my wife, the ring on her finger shimmers in the low light of the moon that’s streaming through the cracked curtains. She looks like an angel lying in my arms, and I can’t help but be proud of what I’ve achieved.

  She’s by far my most prized possession.

  And as much as she wants to refuse the fact that she’s a possession, I’ll always think of our beginning that way. I did buy her, in a way, but nothing could prepare me for the months that came after. And nothing could ever prepare me for what our future will hold.

  I doubt any day with this girl will be normal. And that’s okay with me. Some might call me weak for falling in love, but I haven’t been stronger. I would lay down my life for her time and again. And I would kill anyone who tried to take her from me, even my own brother.

  Asshole.

  I should’ve hit him twice yesterday, but when I saw blood trickle from the cut on his lip, the beast inside me eased up, put away his fangs, until I walked into the bedroom and found Scarlett in bed. I needed to feel her, taste her, and I also needed to shower off the day, so I killed two birds with one stone, so to speak.

  And fuck, she tasted like heaven and hell, all wrapped up in a pretty, tanned package. Her arousal coated my tongue, and even now, the taste of her lingers. It’s a flavor I doubt I’ll ever get rid of, not that I would want to, anyway.

  Her long, crimson hair fans over the white pillow, and her dark lashes flutter against her smooth cheeks. Her breathing is even, but I have a feeling my little red is awake.

  “Are you being a creeper?” she whispers, her voice heavy with sleep, and I smile. I fucking smile at my girl. She doesn’t open her eyes, but the softness of her words feathers over my chest.

  “For you,” I tell her. “Always.”

  A small smile graces those pretty lips, and as much as I want to wake her up fully, fuck her into oblivion, I shouldn’t. We have a long day ahead of us, and the drive down to New Orleans is going to be tiring. Once there, we’ll make our way to the hotel and make sure we’re all in position before making our attack on the convent.

  I’m not sure where Lorenzo will be, or even if he’s at the church. But one way or another, we’re saving those girls tomorrow.

  It’s going to be late by the time we get there, and I think it would be best if we plan our attack in the early hours of the morning when everyone is still asleep. I’m hoping it will have people slower to react, rather than while they’re working, which will give them time to escape through the fence, or head to hiding spots we may not find.

  I feel Scarlett’s body relax once more and her breathing evens out. She’s asleep. I settle back and close my eyes, praying sleep will steal me, even if it’s for a couple of hours.

  “It’s so hot,” Scarlett says from beside me.

  Even in the air-conditioned car, the heat is stifling. “It is, but we’ll be there soon.”

  We’ve been on the road for most of the day. To avoid driving in convoy, we each headed out at different times. Darius is in the car in front of us, while Kahn and the team will be coming through an hour later. At first, we wanted to all leave together, but it would be too conspicuous, and we need to fly under the radar until we walk through those church doors.

  Alex is flying in, so he’ll be waiting at the hotel for us, and I’m almost certain he’s told his brother to be there too. Atreo runs on his own rules, much like my brother, so who knows if he’ll show up. However, with the promise of blood being spilled, I don’t doubt he’ll be there.

  I’m anxious.

  I need this to go well. We have to get those girls out, kill Lorenzo, and find out if there are any others working for him. If we can get confessions from some of the girls, perhaps even names, it would be helpful. And most of all, I pray Kahn can find his sister.

  “You’re a good man,” Scarlett says from beside me, causing me to glance down at her. “You are,” she insists when I arch a brow at her.

  “You see things through rose-colored glasses, little red,” I tell her, but there is a smile playing at my lips, showing her that I love having her tell me how I wish I could be. Even though I don’t agree with how she sees me. That’s why Darius’s feelings for her had grown, she’s alluring, magnetic.

  “No, I don’t.” This time, she pouts, and my dick jolts with approval and seeing those plump lips purse. The memory of our shower last night springs into my mind and I can’t stop the groan of need that rumbles in my chest.

  “If you keep doing that, I’m going to fuck your mouth right here in the back of the car while our driver watches,” I threaten, earning me a dick-jolting gasp. Her mouth falls open, but she quickly shuts it. “Don’t act like you’re shocked at my words. You should be used to them by now.”

  “Oh, I am, Mr. Shaw,” she taunts in a low tone, while running her nail along the length of my tie, before dropping to my crotch where she teases my now hardening cock through the material. “I just didn’t expect you to need release so quickly after last night,” Scarlett whispers. The last two words are a breathy sigh, before I grip her hips and drag her over my lap to straddle me.

  I make quick work of bunching up the long red dress to Scarlett’s hips, and I push away her flimsy panties before dipping my fingers into her sopping cunt. “No more panties in the car on any of our future trips. They get in my way when I want to do this,” I tell her while pumping two digits into her tight heat. The warmth of her pulses around me, and I need to be inside her.

  Scarlett sees the need in my eyes and undoes my belt, tugs my zipper down, before she takes out my cock, and slowly lifts herself over my shaft. As she slinks down my cock, my eyes roll back in my head as pleasure zips through me like an electric current.

  She whimpers, but I watch as she bites her lip to keep from making a noise. However, the driver can see exactly what’s going on in the backseat because I didn’t put the partition up. Knowing he can see my wife ride me only makes me harder. Gripping her hips, I move her faster as she grips my shoulders, her fingers digging into the material of my shirt as I lift my hips.

  I fuck myself into her while she moans louder with every thrus
t of my hips. Her tits bounce in front of me, and I’m not going to last long. Reaching between us, I circle her clit, teasing the little nub which only forces her nails to dig into my shoulders, and if I wasn’t wearing a shirt, I’d have claw marks down my chest as Scarlett mewls my name over and over again.

  My own release hits me then, and I empty jet after jet of my seed inside my wife. And for a split second, I wonder what it would be like to see her pregnant. To see her swollen with my babies, and I force her down on my cock, fully seating myself inside her, until I’m spent and Scarlett collapses against me.

  Perhaps once this is over, it’s time to talk to my wife about giving me those heirs I’d like.

  16

  Lycan

  The room is filled to the brim with testosterone. I don’t blame Scarlett for staying in the bedroom while we plan our attack. It’s almost ten in the evening and everyone is here. Each and every man is ready to take down this bastard, and Kahn is leading the pack.

  “He’s everything vile you can think of. The devil incarnate. We have the cartel on the border. Victor Cordero has his men waiting, so if they try to escape, we have them locked down. The water is covered by my team, and the airport is being manned by the Italians.” He pins a stare on Alex who offers a nod of agreement. “The roads are being watched by this chapter of The Kovenant MC.”

  Darius nods before stepping forward. “We also have men that will make their way around the walls of the church and convent, in case anyone finds a way out that we don’t know about, they’ll be caught.”

  “And I get the girls,” Alex says.

  “Have you told us why you’re so adamant about them?” Darius asks the question I’m sure is on a lot of minds in this room. He never gave me a reason, only that he needed it done. When it comes to the mafia, I don’t ask questions.