Redemption (Red Dragon Book 1)

by Bradley, H. J.

  His fingers clawed into the back of her head as his torso shot up from the sofa, his head falling back as he let out a strangled cry and he shuddered into his orgasm. Pulling back she was pleased that she was able to catch some of his essence on her tongue, feeling that the taste of him would become addictive, as she gently suckled him through his devastating aftershocks.

  “There we go,” said Cat, as she let his softening form slip from her lips. “Did that look like a particularly difficult chore for me?”

  He didn’t answer, instead using the hands in her hair to drag her back up his body and take her mouth in a searing kiss. Cat knew that he must be able to taste himself on her tongue; however it didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest as he all but ravaged her mouth.

  “You’re amazing.” He pulled away from her mouth, sliding his lips across her cheek and down to her neck. “I can’t believe you did that for me again.”

  “Maybe because I enjoy it,” she said, running her hands slowly up his back to massage the back of his neck and then slide her fingers through his hair. “Really enjoy it.”

  “Yeah.” Valto’s hand cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing over her nipple in a way that made a high pitched keen come from her throat. “Does that mean we’re doing that again?”

  “Every day if you want,” she said, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips.

  “Yes, yes please.” Valto nodded his head.

  Cat couldn’t stop herself laughing. “Greedy.” She moved to press her lips to his ear. “Are you going to fuck me now?”

  A strong shudder went through his body. “Yeah, I can do that.”

  “Absolutely not.” Cat let out a high pitched shriek, pressing herself against Valto and staring at where Beth was standing in the doorway with an amused look on her face.

  “Well I’ve lost it now.” Valto’s words were barely a whisper, and she let out a burst of laughter.

  “You had better have done,” said Beth. “And that had better not be your bare arse on my sofa Valdemer.”

  “Can we please get dressed?” Cat glanced backwards at where her nighty was.

  “Certainly,” said Beth. However didn’t move.

  Cat pressed herself against Valto again, letting out a gasp when his hands slid smoothly down the length of her back. “Um. In private?”

  Beth gave a chuckle at that before rolling her eyes at them and turning her back. The moment she did Cat pressed one last kiss to Valto’s lips and then collected her nighty from the couch, getting to her feet so as to put it back on. Though she couldn’t stop herself taking a peak at Valto as he wiggled into his sleep pants, a flare of heat settling in her groin at the sight of him naked. “Ok we’re decent.” Valto’s words were calm, though there was something in his eyes that complimented the barely quenched desire within her.

  Valto got off the couch at the same time that Beth turned around, unfolding his long limbs and moving to stand beside Cat. It always amazed her how unbelievably tall he was, and how he towered over her in a way that was both intimidating and arousing. As Aunt Beth glared them down Valto wrapped one strong arm around Cat’s waist, and she couldn’t help herself leaning into the bulk of him. “And there was you telling me that no liberties were being taken.” Beth’s harsh glare eased into a gentle smile. “Valto there was no need to lie to me. If you’d told me the truth at least that way I would have been more wary since I would have considered the possibility of walking into my living room to find Caitlin here sucking your brain out of your dick.”

  Cat laughed at that, suddenly finding the whole situation hilarious and Valto’s arm tightened around her waist as she did so. Here she was standing in the main living room of Belltree House, her sex still damp and throbbing between her legs as even the other woman’s presence hadn’t calmed her arousal. The taste of Valto was still heavy in her mouth, coating her tongue and the back of her teeth in its salty essence. “We may have started the sexual aspect of our relationship, well to a degree anyway.” Cat was able to hold back her chuckles while she tried to explain to her Aunt what was going on between her and Valto, though it was difficult when Cat had no idea what was happening herself.

  “I can see that,” said Beth. “That sofa is a hundred and fifty years old Caitlin, and I don’t need him leaving heirs to the Welsh throne all over it … Ok?”

  Those words made her chuckle again, and with the way Valto was holding himself it was clear that he was desperately trying not to burst into laughter as well. Beth seemed to be finding Cat’s amusement infectious because there was a twinkle in her eyes, though she shook her head at them both. “Oh please.” Cat waved her hand. “I didn’t spill a drop.” She ran her tongue along the back of her teeth, chasing what was left of his taste.

  “That is far more about your sex life than I care to know about.” Beth folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t do it again.” With that she turned around and walked out of the room, leaving Cat and Valto behind in an awkward silence.

  “Didn’t spill a drop huh?” Valto’s voice was low, and if Cat didn’t know him any better she would have said that the cadence of his tone was meant to be seductive.

  She looked up at him then and gave him a wink before licking her lips, she turned to face him and stood on tip toes so as to wrap her arms around his neck. “Not a single drop.” Valto leaned down and brushed their lips together before Cat dragged his head down and eased him into a deep kiss.

  In that moment Cat wanted nothing more than to take Valto back up to her room, pull him onto the bed and welcome him where she was aching to be filled. Yet she knew doing that would open doors that she wasn’t ready for yet; there was a difference in getting what she wanted in his bed or on a couch and inviting him into her private space. She groaned deeply when Valto’s hands slid over her breasts, making her nipples harden again and her back arch. “Cat.” He whispered her name against her lips. “Spend the night with me.”

  At those words she raised a hand to cup his cheek and kissed him lightly. “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t … not yet.”

  Thankfully Valto didn’t seem to need either an explanation, nor did he try to talk her into anything. Instead he simply pressed a kiss to her forehead and released her from his embrace, stepping back he gave her a sad smile. “Ok.” They stood simply looking at each other for several moments. “I love you.”

  Cat closed her eyes at the sound of those words, a sharp pain in the region of her heart and she knew that she was in trouble when she started believing him. “Don’t.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Valto just don’t.”

  He nodded his head before turning quickly and walking out of the room. The moment that she lost sight of him, Cat let herself fall back onto the couch with one hand pressed to her aching chest, gasping out deep sobs. She had known that this would be a mistake, but Lowri had been insistent that Valto was the best choice and she found herself missing Hans in this moment. All she needed was for him to be here and take her into his arms and tell her that it was going to be alright, even though it clearly wasn’t going to be.

  Cat didn’t know how long she had been sitting there wallowing in her own sadness, but she eventually managed to stumble to her feet and make her way to her room. In a half daze she pulled back the covers on her bed and turned off the lights, before crawling into bed and falling quite quickly into a deep sleep.

  Chapter Ten.

  Valto was secretly pleased that for the start of her pre-coronation tour Cat had chosen to visit the ancestral homes of her family lines. This meant that he had time to spend alone with his wife-to-be without the press hanging off their every move, and since their discussion of the couple of nights ago, Cat’s reception had been rather cold towards him. Though Valto found himself hopeful of getting her to warm back up.

  Faenor Niwlog was a giant manor house of grey stone that was surrounded by thick woodlands and orchards. A labyrinth of high walled gardens which branched out from the main body of the manor, and all in all the place
was a terrifying display of gothic architecture. Perfect then for the private residence of the Duchess of Pembrokeshire; not that Valto thought Myf had actually been here for a good many years. In fact it was now open to the public on weekends and public holidays, and a friend of Valto’s from the air force had actually got married here the year before.

  “This place has always given me the creeps.” Cat’s voice broke through his musings, and he turned to look at where she was standing in the middle of the gravel drive staring up at the foreboding building before them. “No wonder Myf refused to stay here and chose Australia for her banishment.”

  Those words caused Valto’s jaw to clench and his eyes to widen in shock. Banishment seemed like a very strong word. As far as he, and the rest of the Finnish royal family had been concerned Myf had gone to Sydney because she had wanted to enter the arts program being offered at one of the Universities there. Nobody had really been all that surprised since Johann had already started building his reputation with as many beautiful girls and women as he had been able to get his hands on, and it must have hurt Myf even though theirs was an arranged engagement. She must not have felt like she would ever be good enough for Valto’s handsome but rebellious cousin. But to find out that the Welsh had effectively banished her for whatever reason was a shock, and he knew that his grandfather would be horrified if he found out. “What do you mean?”

  Cat turned to look behind her shoulder at him, one fine eyebrow raised at his harsh tone. “Our father, as you know, was a very strict man and extremely set in his ways. He noticed that my sister and Johann were getting close, and he was worried about Johann deciding that his attention was going to turn to Myf. Now don’t get me wrong, in those days I know that he wouldn’t have touched my sister sexually with a 20 foot pole; he had made his preferences in bed partners quite clear and Myf did not conform.” Her face suddenly dropped in an expression of sadness. “She still doesn’t, and I have no idea what he thinks he’s doing showering her with all this attention. Al he is going to do is break her heart.”

  Valto had been thinking that same thing for many years now, especially when Johann had started getting more and more serious with some of the women that he had been seeing. However he did seem serious about Cat’s raven haired twin sister, and Valto did want to give him the benefit of the doubt in this; when they were married Johann would have no other options. “Oh I don’t know Cat, from what Kai’s told me he’s been on his best behaviour in New York while waiting for Myf to get there.”

  It was clear that Cat didn’t believe that for a second, but she also didn’t seem to want to call him out on it because she simply turned on her heel and walked up to the manor without answering him. Then again, Valto could see her point of view as well; Johann’s best behaviour generally was on a different level to the rest of them.

  Together they walked away from the large black Mercedes that had brought them down from Tenby, leaving the driver to get their bags from the back and hand them to the two young footmen that had come out to greet them. “Tonight I will be spending the night on our ancestral barrows.” Cat pointed vaguely in the direction of the back of the manor, indicating the direction said barrows must have been in. Valto had spent quite some time in Faenor Niwlog yet he had never been to the barrows which sat in the land just below the hill in which the manor had been built upon.

  “Is that one of your pre-coronation traditions?” Every family had them; traditions dating back as far as anyone could remember in which a monarch about to take throne would have to perform before coronation. Compared to festivities such as Calan Mai, this one was quite tame.

  “That’s right,” answered Cat. “It is also something that my sister will have to do on the eve of her wedding.”

  The steps leading up to the huge oak doors were wide but uneven, and Valto had to wonder how many people had fallen down them over the past five hundred or so years that they had stood. He certainly felt like he might slip down them, and watching as Cat gracefully climb them as though she was floating made him feel incredibly clumsy beside her.

  “So Myf will be sitting on a barrow the night before her wedding?” His voice sounded disbelieving even to his own ears. “But she’s getting married in Helsinki … isn’t she?”

  It was tradition in Royalty for a wedding to be held in the home country of the bride; however with Wales gearing up for both his wedding to Cat and her subsequent coronation it had been decided that Finland could host Myf and Johann’s wedding. Not only that but with all the trouble he’d caused over the years the Finns deserved to see their rebellious Prince get married.

  “Yes she is.” The moment that Cat approached the door it was opened by the handsome hall boy, complete with his Edwardian style outfit who gave them a small bow as they entered the front hallway side by side. “That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have to follow our traditions.”

  “Of course it doesn’t.” Valto shrugged his shoulders. “But she’s going to be exhausted flying from Wales to Finland the morning of her wedding.”

  Cat gave a soft laugh at that which echoed around the hugely ornamental hallway that made up the grand entrance. The floors were made of a black stone that shone beneath the dim light coming from the enormous crystal chandelier hanging overhead, and the walls were painted a deep grey that matched the complete atmosphere of the hall. There were huge portraits hung on the walls and thick ornamental rugs on the floor, even though it was very much like Caerdydd Castle in décor there was something cold about this place. As though it had been a long time since there had been any love in this house, and that in itself was rather sad.

  “Myf is a big girl, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Cat’s heels clicked on the glossy floor as she moved quickly down the hallway, heading towards the door that he knew led into the main living area. It seemed like she must have sent word ahead that they didn’t want to be bothered by the servants, as apart from the footmen and the doorman the place was empty. “Plus I like the idea of her being too tired to give Johann the wedding night he clearly expects from her.”

  With a chuckle Valto hurried to catch up to her, and together they walked into the living room and when their arms brushed together he reached out and took her hand. He expected Cat to pull herself away from his grasp, maybe to even flinch at his touch, especially with the way she had been acting in Tenby. Instead she merely held his hand in return, and he saw a small smile grace her face if only for a moment.

  The main living room of the manor was carpeted in thick cream pile; the furniture was mostly navy blue and maroon antiques. It was a lot warmer and far more inviting than the rest of this gigantic and terrifying house. The moment that they were in the room with the door shut behind them, Cat released his hand and stretched her arms above her head. “Peace at last.”

  “Tenby wasn’t peaceful enough for you?” he asked, settling himself in one of the huge navy armchairs. After so many hours in the backseat of a car, even one as luxurious as Cat’s Mercedes, his lower back had started to ache and his legs were sore from not quite fitting comfortably, and he found himself sinking happily into the chair.

  “Not really.” Cat had moved over to one of the huge windows at the far side of the room, pushing back the thick navy blue drapes so as to look outside. “I’ve been alone for a long time Valto.” She glanced back at him before returning her gaze back through the window. “I’m kind of used to it by now.”

  Something cold dropped into his stomach at those words. Valto had been very careful not to think of those three years that he had known Cat had locked herself away in Carreg Cannen; had pretended not to hear the stories of how she was wasting away on alcohol and painkillers. There had been talk of removing her from the line of succession if she didn’t clean up her act, and then the next thing he had known she was sleeping with the fifty two year old King of Moldova. Despite everything though Alexandru was a good man and he had clearly done right by Cat, because soon after she had turned away from the bottle and moved back into Caer
dydd.

  “Cat you don’t have to be alone anymore.” He wanted nothing more than to go and join her at the window, but he was so unsure around her most of the time that he was afraid of what his reception would be.

  “Of course I am.” Valto watched as she shook her head. “I am going to be the Queen. I will always be alone.”

  He found himself staring at her in surprise. In all honestly Valto had only considered how his life would change when Cat became queen and he was standing beside her as the Prince Consort; not once had he considered what that would do to her. She would no longer be a person under her own right; instead she would simply become an extension of the country, having no rights to any individualism. Everything she said and did would be monitored and scrutinised. It took him back to a party when he had been a youth in which he had overheard his grandmother and Lady Lowri discussing how the maids were ordered to let the royal physician know when they were having periods. That way if they got pregnant procedures could be put into place before a pregnancy test would even work.

  It suddenly dawned on him that every time he made love to his wife it would be known by the staff because they would know what to look for. Privacy was something that was very much in the past, and for a moment he felt panic take a grip of his heart and squeeze it tightly. These were of course all things that he had known six years ago, things that his grandfather had sat down and talked to him about when he and Cat had first started to get serious. However he had forgotten about the finer details, had been more concerned with winning Cat over than looking at what that truly meant. Steph had asked him if he thought that he would gain more than he had lost, and here in this living room in this big draughty house he finally mulled over those words. “We’ll have each other.” It was the honest truth, if she was afraid of losing herself and who she was then it was going to be Valto’s job to hold part of her aside and keep it safe. Give her something that didn’t completely belong to Wales.