Chapter 25: King of Deception: Chapter 25

“Sweetheart,” he groans close to my ear. “You’re too hurt tonight.”

His hands skim down my back, the touch so comforting, it’s enough to make me ache. I’ve always trusted Gris implicitly when it comes to my body.

It’s like my skin understood before my brain, that Gris was a man I could trust.

Tonight he was at my side when I needed him most, I sent out a distress signal and he⁠—

“How did you get here so fast?”

He grins at me. “Mrs. Gillette called me the moment Preston started yelling.”

My mouth hangs open. When I called, thinking I was calling Luke, he was already on his way.

I don’t ask him to make love to me again, instead, I kiss him. It’s long and deep, my tongue sliding between his lips.

He kisses me back, the passion climbing between us, until he breaks away. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” I say simply, I know any pain I feel will be nothing compared to the pleasure.

“Arabella,” he groans and kisses me again. “You’re killing me.”

I skim my fingers over his neck. I know he’s conflicted, but I’m not at all. I’ve never wanted to be closer to someone more than I do him. Right here. Right now.

“This is about me and you, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Then I say we seal the deal, Gris. I want to give myself to you the way I’ve never given myself to anyone else before.”

“Fuck, Arabella. How could I say no to that?”

That’s the whole point. He’s not supposed to say no. I kiss him again, slow, languid, but with plenty of tongue.

This man lights me on fire.

I’m ready to be consumed by the flame.

His tongue tangles with mine, his arms cradling my body. I barely feel when he stands and sets me lightly on my feet. It’s not until he pulls back, that I make a small sound of protest.

He grins down at me, his eyes full of wicked intent. “I’m going to strip those little shorts off you, luv, and this seems the easiest way.”

“Oh,” I blush as his hands come to my waist. He catches the hem of my tank and gently pulls it over my head. My muscles twinge a bit as I drop my arms. He kisses along my collarbone, unhooking my bra and sliding it down my arms. He stops, tracing a few bruises.

I look away. I don’t want to think about them, about what happened earlier. All I care about is him.

“He’s going to pay,” Gris whispers against my skin.

“He already did,” I answer, grabbing the hem of Gris’s shirt. “And let’s not talk about any of that. I only want to think about you.”

He shrugs his own shirt off and then pulls me into his embrace as he nuzzles my ear. “No man is ever hurting you again.”

My eyes drift close as I tip my head back, his lips sliding up my neck. Gris is more than strong enough to keep me safe. Protected.

I reach between us, undoing the button of my shorts. “I know.”

He smiles against my skin. “You do, do you?”

I slide my hands up his arms, stopping at his biceps. Gently, I give them both a squeeze. “But, Gris…”

“Yeah, luv?”

“Don’t do too much damage to your family. Mine was already blowing apart, but I don’t want you to lose yours…” I know what he’s doing. If we leave, he proves to me there wasn’t an agenda. He really loves me.

But I don’t want to see his brothers hurt because of me.

He looks down at me, his gaze nearly unreadable as he reaches for the zipper on my shorts, unzipping them, before pulling them down over my hips.

My hands come to his shoulders. He squats lower, sliding the shorts over my skin as he leans in and kisses my hip. “Are you trying to protect my family?”

“I suppose that’s silly, considering I don’t know any of them.” The shorts hit the floor, and he skims his hands back up my legs until he’s holding my hips in his hands. He’s still squatting down in front of me.

“It’s not silly at all. I love how soft you are, caring. It’s not a trait that’s represented much in my family.” He stands, letting go of me long enough to shuck off his own pants.

As many times as I’ve seen him without clothes, I still stare, my own body heating as my eyes travel down his perfect frame. “God, Gris, you’re so…”

He’s still wearing boxer briefs, but I can see his erection and I reach out, stroking him through his underwear.

I love the feel of him in my hand and I give him a small squeeze, licking my lips.

“Bella,” his hoarse groan fills the room. “When you lick your lips like that…”

“I want to taste you,” I whisper back.

I know what he wants. He wants to protect me tonight. But here is the thing. He already did that, right when I needed him most.

Now it’s my turn to worship him. I feel it deep down, how much I want to give to him. My body, my heart, my time, and all my love. It all belongs to him. It’s my turn to drop to my knees as I pull the briefs down to his thighs, his cock springing free and bumping right into my lip.

It knows exactly where it wants to be.

I flick my tongue out and give him a lick, a taste, before I wrap my lips around the head and give a small suckle.

“Fuck,” he grits out, his hand coming into my hair.

But he doesn’t pull me closer, doesn’t use his grip to slide deeper into my mouth, instead, he uses it to hold me back.

I look up at him, my brows up. “You don’t want to be inside my mouth?”

“I want nothing more. But not tonight. Not after what your body has been through.” He pulls me back up his body, then lifts me in his arms and lays me on the bed.

Hovering over me, he takes my underwear off too, and then settles his shoulders between my legs. “So you get to lick me, but not the other way around?”

He gives me a one-sided grin. “Don’t worry, luv, you’ll make it up to me another time. But tonight, we’re going to get you so wet, I’m just going to slide right inside you.”

Those words cause a flood, my slickness starting to coat my thighs.

And then he reaches out his tongue, lapping at my folds.

My head arches back, and heedless of my stiff body, my hands bury into his hair, my toes curling as I spread wider.

He zeroes in on my clit, swirling his tongue over the little nub as two of his fingers slip inside me.

I’m already panting, my body spiraling upward as pleasure crashes through me.

I’m pulling his hair, pleading noises falling from my lips as he relentlessly licks at me just where I need it.

My insides are so tight, I feel like I might break, my heels now digging into his back.

He doesn’t stop, or say a word, as his tongue pushes me higher and higher, his fingers pumping in and out of me.

With a loud cry, I break, the orgasm slamming through me.

He’s up in a second, before I’ve even finished, his body skimming up my mine, as his cock settles into my soaking wet folds.

I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into a deep kiss, my scent all over his lips and tongue.

He rumbles into my mouth even as he sinks deeper inside me. I feel the stretch, the burn. But our eyes are locked, in each other’s arms, as he moves with such a gentle slowness, that I don’t make a sound.

I won’t ruin this moment with tears or complaints. All I care about it the connection. “I love you so much, Gris,” I push out with a deep breath, keeping my eyes locked on his. “I want to give you everything.”

His eyes widen as he finally settles deeply inside me. “I love you too, Arabella. You’re mine. Mine to love, mine to protect. Mine to care for.”

And then he slowly pulls back out, pushing gently back in. I know he’s keeping the pace easy and light for my benefit.

He holds me tightly, kissing me, as he picks up the pace. But I can tell by the cords in his neck that he’s straining for control.

I love him even more for working so hard not to hurt me. I feel deep in my soul that my life is changing, that it’s never going to be the same.

I can’t find the words to tell him how much he means, or how much I want to give him, so instead, I lock my legs around his, encouraging him to go deeper, take more of me.

I can feel him tightening, getting closer, though he still keeps his strokes light. Easy.

“I’m all right, Gris. Don’t worry. I can take all of you, baby.”

“Fucking hell, Bella,” he groans. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”

Tying him to my heart? I hope. I kiss him again, and it undoes the last of his control.

With a few quick thrusts, he cums hard.

The feel of him inside me, the heat of his cum, it’s this other level that makes me gasp in a breath, the intensity of my feelings, making me gasp out a cry. I’ve got my arms locked around his neck, my eyes squeezing shut as I burrow into his neck. “Holy shit.”

“Yeah,” he says, dropping his cheek to my forehead.

“Yeah?” I ask, suddenly feeling insecure. “Is that… is that how sex always is?”

He gives a stuttering laugh. “Not even close.”

I relax at that. “Oh good. I got worried for a second.”

“Arabella,” he says, lifting up to hold my face in his very large hands. “I meant what I said. Whatever comes next. It’s me and you. I want to spend my life with you. I want to marry you.”

I nip at my lip. “I want that too.”

“Good.”

“I might just need a little time, though.”

“Why’s that?”

“I still need to cancel my first wedding.”

He stares at me for a second before he gives a hearty chuckle. “Preston and Mason can take care of that shit. It’s their mess to clean up.”

“Not a bad plan.”

He lifts up, sliding out of me. But when he looks down, he freezes. “What’s wrong?”

“Jesus, Bella,” he curses. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?” I look down and there is blood everywhere. “Oh. Jeez.”

“Did I hurt you?”

“No, not really. I thought it was wonderful.”

But he’s lifting me again, carrying me toward the bathroom. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”