After forcing her to drink loads of water and cleaning her, I pull her back into my body and hold her close. We lie there in perfect silence, taking in each other’s breath. She tilts her head and looks at me as I look down and stroke her cheek. A vulnerable look is back in her eye as she bites her lip. I pull it from her teeth and rub my finger gently across where she marked herself. The only marks on her body should come from me. It’s irrational, I know, but nothing about being with Fae makes me feel rational.
“Thank you,” she whispers which makes me jolt out of my thoughts.
Pushing her onto her back in a quick movement, I settle between her thighs and use my body to trap her on the mattress. I grab either side of her face in a soft yet unyielding grip and lean in close, so she has no excuse but to focus on me.
“Listen to me, Fae. You never have to thank me…do you understand?” I pause at the hitch in her breath before leaning in closer, so my mouth hovers over hers and we are sharing each other’s breaths.
“I would burn the world down to keep you safe Tinkerbell,” I whisper, “but if you decided you wanted to strike the match, I’d steady your hand and make sure it hurt them exactly how you intended it too. You will never face the fire alone. Not while I’m breathing.”
CHAPTER 17
ROMAN
Abuzzing noise drags me from my sleep; sharp and insistent against the quiet of the room. I groan, half-aware, shifting instinctively only to stop in my tracks.
She is still here.
Fae’s body is warm and pliant, her legs tangled with mine, her arm flung over my chest like she anchored herself there sometime in the night. For a disorienting second, I think I am dreaming. Then Fae exhales, slow and soft, her breath brushing my skin. She is real. She is here.
I tighten my hold on her without thinking, drawing her closer as I press my nose into her hair. Vanilla and honey. Always vanilla and honey. The faintest hint of her perfume clings to her skin and I breathe it in like it is my drug of choice. Because it is. Her pale skin is impossibly soft beneath my hands as I gently rub her waist under the quilt. She is still warm from sleep, her face peaceful in a way I have never seen before and in that moment, I make another silent promise to her.
Whether asleep or awake, one day soon she is going to look this peaceful all the time.
Of course, she has some ghosts we need to fight first, but like I told her last night, I will be there every step of the way. If shewill have me. If she won’t, I will still do it, just from the shadows instead.
Memories of last night flicker through my mind in perfect detail. I can feel my cock growing hard at the memory playing out in front of me. Her moans, her cries, her heat, the way she trusted me and kept going. We fucked three more times before her body gave out. The sun was already rising before sleep claimed her.
It is only the knowledge that she is exhausted that stops me from spinning her around now and taking her again.
The buzzing starts again and I realise it is my phone. Moving slowly so I do not wake her, I pick it up from the bedside table and check the caller ID. Dad flashes on the screen and I internally groan. My dad calling me at 8am is never a good sign. Sending it to voicemail, I drop him a text.
Roman:
can’t talk what’s wrong?
Mr Longstaff:
I need you to come in for a meeting. My office. 30 minutes.
I sigh. The one morning Fae seems relaxed enough with me and I am already being called out. The thought of leaving this room is a chore in itself but the thought of waking her feels impossible.
I continue to hold her for a moment, sacrificing my shower just to be in her presence a little longer before I slowly roll out of bed. Fae stirs, reaching out instinctively to grab the pillow I was sleeping on. Pulling it into her body, it is like she is searching for me even in her sleep. That tightness in my chest happens again as I watch her snuggle into the pillow and settle.
I quickly throw on a pair of jeans, a black tee and a leather jacket, brush my teeth, then hunt for a pen and paper.
Tinkerbell,
I have to meet with my dad; I didn’t want to wake you. You looked too beautiful and peaceful. Have a good day. I will speak to you soon.
Love,
Roman
Leaving the note on her bedside cabinet, I kiss her softly on the forehead, then grab my keys and make my way to my car. ‘Take Me to Church by Hozier’ plays through the speakers as I sit and wait for the engine to warm up for a couple of minutes before reversing off the driveway.
The journey to my family home is not long. Many of the founders’ families have estates here. I wouldn’t say I grew up in this house, but it was a staple of my childhood. My mum and I spent most of our time in the London property whilst Dad went back and forth between the two depending on business. It made sense for Mum to keep me in London as she refused to send me to boarding school. Every holiday was spent here, though.
Whilst swimming pools are not as common in England as they are in other countries, it is misinformation that we do not have them. My house, for example, has two. One indoor that we use all year round and one outdoor that we use in the summer.