Page 71 of Empress of Ruin
“Hm?” Killian mocks, his voice slightly strained. “What was that?”
“I’m yours,” I rush out, tears sparking in my eyes.
He hisses out a breath. “Look me in the eyes when you say it.”
I force my eyes open. I hadn’t even realized I’d closed them. “I’m yours,” I cry out again.
He grins. “Good fucking girl.” Rather than letting me come, he pulls me off his cock, flips me around, and grunts, “Hold the headboard.” That’s all the instructions I get before his cock slides back inside me, and he starts fucking me in earnest. I grip the headboard, bracing myself with each thrust, little whimpers and moans scarping my throat raw. He fucks me hard, each forward surge almost angry, the slap of flesh meeting flesh echoing through the room.
His hand snakes over my hips, fingers finding my clit. “Don’t youeverfucking forget it,” he grunts. “Come.”
God help me, I do. Round after round of almost painful convulsions wrack my body, my entirebeing. Liquid fire lights me up from the inside out, and I lose myself to the sea of pleasure I’d happily drown in. My hands grip the headboard so hard theyhurt,my toes curl, and I’m left with nothing to do but brace myself until Killian finishes. It’s not long before he stiffens, and his motions turn from outright angry to jerky and uncontrolled. Then, he stills. Folds himself over me, and kisses the back of my neck.
My pussy convulses again, and I moan lowly.
“Good girl,” he murmurs, kissing my neck again. “Fuck, I love you.”
My eyes flash back open, and my stomach drops.What did he just say?
As if he can hear my thoughts, he repeats, “It’s true.” He curls a hand through my hair and pulls me upright, then carefully maneuvers me until I’m on his lap again. He brushes damp strands of hair out of my face. I stare at him with wide eyes.
I don’t think I’ve ever beenthisafraid of him.
At first, I thought Killian King had a passing infatuation with me. Then, it developed into an obsession that I was sure would kill me.
I’m far more comfortable withthosethings than I am with love. Is Killian capable of love? More, what does his lovelooklike?
Eternal obsession. Being property. Being owned, wholly and completely, by him. The answers flit across my mind with rapid succession. Each one frightens me more than the last.
“I… don’t know what to say,” I whisper.
He leans in and seals his lips to mine in a deeply passionate yet somehow gentle kiss. Maybe it’s the orgasm or just pure exhaustion, but it takes me less than a heartbeat to melt into him, sagging against his chest. “Say you’ll never leave,” he murmurs, pulling back.
It clicks just then. Everyone he’s ever loved has left him—namely, his family. His grandfather and parents died. The dog he grew so attached to was torn from him. I don’t think Killian’slethimself love anyone since, either for fear of losing them, or just from the deep detachment that overtook him.
I don’t respond. Killian’s hold on me tightens, as if that’s enough to keep me with him, and his gaze cools rapidly. “Say it,” he repeats.
“Would you let me even if I tried?”
“Never.”
I swallow and lower my gaze to his chest. “Then you have your answer.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Killian
Lyra doesn’t say the words back or agree to willingly be mine, but when I slide her engagement ring back on her finger as she sleeps, she doesn’t take it off again. I take that to mean she’s starting to resign herself to her fate.
Good girl.
Over the next week, I recover fully from my wound. I bulk up security around myself and Lyra, and hound Cain for updates on his most recent mission, until he threatens to kill me if I don’t let his crew work in peace.
The issue is, I don’t have thetimeto afford him working in peace. The tribunal looms ever closer, and I couldn’t convert Spencer. I reach out to Ryan for a meeting, but he blows me off, saying he’s unavailable.
Oddly enough, it’s Raegan who bites and agrees to meet with me. Her only condition is that I bring Lyra.
She invites us to her home, a tasteful estate in Connecticut. Coincidentally, if I do end up moving Lyra and myself here, we’ll practically be neighbors with her.
