Page 124 of Bound By Blood and Lies

“Angel?” I screw my nose up.

“Yeah,” she smiles softly. “Because nobody gets hurt when they have an angel on their side.”

Her eyes turn sympathetic and asharp pain lancesthrough my chest. Mum flashes through my mind so quickly it almost steals the breath from my lungs. Her smile. Her laugh. The way she used to call Fae sweet girl like it was the easiest thing in the world to loveher. Fae’s expression softens further as she reaches up to brush her fingers against my jaw.

“What do you say,” she murmurs quietly, “you think an angel would keep me safe?”

I swallow hard as my hand settles over hers, “I do.”

“Then fuck me like you used to, Sir, becauseyou’reright… I did miss you that much,” her eyes flick toward the speaker as desire floods my system.

My fingers flex against her leg, “on your knees, Little One.”

Her eyes darken and she pushes herself upright on the bed before practically jumping onto the floor with a thud. I frownimmediatelyas I sit up slightly myself.

“Nobody hurts my Tinkerbell,” I growl. “You included.Don’tmove so quickly, you have precious cargo.”

“Sorry, Sir,” she replies bashfully and my pulse throbs harder as I sit back against the headboard properly.

Her hands settle neatly on her thighs, and I swear the sight alone almost ruins me. I drag my tongue slowly across my bottom lip before standing. Fae watches me carefully from her place on the floor and I can feel the tension building in the room with every slow step I take around her. My fingertips ghost over her shoulders before trailing lightly down her arms and goose pimplesimmediatelyrise across her skin.

“Colour?” I ask quietly.

“Green,” she breathes.

“Good girl.”

Her thighs press together slightly at the praise and adark satisfaction curlslow in my stomach. I move behind her, letting my fingers comb through her hair before gathering it gently at the base of her neck. Her head tilts back until it rests lightly against my stomach and I close my eyes briefly with that movement alone. My free hand slides slowly down the front of her body. Over her throat. Her collarbone. The curve of her chest. Lower until my palm settles carefully against her bump.

Mine.

Not because I own her. Not because I control her.

Because she chose me.

I let go of her hair before stepping back around in front of her again. My fingers hook gently beneath the hem of her top. Her eyes stay fixed on mine as I slowly lift the fabric upwards, exposing skin inch by inch until I finally pull it over her head completely and toss it carelessly onto the chair beside us.

A shaky breath leaves her as my eyes drag over her, “Jesus Christ, Tink.”

A blush creeps across hercheeksand she ducks her head slightly before Ihookmy fingers beneath her chin and tilt her face back up again.

“Don’t hide from me.”

I lower myself down in front of her, bringing us eye level before my hands settle softly against her thighs. The pads of my thumbs trace absent circles there whilst I study every inch of her face likeI’mtrying to memorise it.

Maybe I am.

Because for the first time in days, thisdoesn’tfeel like grief.

It feels like us.

I hold her gaze before finally stepping away from her completely. I walk over toward the wardrobe tucked into the corner of the room and pull the doors open slowly. Everything inside is exactly where we left it. Leather. Lace. Silk. Toys neatly organisedbeside restraints and blindfolds like this part of us has just been sitting here patiently waiting for me to come back to it. My fingers drag slowly across the shelves before stopping on the paddle with my name picked out in diamonds across the orange leather. The memory of her crying out beneath it flashes through my head hard enough that Ihave toexhale slowly through my nose.

Beside it sitsthe leather cuffs and my eyes linger on them briefly before shifting lower toward a soft black feather tucked near the back. I grab all three. When I turn back around, Fae’s already lowered her head slightly where she kneels waiting forme and the sight sends blood rushing heavily to my cock. She looks beautiful like this. Soft and obedient in a way nobody else ever gets to see. I walk back over to her slowly before lowering everything carefully onto the floor in front of her with my usual meticulous precision. The paddle sits beside the cuffs whilst the feather rests neatly across the leather and Fae’s breathing visibly deepens at the sight of them.

I move behind her again before picking up the cuffs and gently guiding her arms backwards. Her breathing catches as I fasten the leather around her wrists one at a time, checking each one carefully to make sure theyaren’ttoo tight.

“Colour?”