“You’re going to have to learn how to take me deeper.”

He increases his speed, and I grip his thighs, digging my nails into his skin.

“Look at me,” he rasps. “Let me see your eyes while I fuck this pretty mouth.”

My gaze flicks upward, and he stares down at me, his gray eyes filled with a mixture of lust and reverence.

“So fucking beautiful.”

Xavier’s praise has my arousal spiking and my pulse quickening. I moan, and the sound vibrates around his length. He throws his head back, his jaw clenched.

“Do that again.”

I oblige, and he fucks my mouth faster. My eyes water, and I gag as he hits the back of my throat. He pauses and eases back before doing it again.

“You’re doing so well,” he murmurs. “Such a good girl for me.”

When I whimper, his entire body tenses. His grip on my hair tightens, and his thrusts become erratic. I relax my throat, letting him go as deep as possible. Xavier fucks my mouth with a savagery that steals my breath, his control slipping as he chases his pleasure.

In this position, on my knees with him towering over me, I’m the one in control. He needs me for his pleasure. Knowing I’m the reason he’s going to orgasm is a high that I’ve never felt before. To have this powerful man at my mercy is intoxicating. Now I understand why he made me come during the Bride Hunt.

“I’m going to come in your mouth,” he growls. “But you’d better not fucking swallow.”

His words are like a bolt of lightning straight to my clit. My nipples tighten, and I moan, wanting more. I need to come almost as much as he does.

Xavier pumps his hips, his cock pulsing as he empties into my mouth. It’s hot and salty. When he pulls out, the cum dribbles out of the corner of my mouth.

He slides his finger underneath the collar of my shirt, the movement silencing me. He studies my mouth with an intensity and a hunger that makes my body tremble, but I remain still. The air is charged with electricity, and my body vibrates with awareness.

“Take your shirt off,” he says.

I hesitate because I have nothing underneath. By the time I remove his shirt and cover my breasts, he’s put his cock back in his pants. I don’t have time to be disappointed because he yanks me to my feet. When he speaks, his voice is rough with lust. With dominance.

“Open.”

He slides his thumb along the seam of my mouth and presses it to my tongue. Xavier’s eyes flicker as he watches me. I can only stare up at him.

He sweeps his thumb through the cum pooling in my mouth before going to stand behind me. He takes my hair and places it over one shoulder. Then he drags his thumb over the skin of my back just under my neck.

I don’t move, and I can’t talk because I have his cum in my mouth. He occasionally dips his finger inside to coat it before drawing on my back again. The cum begins to dry by the time he’s standing in front of me.

“Now you can swallow.”

I do. “What did you⁠—”

He tweaks my nipple, and I groan. Xavier grins, and his eyes sparkle with something dark and wicked.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

OceanofPDF.com

Chapter 48DELILAH

That evening…

“Once we’re inside the chapel, don’t say a word unless I give you permission to speak.”

Xavier’s sharp tone has me frowning at him. “Why?”

“Every recruit and leader of the founding families will be at this ceremony. These men are the most dangerous in the world. If you piss them off, you’ll get us both killed.”

“Both of us?”

He stops in the stairwell and looks down at me. With him wearing his mask, I can’t see anything except his eyes, but they glitter with emotion.

“Yes, both of us,” he says. “If anyone threatens you, I’ll kill them, and we’ll be outnumbered. I’m not easy to kill, but I’m not invincible either.”

The seriousness of his tone and the gravity of his words leaves me speechless. My reaction isn’t purely based on the danger that lies at the top of the tower. It’s because of Xavier’s promise to protect me, even to his detriment.

His dedication to me and preserving my life leaves me awestruck. A warmth gathers in my chest and encases my heart, making it beat a little faster. For him.

I nod to show my understanding, and we resume our ascent of the granite steps. The hem of my skirt drags behind me, the fabric whispering against the cold stone. The dress is a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship, a combination of elegance and sensuality. Its shade is a midnight blue, almost black like Xavier’s clothing in the dim light of the stairwell.

The bodice is fitted, adorned with intricate black lace that snakes across the neckline, outlining the mounds of my breasts. The gown is sleeveless and leaves my arms bare, as well as my upper back. Xavier demanded that I style my hair in an updo to keep it off my shoulders.

His dried cum remains scrawled across my skin, a secret between us. I assume it’s part of his “lesson” from this morning, and I can’t find the energy to care. Not when every time I think of his cock in my mouth, I become aroused.

Beneath the expensive fabric cascading in a flood of silk and shadow, my legs tremble from the steep climb and my sensual thoughts. The material of the skirt brushes against my thighs and calves with every step, the heat trapped underneath a contrast to the cool air of the castle. Xavier left me with the need to come, my body stimulated and my mind full of him all day.

His warning to remain silent is enough to calm my arousal, but not erase it completely.

I sneak a glance at him, drinking in the man beside me. He’s dressed entirely in black per his usual, the color accentuating the mystery and elusiveness that I’ve come to associate with him. His mask hides his expression, making it impossible for me to gauge his thoughts, but his hand gripping mine tells me of his desire to keep me close.

His stride is confident and steady the entire way. Once the door comes into view, he stops and turns to face me. I wait, the hairs on my arms lifting with apprehension.

“Don’t look anyone directly in the eyes,” he says. “They’ll see it as defiance or an invitation. Keep your head bowed and your gaze on me.”

“Okay.”

He reaches out to grab the nape of my neck. He pulls me closer, his breath skimming my lips. “I mean it, Delilah. I wont’t hesitate to punish you again, but this time I’ll fuck your sweet cunt.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I hiss.

“Considering we’re about to walk inside a chapel, I think that’s the right mindset.”

Without letting me go, he opens the door and leads me through. At our arrival, a hush falls over the assembled crowd. All eyes lock onto us, scrutinizing and evaluating. The weight of their gazes has me bowing my head.

Xavier squeezes the back of my neck in response and I school my features, keeping my smile from forming. His praise never fails to stir something in me. I crave his approval with an intensity that scares me.

The atmosphere around me is thick with anticipation. It feels at odds with a place designed for humility and faith. The chapel, in its restored glory, is a testament to the reverence of the past. History and art can be found no matter where I look.

The windows, tall and narrow, have been fitted with panes of stained glass that filter the moonlight into a kaleidoscope of colors. These have been strategically placed to tell a biblical tale, bathing the interior with color, the hues dancing across the stone floor. Statues line the walls like guardians of doctrine, and the wooden pews have been polished to a soft sheen. Each row of seating is adorned with plush, velvet cushions in a deep green.

This is where the recruits sit. I catch sight of June and Brenda among them, their formal wear similar to mine. June has her hair pulled up in a sleek bun and wears a dress of soft ivory that clings to her stiff frame. Her rigid posture softens the tiniest bit when our gazes meet.