Page 45 of Candy Cane Chains

Suddenly, he pulls back, going to the nightstand. I fight the weird panic that starts to surge again at him turning away, and he comes back with a ribbon he ties around my eyes.

"You don't know where I'll be," he whispers against my ear. "But you'll be okay. I'll show you to trust me."

He trails the candy cane higher, teasing me through the lace of my panties. The sensation is overwhelming - the coolness of the peppermint, the warmth of his breath, the lack of sight. I'm a captive to his every touch, every command.

But then he stops, stepping away.

My breathing turns ragged, my heart pounding in my chest. I can feel the panic rising again, but this time, I don't fight it. I let it fuel my desire, turning it into a raw, primal need.

When Julian's fingers replace the candy cane, slipping beneath the lace, I moan, tears slipping down my cheeks. I let my emotions roil, the panic and relief, the uncertainty that is always lurking beneath my skin.

He circles my clit, his touch firm and sure. I gasp, my hips bucking against his hand. Pleasure surges through me, intense and consuming.

"That's it," he growls, his eyes locked on mine. "Let go, Ivy. Let the darkness take you."

His fingers move faster, applying just the right amount of pressure. I can feel the orgasm building, a wave of darkness threatening to pull me under. But this time, I'm not afraid. I embrace it, chasing the sensation.

The wave crashes over me, and I cry out, my body convulsing with the force of my release. Pleasure rips through me, intense and all-consuming. It's unlike anything I've ever felt - a mix of panic and pleasure, darkness and light. It's so intense and Julian rides me through, helps me succumb to it and gives him everything.

As the waves of my orgasm subside, Julian unties the ribbon from behind my head, his touch gentle yet possessive. He gathers me into his arms, his lips pressed against my temple.

"You did so fucking good, Ivy," he murmurs, his voice filled with pride. "You faced the dark and found your pleasure."

I nod, clinging to him. He licks my cheeks, cleaning away the tears. My emotions feel all tangled and I'm exhausted from it.

"I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart." He runs his hands over my body. "I swear it."

23

JULIAN

Istare out the floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse study, watching Chicago's skyline fade into dusk. The door clicks open behind me. Only one person enters without knocking.

"We've got a situation." Xander's reflection appears in the glass, his usual easy smile replaced with tight lines around his mouth.

I turn, catching the tension in his shoulders. "What happened?"

"I was at Cindy's with Soph. You know how she likes that fancy cocktail shit they serve." He drops into one of the leather chairs across from my desk. "Travis showed up."

My jaw tightens. Xander won't say it but Sophie is one of the only girls that Xander sees regularly - and that's saying something for him. "Did he touch her?"

"Grabbed her arm when she tried walking away. Left marks." Xander's fingers drum against the armrest. "Kept demanding to know where Ivy was. Said some shit about 'teaching her a lesson about respect' when he finds her."

Ice spreads through my veins. "What else?"

"Sophie mentioned he's been asking around. Throwing money at people for information." Xander leans forward. "But that's not the concerning part. My contact at CPD flagged something interesting. Three assault charges in the past year, all dropped before they hit the system. Daddy's money making problems disappear while he was fooling around behind Ivy's back."

"And now he's looking for her." The words taste like ash.

"Yeah. Sophie said he was coked out of his mind, worse than she's ever seen him. Nearly put his fist through the bar when she told him to fuck off."

The crystal tumbler in my hand cracks under the pressure of my grip. I set it down before it shatters. "Have Marcus pull everything on Travis Porter. Bank records, phone logs, security footage. I want to know every move he's made in the last month."

"Already on it." Xander stands, adjusting his shoulder holster. "Want me to have someone keep an eye on him?"

"No. I'll handle this personally."

"Figured you'd say that." A ghost of his usual smirk appears. "Just try not to get blood on that nice suit. You know how particular your tailor is."

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