Page 49 of Forever After All

Reaching underneath me to palm my chest through my bra, he squeezes my skin so hard that I yelp.

He leans down to whisper in my ear. "I can treat you like the princess you are or I can treat you like I feel nothing for you. But you can't have both. How do you want to be treated, Alice?" He squeezes my breast a little harder—so hard in fact that I think it might bruise. I groan a little under his touch. "Use your words."

"I want you to treat me like you feel nothing for me," I cry out in frustration, so ready to be taken by this man.

Releasinghis grip on my tender skin, Carter grabs me by the hips, pulling me into the air so I’m face-down, ass-up. I try to balance on my forearms and I turn my face to the side so I can breathe.

As he yanks my underwear down, I try to look at him before he slams his dick all the way inside me with no warning. I gasp as he drives into me unrelenting, and I cry out in a mixture of pleasure and pain. He reaches down to cover my mouth with his hand.

"Shut up," he whispers menacingly. "Nobody gets to hear my dirty girl make noise. Nobody but me, you got that?" He slaps my ass so hard that it stings and my body clenches. His hand pressed against my mouth stops a muffled shout escaping and my thighs tremble a little at experiencing a shock of such pleasurable pain. Then he slaps me again—harder. I feel his hand bounce off my cheek, and I jolt forward as the satisfying noise of his palm against my skin cracks like lightning and reverberates around the room, but I refuse to make any more noise, knowing what to expect.

"Youcanfucking listen then?" he sneers and pushes his index and middle fingers into my mouth. I almost heave from the invasion, ready to gag. With his fingers in my mouth, Carter yanks against my cheek, turning my head so he can look at me, then thrusts into me again, pushing harder each time.

"Yes," I tryto say but his fingers depress my tongue and it prevents the noise from escaping. I have never felt more free. Being taken so relentlessly by Carter is exactly what I need, and, even though he acquiesced at my request, he did it for me.

"Are you ready to break yet, Alice?"

I shake my head as best as I can, and my eyebrows pull in at the centre as I beg him to continue without using the words.

"You like this, don't you? Being treated like you're nothing."

"Yes." I try again to form a word, and my insides constrict once more.

"Well, you don't get to like it. It's for me, not for you. Keep your pretty mouth shut so I can come inside of you." He slaps me again for the final time, and in an instant I come, moaning around his fingers. I come so damn hard that it gives me a headache. Still pressed into the bed, a tear rolls off my nose as the sting from the last slap races up my spine and neck, warming my face as it makes my eyes prick.

I buck and moan underneath him. Carter holds me in place, quickening his pace, until he follows me over the edge and a guttural moan fills the room as I take everything he gives me. My back is drenched with sweat. I suck his fingers as he releases them from my mouth, then I collapse into the bed, and he falls next to me.

Both spent and breathing heavily. And I start to laugh.

"Are you okay, princess? Fuck, did I hurt you?" He checks my skin for marks and caresses my ass where a bruise already threatens to form, then kisses me on top of the head. "There are welts in your skin." An unfeigned look crosses Carter's face.

"No, you didn't hurt me. No more than I asked you to, anyway." I feel the skin where he’s touching. It’s tender and raised, but I smile and Carter rolls over onto his back.

My underwear still around my knees and my bra still on. I grabble a little and reach behind me to unclasp my bra. Pulling the straps down over my shoulders, I throw my bra off the bed then kick my underwear off.

I look up at him as he props himself up against the headboard and he looks down at me, brushing the hair out of my face. My face presses into his hand and I kiss his palm.

"Come, sit with me." Patting the space next to him on the bed, I scramble to sitting and press my back to the headboard next to him. Carter extends his hand out to me and I lace my fingers through the spaces in between his own. He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses each one of my fingertips.

"Next time, we do it my way, and I fuck you like I love you."

We slide down in the bed. I turn to my side, hooking my leg over his as he wraps an arm around my back, gently brushing his fingers up and down the curve of my spine.

Not giving a shit about lying in our own mess, I fall asleep curled up in his arms.

Chapter 24

Carter

Ihaven't closed my eyes all night. The birds are singing outside the window, and it must be close to 6 a.m.

All damn night, I watched Alice sleep. Listened to her dream, snore and mumble in her sleep. Watched her hands and feet twitch as she jumped from dream to dream. Watched as she laced her arm around my thigh, pulling it in and resting her head on it. Watched as I cupped her head in my hand and stroked her hair.

I held her all night because I was worried that if I didn't, I'd eventually forget what it feels like.

Alice told me that she’s a mess, and I should have listened. I should have taken the warning. Watching the look of unease on her face when I told her I love her said everything I needed to know. She's not ready to be loved by me—or by anyone—and she might never be. I should have stopped, but I'd give this woman anything she wanted to make her happy.

Which, apparently, includes mild degradation.Not a kink I thought I had until last night. Seeing the bruising on her skin and the distinct marks my fingers left on her scared me a little, but seeing the ecstasy on her face as I took her so relentlessly made me feel things I never have. A woman giving herself to you so completely is a privilege I would never take for granted.

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