Page 81 of Only Cold Depths
My hands crept up and settled on her waist, anchoring her to me. “Howdoyou feel about the Zimmers?”
Vesper stared out through the glass at the garden, but her gaze was distant, as though she was seeing something far, far away. “Part of me understands why Beatrice went to such great lengths to protect Wendell and Zane. When Beatrice was talking in the library, I couldseeit all unfolding just as she described. Nerezza would have killed Beatrice, Wendell, and Zane to take control of House Zimmer.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Nerezza might have even killed me too.”
Vesper shuddered, and I tightened my grip on her waist.
“But no matter how good her reasons, Beatrice still abandoned me. She still sacrificed me to save Wendell and Zane—herrealfamily, the people she truly loved.”
A tear slipped away from Vesper’s dark lashes and streaked down her cheek like a shooting star. I gently wiped the wet trail away with my fingertip.
“What are you going to do about Wendell? He obviously wants to have a relationship with you. I think Beatrice does too.” I paused. “And Zane as well.”
Vesper chewed on her lower lip. “Part of me wants to try . . .”
“Try what?”
“To be a part of their family.”
“But?”
She sighed, the sound full of weary heartache. “But they’re still Regals, and I’m still a scandal just waiting to happen to their House.”
I thought of all the times Zane had called Vesper his sister and all the lengths he’d gone to in order to get his family here. Lying to Holloway, traveling across the galaxy, paying the enormous fee to attend the marriage mart, sweet-talking Lady Verona into letting the Zimmers stay at the estate.
Those were not the actions of a man concerned about a potential scandal. But I kept my mouth shut. Zane had told me not to interfere. I didn’t care what Zane wanted, but I wasn’t going to inflict my own prejudices on Vesper.
This was her family, and it was her choice to accept them—or not. I would abide by her decision, even if it meant I was bound to Zane bloody Zimmer for the rest of my life.
Vesper shook her head, flinging off her painful thoughts. “I don’t want to talk about the Zimmers anymore.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
“I want to forget about everything but you right now,” she whispered. “Make me forget. Please, Kyr?”
She wasn’t the only one who wanted to forget the bad memories we’d both dredged up. My hands flexed around her waist, and I drew her closer.
Vesper straddled my lap. She brushed my black hair back from my face, her fingers sliding through the thick strands and her nails dragging across my scalp underneath. The light, simple touch made every part of me vibrate, like an old-fashioned tuning fork pitched to just the right frequency.
I leaned forward and caught her mouth in mine, licking her lips. Vesper opened her mouth, her tongue darting out to stroke mine. She tasted cold and warm, and light and dark, and sweet and rich, like the Frozon hot chocolate at the marriage mart.
The kiss ended, and we both drew back, staring into each other’s eyes. I was already hard and aching for her, but I stayed still, letting her set the pace.
Vesper trailed her fingers down my chest. Her nimble fingers quickly undid my belt, then the button and the zipper underneath. Her hand slid into my pants and closed around my dick. Electric arrows of pleasure zinged through me, and my hips bucked up, every inch of me stiffening and straining for more of her touch.
“I love it when you touch me like that,” I rasped in a hoarse voice. “I . . .”
I love you. I wanted to say the words, but she’d been through so much tonight. I didn’t want to add to her stress, or worse, make her feel like she had to say it back. Just because we were bonded didn’t mean she had to love me the way I loved her—if someone as beautiful as Vesper could ever truly love a monster like me.
Vesper kept pumping her hand along my length, and I gave myself over to the quick rhythm of her fingers. While she worked me, I dug my fingers into the fabric of her gown, shoving the long skirt up out the way. My shaking hand landed on her smooth thigh, and I quickly slid my fingers up, cupping and rubbing her core through her silken undergarments.
Vesper’s breath stuttered, and her fingers stopped their teasing, blissful motion on my dick. Her eyes widened, the silver flecks swallowing up almost all the blue.
“Kyr,” she whispered, squirming against my hand the same way I was squirming against hers. “I want you. Now.”
I braced one hand down on the floor, then dragged us both off the window seat. My ass hit the cool stone, and Vesper landed on top of me. Our lips and tongues crashed together in one quick kiss after another. She shoved my pants down, while I bunched her skirt around her waist, and we fumbled with each other’s undergarments, pushing them out of the way. We both had birth-control implants, which made things much easier.
Vesper rocked forward, straddling me again, then reached down between us and guided me to her entrance. I surged forward, leveraging myself up and thrusting deep inside her.
More electric arrows of pleasure zinged through me. The same hot, pulsing sensations crackled through the bond, shooting from my body into hers and back again.
