Page 87 of The Pawn
Enzo glances at Jet. It takes him a beat. There’s a subtle tic in his jaw, but he nods. “Sure. Where is it?”
“Upstairs on my bed,” I tell him.
He glances at Cassian, but doesn’t say more before leaving.
“Let’s go to bed,” I tell Cassian. He needs to sleep. I expect a fight. Some refusal, but I’m surprised when he simply nods.
I glance at Jet who shrugs. “I’ll be around if you need me.”
“Thanks,” I say, and Cassian and I walk to the bedroom. Once we’re inside, I close the door, and look at him, really look at him. He does the same to me, searching my eyes.
“Joseph’s dead,” he says.
I figured as much. I want to ask him about Angelo, but right now, I want to take care of Cassian like he’s taken care of me so many times before. So, I push the jacket off his shoulders and remove his holstered gun. I’m careful with it, setting it on the table before returning to unbutton his shirt. I alternate my gaze between my work and his eyes and although he watches me, there’s a distance there.
The blood has dried and sometimes it flakes off the buttons. I ignore it, push it off him and let it drop to the floor. Walking him backward, I sit him on the edge of the bed and kneel before him. I touch the stab wound, the one I am responsible for, and brush my fingers over his healing stitches, the bullet he took for me.
He sets a hand on the back of my head. “My Little Moth. My Allegra.”
I smile up at him, begin to untie his shoes and pull eachoff in turn, then his socks. I bend my head, and I kiss the tops of his feet and when I look at him, he is still looking at me. I reach for his belt, undo it. He stands so I can unzip his pants and take them, then his briefs off.
“Take off your clothes,” he says. “I want to see you. I want to see you as you are.”
I set my hands on his thighs and rise to my feet to strip off my dress, my underthings. I let them fall on top of his clothes.
He lets his gaze sweep over me before taking my hands, holding them lightly. He brushes the back of one over my nipple and it tightens in response.
“My Allegra,” he says, the knuckles of that hand graze over my belly soft as a feather, a breath.
I lean down to kiss him then kneel once more, my hands on his thighs.
He reaches to pull out the few pins keeping my hair in place and lets them drop to the floor before combing his fingers through my waves.
“My beautiful Allegra.”
I push his knees apart as he cups the back of my head and draws me toward himself. Licking my lips, I open to take him into my mouth and I keep my eyes on his as he guides me, his cock thickening, hardening even more. I taste the salt of him. This man I love. This man who will be my husband. Who has and will continue to deliver my enemies to me in pieces. This man who has only ever protected me, even in the beginning, when we were enemies. My villain. My beautiful villain.
Cassian draws a long breath in and rises, pulling me up with him. He cups the back of my head and kisses me deeply as he turns us and lays me back onto the bed. Helooks down at me, his pupils dilated so all that remains of the blue is the ring around the outside. They shine, his eyes. He grips one knee, pushes it up and looks down at me.
“My beautiful, beautiful Allegra.”
He thrusts into me and my breath catches. He does it again and again watching me, watching us, our bodies where we’re connected. He pulls out, spins me around and lifts my hips, splaying me open as he does. I lay my cheek on the bed and watch him as he looks at me, at all of me and all I can think is that I’m his. My body is his. My heart. My soul.
How could I have ever thought he did not own my soul?
It’s like he can read my mind because he pushes into me, fingers digging into flesh. He fucks me slow and deep, sweat from his brow dripping onto my lower back as I pant, sliding my fingers to my clit when I feel him swell, when I recognize the moment before he comes and I do what is now my favorite thing in the world. I watch my beautiful villain as he comes inside me, claiming me, branding me from the inside.
“I love you,” I manage in the midst of orgasm. “I love you.”
He holds me close, cock throbbing inside me. “I love you, Allegra. My Allegra.”
29
CASSIAN
Isleep heavily for what feels like an eternity, but when I wake, it’s still the middle of a black night. Rain slashes the windows. Allegra is asleep beside me. She’s turned toward me. I look at her sweet face, listen to her quiet breaths. Her lips are slightly parted, and her hand is resting on my chest. I close my hand over it, feel where her missing finger is. I think about how strong she is. Because it takes strength to survive what she’s survived. More strength than men like Malek, like me even, could ever possess. Does she realize how powerful she is, my queen? How much I need her?
My mind moves to darker matters. To the monsters who would hurt her. Who would take her from me.
