King’s Temptation by Piper Stone

Chapter 6

Angelique

Rapture.

The word spun in my mind, the definition exactly what I was feeling at that very moment. Every touch of Dimitri’s hand, the way he’d kissed was powerful and tantalizing, pushing the limits we’d tried so hard not to cross. I was lightheaded, partially from the events only an hour before.

I’d almost been kidnapped, maybe even killed. If Dimitri hadn’t found me, I have no idea how I could have survived. Now I was safe and protected, except that Dimitri wasn’t the same man who’d been a cautious soldier, a diligent protector. He was much more primal, his needs outweighing everything else.

And what was I doing? Letting go. I was finally allowing the hunger I’d experienced for years to crash through the layers of armor, giving into my own desires. My bottom ached, my entire body shaking as he fucked me. I should hate him, continue to fight what was happening between us.

I knew this wasn’t about being together, at least not in a traditional sense. This moment of wicked passion was derived from his heroic events and from the continued danger. There was no doubt that he remained on edge, prepared to fight despite the odds. That allowed guilt to mix with the continuing shame of wanting him even though we both knew there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell we could ever be together.

Besides, he was far too horrible, not at all what I needed in my life.

I closed my eyes, trying my best to halt the tingles that had resurfaced all over again, but it was impossible. I could still taste his lips. His scent covered me. Damn it. This was ridiculous.

But for this moment I’d allowed myself to submit, surrendering to the fantasy. There was no sense of control, not that the brutal man would allow me any. I closed my eyes, his continuous growls escalating. I was shocked that Dax was so comfortable around him, responding to his commands almost as much as he did mine. Everything about the moment was surreal, pushing me to a wonderful moment of bliss.

As Dimitri’s scent filtered into my system, I was instantly intoxicated, swooning from the way he dug his fingers into my skin. I bucked against him, finding it difficult to breathe as the hard fucking continued. I was pushed into such pleasure that I could feel my body shifting, every muscle tensing as another burst of electricity shot through me. Stars floated in front of my eyes, stealing my ability to focus.

“Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.” My guttural grunts matched his husky sounds, my mind spinning more and more as the man refused to stop. He was so deep inside, his cock filling me completely and I could swear his shaft was swelling inside of me. I’d never been taken so hard or for so long, my limited experience not memorable on any level.

This was a real man.

No, this was a rugged brute who refused to take no for an answer. It was as if he was claiming me, staining me with his scent in order to keep every other man far away.

Including Antonio.

But I knew that the Azzurri bastard would take me if for no other reason than revenge.

As a giant beautiful wave of pleasure rolled into me, I threw back my head with a strangled cry. There was nothing but white light in front of my eyes as a climax roared into my system.

“Oh, my… God. I…”

“Yes, baby. Come for me. I want to feel your muscles clamped around my shaft. There’s nothing better than driving my cock deep inside.” His filthy words were so enticing, pulling me into a wild and wonderful vacuum as the orgasm refused to be denied.

I opened my eyes, shaking to the point I could no longer feel my legs, the giant wave crashing over me violently. My pussy muscles clamped then released over and over again. As I clawed at the bed, shifting back and forth, another orgasm replaced the first.

There was no night or day, no worries or fears. Just the passion we’d fought for so long.

Dimitri refused to stop, thrusting with enough force I was pitched against the bed. Everything was wild and brutal, my heart hammering to the point the sound echoed in my ears.

When he pulled all the way out, I threw my head back, whimpering like the princess he’d accused me of being. “What? Don’t. I mean…” I sounded ridiculous, completely incoherent in my attempt to form a single sentence.

He leaned over, sliding the rough pads of his fingers up and down my spine. His touch created another wave of tingles. When he tangled his fingers in my hair, yanking, I bit back a cry. “Now, I fuck you in the ass.”

Gasping, I did everything I could once again, clawing the bed, ripping at the comforter in my attempt to get away. As he’d done before, he yanked me back, smacking my bottom twice. “You can’t.” I sounded so childlike, but I’d never had a single man fuck me in the ass. Not one. I’d never contemplated it. I’d never wanted it. I’d never…

“I can and I will.”

I knew I was shaking all over, struggling to breathe as he slid his cockhead down the crack of my ass.

The moment was sinful, pushing another wave of shame into my system. I could feel the heat building on every inch of my exposed skin just like the fire that remained on my ass cheeks.

I could tell I continued to whimper, although there was barely any sound coming from my mouth. Even though I kept struggling, there was no getting away from him or what he was about to do.

When he pushed the tip inside, I expected an explosion of pain as he pounded into me from the start. With his tip barely inside, he rubbed his hand down the length of my back.

“Breathe, little princess. I’m not going to hurt you.”

I realized his words were meant to be comforting, but I couldn’t stop trembling. I gripped the bedding with enough pressure my knuckles were white, but the craziest thing was that every cell and muscle tingled in anticipation. Really? Had I secretly wanted something like this or was my excitement all about the powerful man standing behind me?

His breathing rapid and every sound he issued little more than a husky growl, he pushed another inch inside.

My muscles strained to become used to his huge thick and throbbing cock and as I dragged my tongue across my lips, I couldn’t stop a series of moans from erupting.

“That’s it. Breathe. Good girl. Moya ochen khoroshaya devochka.”

I’d heard that expression before. My very good girl.

I wanted to snap at him, to push him away as the pain began to blossom, coursing through me like wildfire. I wasn’t his good girl. I didn’t belong to anyone. I never would. Never! He continued pushing, sliding that big fat cock deeper and deeper. There was no possibility of breathing, no chance of regaining what was lost of my sanity.

A raw hint of anguish shattered my senses, a scream erupting from my lips. Then something amazing happened. The pain began to subside, morphing into an entirely different kind of pleasure. I was ripped apart at the seams and put back together as he thrust the remainder of his cock inside.

Then he simply held his position, caressing my bottom and grinding his hips back and forth. “So tight. I adore fucking a woman in the ass.”

“Never… again,” I managed, still shaking like a leaf.

He chuckled, the tone so deep and rich, velvety and comforting. “Yes, I assure you that this will happen again.”

He was so possessive in his actions, so certain that he’d broken through a barrier and that would never be forced back to what it was. When he pulled out, driving into me again, I moaned.

When he repeated the move, I whimpered, still quivering from a combination of pain and pleasure.

As he started pounded into me, slamming his groin against my bruised bottom, I was plunged straight into ecstasy. Everything around me shifted into a wondrous blur, crystals of bubbling light in vibrant colors matching the hard thudding of my heart. All I knew was that I was hanging my head, no longer fighting him.

There was no way to tell how long he plunged, but every action seemed to be more brutal than the one before. But I did know the moment when he couldn’t hold back any longer, the change in his breathing and the way his body shook a dead giveaway.

I bit back another cry as I squeezed my muscles, the moment of rapture overtaking everything else. As he erupted deep inside, filling me with his hot cum, all I could do was smile.

* * *

There were no soft words of passion, no rambling conversation about how joyous we felt. That wasn’t Dimitri. As soon as he’d finished, he’d issued a few phrases in Russian, most of which I didn’t understand, then pulled away. He even walked out of the room before making a phone call.

I’d yanked a pillow from the top of the bed, hugging it close as I tried to listen to what he was saying. It had been no use. He hadn’t wanted me to hear the conversation.

Then he’d walked back into the room, gazing down at me exactly the way he had before our filthy and dangerous shared moment, with instructions. Get dressed.

Now I sat in his living room away from the blind-covered windows, trying to maintain some level of calm. He continued to pace the floor, every so often peeking out around one of the slats in the blinds at the driveway. While his house seemed to be secluded in the thickness of the woods, I knew that could prove to be a good hiding place for approaching soldiers.

He’d given me a glass of bourbon without asking, telling me in no uncertain terms to consume every drop. I certainly knew he wasn’t attempting to get me drunk. Now, two hours later, I was on my second glass and I wasn’t certain there wouldn’t be a third. I wanted to drift away from the entire last few days, to pretend that the gallery event had been a roaring success and artists were calling me night and day for a calendar date.

That wasn’t going to happen.

Then why can’t you stop envisioning what happened?

I rubbed my forehead, still shaking from the way Dimitri had touched me.

Sex.

Incredible, powerful sex.

He’d pushed me to unthinkable limits, driving me to the brink of ecstasy then pulling away. He’d listened to every breath, shifting the angle until the pleasure was even more intense than before.

And he’d given me some of the most explosive orgasms, leaving me sore and aching. My body continued to tingle, my nipples remaining hard, but they were so sensitive from the way he’d sucked and bitten them. I controlled a moan, chastising myself for the wicked thoughts running through my mind.

I switched the glass from hand to hand, staring down at Dax who was sleeping comfortably. It was late, at least after one in the morning. My protective pup had been on guard duty the entire time.

“Can he find us here?” I asked, already realizing that with Antonio’s connections, it was only a matter of time before he ripped the city apart in an effort to do so.

“Anything is possible, Angelique, but Cristiano sent two soldiers to watch the place. If they see anything, I’ll be notified. If that happens, you will do exactly as I say without hesitation or question. Do you understand me?”

His gaze was even harsher than before.

“Yes, I hear you loud and clear. What’s going to happen? You must have some idea,” I asked, hating the way my voice sounded. I glanced in his direction, sighing as I studied him. I’d watched as he’d grabbed a holster, securing another weapon and arming it, sliding additional clips into his pockets. Then he’d carried the gun he’d left on the dresser downstairs, making certain I’d followed him.

Dimitri was primed and ready for anything. The thought was just as disturbing as what had occurred before. As I chewed on my lip, waiting for him to answer, I allowed my gaze to drift slowly from the chiseled features in his face to his steel-toed boots.

He’d changed over the course of the last year, allowing his once short-cropped hair to grow to his shoulders. From what I’d seen just hours before, he’d also acquired additional tattoos, the colorful art now covering almost every inch of his body with only a portion of his neck and face devoid of them.

He’d also put on more muscle, and I wasn’t certain how that was possible. The man was rock hard, brutal, and dangerous.

He was also one of the sexiest men I’d ever seen in my life. While he had the most insanely gorgeous deep blue eyes, they were cold, completely soulless. The horrible snippet he’d shared earlier about his life was more than I’d gotten the entire years I’d known him.

I’d seen a brief second of the horror in those beautiful eyes, but I doubted I would ever see that again. I knew him well enough to know he’d consider it a weakness to share with me. Damn it. Why were our lives so freaking complicated?

He’d even searched through my bag, examining my weapons before giving me a long look. I’d almost laughed. Wasn’t I allowed to carry a weapon?

Dimitri hesitated before shifting his attention in my direction. “As I mentioned, we will be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.”

“Going where?”

“I’m not certain yet.”

“Why can’t I stay here? I’m certain you can get enough soldiers to adequately guard the place.”

Exhaling, he rubbed his eyes. “Because you know that just can’t happen. Antonio is likely to turn over the city in order to find you. Given Cristiano doesn’t want a war unless necessary, you’ll need to be taken out of the picture.”

“Jesus Christ. I’m not some kind of commodity.” I jerked to my feet, moving closer. “Did you hear what I just said?”

“I did.”

I wanted to punch the hell out of him. Why would he give me such a freaking cold shoulder now after he’d… fucked me?

Because that’s all it was. Fucking.

My inner voice was right. He’d allowed his weakness to crowd into his work ethic. I was such a fucking fool for even considering for two seconds it might be something else. “Fine. Be a soldier. I understand but I don’t have to stay and watch you turn into a statue. Am I allowed to get some sleep, or is that against the rules?” I hated what we’d shared.

He lifted his head, his turn to study me. At least he had the nerve to lock eyes with mine. “Yes, you can use my bedroom, but don’t think about trying to get out of this house. Every door and window is wired. I’ll know with a split second where and when if that happens. Do you understand me?”

The bastard was actually talking to me as if I was nothing more than a child.

“Oh, I get it. You’re my savior, my protector, and my captor. Interesting.” I backed away, moving toward the stairs, making a clicking sound until Dax lifted his head. While he gave Dimitri a long look of admiration, he followed behind me. When I reached the stairs, I could feel Dimitri’s presence behind me.

“It’s my job to protect you, Angelique, not to fuck you. I crossed a line and that can’t happen again.”

I didn’t bother looking at him. I’d known he was going to say that all along. I nodded once then walked up the stairs. Whatever was going to happen, he was right about one thing.

It would never happen again.

Shaking, I made my way into his bedroom, leaning against the door and trying to calm my heartrate. I knew I should be far more concerned about the events of the evening, but everything was starting to become one horrific blur. Dax nuzzled against my leg, whining for attention.

“It’s okay, boy. We’re going to be just fine.”

But were we?

I piled onto the bed, yanking the covers over me. I’d left on the light, refusing to be in the dark. I’d always hated the nighttime, the moment where all light left the earth. That had been the cause of so many nightmares since I was a kid.

Sadly, I had a feeling that even if I was able to fall asleep, the nightmares would be much worse. I yanked the covers over my head, taking comfort in the way Dax laid his head down on the pillow beside me. At least I had a soft furry protector by my side.

I knew my beloved dog would also die for me, but he’d do so mostly out of love and not just duty.

I forced myself to keep my eyes closed, even though a series of shivers raced through me. I’d remembered my mother’s technique when trying to get me to learn that there were no boogeymen. She’d developed an entire fantasy land of secret heroes. They were all had special powers and lived in kingdoms. She’d described them in such detail that I’d managed to see the bright colors and gorgeous tangerine skies of the world she’d created all throughout my childhood.

She’d told me that anytime I was scared to find a superhero to protect me. He would take me into his castle where his soldiers would fend off anyone and anything that tried to harm me. I nuzzled into the pillow, realizing I hadn’t thought about the beautiful make-believe lands in years.

Why tonight?

Was I really that terrified or did I need my hero to come save me? He already had more than once. Hissing, I buried my face into the soft cotton, loathing the fact the pillow was covered in his scent. Damn it. I would never be free of his dominating ways or continuous authority.

But I would sleep and I would dream of another savior, even if he didn’t really exist. Yawning, I opened my eyes again, making certain the light was still turned on. Satisfied, I allowed myself to drift into never-neverland.

“I’m never going to allow you out of my sight again, you little bitch.”

His laugh echoed in the dense chamber, the sound forcing a chill to race down my spine.

I clawed at the steel bars, hissing as I stared up at him. The bastard had put me in a cage in a basement of some old house. “Fuck you.”

Antonio bent down in front of the locked door, shaking his head. “Such a bad girl. When I return tonight, I’m going to need to spend some time teaching you about manners.”

“As if you had any,” I huffed, trying to get my fingers through the bars in order to scratch his eyes out.

He held the nasty look on his face as he studied my naked body. “I hope you don’t get too cold in here, my lovely wife. When you learn to behave, I might allow you to wear clothing, but only after you’d paid your penance for getting away from me. And that’s not going to happen for a very long time.”

As he rose to his feet, he stared down at me for a full minute and I could tell his cock was hard, pushing against his pants. The beast disgusted me.

“They will rescue me and when they do, you’ll be cut into tiny ribbons.” I knew my threat meant nothing to him.

No one was coming for me.

They had no idea where I was.

No one would save me. There were no heroes, no knights in shining armor. I’d been left all alone and there was nothing I could do.

But suffer.

Gasping, I jerked up, fighting to breathe. “No. No!” As Dax started growling, I struggled to be able to focus, shaking all over. The bedroom was one I didn’t recognize. I’d been taken. Captured. I fought the covers as Dax jumped off the bed, immediately racing to the door, continuing his evil growl.

I knew what that meant; someone was coming up the stairs. Still in a fog, the images of Antonio’s face shifting into the forefront of my mind, I jumped out of bed.

But it was too late. I could see a shadowed form racing toward me.

“No!” I moved into a fighter’s stance, prepared for a battle. No one was going to hurt me.

“Angelique.”

Blinking, I took another deep breath, the haze finally lifting.

Dimitri wasted no time, taking long strides in my direction, wrapping one arm around me and pulling me close. “What happened?”

I’d seen the weapon in his other hand, the sight allowing the realization of the events of the night to rush to the surface. “Nothing. I’m fine.” I struggled to get out of his hold, but he was far too strong, keeping me against the heat of his body.

Dax shifted closer, no longer growling.

“Talk to me,” Dimitri insisted.

“I was dreaming. That’s all. Let me go.”

He eased me away, still keeping a firm grip, his eyes darting back and forth across mine. “You’re safe.”

“No, I’m not and you know that. It’s only a matter of time before Antonio finds me. You’ve been right about everything you’ve said. I’ve just refused to ignore it.”

Chuckling, he backed away, returning the safety and shoving the weapon into the small of his back. “Do you really think a single member of your family would allow you to be taken by that pig? You know better.”

“I don’t know what to think any longer.”

“You need your rest.”

“You don’t understand, Dimitri. I won’t be taken.”

I was surprised when he brushed the backs of his fingers across my face. The touch was completely unlike him, gentle and loving. The look of concern in his eyes was endearing. I backed away, not out of spite but at this point, I didn’t want to think about what could have occurred or what was likely to happen in the future.

“I do understand, Angelique. I will die before anyone will ever be able to hurt you again.”

“Because that’s your job. Right?”

He hesitated before nodding. Of course. I sat down on the bed, still trembling, a cold chill keeping me on edge. I was usually stronger than this.

“Just try and get some rest. I’ll be downstairs in case you need me. By morning, a plan will be in order.”

I looked away but did as he asked, easing down onto the soft bedding. I wasn’t certain I could stand the thought of trying to fall asleep. The dream had been so real.

And so terrifying.

As I pulled the covers around me, he whispered in Russian, Dax responding instantly to the command by jumping on the bed and curling up at my feet. Dimitri walked to the door, hesitating before glancing back in my direction.

“I’ll check on you later.”

I turned away from him on purpose, hating myself almost instantly for doing so. When I heard his footsteps, I shifted once again. “Can you wait until I fall asleep?”

Dimitri seemed surprised, glancing over his shoulder. “Of course.”

After taking several deep breaths, I closed my eyes, fighting the demons that had resurfaced after the trauma. I’d kept them hidden for so long, pretending that certain events in my life and that of my family’s had never occurred. Tonight was a clear reminder.

I would never have a normal life. There wouldn’t be a happy ever after for a girl like me. There would only be constant wars and fear of being attacked.

Then there would be death.

Blackness.

Cold.

Death…