Forget that ence upon a time, I thought sex was just functional Quiet Athing you did to please the other person, a thing to tick off the list of what mode a “srald rbonship”
He was the one who made me feel
He’d tem through every illusion I’d ever held, recing them with something raw, carnal<b>, </b><b>and </b><b>real</b>. The way he looked at me during sex–as if I was shmething sacred, something owned–haunted me even when I <b>closed </b>my eyes. It wasn’t just lust. It was obsession, Passion. This delicious kind <b>of </b>corruption that made me burn from <b>the </b>inside out
He’d given me so many
so many firsts that my head spun trying to count them.
First time bent over his office desk, the thrill of being fucked against the ss window overlooking the entire city, or the fear of his secretary hearing us
First time pressed against the marble in his shower<b>, </b>steam curling around us like fog, his mouth on my throat while the water sluiced down our bodies.
First time I’d be pinned on the bed, in a private jet while he made ine during takeoff.
Mythighs clenched at the memory
He’d burned me into this sex–crazed maniac who could get wet just from the sight of the veins on his hands. Those hands. <b>Those </b>impossibly elegant hands that had been inside me, spanking me, iming me–ruining me.
And what he’d saidst night. Love. He loved me. Would be able <b>to </b><b>say </b>it back? After not even a full month of me promising myself not to fall in love
i sighed softly, my eyes fluttering open as the sunlight filtered in through the sheer curtains. Thin streaks of gold danced across the white sheets, casting long patterns over the edge of the bed
The scent of pancakes drifted toward me–sweet and warm, with a hint of vani and something spiced. Cinnamon?
My stomach rumbled on <b>cue</b>.
droom door was cracked open, and I could hear soft movement from the kitchen–the clink of a spat against the pan, the soft hiss of something fipping and Niki’s low voice humming was that <b>Frank </b><b>Sinatra</b><b>? </b>
I turned to check the time and blinked. It was only eight am Still early.
Thank God it was the worked. No ss. No <b>responsibilities</b>.
, beautiful, quiet morning-
Except for the so orgasm I’d hadst night. That part wasn’t <b>quit </b>at all.
I groaned, covering my face with both hands as heat crept up my neck.
Six focking times
Thad never, evere that many times in de night. Not even close. By the fourth, I’d been shaking. By the fifth, crying. The sixth? I could barely speak. And thatst organ? Held teased me for so long, edging me over and over again, pulling away just before I toppled off the cliff–until I begged.
begged
“Morse!
Please, let mee–don’t stop, I need to please
Shameless. Absolutely fucking shameless.
sighed again and rolled over to reach for my phone, only to freeze when I saw the screen light up with missed calls.
Guilt twisted in my chest. I’dpletely forgotten to call herst night. She must’ve been worried sick
quickly tapped her contact and held the phone to my ear, silently praying she wouldn’t chew me out
She picked upon the second ring
“Eleaf is everything alright?”
eah, yeah, everything’s fine,” I rushed to say, already wincing “I’m so sorry, Mama. I should’ve called ”
goo worried,” she interrupted, her voice immediately softening. “But Niki texted me, said you were spending the night at the penthouse, I figured…
well
There was a pause.
“You sound like you had a rough night”
groaned “Mom”
She chuckled, clearly amused, “What? I didn’t say anything. But, well, if you two keep having more rough nights‘ like that, I expect to hear about grandchildren soon
I nearly dropped the phone
“Mama!”
y ways to
to shut her down. But my mind zeroed in
Moreughter from her end.
I pressed my forehead to the pillow, mortified beyond belief. There was <b>so </b>much I could’ve <b>said</b>. So many
on one thing—the thing i hadn’t told her
That i’d already goten birth control treatment.
is <b>an </b>adult.
Because it was noneal her business.
And because the conversation would be too awkward to survive
She thankfully moved on. “I’ve got the day off today, and I’m making lunch. Why don’t you ar
My ps curved into a smile despite <b>myself </b>
and Nikie over<b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>13:15 </b>Fri, 25 Juff
“Sure. But don’t po overboard, alright? if you get tired-
Med. “Let me enjoy cooking for my daughter and her ridiculously handsome husband.”
“Ok” Highed. “We’ll be there Warmth pooled in my belly at her addressing Niki that way it showed that she was finally opening up to him.
the ending the call, I finally peeled myself out of bed, stretching slowly as soreness bloomed across every inch of me. My thighs ached. My shoulders
ched Every damn abs ached.
That’s when I chucht my reflection in the mirror.
Oh. My. Fucking God
There were bruises across my neck, corbone, shoulders–actual bruises. Not hickeys. Not faint little love marks.
turned sideways and pulled up the hem of Niki’s T–shirt–the one he’d tugged onto mest night after helping me into <b>a </b>warm bath I barely remembered. My breith–caught.
There were more bruises on my stomach and upper thighs. Some were <b>reddish</b>–purple, others darker, more yellow around the edges. A few angry handprints stood out stark against my skin.
Tlooked like a goddamn crime scene.
ran a hand down my side, fouling a twinge of pain in the motion, but also something else a memory. A sh of what we’d done. Of his eyes above me. the way they burned. Of the the around my wrists. The vibrators. His voice in my car.
Had I slipped into subspace?
I’d read about it. How sometimes, when things became too overwhelming, the mind retreated to protect itself, retreating into something fuzzy, floaty. I didn’t remember the details clearly, only the feelings. The pleasure. The surrender
I moved slowly to the closet and grabbed a pair of soft cotton trousers, winding again as I stepped into them. No way was I letting my mom see the constetion of bruises all over me. She’d kill Niki on the spot.
ited my hair into a messy bun and padded downstairs barefoot, the wood floor cool under my sales. The scent of pancakes hit me instantly, stronger now, warm and sweet. And there he was.
Niki Vetrov.
-In the kitchen
Wearing nothing but grey sweatpants and <b>a </b>white apron.
Once again, the sight nearly made me trip.
His back was to me, but he turned as I stepped into the room, a smile already forming on his face.
“Good morning. Malishka,” he said, walking over to kiss my cheek. His lips were warm and soft. “You’re just in time. Pancakes are almost done.”
“You’re too domestic,” I muttered, taking a seat at the ind <b>counter</b>.
“Only for you,” he replied without missing a beat as he flipped aneh
pancake
I watched him work, still a little dazed, Mom’s making lunch, by the way Invited <b>us </b>over.”
“Did she say what she’s making?
“No. But she told me
i had a rough night”
He nced at me or Nothelder, umaking. “Did you deny it?”
Heughed, stacking pancakes onto a te. “Well, if she wants us ever, we’ll go, I’ll clear my schedule.”
“Do you have work today?”
Misumile tattered. “wah. Actually, I’ll be busy most of the day”
I nodded, trying not to show disappointment. “Anything major?”
There’s a charity ball tonight,” he said as he poured syrup over the pancakes. “Hosted by a friend of mine.”
1binked. “Are we going<b>? </b>
“wasn’t sure if you’d want to he said honestly, sitting beside me. “You’re still recovering
I paused, then shook my head. ” we don’t go, it’ll look like we’re hiding or that we’re scared. We should go.”
He looked pleased by that “thought you’d say that”
“Who’s your trend by the way, the person hosting?” I asked as I cut into the pancakes, the syrup soaking through the fluffyyers.
“Seraphina Legacy