There was now the Jace before Elior, and the Jace after Elior.
I wasn’t sure which was more dangerous.
But looking at him—tear-streaked, hurting, but finally, finally resting—I knew with absolute certainty that I was going to save him from this hellish existence he was trapped in.
I wanted him like he was a part of me I’d lost once and finally found again.
My chest rose and fell against his hand, still resting over my heart. He’d said he could feel my heartbeat. If he knew what stirred inside that heartbeat—how fiercely, how completely he already owned me—he’d probably be terrified.
“I’ve got you, cherub,” I murmured under my breath, the words barely audible.
13
Elior
I was caught somewhere warm and fluffy, my mind drifting like it was underwater, thoughts dissolving before I could hold onto them. Everything felt so light and peaceful, as if I were being cradled and rocked by a cloud.
A pleasurable heat rolled through me, and I heard myself moan, though the sound felt muffled, like I’d heard it through layers of cotton.
My body didn’t seem interested in moving, instead choosing to curl deeper into the warmth behind me.
My face was smushed against something soft. There was a faint scent in the air, reminding me of Jace’s rich and spicy aroma. Whenever he got too close, I always inhaled that smell.
Jace.
Jace had come to my room in the middle of the night. He’d been so comforting.
My mind drifted back to last night—not in sharp images, but in sensations. His arms around me, the way he’d held my face, the sound of his voice soothing the deep hurt in my heart.
The memory of pain flickered at the edges of my thoughts, but even that felt distant here, softened.
My hips twitched, chasing after something in a dream.
A wet, scorching heat lapped at my core, over and over again.
Something swirled in my low belly, and I cried out.
“There you go, baby,” a rumbling voice purred in the haze. “Take Daddy’s tongue like the sweet boy you are.”
Daddy?
The voice answered, “Yes, cherub. You belong to Daddy now.”
Huh? I don’t understand. Who?
My lashes fluttered, my eyes opening just a sliver. The room was still dim, painted in the pale blue of early morning. I didn’t see much—just a blur of shapes and shadows—but I felt everything.
“Shhh,” the voice cooed. “Go back to sleep.”
I swallowed, my eyes drifting closed again. My body eased, sinking a little deeper into the mattress—and into him. It felt natural, too natural, to obey his words.
Jace.
It was Jace’s words, Jace’s voice.
Oh.
A small sound escaped me without permission. Embarrassment flickered somewhere inside me, but it was faint, quickly swallowed by the warmth blooming in my chest.
