We settle back into the bed, the covers pulled snug around us. She curls into my side, her head resting on my chest, and for the first time in forever, I feel a strange sense of peace. It’s fleeting, I know that. My world is too dark, too dangerous to hold onto something so pure and beautiful as what we’ve just shared. Tonight, I’ll let myself have it.
Her breathing evens out and I stare up at the ceiling. I’ve spent years building walls to keep people out. But Sophia... she’s slipped through the cracks. Now, I don’t want to let her go.
15
SOPHIA
The room is dark, the only light spilling in from the large window, where the moon hangs low in a velvet sky. I wake slowly, disoriented, the weight of sleep pressing on my limbs. For a moment, I forget where I am, my mind grasping at the threads of a dream that dissolves too quickly to hold onto. Then I feel the warmth of him beside me, the steady rise and fall of his chest under my hand, and it all comes rushing back.
Ray.
The events of the day flicker through my mind in disjointed flashes—the laughter of my family, Pete’s unrestrained joy as he tore through boxes of ornaments, and the quiet moments by the fireplace, where Ray’s voice had dropped to a near whisper as he shared the darkest corners of his life. I glance at him now, his face relaxed in sleep, the hard lines of his jaw softened. He looks so different like this, almost vulnerable, and it tugs at my heart.
I prop myself up on one elbow, careful not to wake him, and let my gaze roam over him. His copper hair is a mess, strands falling over his forehead in a way that’s both endearing and infuriatingly perfect. His lips, slightly parted, seem softer now, a stark contrast to the way they commanded my body only hours ago. I brush a lock of hair back, my fingertips grazing his skin, and his face twitches, a faint crease forming between his brows.
This man. This complicated, dangerous, infuriating man. He’s nothing like what I thought I wanted. And yet, I can’t seem to stop myself from falling deeper, even though every instinct screams at me to run.
I call to mind the way he is with Pete—the fierce protectiveness, the quiet tenderness. It’s clear the boy is his whole world, and it makes me ache for something I can’t quite name. Ray has been through hell. His wife’s murder is a shadow that clings to him, darkening everything in its path. And yet, he’s here, building something for his son, trying to create a life out of the wreckage, though Ray’s world remains a puzzle to me. At the same time, I’m beginning to imagine how I could fit into his life.
Which is insane! My own life has been one long string of running—from my hometown, from my past, from the scars that mark me as a survivor. I’ve found the perfect job for a person with my kind of emotional baggage. I get to boss people around and travel to world with a rock band. It’s all glitter and fantasy. Now, lying here, in Ray’s bed, with the warmth of his body next to mine, I feel... still. As if, for once, the world isn’t spinning out of control. It was liberating to take a backseat and allow Ray to control everything. No decisions to make. No outcomes to weigh out. Just lie back and enjoy.
He stirs, his breath catching for a moment before he drags up his eyelids. Those piercing blue eyes lock onto mine, heavy with sleep but still managing to steal the air from my lungs. His hand finds mine where it rests on his chest, his fingers curling around it.
“You okay?” he murmurs, his voice rough and low, the kind of voice that belongs in the shadows.
I nod, not trusting my own voice. His gaze softens, and for a moment, we just look at each other, the silence between us heavy but comfortable.
“You wanna be on top now?” he asks, a faint grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. There’s no hesitation in his tone, just a quiet confidence that makes my cheeks flush. It’s the kind of self-assurance only a man who knows the extent of his own power can demonstrate. Because only a man with such awareness will be comfortable sharing power.
My heart stutters, but I manage a smirk, letting the heat in his gaze wash over me. “I kind of enjoyed your lead.”
Pulling my head down, he swallows my laughter with a searing kiss. It’s hot, demanding, and way too brief. I’m gasping for air when he releases me, a wide grin illuminating his gorgeous features.
“Good! I’m a possessive motherfucker and I’m not done with you. You’re a natural submissive.”
I melt at hearing those words but my pulse skyrockets as he slides open a drawer in the nightstand.
“What’s this for?” I mumble, without thinking, when he pulls out the thickest dildo I’ve ever seen.
He chuckles. “It’s for you, pet.”
When I frown, he cups my hip, letting his fingers caress my skin all the way around to my tiniest hole. My heart begins beating in my throat. “You’re going to fuck me there with that thing?” It’s way too big.
“You’re so adorable.” It’s his infuriating reply as he leans to kiss me again. When we’re both out of breath, he whispers against my lips. “That’s for your pussy. I want to feel every inch of your glorious ass around me. Will you let me, pet?”
I swallow hard as wicked images flash in my mind. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to try double penetration. I secretly envy Dee for having four men worshipping her.
“Yes, please,” I reply, eagerly nodding.
“That’s my girl!” Ray praises, sliding his body down the mattress. “Sit on my face. I’ll get you ready.”
Curling my fingers around the headboard, I kneel to align myself with his mouth. I lower my body and gasp whe his lips connect to my hot flesh. His fingers dig into my hips, keeping me in place as he feasts on me. It doesn’t take him long to wrench the first orgasm out of me.
I clench the wood under my fingers, shouting, “Ray!”
He hums his agreement, sucking and licking me until a second and a third waves hit me. He slaps my ass cheeks as he withdraws his mouth from me. My body vibrates and I hold on tightly not to collapse on the pillows.
“Get in position.” He smacks me again and my flesh sings. “Forehead to the mattress. Ass up in the air.”
