At first, her licks were tentative. She had only heard about this act from whispers, but did not know how it was truly done. The low, rough sound that escaped his throat made her feel bolder, flattening her tongue to lick him some more.
“God. Yes, Juliana. Just like that,” he groaned, his voice thick with pleasure. Her mind latched onto the praise, making her do it again, letting the tip of her tongue trace the vein beneath.
“Oh, look at you,” he breathed, as he gave an involuntary thrust of his hip. “You are doing so well. Open that mouth wider for me, Duchess. Let me feel how clever your mouth can be, just like your tongue.”
Juliana obeyed, opening her mouth wider for him, making his cock slide deeper until the tip nudged the back of her throat. She gagged a little, her eyes watering. Neither of them wanted to pull away, though. His thumb reached for her temple and stroked.
“Breathe through your nose, Juliana. You have all of me,” he rasped. “It is perfect. Like that. So tight and hot.”
Everything felt overwhelming, even with his soothing voice. He liked it. She loved the way his thighs hardened as she hollowed her cheeks and sucked him deeper.
“I am going to move, Juliana,” he said.
And he did. He did it slowly, with shallow strokes, letting her decide what to do next. She matched the rhythm, sucking him deep one moment and pulling back to lick the head. Every curse and gasp that spilled from his mouth fueled her desire and made the heat between her thighs pulse harder. She was making the Duke of Stonevale shudder with only the movements of her mouth and tongue.
Juliana knew that he was about to find his release as his thrust became more urgent and the grip on her hair tightened.
“Juliana.” Her name came out fractured, barely recognizable. “That is… You should stop. The lesson is learned. You can—”
Stop?
The meaning of that word was gone, just as she was gone, her own hips moving to create more friction between her legs. Itwas no longer a punishment. She knew she had power over him in that moment. She continued sucking him deeper and harder, humming around him.
“Juliana.” A warning this time, ragged at the edges, the last thread of his composure pulled taut. “If you do not stop, I will not be able to—”
She took him deeper.
Cassian’s release was not gentle. It was a torrent, accompanied by a sound of triumph and surrender. He pulsed into her mouth. She held on to him, swallowing every drop. The moment was the most intimate she had ever shared with anyone, and she watched as his beautiful, powerful body shuddered and his face contorted in ecstasy.
The Duke of Stonevale had come apart.
And it was all because of her.
When the last shudder finally subsided, he slumped. His elbow rested on his thighs as she rose from her kneeling position. She watched him, listened to his ragged breathing. He then looked up at her with awe in his eyes. Raw hunger still lingered in those eyes, as if he could not get enough of her. Pride bloomed hot in her chest.
Finally, when it was over, he went to the armchair by the hearth. He rested his head in his hands, as if he could not believe what had just happened. Juliana could not help but smile. She did that to him. He had marked her, too. The taste of him was still on her tongue.
“Do not go back to the West Tower,” he pleaded. “Promise me you will not go back there. If you do it once more, I will not be solenient.”
Was she truly forgiven? Did her mouth have enough power to earn that for her?
“I will stay away on one condition,” she said, negotiating, even as she smoothed her skirts down. She tilted her chin up, attempting to summon the dignity of a duchess.
“Do you think you are in a position to bargain, Duchess?” he asked, a faint smirk on his lips.
He watched her with a predatory smirk that suggested he knew where the scales tipped. His elbow casually rested on his armchair.
“Find out what is happening with Kit,” she said firmly, even as she stepped into his space. “You have power and influence. You can save him, or at least find him and learn what is wrong.”
“Your brother does not deserve your kindness or my help,” Cassian insisted, his face contorting back into the scowl he wore when he caught her climbing the stairs. All the heat in the room had dissipated, replaced by a winter chill.
“He is still my brother! My blood,” she cried. Her voice trembled, but she did not care anymore, even when she hated revealing her feelings. “I know he is a fool, but he is still my brother. If something happens to him… If he dies, I will never be able to forgive myself.”
“No,” Cassian rasped, as he managed to rise from his chair. “He stopped being that when he sold you. He was willing to sell you to the highest bidder. He saw you as merely a transaction. Remember that.”
Cassian reached out to grip her chin with his long fingers, forcing her to meet his gaze as he continued, “You are mourning a man who is gone or never even existed. He is now drowning in debt and would take anyone else with him.”
“That is not true. I know you would do the same for your own sister. Blood is blood,” she insisted.
