Her breath started to come in deep, heaving gulps. The drink that had calmed her was now swirling inside of her like a snake, infecting her with its poison.
Drake soon stood in front of her. “You were doing what you thought was necessary. You had no way of knowing that sort of person you were dealing with. We have all made that error at one point or another.”
She pinned him with a hard stare. “Have you?”
Drake’s face was wiped of any emotion when he replied, “Her name was Elina Waters.”
She stilled.
“I fancied myself in love with her but when I was injured, I discovered how deep her feelings for me went.” His voice contained more than a touch of bitterness. “I called out to her, believing I was breathing my last, and she left me, bleeding, in the middle of an alley and returned to her lover. If it wasn’t for Amos, I wouldn’t be here today.” His nostrils flared. “It is human nature to want to love but I learned the hard way what that can do to you.”
“Which is why you won’t open your heart to me.” Fleur hadn’t meant for those words to escape, but now that they had, she couldn’t recant them.
His eyes glittered. “I can make no promises to you for they would undoubtedly be broken. All I can do is say something is… different when you are near. But I can’t say whether or not I can allow that much trust again.”
She wanted to be hurt, to be angry and rail at him. Instead, she said softly, “I will not ask for more than what you are willing to give me. Whatever that may be.”
He reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand. “I will not allow Flavian to be drawn into the underground. I will do everything in my power to ensure that doesn’t happen. But it might take some time.”
She nodded. “Fine. And while I understand it is difficult for you to trust anyone, please don’t keep secrets from me. I can bear anything but blatant lies.”
He put his forehead against hers. “Agreed.”
She pulled back and looked at him steadily. “If something involves my brother again, I’m going with you.”
He sighed heavily. “Fleur?—”
“I won’t accept no on this. He’s not just the last of my family. He is mytwin. There is a connection there that can’t be denied. I knew something was wrong tonight. I couldfeelit. It is why I stayed here and waited for your return. If he is in true danger, I want to be there. I am the only person who has ever been able to make him see reason, even if I’ve failed in that regard lately.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose but he gave a curt incline of his head. “Very well. But you will have to don the shroud. I won’t have Avalon targeting you instead.”
She echoed his earlier sentiment. “Agreed.”
He withdrew and said, “Come. Let’s get to bed. I’m exhausted and no doubt you are the same.”
Fleur wasn’t sure about that. Her mind was still racing with what she’d been told. But there was nothing further she could do tonight. More than likely the damage had already been done.
Tomorrow would tell the tale of how deep Flavian had dug his own hole.
After Drake had divested himself of his clothes, he climbed into bed. Fleur kept on her nightdress and proceeded to do the same.
“No.” Drake’s voice was firm. “I want to feel your skin against mine.”
She complied, withdrawing the garment from her and tossing it the edge of the bed. Climbing in next to him, he held her close, her back to his front. She could feel the pressure of his cock against her upper thigh, but she was thankful that he ignored the urgency of his member. Neither of them seemed to be in the proper state of mind to engage in such an intimate activity.
As Fleur’s lids grew heavy, she realized that she hadn’t yet talked to Drake about protection. She promised herself that would be the first topic of the morning.
CHAPTER17
Fleur’s moan broke through Drake’s reverie. He thought he had been dreaming but he realized rather quickly that his consciousness had blurred the line between wake and sleep. His hand was stroking her core and yet, he still had to shake off the last of the cobwebs in his brain.
However, when his cock began to pulse with need, he knew that he couldn’t stop now. He wanted her too much. Heneededher too much.
He moved his hips back and forth against her, mimicking the act of lovemaking as she did the same against his hand. His other arm was beneath her, so he cupped her breasts, toying with the hardened nipples as he kissed and sucked the delicate curve where her neck met her shoulder. It seemed to be a particular favorite of hers.
The sharp gasp she emitted told him he’d acted appropriately. As her heart began to pound against his hand and a rush of moisture coated his other hand, she released a low moan as her body shook with her release. He was relentless in his teasing of her, wringing every last tremor from her body. As she lay limp and replete in his arms, he slid his cock into her. Holding her close, he thrust in and out, grunting with the force of his rhythm.
It didn’t take long before she was clutching his arm and crying out his name. “Drake, please.”
