“I never said you were in it.”
“I think you just did,” he said, grimly satisfied. “Do you dream of me often, little sparrow? Am I gentle or rough? I’d love to know.”
“What’s a sparrow?”
“I told you not to ask me.” His chest grazed hers as he stepped closer, gripping the shelves over her head to cage her in. “If you really are leaving, none of this matters, does it?”
She breathed in sharply as he bent down, looking at her as if she were a potent spirit and he craved her oblivion. “You said it was too late,” she said shakily. “You said I couldn’t.”
“Poor lost little Nadine,” he whispered. “So alone . . . so afraid. You can’t run to your sister for your bad dreams anymore, so now you want to run to Daddy.” He lowered his hands from the shelves, gripping her hips. And then he said roughly, “You want to run, Nadine? Run to me.”
She made one small noise, shocked and protesting, before his mouth fell upon hers like a swooping bird of prey, teeth biting in like talons in her lip. He tasted like rum and mint and every bad thing she had ever wanted to do, and the heat of him poured into her like the radiation from a furnace as his bare chest pressed against hers, firmly caging her in his embrace.
“Don’t worry.” Every word was like a brand against her lips. “I’m here now.”
I’m here now.
She felt a sharp note of fear as he pushed her back against the shelves, even as she found herself spreading her thighs when he thrust savagely between her legs. It sent a burst of heat pulsing through her like a shower of sparks and she moaned. He growled in approval and kissed her throat, sucking hard as he ground himself against her hips. “The things I want to do to you,” he said. “You poor fucking thing. You beautiful little misery. I’ve been waitingso long.”
The words were confusing. Terrifying. But then his mouth closed over the hard peak of her nipple, sucking until the cotton was damp and clinging and her knees went weak. Then he was unfastening buttons faster than she could breathe, until nothing separated them at all from the waist up and words started to feel meaningless.
“Fuck.” The rake of his eyes was like a tangible thing, as warm as the firelight flickering over her body and just as likely to burn. She tried to cover herself but he yanked her hands away, bringing them up behind her back so that her breasts lifted and the open shirtdress fell around her body like a pair of wings. “I wish I could clothe you in candlelight.”
Then he kissed her again, sliding his hands down from her wrists to her hands, clasping them briefly the way he had when they danced. She leaned into him, more than willing to mold herself against the hard length of his body if it meant more fiery kisses and sweet words. Nobody had ever said such things to her, that made her feel as if she were trapped and soaring, all at once.
He swung her around, forcing her to step back from him, and for a moment, she thought he was going to waltz with her in the library, while the storm pounded against the glass like a rabid beast. Her heart trembled like a caged thing. But then her hands were free and he was cupping her by the backs of her thighs, filling his palms with her as he lifted her up.
Her eyes flew open when her back hit the settee. Cal swung himself over her, causing them both to sink against the plump upholstery and its scratchy, ancient embroidery. When she tried to cup his jaw and bring his mouth to hers, he gathered her wrists together and pinned them over her head.
She laughed nervously but he didn’t smile. “I—I didn’t come here for this.”
“I didn’t imagine you did. But I’m enjoying it just the same.” The black of his pupils had nearly swallowed up the brilliant bronze color of his irises. “Fuck me, Nadine,” he said, in that same intense, disturbing voice. “I’ll chase all the shadows away.”
Nadine swallowed hard, as the image from her nightmare returned.Hooks for eyes.She threw a wild look at the door, to make sure it was closed. “I’ve—never done that.”
“No?” His hand went to her underwear. The dampness of them embarrassed her, but he simply rolled them down her thighs, before pressing against her, tugging at his pants until the warmth of him was causing that slickness to rub lower down her thighs. “How do you fucking stand it?”
Right now, I don’t know.A shuddering gasp escaped her as she parted slightly around him, and she felt a hot stab of pain pierce through the pleasure. “Wait,” she said, fidgeting in his grip. “Cal—please. I can’t . . .”
“You need this as much as I do, little sparrow.”
“Cal.”
“You’re not getting away. Not this time.” He leaned closer, sinking deeper between her thighs. She cried out again. “I can save you, Nadine,” he whispered. “But only if you’re mine.”
The bones of his hips dug into her soft belly when he thrust, causing his last word to end on a harsh snarl. His body was flush against hers now, and when she shook her head violently, the startled recoil of her hips ended up carrying him the rest of the way. Burying him inside her.
Like a grave.
“Oh god,” she cried. “Cal,please. It hurts.”
He paused and she could feel his heartbeat everywhere. The candles flickered, caught in an invisible draft, drenching their bodies in a golden light that made their sweat glisten. His chest bore down on hers with every breath, girded in hard muscle, and covered in that dark hair that felt so coarse against her breasts.
Something inside her got all twisted when she looked into his eyes, glittering in the candlelight.Cullraven eyes, Helena had called them. In the gloom, the red motes looked like small black holes.
You could fall into eyes like that, she thought.You could fall, and fall, and never stop.
“Relax for me.”
