Page 96 of A Cruel Kindness

Even though my eyes were hazy with pleasure, I blinked them open to look in the mirror behind us. I almost finished right then and there.

The image of Soren’s back flexing, shifting our Mark with each small movement, combined with me on top of him was enough to drive me insane.

“Go on,” Soren prodded, his voice rough and hoarse. “Tell me what you see.”

“I see that you’re mine,” I all but moaned, my voice not entirely my own.

I got lost again, falling into the dazed pleasure of his body moving in mine until I was releasing choked sobs as he wrung out a climax so intense I coated his neck in my tears.

After Soren followed me with a low groan, he fell back against the bed, pulling me down on top of him.

As I tried to catch my breath, his hand coasted over my back in soft, comforting strokes. “We should have done that a long time ago.”

“You did not like me at first,” I countered, nuzzling into his neck.

Soren turned his head so that his lips fell to the line of my hair. “I didn’t like your family. I wrongly took it out on you.” He leaned in and nipped my ear playfully. “I still think it would be wonderful to see your father fall on his own sword, but I’ll only laugh if you say its fine.”

“You can laugh,” I said, my voice thick with a laugh of my own.

We laid there, simply existing together for a while. Neither of us said anything, but we knew Soren wasn’t going anywhere. We’d wake up together in the morning before he snuck out of my rooms, but he was spending the night.

There was no way the Bond would let us do anything different, not that I disagreed with it.

The domesticity of it all made my heart clench painfully. Watching Soren lazily brush his teeth instead of the quick, efficient movements that were so common on Muli. Wearing fine, silky clothing instead of durable cotton.

Falling asleep in a wide bed, but choosing to tangle together in the center.

It all felt too precious, too special.

Life had a way of taking away precious things.

Chapter 23

Soren

I woke up in the middle of the night just to watch her.

The Bond stayed asleep, finally content.

I didn’t need it anyway. This was all me.

Bellamy nuzzled further into my side when my hand stroked over her hair. She didn’t have to tell me how little affection she’d been given.

I’d been subject to it myself.

She’d never wish for that from me. There was nothing she could do to stop me giving it, save a wish to stop.

I fell back asleep praying that would never happen.

Chapter 24

Bellamy

Soren woke me up at sunrise with a gentle kiss on my brow. “I have to go before we get reamed for breaking protocol.”

“No,” I mumbled, pulling him tighter to me. I didn’t give a shit about protocol. He was too warm to let him up.

“Baby,” Soren groaned, almost giving up. Good, I snuggled a little closer to him. “You can either wake up with me or I can let you sleep. Your choice.”