Page 447 of Reign

Then I slide one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back and lift her against my chest.

She gives me an exhausted glare.

I carry her out of the office, down the hall, and back to the living room. I lower her onto the same couch where I left her earlier and arrange the cushions behind her.

Her hair is a mess.

Her cheeks are flushed.

She looks thoroughly used.

Beautiful.

I press a slow kiss to her forehead. “Say thank you.”

Her eyes narrow and she inhales sharply. “Thank you.”

“Good girl.” I straighten and brush her fringe away from her face. “Rest. I’ll come find you when I’m ready for my next one.”

Her lips part.

I walk away before she can respond.

Chapter 61

Elena

It’s only four o’clock, and I’m exhausted.

Actually, exhausted feels generous.

I’m sore. My legs are unreliable. I’ve been fucked in enough rooms today that I’ve started looking around corners before entering them.

Luciano has turned free use into some kind of elaborate sexual horror movie where the villain is six-foot-five, beautifully dressed, and occasionally kisses me on the forehead before disappearing.

I think he’s had me five times.

That does not include what happened with my mouth or what he did to me on the couch. Those are separate categories because apparently my life requires sexual accounting now.

For the last hour, he’s left me alone.

I’m beginning to believe I’ve survived.

I twist the cap off a bottle of water and take a long drink.

Maybe I can finally go upstairs and finish the dress.

I turn.

Luciano is already in the doorway.

A length of soft black rope hangs from one hand.

I stop.

“Absolutely not.”

His eyebrows rise.