Arthur
Iwalked up the stairs, pausing outside her door as I always did. My hand hovered, about to knock, until I realized what a mess I was. Blood covered my clothing. The soft sobs I heard behind the door pierced me, and I hated how it made me feel. Wasn’t I the one who wanted her to cry and beg me to set her free? So why did she affect me like this? I thought of what her brother had told me, and my jaw stiffened. I’d had every intention of eventually ruining her and leaving the remains for her father. Little did I know he’d already done that. He’d taken her innocence, and now I was taking away her freedom. I was a monster too. What I’d done to Eduardo hadn’t made me feel any less terrible either. I felt nauseous at the thought of what that man had done to his children.
I closed my eyes and stepped away, walking to my room. I took a shower, washing away the blood and everything else, but not my conscience. That would never be clean. I put on grey track pants and a t-shirt, my hair still wet.
I walked into my office and poured myself a whiskey. I sat in my armchair and thought about Guin as I sipped my drink. She’d lied to me, married me because her father had forced her to, duping me into thinking she actually cared for me. I would have ended the engagement if I’d known she was lying about the way she felt for me. But I was a young fool, and it had cost me everything.
I kept pouring. Arthur Calthorpe was no drinker, yet here I was, trying to drink away the hatred I felt for the man who’d hurt his children, the woman who stole my soul, and the desire I felt for the woman down the hall. She was the daughter of an enemy, I should not care what happened to her. Her father was an enemy.
I watched as the clouds gathered and darkened, drinking as the rain splashed against the window of my office.
I thought of my other enemy, Stephen Castello. His family took so much from me. My wife. My father. My soul. But I would find him, and I would end him. The dark clouds were a reminder of what I was, a slayer, a destroyer, and nothing more. When the light left the sky, I didn’t turn on the lamp. I stayed where I was, just staring out into nothing. A knock sounded at my door, and I ignored it, they would leave eventually. Nobody dared to disturb me. A light turned on, and I growled. “Fuck off out of here.”
“Language.” Her voice was small, like the delicate bird that she was. I’d clip her wings, and she’d never fly again. She’ll fall to the ground, and the world would trample on her. As it had already done, I thought dismally. But then I thought about the flame in her eyes. I knew I was underestimating her strength.
I turned to face her, rubbing a hand over my face, trying to get some of the exhaustion and drunkenness out.
“Didn’t take you for the brooding kind.”
“I’m not brooding.”
“What do you call sitting in the dark, drunk and miserable? Those sweatpants do wonders for you by the way.” She looked down at them appraisingly.
“If you know what’s good for you, Gaia, you’ll leave,” I told her, my eyes raking over her knee-length black dress. She walked over to me, took the drink from my hand, and downed the contents before setting it aside. She picked up the bottle from the side table, kicked off her shoes, and sat in the armchair opposite me, tucking her feet underneath her. I knitted my brows as she brought the bottle to her lips, taking a big chug. She scrunched her face, and I smiled, shaking my head.
“What do you want, little bird?” I slurred.
“Why do you call me that?” she asked, taking another sip.
“Because it’s what you are.”
“I didn’t see you at dinner. It’s a rule, remember? ‘Thou shalt eat with me.’” She did the worst imitation of my voice, gulping more whiskey. I was sure it would hit her soon.
“I wasn’t hungry,” I growled, not meaning to.
“No, you were brooding, like an old fool, here in your den.”
I cocked a brow. “Old fool, huh?” I slurred. “This old fool could have you begging his name by the end of the night,” Her words had ignited more than amusement in me.
“Is that a challenge?” She lifted the bottle to her mouth then licked her lips. The motion of her tongue mesmerized me. She opened her legs slightly, her eyes hooded, biting on that lower lip.
I crooked a finger, and she stood, albeit slightly unsteadily. “You’re a weak drunk, aren’t you?” She gave me a lopsided grin, stalking over, sashaying her hips. “You have no idea what I’m capable of, principessa. The things I will do to you-”
She stood between my open legs, staring down at me, her green eyes challenging me. I raked my eyes over the swell of her perfect breasts, the curve of her hips, the slight wideness of her waist. I should resist. This wasn’t what I’d intended to do, after all I’d discovered today.
“You think too loudly,” she tilted my chin up till I was looking at her eyes again. No woman had ever dared to provoke me, or even talk to me the way she did. It both angered me and turned me on.
She placed her hands on either side of my face, searching my eyes, then she bent, pressing her lips to mine. That first contact was charged with electricity. Her lips were as soft as I’d imagined, maybe more. She tasted of strawberries and whiskey. I wanted to bottle that scent and have it always.
She traced my lips with her tongue, opening her eyes to look at me. She pulled my bottom lip between her teeth biting down.
“You'll burn, Gaia.” I hissed, breaking contact for a second.
“Turn me to ash then.” She moaned.
I gripped her waist and pulled her closer to me, holding her captive. She parted her lips to give me more access, and I deepened the kiss. The kiss was slow and sensual. When she opened her eyes she grinned, kissing me again, harder this time, our tongues fighting for dominance.
I wrapped my hand around her bare knees, scrunching her dress up as I made my way up her thighs. Her skin was smooth to the touch, and I was already straining in my pants. I tugged her toward me, my face in line with her chest which rose and fell, her nipples already pebbled. I sucked one nipple and then the other through the fabric, and she moaned softly. She was not thinking clearly, I reminded myself, but neither was I. This was a moment of madness. I moved her panties aside and let my thumb slip into her soaking cunt. She moaned when I thrust another finger, deeper. Then she started to move, fucking my fingers, begging for more.
