now. But you can’t. Because I hit all the right places. And because I’m almost burning you, you can feel every bit of it, can’t you?” He chuckled. “And still you’re making that face. Anyway. Tomorrow, I have to go to the senate and deal with some idiot laws the senators want passed. You should come with me.”
Back and forth. Empty and full. Aching and burning. And still he wanted to carry out a conversation. “Sure,” she grunted.
“You’ll have to put that necklace back on. But in this room, with me, I don’t want you to wear it. I…don’t like slavery. I really don’t. But it’s necessary. It’s our way of life. If I abolished it, there would be a war. And it’s not so bad, really, is it? You and me, like this?”
“N—no—”
“Funny thing, isn’t it? That I can wed you but not free you? Stupid. Oh, well. At least our children won’t be slaves.”
When she went to fight him, he pinned her head down to the bed roughly, and rammed himself into her once, hard to the end. She wailed.
He held himself there as he laughed. “Silly Hope. Can you imagine me, a father? I’m joking. I’m sorry to say my gift and my body temperature have some terrible side effects. Everything I put in you is already cooked. I’m not viable. Don’t worry.” He tilted back off her and took her hips back into his hands and resumed casually stroking himself inside her. “That means I can fill you up as much as I want. And oh, I promise you, I will.”
“Nero—”
“Hm? What? Is this bothering you? Being ridden like this? You didn’t mind it last night, when you almost drove me out of my fucking mind. You went on forever like that! You were torturing me, and you didn’t even know it. Riding me like I was your personal pleasure slave. So now it’s my turn. You’ll lie there and put up with this until I’m ready.”
She groaned in dismay and buried her head.
He laughed. “Poor girl. It’s all right. I’ll make it up to you. It’ll be even better when I’ve denied you for so long. You’ll see stars.” He paused. “Fuck.”
She chuckled and dug her fingers into the silk sheets. “You’ll catch up someday.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” He paused. “Are you still mad I lied to you?”
“No. I know why you”—she paused as he hit somewhere inside of her that sent a jolt of pleasure rocketing through her—“did it.”
“Good.”
“Viktor thinks you’re delusional.”
“Let him. I know my lies for what they are. But if you don’t commit to a story, what’s the point?” He hummed. “Mind if I try something?”
“What?”
Taking that as permission, he reached forward and wound his hand around her throat. He pulled back, and she gasped as he restricted her air. Not much. Just enough. She felt herself spasm as pleasure ripped through her like the blades of a knife.
“Ooh…feel that? You like that…” He pulled her up and wrapped his arm around her throat until it was in the crook of his elbow. He tightened, just a little, and she moaned and clung to his arm. He was so strong. So warm. Feeling the muscles beneath her hands flex did just as much to her as the tension around her throat.
He groaned. “Shit…Hope…I don’t know what I need to sacrifice to Hera in thanks, but you are perfect.” And still, he seemed intent on torturing her.
He whispered to her sinful and terrible things about how she felt around him, and what her body did to him as he tormented her. She couldn’t think through all the sensations. When he threw her back to the sheets and pinned her down on her face and unleashed himself on her, she remembered screaming out his name as he spasmed inside her, impossible and filling her like liquid iron.
She didn’t know what it meant to “see stars,” but she was pretty sure she felt faint from the ecstasy.
He collapsed onto the sheets next to her, lying on his back. He let out a loud rush of air, and she felt him stretch like a sated animal. He groaned. “Oh, that was fantastic. How’re you doing over there?”
Hope muttered something insulting.
He laughed at her disgruntled noise. “All right, all right, we’ll skip the shower sex.” He kissed her cheek. “Which means we should take turns. Ladies first.”
“I’m not moving. Don’t think I can.”
“Well, fine. I’ll go first while you gather your wits. I love you, Hope.”