His Stolen Princess - MINK Page 0,24

at the feel of him. He closes his eyes, looking pained. “I see why you’re so tight.” His jaw flexes.

I lift my hips, taking him a little more inside of me. “Scared of a virgin?” I challenge him.

“No, not scared of a virgin. I’m scared of you,” he says before thrusting all the way inside me. I let out a small scream as his mouth devours mine. I feel the pain, but my body is still so on edge that I lift my hips, needing him to move. I need to come. I need him to take me fully.

“Cato.” I dig my fingers into his back. He lets out a string of curses in Italian that only turn me on more.

“This is going to be over before it begins.” He pulls out and presses back in.

“Liar. You won’t stop until I come.”

“No. I won’t,” he agrees as he starts to move faster inside of me. His eyes stay locked on mine. It feels like he is staring right into my soul, seeing things I would never want anyone to see. As scary as it is, it’s freeing, too. I want to share this connection with him and only him.

“Cato.” I breathe out his name, feeling the orgasm as it begins to come down hard. I suddenly feel so vulnerable, knowing that no one else has ever seen this side of me. That I’ve never allowed anyone to get so close to me.

“I’ve got you, Apollonia. Let go. Give yourself to me. I want it all.” He kisses me. I cry out his name as the orgasm takes me. I close my eyes as so many emotions roll through me. I keep on coming; it feels as if it’s never ending. I don’t want it to end. At this moment I feel at peace. As if I’m no longer alone in the world.

Cato’s whole body goes tight as I feel him come deep inside of me. He pulls his mouth from mine, burying his face in my hair. I feel more of his warmth spill inside of me as he jerks against me, saying my name over and over again like a prayer. I cling to him, never wanting to let go. If only I could stay here forever. If only things were different.

I can’t, though. Soon he will pull from me and life will come rushing back in. The only thing I’ve done is make myself more vulnerable. Now, there’s more to lose than ever.

14

Cato

She lies beside me, her breathing slow, her lashes atop her cheeks like black lace gracing the skin of a luscious fruit. A beauty with no equal. My sweet Apollonia. She’d given herself to me freely, pushed me to the edge, then fell with me.

Now, in the dark, as I listen to her slumber and run my fingers along her smooth back, my thoughts slowly darken, slowly turn toward what must be done. Because the man in my vineyard tonight—he would’ve hurt her. Perhaps worse. I will never let that happen.

Maybe I’ve created a purpose for myself over the years. Power. Of course it was power. I sought it, took it, and now I wield it without mercy. But that was never my true reason for being. No. My real reason is lying next to me, her hair splayed out in rays of night along my chest as she sleeps, giving me ultimate trust.

How long have I waited for this? I don’t know. I never considered another, never wanted a woman to warm my bed or my heart. But Apollonia does it without effort. One look at her at that funeral, and I was done. My soul ensnared by her fiery eyes and sharp tongue. And maybe, somehow, my heart recognized hers, remembered her from that dark night so long ago knowing I belonged to her alone. She set me on my path long ago, and that path led me right back to her. For that, I will be forever grateful.

I press a soft kiss to her forehead before easing out of bed. Leaving her is an acute wound, but it must be done. I silently promise her that when I return, I’ll make it up to her with my tongue, my fingers, my cock—anything she asks of me and plenty of things she doesn’t—it’s all hers.

Snagging my clothes from the floor, I pad from the room and silently close the door. I point at the two soldiers lounging down the hall.

They pop up and wipe