Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
I don’t know. I just don’t know. We’re so close to getting something I barely allowed myself to dream of, and we’ve never been more in danger of having it snatched away. “Be careful. If anything happens to you—”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. This is what I do.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, the bridge of my nose, my lips. “I love you, too. It feels like I’ve spent my entire life doing nothing but loving you.”
I’m not sure which one of us moves first. He tenses, I go up on my toes, and then I’m kissing him properly. We don’t have time for this, and yet we’ve never had time for this. Our entire relationship has been stolen moments. What’s one more?
Asterion lifts me, and I barely have a chance to worry about slippery bodies in the shower before he pins my back to the cool tile wall and steps between my thighs. Did I really think there was even the slightest chance I would fall? Silly me.
He’ll never let me fall.
His hard cock presses directly to my center. I tangle my fingers in his hair and kiss him with everything I have, letting my desperation take hold and drive me. It’s nothing so simple as lust between us now. It never has been. I just want us to be okay. To make it through and have a chance at the life I’ve barely allowed myself to dream about. I never thought I’d get it. I still might not. So many things can go wrong.
But we have right now. And we have each other.
He rolls his hips, dragging the length of his cock up and down my center, through the wetness of my desire and over my clit. It’s perfect and nowhere near enough, both at the same time.
He thrusts into me slowly, the angle absolutely perfect, each stroke winding me tighter and tighter. “When we’re out of here. When we’re safe. I’m going to put a ring on your finger and a baby in your belly. We’re going to have that family, Ariadne. But not till we’re ready. No more regrets between us.”
My head falls back against the tile, and I’m helpless to do anything but take what he gives me. Pleasure, yes, but it’s so much more than that. He’s taking care of me in his own way. He always has. “Promise me.”
“I’ll promise you anything.”
I tug on his hair, pulling him back to me. I speak my next words against his lips even as my orgasm starts to pull me under. “I want that, Asterion. The ring. The baby. All of it. Promise me. Promise me we’re going to get through this and we’ll have that one day.” I know I’m asking for the moon, but I don’t care. If he makes a promise, then I’ll believe him.
“I promise, Ariadne.” He keeps fucking me as I orgasm, as I pull him tighter against me, as he loses control and grinds into me, driving me to new heights and coming deep inside me. Asterion rests his forehead against mine, both of our chests heaving. “I’m not going to let anything get in our way, sweetheart. Not Hera. Not Circe. Not even the gods themselves.”
“I believe you. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He eases me back to my feet, and a comfortable silence falls between us as he grabs some soap and washes the mess away from our bodies. Everything is changing and yet nothing has changed. The future may be promised, but it’s still far too nebulous to bet on.
There are so many barriers in our way, from the mess with the tower to the barrier coming down. As fear tries to take hold, I draw forth Asterion’s promise and hold it close to my heart.
We’ll get through this. We have to.
27
The Minotaur
I don’t want to leave Ariadne alone, but at this point, standing by her side will do more harm than good. Knowing that doesn’t stop dread from taking root inside me as we dress after the shower. Too many things can go wrong. Too many things already are going wrong.
“Stay in the penthouse today.” I hesitate. “Please.”
Ariadne looks like she wants to argue but finally nods. “I already planned on staying here and seeing what I can find on my computer. That’s where I’m the most useful right now. It also can’t hurt to be out of sight, out of mind, for my father.”
I don’t tell her that that sort of thing only works when she’s playing the obedient daughter. Over the years, Minos only pulled her out when he wanted to use her to make an impression on someone. When it comes to punishments? He knows how to hold a grudge; he seems to love them more than he loves his children.
Saying as much will only hurt her. Besides, she already knows. She’s a smart woman, even if she has a hard time acknowledging just what a monster her father is.