Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
“Where’s Tweedledee and Tweedledum to keep me locked in this tower?”
“Don’t push me,” Nick says as he turns and throws himself down on the bed. He motions for me to join him. “You have to be exhausted.”
I crawl onto the bed and lie down beside him. “And you aren’t?” I yawn the minute my head hits the pillow. “I’ve only seen you sleep once. I thought you were a vampire.”
“Yes, and look what happened when I did. You ran off to Italy.” He extends his arm out so that I can scoot closer to his body. It’s interesting… he simply expects me to cuddle up next to him, and I do.
“Why don’t you sleep?” I ask, closing my eyes as his spicy scent lures me into a relaxed state. His warmth is next to me, his strength around me. I’m inches from resting my face on his chest, and although I want to… I’m too exhausted to lift my head.
“My brain is loud,” he states simply.
“Then quiet it.” My own darkness is taking over, his voice is fading into the distance.
“If it were that simple…”
Chapter Ten
Nick
She’s gone!
I close my eyes for one fucking second, allow sleep to weaken me once again, and I lose Lyriope!
I shoot out of bed and scan the room. Her bags are still here, and just as I get ready to unleash upon all of Italy in search of her, I hear a splash outside the veranda.
I walk out to see that Lyriope is down below in the river, diving in. Not thinking, not pausing, not doing anything but run outside, I storm toward the water ready to rage. But as I get to the river, I freeze.
Standing in the shallow of the water is an image that knocks the breath right out of me. Lyriope crouches down, washing her face. Water droplets run down her body, glistening her skin. The crystal water drips down her erect nipples, along the small of her back and over the curve of her heart-shaped ass. Her dark wet hair hangs loosely over one shoulder, the silky darkness of it standing out against the paleness of her skin.
She is a picture of perfection, and I am quickly entranced by the splendor sitting only a few feet away. I should still be angry—furious with her. But I stand here like a schoolboy in lust. I have fucked many a woman, discarded many more, but nothing compares… nothing compares to this woman before me.
I close my eyes, taking a deep cleansing breath, needing to clear my mind and calm my raging libido. I can’t think like this, especially not about her… especially now. She is a mess I need to clean up, a large one at that. Nothing more.
Still… she is hypnotizing in her allure, and so fucking infuriating at the same time. I have never had to spend so much of my time on one person. Most women of my past would do whatever I say and exactly how I dictate. None are ever brave enough to try to go against my word. They feared me, as they should. But Lyriope is no ordinary woman, clearly, that much is for sure. She has already escaped, and I have no doubt that she’ll attempt to do so again if given the opportunity. I can’t get weak again and let her take advantage of that fact. I can’t give her the upper hand ever again.
I need to think with my head and not my goddamn dick.
“What are you doing here? Are you watching me?” The words pierce through the licentious daydreaming of my mind.
The squeal of her accusation slaps me into reality as I stare. Her hands suddenly coming up to cover her breasts, the rest of her submerging into the water to prevent showing any more of her nudity to me. This amuses me. I’ve seen her naked many times before.
“Why so bashful?” I ask, giving her a wicked smile. “I’ve seen every inch of you.”
“It’s different when I catch you watching me like a creepy stalker,” Lyriope says, her voice louder than before.
I steady my glare on her, not allowing her to gain control. I am a man she should fear, and she needs to remember that. “I didn’t give you permission to leave the villa.”
“I came down here to bathe,” she tries to explain. “I wasn’t trying to escape.”
“That may be. But I advise you, unless you want to feel my punishment again, to ask permission to leave my sight.” I try to sound stern even though the mere presence of this woman steals almost all coherent thoughts from me.
“I woke up feeling… anxious, and decided I needed to bathe and cleanse myself of… well… of you. You were asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you.”
I say nothing but study every inch of her body instead. I like her dirty. I don’t want her to ever be cleansed of me.