“Come here.”
“No.”
He narrowed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, holding her still as she fought in his arms. Her tears came out of nowhere, the deep sobbing shaking her to the core. He felt for her. Her own father had signed her death contract. She finally gave up fighting and leaned against him, crying into his shirt.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I swear on my life, it will never happen again.”
“Klaus, you didn’t do anything.”
“You’re mine. I’m supposed to keep you safe.”
She took a breath and looked up at him. “My father wants me dead.”
He swallowed hard. The pain in her voice, the betrayal, was palpable. He swore he could hear her heart breaking. “Fuck him,” he whispered, kissing her hair.
“He put a hit on me, Klaus!”
His anger grew, his muscles tensing. “Tell me you want him dead, and I’ll make it happen. Please, baby, I need your blessing,” he said. “I don’t want this to come between us.”
He thought about what Renzo had mentioned. The last thing he wanted was for Isabella to resent him for the rest of their lives.
She sniffled and shook her head. “Don’t ask me that.”
“I need an answer, Bella.”
“I can’t be responsible for killing my father, even if he is a monster. If I have that on my conscience, it will eat me up forever.”
He kept quiet.
“But if something were to happen to him, I wouldn’t lose sleep.”
That was exactly what he needed to hear. She’d given her indirect permission. Now that fucker was as good as dead. Klaus had to contain his excitement, holding his bride close.
He didn’t want her sad. They had to move onward, not focus on the shitty days—even if last night was up there on the list.
“You’re going to need to take a shower now,” he said.
“Why?”
He looked down between them, and as she realized what he referred to, she wrinkled her nose. Klaus was covered in sweat, his tank top soaked through.
She giggled, and it was a beautiful sound. When had Isabella’s happiness become linked with his own? He was falling in love with his wife. It wasn’t something he was accustomed to in their world, but he welcomed it. They’d be a real family, and their children would be raised with love.
First, he had to make sure they were safe.
That meant destroying the Lastra empire.
****
Isabella heard the water turn off in the shower. Klaus had jumped in after his workout. Even covered in sweat, he looked edible. After a session, his muscles were hard and defined. He was an animal in the gym. He was in better shape than men half his age.
What she didn’t like was his guilt. She felt it, heard it in his voice. It was her father to blame, not her husband. Klaus would do anything to protect her, and he had protected her. It wasn’t healthy dragging around the heavy chains of guilt.
She opened the bathroom door. He was just toweling off, his body glistening. A male work of art. Isabella glanced down at his flaccid cock, and as if the simple glance was a switch, it began to thicken.
“Bella?”
“You’ve taken me so many times. Tasted me. I want to do the same.”
He raised an eyebrow. Before he could complain, she got to her knees on the lush bathroom mat.
“What do you want to do, Bella? Don’t play games with me.”
Talking dirty didn’t come naturally to her as it did to Klaus. “I want your cock … in my mouth.”
He smirked now, stalking closer. With a firm hand, he held the back of her head and immediately guided her mouth to his now full erection. He was well-endowed. “Open, Bella. Take your man.”
She accepted him in her mouth. His dick was hot and smooth, like silk over steel. She swirled her tongue around the thick head, and he groaned.
“Don’t bite, baby. Take it all.”
Having Klaus at her mercy, watching his body stiffen with need, was an aphrodisiac. She sucked him, holding the root of his cock as she bobbed her head over his length. Over and over, she savored him, giving him as much pleasure as he gave her on a daily basis. He became rougher, guiding her head. His growls seemed magnified in the enclosed bathroom, echoing off the walls.
His hands fisted in her hair, the sting only spurring her on. Klaus needed this release, needed to understand she didn’t blame him for what happened last night.
“I’m going to come, baby.” His voice was rough, the sound settling between her legs. He moved to pull away, but she wouldn’t have it. She wanted to taste him, to swallow him down.
Isabella wasn’t naïve enough to think men didn’t care one way or another. She wanted to give this to Klaus, to show him how much she loved him. His body tensed and his cock grew even harder before he ejaculated down her throat. The saltiness mixed with the tart flavor. His erection pulsed on and on, his hands still securing her head.
When he finally pulled away, she looked up at him, still kneeling on the floor.
“You’re incredible.” He helped her up to her feet, then hoisted her onto the stone counter.
“I love you, Klaus.”
The look in his eyes said it all. He brushed the hair off her face, staring at her with pure adoration. Her heart fluttered.
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said. “I was reluctant about an arranged marriage, especially with a Lastra girl. But I couldn’t have chosen a better wife. I’ll love you until the day I die.”
She hoped that wouldn’t be sooner rather than later. Klaus’s heart beat with revenge, and she knew it, silently condoned it. She had to have faith in her husband. He had a reputation for a reason, and she had to believe she’d be safe every time he left their home.
“I wish we were normal.”
He smirked. “No, you don’t.”
Maybe he was right. She
