Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

WREN

Finn took her wrists, turning each over so he could plant a delicious kiss on the inside, one after the other, and then he lifted her arms over her head, one hand holding her down. Wren wriggled, more out of habit than any actual desire to escape him.

She definitely didn't want to escape him.

‘Don't move,' he told her, his voice little more than a whisper, while his other hand slid between her legs, parting them, and moved up beneath her skirts.

‘Oh, but I?—'

He tried to look fierce, really he did. ‘Do I need to stop that mouth of yours with something?'

So this was his game?

‘Yes,' she gasped, as his questing fingers found her underclothes and slid beneath them as well. ‘Please, Finn, yes.'

He kissed her again, silencing her as promised, stealing her breath until her head was spinning. Her body rocked against his, stretched out alongside her, all hard muscle and warmth, implacable as he pinned her down with no effort at all.

And, for the first time since she had arrived in Pelias, she knew she was safe.

She only had to say a word or give a signal and he'd stop. But Finn held her close and gave her pleasure, cherished her and desired her. He groaned softly as his fingers found her wet and waiting. He paused only for a moment, teasing her there, and then slid deep inside. The pad of his thumb found her clitoris and circled it slowly, almost lazily, until she couldn't stand it anymore.

She broke like a cresting wave, her cries swallowed up in his kiss, her body shivering against his, closing on him, needing him.

When she came back to herself he was still holding her wrists, and his forehead was pressed against hers, his eyes closed, his face a picture of torment.

‘Finn?' she whispered. She tried to wriggle free but he didn't release her. His other hand, now resting on her thigh, pressed down, stopping her.

‘Just give me a moment, love. Just a…'

‘But what about you?'

‘I'll be fine. There isn't time. But I couldn't help myself. I needed…I needed to see that. To see you, your face, that moment. Do you understand?'

She went to shake her head, but…Perhaps she did. He looked both desperate and strangely sated. As if her pleasure had given him pleasure. That she could understand.

‘But I want you,' she said.

‘I know. And I you. And if you command it I'll do whatever you want, though it would get us both caught and your father?—'

Wren gave a groan of frustration and the spell of pleasure snapped. ‘My father,' she growled.

‘He won't wait much longer. He's already been waiting all morning.'

‘Then why?' she asked. ‘Why waste time with?—'

He kissed her again, silencing her and taking his time. When he finally drew back they were both breathless again. ‘Any moment with you is never wasted, Wren. I crave you like water, or air, don't you know that? It's so strong, it…it scares me.'

She wondered what it took to make him admit that. She couldn't imagine Finn being scared of anything.

‘You've been avoiding me.'

He smiled, such a sad smile that her heart gave a little lurch. ‘I've been trying to regain some mastery of myself. I failed, obviously. How I thought I could keep away, I will never know. You're an addiction, Wren. And anyway, you shouldn't be associating with me here. Not as anything other than your father's sworn knight.'

Now he did release her. She propped herself up on her elbows, studying him solemnly. ‘And why is that, exactly?'

Finn rolled back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling overhead. ‘Remember who I am? Line of Sidon, sworn enemies of Asteroth, treacherous servants of the very dark power?—'

She brought her hand up to his mouth before he could say it. Finn relented beneath her touch and his lips closed on her fingers instead. He sucked her index finger gently into his warm mouth and she felt those shivers start all over again. Reluctantly she pulled back.

‘You don't get out of this conversation that easily,' she warned him. ‘You've been avoiding me because you're Alessander of Ilanthus's son?'

‘Yes.'

‘I see, for my sake or yours?'

‘Both.' He gave a bitter laugh and moved to sit up but her hand on his chest stopped him. Two could play those games, she thought. She curled her feet under herself and moved to loom over him. As much as she could loom.

‘Finn, answer the question.'

‘Is that a command, your highness?'

‘Does it have to be?'

He let out a long breath of air, and closed his eyes in defeat. ‘If you did command me, you know I wouldn't have any choice, don't you? That's the real nature of our relationship. You, being who you are, with the powers you have at your beck and call…'

Wren sucked in a breath. Elodie had suggested as much. And Finn knew that it was a possibility. The thought of it though, of doing that to him…no.

‘I wouldn't do that to you.'

His eyes opened again, so beautiful in this light. ‘I love that you think that, Wren, but we can never be sure, can we?' He sighed and turned away. ‘And here, no one will ever forget that I'm the youngest prince of Sidon. They called me Ward and still no one forgot. Even that's a reminder. I came here as a hostage, a prisoner really. I was lucky that Roland had the keeping of me. That he trusted me, and that I had seen the nature of my family first-hand and knew that, if they did ever get their hands on me, I'd be as good as dead. But the court here know who I am, and they remember what my people did to them, and they hate me for it.'

Wren shuffled back, letting him rise a little so that they sat face to face. Something had changed. Something fundamental. ‘What happened?' she asked. ‘What is it?'

He shrugged, but didn't pull away. He gazed into her eyes and spoke softly. ‘I have to leave.'

She framed his face with her hands, running the pads of her thumbs along the high cheekbones, like blades beneath his skin. He was more beautiful than anyone had the right to be, she thought. And he was hers.

‘What do you mean, leave?' He didn't mean now. This was more. Much more. And she dreaded the answer. But it didn't come. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple moving in the column of his throat and she longed to kiss him there, and feel his shudder.

And do so much more. To make him gasp out her name. To make him wrap his body around hers.

‘Just that, my love. I can't help it. Roland can explain.'

No, she wasn't having this. None of it. He wasn't going to pull away from her because of who his father was and what others expected of him.

‘You're mine,' she told him. ‘Didn't we already decide that?'

‘When you saved my life? Does that mean you own me now?' He was trying to be harsh, trying to drive her away and horrify her. She could see that now. Oh the pain inside him was cruel and sharp, and so very bitter. It was all turned in on himself. Great light, he tortured himself all the time, didn't he?

‘Long before that, Finn. You're mine and I am yours. Nothing is going to change that. I won't let it. Neither should you.'

‘They'll use me against you, Wren.'

Who? She didn't dare ask. Everyone perhaps.

She pulled his mouth to hers again and kissed him, softly now, longingly, not a kiss of wild desire but one into which she poured all her love, all her fear of losing him, all her hopes and dreams.

She pulled back only far enough to speak, lips still touching, their breath intermingled. ‘Let them try.'

Finn leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, defeated, broken, but still hers. Forever hers.

‘Your father is waiting.'

She ran her hand down his chest, under the fabric of his shirt and then lower. Finn sucked in a mouthful of air and his head fell back, eyes closing.

‘Let him wait.'