Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

ROMAN

I leaned back in my wrought-iron chair as I propped my feet up on the stone balcony ledge. An unseasonable early morning chill cut through the thin silk of my pajama bottoms and robe, but I barely noticed. Watching the steam float into the air over my cup of coffee, I took a bracing sip and surveyed the land below. The winter-like weather had the dark gray waters of the Thames still in her clutches, refusing to relent to spring. The frozen dawn with its muted purples and pinks suited my mood.

Aurora had finally fallen into an exhausted sleep in my bed.

It is where I wanted her.

It is where I needed her.

But last night had not been part of the plan.

I was supposed to have forced her to return to her crime scene house. I wanted her to see the blood-soaked carpets and the discarded rubber gloves and trash from the forensics team. I wanted her to have to walk past the crime tape and pitiful remnants of her parents' even more pitiful lives. I wanted her to stand in the midst of the chaos murder causes. I wanted her traumatized by the sights and smells. Only then would she have begged me to take her away from it all.

That was the plan.

I clenched my hand so hard around the coffee mug I was holding, it cracked. Before I could be scalded by hot coffee, I set it aside.

Bringing her here last night was a weakness on my part. And I never forgave weakness, especially in myself. I needed to make sure it never happened again. From this point on I would stick with my plan, no matter how gratifying it felt to have her in my bed.

My cock hardened at the thought of last night. She was so deliciously vulnerable and responsive. The memory of her tight ass submitting to the thrust of my shaft would be forever burned into my mind. I loved the sound of her pleas for mercy, the taste of her tears, the feel of her body as it trembled in fear. It was taking the utmost restraint on my part not to chain her to my bed and be done with it all, but where would be the fun in that?

Half the amusement of a hunt was in the chase, not the inevitable capture. It was in watching your prey's fruitless scramble to avoid its dark fate. In smelling its fear and terror. In knowing that, no matter how hard it fought, no matter how far it ran… you would still prevail in the end.

My net was tightening around Aurora.

Her parents were gone. In a few days, all the money would be too. When the scandal of her parents' death hit and everyone learned she was the primary suspect in their murder, her friends would desert her as well. There would be no university in Paris. No future.

And that was when I would release the trap.

I didn't just want her love, I wanted her soul, her body, her everything. I wanted her entire world to not just revolve around me, but to depend on me as well. I wanted her to be nothing without me. That way, she would never leave me. She'd have no choice but to fall in love with me. After all, I would be her savior, her prince, her protector. The only one who didn't abandon her in her time of need.

Her phone buzzed in my robe pocket.

I took it out and opened the screen. There were several text messages from multiple friends. All asking if the rumors of her parents' death were true.

So it began.

I needed to get her back to her home soon. She needed to be there when the media started harassing her for information. For when the rabble started to pound on her door asking for answers. I had already arranged for a police car to occasionally drive by her house and park outside. I wanted her to worry that at any moment they were going to drag her away in handcuffs.

My phone, which I had tossed onto the wrought-iron table next to my coffee mug, buzzed. I looked at the screen. Glancing over my shoulder to make sure the French glass doors leading to the balcony were firmly shut, I answered. "Good morning, Mrs. Salisbury, I hope I am not catching you too early?"

The woman on the other end of the line tittered. "Not at all, Mr. Winterbourne. You can call me anytime… day or night ."

Ignoring her blatant innuendo, I said, "This is a rather urgent matter. I'm concerned for the reputation of your school."

Her coquettish tone vanished. "What? Why?"

I hesitated for good measure. "I'm afraid there are some rather unsavory rumors about one of your students. I believe her name is Aurora Barlowe?"

"I'm not sure what you are referring to but I can assure you, our school is?—"

"The rumors about her parents' murder and that she may somehow be involved."

"Oh, my goodness, I hadn't heard any such thing."

"If I'm not mistaken, she was the student you vouched for when I asked for a tour of your school."

"Well, yes. Indeed. I don't know what to say, Mr. Winterbourne. I was under the impression she was an excellent student. We never would have had her here otherwise."

"Nevertheless, obviously her circumstances have changed. I can't be a patron of a school that harbors a student who would kill their own parents."

"No, of course not. I wouldn't ask that of you. Please, don't make any decisions just yet. Please give me time to look into the matter and?—"

"There is no time. As far as I can see, you must inform Miss Barlowe that she is no longer allowed inside your building and that she is not welcome at the graduation ceremonies. I'd let her know that you will forward her certificate and have an end to the whole unsavory mess."

"Well, that would be an unorthodox solution. There are the A level examinations to complete, transcripts, paperwork?—"

"You seem to be under the impression this is a discussion. All I want from you is a ‘yes, sir, I will see it done.' I'm sure you have ways of taking care of the paperwork."

"Yes, sir, of course, Mr. Winterbourne. You are absolutely correct. That is the only appropriate course of action. I will see it done."

"Make sure she still receives high marks in all studies. I don't want her penalized."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm glad we are in agreement."

"Thank you so much, Mr.—"

I hung up the phone. A few minutes later, Aurora's phone buzzed. An incoming email from Mrs. Salisbury appeared on the home screen. I smiled.

It was time to wake up Aurora and take her back to her parents' house.

She did, after all, have a funeral to plan.

I stepped inside. The warmth from the dying fire still clung to the room.

Shrugging out of my robe and pajama pants, I lifted the brocade blanket and slipped into bed with her. Aurora stirred but didn't awaken. She was sleeping on her side, her beautiful hair falling in tangled waves down her bare back.

I placed my hand on her hip before sliding it between her legs. I slipped my finger between the folds of her pussy and stroked her clit. Aurora shifted and gave out a tiny moan. I increased the pressure just slightly as I kissed the top of her shoulder. Her eyelids fluttered but remained closed. I gently tapped her clit with the tip of my finger as her back arched. I loved how she responded to me even in deep sleep.

Shifting closer, I pushed my now hard cock against the cleft in her ass cheeks. I knew her cute tiny hole would still be somewhat gaped from last night. Thrusting my hips forward, I pushed the head inside.

Aurora's eyes flew open on a gasp. "What are you?—"

I slid deep inside her ass as I used my body weight to push her onto her stomach.

"Roman, I… wait?—"

Pinning her beneath me, I pulled back and thrust again. A guttural groan rumbled in my chest, as her sweet body tightened around my shaft. I wouldn't see her again until the funeral. If we were to be parted, I wanted her body to be imprinted with my touch. She would feel the pain from our fucking for days to come.

I forced my hand under her hips and between her legs to tease her clit once more.

I held back my orgasm until I heard the delicious strains of her own, then I filled her ass with my seed. Soon it would be her belly.