Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

AURORA

M y hands shook as I smoothed the cobalt silk of my halter dress over my abdomen.

Something was up. I could feel it.

Since Roman had returned home from work, there was a frenetic energy to his every word. I caught his intense stare several times as I got ready. He wouldn't tell me where we were going or what we were doing this evening, only that it was a surprise.

After the fiasco of a few nights ago, I didn't quibble when he asked me to wear the blue silk dress.

Taking one last look in the long gilt mirror in our shared dressing room, I exited the bedroom. My knuckles were white as I gripped the banister and gazed down into the living room.

Roman was standing there, looking devastatingly handsome in a bespoke tuxedo. His dark gaze focused on only me as I slowly descended the stairs. My steps faltered, but I quickly regained my footing by the last step.

I stayed rooted to the spot for some reason, unwilling to take the final step onto the polished marble living room floor.

Roman approached me.

The height of the single stair gave me a slight advantage, but not by much. Roman was still taller than me.

He smiled warmly. "You look beautiful."

My breath caught in my throat. His smiles were so rare they usually caught me off guard. This one was filled with such warmth and… no… I wouldn't… couldn't call it love. If I were a little less foolish, I might think it was love. My heart skipped a beat. Ruthlessly, I tried to quell the fluttering feeling in my stomach. He was not looking at me with love. If I started to believe that, I would be completely lost.

I choked out a weak, "Thank you."

He offered me his arm.

After a moment's hesitation, I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and stepped down. He now towered over me, much like he now towered over my entire life, casting a long, cold shadow.

After a few steps, he released my arm and turned to accept a fur wrap from the butler, who stood silently by. He placed the luxurious stole over my shoulders. I slid my hands in the inside silk pockets and wrapped my arms around my chest, grateful for the warmth and strange sense of protection it offered.

I licked my lips. "Are you going to tell me where we are going?"

He winked. "It's a surprise."

The fluttering in my stomach took on a frenzied pitch. I didn't like his surprises.

After assisting Roman into his long black cashmere coat, the butler bowed and silently retreated. Roman then turned to me. He held a folded piece of black silk in his palm. Raising his arm, he unfurled it.

It was a blindfold.

He smiled again. This time, it did not reach his eyes. "Do you trust me?"

No. Not one tiny little bit.

I forced the corners of my lips up in a grotesque mask of a smile. "Of course."

Roman stepped behind me.

My body stiffened.

With the silk blindfold stretched between his hands, he dropped his arms over my head.

In a panic, I dipped my head underneath them and scurried away from his embrace.

I turned to face him. Holding my arm out, palm up, I backed away. "Do you have to blindfold me?"

He stepped forward. "It's part of the surprise."

My entire body trembled. My breath came in quick gasps. I shook my head and backed away until I hit the wall behind me.

Roman followed.

The blindfold dangled from his hand as he braced his right forearm on the wall over my head. The silk tickled my cheek and jaw.

His warm breath had the smoky scent of brandy. "You said you trusted me." His dark voice held just a hint of accusation and challenge.

The fingertips of his free hand gently pushed the fur wrap aside and traced the exposed skin over my collarbone. They then dipped lower. Because of the halter design of the dress, and Roman's wishes, I didn't have a bra on. My erect nipples pushed against the soft silk as his fingertips traced the curve of my breast.

I swallowed. "I do. I'm just not in the mood to play games tonight."

His hand moved down my body to cup the curve of my waist. He squeezed.

I caught my breath as I rose slightly up on my toes. My fingers clawed at the wallpaper-clad wall behind me.

Roman leaned down and whispered against my lips, "But I am."

He then claimed my mouth.

It was a searing kiss of possession. His tongue swept inside, dominating mine. He pressed so hard the edges of my teeth cut the inside of my lip. The coppery taste of blood mingled with the taste of brandy.

I whimpered.

Roman intensified the kiss, pressing his lips into mine, stealing my breath.

When I raised a hesitant hand to press against his chest as my lungs screamed for air, he clasped my hand in his own and raised it over my head. He pressed the back of my hand against the wall and interlaced our fingers. His hard cock pressed into my middle, a threatening force.

When he finally released my mouth, I tilted my head to the side as I fought for air. My pulse was racing, giving me a lightheaded rush.

Would this man always affect me so?

Roman clasped my chin and turned my head back to face him. "Now, are you going to be a good little girl and put the blindfold on for me?"

My eyes scanned his face. As usual, his expression was completely unreadable. He was always an enigma to me. At times, I wished I knew what he was thinking, but other times, I realized it was probably better if I didn't. I had a strong feeling his innermost thoughts would terrify the hell out of me.

My voice sounded small and weak when I asked, "Do I have to?"

He tapped his finger on the tip of my nose. "Yes."

I cast my eyes downward and slowly nodded, knowing it was useless to fight him.

Roman wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me away from the wall. I bit my lip as he once more crossed behind me. I raised my gaze to stare at the massive wooden doorway to his gothic home. I knew I would never reach it in time. Nevertheless, my body and mind screamed, run!

My thigh muscles tensed as I shifted one foot forward.

Did I dare?

Roman's strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back into his body. He leaned down to whisper in my ear, "You'd never make it."

My cheeks flamed. Once again, my demon love had guessed my thoughts.

I swallowed, unable to speak.

He pressed his arm hard into my middle before releasing me. His arms draped over my head with the blindfold stretched between his fingers. This time I didn't object.

In a small show of defiance, I kept my eyes open until the last possible second as he pressed the black silk over them, shrouding me in darkness.

Roman placed a hand on my lower back as he guided me forward.

I held my arm protectively out in front of me, and he clasped my left hand in his and tightened his grasp.

I heard the front door open.

Our footsteps crunched on the gravel drive.

A strange voice startled me.

"Good evening, Mr. Winterbourne."

Roman whispered in my ear, "It's just the limo driver, darling." He then called out, "Good evening, Jonathan."

A car door opened.

"Watch your step," said Roman as he guided me into the spacious interior.

I sank back into the thick upholstered seat. My hand instinctively touched the blindfold.

Roman's hand enclosed my wrist and drew my arm down. "No peeking."

I listened as the limo door shut.

I splayed my fingers out on either side of my hips on the seat. My body gently rocked forward, then back as the limo pulled out of the drive.

The interior was silent.

I strained to listen for sounds of movement. "Roman?"

Nothing.

"Roman?"

When he didn't respond, I once again reached for the blindfold. A hand wrapped around my wrist, stopping me. I gasped and pulled back. "Roman, what are you doing?"

His hands rested on the tops of my thighs. He slowly pushed the hem of my dress up.

I blindly reached for the fabric, fisting a handful between my knees. "Roman! The driver."

"Shhh… The partition is up. He can't see or hear a thing."

I bit my lip. I wished I could believe him, but without my sight, there was no way to verify it.

Roman chuckled as he inched my dress up further. "Trust me, kitten. I'm not sharing even a glimpse of you with anyone."

Trust.

There was that awful word again.

The hem of my dress bunched at my hips as my thighs were exposed.

"Roman, I…"

He hooked his fingers into the waistband of my lace panties and pulled. They stopped right at the curve of my ass. "If you don't lift your hips up, I can always just tear them off."

At his subtle threat, I lifted my hips.

I felt the whisper of the fabric caress my legs as he pulled the panties down and over my high-heeled shoes. He then pushed my dress higher until it pooled around my waist, exposing my ass and legs.

Roman placed his hands on my knees and spread them open wide. Despite the intimacy of the limo interior, I felt exposed and vulnerable without my sight.

The soft waves of his dark hair brushed my inner thighs as he leaned over me. He pushed his tongue between the seam of my pussy lips.

"Oh, God," I moaned as I leaned back into the soft cushions.

Using the tip of his tongue, he flicked my clit in a steady rhythm.

My mouth fell open as my chest rose.

As he tortured me with his tongue, he pushed first one, then a second finger inside of me. He pumped them in and out of my tight hole with the same rhythm as his tongue.

My fingers clawed at the seat. My hips lifted as he increased the pressure and rhythm. I drove my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer. Losing my sight only increased my pleasure. Everything I felt was sharper and more intense. The feel of the velvet upholstery beneath my fingertips. The slight stubble on his jaw as it brushed the sensitive skin of my inner thighs. The silky feel of his hair against my palm. The sound of his steady breath next to my hesitant gasps.

A deep-throated moan escaped my lips.

"That's my dirty little girl, moan for me. I want you to come on my tongue."

"Fuck, oh, God!"

I shamelessly spread my legs as far as I could as I pulled his head against my pussy. The orgasm hit like an overwhelming wave. It pulled me under. I couldn't breathe. I felt as if I were tumbling head over heels in a storm-tossed ocean.

Before I could recover, Roman grasped my hips and flipped me. My knees were on the limo floor, with my forearms resting on the seat. Then there was the unmistakable sound of his zipper lowering. I hated how excited that sound made me. It was the sound of domination, of control, of his power over me. I braced myself for his thrust.

He placed the head of his cock at my entrance. He leaned over my body. "Who owns you?"

"Roman, please…"

He slapped my ass. "Who owns you?"

"You do," I whimpered, defeated.

He thrust in deep. My body shifted forward, burying my face in the seat. He continued to pound into me without mercy. Despite his repeated rough handling, my tight hole still burned with each entrance of his thick cock, almost as if it were the first time. With each thrust, my body had to stretch and strain to accommodate him.

His fingers dug into my hips as he pushed deeper and deeper, consuming me.

The blindfold allowed me to disconnect. I could almost pretend it was someone else's body. That it was someone else buckling under his powerful assault to their senses. That it was another woman falling victim to his domineering touch.

That it was someone else slowly dying from his poisonous touch.

As my tormented soul cried out, I begged him to thrust harder, to hurt me.

"Harder, Roman. Spank me. Oh, God, make it hurt!"

The harsh sting of his palm sharpened my pleasure and silenced the voices in my head screaming for me to run as far away as I possibly could from this man.

Roman spanked my ass again and again. He spanked me harder than he ever had before as I screamed out for more. My skin was on fire, hot needles scraping along my skin from my upper thighs to the top of my ass.

He shoved his fist into my hair and twisted it painfully, forcing my head back. "That's it, baby girl. Take my cock. Every hard inch, like my good little whore."

My pussy clenched at his degrading words. Fuck me, I loved when he called me his good little whore. His kinky praise made me push my hips back, meeting his punishing thrusts as yet another orgasm raged inside of me.

As my pussy gripped his cock, he whispered harshly, "Are you going to swallow my come like a good girl?"

"Yes," I whimpered.

Using his grip on my hair, he spun me around. Without warning, he thrust his cock between my lips. I didn't even have a chance to take a deep breath through my nose before his hot come spurted onto my tongue and down my throat, choking me. He pulled out as I coughed and sputtered before thrusting in again. I dutifully swiped my tongue around his softening cock, licking every drop of my shame. The blindfold disguised my tears.

I could feel Roman's body shift. As he sat on the seat, he then pulled me onto his lap. He petted my hair, smoothing it off my face.

The limo pulled to a stop.

"Can I take the blindfold off now?"

"No."

"Roman, please, you can't take me out in public now."

There was a cool breeze as the limo door opened. "We are here, Mr. Winterbourne."

My only small saving grace was that I couldn't see the expression on the driver's face.

Roman exited the limo first. Then his hands gripped my upper arms as he lifted me out of the limo and set me on my feet, my dress falling back into place. I reached out for him, touching my hands to his chest. "Please, Roman. My dress is probably all wrinkled. People will know we had sex in the limo!"

"Good. I want them to know. I want every person who sees you to know that you are claimed by me."

Although I couldn't see it, I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Can I at least take off the blindfold to check my makeup?"

He pulled me close. He placed a finger under my chin and tilted my head back. "Your lips are a kiss-swollen crimson red. Your cheeks have a delightful pink blush. Your silky hair is a glorious tangle of curls and waves. I've never seen you look more beautiful."

"Do you really mean that, or do you just want me to stop fussing?"

He ran his hand down my back and over my ass. "All teasing aside, I would never allow you to be embarrassed in public, darling. There is no one around us. Your dress is only wrinkled a little around the waist and you truly are the most gorgeous woman I've ever laid eyes on."

Damn him. Just when I was convinced I hated him, he went and said something charming and wonderful.

Before I could respond, he swept me up into his arms.

"What are you doing?"

"There are several stairs, and I don't want you to trip."

"You could just take off the blindfold."

"Nice try."

I could tell we'd entered a building, but it definitely didn't sound like a restaurant. It was too quiet. The sounds of his steps echoed as he walked down some sort of hallway with me. After several minutes, he finally put me down.

Roman stepped behind me and unknotted the blindfold. "Are you ready for your surprise?"

Yes. No. Maybe.

The blindfold fell away.

My mouth dropped open. I immediately recognized the classic dome ceiling and red velvet seats. We were standing on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall, the mecca for all great musicians.