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“Good girl,” he murmured, tweaking my clit once more before his hand was gone and the belt was back.
My body balked at the pain. It was almost too much. Almost. But it was brilliant too. A release of tension. Punishment I felt I deserved.
Elliot’s magical fingers returned, rubbing where I was dripping for him, my body so pent-up it felt like I was going to break into a thousand pieces.
My hips arched upward as I readied myself to combust in rapture.
“No,” Elliot growled, removing his hand. “You’re going to take my cock.”
“Yes.” I was half-mad with the desperation for Elliot to fill me up. I felt so empty.
He didn’t make me wait, didn’t torture me. His hand at my hip was the only preparation I got before he impaled me in one glorious thrust.
My body welcomed him, but he didn’t pump his hips. And that’s all it would’ve taken. One pump, and I would’ve been gone, taken away by a devastating release.
“I’m not going anywhere, Calliope.” His words were filled with tension as he held himself stock-still. “I’m here.” He moved his hips an inch, my body arching into him. “I’m here, and you’re not pushing me away.”
Pressure at my scalp tingled as he used my hair to turn my head to look at him.
I gazed at him with hooded eyes. “Tell me you won’t push me away.”
Although I wanted to give him everything he wanted, was eager to please him, to get my own release, I hesitated. Pushing him away was what needed to happen. Sure, there were no immediate threats but I’d already made him an accomplice to murder. I’d ruin his life. It was what I did.
“Calliope,” he warned. “You’re not going to win this fucking fight. You belong here. I belong here.”
Tears escaped my eyes. I felt trapped. Between the noble choice and the selfish one. I had to be a good person. Elliot deserved that.
“You’re not going to push me away,” he snarled. “Fucking say it.”
“I won’t push you away.” The words fled from me, unable to make a single noble decision, apparently.
I hated myself.
But I couldn’t completely. Not when I saw the way Elliot’s shoulders sagged and the stress lines around his eyes disappeared. “No, you won’t.” He dropped a kiss onto my shoulder. “Not ever.”
Then he pumped his hips and gave me the respite from reality I so sorely needed.
My ass was throbbing as I laid naked, sprawled on Elliot’s chest. I wasn’t ready to test out even the weight of the sheets against my tender skin. I liked the sting, though. It was exactly what I had needed. I hadn’t known that. Elliot had. He’d known what I needed.
“It’s going to be that easy?” I asked Elliot as I propped myself up to look at him. “For you to forgive me? For me to slay the dragon and get the man in the end?”
He chuckled, but it was without a lot of his trademark warmth. I’d caused that too. I hated it.
“It may take a while for me to forgive you, Calliope.” He brushed hair from my face as my muscles stiffened. “For lying to me, yeah. But not for what you did to me. For what you did to yourself. Isolated yourself.” He grasped my face. “I’m not going to let you do that.”
“This is too much for you, Elliot,” I sighed. “I told you, you’re a simple man. That’s a good thing. You don’t deserve to have your life complicated by me.”
His grip tightened. “I decide how complicated my life is, Calliope Derrick. And I consider it a good life if you’re in it. Though I’ll endeavor to ensure that I won’t have to find you covered in blood again.” His nose scrunched at the description.
He didn’t speak for a long while. I played with the blond curls on his chest, letting him gather his thoughts.
“Are you going to tell Beau?” I whispered. “About Naomi?”
I hated to add more to his load, adding a massive burden to his soul.
“I’m not sure yet.” He let out a rough exhale, a heaviness in his words that shouldn’t have been there.
“I’m sorry,” I choked out, hating myself.