Page 55 of Ceremony of Lust
I drop a kiss to her bare shoulder and turn to hunt for a mug and some coffee. She bustles around the kitchen, cleaning up the mess and the dishes. While she does that, I lean against the kitchen island, sip my coffee, and admire her form. In nothing more than a camisole and a tiny pair of shorts, she looks different. Women in Ripley cover themselves. They are expected to be modest because they’ve been taught to make themselves almost invisible. Once they’re married, the only person who should notice them is their husband.
But at home, in private, Yael dresses as she pleases, which, of course, pleases me greatly. I love looking at her. Truly, no other woman in Ripley is as beautiful as she is. The longer we are married, the more I understand why a man like Anders might covet my wife.
There is no one quite like her. But I’m the bastard who won the lottery the night Hadassah chose me to be her husband.
Some men think their life ends the moment they are chosen to marry, but I feel the exact opposite. Hadassah didn’t hand me a death sentence; she handed me back my life.
Marrying Yael was exactly what I needed to regain control of something I stupidly gave away.
I’m vaguely aware of a timer going off and Yael hurrying toward the oven to take out whatever she baked. She turns her head toward me and smiles affectionately, her lashes fluttering slightly.
“Whatever you made smells delicious,” I say.
She spins, and there’s real joy painted on her face. “Cinnamon rolls. My grandmother used to make them for me all the time. I woke up with a craving for them.” She grabs a bowl and pours ingredients into it. Then she stirs rapidly before dumping it all over the cinnamon rolls. “The icing was always my favorite part.”
I take a sip of my coffee, set the mug down, and walk toward her just as she dips her finger into the bowl to swipe it along the inside. She brings it to her lip, but I snatch it away and suck her finger into my mouth. Her mouth falls open, and her cheeks pinken.
“Delicious,” I murmur after I’ve sucked the sticky, sweet substance from her finger.
There are a million-and-one things I want to do to Yael in the kitchen, and some of them include the icing she’s made, but I have a mountain of work waiting for me. I’ve neglected it, relying on my employees to carry much of the workload for the past few weeks. But I’m the boss, so I need to carry more than my fair share.
“I’m going to work from home for a little while,” I tell her as we eat.
“Okay,” she says with a smile. “Any particular reason?”
To make sure Anders doesn’t ambush you again, I want to tell her. “I’ve been away too much, and I think it’s put a strain on our marriage. I think it’ll help if I’m around more often.”
She stands and reaches for my plate. “You’re the boss.”
I follow her to the sink, feeling like the wolf stalking his prey. With my body pressed against hers, I slide my hands over her hips and gently tug her back. My mouth grazes her earlobe as I whisper, “Don’t you forget it.”
For the rest of the day, I’m aware of Yael’s presence while I work. She flutters in and out of my office with snacks and then lunch, and then finally, to announce dinner is ready. “Will you join me?” she asks from the doorway.
I want to, desperately, but Anders and the Elders have finally gotten notice of my intent to sell the penthouse and have requested a meeting.
“I can’t,” I apologize. Rising from my chair, I pull on a black jacket hanging on a nearby hook, slide it on, and kiss Yael. “I have to meet a client.”
She looks hurt but also mildly angry. “What kind of security company do you run?”
“One that keeps people safe,” I answer vaguely.
“Isn’t that what the police are for?” She follows me as I walk toward the foyer and the elevator.
I grab my keys, stuff them in my pocket, and turn to face her. “Sometimes, the police can’t do the things my company does.”
“Like what?”
I glance at my watch. If I indulge her questions much longer, I’ll be late, and the Elders will show up here. With my hands on her shoulders, I look her square in the eye and avoid her question. “Don’t worry about it, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She doesn’t seem satisfied with my answer but doesn’t ask anything else. When I pull her against me and kiss her, she melts into me. God, I want to kiss her like this forever, taking my time to enjoy tasting her, but I can’t. As much as I hate leaving her, I drag myself away and leave.
The entire ride down to the underground parking garage, I remind myself why I’m selling my home and moving away from Ripley. It’s for her, but it’s for me, too. I’ve given the Elders too much power over me for far too long. Moving away is a step toward freeing myself from their vise-like grip.
When I arrive at the Ripley Temple, all of the Elders are there except one.
“Where’s the Chief Elder?”
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