Page 313 of Conquered

Tilting my head to look up at him, I see the mischief glinting in his grey eyes.

“Yes, husband?” I ask, my tone laced with fake sweetness as I give him a brilliant smile, batting my lashes up at him.

“Were you planning on wishing me good luck too?” he questions, standing there, arms folded across his broad chest.

“As you asked so nicely,” I sass back, pulling his arms open as I lean into him as if I’m about to kiss his lips.

Coming within touching distance, I bypass his lush mouth and instead dip down to his neck, dropping my mouth to it and beginning to suck. A deep, surprised groan sounds above me as I keep sucking, and his hands alight on my hips, clenching tightly. I can feel a hardness growing between us, which leaves me grinning against his neck.

“Fuck, Princess,” he breathes in a rasp. “I’m going to come in my pants if you keep that up.”

Deciding that as funny as that may be, I want him to come inside me or all over me later so I release my grip, beaming when I see the large hickey on the side of his neck, visible for all to see even through the black ink that covers him to his jawline.

“Good luck,” I tell him, my tongue darting out to trace my moist lower lip at the dark fire which burns in his steel eyes.

“Where’s Willow?” he asks instead of responding to my challenge, and my phone vibrates at that exact moment.

“Why?” I question, lifting it out of my pocket and looking at the screen. It’s a message from the girl in question, apologising about not being able to make it today due to horrible period cramps.

“She’s unwell,” I tell him, glancing back up, having worked out that he’d organised her to keep me company whilst they played. His mouth draws into a straight line. “I’ll be fine, Ash. Go have fun, and I’ll watch you get your arses kicked from the viewing platform.”

I point to the stairs that lead to a large lounge-like area and bar where people can watch the game below in the woods.

Ash just smirks at my taunt, his eyes promising retribution for that little slight. I hope it’s in the form of his hand on my arse, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

We all turn and head in the direction of the large doors that lead outside to where the game will take place. The Seals head that way too, and we end up walking next to one who gives Ash and I a curious look.

“So she’s your wife?” he asks, clearly letting his curiosity get the better of him.

“Yes,” Ash replies, giving the man a cursory look, his fingers linked with mine as we walk across the warehouse.

“But you let her kiss your friends?” the Seal continues, and I have to give him some credit for having the balls to ask. There’s no judgement in his tone, just curiosity. Before Ash can answer, I do.

“Didn’t your mummy ever tell you that sharing is caring, soldier?” I ask with a grin, and his jaw drops as my guys snigger. After a moment, he roars with laughter, the others all following suit, clearly having heard our conversation.

“Touché,” he replies, still grinning as they start to head out and my boys pause at the door.

“Go,” I tell them, letting go of Ash’s hand and giving them each a shove. With a final look and goodbye kisses from each of them, they do as I say, and a pang of disappointment hits me at not being able to join them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

LILLY

Giving myself a mental shake and pulling my big girl panties up, I walk towards the stairs and bar area, consoling myself with the thought of all the fried food that I plan to order and my latest read just waiting on my kindle app.

After ordering at the bar, impressed by the setup even though I’m the only one currently occupying the space aside from the guy behind the bar, I settle into a soft, worn, leather sofa that faces a wall of windows which overlook the battleground. Music fills the space,Dancer in the Darkby Chase Atlantic giving the room an eighties feel. I smile and give my Knights a small wave when they look up and spot me, then they turn back to each other and put their heads together, clearly planning their strategy.

The ground is wooded with many areas open but also plenty of obstacles as well as hiding places. From my vantage point, my view is unobstructed, and I look to the right, spotting the Seals ina similar position to my guys, heads bent and obviously planning their strategy as well.

A loud horn blares, making me jump and then chuckle to myself at being a scaredy-cat. I watch the game, my book forgotten as I trace Ash, Loki, Kai, and Jax as they split up and start stalking towards the area that the Seals were in. Their opponents stick together in teams of two, and my heart begins to race at the idea that it’s two Seals to one Knight.

“Don’t worry, daughter darling,” a voice that haunts my nightmares whispers behind me as hands alight either side of my neck. “We trained them well.”

I freeze as he strokes my pulse points, chuckling as he no doubt feels my frantic heartbeat, my body turning arctic cold. The black claws of panic scratch at the edges of my vision, and I can’t move, can’t fucking breathe, as Julian Vanderbilt continues to caress me from behind. Bile rises in my throat when I realise that his groin is level with my head, the rapidly increasing hardness of his erection pressing into the back of my skull.

I no longer see the bright sky outside, or my guys playing paintball below me as my vision swims, the badass bitch who shot my fake uncle gone as terror fills me. I don’t know why Julian makes me feel this way, what sway he has over me, but I can’t fight him, my head screaming at me to do something, anything, but my body just freezes further. It’s like my subconscious recognises the predator within him, the danger that he possesses, and thinks that if I only stay still and quiet, he’ll go away.

“Are you okay, miss?” a concerned voice asks, snapping me out of my panic enough to take in a deep breath, sweet air filling my empty lungs once more. Julian’s hands tighten on my neck.