Page 12 of Fae-King It (Mystical Matchmakers #5)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ronan watched Dominique through dinner. She was quieter than usual, her icy armor firmly in place and twice as frigid.

Oh, she was upset with him. That much he knew. He was going to have to do some fast talking if he didn’t want her to break one of the icicles off her armor and stab him in the gut with it.

Then again, the way she was looking at him and then at her steak knife made him think she might stab him with an actual weapon rather than a metaphorical one. Discreetly, he slipped her knife off the table and put it on the other side of his plate, out of her reach.

She shot him a glare, her eyes arctic blue, and he knew she wasn’t going to let him off the hook easily when they were alone.

Nearly three hours later, dinner was consumed, and after-dinner drinks were shared in the main parlor. The king and queen took their leave, which meant the rest of the guests could now go as well.

After a quick goodbye to his sister and a promise that he would let her spend time with Dominique the next morning, Ronan led his silent fiancée back toward her room. When she opened her door, he opened his mouth, intending to tell her they should talk.

But Dominique beat him to the punch. Her hand reached out, fisted the front of his shirt, and she dragged him into her bedroom with her. For anyone watching from afar, it would look like she was eager for some alone time with her fiancé. He knew better, though. She planned to vent her rage, and she wasn’t going to let her target get away.

Anticipation filled him when she slammed the door shut behind them and stomped across the room. When she turned back toward him, the ice princess was long gone. Her cheeks were flushed a deep pink, and her eyes sparkled like chips of ice blue diamonds. Even her hair seemed to crackle and move with the force of her anger.

“What in the hell do you think you’re playing at?” she bellowed, tossing her beaded evening bag on the bench at the end of the bed. “You want to get married this weekend? Are you fucking INSANE?”

He was enraptured by the change in her. She wore her emotions on every line of her body, and she was letting him see it all. He felt like he was meeting the real Dominique Proxa for the first time. She was magnificent—fierce and strong. Completely unafraid to tell him what she thought.

She didn’t wait for his answer. “You have no idea what you’ve done. Your mother is planning to contact my family. I can guarantee it. If she does, they will waste no time getting here. They will do whatever it takes to make sure we marry and stay that way. They’re power hungry, Ronan. They don’t want to just be highly regarded in the kingdom. They want to rule it. They will lie, cheat, steal, even kill to make it happen. I have no doubt they’ll try to drug me again to make it happen. And, if they find the opportunity, they will drug you as well. We’ll be their mindless puppets. You’ve put us both in danger. And you didn’t even bother to discuss it with me. Plus, your sister will be in peril, too! If they feel she’ll get in their way, they will get rid of her by whatever means necessary.”

Dominique seemed to finally wind down, her chest heaving from the force of her anger and fear.

Ronan took a step toward her. “I told you I would handle your family, and I will. We will both be safe from them. And so will Aisling.”

She rolled her eyes at his words. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with. You’ve never met my real family! The bowing and scraping, the simpering, it’s all an act. It’s a mask for the ugliness beneath their skin. They are evil, Ronan, and you shouldn’t underestimate them.”

He crept closer to her, recognizing the sincerity of her words. She wasn’t being dramatic or exaggerating. She genuinely feared what her family would do to her and to him when they found out about the marriage.

“I will watch them closely whenever we’re near them. I won’t let them harm either of us.”

She huffed out a breath. “How do you intend to do that? They are very good at pretending to be decent.”

“I followed you for weeks, and you never noticed,” he pointed out.

Dominique stepped away from him and threw her hands up in the air. “Of course I didn’t notice you! I was in the human realm. I don’t have to worry about anything but the occasional creepy human man. But my parents and sisters are different. They expect spies around every corner and behind every bush. They will be looking for you.” She paced back and forth, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand.

Ronan stepped into her path, grasping her by her elbows. “You don’t know me all that well, Princess. If you did, you would know that no one sees me unless I want them to.”

She tried to jerk away, but he cupped her jaw with one hand, holding her still. “You don’t know me or my family well enough to be so cocky, Ronan. And don’t call me princess, Your Highness!” She spat the words at him, her eyes sparking with fire.

Now that he had his hands on her, Ronan didn’t want to let her go. He backed her up against the wall, pinning her there by moving his hands up to each side of her neck. His fingers tangled in her hair, scattering the pins she’d used to hold it up.

“If I don’t want you to see me, you won’t. Not until it’s too late.” He could feel her pulse thrumming against his palm.

Dominique was still breathing heavily, her eyes flashing. The low neckline of her dress gaped, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of what lay beneath. Not that he needed the reminder. The image of her clad in her lacy underwear had haunted him all night. “Just know, if they catch you and brainwash you, I can’t help you. You’ll be their drugged-up marionette for the rest of your short life.”

Their faces were only inches apart. She’s even more beautiful with the pink flush in her cheeks and her hair mussed. She didn’t look a thing like the ice princess he thought she was. She looked like the woman he wanted.

His eyes moved over her face, taking in her burning eyes before moving down to her mouth. He couldn’t resist her undone like this. It made him want to see what it took to unravel her completely.

He kissed her.

Ronan expected her to shove him away, to tell him to go to hell. Instead, she stepped into him, her arms wrapping around his waist. Her nails dug into his back through the thin material of his shirt. He grunted when she dug them in hard enough to leave marks, making her anger with him known.

He used his grip on her hair to tug her head back, positioning her where he wanted her. Dominique Proxa might be in charge in the human realm, but in this room, he was in control.

She moaned as he tightened his grip on her hair, her body melting deeper into his. Her lips parted beneath his, and she sucked his tongue into her mouth.

Taking advantage of her softening, Ronan crowded her until she was trapped between him and the wall. He craved the contact of her body against his, the swells of her breasts and hips crushed against him.

Dominique shoved back against him, not to get away, but to create space between them so she could yank his shirt out of his pants and run her hands up his back, her fingers cool and smooth against his skin. It was his turn to groan when she scraped her nails against his flesh on the way back down. She wasn’t fighting him for control as he’d thought but seemed just as eager as he to touch and be touched.

He ran his hands down her body, skimming his palms over her breasts, down to her hips, and lower. Gathering the filmy material of her skirt with his fingers, he finally slipped his hands beneath her dress, up the soft skin of her thighs.

Dominique made a low sound against his mouth, her hands emerging from the back of his shirt so she could grasp the hem. She shoved the fabric up his torso, jerking her lips away from his so she could yank the garment over his head. “Off,” she demanded.

Ronan kept his hands under her skirt, palming her ass over the lace and satin underwear she wore. “You first,” he retorted against her lips.

Her mouth left his, trailing down his throat, before she sank her teeth into his skin as though she wanted to punish him for arguing with her.

Ronan chuckled as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties and tore them down her thighs. “You’re impatient.”

Her panties hit the floor, and he swept her off her feet, his hands back on her bare ass.

Dominique wrapped her legs around his waist, gripping him tightly as he carried her across the room to the bed. “I’m not impatient. You’re too slow,” she argued, her voice husky and breathless.

He sat down on the edge of the mattress, pulling her down on top of his hard cock, relishing the sound that escaped her throat.

She rocked against him, her hands raking through his hair.

“Better?” he asked, his cock aching as she moved against him.

“Not really,” she answered. The words would have been insulting if he couldn’t see the lust glazing her eyes.

Ronan reluctantly pried his hands off her ass and moved them straight to the zipper of her dress. The wide straps fell off her shoulders, catching on the bend of her arms. He curled his fingers around them, pulling them down until her arms were free. He cupped her breasts, running his thumbs over her nipples through the lace of her bra. Dominique gasped, tearing her mouth from his.

“How about now?” he asked. “Still too slow?” He tugged at the tip of her breast, slowly increasing the pressure.

She let her head fall back, her hips shifting restlessly on his lap as he played with her nipple. He took advantage of her distraction and unhooked the garment, stripping it from her with deft hands. The lacy material fell to the floor without a sound. His hands returned to her body, and Ronan lowered his lips to her breasts, sucking the abused tip deep into his mouth.

She moaned louder as she rocked against him, her fingers twisting in his hair, pulling hard.

At the sharp pain, Ronan sank his teeth into the curve of her breast, bringing another gasp to her lips. She yanked his hair, forcing him to tilt his head back.

“What was that for?”

“Pulling my hair. Since you just did it again…” He leaned over and bit the inner curve of her other breast.

“Stop marking me,” she demanded.

“No.” He licked over the small red mark he’d left on her skin. “I like the way it looks.”

“Then, maybe I should leave a few on you,” she murmured, dragging her nails down his neck and over his shoulders, harder than she had before.

He hissed at the bite of pain, but he liked it. He also liked knowing that he would wear her marks for at least a few hours despite his accelerated healing. He stood and turned, throwing her on the bed.

Dominique cried out as her body bounced, staring at him with wide eyes. Her dress was bunched around her waist, but she was still wearing her stilettos. It was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. Staring down at her, Ronan grasped her foot, lifting it to unbuckle the thin straps secured around her ankle. He tossed the shoe on the floor and moved to the other. As soon as he tossed the second one, he yanked the dress down her body, leaving her naked on the bed.

She was the picture of debauchery with her wild blonde hair, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips. Her bare breasts were tipped with tight nipples, begging for his mouth, and her hips were thick enough that he knew he could fuck her hard without hurting her. He stood at the end of the bed, staring at her for a long moment.

“Not sure what you’re supposed to do next?” she asked him, arching a blonde brow in his direction.

“Just giving you a chance to catch your breath,” he retorted.

Dominique smirked and sat up as his hands went to his belt, kneeling before him on the bed. Her fingers attacked his zipper as he unbuttoned his pants. Seconds later, the fabric hit the floor, but she was already yanking his underwear down his legs. Ronan shoved her hands away, stripping the rest of his clothes from his body.

Naked, he pushed her back onto the bed, crawling over her. He paused to nip her hip, leaving a small red bite mark on her skin. She yelped, shoving his head away. “I told you not to leave marks, you ass! How would you like it if I did that to you?”

“You can mark me wherever you want,” he answered, looking down at her irate face.

Dominique reached between them, wrapping her hand around his cock. “Anywhere?” she asked, squeezing hard.

“Anywhere but there.”

Her eyes sparkled as she grinned up at him. Her grip loosened slightly, and she stroked his length. Seeing her like that, feeling her touch, Ronan almost didn’t recognize her.

He pulled back, forcing her to release her hold on him, and shoved her legs up and apart.

“Ronan—” she began. Her words were cut off as he leaned down and licked her from the bottom of her slit to her clit. “Gods,” she hissed, twitching beneath his mouth.

Dominique tilted her hips, her hands landing in his hair again. A low moan escaped her when he latched his mouth on her clit, sucking gently. The tip of his tongue circled the swollen flesh, flicking and rubbing. She squirmed when he kept his touch light, fighting for more contact. He never added pressure, just suckled and licked until her muscles quivered from strain. Her hands tugged at his hair, pulling harder when he didn’t stop what he was doing.

“Ronan,” she repeated his name, this time it was a demand rather than a question.

“Hmmm.” Her hips jerked at the vibrations against her clit.

“Stop teasing me.”

“Hmmm.”

Her thighs closed around his head, her heels digging into his back as she tried to lift her hips against his mouth to add pressure. Ronan used his hand to pin her down to the bed, holding her fast when she tried to buck against him.

“If you don’t make me come, I’m locking myself in the bathroom and taking care of it myself,” she threatened.

“Go ahead,” he said, speaking the words directly against her clit.

Dominique tried to shove him away and get up, but he held her down easily. When she fought harder, he shifted up and over her, using his body to flatten her to the bed. Her hands moved to his shoulders, pushing at him, but he wrapped his arms around her, refusing to let her gain any leverage.

He smirked down at her frustrated face. “I thought you were going to lock yourself in the bathroom.”

She growled at him, and Ronan nipped her bottom lip, angling his hips as he licked his way into her mouth. Dominique’s legs wrapped around his waist as his cock prodded her entrance. She reached between them, grasping his dick and positioning him where she wanted him.

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d give me what I want,” she shot back.

As soon as the tip of his dick slipped inside her, she used her legs to pull him closer, and Ronan surged inside her. The hot, wet clasp of her pussy enveloped his cock like it was made for him. When he felt her shudder beneath him, the need to come hit him hard.

He didn’t move, waiting for the sensation to pass, but her muscles twitched around him, nearly taking him over the edge. Ronan reached between them, resting his thumb on her clit. His magic curled out of the pad of his thumb, flicking the bundle of nerves.

“What are you doing?” Dominique groaned, her back arching as he focused the tendril of magic on her clit, vibrating and circling. Her pussy grew tighter and wetter, sucking him deeper.

“You gonna come for me, Princess?” he asked, ignoring her question.

Her fingertips dug into his shoulders, her nails biting into his flesh deep enough to leave more marks. “Yes,” she hissed.

He focused on the way she felt, the way her breathing changed, and urged her on with his magic. Her body shuddered beneath his as the orgasm hit her hard and fast. Dominique dragged her nails down his back as he removed his hand and finally moved his hips. He withdrew from her body and thrust inside as she came apart around him, shaking and gasping. His hips slammed into hers over and over until he was coming so hard he felt like he was being turned inside out.

He slumped over her, his head pressing into the duvet beneath them, and tried to catch his breath.

What in the hell just happened?

Dizzy and unsure, Ronan didn’t move as he tried to come to terms with the fact that he’d fucked his fiancée, a woman he’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t touch. Not only that—he wanted to do it again. And as often as possible.

When he could feel his legs again, he levered his body off of hers, rolling to the edge of mattress and off the bed. Dominique looked up at him through heavy-lidded eyes, her face relaxed and gentle. He didn’t speak as he went into the bathroom and returned with a damp cloth a few moments later. Ronan tried to reach down to clean between her legs, but she snatched the cloth from his hand.

“I appreciate the gesture, but I’ll take care of it,” she insisted.

If her voice hadn’t trembled ever-so-slightly, her words would have angered him. Instead, he backed off, letting her have space. It was clear that she needed it.

Dominique climbed off the bed and walked into the bathroom, her bare ass swaying as she crossed the bedroom. He watched her, unsure what he was feeling when she shut the door behind her.

He was still standing in the middle of the bedroom when she came back out a few moments later. Her hair was down and brushed out, and she’d washed the makeup off her face.

Dominique paused in the doorway, her expression guarded. He realized that she wasn’t sure what to do and she was waiting for him to say something. Now that he’d spent more time with her, he was learning to read her better.

Since he didn’t know what to do either, he said, “Come here.”

She moved closer, moving slowly. When she was within reach, he stretched out an arm and looped it around her waist, pulling her naked body against his.

“I’m staying in here tonight,” he stated.

Without her shoes on, she was several inches shorter than him, so she had to tilt her head back to look up at his face. He liked that. Liked that she fit against him so perfectly, just tall enough for the softer places in her body to cradle his.

And he liked how she looked with her face free of makeup, her hair down and wild around her shoulders, and without the usual ice princess clothing she wore.

“This was a mistake,” she murmured, her eyes still glued to his.

“Probably,” he agreed.

He almost smiled when her eyes turned ice blue. Now that he’d learned her tells, he knew the change signaled that she was getting annoyed. Or angry.

“We shouldn’t do it again,” she continued, her tone deceptively even.

“Oh, we’re definitely doing this again. More than once. And that’s just tonight.”

Dominique shook her head. “It’s a bad idea.”

“Those are my favorite kind,” he replied.

“Our marriage is supposed to be in name only, remember?” The way she said the words was oh-so-reasonable, but Ronan wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily.

“Then, how about you don’t take my name, and we still fuck every chance we get?” he asked.

She glared up at him but didn’t respond. His hand trailed over her waist and up her spine. He liked the way she shivered under his touch. She might wear her glacial mask to keep everyone at a distance, but her body couldn’t lie to him.

“You hate me,” she murmured, lowering her gaze to his chin.

“I don’t hate you,” he argued without thinking. But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew they were true. Yes, she made him angry. Yes, he blamed her for a long time, but he didn’t hate her.

“I thought the whole reason you wanted me to be your fake wife was to punish me for getting you cursed.”

“That’s why I tracked you down, but I wouldn’t have gone through with it if you didn’t also fit the role perfectly. You’re from a respectable family. You’re independent. You don’t give a shit about the throne. And you won’t fall in love with me and refuse to end the marriage when the time comes.”

Dominique stared at him, not speaking. He couldn’t read her expression. She wasn’t closed off, but he had no idea what she was thinking. His gaze wandered from her face down to her naked body. His fingers trailed around her ribs to her breast, stroking over the silky skin. Her nipple pebbled under his touch.

“If you really don’t want to do this again, you should tell me to stop.” He leaned down, his mouth gliding over her collarbone.

Her only response was to step closer, one hand going to his hair and the other gripping his ass. Ronan took that as a yes and dragged her into his arms.