Page 7 of Habibi: Always and Forever

SECOND CHANCE

NOTE: This bonus chapter is for anyone who was left wondering about Julianus’s fate.

It takes place a year after the epilogue of The Cruelty of Thorns .

T aking one last look at the twin gold bands nestled in black velvet, I close the box and tuck it into my pocket. I’m still not sure if this is the right move. Is it too soon? Am I reading this wrong? What if he laughs in my face?

My eyes lift to the bookstore across the darkening Paris street.

I never get tired of watching him. Who would have thought, after the events that transpired two years ago at Whitfield, that I would ever find happiness?

People like me don’t deserve to be happy, and yet, since I met Alain, I’ve been practically giddy.

Even now, just the sight of his forest green eyes amid that perfect angular face sets my world-weary veins on fire. And don’t even get me started about my dick. I’ve been hard since the first time we fucked.

I cross the street like I’m walking on air and approach the store, watching through the window as he rings up a customer. The woman smiles at him, then reaches out.

Touching his arm.

Flirting.

So much for my good mood.

My rational mind tells me they all do it, and who can blame them? The man is drop dead gorgeous.

Doesn’t mean I have to tolerate it.

Sucking in a deep breath, I hold it a second before slowly exhaling.

Control.

Sort of.

I wrench the door open with more force than necessary, causing the bell over the door to jangle urgently. Both Alain and the customer turn toward me, and something in my eyes causes the woman to pull her hand away from him as though she’d been shocked.

“I’ll call you when the book comes in,” Alain tells her as she gathers her purchases and scoots past me out the door. Alain frowns at me after she leaves and chides, “You can’t keep scaring off my customers.”

I step closer to him, breathing in his intoxicating amber and spice scent. My cock takes notice. “They should learn to keep their hands to themselves.”

He walks out from behind the counter and pretends to busy himself straightening the display on one of the tables.

He’s so transparent when he tries to act casual, like he doesn’t love making me jealous.

He calls it awakening my Italian temper, and I see the lust in his eyes whenever it rears its ugly head.

Someday his luscious French mouth is going to bite off more than it can chew.

“Don’t you have business to attend to?” he asks.

I step up behind him and wrap my hands around his arms, leaning over to whisper in his ear. “Nothing more important than this.”

He tries to pull away from me, but my grip tightens while I nuzzle his neck, drinking in his scent. Wanting more than anything to get rid of these clothes that are keeping us apart.

“I have customers,” he protests.

I trace my tongue down his skin. “We’re the only ones in the shop right now.”

I turn him around to face me and start backing him toward the rear of the store while capturing his mouth in a filthy kiss.

“Julianus,” he gasps as he pulls free of my mouth. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” I guide him into the doorway to his office. “I’m claiming what’s mine.”

“I’m my own man.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Tesoro .”

I close the door and back him up against it, reclaiming his mouth and plunging my tongue in to tangle with his.

“We can’t do this here,” he gasps, trying to push me away. “Someone could walk in the store at any moment.”

“Then you’d better be quiet.”

I crowd him again, bringing my knee up between his legs to rub against his stiffening cock. “You can pretend you don’t like it, but I feel your need, Alain.”

“Just let me think for a minute.”

I lick the side of his neck then bite down, sucking his flesh into my mouth as my hand finds its way down to the waistband of his pants. “Better think fast,” I urge as I unzip him and shove his pants down to his knees. The boxers go next, then I close my hand around his fully-aroused length.

“Somebody’s ready for me,” I murmur as I undo my own pants and slide them down. I grab both our cocks and rub them together, eliciting a moan of pleasure from Alain. The erotic feel of his hot shaft against mine nearly blows my head off.

He throws back his head, exposing his pale throat to me, and I take the offering, sinking my teeth into his succulent flesh.

“Fuuuuck,” he moans deliciously.

I grin and lick my lips, savoring the meaty taste of his blood. Next to having my cock buried in his ass, it’s the best thing in the world. Who knew I would crave the taste of another vampire? But then, why not? I crave everything else about him.

He ruts against me, seeking friction, and I have all I can do not to drop to my knees and lick the precum from his swollen head, but I need to be inside him right now.

To claim him.

I want my cum so deep in his ass he can think of only me when the next customer bats her eyes at him.

I want him to be unable to take a step without feeling me.

I want him to need me like oxygen.

“Still want me to stop?”

“Don’t you dare,” Alain groans.

“That’s my boy.”

I turn him around to face the door while shoving my fingers in his mouth. “Suck.”

He complies, wrapping his tongue around my fingers.

Getting them nice and wet. I slip them out and bring my hand around to his firm ass.

Without preamble, I work two fingers at once into his hole because I know how much he likes it when it hurts.

He’s as much of a cock slut as I am. That’s what makes us so perfect together.

His body shudders, his green eyes blown to black. His lips slack, a drop of drool gathering at the corner of his mouth that I can’t resist lapping up. “Julianus…please.”

“You look so pretty when you beg, baby.”

I grab my cock with my other hand and smear the precum over my crown before edging it toward his hole.

“Are you ready for me?”

“Yes. Just fuck me.”

I chuckle. “So needy, my Tesoro .”

I inch my cockhead past the tight outer ring of muscle, taking a moment to relish the feel of his hole squeezing me.

Only when I sense he’s getting restless do I start to move.

I know when I brush his prostate because he moans again.

Now that I’ve found it, I take my time, giving it the attention it deserves until his moans turn to desperate whimpers.

My mouth hovers over his ear, hot moisture coating his skin. My voice barely a whisper.

“Who do you belong to?”

I hold my position, my cock throbbing inside him while his body quakes around me. He whines as he rotates his hips, trying to push me deeper, but I can be a good tease. To amp up the tension, I reach around and grab his shaft, running my precum-slick thumb over his slit.

“You want me to relieve this?”

“Please,” he moans.

I buck against him, teasing his quivering ass before I pull almost all the way out. “Who do you belong to?”

“Fuck me,” he groans.

“Wrong answer.” My tongue traces the shell of his ear before I bite down, drawing blood. Another taste of heaven. “Who do you belong to?”

He rotates his hips against me, a desperate attempt to work my cock deeper, but I maintain my distance.

“Please fuck me.”

“You know I will, baby. Just answer the question.” I thrust once. “Who do you belong to?”

He slumps against me and utters a long sigh. “You, Julianus. I belong to you.”

“Good boy.”

I pull back then ram my cock all the way in until I bottom out and my balls slap against his taint. He grunts and pushes back against me, our movements becoming more urgent. Half of me wants to race him to the finish line while the other half wants to tease him until he’s wrecked.

I know which half Alain is praying for. His body vibrates with need, but I can’t let him come yet. I squeeze and stroke his cock until he feels so tight he might explode, coordinating the movement with my cock’s thrusts until he’s a babbling mess.

“Please…fuck…Jules. Need to come.”

I love it when he falls apart. I run my other hand up to his neck, spreading my fingers across the vulnerable flesh before pressing my palm against it. Choking him. He twists his head, his mouth seeking mine. His tongue snakes out and I capture it, sucking it into my mouth.

Biting it.

More blood.

He moans deep in his throat and I squeeze both his neck and his cock harder. His ass retaliates, tightening on my pulsing cock.

This man.

The kiss becomes a war of gnashing teeth and spilled blood. It’s a good thing we’re practically indestructible because we would ruin each other.

I begin to fuck him so hard the door rattles against the frame, and still his moans nearly drown it out. So much for my little Tesoro being quiet.

Not that I want him to be. If someone comes in, they can deal with it or leave. It’s not like he needs the sales from this place. I won’t apologize to anyone for fucking my man to within an inch of his life. If I had my way he’d scream so loud they’d hear him out on the street.

I know he’s close because my own cock is inching into painful territory. I need to come.

“Come for me, baby,” I breathe into his ear.

He cries out as he coats my hand and the back of the door with his hot cum. Just feeling it on my hand brings on my own climax. I thrust once more and stiffen against him as I empty into his ass.

We don’t move for several minutes until the tinkle of the bell over the door out front rouses Alain from his post-orgasm stupor. He moves away from me and turns around, pulling up his pants and tucking himself in.

I grab his hand to stop him from rushing out and pull him close to me.

“Grazie, Tesoro.”

He looks away then turns back, meeting my eyes. “Anytime, lover.”

I still haven’t done what I came here for, but it’ll have to wait until his customer leaves since I know how adamant Alain is about his privacy. Instead I smile at him as I release his hand. “Now you’ll be thinking about me the rest of the day.”

He reaches out and brushes his fingertips across my lips. “I’m always thinking about you, Jules.”

I can only hope he means that. I follow him out front, determined to get a few minutes alone with him. My plan hinges on that. This is where we started, and this is where it has to be done. I guess I’m still a hopeless fool for tradition.

The customer is an elderly man looking for a rare book.

I block out most of their conversation, intent only on watching my lover.

His eyes keep wandering back to me, a question in their depths.

Why am I still hanging around, they ask.

Normally I leave him to his business while he’s working, but today is special.

Wouldn’t you know it another customer comes in while the old man is still there. I lean against one of the bookcases and cross my arms, watching him work. As long as no one touches him, I’m fine to observe.

Finally, the last of them exits the store, leaving us alone. I approach him and bend over him, my mouth teasing his ear.

“I have something important to ask you, Tesoro .”

He leans his head back against my chest. “Then ask.”

I spin him around and slide down his body until I’m perched in front of him on my bended knee.

Alain’s face registers surprise. “What are you doing?”

I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the velvet box I picked up earlier. I suck in a steadying breath, then open the box and hold it out for him to see. This is it, the moment I’ve been both anticipating and dreading, depending on his answer.

Who would have thought, after 500 years of existence, that I would find someone I wanted to spend my eternity with? I thought I was destined to endure my existence alone.

“Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

His mouth falls open and he stares at the rings for an uncomfortably long time, and just when I’m sure he’s going to turn me down, his lips curl up in a smile so beautiful it lights the entire room.

“Yes, Julianus, I’ll be your husband.”

I pull one of the rings out of the box and slide it on his finger, then bend over to brush my lips against his hand.

He reaches for the other ring and slips it on my finger. I stand up and pull him into my arms, our lips finding each other, our tongues tangling in hungry desperation.

This.

This is where I want to spend forever. All the years of pain and loneliness, regret and vengeance, have all been worth it to bring me to this spot.

“I love you, Tesoro .”

“I love you, too, Julianus.”

* * *

I f you’d like to read more about Julianus and his origin story, please check out The Cruelty of Thorns , available on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo.

T he Cruelty of Thorns

M y name is Julianus. I’m a sensualist, born to chase desire. I’m also a bloodthirsty monster. The ruinous events that led to that fate have ruled my nights and haunted my dreams throughout my centuries of existence. All I’m seeking now is vengeance…and redemption.

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