Page 10 of Marked (Wicked Heirs #1)

I’d been dreading this day.

Maybe I wouldn’t have cared if my father had brought the traitor’s whore into his bed to play with for a while and then discard.

But marrying her—that was different.

He wasn’t listening to reason, and if he had a plan or if she served some higher purpose—

A higher purpose. What a load of shit.

Whatever his reasoning was, he certainly had revealed none of it to me.

My skin burned where my father’s magic had burnt into it. Streaks of black lighting, etched into my skin by his incantations, wound around my torso like tattoos. Punishment for my disobedience.

For my rudeness to the newest members of the Romano family.

Valen and Bastian wore similar markings on their skin, but mine were the most severe.

You should know better .

He had said those words with a smile. The incantations he had uttered? They were an act of love—and I would have loved to return the sentiment in kind.

But Lucian was more powerful than I would ever be.

He had consumed too many magical bloodlines—too much power—for me to ever dream of overthrowing him.

Not alone.

But if I didn’t do it alone—if they helped me—the power would be divided amongst us. And I didn’t trust Bastian and Valen not to have agendas and plans of their own.

I flexed my shoulders as I walked down the long hallway and sneered at a servant who approached me. They carried a large vase filled to overflowing with flowers and I resisted the urge to knock it out of their hands with a small flick of magic.

It would have been easy, and it might have made me feel a little better to watch them scramble to clean up the shards of broken pottery and the water that would splash over the flagstone floor.

But it wasn’t worth it.

None of it was.

Petty and meaningless outbursts were beneath me.

Especially today.

Bastian had spent the morning watching Avril through the mirrors in her room.

He liked to see her wide-eyed and scared.

I knew he had hoped to catch her naked again— We’d all watched her in the shower and admired her curves.

“You’ve seen her mother—are you surprised?” Valen snorted.

Bastian had said nothing, but the lust in his pale eyes said more than words could.

They disgusted me.

What prevented them from recognizing the threat Julia Velez presented ?

And Avril.

The frightened, weak, breakable bird of a daughter. A dim flicker of magic. That was all she possessed. She jumped at shadows and flinched at everything—and it only made me want to make her cower.

That weakness.

It was as delicious as it was infuriating.

She wouldn’t be able to survive in the world we lived in. The darkness of it would take her.

It was a miracle that they had allowed her to stay at Messana Academy for so long.

They usually cast out or culled pale sparks like her to stop them from inheriting magic they didn’t deserve and couldn’t hope to wield.

I ignored the servant as they scurried past, and the flash of fear in their eyes left a bitter taste on my tongue. I continued down the grand hallway without seeing the exquisite tapestries that lined the walls or the ancient gargoyles that leered down from the pillars that held up the vaulted ceiling.

The only thing that burned hotter than the wounds my father had inflicted on me was my hatred for that weak little witch.

She didn’t deserve anything that had been laid at her feet.

Every scrap of clothing in the wardrobes, every piece of jewelry—all of it paid for by my father.

I suspected he’d had a hand in choosing some of it, too.

My father didn’t need my permission to spend his money—hell, if he’d known what I’d bought with it over the years, he would have laughed. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t be angry about it.

Avril seemed determined to pretend that she didn’t want any of it.

But I’d seen the wonder on her face in the smoky magic of Bastian’s scrying mirror—the luxury that being a Romano represented would have overwhelmed any woman. The cars, the clothes, the servants, the estate— all the power and opulence our family represented was intoxicating.

As much as she tried to deny it; I knew she loved every second of her new life.

It was going to cost her.

The elevated activity in the house was enough of a sign that the wedding ceremony was drawing closer—and I couldn’t avoid it any longer.

In a few hours, my father would expect me to call Julia Velez ‘mother.’

I wondered if I’d be able to do it without choking on the word.

Lucian had already made it clear that he wanted Bastian, Valen, and I to treat Avril as a sister—he was going to regret that command.

If Avril expected her new status to protect her, she was dead wrong.

As I strode down the hallway and into the foyer, I caught sight of Avril coming down the stairs from the second floor.

The gown she wore was pale gray and crystals and other semi-precious stones gleamed in the light that spilled down from the ancient chandelier and the candles that flickered in the alcoves set into the stone walls.

The sight of Avril in that gown, one that I had no doubt my father had chosen for her, ignited a fire within me, a rage that demanded to be unleashed.

The delicate silk clung to her body like a second skin, showcasing her innocent beauty and making her seem more vulnerable than ever.

My mind raced with thoughts of how I would use this to my advantage .

She hadn’t seen me yet and my hands tightened into fists at my sides. She looked lost.

But she couldn’t hide from me.

Not here.

“Going somewhere?” I growled.

Avril let out a thin cry, and she jumped back as I came around the corner. She seemed to shrink as my shadow fell over her.

“Titus,” she breathed as she took an involuntary step back, but I strode forward even as she searched for an escape.

Her elbows struck the rough stone of an alcove set into the wall. A giant vase, overflowing with waxy white flowers and their heady scent, shielded us from the view of anyone who might pass by.

Perfect.

A private moment between brother and sister.

“Look at you, all dressed up for mommy’s special day,” I said darkly. I couldn’t stop myself from looking at her—the way the expensive fabric hugged her body was mouth-watering. “Such a pretty little bird.”

“Leave me alone,” she whispered, but her voice was tight, as if she was fighting back her emotions.

But what emotions were tumbling through her at that moment?

“Or what?” I taunted as I pushed her back against the wall. My hand curled around her throat, not tight enough to choke—just enough to remind her who held the power here.

“Titus— Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I said with a smile. “I want to see you squirm.”

“Please,” she begged as she tried to wriggle free from my grasp. “Let me go. ”

Her small hands clutched at my wrist and I wanted to laugh at how pathetic she was. I could feel the faint pressure of her magic, but it was more of a tickle than anything to be afraid of. Just like a bird to try to knock me over with a feather.

“Ah, but where’s the fun in that?” I pressed closer, and she bit down on her lip to keep from gasping.

“Is this what you want?” she choked out. “To hurt me? To make me feel weak?”

You are weak.

“Perhaps,” I mused, my gaze never wavering from hers. “But there’s more to it than that.”

So much more.

“Please—” she whispered, her words cut short as my hand pressed firmly against her throat. But I couldn’t resist stroking my thumb against her jaw.

She licked her lips and mine twisted. “Did I frighten you, dear sister?” I asked. “I must say, it is quite amusing to see you tremble like a frightened animal.”

She tightened her grip on my wrist and let out a whimper as she tried to turn her head away and avoid my gaze.

I wanted to see her squirm, to watch her crumble before me—and I would get what I wanted one way or another.

Darkness flared in my chest as I watched the fear flicker in her wide hazel eyes.

But something else flared, too.

Lust.

“Titus…” she whispered. She was trying to maintain her composure, but her voice trembled. I wondered if she’d considered screaming for help.

No one would come, but she might try anyway.

Power coursed through me, the dark magic that emanated from this estate and fed my every desire. It pulsed like a heartbeat, urging me to act on my darkest impulses. In that moment, I knew I wanted nothing more than to punish Avril, to prove she was no better than her mother.

“Can’t you guess what I want?” I asked. I leaned in closer and allowed my breath to ghost over her neck. I enjoyed the way she shivered in response. “You’re such a pretty little thing, aren’t you, Avril? So innocent and pure… Or at least, that’s what you want everyone to believe.”

“Please, Titus, don’t…” she pleaded softly, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

“Ah, but where’s the fun in that?” I taunted. “I’ve been thinking about you all day, dear sister. About how much you remind me of your mother. You see, I can’t help but wonder if you’re truly as innocent as you seem… or if you’re just like her, a whore who will do anything for a life of luxury and excess.”

“Titus, I swear—I’m not—”

“Aren’t you?” I growled.

I dragged my free hand down her body and relished the softness of her breasts, bare under the silken material of the expensive gown she wore.

Her nipples were hard and a moan escaped her lips as I teased them through the fabric before moving lower.

“That’s what I thought,” I murmured.

I could feel the shivers running down her spine as I moved closer, pressing her into the alcove, trapping her with nowhere to run. There was a primal satisfaction in seeing her powerless under my gaze, a thrill in knowing that I could break her if I wanted to.

Avril’s eyes widened as she felt the rough stone wall behind her. She writhed beneath me but there was nowhere she could go to escape from me.

I traced the curve of her cheek with my thumb, absorbing the warmth radiating off her skin and the fear that twisted her delicate features into something much more enticing .

Despite herself, my innocent little step sister gasped and tightened her grip on my wrist as my other hand slid lower and paused on her hip for just a moment before moving between her legs.

The thin fabric hid nothing from me, and she moaned as I pressed my palm against the heat of her pussy.

Terror was clear in her pale hazel eyes. But underneath that fear… Was it excitement? Lust? Or was she captivated by the dark abyss she had been drawn into?

Whatever it was—I could use it.

The heat of her against my palm was intoxicating, and I tightened my fingers just a little on her throat as I pressed the heel of my other hand against her pussy and stroked against her cleft through the exquisite fabric of her gown.

“Titus...” she moaned, and whether it was a plea or a protest, I didn’t bother considering.

I watched as her eyes fluttered shut while her body instinctively pushed against my hand. I chuckled low at the sight—she was such a fragile thing. Trying so hard to hate me, yet her body couldn’t hide the truth.

“See, Avril,” my voice dropped lower as I leaned in closer. “You’re just like your mother.” My fingers moved against her harder and made her squirm and gasp softly as she bit down on her lip to muffle the sound of her pleasure.

“Stop…” she whimpered.

“You want me to stop?” I teased, tracing my fingers lightly over the dampening fabric of her gown. “Can you honestly say you don’t enjoy this?”

Her eyes flickered open and met mine. The fear was still there, but there was something else now—a dark lust that twisted through the terror in her gaze.

“No...” she whispered, surprising me with the firmness in her voice .

I chuckled as I stroked her harder, and my fingers teased against her clit with purposeful movements. Each brush of fabric against her flesh made her gasp, a pleasurable melancholy. I leaned closer and inhaled deeply the scent of her—fear and desire, wrapped in a neat little package of temptation.

“I am not like my mother,” she finally choked out, but it was weak.

Feeble.

Her words held no power as she squirmed and gasped beneath my touch.

“Oh, but you are,” I purred, my voice darkly amused. My thumb circled her clit through the silk of her gown, and a soft moan slipped from her lips. A triumphant smile spread across my face.

Avril squirmed beneath me, her breath hitching as she tried to pull away. But she was caught in my web, ensnared by the predator that lurked within me. The fear was still there in her hazel eyes, but it was overshadowed by something wilder and darker; and my cock twitched as I pressed against her. I wanted her to feel it against her stomach as I forced her to come.

My thumb rubbed her clit through the fabric of her dress, and Avril’s head fell back as she moaned.

“Titus—” she gasped. But her attempt to form a coherent sentence that was swallowed by the pleasure that coursed through her.

“Yes, Avril?” I mocked as I resisted the temptation to close my mouth over her exposed throat.

Her fingers gripped my wrist as her breaths grew ragged.

The scent of her arousal was intoxicating, and I wondered if she even understood what she was doing, what she was inciting within me. Avril was completely unprepared for this game; outmatched and outwitted, but gods, did she look delectable playing it .

“Please...stop,” she choked out between tremors. It wasn’t a plea or a command—it was a moan filled with dangerous ambiguity. I could hear it—her body singing a damning siren song even as her mind warred against it.

“What if I don’t want to stop?” I retorted, my voice shifting from mocking to predatory as the thrill of the chase coursed through my veins.

An animal’s desire—to hunt, to capture, to devour—had taken hold of me, and I reveled in its raw power.

Lust sparked in her eyes momentarily before being stamped out by fear.

“But I’m not like her... I’m not...”

Her protest was feeble at most when measured against the flush staining her cheeks and the salt-sweet scent of her arousal wafting into the air between us. She was close, so close…

Her hips arched forward, begging me to bring her to climax, but I stilled the motion of my fingers and pressed my palm against her shuddering cunt.

“Aren’t you?”

She let out a quick gasp as I pulled my hand away from her heated cleft. I’d left her on the edge of release, and her body shuddered with need.

I brought my damp fingers to my nose and inhaled the scent of her arousal, and my cock throbbed and strained against my pants. I gritted my teeth against the sudden thought of how good it would feel to push her against the wall and thrust my cock into her hot, wet cunt while she moaned and gasped.

Instead, I reached behind my back and pulled a knife from the sheath hidden beneath my jacket.

Her eyes widened in terror as I brought the blade up. The glinting edge reflected her open mouth as her breath fogged the blade .

Avril’s tongue snuck out to wet her lips, and I reveled in the power I wielded over her.

“Please,” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear. “Titus—”

With one swift motion, I sliced through the strap of her dress. The sound of tearing fabric echoed ominously in the confined space and a smile curved across my lips as the clatter of stones and crystals hitting the stone floor echoed around us. Avril gasped and released her grip on my wrist as her hands instinctively flew to her chest to hold the gown together.

“What would your precious Sages say if they saw you like this? Didn’t they teach you to fight back?”

As I spoke, I could see the gears turning in her mind, the frantic search for an escape route, a way to break free from my hold. Her fear was palpable, and I couldn’t help but drink it in like a fine wine and savor each delicious drop.

“Come now,” I taunted, my voice dripping with venom.

I watched as her fingers twitched, and a faint glow emanated from her palms as she tried to find the strength to fight back. But deep down, we both knew it was futile—her gentle magic was no match for the darkness that coursed through my veins.

“Pathetic,” I sneered. My voice echoed in the dimly lit alcove, cold and hollow.

Her face crumpled in defeat, and for a moment, I almost felt pity for her.

Almost.

“Fly away now,” I whispered cruelly, as I released my grip on her throat. She took a shuddering breath and glared back at me as I stepped aside to allow her passage. “You’ve provided me with enough amusement for one day.”

As she fled from my presence, I couldn’t help but congratulate myself on my latest conquest.

Beneath the veneer of innocence and purity, Avril Velez was just like her mother—and her luxurious gown bore the marks of my easy control over her.

But there was something else in her that I wanted.

Something that was begging to be broken.

And I fully intended to be the one to shatter her.