Page 49

The pleasure is too much. When my thighs are shaking around his neck and my juices are dripping down his chin, he stands.

“I was...” I look up at him through hooded eyes.

“I told you many times before,” he says. “I’m not a good man, Emma. I’m selfish. When I see something I like, I take it. And I’ve had my eye on you from the moment you walked into my life.”

He spins me around and lifts my hips. His breath is hot against my neck as he slams home inside me.

“You’re only allowed to come on my cock,” he says, biting down on my shoulder. He fucks me with slow, deep thrusts that have me seeing double. His arm wraps around my breasts. My toes don’t even touch the ground. “So fucking tight for me.”

When his hand brushes against my clit, I shatter into a million pieces.

He groans against my neck as he spills inside me. I’m sensitive everywhere as he turns me back around. He kisses me until my heart doesn’t feel so heavy anymore.

“I can’t wait for our date on Saturday,” he says, pressing a kiss on my forehead.

There’s so much emotion in his eyes. So much softness and it’s all for me.

“What do you have planned?” I ask, playing with the lapels of his shirt.

“You’ll find out,” he says.

He cleans me up with paper towels and washes his hands before handing me the chocolate.

“Do I get some of your famous hot chocolate too?” he asks.

“I thought you didn’t have much of a sweet tooth,” I tease.

“I’m starting to,” he whispers, brushing his knuckles over my cheek.

It’s late at night.

The kids are in bed. Klaus and I are curled up in an armchair in front of the fireplace. I watch the flames dance until the brightness and warmth sear into my brain.

Even though I feel safe in his arms, my mind is still alert.Sinclair mansion always feels different during the night. Every creak of the floorboard sounds like an omen. The shadows lean in closer, and I can’t shake the feeling that something unseen hides in them, just watching.

“Can I ask you something?” I say, looking up at Klaus.

He strokes my back and shifts his gaze to me.

“Do you believe in the supernatural?” I ask.

He raises his eyebrows.

“I’m asking because I’ve been experiencing some strange things lately,” I admit.

He looks at the fire. I see the flames reflected in his eyes.

“Really?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I reply. “I hear soft footsteps in the middle of the night. I feel random breezes,even when every window in the room is closed. And with it, I catch scent of the same perfume—this vintage vanilla fragrance. And for some reason, I can’t shake the feeling of being watched, even when I’m sleeping.

I don’t know what to make of any of it.”

There’s the slightest shift in his body language. His arms tighten around me.

“Does it feel threatening?” he asks.

I take a second to think about it.

“No,” I whisper. “I never felt unsafe in this house. But it’s still very strange.”

“I see.” He strokes a line down my spine as he continues to stare at the fire.

“Klaus, is there something I need to know?” I ask.

“It’s an old house, Emma,” he says cryptically.

“That’s not what I asked,” I say, studying the hardness of his face. He seemed completely at peace a few minutes ago, but his face is tense now.

“I don’t believe in supernatural beings,” he says.

“Neither do I, for that matter,” I say. “But since the moment I arrived, I had the feeling that everyone here knows something I don’t.”

The walls always feel like they’re listening to every conversation. I always feel like I have eyes on me. I want to chalk it up to overthinking, but I don’t want to ignore my intuition.

“My family has a dark past, Emma,” he says. “But it’s nothing you need to be concerned about.”

“But if there’s something I need to know, you’ll tell me, right?” I ask.

“I already shared more with you than I have with anyone else,” he says.

I don’t know how to tell him that it’s not enough. I know he’s trying hard to open up to me, but he’s still distant. He’s still a mystery to me.

“There are some things you’re better off not knowing,” he whispers. “But I need you to trust me when I say that I care about you. And I’ll never let you get hurt.”

“I trust you,” I say.

As I say it, I realize that I completely mean the words.

I trust Klaus with every fiber of my being. I’m scared of the feelings he elicits in me, but I would trust this man with my life. He has a good heart, even if it’s currently burdened by too many things.

I burrow my face against his neck.

“I trust you,” I say again, inhaling his musky scent.

His arms tighten around me. It’s his way of showing affection. He holds me like I’m the greatest treasure of his life.

“Vera called this evening,” he says.

My heart starts galloping in my throat again.

“What did she say?” I ask.

“She’s coming to Ravenwood on Monday,” he says. “We can administer the antidote to your grandmother then.”

“Finally.” I sigh in relief.

Over the past week, my grandmother was being weaned off certain drugs that could react negatively with the antidote. I didn’t think Klaus would be able to control what goes on at the hospital, but I guess it’s one of the privileges of being a wealthy man.

I’m so grateful that my grandmother won’t have to live in pain for much longer.

“Vera has one condition, though,” he says slowly.

“What is it?” I ask.

“She said that she needs your grandmother’s consent before giving her the antidote,” he says. “Which means that you’ll have to tell your grandmother about what happened.”

I shake my head.

“Klaus, I can’t,” I say. I can’t even go there.

“She can handle it,” he says. “And I’ll be there with you. It’s going to be okay.”

It’s not about the antidote itself. Telling my grandmother about the antidote also means that I’ll have to tell her about how someone tried to poison her in her own home. And knowing her, she’ll connect the dots straight away.

“What if it’s too much for her?” I ask. “She’s already in a weak state.”

“She’s stronger than you think, Emma,” he says. “She’s the same woman who raised her granddaughter all on her own. She made you the smart, beautiful, and compassionate woman you are today. I think she can handle a little bad news.”

I clutch him tighter.

“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” I swallow.

Just being in his presence makes me feel like everything will be okay in the world. It’s the kind of relief that’s bone deep. His reassurance and confidence in me mean more than he’ll ever know.

He kisses the top of my head.

“It will all be okay, Emma,” he says.

I believe him when he says that.

But as I stare into the flames, shapes form in my vision. I see an alternate reality. A dual possibility. One where everything that can go wrong will go wrong. One where our relationship will be tested.

I just hope that we’re strong enough to weather any storm.

Because I’m already hopelessly in love with this man.