Page 6 of Orlando (Council Assassins #20)

When he swung open the door, he was met by two twin smiles. Seymour and Lewis were both grinning so hard that Orlando was tempted to tease them that they were going to get stuck that way. Instead, he made grabby hands toward the bags they were carrying.

“Thank you for doing this. I didn’t realize I’d asked you to buy so much stuff that you’d need someone to help you carry it, Seymour,” he said.

Lewis was holding a damn wicker basket. It was a bit much, but Orlando was grateful, anyway.

“I didn’t need help. Lewis insisted,”

Seymour admitted.

Lewis pushed the basket into Orlando’s arms and tried to move past him, but Orlando stayed where he was. Did he want his mate to meet his friends? Of course he did. Did he want it to happen now? No, because he had plans.

“Come on. I just want to see him a little,”

Lewis complained.

“You will, but not now.”

Lewis squinted.

“You owe me.”

“Why? And don’t tell me it’s because I tried to sleep with your mate. I didn’t know he was your mate at the time.”

“Still, you tried. You should give me this as an apology.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. That’s what you told me.”

“I was wrong. Come on. Just a little peek.”

“Everything okay?”

Liam asked.

Orlando could hear him move around the room, which meant he needed to be quick. He snatched the bags from Seymour’s hands, fumbling with the basket and almost dropping it. Seymour laughed, but it was enough to keep Lewis out of the door, which was what Orlando wanted.

“I promise that I’ll introduce you to Liam as soon as this mess is over, okay?”

Lewis’s expression softened.

“Of course. Kennedy’s working on it. Everyone is.”

“I know.”

And Orlando was grateful. He hadn’t realized he had so many friends, but maybe he should have. Part of him had been afraid he’d lose them when he left the program, but Lewis, Seymour, and everyone else were still in his life.

“Thank you.”

“We’ll see you soon,”

Seymour promised before stepping away.

Orlando quickly closed the door. He clutched the basket to his chest with one hand while holding the bags with the other. He wasn’t surprised to see that Liam was staring at him when he turned toward his mate.

“Everything okay?”

Liam repeated.

“Everything’s perfect. Do you need anything from the bedroom? I need a bit of time to set up.”

“I’ll be fine here. Do you need help?”

“I don’t. It’s a surprise, remember?”

Liam shrugged.

“Well, I tried.”

He sounded lighter than he had even this morning, and Orlando hoped it meant he’d made a decision. He wanted to ask, but he didn’t dare, not right now.

He scurried into the bedroom and closed the door behind himself. He dropped everything he was carrying on the floor by the door, then he looked around. The cat was on the bed, curled up, but he opened an eye and stared for a second before deciding that Orlando wasn’t dangerous and closing it again.

Orlando considered setting up on the bed, but it wouldn’t be as real as doing so on the floor, so he opened his dresser to grab the thickest blankets he could find. Lewis and Seymour had brought him food and candles, which was all he needed to set up a picnic. Hopefully, Liam wouldn’t think it was lame, but there was little else Orlando could do.

It would have to be enough.

LIAM HESITATED AT THE door of Orlando’s bedroom, his hand hovering over the knob. The air felt heavy, charged with an unspoken tension that had been building between them for days. They needed to talk, but Liam wasn’t even sure how he felt. How could he explain it to Orlando?

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. This was ridiculous. Orlando was just a guy. A guy who used to train to kill people, but still. Just a guy—and Liam’s mate. Liam knew how important that was for Orlando.

He pushed the door open, and his breath caught in his throat.

The room was transformed. The bed was pushed to the side, replaced by a soft blanket laid out in the center of the floor. Tiny fairy lights hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow across the room. A wicker basket sat open, revealing an assortment of cheeses, fruits, and a bottle of wine. Orlando stood at the far end of the room, his body silhouetted against the golden light.

“I thought we could talk,”

Orlando said, his voice low and steady.

“Without the...tension.”

Liam blinked, momentarily speechless. He’d been expecting the usual awkward silence, the careful distance they both kept between each other. This was something else entirely. Orlando had done all of this for Liam?

“You didn’t have to do this,”

Liam finally managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. He hadn’t realized that Orlando had been paying attention to his complaints, but he should have. Orlando had told him more than once that finding his mate was important to him, no matter the circumstances. Of course he’d listened to Liam.

Orlando shrugged, a small, almost shy smile playing on his lips.

“I wanted to. You’ve been through a lot. I thought that maybe this would help.”

Liam stepped further into the room. This was the kind of gesture that made his chest tighten. He’d known how much he’d missed the softness and the care behind something like this. This was what he’d missed about being in a relationship, but he’d been so focused on Orlando’s past and on the darkness that seemed to cling to him that he’d forgotten to see the man beneath it all.

Orlando was Liam’s mate. Liam might be human, but he could still feel the bond drawing them together. It didn’t care about Orlando’s past, and maybe Liam shouldn’t, either.

“It’s beautiful,”

Liam murmured.

“Thank you.”

Orlando’s smile widened, a flicker of relief crossing his features.

“Good. I was worried it might be too much.”

Liam shook his head.

“It’s not too much. It’s perfect.”

It was. It was also unexpected, which made it even better.

Liam stepped closer, his eyes locked on Orlando. There was something in the air now, a spark that had been building since the moment Orlando had saved him from Cynthia. Liam had been trying to ignore it and push it down, but now, it felt impossible to resist. He reached out, his fingers brushing against Orlando’s arm.

Orlando hesitated, his eyes searching Liam’s face. “Liam...”

Liam didn’t give him a chance to finish. He leaned in, his lips meeting Orlando’s in a soft, tentative kiss. It was brief, almost chaste, but it sent a jolt of electricity through him. He pulled back, his heart pounding in his chest. He already wanted more.

“I’m sorry,”

Liam murmured, his cheeks flushing.

“I just needed to do that.”

It had been easier than telling Orlando how he felt because he wasn’t sure. His thoughts and feelings were still all over the place, and he wondered if he’d be able to make sense of them before this mess was over.

Orlando’s gaze darkened. He reached up, his fingers brushing against Liam’s jaw.

“Don’t apologize,”

he said.

“Not for that.”

Before Liam could respond, Orlando closed the distance between them, his lips crashing against Liam’s with a hunger that took his breath away. Liam gasped, his hands instinctively grabbing onto Orlando’s shoulders for support. The kiss was deep and consuming, and Liam could feel the tension between them igniting into something hotter, something primal.

He hadn’t expected it. Orlando had been careful since Liam had moved in with him. He’d given Liam space, which Liam had sorely needed, but he was starting to realize that he needed Orlando just as much.

Orlando’s hands slid down Liam’s back, pulling him closer until their bodies were pressed together. Liam could feel Orlando’s chest against his own, the heat of his skin seeping through the thin fabric of his shirt. His heart was racing, his mind spinning with a mix of fear and desire. This was it, wasn’t it? It was the moment they finally took the next and final step.

“Liam,”

Orlando murmured against his lips, his voice low and urgent.

“I need you to understand something. You’re my mate. I’ve known it since the moment I saved you. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I know you don’t like my past and what I did, but if I have to use what I learned while I trained to be a council assassin to save you, I will.”

Liam shivered, his fingers tightening their grip on Orlando’s shoulders.

“I don’t know if I can accept that,”

he admitted, his voice trembling.

“It’s hard for me to think of you that way.”

Orlando nodded.

“I know. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that I’m more than that. But right now...”

He paused, his gaze flickering down to Liam’s neck.

“I need to claim you. To bond with you. I need to know that you’re safe even when I’m not with you. I don’t think that Cynthia will find you here, but I have no doubt that she’s looking for you, and while I hope I’ll be able to stop her before she hurts you, I can’t be sure of it. I need the bond as reassurance. I won’t force you into it, though. Saying no is fine. I just thought I’d explain.”

Liam’s breath hitched, his mind racing. He knew about shifter bonds and the intensity of the connection that came with them. It was permanent and unbreakable—except by death. And yet, looking into Orlando’s eyes, he couldn’t find the words to say no. It didn’t matter that he had his doubts about whether or not he’d be able to deal with Orlando’s past. Hopefully, once all of this was over, he’d never have to think about it again. Besides, Orlando hadn’t become an assassin. He didn’t have it in him.

“I trust you,”

he whispered. He was surprised to realize that it was the truth. He did trust Orlando, no matter how he felt about his mate’s past.

Orlando’s lips curved into a small smile. He leaned in, his lips brushing against Liam’s ear. “Good.”

In one swift motion, Orlando’s hands slid down to Liam’s hips, lifting him effortlessly and carrying him over to the blanket. Liam yelped, not having expected that. Orlando was a shifter, so he was stronger and sturdier than a human, but still. Liam was bigger than him. He’d never been carried like that by any of his exes.

Orlando stretched Liam out on the blanket and loomed over him, still looking unsure.

“This is going to hurt a bit,”

he warned.

“But it’ll be worth it. I promise. I’ll be able to feel you, and you’ll be able to feel me. It can be a lot, but we’re meant to be together like that.”

Of course they were. They were mates.

Before Liam could respond, Orlando’s lips were on his neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. Liam’s eyes fluttered closed, a soft moan escaping his lips. It had been so long since he’d been with someone this way.

With a sharp, sudden pressure, Orlando’s teeth sank into Liam’s flesh, drawing a cry of pain out of him. Liam jerked, but the pain was quickly replaced by a wave of warmth that spread through his body. He could feel the bond between him and Orlando strengthen almost instantly in a way that was both terrifying and exhilarating.

He was linking himself to Orlando for the rest of his life. Once this was done, there would be no backing out of it, not without hurting Orlando in a way Liam never wanted to do.

Orlando pulled back, but the bond didn’t feel complete yet. Liam still couldn’t feel Orlando in his mind, so he tried to pull him closer and get him to take more blood, but Orlando shook his head. He shifted one finger, a sharp claw extending from the tip, and dragged it across his own neck. Blood welled up.

“Drink,”

he told Liam.

“Seal the bond.”

Liam hesitated for only a moment before parting his lips and pressing his mouth to the wound. He licked the blood beading there, and while the thought of what it was strange, it was also intoxicating, especially after he felt the bond solidifying and fully closing.

That was it. They were bonded now, and whatever happened to either of them, the other would feel. It was kind of terrifying, but it also gave Liam peace. To know he’d never be alone again. His yearning for love was over.

Orlando’s hands slid down Liam’s body. “Now,”

he murmured.

“Let me show you what it means to be mine.”

It should have sounded corny, but instead, it made Liam shiver. Orlando’s arms tightened around him, pulling him closer. Liam’s breath hitched as Orlando’s hand slid into his hair, fingers tangling and gently pulling.

“We’ll face whatever comes next together,”

Orlando whispered.

Liam nodded, his lips curving into a small smile.

“Together,”

he murmured back. Orlando would fix this. He’d stop the council and Cynthia, and everything would be okay.

Orlando’s hand moved from Liam’s hair to cup his face, his thumb brushing over Liam’s cheekbone. The touch was tender in a way Liam hadn’t expected, even though they’d bonded. He leaned into it, his eyes fluttering closed as he let himself bask in the moment. The tension that had been brewing between them for weeks seemed to melt away, replaced by something softer and infinitely more intimate.

“Liam,”

Orlando said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Do you feel it? The bond?”

Liam opened his eyes, meeting Orlando’s gaze.

“I feel it,”

he admitted, his voice trembling slightly.

“It’s...overwhelming.”

He could feel that Orlando wanted him. There was lust there, but not only that. There was also fondness and affection that could easily turn into more—that would eventually turn into love.

“It’ll get easier.”

His hand trailed down Liam’s neck, stopping at the fresh bite mark that still pulsed with warmth.

Liam’s breath caught as Orlando’s fingers pressed lightly against the mark, sending a jolt of pleasure through him. His body reacted instinctively, arching into the touch, and he could feel the heat pooling low in his stomach. “Orlando,”

he breathed.

“Tell me what you want,”

Orlando murmured, his lips brushing against Liam’s ear.

“I don’t want to do something you’re not ready for.”

Liam’s mind was a mess. He wasn’t sure he could articulate what he wanted, but he could try. “You,”

he whispered.

“I want you.”

He might still be wary of Orlando’s past, but right now, it didn’t matter.

Orlando gripped Liam’s waist, pulling him closer even though they were already pressed together. Liam moaned into the kiss Orlando placed on his lips, his hands clutching at Orlando’s shoulders for support.

Liam felt breathless. Orlando’s tongue swept into his mouth, claiming him in an entirely different way.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were panting. Orlando’s eyes were dark, and his gaze was fixed on Liam like he was the only thing that mattered.

“Let me take care of you,” he said.

Liam nodded. His heart pounded in his chest. He trusted Orlando.

Orlando’s hands moved to the hem of Liam’s shirt, pulling it over his head in one swift motion. Liam shivered as the cool air hit his skin, but the sensation was quickly replaced by the warmth of Orlando’s hands as they roamed over his chest, teasing his nipples until they hardened under his touch. Liam’s breath hitched. Orlando could feel when Liam liked something, and he was clearly ready to take advantage of that.

“So beautiful,”

Orlando murmured, his gaze raking over Liam’s body.

“And mine.”

Liam’s cheeks flushed at the words, but he didn’t protest. Orlando’s hands moved to Liam’s waistband, undoing the button and zipper with practiced ease.

Liam’s breath caught as Orlando pulled his jeans and underwear down, leaving him completely exposed. Orlando’s gaze darkened as he watched Liam. He moved his hands to Liam’s hips, gently squeezing. Liam’s body reacted instinctively, his cock twitching under Orlando’s scrutiny.

“Orlando,”

Liam breathed. “Please.”

Orlando had to know what he was doing to him.

Orlando’s lips curved into a smile, and he leaned forward, his breath hot against Liam’s skin. His tongue darted out to lick a slow, teasing stripe along Liam’s length. Liam’s hips jerked involuntarily, a moan escaping him. He pressed his lips together even though there was no one else in the apartment.

Orlando’s hands tightened on Liam’s pelvis, holding him in place as he took Liam into his mouth. Liam’s head fell back, his eyes squeezing shut as he lost himself in the pleasure. Orlando’s tongue swirled around him, his lips moving with a skill that left Liam gasping for air.

“Oh god,”

Liam moaned, his hands tangling in Orlando’s hair.

“Orlando, I—I can’t—”

Orlando pulled back to place a kiss on Liam’s thigh. Before Liam could say anything else, Orlando’s hands were on him again. Liam’s legs instinctively spread wider, giving Orlando the access he needed. Orlando’s fingers trailed down Liam’s inner thighs, teasing him.

“Orlando,”

Liam whined. “Please.”

He was never so talkative in bed, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but he was beyond rational thought.

Orlando’s fingers moved to Liam’s entrance, coating them with the lube he’d apparently hidden in the picnic basket. Liam almost said something about him feeling sure of himself, but he didn’t get the opportunity because Orlando pressed a finger inside of him. Liam’s back arched off the floor, a strangled cry escaping his lips.

Orlando worked him open with a patience that drove Liam mad because he could feel how much Orlando wanted him. Orlando’s fingers moved in and out of him with a slow, deliberate rhythm. Liam’s breath came in short, ragged gasps, and his hands clutched at the blanket beneath him.

Orlando obliged, adding a second finger and stretching Liam further. The burn was sharp, but it was quickly replaced by a deep, aching pleasure that made Liam’s head spin. Orlando’s fingers curled inside him, brushing against something that made Liam’s entire body jolt.

Liam’s moans grew louder, his body trembling as Orlando continued to stretch him. He could feel the pressure building inside him, a coil of heat that threatened to snap at any moment. “Orlando,”

he gasped, his voice breaking.

“I’m close. Please.”

Orlando pulled his fingers out, and Liam’s cry of frustration was cut off when Orlando’s lips crashed into his. The kiss was desperate, and it left Liam breathless, especially because he could feel how desperately Orlando wanted him.

Orlando moved to undress, and Liam quickly turned over to his hands and knees. It had been a long time since he’d last done this—his exes always assumed he wanted to fuck them because he was so big—and he wanted to make things easier on himself and Orlando.

His heart pounded in his chest. He could hear Orlando moving behind him, the sound of fabric rustling, and the bed shifting.

Then, Orlando’s hands were on his hips, holding him steady. Liam’s breath hitched as he felt the head of Orlando’s cock pressing against him. “Breathe,”

Orlando instructed, his voice steady despite the tension Liam could feel through their bond.

Liam obeyed, sucking in a deep breath as Orlando pressed inside. The stretch was intense, and Liam dug his nails into the blanket as he tried to adjust. Orlando’s hands tightened on his hips.

“Relax. Let me in.”

Liam exhaled slowly, forcing his body to relax. Orlando pushed forward, inch by inch, until he was fully seated inside him. The sensation was overwhelming, a mix of pain and pleasure that left Liam gasping for air. “Oh god,”

he moaned.

Orlando leaned forward, his chest pressing against Liam’s back. His lips brushed against Liam’s ear.

“You feel incredible,”

he whispered.

“So tight. So perfect.”

Liam’s body trembled at the words and at the emotions passing through their bond. Orlando’s hips began to move, slowly at first, pulling out almost completely before thrusting back in. The pace was deliberate, each movement drawing a gasp or moan from Liam’s lips.

“Orlando,”

Liam whimpered. “Please.”

Orlando’s grip on his hips tightened, his thrusts growing harder, faster. The sound of their bodies slapping together filled the room, mingling with their ragged breaths and breathless moans. Liam’s head dropped forward, his hands clutching at the blanket as pleasure consumed him.

Orlando’s cock brushed against that spot inside him again, and Liam’s entire body jolted. “Oh god,”

he cried, his voice hoarse.

“Right there, please, don’t stop—”

Orlando’s movements became more erratic, his thrusts losing their rhythm. “Liam,”

he growled.

“I’m close.”

“Me, too,”

Liam gasped, his body trembling on the edge.

Liam’s orgasm hit him like a tidal wave, his body convulsing as pleasure ripped through him. His cock pulsed, spilling his release onto the blanket beneath him. Orlando’s thrusts stuttered, a low groan escaping his lips as he filled Liam with his release.

For a moment, they stayed like that with their bodies pressed together as they caught their breath. Then, Orlando pulled out, his hands gentle as he guided Liam onto his back, avoiding the wet spot. Liam’s body felt boneless, his mind a haze of pleasure and exhaustion. Thankfully, they hadn’t done this on the bed, which meant they wouldn’t have to change the sheets.

Orlando’s lips brushed against Liam’s forehead in a soft kiss.

“You’re mine,”

he murmured. He rubbed a fingertip over the bite mark on Liam’s neck. “Forever.”

Liam’s heart swelled at the words, a sense of peace settling over him. He reached up, his hand resting over Orlando’s.

“And you’re mine,”

he whispered back, his voice barely audible. “Forever.”

Hopefully, that forever would last longer than the time it would take for Cynthia to find Liam.