Page 35 of Revenant (Spirit Realm #2)

RUE

W hen Ellis doesn’t move, doesn’t answer, mortification heats my cheeks. I hastily cover my breasts and bend to grab my shirt, wondering how I could’ve read the situation so wrong. I duck my head at the rejection, wishing I had the ability to disappear.

“Stop,” Ellis orders, and I freeze at his harsh tone. “I didn’t give you permission to cover up.”

I automatically flinch at the reprimand. I open my mouth to stutter out an excuse when my brain finally processes the rest of his words, and my head snaps up in confusion.

Before my anger has a chance to kindle, I’m captured by the change to my gentle computer nerd. The soft-spoken romantic is gone, replaced with a harsh man who expects his orders to be obeyed. He takes off his glasses, then meticulously folds them before setting them on the counter, never once looking away from me.

He crosses his arms, his short sleeves accentuating the muscles along his forearms, the shirt clinging to him in a way that turns my mouth dry. Though Ellis might be the slimmest of the guys, he isn’t weak. The way he fought one of the guards when we were escaping was sexy as fuck.

He didn’t hesitate, didn’t think twice as he faced off against a bigger opponent. He moved fast, landing four blows before the guard could even draw back his arm, effortlessly knocking him out cold without breaking a sweat.

“Eyes on me.” My gaze snaps to his face, and a hum of pleasure rumbles from his chest. His attention wanders lower, his gaze lazy, and I revel in the lust that flares in his eyes as he takes in my nakedness. Tension coils through his body, then his eyes narrow and a furrow appears between his brows. “I won’t ask again. Arms down at your side. I want to see your beautiful breasts.”

Heat blooms between my legs at his husky command. I hesitate for only a moment, shy to be standing before him naked while he remains fully dressed. Though he issues me orders, I know I have the option to walk away.

He would never force me to do anything I didn’t want.

And I realize, I do want him.

Jittery nerves fill me, and I lower my arms, gaining confidence when his breath hitches as my bare breasts come into view. While he might be in charge, I realize I have some control as well.

Any unease vanishes in an instant, and I pull my shoulders back, standing up straighter. He hums in approval, reaching up to rub his thumb back and forth over his bottom lip, and I shiver at the hunger burning in his brown eyes.

As he steps forward, my nipples tighten in anticipation. When he begins to circle me, I twist to keep him in view, but he barks out another command. “Stand still. Eyes forward.”

I snap to face the door, my skin tingling at having him stand behind me. Gooseflesh chases across my shoulders and down my arms, while my breasts feel heavy, aching for his touch. When his breath ghosts along the back of my neck, I barely stifle the urge to shift and rub my thighs together, desperate for any type of friction.

I’m nearly panting, and he hasn’t even touched me yet.

Fuck!

I’m beginning to appreciate the advantages of him being in charge. There is something about letting go of inhibitions, not having to think or worry about anything, that hikes up the anticipation.

The sound of rushing water startles me, and I nearly turn to see what he’s doing. It’s only years of obeying orders that keep me in place. It’s not long before the calming scent of lavender fills the room.

“Strip,” Ellis orders, his brisk tone almost bored.

I shiver as steam billows into the room, and I nibble on my bottom lip, a frisson of unease keeping me still. Then Ellis is at my side, cupping my jaw and forcing me to look at him. “Don’t make me to ask you twice. You won’t like the consequences.”

My eyes blink at the husky threat, and I hesitate for a different reason, suddenly struggling with the impulse to be bad.

Very. Very. Bad.

Deciding not to push him…yet, I reach for my pants and strip them off.

“Slower,” he barks, his eyes dropping to my dangling breasts, then lower when my legs emerge. He stands off to the side, his legs spread, his stance rigid, and I don’t miss the huge outline of his cock behind his jeans.

Distracted, I bend over to remove my jeans, and my mouth waters as I imagine tasting the length of him. If my pants weren’t tangled around my ankles, I would be on my knees before him.

A smack on my ass catches me by surprise, and I yelp at the sharp sting. I jolt upright, but before I can react, his hand rubs the ache. To my surprise, the burn turns into heat at his touch. I’m not even aware that I’m squirming against his hand, seeking more…and whimpering when he removes his touch.

“I thought I told you to strip,” he snarls, annoyance heavy in his tone. “If you don’t want to play, then we will stop.”

I don’t think I’ve ever stripped so fast in my life. I’m panting as I straighten, trembling as I wait for his next command. The water shuts off, and silence fills the room. It’s all I can do not to turn and see what he’s doing.

I’m listening so hard that when he speaks, I jump.

“Come here.”

Anticipation sings in my veins as I slowly turn to face him…and huff in disappointment when I find him fully submerged. His arms are stretched along the rim of the tub, the man lazily resting back in the water, very much the lord of the manor. His chest is bare, moisture beading against his skin, and I find myself licking my lips.

When he quirks a single brow in warning, I hurry to his side. He scans my body as I approach, starting at my toes and taking his time before wandering higher. When he finally meets my eyes, he nods in approval.

“Step into the tub, turn your back to me, then sit.” He watches me like a lion watching a gazelle—seconds away from pouncing.

I do as he instructs, pouting a little when his hands don’t move from the rim of the tub. Then I notice his white knuckles, and my confidence surges. When my ass is just inches from his face, I blush furiously and hurriedly lower myself into the tub with a slight splash, hissing in a sharp breath at the almost too hot water.

Once I’m submerged, I groan as the heat soaks into my sore muscles. I’m not aware of my eyes closing or relaxing back against him until his cock is nestled against my spine. I gasp when I feel the whole length of him pressed against me so intimately, and my eyes snap open wide. The signals in my brain get mixed up, torn between scrambling away or reaching back to touch him.

Instead of doing either, I freeze.

Ellis slips his hand over my shoulder and captures my throat. “Going somewhere?”

Though amusement tinges the question, a threat lingers in the way his fingers tighten. I shake my head, and I’m rewarded when his thumb distractedly brushes up and down the side of my neck, directly over where my pulse is pounding.

“I need your words,” he murmurs, water sloshing as he sits up and presses himself against my back.

“Ye-yes,” I stutter, but that must not have been the right answer.

He sighs, radiating displeasure, and his grip tightens. “Yes, sir.”

“Yes, sir,” I mimic, trembling in anticipation.

“Hmmmm…you need some training.” He seems to be talking to himself, but I answer him anyway, loving the fantasy and not wanting it to stop.

“Yes, sir.”

He stills, and my breath stalls in my chest, every inch of me coiled in anticipation.

His cock jumps where it’s pressed against my spine, and I swear he groans. “Naughty vixen. You must be punished for trying to tempt me. I want you to stay completely still while I take care of you.”

For the next twenty minutes, he washes and conditions my hair twice, ordering me to tip my head back when it’s time to rinse, but otherwise, he remains quiet. He takes his time, like he enjoys taking care of me, and I bask under his attention.

Only when I no longer reek of smoke does he grab a cloth, pour a dollop of soap on it, then proceed to clean my body. The slow glide of the cloth along my skin is torture, and I struggle not to squirm. His touch is perfunctory when he drags the cloth between my legs, and I curse under my breath when he manages to avoid my clit.

He keeps returning to my breasts, his touch firm, kneading the flesh and plucking at my nipples. I hold back a moan at the lavished attention, my body arching in a silent demand for more. Though anytime I lean into his caress, he keeps his touch light as a feather, his fingertips barely grazing my skin until I finally huff in frustration.

“Are you displeased?” Ellis leans forward, nipping at my ear hard enough to sting, and I shiver when the tiny wound tingles in pleasure.

“Touch me.” It’s both a demand and a plea. I’m so needy that I’m trembling, and I’m not sure how much more I can take. It’s only when he stills behind me that I realize my mistake, and my chest tightens in dread that he might stop. “Sir?—”

“Remember that you brought this on yourself,” he snarls, then his hand dips between my thighs, and he brutally thrusts two fingers into me. I gasp at the invasion, but I’m so wet that he glides in with ease.

The pressure is almost too much but not enough at the same time. He works me over with slow, shallow thrusts, and it’s not long before an orgasm hovers just out of reach. Unfortunately, he never picks up speed or varies his thrusts, and it’s not long before a whimper tears from me.

“Since you’re being such a good girl, bend your knees and spread your legs wider.” The words are barely out of his mouth before I obey, my legs parting eagerly. Not satisfied, he tugs my legs over his thighs, then shifts in a way that draws me open so wide that the stretch is just short of painful.

I blush furiously at being so exposed, the water lapping at my clit, the alternating hot and cold sensations pulling a whimper from my oversensitive flesh. Ellis hums in approval at the display and rewards me by shoving another finger into my pussy. He quickens his pace, and I melt against him as bliss bleeds through my veins.

Water rocks dangerously in the tub, my body swaying with the waves, each undulation forcing him deeper. Barely another minute passes before it’s not enough again, the ache deeper and harsher. To keep from begging, I bite my lip until I taste blood.

Without warning, his hand vanishes. Before I can cry out, he grabs my hips and lifts me from the water. A startled gasp escapes me, but I don’t even have time to reach for the edges of the tub to steady myself before I feel the tip of his erection at my entrance.

I freeze, afraid to even twitch the wrong way for fear of being punished again. I tremble in anticipation, not daring to breathe as I wait for his next order.

“Do you want my cock, little vixen?” Ellis asks, his voice husky in my ear, showing no sign of strain under my added weight.

“Yes,” I answer with a moan, then stiffen in alarm and nearly trip over my own tongue to answer appropriately. “Yes, sir.”

I don’t have time to panic before his hold loosens and he drops me down onto his cock. I pout a little at the fact that I didn’t have a chance to admire him in all his glory first, but all thoughts vanish as he fills me so fully, I don’t even have air to breathe.

The stretch is almost too much. He allows me a moment to adjust before he shifts his hips in a way that has his cock flexing deliciously inside me, and the burn turns to pleasure. “Relax and enjoy. Let me do all the work.”

“Yes, s-sir,” I stutter, a breathy moan escaping me at his husky promise, but it must have been the right response because he lifts me until just the tip of his cock remains inside me. I might have whimpered at the loss of him, but the sound is swallowed by a gasp when he thrusts up from beneath me.

The angle of penetration hits something inside me that has me seeing stars, and I don’t have a chance to recover as he sets a relentless pace. I can’t move, can’t escape, as I’m forced to take every brutal thrust. Water laps over the sides of the tub, but I’m beyond caring about the mess.

My orgasm takes me by surprise, stealing my breath from my lungs, and I can’t even scream. Bliss tingles through my body as wave after wave of pleasure sends my heart thundering. Not once does Ellis let up on his pace. When the orgasm begins to fade, he angles his hips in a way that sends him even deeper and forces my orgasm higher.

I’m left a panting mess as I come down, my sore muscles shot. If it wasn’t for his cock still inside me or the grip on my hips, I would’ve slid under the water and probably drowned. When I finally have the strength to open my eyes, I peer up at Ellis…and freeze, tension creeping up my spine when I find his narrowed eyes watching me dispassionately. “We’re not done. I want another orgasm from you before I allow you to go.”

I don’t have a chance to say anything before he thrusts inside me with long, sure strokes that I swear I feel to my soul. I whimper as he slowly withdraws, then pounds back inside me, my whole body jolting from the force. My oversensitive flesh protests, but damned if my core doesn’t clench around him greedily.

He lowers one of my legs into the water, my poor muscles a quivering mess, but fuck if my pussy doesn’t clench in protest at being denied the orgasm he promised. But instead of releasing me, he shifts my other leg until my knee is hooked over the curved rim of the tub. The change sends him deeper, and his thrusts turn shallow. He keeps me at the edge of an orgasm but never lets me fall over until I’m practically sobbing. “Ellis!”

Just as I’m reaching down, ready to touch my clit, he beats me to it. He thrums the sensitive flesh once, twice, then pinches it hard. It’s so unexpected that I stiffen…and an orgasm takes me by surprise. He curses behind me, his pace stuttering, and I feel his cock pulse inside my pussy as he finally takes his own release.

I swear I only blink, but when I open my eyes, I find myself cradled in his arms, my head on his shoulder. I must have blacked out for a second. When I look up, ready to apologize, my eyes catch the naked image of us in the mirror.

I sweep my gaze over us…and freeze when I find him watching me intently. A furious blush heats my cheeks, and I realize he was watching me the whole time, the mirror just low enough that he can see everything .

“You were stunning, little vixen,” Ellis says huskily, his smirk more than a little wolfish.

It’s hard to stay embarrassed when pleasure still hums through my body. A bit smug at putting that look in his eyes, I sigh contentedly and rest my head against his shoulder. His fingers trail up and down my spine, and I’m nearly asleep in his lap when he leans down and kisses the top of my head.

“The water is getting a bit chilly,” he murmurs, his grip tightening around me. “Let’s tuck you in bed.”

“Hmmmm…” I mumble in agreement, but I can’t seem to stir, content to remain snuggled against him for a little longer. A chuckle rumbles in his chest, and his grip tightens. It’s the only warning I receive before he stands with me in his arms, sending water sluicing off us in every direction. I shiver at the abrupt temperature change. A second later, static crackles in the room, and the heater overhead kicks on full blast.

“What a handy trick.” I sigh in appreciation, slipping my arms around his neck.

With sure steps, he exits the tub, then lowers me until I’m standing in front of the mirror. Ignoring his own dripping body, he grabs a towel from the heated rack and meticulously dries off every inch of me. He orders me about with gentle commands, and I don’t even blink as I lift my arms or tilt my head back so he can dry my hair, or even spread my legs so he can check to make sure he wasn’t too rough.

I’m too satisfied and way too tired to even blush. He grabs the robe hanging off the back of the door and threads my arms into the sleeves. I’m practically asleep on my feet when he scoops me up in his arms and snuggles me close.

My eyes are closed before he even opens the door. He slips me under the covers and settles me in the middle of the giant bed. Once I’m wrapped in his arms, I wiggle even closer. By the time I’m done, my leg is thrown over his hip and my head is nestled on his chest. Inhaling his scent of warm candles and old books deep into my lungs, I sigh contentedly. “I love you.”

His arms tighten around me almost convulsively, and I’m not even sure that he’s breathing. When I tilt my head back to look up at him, I swallow hard at the mixture of raw hope, stark fear, and pure adoration in his eyes.

My movement must have snapped him out of his paralysis, and he kisses the top of my head reverently. “I love you too, little vixen.”

It’s not long before the others shuffle into the room, freshly showered as they join us. I thought there would be some awkwardness or fighting at the idea of sharing a bed, but no one objects. Only when they are all wrapped around me and safe do I fully relax and allow sleep to take me. It’s sometime later when I wake to someone dragging their fingers up and down my thigh.

I sign in contentment, huddling closer to my warm pillow…only the hard surface doesn’t have any give. I crack one eye open, then the other when I find a pair of green eyes watching me closely.

Hicks.

Out of all of them, of course I would snuggle into him while sleeping. While our relationship is on the mend, cuddling against him while he sleeps feels like an invasion of his privacy. I try to pull away discreetly, and a little sigh of disappointment escapes at leaving that delicious warmth. I don’t even manage to move an inch before his arms tighten around me, and I’m locked snug against his side.

I glance up at him in question, only to find him staring at me with an unreadable expression. It’s only when his palm shifts along my spine that I realize the robe I wore to bed has slipped and I’m basically naked.

Heat fills my cheeks, and I’m careful not to move. I’m not ashamed of my body, I don’t actually care if they see me naked…individually. It’s something different to be the only one naked in a room full of men. I’m almost grateful that Hicks stopped me from revealing everything. “Ummm?—”

I don’t have a chance to think of an excuse before Hicks interrupts.

“Where did you get these?” He traces his fingers along my shoulders and down my spine, and I shiver at the trail of warmth left behind from his touch.

Then I realize what he’s asking.

The scars.

I swallow hard, unaware that I turned away to avoid his too perceptive gaze until I spy the rest of the men in bed. Watching. Ellis is still behind me, looking sexy and adorable, all rumbled by sleep. Jaceson is on his other side, pillows stacked behind him as he rests against the headboard, watching me with unblinking, pale blue eyes. Jameson is next to him, nearly taking up a quarter of the bed, where he’s splayed like a starfish across the mattress.

Upside down, of course.

Jameson is comfortable in his body and expressing his feelings, no matter the situation.

He appears so content that a smile curls the corner of my lips. I’d swear that he’s asleep, but it’s his hand on my thigh, his fingers still tracing lightly against my skin. When I shiver under his touch, I swear he fucking smirks.

Gunner is behind Hicks, his big body taking up almost as much space as Jameson. He holds himself a little apart from the others, and my heart pings at the distance. It’s only when I notice his measured breathing, the way he’s clenching and unclenching his fists that I understand he’s struggling for control.

My scars must have triggered him.

“It happened before my body learned how to heal.” I shrug like it’s not a big deal…because it’s not. It happened so long ago that it might as well be another life. “My mother heard me laughing while she had one of her migraines and went into a rage. I think one of the ghosts was playing with me at the time. I must have been four or five. She grabbed a belt and beat me until I was quiet. Maybe she was trying to beat the spirits out of me, but I suspect she just wanted me dead. If the medicine she was taking at the time didn’t kick in right then and she wasn’t so tired from the exertion, I might have been.”

Ominous silence fills the space, each of the guys turning rigid at my confession. I purse my lips and shrug. “Many of the small scars on my body are from her. The beatings didn’t last many years. She died shortly afterward, tormented by her own demons. I find a sort of justice in that.”

Before anyone can say anything—because no matter what they say, they can’t change the past—I switch the subject.

“Is Nan okay?” I ask hesitantly, uncertain I can handle the bad news if anything happened to my grandmother. Whether she knows it or not, she saved my life when she rescued me from my father. It would crush me to learn she suffered because of that decision.

Hicks snorts and rolls his eyes, but I don’t miss the smirk tugging at his lips. “She is still a spitfire. Her house is locked up tighter than Fort Knox and guarded with twenty-four-hour protection. She would come over once or twice a day to ask for updates about you.”

“And brings us cookies,” Jameson murmurs, rubbing his belly when it growls. “Ones she didn’t cook, so they were edible.”

Jaceson chuckles, rubbing his hand along his jaw. “We each probably ate our weight in sugar. She thought we were too skinny and needed to be kept fed if we were going to rescue you. She never once doubted that we would get you back.”

“When a lead wouldn’t pan out, she would come over and read her cards for us,” Ellis admitted, his expression softening. “She gave us hope that you were still alive.”

“She told us about your family and their gifts,” Gunner murmurs in a gruff voice. “So that when you came home, we would be able to help you better.”

Tears sting my eyes at their obvious fondness for the old woman, their love for my grandmother bleeding through their words. My lips tremble, and I purse them as I struggle to contain my gratitude. “How long was I gone?”

Silence thickens the room, the guys glancing at each other, and I’m not surprised when it’s Hicks who speaks. “Nearly four months.”

His gruff voice is solemn, and I gawk at him in shock.

“So long?” I twist, grabbing the edges of my robe and pulling it over my shoulders. “I suspected that it’s been a while, but…” I blow out a breath when my voice shakes, then I clear my throat and glance at each of them with a combination of confusion and awe. “You looked for me the whole time.”

It’s not a question, and I can’t keep the astonishment from my voice.

Not even my parents could be bothered for more than a few seconds.

A tiny purr fills Hicks’ chest, one that I wouldn’t have heard if I wasn’t so close, and I immediately melt against him. I breathe in the spicy cologne he wears and sigh in appreciation at the warm undertone that makes me want to lay hands on him and explore every inch of his body.

“We would’ve searched to the ends of the earth, if that’s what it took to get you back.” I am so distracted by the deliciousness of his scent that I jolt at his gruff tone, and my gaze snaps to his face.

Warmth invades my chest at the silent promise in his eyes, and I know if anything ever happens, he will always come for me.

Before I can voice my next question, my stomach releases a vicious growl. Ellis and Hicks blink, Jaceson chuckles, Gunner’s stomach rumbles back like it’s commiserating, while Jameson rolls and flips off the bottom of the bed. “Breakfast! Pookie needs sustenance.”

The guys are all in motion a moment later, like feeding me is their top priority. I watch in bemusement as they climb out of the bed, none of them seemingly bothered by sleeping next to each other.

My stomach flutters wildly at the thought of them all sleeping next to me, and it’s not from anxiety. I suspect it will be a while before I’m comfortable enough to let them out of my sight.

They murmur and talk to each other as they head out of the room, each wearing a serious expression, as if procuring my breakfast is their next mission. Contentment warming my chest, I sigh and try to work up the energy to crawl from the huge ass fucking bed.

Gunner is the last to leave and pauses on the threshold. He’s wearing only shorts, leaving the stunning view of his muscles on display for my ogling pleasure, and damn if my libido doesn’t wake up with a vengeance, my greedy pussy already wet.

For the first time, I see the image of the tattoo I designed stretched across his back. The black ink is stunning, the details of the sword so intricate that I swear I could lift it off his back. When his muscles shift, the feathers arching out from the sword look like they are shifting, and I can almost feel a breeze swirling around the room.

He glances at me, completely oblivious to my gawking, then gazes after the guys before he plants his feet by the door. “You can get dressed. I’ll stand guard while you get ready.”

When he avoids my gaze, I frown in concern and my lust dulls. It takes nearly a full minute to kick my way free of the sheets and blankets. I swear, each of the guys must have grabbed something to cover me with during the middle of the night. I finally end up standing and stalking toward the end of the bed.

Concern widens Gunner’s eyes, like I might fall down and hurt myself—on a fucking bed—and he quickly scurries forward to catch me.

When his hands come to rest on my hips, I drape my arms over his shoulders, inhaling the scent of grease, body wash, and man to calm my sudden nerves. Just as he lifts me, I peer up at him and ask the question that has been bothering me. “What’s wrong?” When he freezes, I swallow hard and confess my worst fear. “Are you upset with me? I would understand. If you hadn’t rescued me, you would still be human.”