Page 17 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire (Order #4)

Chapter sixteen

Forest

I n New Haven, Untouchable's vile need to exploit the Unfortunates sexually was subject to only a few Unfortunate street workers, whoring their bodies away on the side of the street, allowing the Untouchables to use and berate them in any way they please.

Here, in the Precipice, the need for sexual release in the Unfortunate sector has been confined to brothel houses like this one, giving women a semi-safe place to alleviate the sexual needs of anyone who walks through the door.

Lucky for me, Marked linger in the establishment, giving me both a direct path to the rich blood, and a way to isolate myself from the grand display of power Elyon has loved to force onto me.

As much energy as it takes to force fear into the minds of those around me, my body struggles to keep up, forcing me to have to feed in the moments Elyon has allowed me to be out of eyesight. Showing him weakness is fatal, leaving little options other than promising to look into the more illegal operations in the Precipice.

Completely out of place, the distant sounds of sexual pleasure fill the air, a young woman, low in Marked blood, creeping her way closer to me, her eyes hazed, her body no doubt filled with some sort of endorphin to keep her in this dump.

"Not often we get women in here-"

"Stay silent, how many abilities do you carry?" I question, cocking my head at the young girl, her rosy cheeks and thin body something most men would pay large dollar for.

"One," she whispers.

"Any family?"

"No-"

"Take me to a room," I push, not allowing myself to explore the ins and outs of the woman's life any further.

Nodding, she reaches for my hand, throwing on her best look of seduction, as if I actually want any of this.

"I haven't dealt with many women, but I can do my best to give you a good time," she purrs, my stomach rolling at the idea of anyone other than Xavier touching me.

"Stop talking," I hiss, the last thing I need to hear is her voice.

Sensing another presence enter the establishment, I take the woman's hand, allowing her to guide me toward the back, the establishment clean despite the work that happens here.

"I have a fresh room for you," she exclaims, my only response a small nod.

Moving past higher-ranking Untouchables, all smiling ear to ear, they look me up and down, my only response a cold stare once I have seen their very worn girls step out of the rooms, some even bleeding.

Vile.

Vile wicked people.

Reflecting on what I am about to do, I quickly stop my moral high ground.

I am no better I suppose.

Unlocking the door with a keypad, she punches in four numbers, guiding me into the room, her first instinct to begin undressing. Tugging at the clasps of her bra, she turns toward me, ready to lay on a script she has no doubt repeated a dozen times.

"Shall I undress you, or-"

Slamming my hand over her mouth, I shove her into the wall closest to the front door, stifling her scream, my foot ready to kick the door closed and devour on this woman until my energy has come back to me.

Watching a hand clamp down on the door's edge, we both are startled once a man peeks inside, his eyes widening at my aggressive force, my anger only escalating.

"Who the fuck are you?" I question, keeping the women pinned to the wall, her body flailing, her fight barely doing anything.

"Let her go before I yell," he says, his tone mutilated, holding to definitive noise.

"Why would I do that?" I question, narrowing my eyes at the asshole.

"Do it, or I put a bullet in Kaiden's skull," he hisses, all of my defensive natures crashing down the moment my brother's name is mentioned.

Peering the woman in the eyes, I coax her thoughts away from the interaction, urging her to allow me to stay in the room unbothered, keeping everyone away from the closed door. Suddenly much less scared, I drop my hand away from her mouth, watching her fix her top, her only focus on leaving the space for me and this asshole.

"I'll leave you both to it," she urges, the man helping himself into the space, Marked blood rolling through his veins.

At least I will find pleasure in killing this asshole.

Shutting the door behind him, I take a step back, ready to rip this man's face clean off.

"Like taking advantage of drugged up Marked?" he questions, reaching toward me, my hand grasping his wrist with little remorse.

"I don't like being touched," I hiss.

"Yes," he whispers, his face shifting, the face of Deception wearing away, my words caught in my throat. "You do, and you aren't stopping it this time."

Unable to think clearly, Xavier's figure stands before me, his Deception fading away, his voice clear as can be. Grabbing me before I can protest, the man moves me toward the clean bed positioned in the center of the room, pushing me down, my first reaction to try and get away, the last thing I need is him opening my cloak.

Frantically looking around the space, I catch eye of the lamp lighting the space, letting my Hold shatter the lightbulb, darkness blanketing us both. Feeling a moment of pause between us, he hovers over me, our breaths mixing, nothing but touch our guide for one another's presence.

"Xavier-"

"Tell me you don't love me," he snaps, his nose touching my own. "Tell me-"

I can't do this.

I can't avoid his touch.

"All I know is your love," I cry, the emotion in my voice something I have not allowed myself to for months. "Kiss me-"

Slamming his mouth into mine, the feeling of his lips is electric, the pain inside my mind fading away. Clawing at his shirt, we fumble through the dark, his warm, scarred skin touching my hands, his lips not once breaking from mine. Grabbing me gently, he pulls me upward, impatiently tearing off the cloak, giving me no time to debate whether or not my shirt remains on. Ripping the back of the shirt, its noise tears through the air, his hand fumbling to toss away the material, his hands working toward my pants next, his hand pushing me back down on the mattress.

Continuing to kiss me, our voices become a mix of moans, his hands too focused on my pants to graze my stomach.

Nipping at my bottom lip, I take a deep breath once he has pulled away, feeling his body lean into mine, his lips working slowly down my neck, putting pressure on each spot that gets a rise out of me. Feeling the warmth grown between my legs, I help him take my pants off, feeling his breath brush my neck, his hand diving straight beneath my underwear waistband, a small scoff of pleasure rolling down his throat at my body's reaction to his touch.

"You miss me, Flower?" he questions, dipping a finger within me, my body betraying me once again as I arch into him, my stomach barely crazing his torso, his hand pausing before continuing on with the motion.

Starting a slow drag in and out of me, his lips position themselves next to my ear, kissing my neck in sweet touches, the sound of my dripping warmth growing louder the harder he begins to work in and out of me. Unable to hide my gasps, I grab the man's hair, holding his head close to me, his fingers curling a little more each time he drives into me.

"Fuck, Xavier," I hiss, his name like a sweet song coming from my mouth.

"Keep saying my name, Forest," he whispers, this touch not like any of the other times we have explored one another.

"Say my name as many times as you can," he pushes, working harder and faster, quiet moans slipping free from my lips, each one his name.

Working down my chest, the man kisses my breasts, ready to tear away my bra, his hand dragging free from within me, moving dangerously close to my torso.

Grabbing his head, I force him further down, urging him to finish what he started, feeling a bit of relief once he starts to kiss my inner thigh, dragging me closer to the edge of the bed as he takes a kneeled position on the floor.

"Fine," he whispers. "My mouth was always better for this than talking."

Dragging my underwear down my ankles, the man slips his fingers back inside, biting and kissing my inner thighs, my teeth clamping down on my hand, doing my best to silence how much pleasure this is bringing me. Pounding in and out of me, he drags my legs open, kissing my warmth in a slow, taunting kiss.

"Xavier-"

"Keep saying it," he pushes. "I like hearing you struggle to speak."

Devouring me like a starved man, he licks and moves his fingers, taking time on each fold, his jaw working vigorously, my hips bucking closer to the man's face. Taking extra time to swirl his tongue around my clit, I allow the moans to slip free from my lips, grabbing his free hand, allowing our fingers to interlace, a band of his own now resting on his ring finger. Trying not to let my emotions cloud me, the man continues on with his actions, my mouth hushing the small gasps leaving my voice, the warmth escalating in my stomach.

Sensing the tipping point approach us, Xavier works harder, his mouth focusing on my clit, his fingers curling harder each time.

Unable to stop the warmth from imploding, I gasp the man's name, feeling his fingers slip free from me, his hands clenching my lips as the sweet relief of an orgasm comes over me.

Devouring me well after I have finished, my body shakes from adrenaline, his tongue savoring every drip of me, the emotion finally finding its way in.

Touching his soft hair, the sounds of pleasure quickly shift to sobs, his mouth pausing, his head quickly snapping up, my finger grazing his chin.

"Forest-"

"I can't," I whisper, the true pain of having him this close settling. "I can't do this," I sob, all sexual frustrations fading away as he creeps onto the bed, dragging my underwear up with him.

Laying down next to me, he tries to get me to lay on him, my body scooting away the moment he gets close to my torso.

"Forest, I'm not letting you hide-"

"I'm not hiding!" I snap, tears rolling down my cheeks, pain festering in my soul.

Letting several seconds of silence span between us, the man reaches for my face through the dark, wiping my tears free from my face, his lips kissing my salty cheeks, his forehead pressed to mine.

"Then why did you run?" he questions, clarity something he deserves more than anyone. "Why are you running away from me? Why are you working with Elyon?" he pushes, cupping the back of my neck, his body leaning closer.

"Xavier-"

"I won't stop until you're home, Forest," he pushes, my mind bouncing back and forth, struggling to do what is best in this situation. "There is no resting until you are home-"

"Xavier," I sob, cupping the man's face, all of my coldness fading away.

"Listen," I say with regret.

"What-"

"Just listen," I push, laying back down, my hands shakily putting the man's hands over my firm torso, both of them large enough to cup the entirety of my larger stomach.

As if the nausea never even existed, a bright warmth burns within me, the unease in my stomach fading away, a pure ecstasy flooding through me. As if my energy had never left, something within me lights to life, his hands rubbing slowly over my stomach, the darkness the only thing stopping me from breaking down.

Seeing his face now would be detrimental.

"Another Marked is in the room," he whispers, both of us picking up on the sudden energy. "What the hell-"

Faint and strong, the noise fills our ears.

Thump, thump, thump.

A heartbeat.

The same heartbeat I have been hearing for weeks.

One so very different from my own.

Drowning out his questions with the sound, his hands freeze in place, his head shakily lowering, his ear pressing to my stomach, my lip stuck between my teeth.

All I have felt is unease.

Now, with him here, everything feels complete.

"I-Is that-"

"Her heart," I sob, finally acknowledging what it is. "It's your daughter's heart," I gasp, hearing the words out loud for the first time. "I'm pregnant, Xavier."

Petrified and stuck in place, his head remains plastered on my stomach, his hands slowly dipping under my back, wrapping around my body.

"Xavier-"

Tears coat my stomach, silent sobs breaching the man's lips, my body paralyzed from emotion.

"You're pregnant?" he questions, anger the last thing to ride his tone. "You're carrying our child?" he pushes, my only response a nod he cannot see.

Stuck on the moment with him, I want nothing more than to allow him to take me home, keeping this child safe, never allowing her to see the pain of this world.

But this is no dream.

Reality is not safe.

"It is because I love you, Xavier, that I have to do this," I sob, feeling his grasp grow. "It's not just you anymore."

"Wait, Forest-"

Winnowing before he can find a way to keep me confined, I stumble into the hallway, grabbing one of the robes meant for the staff, slamming my hand down on the lock to our room, hearing him jiggle it on the other side.

Running down the hallway, shoving past patrons and workers, I grasp my torso, feeling nothing but dread as the unbearable nausea and unease fills my body once more.

Winnowing out of the brothel, I make my way back to mine and Elyon's lodging, moving quicker than I had before, a small kick hitting my ribs.

Doubling over, I hiss, grasping my aching torso.

Running my hand over my stomach, I coax the skin, working until all pain has died down.

How can I blame her for being angry?

I want her father too.