Page 83 of Their Reckless Thief (The Below #1)

Her soft, breathless gasp shot straight to my core, making my vision go fuzzy. I palmed her other breast, pinching and rolling the hard nub until she let out a mewling whimper that made my cock throb painfully against her thigh.

I wanted to lose myself in her.

No, that wasn’t right. I wanted to become hers. Entirely.

Releasing her breast, I reached for the loofah on the shelf, the coconut-scented soap slick in my hands as I lathered it. Her brow furrowed slightly, curiosity flickering in her gaze.

“What are you doing?”

I kissed the tip of her nose, a gesture so soft it felt foreign to me. “I’m going to wash you, Celeste. Let me take care of you.”

Her expression softened. She didn’t protest, didn’t stop me as I ran the loofah over her skin, washing away every trace of sweat, of tension, of the outside world. My touch grew slower, more intimate, as I traced the curves of her hips, her thighs, the line of her spine.

Her breathing grew uneven as she skimmed the planes of my chest and abdomen. Every touch left fire in its wake, burning away the shadows until I could think of nothing but her.

“Luca, please.”

My fingers dipped lower into the heat between her thighs. Her wetness coated me as I teased her entrance, and she arched into me as though she couldn’t stand the space between us.

“Do you trust me, Celeste?”

She looked at me then, her eyes wide, vulnerable, perfect. “I do.”

Her words were my salvation and my destruction, a promise I didn’t deserve but would die to protect.

Her eyes widened as I sank to my knees before her, water cascading over my shoulders and pooling around us. There was a hint of surprise in her gaze, but it quickly softened. Trust. She was giving me her trust, and fuck if that didn’t break something inside me.

I guided her leg over my shoulder, my hands trembling as the sweet, musky scent of her arousal hit me. I let out a shaky breath and pressed my cheek to the inside of her thigh.

I shouldn’t have wanted her this much. What I felt for her went far deeper than deep. It was an obsession that gnawed at me, that whispered she could be mine if only I could be good enough for her.

But I wasn’t.

Even now, as I pressed my lips to her folds and slid my tongue along her slit, I knew I wasn’t worthy. Yet here I was, worshipping her like she was the only light left in my ruined world.

Her salty-sweet taste made my head spin. A low groan rumbled in my throat as I pushed a finger inside her, her heat gripping me so tightly it almost hurt. She let out a soft, broken moan, her hips shifting instinctively toward me, seeking more.

I flicked my tongue against her clit, gently at first, testing her body’s response to me. She grabbed onto my shoulders, gripping hard enough to bruise as she tried to steady herself, though it was clear she was losing control.

“Luca,” she gasped. The pure need and trust in her tone sent a surge of desperate pride through me. Celeste was letting me take care of her, and I planned to unravel her completely.

I sucked on her clit, and she bucked against me, grinding into my face. With every flick of my tongue, her moans grew louder and more broken. I slid a finger inside her, curling it against that spot that always had her gasping for more.

“Fuck, Celeste. You’re so perfect.”

Her intoxicating scent assaulted my every sense, making me dizzy with need.

I wanted to drown in it, to lose myself completely in her gasps and moans, in the slight sting of pain of her nails raking down my shoulders as she chased her release.

I added another finger, stretching her, filling her, and fucking her while my tongue worked relentlessly against her swollen clit.

She cried out, one hand pulling at my hair, and I knew she was close.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Let go for me. Give me everything.”

“Fuck!” she screamed as her climax hit. Her pussy clenched around my fingers, holding me captive. Her juices coated my face, and I lapped hungrily at her sweetness, savoring every drop.

I held her trembling thighs, pressing soft, reverent kisses to her sensitive skin as she came down. She was still shivering, her breaths ragged, her body limp and sated. For a moment, I pretended I deserved this. Pretended she could ever be mine.

The ache in my chest reminded me of the truth, however. I was nothing but a shadow, and she was the light I could never truly touch.

The sight of her like this—flushed, undone, glowing with satisfaction—shattered the last of my resolve. I stood and wrapped my arms around her, the warmth of her seeping into my skin like a drug I couldn’t quit.

Without a second thought, I veilstepped out of the shower, the water swirling in the air as we landed on my bed. The soft thud of her body beneath mine sent another wave of desire through me. We were dripping wet, and the scent of her release still clung to me

I lowered my forehead to hers and closed my eyes. “You’ll ruin me,” I whispered, my voice breaking with need. “And I’ll let you.”

She cupped my face, her touch so gentle it felt like absolution, though I didn’t deserve it.

I sat back between her legs and closed my eyes, steadying my breath as I called the shadows to me.

They coiled at my feet, creeping upward, wrapping around my legs like sentient vines.

Their weight was familiar, comforting even.

As I opened my eyes and saw Celeste watching me with curiosity and trust, something inside me changed.

How could she look at me like that, knowing what I was?

A slight hesitation flickered in her eyes, so fast before it was gone again, but it still twisted my heart. I wanted to reassure her, but words felt useless. Instead, I reached for the connection I knew she’d feel.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” I murmured softly, though every inch of me trembled under her gaze. “Say the word, and I’ll stop.”

She nodded, her lips parting slightly as she glanced at the shadows weaving around me.

I flicked my wrist, commanding the shadows to wrap around her waist, their dark tendrils moving slowly, deliberately, as if savoring the feel of her skin.

They caressed her like I wanted to, their touch gentle but purposeful as they slid up her stomach and over the curve of her ribs.

Her breath hitched, her chest rising sharply, and I couldn’t look away.

Two shadows spiraled up, curling around her breasts. They tightened just enough to make her gasp, and she clutched at the sheets. I guided them deeper, letting them press into her breast tissue, stroking her from the inside out.

“Fuck, Luca!”

The sound of her—so vulnerable, so unrestrained—shattered what little composure I had left. I leaned down and nuzzled the soft curve of her neck, breathing her in like she was the very air I needed to stay alive.

“I’m not done.” I pressed my lips against her skin right over her pulse. Her heart raced, each beat a reminder of how alive she was, how painfully fragile.

Two more shadows twined around her thighs. They applied just enough pressure to make her squirm, each move teasing and deliberate as they edged closer to her pussy. She let out a trembling moan, her hips shifting involuntarily, seeking more.

When the first shadow brushed over her clit, she gasped, her head falling back against the pillows. Another slid lightly along her folds. I instructed one to form a swirling suction over the sensitive tip of her clit while the others pressed inward, vibrating gently, their rhythm perfectly timed.

Celeste writhed beneath me, her moans like a symphony as the shadows worked her over. Her thighs quivered, her chest rising and falling with every desperate breath.

“Gods, oh gods,” she whimpered, reaching blindly for me as if I were the only thing that could anchor her.

“Celeste.” Gods, she was fucking exquisite. Perfect. And I was drowning in her.

When I couldn’t take it anymore, I positioned myself between her thighs, my cock aching as I slid into her wet heat. Her breath caught in her throat, and she bit down on her lower lip as I filled her, inch by inch, until I was buried completely.

She moaned and clenched around me, pulling me deeper. Groaning, I gripped her hips to steady myself. The shadows continued their dance around her clit, moving in perfect rhythm with the slow thrust of my hips.

“Luca.” She clawed at my back. Her desperation matched mine, and she met my every thrust with an urgency that bordered on madness.

“Fuck, Celeste,” I rasped, my voice rough with need. “You’re perfect. So fucking perfect. So wet for me.”

I moved faster, my hips snapping against hers.

The sound of our bodies colliding filled the room.

Wet, rhythmic, raw. Each thrust pushed me closer to the edge, and I wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer.

The shadows followed my commands, their movements intensifying as I felt her climax building.

I sent one last shadow to her ass, pressing inside her slowly, carefully, until she cried out and shuddered violently beneath me.

“Gods! Luca,” she screamed, her voice breaking as she came undone.

And that was my undoing. With one final thrust, I buried myself deep, spilling inside her as a growl ripped from my throat. My shadows caressed her, drawing out every last wave of her release until she collapsed beneath me, utterly spent.

I stayed there for a minute, my forehead resting against hers, our breaths mingling in the quiet. I rolled off her and pulled her against me, relishing the warmth of her pressed into my side. The silence between us was fragile, like the stillness after a storm, and I was terrified to break it.

How could she let me hold her, knowing the darkness I carried?

She traced idle patterns on my chest, and I closed my eyes, letting myself believe, just for a moment, that this was real. That I could have this. That I could have her.

“You’re going to destroy me,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my own heart.