Page 22 of Trial of Deceit (The Family’s Oath #1)

Chapter eleven

S he’d never given marriage much thought before, but she was sure she deserved better than this sham of a wedding.

Refusing to look at the small crowd of Dimitri, Elias, Cameron, Reine, and Bryony, Ashari kept her focus on the man before her.

Her husband as of today.

They’d already recited the traditional vows provided by the pastor, and now the pastor was expectantly waiting for them to seal the deal with a kiss.

Could Ashari really give away her life like this?

It was either marriage or death, and one option was better than the other.

Inhaling a quiet breath, she nodded at Jediah.

The corner of his mouth ticked upward before he leaned in slowly. So agonizingly slowly. Ashari’s breath hitched the closer he came. She held her breath for as long as she could, then she forgot how to breathe altogether.

Jediah’s mouth met hers. The softness of his lips shocked her back into reality.

He kissed her slowly. Ashari knew his actions were deliberate.

He wanted to savor every prolonged second of this knee-weakening kiss, knowing that Ashari was suffering through the inability to pull away too soon out of fear of seeming suspicious.

She closed her eyes tighter, her grip on the bouquet tightening too, as she forced herself to match Jediah’s pace.

Slow.

Slow.

So slow.

His hand snuck around her waist to tug her closer. Some petals crumbled from the bouquet and fell atop Ashari’s tense hands. She subtly pulled away, causing Jediah to lean forward and force his tongue into her mouth.

A whistle drifted from the crowd, followed by Dimitri’s hiss, “Stop it.”

Ashari gasped and her eyes snapped open. She resisted sinking her teeth into Jediah’s tongue before she took a step back. She panted while Jediah’s eyes shone. As he licked his lips, Ashari’s eyes locked onto them. She sneered, killing the thought of slapping the smug expression off Jediah’s face.

“Congratulations,” said the pastor. “May your union be blessed, full of love, and fruitful.”

Ashari froze.

Jediah winked.

“We don’t have to have sex yet, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Jediah said. He closed the door behind him then stepped further into the room.

Ashari looked away from the phone he gave her to glare.

He smirked at her before going into the bathroom.

He shrugged off his shirt, and Ashari gulped as she watched his back muscles flex.

His back being free of tattoos somehow made his muscles stand out more.

His arms of full sleeve tattoos complimented it well.

She quickly looked back to the phone as he looked over his shoulder at her.

“I won’t have sex with you,” she said.

“You will soon,” he said, and she scoffed.

“Do you think I don’t feel how you stare at me in the mornings when you wake up?

” he asked, and she stiffened. He chuckled as he entered the room, dressed only in boxers.

He made himself comfortable on the bed, snuggling beneath the blanket Ashari was under. Jediah grinned at her.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I was thinking about why you force me fi sleep in a this bed when the house big enough fi me sleep in a new room every night.”

“You’re my wife. And I like seeing you squirm every time you fight this.”

She looked at him. “Fight what?”

“Wanting me but fighting the urge because of who you were.”

She scoffed and lay on her side, facing away from him.

She reached over and placed her phone on the nightstand before turning the lamp off.

She froze as he threw his arm over her waist. His large hand flattened against her lower abdomen as his lips brushed her ear.

A shiver ran through her as she felt his lips against her ear.

“No one’s here but us, Ash…” Jediah breathed.

“So?”

“Stop fighting.” His hand trailed down further, his thumb pushing the waist of her shorts. “Tell me to stop, and I will…”

Ashari closed her eyes, her chest heaving as his thumb brushed along her skin. Between her thighs throbbed hard, desperate for touch. “J-Jed…”

“Ash?” he said, moving from her ear to kiss along her shoulders.

She shivered, and her hand moved to his. “Stop,” she said, and he stopped kissing her, and was about to pull away. She held his hand firm. “Touching me with your hands… I want to feel you.”

“You’re feeling me,” he said, moving closer so his hardening dick pressed against her lower back. “Turn over.”

She did instantly.

Jediah settled between her legs. Hovering above her, he tugged on the hem of her top. “Take this off.”

Ashari removed her top, her nipples pebbling as his eyes raked over them. Jediah reached for the lamp, and she lay her hand on his. “Don’t.”

His brows furrowed. “I want to see you.”

“I don’t…” she muttered, seeing the faint outline of his smirk.

“I’m going to enjoy breaking you in until you submit to me, Ashari…” Jediah said, then leaned down and kissed her.

She threw her arms over his shoulder and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer.

She kissed him slowly, tentatively, scared of truly enjoying his ministrations.

But Jediah couldn’t handle the slow torture.

He pressed his mouth harder against hers, deepening the kiss and dragging a long moan from her.

She dug her heel into his back as she pulled him closer.

Jediah’s lips curled into a smirk while one of his hands slipped between their bodies to pull at her shorts. She slightly raised her body off the bed, and he pulled her shorts down until it was bundled against his abdomen.

As she lowered her body onto the bed and he pressed his dick against her panties, right between her slit, Ashari broke the kiss to moan at the ceiling.

“Mm,” she breathed. Her panties were soaking as Jediah rubbed against her.

She felt how hard he was, and she imagined how he’d feel inside her, but she couldn’t let this progress further.

“This is wrong,” Ashari moaned as he kissed along her chest until his mouth grazed her nipple.

“I made you my wife so it wouldn’t be,” Jediah mumbled before his mouth closed around her nipple and sucked it into his mouth.

“Faster,” Ashari begged, closing her eyes as he increased his pace. His weight wasn’t suffocating, but it suppressed her guilt while her morals slipped away, leaving a wet mess on the crotch of her panties as evidence.

If being with Jediah was so wrong, how could he make her feel this way? Make her tremble this way? And moan this way?

“I’m close,” she announced, and he released her nipple to switch to the other.

“I know, queen,” Jediah said. “Me, too.”

Goosebumps peppered Ashari’s skin, and she rolled her hips against him faster.

Her orgasm was so close, she could taste it.

She pushed out her chest, forcing more of her breast into his mouth as the tension snapped.

She spasmed with a scream as her orgasm took control.

Tremors ran through her as Jediah stiffened against her moments before warmth soaked into her panties.

They stilled, catching their breaths as Jediah freed her breast from his mouth. His weight pressed more into her as she opened her eyes to look at the ceiling. Her legs were still tight around his waist, and she was scared to let go.

“Jed…” she whispered.

“Queen?”

She smiled a little. “Why you always call me that?”

He pulled back to look at her. “Because you are.”

“Even though you know who I am?” she asked, and he stared at her for a moment before nodding. “You confuse me, Jediah.”

He smiled. “How? I told you that you left a mark on me. And I want you forever.” Jediah leaned in for a kiss, but Ashari turned her head to the side.

His mouth planted firmly on her cheek, giving her a peck before he pulled back.

“I’m selfish, Ashari. And I want you, so I took you from them to make you mine.

Stop think ’bout them. Just allow yuself fi feel wa wi have and don’ betray mi, so mi can treat yu right. ”

She pondered over his words. “You’re different from my research.”

Jediah chuckled and pulled away, looking between them at the sticky mess they’d made. “There’s a lot of things yu don’ know ’bout me. I’ve never dry humped anybody before.”

She chuckled and took the pillow from beneath her head to swat at him. “I’m a queen, right? I get to break the rules.”

“No,” Jediah disagreed, and she frowned. “But you can be powerful.”

Ashari bit into a slice of avocado toast, keeping her head down so she didn’t have to see Jediah’s eyes on her.

He was at the head of the table, directly across from her.

He was drinking coffee with an unlit cigar tucked between his fingers.

Jediah hadn’t taken his eyes off her since she woke up this morning.

She knew he was probably waiting for her to acknowledge what they’d done, but she couldn’t.

She was too riddled by guilt.

A loud huff made Ashari lift her head.

Bryony placed a bowl of strawberries topped with coconut flakes beside Ashari’s plate of toast.

Ashari smiled. “Thank—”

Bryony rolled her eyes. “Yu see Barrel?” she asked Jediah. “Mi don’ see or hear her all morning nuh matter how me call her.”

“Look like me have time fi waste pon waa animal?” Jediah asked.

Bryony glared. “Kayon requested to see you.”

“Is he dying?” Jediah asked, not taking his eyes off Ashari.

Bryony shook her head while adjusting her glasses atop her head. “He wants to discuss how you disrespected the arrangement with the Majors.”

Jediah’s jaw clenched as he narrowed his eyes on Bryony. “Miss B, can you have some respect? My wife is right here, and you’re telling me about the past.”

Bryony’s scrutinizing glare settled on Ashari. She scrunched her nose before walking away. “Just go talk to him.”

Jediah looked at Ashari. “Finished eating?” he asked, and she nodded. “You’re coming with me.”

Ashari’s brow raised. “Where?”

“You’ll see when we get there,” he said and stood.