While Alexei moves to Winter, Demitri pulls me into a tight embrace. “You’ve made me proud.”
“Welcome to the family, Winter,” Alexei says, a smile spreading over his face. “Now we drink.”
Turning to Winter, the corner of my mouth lifts. When she raises her chin, and our eyes lock, I murmur, “My wife.”
“Husband.” Hearing the word drift over her lips makes the blood rush through my veins.
I close the distance between us, and wrapping a hand around the back of her neck, I murmur, “It’s tradition to kiss your husband.”
I lower my head, my eyes locked with hers, and then press my mouth to hers.
Now to get through the toast so I can take her up to the bedroom and consummate this marriage.
Chapter 17
WINTER
Damien keeps giving me penetrating stares as if he’s trying to see into my mind. Every time his eyes lock on me, it makes a shiver rush over my body.
I feel a little anxious about us consummating the marriage. I’m used to being in control, and I don’t think it’s something Damien will stand for in the bedroom.
“A toast,” Alexei says as he raises his flute filled with champagne. We do the same, and then he says, “To alliances, family, and loyalty.”
Demitri and Damien repeat the words, and then Alexei looks at me, and it has me saying, “Oh, yes. Alliances and loyalty.”
“And family,” Alexei murmurs darkly, his eyes locking with mine.
Family.
The word creates a sharp ache in my chest, but still, I force it over my lips, “Family.”
I take a sip of the champagne, and as the conversation turns to the grounds, how many guards there are, and when the other men will arrive, I set the flute down on a table and walk out of the room.
If we’re going to talk business, I’m not doing it in a wedding dress. I take the stairs up, and as I enter my bedroom, I wonder if Damien will move into this room now that we’re married or if he’ll want separate bedrooms.
Stopping in front of the dressing table, I take out the earrings and pull the veil off. I remove all the pins from my hair and let out a tired sigh as I pull my fingers through the strands. All this dressing up and effort for one hour.
I walk to my closet and kick off my shoes, and then I freeze. I feel Damien, but listening closely, there’s not a sound from him. Then his fingertips brush over my bare shoulder blades, and it instantly makes goosebumps burst over my skin.
Just a touch. That’s all it takes from Damien to make me tremble.
“You’re not staying to talk business?” I ask, keeping my voice soft.
“That’s what tomorrow is for,” he murmurs.
My stomach begins to tighten with nerves, and my breathing speeds up.
Damien’s hand moves down, and I feel him fiddle with the back of the dress.
“Thank you for looking beautiful today.” His voice is a soft caress that makes my heartbeat speeds up until it feels as if it’s fluttering in my throat.
Damien tugs at the dress's strings, and I feel as the pressure of the fabric begins to give way. Not wearing a bra, I’m left standing in my panties as the wedding dress drops to the floor.
Deep breaths, Winter. You can do this.
Remember, he already wants you. Half the battle is won.
I swallow and then step out of the dress and turn to face Damien.
His eyes sweep slowly over my body, then back up every inch before settling on my face. His brown irises darken to midnight black, and he clenches his jaw as if it’s taking all his self-control to not just fuck me.
Ravenous. That’s how he looks. Like a predator that’s about to devour its prey.
God.
I close the distance between us and then lift my hands to his belt. Damien tilts his head when I begin to unfasten it, and when he doesn’t stop me, I unbutton his pants and pull down the zip. When my knuckles brush over the hard outline of his cock, I almost freeze.
I take a slow breath, and keeping my eyes locked with his, I lower myself to my knees.
My pride takes a blow as I tilt my head back, and I see the corner of his mouth lifting.
“Kneeling before me, princess? So soon?” he murmurs, his voice laced with warning.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow as I go against what I told him yesterday, that I’ll never bow before him.
Look at me now.
I shove the thoughts aside.
Focus.
“You’re my husband,” I explain as I begin to pull the fabric open, exposing black boxers to me.
“Get up,” he grumbles as I take hold of his boxers, my knuckles brushing over the hard muscles of his abdomen.
I shoot a glare up at him, then snap, “This is where you want me, is it not?”
This time his lips curve higher as he replies, “I’m curious to see how far you’re willing to go with this façade.”
All the way, if it means I’ll have you kneeling at my feet by the time I’m done blowing your mind.
I pull the fabric down, and Damien does nothing to stop me as I expose his cock to me. Unable to stop myself, I lower my eyes until I come face to face with his thick hard length. Velvet skin stretches firmly over his large cock, the veins snaking from the base to the crown, making it look like a merciless weapon.
I let out a breath, and when the hot air hits his erection, Damien lets out a hiss. “Enough. Get up.”
Ignoring his order, my lips part, and I lean forward. As I suck him into my mouth, Damien’s body stiffens, and he twitches against my tongue.
Up until now, I’ve been too anxious to feel anything else, but as I begin to suck him deeper, my abdomen tightens, and my core flushes with heat.
“Princess,” Damien growls, and hearing the tight restraint in his voice makes me smile around his thick length.
I pull back and slowly brush my lips over the crown before swirling my tongue around his girth.
“Blyad'.” The word is nothing more than a whisper, and I notice how he fists his hands at his sides.
I suck him back into my mouth, and wanting to weaken him, I begin a relentless pace, my head bobbing forward. I only manage to take half of him and wrap my fingers around his base, squeezing hard.
“Fuck.” Damien’s hands shoot to my head, and for a moment, I think he’s going to push me away, but instead, his fingers fist in my hair, and he yanks me against him until the crown hits the back of my throat. I almost gag, and it makes my eyes instantly tear up.
I keep sucking hard, hollowing my cheeks, and it doesn’t take much longer before warm liquid spurts down my throat. Damien’s hips jerk, and his hands tighten their grip on my hair as low grunts escape him.
I swallow it all and slowly pull him from my mouth. Licking my swollen lips, I climb to my feet and meet Damien’s burning gaze with a defiant stare.
DAMIEN
I struggle to bring my breathing under control from the intense orgasm I just had. I’ve had blowjobs before, but nothing like that. Maybe it meant so much more because it was Winter, the princess who refused to bow before anyone… until today.
I don’t like that she took control. Not one bit.
Pinning her with a murderous glare, we stare at each other, neither of us willing to back down.