Chapter 79 79. Not God, Baby
I cried out, my back arching off the bed. He filled me completely, stretching me to the edge of pain and pleasure. My hands flew down to grip his arms.
He grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head.
"What did I say?" His voice came out strained. "Hands stay up."
"I'm sorry. Please don't stop."
"Then be good." He pulled out almost completely before slamming back in, a low groan tearing from his throat. "And maybe I'll give you what you need."
He set a punishing rhythm, deep and unrelenting. Every stroke hit that spot inside me that made stars burst behind my eyes. I gripped the pillow above my head, fighting the urge to touch him.
"Camila." His hand wrapped around my throat, holding me in place. A claim. "Look at you, taking me so perfectly."
"Yes. God, yes."
"Not God, baby." His mouth brushed mine. "Just me."
He kissed me while he moved inside me, swallowing my moans. His free hand slid down to where we were joined, thumb finding my clit.
"Lucien, I can't... I'm going to..."
"No, you're not." His thumb stilled. "Not until I say."
A whimper escaped me. The pressure was building too fast. I couldn't hold it back.
"Please. Please let me."
"Not yet." He changed angles, driving deeper, and I saw white. "Hold it, Fiera."
Tears pricked my eyes from the effort. Every nerve was on fire, every muscle trembling.
"Lucien, please. I can't."
"You can." His thrusts turned brutal, hips snapping against mine. His breathing grew ragged, harsh against my ear. "Just a little longer. Be good for me."
"I am... please..."
His hand tightened on my throat. Not enough to restrict air, just enough to remind me who controlled this.
"Now." The word was a command. "Come for me, Camila."
I shattered. The orgasm ripped through me with devastating force, so intense I couldn't scream. My body convulsed around him, wave after wave crashing through me. His groan was guttural as he followed me over, his rhythm faltering, then breaking completely as he poured himself into me.
We stayed locked together, both gasping for breath. His forehead pressed against mine, his hand still around my throat.
"Mine." The word was barely audible. "You're mine, Camila."
"Yours." My voice was wrecked. "Always yours."
He released my throat to cup my face, kissing me with sudden tenderness. When he pulled back, his eyes held something deeper than desire.
"I love you."
The words hung between us.
Lucien Hayes, who shot me to keep me close, who'd lost billions because of me, who was facing impossible choices for my freedom, loved me.
And I loved him. God help me, I loved him with everything I had.
"I love you too." The words came out thick. "So much it scares me."
Something broke open in his expression. Relief, joy, vulnerability all at once. He kissed me again, deeper this time, pouring everything he couldn't say into it.
His eyes were mischievously bright when he pulled back.
"Say it again."
"I love you."
"Again."
"I love you, Lucien."
He slipped out of me slowly, both of us wincing at the sensitivity. Then he gathered me against his chest, my head tucked under his chin.
"Tell me what happened today." His fingers traced patterns on my back. "The truth this time."
The publisher, the rejection. I sighed.
"I went to a publisher with my manuscript."
His hand stilled. "And?"
"She called my writing pedestrian." I swallowed past the tightness in my throat. "Then she threw it on the floor and told me to stop embarrassing myself."
"Give me her name."
"Lucien, no."
"Give me her name, Camila." Steel edged his voice. "No one talks to you like that."
"It doesn't matter. She was probably right. Who wants to publish a book by someone accused of murder?"
"She was wrong." He tilted my chin up. "Your writing is incredible. Raw and honest and powerful. One bitter editor doesn't change that."
"But she said..."
"I don't give a fuck what she said." His intensity pinned me in place. "You're talented. Don't let one rejection make you doubt that."
"There will be more rejections because of who I am. Because of my mother. Because of this." I gestured at my ankle monitor.
"Then we'll deal with them together." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "But you don't give up. My Fiera doesn't quit."
The use of that name, the fierce belief in his voice, made my insides settle.
"Okay." I pressed closer. "Okay."
We lay in comfortable silence until my phone buzzed from the living room. Maya.
"We should get dressed." But I made no move to leave his arms.
"Or." His hand slid down to cup my butt cheek. "We could stay exactly like this."
"She'll be at least another hour."
"Good." He rolled me onto my back, settling between my thighs again. "Because I'm nowhere near finished with you yet."
His mouth found my neck, teeth scraping sensitive skin, and I surrendered completely.
\---
An hour later, we stumbled into my tiny bathroom, both boneless. We showered together, Lucien teasing me about my coconut shampoo before promising to stock the penthouse with it.
My heart squeezed at the casual assumption I'd move back in. Like it was inevitable. Like we had a future.
After drying off, I reached for clean sheets but Lucien took them from my hands.
"I'll do it."
"You don't have to."
"I want to."
I watched him work, unable to look away from the flex of his thighs, the way his muscles moved as he bent to tuck in corners. Lucien Hayes. Billionaire CEO. Changing my sheets.
He glanced over his shoulder, catching me staring. "See something you like, Fiera?"
Heat flooded my face. "I just can't believe I have you doing this."
"Get used to it." He finished and climbed into bed, reaching out for me to join him. "Now come here."
He arranged us so my back pressed against his chest, his arms wrapped securely around me. His hand stroked lazy patterns along my side, lips finding the sensitive spot behind my ear.
"You're thinking too loud." His tongue traced the shell of my ear.
The bail conditions. Him staying overnight. The court wouldn't approve, but I couldn't ask him to leave because I didn't want him to.
"I took care of it." His hand slid up to cup my breast. "Called your probation officer. You won't get in trouble."
Relief flooded through me. "How did you know..."
"I know you." His thumb circled my nipple and I gasped. "I always know what you're thinking." His hips pressed against me, hardening again.
I bit my lip, arching into his touch, but his movements slowed. The kisses became softer. His hand on my breast gentled to just holding. His breathing deepened, evened out.
I waited until I was certain he was asleep, then carefully turned. His face was relaxed, the hard edges softened. I traced his cheekbone with one finger, then pressed a feather-light kiss to his lips.
Slowly, I extracted myself and pulled the duvet up to his shoulders. I grabbed my robe, tying it as I padded toward the door.
My hand was on the handle when his voice stopped me.
"Come back here, Fiera."