“Did I ever tell you what my father said about getting shot?” he asked.
I shook my head. “You don’t talk about him much.”
“That’s because there isn’t much good to say. But when I was ten years old, he took me shooting then sat me down, looked me in the eye, and said, Boy, there are two things in this world that’ll make you a man: sex and getting shot. Do the former, not the latter. Trust me. I thought he was insane at the time. I still do. But I guess now I’m twice the man he ever was.”
I laughed at the absurdity of telling that to a ten-year-old boy, and yet that was the life of an Oligarch. There was no time to be a child, not when the family needed you to grow up fast.
“My father never gave me good advice,” I said. “He was too busy ignoring me to bother.”
“Why do you think that was?”
“A bunch of reasons. I was a girl and the second born. Darren got most of the attention. But also, I wasn’t legitimate, not really. My mother wasn’t my mother, and I have to imagine looking at me reminded him of Maeve.”
“She wasn’t half as beautiful as you are. I don’t get why both our fathers were into her.”
I laughed and kissed his chin. “You’re such a charmer.”
“Come here.” He pulled at my wrist and dragged me closer. I saw him grimace in pain, but he kept hauling until I straddled him. I gingerly touched his bandaged chest then kissed his lips gently.
“You should be careful. Doctor said—”
“Don’t.” He touched my lips with his finger, eyes smoldering. His hands gripped my ass. “I’m sick of being treated like an invalid.”
“You were shot. It’s barely been three days.”
“Three days is too fucking long.” He leaned forward and kissed me.
“I thought you would’ve liked spending all your time in bed with me,” I whispered as his mouth explored my neck and ear. I felt him stir between my legs, but no, we couldn’t do this, not when he was so hurt—
“If I could live with you in this bed for the rest of my life, I would. I’d become an expert in making you come. I’d practice all the different ways I could get you off, from licking your nipples to fucking your pussy, and everything in between.”
I shivered with delight. “I think I’d like to experience some of those in-betweens. Although I don’t know if I can get off just from you licking my nipples.”
“We can find out.” He tugged at the hem of my shirt.
“Redmond,” I said, stopping him. “You’re too hurt. I can’t.”
“You can.” He pushed my hands aside and tore my top over my head. I sucked in a breath as he kissed my chest and my collarbone. He chewed on my lower lip as he unhooked my bra.
His fingers felt like heaven on my stiff nipples. I moved slowly, trying to be soft and gentle, but he was eager and didn’t seem to mind the pain. He kissed me hard and deep, one hand in my hair, the other on my breasts like he couldn’t get enough of my body. His free hand drifted down along my spine, tracing the curve of my back with his fingertips until he moved back around the top of my pants and slipped his down between my legs.
I sucked in a breath. My panties separated his incredible hand from my dripping wet pussy. We shouldn’t do this for a million reasons—he nearly died three days ago, someone might walk in, I was terrified of making everything worse—but I didn’t stop it when he slipped my panties aside and rolled along my slick folds.
“Even ripped in half, I’d still want you,” he whispered. “I don’t care how hurt I am. I don’t care how close to death. You’re in my bedroom. You’re in my bed. I need to have you.”
“Redmond,” I gasped as his fingers slid inside and back out. “Why do you do this to me? All I wanted was—Ah, fuck—to take Maeve’s empire.”
“You didn’t count on me taking you instead.” He tugged at my pants. “Take these off.”
“Redmond—”
“Strip, now. I’d do it, but you’ll feel guilty and it’ll ruin the mood.”
I cursed, but obeyed. I rolled onto my back and slipped my yoga pants down. He watched, staring at my legs, at my hips, at my ruined and damp panties. His eyes narrowed. “Take it all off.”
I bit my lip, but the panties came next.
“Spread your legs.” He put one hand on my knee.
I did as he said. I felt so exposed. I was naked, and he was totally clothed, though his cock strained against his sweats, hard and rigid and thick and long.
He leaned across and kissed me as his fingers slipped up around my cunt and teased me until I moaned.