Cards of Love: Knight of Swords

Forty-Two

Juliet

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“Roman!” I raced over the yard and leapt onto the porch. “Oh my God. You’re here!”

He winced when I hugged him and I stepped back, noticing his black eye and split lip.

“My God! What happened? Did you get mugged on your way here?”

I grabbed his hand, also raw and battered, and dragged him into the house.

“Roman, who hurt you?”

He didn’t answer with words. His haunted green eyes captured mine as he kicked the door shut.

I jumped at the noise but the expression on his face didn’t change.

“Do you still love me?” he asked.

“What? Of course I do. Why didn’t you tell me you were getting out? I’m so happy to see you. You must be starving.” I turned and rushed toward the kitchen, but he grabbed my hand yanking me back to him.

“Are you still my girl, Juliet?”

“Roman,” I whispered. My heart raced, warming me all over. He pressed his palms against my cheeks. The chill of his hands jolted me. “How long were you out there? You must be freezing.”

“Kiss me.”

He covered my mouth with his before I answered, but of course, my answer would always be yes.

He inhaled a sharp breath, then slipped his arms around me. His tongue slicked along my bottom lip and I opened to him. The warmth of his body made me shiver.

I’d had this dream so many times. Thank God, he was real. Here in my arms. In my living room.

“You came back for me.”

“Where else would I go, butterfly?” His hands left me for a moment. He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it on the couch behind him.

Then his hands were all over me.

Having Roman back was the most wonderful feeling in the world. I was complete for the first time in months.

He lifted me and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I didn’t need to remind him where to go. It was the same bedroom where we’d first made love.

“I need you,” he whispered against my lips.

“I need you too.”

In the bedroom, he set me down. I stripped off my shirt and jeans, eager to be close to him again.

“Roman.” The rasp in my voice surprised me. I wanted him so much. I’d help him forget whatever awful memories he came home with. I wanted to remind him of the future we’d been planning together.

He reached out and cupped my breast, rubbing his thumb over my nipple. My bra was sheer, the fabric so thin, I felt every caress of his calloused hands. His other hand stroked over my ribs, my stomach, and finally pressed between my legs. I went up on tiptoes and dug my nails into his shoulders.

“Ah!” My eyes squeezed shut. I’d missed this so much. “Please make me come, Roman, please,” I begged.

“Undress me first.”

My eyes popped open. Something was different about him. More intense.

I couldn’t imagine what he’d been through.

I slid my hands under his T-shirt and slowly lifted it until he flung it across the room. I gasped at the scrapes and bruises marring his skin. At how lean and cut he’d gotten since I last saw him. Almost too lean, like they hadn’t fed him enough.

“Roman—”

He pressed a finger to my lips. “Not now.”

A flicker of pain in his eyes caught my breath, but I didn’t probe. I’d give him what he needed first and ask my questions later.

Roman

The worry and pity in Juliet’s eyes almost undid me. “Down.” I jerked my head toward the mattress. She spread out in the middle with her head on the pillows. I prowled to the foot of the bed.

So much anger still pinged around inside my sore body, I worried I’d be too rough with her. My hands curled into fists at my sides. I needed her so badly I was afraid I’d break her.

“Slide your hand inside your panties and touch yourself.”

“Roman?”

“Do it.” I tried to soften my voice. “For me.”

Slowly, her hand slid down her belly and into her panties.

“Open, so I can see.”

She bit down on her fist, which only made her look sexier. Her panties were sheer but I still couldn’t see much. Just the back of her hand pressing against the black material.

“Touch yourself.”

“I’m so wet, Roman,” she whispered. “Mmm, you should feel it.”

Damn if she didn’t know how to make me snap. I unbuttoned my jeans, shoved them down my legs, and pounced on her. She laughed and pulled her hand from her panties.

“See?”

I grabbed her hand, sucking her fingers into my greedy mouth.

“Missed your taste.”

Her cheeks turned pink.

“Don’t you dare be embarrassed about anything we do together.”

“I’m not.”

“Good.” I snagged her panties and dragged them down her legs, tossing them aside. I shoved her thighs apart and inhaled.

A little pleading sound from her throat made me pause. Calmed me. I moved in and kissed her thighs. Ran my scruff over her soft skin. Her legs quivered and she threaded her fingers into my hair.

One corner of my mouth curled up. “You want me to kiss anywhere else?”

“Roman.” She sighed and wiggled her hips.

I swooped in and ran my tongue up her slit, stopping to roll it around her clit.

She arched off the bed and let out a short scream. Her legs shook and I grinned. I kept licking and sucking, tasting her until she begged me to stop.

“Please. I need…”

She reached down and rubbed me through my boxers.

In my head, when I’d been planning our reunion—if we ever reunited—I envisioned this lasting much longer. Spending hours and hours alone with her. Worshipping every inch of her body. But now that she was in my arms, I needed her too much. I shoved my shorts down and reached for the nightstand.

“Don’t.”

“What?” My gaze swung to hers. “I need a condom.”

“No you don’t.” She curled her finger at me, inviting me closer to share her secret.

Hard dick in hand, I leaned in.

“I’m on the pill. I want you bare. Inside me.”

I almost came all over the sheets.

In a quick move, I kicked my shorts off the rest of the way and hovered over her body. “You’re sure?”

She answered by wrapping her legs around me. I reached behind her, grabbing a pillow and stuffing it under her hips before sinking all the way inside her.

“Oh fuck,” I groaned the whole way. Her tight walls of heat gripped my cock so good.

I took her mouth, sucking on her tongue while sliding out and shoving my way back in.

She tore her mouth from mine, gasping for air. “Don’t stop, Roman.”

I watched, fascinated as her breasts bounced with each thrust. Deeper. I wanted to be so deep inside her. Crawl inside her warmth and never, ever leave.

“No!” she yelped as I pulled out and flipped her over.

“Ass in the air,” I demanded.

She looked at me over her shoulder as she relaxed, resting her weight on her arms, leaving her ass beautifully exposed. I gripped her hips and sank back inside. So deep. So good.

“Roman,” she whimpered.

I stopped mid-thrust. “What’s wrong? Am I hurting you?”

“You’re…deep. And very big.”

I leaned over her, kissing her shoulder and down her spine, apologizing with my mouth and body. When she was wiggling and moaning for me to take her again, I flopped down on the bed. “Straddle me. Show how much you can handle.”

I didn’t have to say it twice. She eagerly swung her leg over me, and slid all the way down my shaft.

“Good?”

“Good.”

I closed my eyes and concentrated on not coming. Fuck, she felt incredible.

Her breath grew ragged and her movements jerky. So tight around me. Her body shook and I lost it, pouring everything I had into her.

“Stop. Juliet. Stop.”

But she kept going. And going. I wrapped my arms around her and held on tight.

Forty-Three

Roman

After my return, we created the domestic bliss we’d always talked about. Ulfric gave me my job back. It would only last a few more weeks, but at least I wasn’t completely living off Juliet.

We made a good team. I helped her get ready for school and dropped her off every morning. She helped me practice to get my driver’s license. Pip snuck over for an hour or two in the afternoons and we helped him with his homework.

When I finally earned my driver’s license, Dex taught me to ride and helped me get my motorcycle license. I reveled in the newfound freedom and couldn’t wait to be able to afford a bike of my own.

I picked up more odd jobs for Ulfric and other members of his MC. Dex also threw work my way over the winter. He taught me how to fix up an old Harley, sold it, then gave me another one to tinker with.

As Juliet’s eighteenth birthday approached, we stopped living in fear her aunt and uncle might try to force her back into their house.

They’d been livid, trying every trick possible to break Mrs. Shields’ ironclad will.

Mr. Porter would have none of it. He worked hard to protect Juliet’s inheritance and honor Mrs. Shields’ wishes.

One night after dinner, Juliet asked me to run out for ice cream. She’d brought home a pound of strawberries, then decided she wanted ice cream to go with them.

I could never say no to her.

I leaned over and kissed the top of her head, before heading out the door.

Juliet

Roman was gone for maybe ten minutes when someone banged on the door.

I jumped up and hurried to answer. “Did you forget your key?”

Without looking, I opened the door.

It crashed open, flying out of my hand.

“Uncle Jared, what are you doing here?”

Like a snake, he struck. My uncle’s hand was around my neck, my back shoved against the wall. He wasn’t a strong man by any means, but I was no match for him.