Madison's Life Lessons (16 page)

They’d been through this same conversation half a dozen times. Until his brother showed Madison some regard, he guessed they’d never get along. “What more does she need to offer you?”

“Displaying traits as a child proves nothing of her future ability. She’s been through a lot of shit since then, that good for nothing pious father of hers deserves a slow bloody death.”

“He’ll receive his comeuppance.”
Soon
. That was a promise his brother could bank on.

“Let’s not forget Celeste and how she’s fucked up the situation more than once.”

“Not her fault.” Micah sighed and rubbed his fingers across his forehead. “Maternal instincts aren’t a part of her makeup. I should’ve paid more attention; put a halt to her shenanigans sooner, that inattention is my burden to bear.”

Elias snorted, drained the liquid from his glass and set it on the table. “We both were negligent where they were concerned, brother. I want her to be all she can be, we all do, but she’s digressed from her childhood craftiness. She’ll have to relearn those abilities, embrace them, before she can claim the seat we’ve designated for her.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

Elias offered him a cool regard. “You know the answer to that.”

“No.” He could not allow his brothers to harm her. Just the thought soured his stomach and spawned uneasy treasonous thoughts.

“Micah—” His brother began slowly, as if gauging his words carefully. “—you knew the outcome was possible from the beginning.”

“I love her, Elias. I cannot allow harm to befall her regardless of her faults or success.”

“Love?” A snort told Micah what Elias thought of that word. “That emotion will get you stabbed in the heart.”

“Maybe. But you heard the covenant I made to her. To allow any of you to harm her would go against it.”

“Indeed. I was surprised by your words, not the ones I expected. It was obvious Raguel didn’t expect them. To bind yourself to her like that…it should’ve been discussed with all of us. But—” Elias flicked imaginary lint off his trousers. “—none of us are opposed to giving you time to get the job done to our satisfaction.”

The threat to his wife’s safety had him seeing red. Micah jumped to his feet.

“Easy, brother.” Elias made a settle down motion with his hands. “No decision has been made and we’ve agreed to give you a lot of leeway to work your magic.” He grinned, a sparkle in his eyes. “If anyone can bring her back, it’ll be you. Why you’re practically the King of Lust. How many innocents have you debauched over the years?”

Too many to count, but his brother’s words had the desired effect and diminished his fury.

“And I promise to have your back until the very last moment.” A promise among brothers was as good as a covenant. “She’ll have to carve out your heart—or stab it—before I’ll seek her blood.”

“Thank you.” His brother’s support meant everything to Micah.

“I entered into this plan wholeheartedly, giving you my full support. I believe in it and I’m convinced you can and will succeed.”

Micah smiled. “And if I succeed, we all win.”

“I’d toast to that, but I’m out of alcohol.” Elias waggled his glass at him.

They could remedy that problem.

***

Two hours later, Micah finally had Madison on his private jet. He’d left her in the cabin to discuss the flight plan with the pilot and was antsy to return to her. Eager to sink inside his wife, claim her virginity and know how she felt from the inside out, warred with his concentration. Because of his over-eagerness, the pilot was forced to repeat himself more than once and Micah spent more time than he’d planned with him. Had he been on his own turf, he’d have allowed the pilot to handle the flight as he wished. But until the perfect moment arrived, he still had to maintain a semblance of appearances.

When he finally returned to the cabin, he discovered Madison curled up on her side, asleep in the bed. A bone colored silk gown, with the tiniest, almost transparent straps, displaying her curves. Even though it covered all of her assets, imagining what the material covered, made it more provocative than revealing lingerie.

Kneeling on the edge of the bed, he stripped off his tie and shirt, tossing them carelessly to the floor. He placed his palm on her ankle and slid it up her leg to her hip, as he moved to lie behind her on the bed.

“Micah?” Madison whispered, rolling onto her back as her eyelids fluttering open and closed. It’d been a long day for her with lots of excitement. The man he’d been before falling in love with her, wouldn’t have cared about her exhaustion, but would’ve taken her anyway. Micah couldn’t bring himself to treat her so harshly. He’d rather suffer than require more from her.

“Sleep, kitten.” He dragged his fingertips from her shoulder to her wrist. “There’ll be plenty of time tomorrow to teach you the ways of men.”

“Hmm…” She snuggled closer.

Pulling her tight in his embrace, he kissed her temple and held her through the night, ignoring the hard-on that demanded he claim her promptly.

“Oh, my…Micah!” Madison walked further into their penthouse suite in Paris. The entire wall facing her was made of floor to ceiling windows. “The view is spectacular.”

“Plenty of time to enjoy the view another time, kitten.” Micah gripped her shoulders and spun her around. His hands cupped her head and held her head steady for his aggressive kiss.

Not one of his normal kisses that coaxed her into submission. This one was so insistent, unease scurried up her spine and she pulled away from him. Or tried. The slight movement launched him into action. An arm circled her waist and secured her against him, his tongue plundering her mouth until she couldn’t breathe. He jerked her purse off her shoulder and tossed it.

Madison wrenched her head to the side and gasped, “Micah, slow down!”

Lifting his head, he stared at her, the gleam in his eyes ravenous reminding her of a starved man she’d offered food to on the street corner a year ago. Fear that what he craved would be removed from his grasp before being granted the privilege of sampling it. That was what she saw in his gaze.

This urgency he displayed frightened her. His demeanor out of character, she could’ve believed a demon possessed him.

His fingers were on her shirt, tearing at her buttons. Her hands trembled as she lifted them to capture his wrists. A flash of orange surfaced in his eyes, but died so quickly she passed it off as an over-active imagination coupled with her escalating alarm.

“You’re scaring me.” Even her voice trembled.

Micah stepped backward. His chin rested on his chest and he stared at her from half lowered lids. The stance reminded her of something out of a horror flick. Chills scattered across her exposed flesh and she resisted fleeing. This was Micah. He wouldn’t harm her…she didn’t think.

Madison wasn’t even aware she retreated until she bumped into a table behind her.

A deep breath expanded his chest and lifted his shoulders. “Adjourn to the bedroom.”

That was the last place she desired to be. “But—”

“Go, Madison!”

She bolted, slamming the door behind her and swinging the lock. A nervous giggle tickled the back of her throat. Before today had anyone cautioned she’d be locking her husband out of the marriage bedroom, she’d have laughed at them.

Micah watched her flee. Smart girl. He’d been on the verge of ripping her clothes off, tossing her to the floor and fucking her until she begged for mercy. If he’d been able to display any mercy, he seriously doubted it.

Not an advisable plan for introducing his virginal wife to sex.

He swiped the hair off his forehead and fisted his hand. Had she been anyone else, not even the fear in her voice or the evidence of that fear on her face would’ve saved her. He would have taken her how he pleased, caring little for her satisfaction. But he created a life with her, a future so grand she’d be awed by what he planned to give her. He couldn’t risk the world for a reckless fuck.

The metal click of the lock being thrown by Madison took the edge off his rampaging lust. That false sense of security wouldn’t keep him away from her.

Micah strode to the bar, downed two glasses of Whiskey as he stared out the window. The skyline of Paris was a glorious view. The Eiffel Tower to his right stole his attention from everything else.

Patience had ruled him until yesterday. The taste of her blood on his tongue after the nip he’d delivered to her bottom lip—part of sealing their covenant, she’d unknowingly accepted his in the chalice toast. Her hemoglobin still burned like fire in his veins. She’d shivered when she swallowed his blood, the evidence he’d needed to know she felt something when ingesting his life force. His wife held more power than she realized. The influence she would have over him if she realized her sway…a dangerous predicament for a man of his prestige.

Micah stalked to the bedroom door and placed his palm over the lock. A small manipulation of his thumb, a stroke across the key hole, and it gave free. He stepped into the room and shut the door. The silk of a pale pink nightgown draped Madison’s body to her ankles. Hair-thin straps held the garment in place. Without careful inspection it would be easy to pretend her taut nipples were all that held the fabric in place.

“Forgive me.”

She nodded, but he didn’t miss the nervous swallow. A virgin in his bed and instead of taking her viciously he would strive to gentle his technique. The irony.

He gulped another steadying breath and none of his rabid lust eased. He could do this, take their coupling slow, and ease her fears enough she’d be an eager participant in the bedding.

I can do this
. Even if he had no idea how to proceed leisurely. Since his fall from grace, he couldn’t remember fucking the female species with gentleness in mind. His idea of a good time was hard, wild, nasty and sometimes violent. His pleasure was all that had ever mattered. Until now.

Best to get it over with it
and pray I don’t fuck it up.

Micah walked to her and she fidgeted beneath his heavy perusal. He hooked a finger beneath the strap on her right shoulder and twisted it around his digit. “Did you pick out this gown with me in mind?”

Madison licked her lips and elevated her gaze from his chin to his eyes. “Yes.” A murmur that resonated with hesitation. “Mother said it wasn’t provocative enough, but I would’ve been uncomfortable in something more revealing.”

“It’s plenty provocative, Madison.” He tugged the strap over her shoulder and down her arm, dragging his knuckles along her flesh. “Imagining your curves beneath the silk…” He laid his other hand along her neck and shoulder, a touch to claim her as his. “Very provocative.”

Anything more revealing and he would have lost control the moment he spied her near the bed.

Hooking his thumb in the strap remaining, he pulled it down, rasping her skin with his palm.

He stared at the material clinging to her taut nipples. The gown defied gravity for several heartbeats—teasing him—before giving into physics and gliding down her body, baring her to his cultured gaze. The material pooled at her feet, leaving her clothed in only a pair of pale pink bikini panties. He’d rip them off with his teeth if he didn’t worry his aggression would frighten her.

“Gorgeous,” he said and meant the compliment.

Breath kicking into a tailspin, her breasts rose and fell, taunting him into action. A lick and nibble on one nipple, while he pinched the other, rolling the nub between his fingers…she stiffened beneath him. Micah lifted his head and looked at her. Frown lines slashed across her forehead.

He’d been gentle, or thought he had managed to soften his touch. Maybe he should’ve practiced with another before tonight.

Going to his knees, he removed her panties quickly and pressed a kiss to her abdomen. Then unable to resist, he nipped the tender flesh. Another flinch shifted through her body. Sitting back on his heels, he gazed up at her and positioned his hand between her thighs. He watched her bite her bottom lip as he caressed her tender flesh. Dry. Not a preferable reaction. Adjusting his stroke, he used his thumb to circle her clitoris. More cringing and she turned her head aside with a grunt.

Seconds later, Madison’s hand clamped on his wrist and she cast quick, timid glances in his direction. “That hurts.”

“Very well.” How could he teach her lust if she didn’t enjoy his touch? He stood, stepped to the bed and pulled back the covers. Motioning with his hand, he said, “Climb in, kitten.”

A moment of hesitation before she stiffly crawled onto the bed and pulled the covers to her chin. He chuckled at her modesty, but snatched the blankets off her and tossed them to the foot of the bed. “I wish to admire your body as I disrobe.” She blinked and remained silent. “Watch me as I undress.” An almost indiscernible nod, but she did as he requested, her gaze following the movement of his hands.

Hoping he could incite her lust, he took his time removing his clothing. His tie went first and he nixed the urge to restrain or blindfold her with it. Not for their first time. Play could come later, when she was less nervous.