Chapter 49: I missed you

The moment André brought the Rolls-Royce to a halt outside the mansion, Alyssa didn’t wait for Anthony to open her door.

She threw it open herself, bunched up her wedding gown, and walked straight inside. Throughout the ride back, she hadn’t uttered a single word. Her silence was deafening, heavy with the weight of a trauma she was desperately trying to process.

Pandora rushed out of the car right behind her, holding her silver heels in one hand and her purse in the other.

"Alyssa?" she called out softly, her voice laced with worry.

Alyssa didn’t turn back. She pushed through the door of the mansion and disappeared up the stairs.

Anthony stepped up beside Pandora, lightly resting a comforting hand on her waist.

"She’s still in shock," he murmured.

Pandora sighed, shaking her head as a wave of exhaustion washed over her. "It’s going to take so much time for her to completely heal from this. Who do you think tried to poison her?"

"Dorian has a lot of enemies," Anthony replied grimly, his hands sliding into his pockets. "And now that he has a Luna he dotes on, they will target her just to break him. She will need to be strong."

Pandora nodded, looking toward the grand staircase inside. "I’d better go check on her. She shouldn’t be alone right now."

She started to walk away, but Anthony’s voice stopped her.

​"Pandora?"

She paused and turned, lifting her brows in expectation. "Yeah?"

For one breathless second, Anthony didn’t speak. The words were right on the tip of his tongue, demanding to be let loose, but the weight of the night held him back. It wasn’t the first time he had swallowed his own feelings, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last.

In the end, he just let out a quiet exhale and gave a slight shrug. "Nothing. Have a good rest."

A faint smile touched Pandora’s lips, a brief flash of warmth crossing her eyes. "Have a good rest. I’ll see you tomorrow."

She slipped inside, leaving Anthony standing alone in the cool night air, staring at the closed door long after she had gone.

Upstairs in the master suite, the silence was suffocating. With all the maids and servants still at the Astral Dome, Alyssa was all alone.

Her hands shook as she struggled against the intricate laces of her wedding gown. She refused to call for Pandora; she wanted to be alone.

After a frustrating few minutes of tugging at the silk, she finally managed to step out of the dress and entered the bathroom.

She had just emerged, refreshed and wrapped in one of Dorian’s oversized black robes, when Pandora gave a quiet knock and poked her head through the door.

"Can I come in?" she whispered.

Alyssa climbed onto the bed, nodding silently. Pandora stepped inside, dropping the heels by the door before walking over to sit gently on the edge of the bed. The clock on the mantelpiece chimed just past 9 PM.

"How are you feeling?" Pandora asked softly.

Alyssa shrugged, burrowing deeper under the covers. Outwardly, she looked perfectly calm, but her eyes were raw with unshed tears. This was the second time her life had been threatened since arriving in the North. Would it ever end?

"I just want to go to sleep," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "I want to forget everything that happened tonight."

Pandora reached out, squeezing her hand in deep understanding. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

Alyssa shook her head, offering a faint, appreciative smile. "You don’t have to. I’ll be fine."

"Okay. But if you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to come to my room. Dorian should be on his way back by now."

Alyssa nodded. "Thank you, Pandora."

Pandora rose from the bed, leaning down to press a warm kiss on Alyssa’s hair before quietly slipping out and closing the door behind her.

Left alone in the dark room, the physical and emotional exhaustion of that night finally took hold, dragging Alyssa down into a deep, dreamless sleep.

...

Sometime past midnight, she woke up to the sound of splashing water.

Still groggy from sleep, she sat up in the bed and looked around. The bedroom was bathed in dim, amber shadows, but through her hazy vision, she spotted Dorian’s silver tuxedo jacket thrown carelessly over the corner couch. He was home.

Without a second thought, she pushed the covers aside and slid out of bed. The cold floor bit into her bare feet, and she shivered from the icy night air blowing through the window.

She pushed the bathroom door open, stopping at the threshold when she spotted Dorian reclining inside the tub.

The air smelled sweetly of mint, making her realize it was his bath oil. His broad chest was damp, glistening under the low lights, while the rest of his rock-hard body was hidden beneath the sudsy water. Strands of his long, damp hair trailed over his shoulders, and his eyes were closed in apparent exhaustion.

"Dorian?" she called out softly.

He opened his eyes slowly, his gaze melting into pure tenderness the moment he saw her standing there.

"Did I wake you, little lamb?" he whispered.

She shook her head, one hand rubbing away the drowsiness from her eyes. "When did you get back?"

"A few minutes ago," he murmured. He sat up slightly, the water cascading down his sculpted abdominal muscles. "How are you feeling? Does your throat still burn?"

"It doesn’t," she said, her voice soft and raspy. "I missed you."

A soft smile curled Dorian’s lips. He extended a hand toward her. "Come here, my love. Join me."

A deep blush stained Alyssa’s cheeks as she stepped fully into the bathroom. She let the thick robe slip from her shoulders, revealing the translucent, lace nightgown underneath.

Feeling his intense gaze on her, she pulled the nightgown over her head, shivering slightly as the cool air kissed her bare skin.

Dorian’s breath hitched when she bared herself. His pupils dilated, turning a dark, predatory shade as his gaze swept over her pale, creamy skin, lingering hungrily on the dark peaks of her breasts as they beaded in the chill.

She stepped closer, placing her small hand into his massive palm and stepping into the tub.

"Careful," he murmured.

Alyssa slowly sank into the tub, letting out a blissful sigh as the water’s intense heat enveloped her tired muscles.

Dorian didn’t waste a second. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him, settling her between his thighs so her back was pressed hard against his chest.

He gently swept her hair over her shoulder, lowering his head to press a warm kiss on her nape.

Alyssa’s eyes fluttered shut, a breathless moan escaping her lips as his mouth trailed up the delicate line of her jaw. Beneath the water, she felt his cock twitch and harden against her lower back. The sudden friction had her core clenching and throbbing hard with need.

​"Did you find out who did it?" she whispered, her voice husky and strained with growing arousal.

Dorian didn’t stop his kisses. He moved his lips to her ear, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine. "How about we talk about that tomorrow?"

She nodded eagerly, her head falling limply to the side as his teeth gently nipped the sensitive skin of her shoulder.

His large hand rose from the water, cupping one full breast. Alyssa arched her back instinctively, a throaty moan escaping her. His other hand joined the first, squeezing the soft flesh, mapping the contours of her body with possessive familiarity.

"Mmhmm..." she whimpered, a violent rush of heat shooting straight to her core.

Dorian’s kisses grew heated, wild, and unrestrained. He sucked delicately at her pulse point, leaving behind dark marks and reddened hickeys. He rolled his thumbs over her tight nipples, groaning thickly as they hardened under his touch.

Alyssa was moaning openly now, the sound echoing off the bathroom tiles. She reached back, threading her fingers through his damp hair and gripping tightly as he buried his face in her neck.

Suddenly, his hand slid down her stomach, dipping beneath the water to trace the path between her thighs. His fingers easily found her clit, the swollen center of her pleasure.

He brushed a single finger over the slick bud in a slow, torturous circle, ripping a loud gasp from her lungs. Her hips jerked automatically, grinding against his palm as his strokes grew faster, more deliberate.

When he suddenly buried a long finger inside her tight warmth, she cried out in pure ecstasy, her head snapping back against his chest.

"Dorian..."

"I know, baby," Dorian growled against her ear, adding a second finger and driving them in and out of her in a relentless rhythm. "You’re so wet. So goddamn wet for me."

He thrust faster, his chest heaving as the wet heat of her inner walls clamped tightly around his fingers. Just as the tension in her lower stomach coiled tight, pushing her to the very precipice of a shattering release, he withdrew his hand completely.

Alyssa gasped in protest, her body trembling with unfulfilled need.

Dorian leaned forward, his weight pressing her slightly against the edge of the tub as he whispered against her lips. "Go lie down on the bed, little lamb. Let me make love to you properly."