The Last Shadow (Shadows and Strings #3)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Damien

“Hey.” Francesca greets me with a sexy upturn of her lips when I walk into the penthouse. She seems relaxed and easygoing, no word about the visit with my sister. “How was your day?”

I close the distance, leaning in to kiss her. “Excellent,” I lie, pulling back with a smirk. “Except for missing you. How was your day?”

“Good,” she answers easily. “Nothing all that exciting, just your everyday police work. Why was your day so good?” she shoots back, and I can’t tell if she genuinely wants to know or if she’s trying to throw me off.

“I had a very informative meeting on a deal I’m working on, which always makes me feel good.” I wait, curious if she’ll mention her meeting with Olivia.

Is this what our marriage will be like? Both of us lying to each other by omission? Does it matter? This marriage isn’t meant to be a forever and ever type of love. It’s a pragmatic agreement that helps us both even if Francesca doesn’t know it yet.

“I love it when you feel good,” she purrs, rubbing her hands up and down my chest and torso.

“Yeah? What are you going to do about it?”

“What are my options?” she asks, her hands already working my pants button and zipper. “Because I have ideas. Really, really good ideas.”

My cock stiffens at her playful tone and the way she unwraps me like a gift is almost more than I can take. “What do you want?”

“Everything,” she breathes. “You.”

“Perfect answer,” I growl, pulling her flush against me. “Show me.”

Frankie sinks to her knees, stroking my cock in her hands until I’m thrusting into her grip, a low growl escaping. Her tongue flicks against the head of my cock while her left hand cradles my sac. “I love having you in my hands, at my mercy like this.”

She begins to push-crawl me backward, her mouth never leaving my cock. Each step back sends a thrill through me, the power dynamic shifting as she guides me to the wall.

“How much?” I ask when my back touches the wall.

“This much.” She takes me in both of her hands and sucks me deep in her throat.

“You like sucking my cock?”

She nods, sucking me a little deeper. The feel of her lips, tongue and warm mouth on my cock is almost unbearable. It feels so good. Letting her take the lead and grasp the reins feels amazing. “Francesca.”

Her hands grip my ass cheeks, pulling me deeper into her mouth with a soft grunt. She’s taking my cock like it’s the only thing in this world she wants or needs. She lets her throat open and close around me, sucking me off until my legs tremble.

Frankie’s moans grow louder, and I can barely hang on against the feel of her tongue and her lips on my cock. I watch her work my cock to perfection, taking me in slow, deep strokes until my body trembles with the need to come.

I hold back, unwilling to let the pleasure break free just yet. “Yeah, just like that. Suck it.”

She flicks a teasing gaze at me, which shatters my defenses completely. Frankie takes me long and deep until my legs quake and my hand grips her hair, and I yank her away from my cock. “Get up. Now.” There’s an animal within me who needs nothing more than to claim my woman again.

Frankie stands, an expectant expression on her face as she waits to see what I’ll say or do next. “Here I am.”

I guide her to the couch, the city lights bathing us in a soft glow, creating an intimate atmosphere. I sit down and pull her onto my lap, our bodies pressed tightly together, facing each other. “You feel incredible,” I say, my lips brushing against her ear.

She moans softly, grinding against me. “Damien, please.”

I grip her hips and lift her slightly, positioning her over my cock. Her eyes meet mine, filled with desire and love. “Take what you need, Frankie.”

She lowers herself onto me, a gasp escaping her lips as she slides down my length. The sensation is intense, the connection between us electric. “Oh, God,” she breathes, her body trembling.

“That’s right, Frankie. Take it all,” I growl, my hands gripping her hips tighter. The feel of her surrounding me is almost too much, but I hold back, wanting to savor every moment.

She begins to move, riding me slowly at first, then faster, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “Damien, yes!” Her nails dig into my shoulders, her eyes locked onto mine.

I can see the pleasure in her gaze, the raw need that matches my own. “You feel so good,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “So fucking good.”

She leans in, her lips finding mine in a heated kiss. Our tongues clash, our breaths mingling as we move together, the intensity building with each thrust.

“Fuck, Damien,” she moans against my lips, her body trembling as she chases her release.

I grip her tighter, driving into her with more force. “That’s it, Frankie. Take it all. Take everything you need.”

Her body convulses, her cunt clenching around me as she comes, a cry of pleasure escaping her lips. “Damien!”

I watch her, the sight of her losing control sending me over the edge. “Fuck!” I roar, my own release hitting me hard. I empty myself into her, our bodies shaking with the intensity of our shared orgasm.

It takes a few minutes before our breathing returns to normal, but when it does, I pull her close and let out a satisfied sigh.

“This is nice,” she purrs and buries her head against my chest.

It is nice. It’s more than nice. “It’s perfect,” I agree and wrap my arms around her.

After a few moments, I say what’s on my mind. “We should get married soon. This weekend.”

Frankie goes still for an extended moment and then she gasps, pulling back to look at me. “What? We can’t plan a wedding in a week!” She shakes her head. “I still have to pick out colors and get a dress, pick out a venue and about a million other things.”

“Calm down, kitten. It’s all taken care of.”

Her gaze meets mine. “What? What do you mean it’s all taken care of ?” She shakes her head. “You can’t just take care of our wedding. What the hell?”

“Sure, I can. I have people who can manage the details, and these details can be taken care of by next weekend. That’s a full week, plenty of time.”

“Damien, are you serious? I only plan to get married once and I’m not going to let someone else manage it for me. Some details? Sure. But all of them?”

I sigh and hold her close. “Oh, my precious pet, the only thing I’m asking is for you to trust me. Can you do that, trust me?”

“Of course I trust you, Damien. I wouldn’t have said yes otherwise.”

“Good.” I kiss the top of her head. “You know I’m very busy at work and you’re busy hunting down a serial killer. I refuse to let him dictate our lives. I just want to help, to make it perfect for you. I don’t want you stressing on the details.”

Frankie pulls back slightly, her eyes narrowing as she looks at me. “Damien, I appreciate the thought, but I’m not some damsel in distress who can’t manage planning her own wedding. I want to be involved. I need to be involved.”

I sigh, my grip on her tightening. “Francesca, I understand that. But this is the best way. Trust me. It’ll be perfect.”

She shakes her head, her voice firm. “No, Damien. This isn’t just about the details. This is our wedding. I want to choose my dress, the colors, the venue—all of it. I’m not going to be sidelined in my own wedding planning.”

“Francesca,” I say, my voice softening. “I get it. But I’m doing this for you. You don’t need to worry about the details. I promise it will be perfect.”

Her eyes flash with anger, and I can see the hurt behind them. “You’re not even listening to me.”

“I am listening,” I insist, forcing a calmness into my tone. “You need to relax and enjoy this. I don’t want to fight with you about something that should be beautiful. Let me take care of things. You’re going to love what I’ve planned.”

She sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly, but her voice remains resolute. “Fine. But I still want to be involved. This is important to me.”

“Of course,” I say, pulling her close again. “You are involved. It’s your wedding. You just need to show up and be happy. That’s all I want for you. For us.”

For a second, she studies my face, searching for something, and I hold her gaze, willing her to see the truth in my words. Slowly her body eases, just slightly. “I know. Me too.”

“Good,” I say and tap her butt cheek. “Now, let’s get your pretty ass into bed. I need to get to the office.”