Innocence (Tales of Olympus #1)(69)

“It’s time to shut that pretty mouth of yours,” he barked.

When he’d taken her virginity, he’d been gentle and patient.

It appeared that patience was at an end. He clutched her to him with both arms and he thrust deep and wild and violently.

Cora stopped thinking. She only felt with all her senses.

The wet sound and feel of his thick cock sawing in and out of her. The harsh noise of his breath in her ear. The smell of his sweat mixed with cologne. Looking down and seeing his strong, manly hands clutching and working her.

He was usually so in control. So studied and cold. But his thrusts were wild and his noises animal as he took her. He couldn’t hold himself back any more than she could. This thing was bigger than the both of them.

Cora couldn’t help the cry of pleasure that escaped her mouth when the climax hit this time and Marcus’s hand moved from her throat to her mouth to muffle her noises. Somehow that made it even sexier, him fucking her so hard in this coat closet, hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. She clenched on him as the spasms rolled through her, involuntarily at first and then voluntarily as he swore in her ear and pumped even harder still.

He crushed his face into the hollow of her neck and thrust the deepest he ever had yet as she felt him, the heat of him as he spilled inside her and she felt a high beyond that of climax, of womanly triumph.

He pulled out and thrust in again, and again and he stilled, like he was unwilling to let go of the moment. He stayed there a long time, his breathing ragged and Cora clutched around him with every ounce of strength she had.

She didn’t let the thoughts back in yet. Not yet. Not yet.

There was only Marcus and her in this moment, so perfectly connected.

She didn’t know how long they stayed like that. A full minute? Two?

Before he finally pulled out and she felt his seed begin to slide out and down her inner thighs. Her sex clenched again, involuntarily, as if to keep him inside her.

She was glad she was faced away from him because she didn’t know what he would have seen on her face in that moment.

She was only sure of one thing as she stared forward at the rack of coats, exhilarated and horrified by all that had just happened.

That had so not been part of the plan.





Twenty





Three days later, Cora entered the dog shelter. A pause and she ran, flinging herself into Maeve’s arms.

Maeve squeezed her close but only for a little bit before pulling back and holding Cora’s shoulders. “Let me get a look at you.” She’d been grinning, but her smile dimmed at looking Cora up and down. “Sweetie, are you all right?”

Cora’s bottom lip trembled and she fought back tears as she nodded. She hugged Maeve again, hard.

“Oh, sweetie,” Maeve said, rubbing Cora’s back soothingly.

Cora closed her eyes and sank into her friend. Gods. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed a friendly face. Tears crested and fell down her cheeks but she didn’t make a noise. She clung to Maeve. For a long time.

When she finally let go, she swiped at her eyes and gave a short somewhat false laugh. “I don’t know what’s come over me. So much has happened since I’ve seen you.” She reached out and grabbed Maeve’s hands, giving them a squeeze. “I’m sorry I didn’t reach out sooner.”

Maeve squeezed her hands back. “It’s okay, I understand. I remember what it was like being a newlywed.” Then her eyebrows furrowed. “But honey, seriously, are you okay?”

Cora swallowed hard and nodded.

Marcus had made it more than clear at breakfast that she wasn’t to disclose any of the truth of their situation to her friend. He hadn’t gone so far as to threaten Maeve’s safety should she not comply but Cora wasn’t about to put her in that position. Maybe it was selfish to even come back here. Marcus was dangerous. Putting Maeve anywhere on his or his Shades’ radar wasn’t doing her any favors.

But things between her and Marcus had continued to thaw even more since the gala. He was still letting her move freely throughout the apartment and they discussed letting her volunteer again at the shelter on a temporary basis, once a week. Today was the trial run.

Well, by discussed, she meant Marcus had decreed it, with a long list of conditions, including having his Shades guarding the front and back of the building and Sharo escorting her at all times.

Marcus worked all day and sometimes nights but they had meals together at least once a day, though they never did much in the way of talking. Sometimes he read to her, though. First from the newspaper. And without discussion, he’d plucked a book from the bookshelf and started reading it aloud. It was a Thomas Hardy novel and it was very beautiful and very sad.

And every night, without fail, he came to her room. He took his time with her. Sometimes it got a little rough, but it was never quick and, as much as she hated to admit it, it was never unwanted.

She’d begun to look forward to him coming home with an excitement that disturbed her.

He was the enemy. Wasn’t he?

She. Was. So. Confused.

All that to say, Cora could use a friend now more than ever.

“I’m all right,” Cora said and her smile was a little less tremulous this time. “I mean it.”

The bell over the door jingled and the man from the gala walked in, the reporter, this time not in a tux but in jeans and an attractive gray Henley. He smiled as soon as he saw Cora and she waved.