Radiant Sin(64)

But it means leaving Cassandra alone, upset and vulnerable.

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Apollo.” She gives a sad smile. “You don’t have to play the hero for me. I know Olympus is your great love and responsibility. Do your duty. I’ll lock the door.”

She’s right. I know she’s right, but now that we’re here and alone, the events of the afternoon come crashing back over me. I don’t know why someone would target Pan, but the attack could have just as easily been against Cassandra. She’s been threatened several times since arriving at this party.

If someone snuck up behind her, hit her before she could run…

The thought has me reaching for her. “Come here.”

“Apollo—”

“I’m not fucking leaving you, Cassandra. You can keep arguing or you can come here and let me hold you until we both feel better.”

It’s a testament to how rattled she is that she places her hand in mine and allows me to pull her close and wrap my arms around her. With her body pressed to mine, I can feel the little tremors working through her. Part of me still wants to insist she leave, but she’s made her choice and I’ll respect it.

I’ll also do my best to ensure she doesn’t pay a price staying.

But it’s neither here nor there tonight. I’ll do whatever I can to make her feel better. With anyone else, that would include wrapping her up and tucking her in until she falls asleep, but I’ve learned not to make assumptions with this woman. “What do you need from me?”

She gives a hoarse little laugh against my chest. “You’ll think the worst of me.”

“Cassandra, I could never think the worst of you.”

A long pause. I stroke her back as I wait her out. Finally, she fists her hands in the fabric of my shirt and mutters. “I need you to fuck me until I can’t think anymore.”

I freeze. “I—”

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I realize it’s an unconventional choice.” She’s still speaking softly, still pressing her head to my chest so she doesn’t have to look at me. “But if you’re about to remind me that I don’t have to feel obligated to have sex with you, I will point out, once again, that the only power you have over me is what I choose to give you.”

My heart gives a painful lurch. “Cassandra, look at me.”

She reluctantly lifts her head. Some of her shakiness has disappeared. “Please, Apollo.”

I can deny her nothing. There’s a kind of care in kink and sex, and it’s not a route I would have suggested, but if she needs this, I’m only too happy to give it to her. At least this I can fix. I brush my thumb over her cheek. “Tell me your safe word.”

Cassandra gives a faint smile, relief evident on her gorgeous face. “Python.”

It’s so easy to slip into the role with her. I press a soft kiss to her forehead and step back. “Take off your dress.” My voice is softer than I’ve used with her in the past during these moments, but she needs a soft place to land after the events of today.

I can offer her that. I want to offer her that.

Cassandra is not one for unquestioning obedience in life, and I appreciate that deeply. I honestly expected her to be more of a brat in these kinds of interactions, but she submits so sweetly. She doesn’t hesitate to pull her hair over her shoulder and turn around. “Will you unzip me?”

I step forward and catch the absurdly tiny zipper at the top of the dress. It would be so easy to rip, but while I can enjoy that kind of game, it’s not what either of us needs right now. This might be working its way to sex, but it’s about care, not pure lust.

I drag the zipper down the length of the dress and then run my knuckles up the center of her spine. She’s so soft, it drives me to distraction. Even though I told her to remove the dress, I’m the one that eases the straps off her shoulders and down her arms. Then I coast my hands down her sides and over her hips, pushing the fabric before me.

As I discovered earlier, she’s not wearing panties, but she is wearing a bra. I do away with it quickly, flicking the clasp open and repeating the motion of easing the straps down her arms. I press a kiss to one shoulder before I step back.

Then I allow myself to look my fill.

It doesn’t take long for Cassandra to start squirming, each movement making her ass flex. I have to clench my fists to keep from reaching for her. Not yet. This is a careful dance between us, the tension strung tight. Too much anticipation will have her brain clicking on. Too little will dampen the escape she needs. More, I love looking at her.

She’s perfect.

Thick waist, wide hips and ass, thick thighs that I really enjoyed having clasped around my head. I take a slow breath. Yes, that’s enough. “Turn around.”

She’s slower to obey this time. As Cassandra turns to face me, she actually starts to raise her hands to cover herself before she lets them drop to her sides.

I clear my throat. She’s just as perfect from the front as she is from the back. Oh, not in the glossed-over look that so many people seem to strive for; Cassandra is real. More importantly, for tonight at least, she’s mine to care for.

I glance around the room and finally settle on the chair tucked into the corner by the dresser. I stride over and sink onto it. “Come here.”