Indigo Spell (29 page)

How much was he not telling her? Tess glared at him. “You told me they couldn’t track us.”

“As long as I’m with you, they can’t.”

“I see. You left that part out.”

He rolled his shoulders forward but she wouldn’t allow herself to feel sorry for him. She needed her anger. “You’re only vulnerable without me.”

“I’m vulnerable with you.” The words were cloaked in bitterness.

His jaw tightened. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“Let me be clear on this. To save my life, I’m going to have to stay here in my little six-hundred-square-feet cell.”

“You are free to explore at will. You will not be held inside this room.”

The bedsprings creaked beneath her as Tess shifted. “So why couldn’t I leave just now?”

The look Jaxon gave her was maddeningly calm. “Because we weren’t finished with our conversation.”

Her knees dropped. “You did that?”

The unanswered question lingered in the air as he blinked at her.

“I really underestimated you.” She slid to the opposite side of the bed, away from him. “You know, there are different methods of abuse, Jaxon. Putting your wife’s life in jeopardy would constitute abuse.”

His body tensed and he rose slowly, the same picture of grace she’d witnessed before but this time much more controlled. Dangerous. “You were never in any danger from me. I have told you repeatedly I would never hurt you.”

“You already have.” Tess presented her back to him, wrapped her arms around her waist. Why couldn’t he see that by forcing her to remain, he was going to kill what they had? How could she trust a man who clearly didn’t trust her? “It’s apparent I have no choice in this matter so I’ll stay. But only until this insurrection is over. Once you and your family of wizards have taken care of the witches, I’m going home…to Charleston.”

She didn’t hear Jaxon approach her. Didn’t know he was behind her until she felt his hand on the small of her back. “There’s nothing for you in Charleston.”

“My life is there. I’d say that’s something.”

His hands curved around her shoulders and drew her around to face him. “Look at me.” He waited until she obeyed his command. “I’m telling you the truth. There’s nothing for you in South Carolina.”

Comprehension came slowly but when it arrived, Tess closed her eyes, shook her head. “No. You said you wouldn’t erase their memories.”

“No, I didn’t. I said I could.”

“And I told you I wouldn’t want them to forget me.”

“I did what I thought was best.”

“And what about Harry and Sadie? Did you do what you thought was best for them as well? Or was it just best for you and the damned Assembly? And should I ask about your car, your house? Did you poof them away as well? God, you erased more than just our friends’ memories. You erased our lives.”

Jaxon remained stoically silent, fueling Tess’ anger. She pushed against his chest and gained her freedom. “Damn you! How can you make all these choices without my knowledge or consent? Don’t you see that this isn’t a partnership? We don’t have a marriage, Jaxon, and you didn’t want a wife! You wanted someone you could control, someone who would warm your bed at night and passively accept your dictates during the day. You picked the wrong woman. I won’t be controlled by you or any other man or wizard.” She whirled, her steps fast and furious as she moved to the far end of the room. “Are you telling me the truth? Did you really erase Belinda’s memories? How about my mother’s? Are you telling me the fucking truth?”

“I have no reason to lie to you.” His voice held no regret. Tess supposed she could have forgiven him had there been even a remote trace of remorse in his voice.

“Give them back.”

“What?”

“Give them back their memories. You erased them with a spell. You can give them back.”

He came to stand in front of her, his hands in his pockets. He only touched her with his eyes, a simple gaze that settled on her face. “I will not give them back.”

“Then we have nothing more to say to each other. You’ve made me a prisoner here. You’ve taken away my link to the only life I’ve known. I could’ve forgiven you for holding me captive but for taking away my friends, my life, I’m not so sure I can.”

“In time, you’ll come to understand that what I did, I did for love. Your friends wouldn’t understand why you couldn’t contact them. They would’ve grown bitter, resentful even. You’d have lost them to their anger. My heart couldn’t allow that.” He reached for her then but Tess backed away until her spine touched the wall.

“Your heart. You did. Everything is about you, Jaxon. Your needs. Your wants. I can’t accept that. I can’t accept that I’ve no say in this marriage.”

“That isn’t true. I have listened to you.”

“And then you’ve done what you wanted to do anyway.” She dared him to deny her words.

“I do only what is necessary to protect you.”

“And the Assembly.”

The wall of his anger butted against hers. “The Assembly’s privacy must be preserved. You do not understand.”

“Maybe I don’t want to understand. Maybe just once I want to be a normal female and feel!” She slid along the wall but she had nowhere to run. “You’re going to do whatever in the hell you want to do anyway. So I don’t even know why you bother to talk to me about it afterward.”

“Tess, you need to listen to me.”

“Go to hell.”

Jaxon snatched hold of her arm and her hand swept up, connecting with his cheek in a slap that resonated across the room. For a long moment his eyes burned into her, fury swirling in the silver depths. “Where I go, you go.” Dropping his hands to capture her wrists, he brought her arms high over her head.

“Jaxon.” The one word protest ended on a shocked gasp when one of his hands tore at her clothes, quickly baring her skin completely.

He shoved her legs open and cupped her pussy while his gaze held hers. “Show me your anger. Let me feel it.”

Her head snapped back and she glared at him. “Do you think sex will make this go away?” Even as she asked the question, her body reacted to the plundering of his fingers. Her thighs jerked and she couldn’t hold back a gasp.

“I’m not trying to make it go away.” Jaxon pushed her tighter against the wall, arching his fingers upward, deep into her channel. His cock jutted up and he pressed it against her abdomen, letting her feel the hot rush of pleasure her body gave him.

She turned her head to the side and the slim column of her throat drew his attention. A warm, wet lick laved her skin and though her anger still burned strong, she wouldn’t resist. Sex wouldn’t resolve the issue but it was preferable to fighting—at least for now. “Let go of my hands,” she demanded.

Still holding her arms above her head, Jaxon shook his head. “I don’t think so.” His eyes glittered and lowering his head, he licked the tip of one nipple, drawing an elegant circle around the peaked tip. The sound of her startled breath urged him on.

His fingers began to rotate inside her, spreading wide, turning over and over like he was screwing the lid on a jar, sweeping each side of her pussy. Her tight muscles offered just enough resistance for the friction to be exquisite—and torturous as hell.

With the briefest thought, he swept his clothes away, giving his cock the room it needed to grow longer, harder.

He wanted to pull his fingers out and bury his rod deep inside her, banging her against the wall until she begged for more. And more. That’s what they both needed. A good hard fuck. Not making love. A fuck. Hot, animal sex with sweaty bodies and skin slapping skin.

The images stirred in his brain and his cock began to pulse, the head almost purple with blood. “I’m going to fuck you.” He growled the words in her ear.

Tess arched against him, lowering her knees to push his fingers deeper. As much as she wanted to push him away, to demand he release her to salvage her pride, she craved the feel of his thick cock expanding inside her pussy even more. “Then do it.”

Releasing her arms, he grabbed her thighs and lifted her high against the wall, her hips above his. No more words. No more time for thinking, arguing or doubting. He just wanted to fuck her, make her feel as alive as she made him.

One hand guided his cock to the opening of her pussy. His hips jackknifed and he plunged into the sweet wetness. As the warmth spread over his taut skin, he closed his eyes and bumped his forehead to hers. “Ah God,” he whispered.

She couldn’t have said it better herself. Digging her nails into his shoulders, she leaned forward and nipped his ear, giving permission for him to continue. She wanted it hard and rough, fast and wild.

Jaxon captured a nipple in his mouth and gave it a quick bite. The sharp sting startled her but she rode the aftermath of pleasure it brought, clenching her vaginal muscles to hold his cock as tightly as a gripped fist.

He grunted, drew back and rammed into her so hard her hips slammed against the wall. She cried out and held on. His fingers pinched her legs but she didn’t complain. He pressed so close to her she could barely breathe but she didn’t push him away.

This was…perfect. And with every thrust of his hips, he impaled her on his cock, driving it so deep within her channel she swore she felt it lift her womb. “That’s it,” she panted, finally managing to urge him on.

Faster and faster, he hammered his hips, bruising her flesh. Their bodies came together in a wild frenzy, skin dripping with sweat at the frantic pace.

His balls drew so tight they ached. Close to coming, he shoved one hand between their bodies and flicked her clit. Tess exploded with a scream, pushing her hands down on his shoulders for leverage. The orgasm was as wild as the sex, brutal in its intensity.

Jaxon drew back one more time and slammed into her, releasing a long groan as he came. The tight muscles continued to pulsate around his cock, draining it of every last drop of juice, draining him.

Their foreheads touched again and as their breaths mingled, Jaxon lowered her until her feet touched the floor. He opened his mouth to speak but Tess covered his lips with two fingers.

“I think we’ve said enough for now.”

Stepping back from her, he re-clothed them with a sweep of his hand. “This conversation isn’t over.”

She turned her back toward him. “Of course not. You don’t want it to be over and we both know you always get what you want.”

“Tess.” His voice held a warning she didn’t heed.

“You didn’t really think sex would make me forget, did you?”

“That wasn’t on my mind when I was fucking you.”

The harshness of the words made her wince. “Just go away. I need to be alone now.” She didn’t turn around until the door banged shut behind him.

* * * * *

Charlemaine placed her hand atop her son’s and gave him a reassuring smile. “You must give her time. This is a lot for a young woman to accept.”

“I do not think she will ever accept our way of life.” Jaxon slid his hand out from under his mother’s and scooted away from the table. He stood, his shoulders squared, his back ramrod straight. “She is scared and I have only compounded her fear by taking away her friends’ memories.”

“You did what you thought was best for the Assembly.”