Page 28 of Malevolent Hearts
As I sit on a boulder, I lift my gaze to the moonlight reflecting against the ocean, casting a glow on the small private beach hidden between the cliffs next to my lighthouse. I don’t normally come down here much, choosing to stay in the solitude of the great indoors, but tonight is different. For some reason, I wanted to share this with her. And I’m glad I did because watching her run along the water’s edge, her shoes clutched in her hand as she tiptoes through the waves is a sight to behold.
“Don’t be such a bore, Beast. Roll up your trousers.”
I couldn’t stop the smile on my face if I wanted to. Something about her makes me feel lighter, less bogged down by the weight resting on my shoulders.
With her, I can be young, dumb, and fucking stupid. My need to be near her takes over. Once I remove my shoes, I roll my trousers midway up my calves, then cross seaweed covered terrain, following the pull of Beibhinn’s magnetic gaze. Mischief lights her eyes as she waits for me to draw closer, then as soon as I’m in splashing distance, she kicks out, covering me in ocean droplets.
“You’ll pay for that, Pretty Poison.”
“I’m counting on it.”
She anticipates my next move before I make it, taking off with a squeal towards a small sea cave that’s cut into the jagged coastline. Hidden between the rocks, only accompanied by the waves crashing against the shoreline, I catch up to her and wrap my arms around her centre before lifting her off her feet.
“Put me down, you beast.” Her laughter dances through the night as she wriggles in my grasp, stealing my balance. Trying to find her footing, Beibhinn spins in my arms, and we tumble backwards, going down like a sack of bricks. Before I know it, I’m bracing her fall. My arm circles her waist as she straddles me. Behind her, the moonlight glows like a halo around her head. A breath lodges in my throat just looking at her. Once again, a silence settles between us as we get lost in each other’s gaze. My heart stills, and I know it wouldn’t matter if it stopped beating altogether because I’d be happy to live in this moment forever, as long as I got to live it with her.
“Cadden?”
“Yes, Beauty.”
“Now would be a really good time to kiss me again.”
My mouth curls into a wicked smile as I close the distance between our lips. A hair’s breadth away, I whisper, “Couldn’t agree more, snowflake.”
The air crackles with tension as I move closer. Drawn together by an irresistible magnetism, our lips meet in a tender yet fiery kiss, and a fresh wave of emotion washes over me. Time seems to slow down, and the outside world fades into obscurity. All that matters in this moment is the intoxicating sensation of Beibhinn’s lips against mine.
The touch of her soft lips ignites a fire within me, sending shivers down my spine. An unfamiliar sensation flutters in my stomach, and my dick hardens behind the zipper of my pants. I try to ignore how turned-on she’s making me, but when she grinds her pussy against my shaft, a deep groan ripples from my chest. “Jesus, B. I really want to fuck you right now. But there’s no way our first time will be on a bed of rocks.”
She doesn’t respond with words. Instead, she doubles down, applying more pressure to each slide of her pelvis before once again capturing my mouth with hers. Every brush of her lips creates a symphony of longing and passion. Each swipe of our tongues deepens the connection between us. It feels like a stolen moment. A profound sense of intimacy and closeness that transcends words. It’s a dance of emotions, a silent conversation that speaks volumes without uttering a single word.
My fingers tease up her bare thighs, slipping beneath the hem of her skirt before settling on the globes of her barely covered arse. With each rock of her hips, her pussy grinds against my throbbing dick.
“Cadden. I’m so close,” she whispers. “Whatever you do, don’t stop.”
My grip on her tightens, and I thrust upward, giving her the friction we both need. “Let go, Bev,” I grit out, barely holding myself together as the familiar sensation tugs at the base of my spine.
Then, as if on command, Beibhinn’s body quakes beneath my grasp. “Oh my hell. What in th?—”
Capturing her mouth with mine, I swallow her breathy moan as she rides out the wave of her release. Her tongue slides over mine, and before I know it, I’m following her over the edge. My orgasm rips from my body, shooting hot beads of cum into my boxers. I should probably be embarrassed for coming in my trousers like a horny kid, but I’m not. I loved every second.
Eventually, we pull apart, breathless and flushed. When my gaze locks on her cloudy blues, I know this is the moment that will change everything between us. This is the beginning of our story… Let’s hope it has a happily ever after.
Sixteen
Beibhinn
The Present
There are some secrets which do not permit themselves to be told.
?Edgar Allan Poe
I’m startled awake by visions of wild flames and my brother’s screams. My shoulders lift off the mattress, making my body jerk forward. A tightness squeezes my chest. My lungs beg for a breath. Sweat gathers along my brow. I draw in a mouthful of air, desperate to ease the scorching pain, but the lump in my throat refuses entry. Panic washes through me, heightening every emotion.
Swinging my legs over the edge of the daybed, I place my feet on the carpet before dropping my head between my knees. I need to ground myself. Deep breaths, B. Several razor-sharp intakes later, the room stops spinning, and I finally lift my head.
With a quick glance over my shoulder, my gaze lands on a sleeping Cadden lying on top of the covers, still dressed in the suit he wore to the funeral—minus his shoes, jacket, and the leather chest holster he carries his guns in, which are all neatly piled on the table next to the windows.
Still conflicted about his presence, I pull my attention away from him. Part of me wants to believe he had nothing to do with the bomb at Kill Castle. But from what Rohan told me on the car journey back about the conversation he overheard between Gabriel, Finn, and my dad, it’s hard to exclude Cadden’s involvement—especially when he went to such extreme measures to keep me far away from the crime scene. Deep down, I want to believe Cadden would never intentionally cause me any pain, but there are only so many times you can look at a warning flag without seeing its true colour is a glaring shade of red.