Fable of Happiness book three

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

HOLY GOOD GOD.

I almost swooned. Literally, almost floated to the floor like an overly dramatic duchess who’d just seen the stable boy strip.

Kas flinched as he stepped into the living room, studying my expression. “That bad?”

I tried to speak—I truly did—but all that came out was a squeak.

He pulled on the hem of his tux jacket, shuffling self-consciously. “I know I was a dick and wouldn’t let that guy near me with his tape measure, but I thought the suit fit okay.” He frowned in my direction. “But judging by your inability to speak, I’m guessing it looks ridiculous?”

For a man who’d been used in so many different ways, desired by bastards, and raped by bitches, Kas showed his true sheltered soul at that moment. Three days ago (after cautiously hoping that Kas wasn’t going to change his mind about the gala) I’d arranged an in-home rental service that delivered personalized, high-end attire. I’d tried multiple ball gowns while Kas had flatly refused any “dresser” to help him. He’d taken the armful of suggested outfits, thrown me a look, and disappeared into my spare room where the climbing wall was.

He’d taken his time.

The owner of such expensive garments had gotten a tad nervous as Kas held several of his tuxes hostage. While waiting, I’d chosen a lovely silver-lavender dress that reminded me of the faint purple façade of my house and all the homey happiness I’d found sharing my space with Kas. The satin clung to my upper body, revealing arms that would always be slightly more muscular than the average female thanks to all my upper body workouts, before puddling down to the floor in a long swath of silver-purple, flowing into a slight train with a swooped back that played peekaboo with my ass crack.

I felt beautiful in it.

I’d popped to a local salon this afternoon and had my hair styled in loose waves and my makeup done with subtle lips and dark eyes.

However, now I felt completely underdressed.

Kas was...sublime.

My heart raced double time, adding to my anxiety that’d been steadily building all day. Ever since I’d woken and found Kas sleeping in the garden again, I’d felt on edge and unsure.

I worried about him.

I worried about me.

I worried about Jareth and every other member of their Fable family.

Tonight was monumental in so many ways. It could go wonderfully right but also spectacularly wrong.

But now? Now I had no worries in my head.

Only potent, powerful lust.

Tears filled my eyes as I drank him in.

Every delicious, delectable, stu

His newly trimmed hair was slicked back but fighting the tameness with cowlicks appearing at his temples while his face had a few days’ worth of stubble from when I’d shaved him at the start of the week, revealing a sharp jawline, masculine throat, and highly kissable lips. His eyes glowed with an ebony ferocity that matched the glossy black tux encasing him from head to toe. His throat was bare with the top button undone of his white shirt, partially hidden by a waistcoat of black satin.

No bowtie, no tie of any kind—I’d tried to show Kas how to wear one, but he’d yanked it off, saying tonight would be hard enough to breathe without a noose around his throat.

I’d left him to get ready on his own after that, recognizing the signs that his temper was caused by panic, and if dressing for the gala was already pushing him close to his limits, I honestly didn’t know how the rest of the night would go.

I had half a mind to call YouTube and apologize that we’d wasted their time and wouldn’t be making an appearance, but that would be almost sacrilegious now, not to let the rest of the world see Kas for themselves. Not to witness the journey he’d clawed his way through from violent wildling to a drop-dead gorgeous man.

He raked both hands through his hair, making the locks messy, his tux jacket rising up and flashing me just how well he filled those black pants. His thighs pressed against the expensive fabric, and the bulge between his legs showed he liked how I looked too. He liked it enough that his self-consciousness rapidly faded beneath matching lust.

“You know what? I don’t fucking care what I look like.” He dropped his hands, stepping toward me in polished leather shoes. “That dress barely hides anything. I can see the outline of your nipples.”

I swallowed again, desperately trying to get my voice working. I’d never been tongue-tied before. Never had a vibrant pain in my chest just from looking at someone.

Good God, I love this man.

And it wasn’t because he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. It wasn’t the pride I felt seeing him dressed like a millionaire mogul after witnessing him barefoot and naked, ru

It was because I loved him.

Every single part of him.

His heart, his soul, his kindness, his protectiveness.

Tonight would be the hardest he’d ever had to endure since the evening he killed the guests and earned his freedom. My heart ached for what he was about to walk into—putting himself in a precarious situation not for himself but for those he still cared so deeply about—and I couldn’t stop myself.

I would do anything it took to grant him calmness to get through tonight.

Reaching for my shoulders, I pushed at the micro straps holding my dress up.

The heavy satin immediately slipped from my body, pooling to the floor.

Kas sucked in a harsh breath. “Jesus, woman, what are you doing?”

I glanced at the clock above the oven. 6:45 p.m. We had fifteen minutes before the limo arrived to take us to the gala.

That’s enough.

Moving toward him, swaying my hips, showing him that I wore nothing under the dress so no panty or bra lines ruined the effect of water over my skin, I didn’t stop until I stood before him.

I stared into his stu

He froze. “Gem...what the hell are you doing?”

Reaching up, I undid the button of his jacket and spread the material to avoid any certain mess.

He flinched as my fingers dropped and worked the button of his slacks, pulling the zipper down. The heavy material fell to his ankles as quickly as my dress had fallen to the floor. “What—” He groaned as my hand slipped around his hips and pushed his tight black boxer briefs to mid-thighs.

He was rock hard. His veins stood out against the thick velvet of his arousal, the crown of his cock damp with desire. I didn’t pause and wonder if being forward like this reminded him of being used. I hadn’t asked permission. But surely, he could tell my touch came with love instead of cruelty.

He jerked as I fisted him, his hands going for my hair.

I reared back, shaking my head. “Don’t mess up my ’do. You can touch me anywhere apart from my hair.”

He growled and bared his teeth. “Then get off your fucking knees, woman.”

I licked my lips and ducked my chin, pressing a kiss to his throbbing, hot cock.

He hissed between his teeth, his head tilting back as he swayed on the spot. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“I’m going to give you a release.” I breathed on his erection, slowly licking my way down to my fingers, where I grasped him tight.

He shuddered. “You don’t...” He choked as I swallowed his entire length. “Jesus fucking Christ—”

Blowing on him, I murmured, “You’ve been used more times than I can imagine, Kas. You’ve had your free will taken, your happiness stolen, your very worth questioned for so many years of your life. Even tonight—a challenging evening for anyone—you’re doing it for other people, not yourself. I know how much this will cost you. I know how much you care.” My hand tightened around him, pumping him once. “Let me show you just how worthy you truly are.”

He hissed again, his entire cock jumping in my palm. “Gemma—”

“I’m yours to use however you want. I’m yours, Kas. Let me take away some of your stress. Let me remind you that for the rest of your life, only my lips will be on your body. Only my hand will touch your cock. You are in control of what you want and when. You are the master of me. Not because you’re bigger than me or because you once buckled a chain around my ankle, but because I choose you. Just like you chose me.”

“Gem—” His voice broke.

I sucked him.

Tangy salt exploded on my tongue as he jerked in my hold, and his knees almost buckled. His hands landed on my hair only to jolt away, remembering what I’d commanded.

I’d only told him to avoid my hair once. He was drowning beneath lust, yet he’d obeyed without any reminding.

How much of that came from the conditioning he’d undergone? And how long would it take before he truly trusted that he belonged only to himself?

Ru

Eventually.

Eventually, he’d be free.

Eventually, he’d be healthy and happy because he had me, and I would do whatever it took to make him sleep beside me, travel with me, spend my money on memories and experiences, and enjoy the rest of his life unafraid.

His balls drew up as his cock hardened to stone in my mouth. His breathing sounded as if he’d run through the valley for hours, catching with a heady, animalistic growl as he thrust against my tongue.

I let him use me.

I granted him power over me.

I knelt before him and took whatever he wanted to give me so that his mind might stay sane for the rest of the night.

His hands balled by his sides, stopping himself from reaching for me even as his thrusts turned jerky and shallow. I was wet. Unbelievably wet as I looked up at his face and my mind shot me back to that first time in the basement back at Fables.

The time he’d commanded me to my knees and used me against my will.

I’d obeyed because I’d had no choice, even while I’d felt a buzzing in my blood that should never have been there. And I understood why he’d done that now. I understood the vulnerability inside him. The depth of pain after having so many people command him to serve and never being the one in the position of power.

I moaned around him, getting carried away with need.

“Gemma, goddammit,” he hissed. “What are you doing to me? I can’t...I don’t think I can—” His chin fell onto his chest, his eyes blazing black. “You have to stop.”

My lips popped as I pulled him from my mouth. “Tell me what you want.”

“No.”

“Use me.”

“No way.”

“Get it out, Kas. Use me to soak up whatever might haunt you tonight. Give me everything, feed me every trigger, let me carry all your pain.”

His eyes glossed with liquid as his hips pulsed, his cock sliding between my fist. “I can’t—”