I shake my head, but the gesture is barely-there as Adrian powers in and out of my mouth with a mad rhythm that’s out of control. I’m lightheaded, unable to breathe, and my hold on his thigh is more for balance than anything else now. I feel like if I let him go, I’ll fall.

Or maybe worse.

My husband uses my mouth like it’s his own vessel of punishment. He drives in, keeping his cock at the base of my throat, then pulls out, allowing me a sliver of air before he rams back inside.

I don’t attempt to stop him as he uses me, punishes me, and takes out his anger on me.

If anything, my thighs tighten every time he confiscates my air. Every time he thrusts in with unapologetic force, manhandling me, taking what he wants from me.

Drool drips down my chin and tears streak my cheeks, but I still keep my mouth open whenever he pulls out. I still want him inside, even if my jaw aches.

However, punishing me doesn’t seem to take the edge away from his savage features. Instead, it seems to deepen, heighten, sharpen them.

“I spend two months, two fucking months, entertaining your belief that you’re Winter, and just when I think I have you back, just when I start to believe you’ll be different, you fuck up everything.”

A sob tears from my throat, but it’s lost in the sound of him fucking my mouth—or more accurately, my throat.

“This mouth is mine, Lia. Only mine.”

I nod frantically, even though he didn’t ask a question.

Adrian’s grip tightens on my hair and his body goes rigid. I think he’ll come, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

He keeps going on and on, his hips thrusting with a ruthlessness that steals my thoughts and my breath.

“Open your mouth wide,” he finally grunts.

I do, sticking my tongue out the slightest bit.

Adrian releases my jaw and tugs my head back using my hair. “Fucking mine.”

And with that, he comes all over my lips, tongue, and throat. I swallow as much as possible, but some of his cum rolls down my chin, mixing with the saliva and tears.

I’m panting and aching between my legs, but I ignore all that and focus on Adrian.

He’s still gripping me by the hair, and even though he just came, his cock is already semi-hard as if ready for more.

I don’t stop staring at him. In part because of how utterly beautiful he is, but also because I’ve always loved witnessing the moment of ecstasy on his face right after an orgasm.

But the most important part is because I need to know he still wants me. That what happened just now wasn’t only him punishing me or the mere fusing of our bodies, but something more.

Adrian tucks himself in with one hand and does his zipper, not bothering with the belt. His hold is still harsh and unforgiving on my hair as he pulls me up by it.

I stumble to my feet, gripping his bicep for balance. We’re standing toe-to-toe, one ragged pulse against the other, and my heart flips in my chest at being this close to him.

It’s never felt ordinary over the years. Adrian will always have a part of me in the palm of his hand.

He’ll always make me stop and stare.

He grips my chin again. This time, his fingers trace over my lips that are still coated with his cum. “Whose mouth is this?”

I don’t even think as I whisper, “Yours.”

“Whose tears are these?”

“Yours…” He leans over and licks them off my cheek, then bites down slightly.

I shudder, my whole body drowning in a shockwave of emotions as he nibbles his way to my ear and murmurs in hot, dark words, “You’d best remember that, Lenochka.”

7

Lia

“Mommy!”

I open my arms and crouch as Jeremy runs at full speed toward me. Tears are shining in his huge eyes when he slams into my embrace.

As I hug him to my chest and smell his marshmallow and apple scent, I feel like everything will be okay. As long as I have my baby boy, I’ll be fine.

“I thought you went away, Mommy.” He sniffles against me. “I was playing with the clowns, but then Boris stopped them and you were gone.”

“It’s okay, my little angel. I’m right here and would never leave.”

I mean it this time, because there’s no way in hell I’m abandoning Jeremy again. He’s suffered enough for his young age. I don’t care what happens to me as long as he’s safe.

Even if it means facing his father’s wrath.

When Adrian and I emerged from the alleyway after he fucked my mouth, turning me on without having to touch me, Kolya, Boris, and a few other guards were waiting for us near a small parking area with Jeremy.

Adrian ushers us into the back seat of the car without saying a word. God, I hate his silent treatment. It gets on my last nerve and it also hurts because I know he uses it as a method to pull away from me.

He hasn’t always been talkative, but he’s at least used his voice—aside from ordering me to do sexual things.

Soon after, we’re leaving in the car, with Kolya and Boris in the front and the three of us in the back. Jeremy is sitting between us, apparently unaware of the tension brewing in the air while he excitedly tells me about the clowns and how they were so funny.

I answer him when he asks questions, but my attention is divided as I keep stealing glances at Adrian. He’s focused on his phone, seeming to cut us both out, although he does talk to Jeremy when he asks him something.

So it’s only me.

If it were still old times, I would’ve focused on Jer and given Adrian the figurative middle finger. But that lack of communication is what ruined us in the first place.

Handing Jeremy a bottle of juice that I had in my bag for our picnic, I pretend to be preoccupied with fixing his scarf as I ask Adrian, “Did you follow us?”

He doesn’t spare me a glance, but he doesn’t ignore me and nods.

It was a redundant question anyway, considering he appeared not long after Luca took me. He must’ve suspected me since I asked him if I could go out with Jeremy last night.

And here I thought I was being smart.

I should’ve known from everything that’s happened in the past that Adrian is always one step ahead. However, I couldn’t really recall those years when I was being Winter.

Though a part of me felt a certain familiarity that I did my best to ignore.

My instant connection with Adrian makes sense, too. The fear, the lust, and the affection all came from deep within me.

“Why did you follow us, Papa?” Jeremy asks and it takes everything in me not to kiss his adorable cheeks.

“Because I wanted to see you, Malysh.” Adrian ruffles his hair before going back to his phone.

Jer takes a slurp of his juice, then frowns. “How about Mommy? You didn’t want to see Mommy?”

“Of course I did,” he says with no emotion.

“Maybe you can come with us next time, Papa.”

“Maybe.”

“Your papa has work to do, Jer.” I stroke his hair away from his face, adopting my softest tone. “He doesn’t have time for us.”

Adrian glares at me beneath his lashes, but I hold onto my defensive line through Jeremy. I hate using him, but he’s always been the only solid thread keeping us together. And if that’s the best way to get to my husband, so be it.