Chapter 2: Pain and Pleasure

RIVA POV:

I drew closer to him slowly.

He made no move to rush me along or frown. Instead, he waited patiently, his eyes following my every step as I inched closer.

His eyes were surprisingly sober, although he should have been inebriated by now.

He allowed me to come closer and encroach his space. His hand hovered in the air for the fraction of a second before he cupped my face and leaned in to nuzzle my nose with his. His lips pressed against mine in a tender kiss. His gentleness took me off guard. I thought he would pull away, but he held me tightly, passionately. 

The doubt that lingered in the dark corners of my mind dissipated, leaving no room for regret. 

He filled it with thoughts of him and how his skin brushed against mine. I felt no pity as I was thoroughly ravaged by this striking man’s kiss. Hopefully, we could break apart and keep our hands honest until we got to the hotel room.

I need not have worried. 

The man had everything under control. 

He was the first to break away. Still, his lips hovered, appearing hesitant. With a look of determination, he opened the passenger side of the Jeep and invited me inside. 

No sooner had I slid inside than the pleasant smell of leather enveloped me. I could have dozed off right then and there if not for the incessant tingling in my abdomen. 

I took in the sleek interior as he walked to the other side and sat down. He took my hand wordlessly and gently squeezed it.

“Are you sure?” he asked. 

He looked confident. Like the answer to the question could only be the one he wanted. And he was right. From the moment he asked me to go home with him, I had no choice but to follow. It took me some time to come around, but in the back of my mind, I had always known the result.

I squeezed his hand back, without reply, motioning him to lead me.

I would go wherever he willed me.

It was nice to be with a man in control. For most of my life, I relied on myself to go through rough times. And sometimes, I was tired of fighting my way out of things.

Now, I didn’t know what to expect. 

I thought we would stop at a hotel nearby but as they passed by, I realized that he had a destination in mind. The car kept moving, away from the crowded part of the city to the more residential area. Soon, we arrived at a gated building complex. He inserted a card and the gate slid open, allowing us to enter.

The epiphany hit me hard. He lived here. Or at least, he rented an apartment here.

I felt bile rise up at the thought of him bringing other women to this place. It was obvious that he made a habit of bringing women over. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought me to this apartment so naturally.

But the negative thoughts didn’t linger for long. What did it matter if he was with other women? I had never expected this to go on more than one night.

He parked the car at a designated spot and undid his seatbelt. I reached to my side to unbuckle mine but his large hands covered mine, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to look at him questioningly when his lips crashed into me. His fingers covered the back of my neck, holding me in place.

I shoved against his chest, my lungs protesting from the lack of air. My lips stung and I trembled with need when he pulled away. His thumb rubbed my swollen lips as he eyed me hungrily. I panted, my mind fuzzy from the lack of oxygen.

The seatbelt clicked and in a split second, I was alone, and he was back in his seat, turning to open his door. He slid out before making his way over to me. 

Next thing I knew, he had my door open. He extended his hand in invitation and I paused for a second as my instincts screamed at me.

I shut it out.

With my hand safely held in his, he led me into the modern apartment building. Once the door to his apartment opened, I was struck by how cold the decoration looked. It was not a hotel, but it looked like a sanitized display at a furniture store. There was no way he lived here all the time. 

This place had no soul.

He walked over to the bedroom without hesitation. There was no lingering or awkward conversation in the hallway before leading her into the main act. He remained cold throughout, the mask I believed he put on for the world. 

But inside the confines of his bedroom, the facade slipped and what remained in its place was eagerness. 

He was a man on a mission. I mulled over if I should interrupt him by speaking or allow myself to be swept off my feet by the rapid current that was Ethaniel Ryves.

He pushed me towards the bed as his fingers worked on undoing the buttons of my top. But when my calf bumped the edge of the bed, he stepped back and cocked his head to the side, a silent challenge in them.

“Your turn.”

‘Is that how we are going to play?’

I smiled.

I raised my hand, motioning him. “Hand,” I commanded softly. 

He extended it without thinking much of it. I grabbed his wrist, taking him by surprise. He stumbled forward and I flipped us over as we fell to the bed. He lay spread on the bed, while his legs dangled off the edge while I supported my head on my hand and watched him from the side. His chest heaved in excitement, his eyes twinkling with delight.

He clearly loved that. I stored that information away for later. 

I crawled over him and sat on his thighs, taking my sweet time unwrapping him like the perfect present. I glided my finger over his skin, feeling his muscles twitch under her touch. He wasn’t shy when I ravaged him with my eyes. Instead, he appeared restless. His fingers clenched at his side as if he were holding back. When I looked down, I understood why.

His cock was straining against his pants, impatient to come out and play.

I took matters into my own hands. 

I reached for his belt and flicked it open. I smirked as I pulled it off in a smooth motion. I dangled it in the air, showing off my skills and he nodded in approval as I threw it to the side and started working on his hands. 

I propped up on my knees and scooted so that I was standing again. His pants came undone and he obliged by raising his hips and allowing me to slide them off. They were thrown aside into a pile somewhere across the room, but the sight before me was far too stimulating to care about anything else.

The first round was definitely on me.

The sound of his panting filled the room. He laid on the bed, splayed out, his once fisted hands relaxed. My chest puffed up with pride as I wiped the corner of my lips and gulped down the salty aftertaste. I smiled at him tenderly as I crawled back up. 

This man, who appeared indestructible on the surface, had sought me out in a moment of vulnerability. He was in pain and I comforted him in the only way that I could.

I brought him pleasure, pulling him out of his pain, even if it had been for a moment. It was the flicker of light in the otherwise darkness that enveloped him.