Chapter 29

She was only surprised, Killian assured himself when Emma went quiet. In the darkness, he couldn't read her face for her reaction, and he wasn't sure whether or not he regretted that. As he waited for her to recover and hopefully give him some kind of response, he focused on releasing himself from his shackles. His left arm had easily slipped free with no wrist or hand at the end of it. He wasn't sure why they had bothered, truthfully. When he'd previously found himself in similar situations, his captors typically assumed that the limb was entirely useless without the hook. That always simplified his escape. With it loose, he could use his forearm to push the metal rod that he kept in the lining of his collar toward his mouth and out of the small hole in the fabric. Once he had that between his teeth, he felt for the keyhole on the other shackle and made short work of the lock.

"Me?" She asked finally as his chains clattered off of him. Then, "what are you doing?"

He knew the two questions were unrelated, but he couldn't resist the gibe. "I'm confessing my love, of course. What does it sound like?" In one of the interior pockets of his coat he found his matches. He withdrew one and struck it lit, then took the moment to appreciate and savor the shock on Emma's face, giving her a cocky grin.

She blinked. "How did you do that? How did you get out?"

"Oh, I have my ways." He winked at her, withholding the secret. When you've survived as many scrapes as I have, you learn a few tricks along the way. I figured this might make us a bit more comfortable while we await their return. Now, let's see... a-ha!" On the wall beside the entryway hung a small oil lamp, which likely only saw use when guards desired visibility during interrogations. He touched the match to its wick quick enough for it to catch before the flame touched the skin of his fingers. After giving it a shake, he dropped the match to the floor. "Besides, it doesn't hurt to give our captors a reminder that we're here by choice." Waggling the small metal rod between his fingers for her to see, he stepped toward her, close enough that she had to lift her chin to see his face. "Let's get you free," he muttered, focusing his attention on her chains instead of her, and painfully aware of how swiftly and easily the subject had changed.

"Killian."

Something in her tone made him pause. His hand came to a halt, and he looked down to examine her face. His heart skipped a beat at the vulnerability he saw there. She didn't often remove her armor, and so this wasn't an exposure he wanted to treat lightly. "What is it?" He asked softly.

"Did you mean that? That I'm your happily ever after?"

So she wasn't going to leave him unanswered. He wasn't sure yet whether that was a relief. "Aye," he breathed. He'd stuck his neck out this far, he may as well put all his cards down on the table. "I meant it. In fact, when all this mess that we've found ourselves in has been sorted and settled, the first thing I want to do is find a new adventure to embark on with you. I love you, Emma."

Without warning, her heels snaked around behind his legs and yanked him closer to her; his body slammed into her. Her lips found his and in his surprise, his lock pick tumbled from his hand to the dirt floor. Wrapping her hands around her chains to lift herself and gain greater leverage, she ground her hips against his. As if by reflex, his hand grasped her thigh, hiking it up higher on his waist, his other forearm reaching behind her lower back and pulling her tightly to him as he pinned her against the wall, grateful that her wounds were healed enough to no longer cause her pain.

The demanding desire of her kiss was intoxicating, and he felt himself grow dizzy even as he chased after more. Her breath was hot on his face and she tasted tantalizingly sweet, like warm nectar honey. When her teeth raked over his lower lip, he released an involuntary groan, feeling himself stiffen. He pressed his hips firmly into hers between her legs, where he could feel a heat building, and took great pleasure in the gasp that elicited from her. Reverently, he murmured her name.

She hummed back contentedly, then whispered against his lips. "You should fuck me."

"Are you certain?" He asked, but he was already reaching for the laces of the breeches she wore. "And what if the guards should return?"

"What if?" Shrugging, she gazed at him coyly through heavy-lidded eyes, dilated pupils swallowing her green irises. "Maybe I miss the risk of getting caught."

He laughed. "Oh, I do love you."

Her laces freed, she released him from her legs only long enough for him to slide her pants down her thighs and for her to kick them the rest of the way off, along with her shoes. Giggling, she entangled him again as he reached for his own laces. "You said that. Show me."

Clearly she'd learned how to get a rise out of him, as indicated by her teasing tone. She was doing it on purpose, he could tell, but that didn't prevent his competitive, obstinate streak from surging into flames in response. He'd show her, alright.

Dropping down to his knee, he took her into his mouth, and another gasp escaped her. His left forearm guided her leg over his shoulder, giving his tongue the greatest access to her dark and sultry flavor that he so relished. At his groan of delectation, he felt her tremble, and he chuckled throatily, knowing it was the vibration of his lips that had done it. From there, he made sure to rapturously hum his appreciation as he caressed her with his mouth in worship.

He listened for the pacing of her breath, driving her closer toward the rapid panting that indicated she was coming close to release. When he felt the tension building in the inner muscles of her thighs, he threw her other knee onto his shoulders, taking the entirety of her weight off of the floor, and diving his face deeper into that most sacred of places. Her ankles crossed behind his back and squeezed tight. Her back arched, and the scream she did her best to stifle squeaked out in a high-pitched squeal as he felt the bundle of nerves pulse against his tongue.

After he'd eased her through the aftershocks, he plunged two fingers inside her, rubbing them against her inner walls, slick and slippery with her juices. It resulted instantly in a lustful whimper, and then she was panting again, doing her best to bite back her moans. She was going to get exactly what she'd asked for.

Her hips rolled against his face as he dexterously drove into her, until he couldn't breathe, but her thighs were beginning to clench again at his ears, so it was no matter. He didn't need air, he needed her, and so he doubled his efforts. It was all the more satisfying when he felt her shatter and spasm and heard the way she choked on the sounds she tried to muffle.

He let her come back down slowly before he slid his fingers out of her and lowered her legs off of his shoulders. He ran the tip of his tongue once more between her lower lips and placed on the spot a gentle parting kiss. Then he stood, pushing the waist of his pants downward so his rigid length sprang free. Hiking her legs again around his waist, he entered her as slowly as he could, thoroughly enjoying the way her breath caught in her throat at the friction. He pushed in firmly, as deeply as possible, all the way to his hilt and held there, where she was completely filled with him.

"Killian," she susurrated in a plea. "Say it again."

Feeling a thrill rush through him, he obeyed her command. "I love you, Emma," he whispered, and he felt her body shudder in bliss. Though he hadn't thought it possible, somehow that hardened him still further, and he began to thrust inside her, starting with small and slow movements.

"Oh, fuck." She gasped out a moan. "Say it again."

"I love you, Emma," he repeated, his strength and momentum building. As her head fell back against the wall, he planted a kiss on her neck below her ear, dragging his teeth across the skin, followed by his tongue. "I love you, I love you." Over and over, he whispered the words like a prayer between kisses, driving into her harder and faster until he felt her whole body clench in his arms. He covered her mouth with his own as she lost control, swallowing the delicious noises she made.

When her muscles slackened, he relaxed his pace. He broke the kiss to admire her lovely face and the exquisite way it contorted when he had her like this, bringing her again and again to ecstasy. Her eyes fluttered open, and beneath her dark lashes, they met his.

"I love you too, Killian." She breathed out.

Electric current flooded through his veins and coursed over his skin like igniting fireworks. The sensation took him over completely. His lips locked onto hers and he thrust into her greedily, rough and rapid, unable to hold himself back. All his restraint gone, he knew he was about to approach the edge, but he refused to fall apart without her. His hand found the place where they were joined, and he rolled his thumb over and around her bead, fighting to bring her with him.

He spilled into her, and he felt his victory.