Once Upon a Time Read online

  What frustrates me most is the fact that she’s lying in the middle of the bed, curled up into a tiny ball with just a threadbare blanket to cover her. There’s nothing in here to ward off a cool winter’s night. She’s going to catch her fucking death in this hole.

  Kneeling on the floor beside her, I gently grip her shoulder, unsurprised that she’s out cold. Crawling into the bed behind her, I lay light kisses along her neck and cheek whispering her name.

  “Landon?” her husky voice asks.

  “I’m here, sweets.” Breathing in her freshly showered skin as I continue to kiss her.

  “I can’t do this.” She hiccups.

  Shocked, I can’t hide my anger. “Why the hell not?”

  “Because it will hurt too much.” She won’t open her eyes.

  Confused, I ask, “What will?”

  “When you leave. It will hurt too much. I can’t stand to be abandoned again.” Her words hurt my heart.

  Reaching under her chin with a hand, I bring her head around so she can see how serious I am when I tell her, “You’re mine, Cecilia. No one, and I mean no fucking one, is taking you from me. You included.”

  “You can’t keep me.” She tries to argue.

  “I can and I will.” Nothing will stop me from it either.

  Cecilia

  * * *

  Waking up to light kisses and sexily whispered words makes me think I’m still dreaming of Landon and the way he keeps trying to declare me as his own. I’ll never tell him, but I secretly enjoy it when he gets growly and possessive. I love that he’s so ready and willing to claim me too. I know that if I give in too easily, he’ll think he can win all the time, so I need to guard my heart a little longer.

  Landon is moving at the speed of a freight train, far faster than I’m ready for with a relationship, but I get the impression it’s just who he is. While I’m ready to be loved for who I am, I’m not ready to lose myself. Landon appears to accept me, flaws and all, so I have to take this chance with him. I’ll regret it forever if I don’t.

  “Come on, sweets, let’s go out,” he commands softly in my ear.

  This can’t possibly be real. But it is. The demand in his tone has my thighs quivering with need. My heart races to obey anything he pleads. Grabbing my hand as he stands, Landon pulls me to my feet, and I fall against his chest. Staring into his intense gaze before his mouth descends on mine, I barely have time to react.

  His lips are soft at first, unyielding on my own. He takes me to a place I’ve never dreamed of being before. With the way he knows when to slow down and when to push for more, I’m breathless in no time. A tug on my hair elicits a pleasure-filled gasp as we come up for air.

  Taking advantage, Landon sweeps his tongue into my mouth to tangle with my own. Lost in his decadent flavor, I don’t notice how tight my grip on his shirt is until he tries to pick me up and I pull it from the waist of his slacks.

  We’re both so lost in passion that he walks towards the wall and slams me against it harder than intended. “Fuck, sorry.” It doesn’t stop him from nibbling on my neck, though, leaving small love bites along the way. Grinding his hardened cock into my panty-covered core, I can feel my juices flowing, wetting the fabric between us, readying me for Landon and all that he has to offer.

  Growling in my ear, he tears at the shirt I’m wearing, and buttons pop off, flying in all directions. “Fucking gorgeous, but I need more,” he groans.

  His passion-filled eyes hold my gaze steady as he sucks first one nipple in his mouth then moves on to the other. With one hand in my hair, he tugs, so I’m forced to arch my back, bringing my breasts even closer to his greedy mouth.

  “Gonna own you, sweets,” he mumbles, biting on the peaked tip of the nipple in his mouth.

  “Oh God, Landon!” I can’t help the scream as the rippling orgasm rolls through my body. A bright red flush covers my chest and neck as tingles caress my every nerve ending. My pussy is throbbing, begging to be filled by this man. My heart is beating so erratically, I’m almost terrified it’s going to jump right out of my chest.

  “Fuck me,” Landon groans, grinding his cock against my core, hitting my clit with each thrust and sending aftershocks of pleasure through my body.

  Crashing his mouth onto mine, he devours me in the moment. Stealing my breath as he plunders my mouth. If I’m being honest with myself, Landon Powers wholly owns me. He possessed me before, but now I’m his, heart and soul.

  Pulling away, Landon presses his forehead to mine while we both try to control our chaotic breathing. Opening my eyes, I have a sense of surreality about what’s happening.

  He’s really going to own me.

  “You ready, sweets?” he whispers.

  Nodding my head, Landon slowly allows my feet to drop and my body to drift down his, not once losing contact.

  “I’ll meet you by the door.” He eats me with his eyes. “Hurry up.”

  On wobbly legs, I rush to my closet to find something suitable to wear. Nothing I own is fancy or even that nice for wherever he could have planned for us. Everything I own is old and threadbare or it has holes in it.

  Keeping it simple, I grab the nicest things I can find. A black halter top that matches a pair of black high-waisted cut-off jeans, with a jean jacket and my only pair of Chucks. Hoping I don’t look a complete mess, I rush out to him.

  Landon

  * * *

  Fucking explosive. Cec is filled with more passion than I could have dreamed of. The way she lit up for me with gentle, small touches blows my mind. Never have I met a woman so receptive or responsive. A perfect mix of fiery passion and burning innocence. If I were a betting man, I’d lay every dollar I have on the fact that she’s a virgin, and I can’t wait to explore for myself.

  “I’m shocked you got in her pants. Such a frigid little thing our Cecilia is.” What the fuck is with the people in her life? I glare at the roommate for her ignorance.

  “Stop while you’re ahead, why don’t you?” I snap.

  “Hey, not my fault she’s such a stuck-up bitch.” The woman sounds bitter and jealous.

  “Brittany?” Fuck. Of course, she would hear that. The hurt in my girl’s voice makes my anger rise quicker than when I dealt with the asshole at her school this morning.

  “Oh please, Cec. You are. You think you’re so much better than everyone else when all you are is some freakshow that belongs in the circus.”

  “That’s fucking enough!” I hiss at the other woman as I get in her face. I keep pushing forward with my body until she’s backed into the wall, and I have her complete attention. “Spread the fucking word, Brittany.” I snarl her name like it’s offensive to me. “Cecilia is mine, and anyone who says one more bad remark about her, I will end them. No fucking question.” A touch of fear enters her gaze as she nods.

  Pushing away from Brittany, I walk over to Cecilia, shaking the anger off. As soon as she’s within reach, I pull her into my body and crush her mouth under mine, devouring everything I can from her and displaying my possession of her.

  Chapter 5

  Cecilia

  As Landon pulls into his parking space in the underground garage of the building he owns, panic worms its way into my mind. I knew he was rich; I grew up with his sister tormenting me about it. However, seeing it up close is entirely different. Overwhelming even.

  “Cecilia?” Landon says my name, just barely stopping me from spiraling into a full-fledged panic attack.

  “I don’t know if I can do this. You’re so…you. And I’m just me. How can this possibly work?” Finding the words to explain to him what I’m really anxious about is increasingly difficult.

  Lucky for me, he seems to be a mind reader. “You’re worried about what people will think?” About him being with someone like me? Yeah.

  “I’m worried…” I pause for a minute. “I’m worried I won’t measure up, Landon.” Getting the words out is difficult.

  “How?” He doesn’t understand. “Cecilia, I do
n’t give a fuck what people think of me, what I do, or who I fall in love with. That’s my business, not theirs.” He’s so passionate about it.

  As his words filter through my mind, I finally catch the most important one. “Love?”

  Laughing at the only important word I caught, he brings my hand to his lips and lays a small kiss on my palm. “Yeah, sweets, love.” The smile lighting up his face quells some of my fears.

  Not all of them, though. “You’re in the public eye, Landon. A lot.”

  “Your point?”

  I hate him for making me say it out loud. I hate bringing attention to the very bane of my entire existence. “My scars.”

  He blinks, and his face turns to stone. “Who the fuck cares? Cecilia, the only one who seems to care about them is you. I sure as fuck don’t.”

  Tears hoover on my lids. “A lifetime of torment tells me other people do, too.”

  “Fuck!” I can see the frustration eating at him as he bangs a hand on the steering wheel. “Let’s go upstairs,” he bites out. As he exits the car, he slams the door behind him, and I flinch from the force of it.

  Stepping out of my side, I walk slowly towards him as he storms over to me. Grasping my hair in a tight grip, he grounds out, “You’re fucking mine, Cecilia! I won’t let you go. Scars or not. You. Are. Mine.” He punctuates each word with a sharp tug of my hair, making sure he has my full attention.

  The pain, though slight, is made bearable by the pleasure of his forceful words. Leaning closer to his rock-hard body, I rub against him, needing the contact, and I’m unsurprised to find his cock is hard as stone. “Landon?”

  “Yeah, Cec?” he whispers, bending down to bite along my neck.

  “I need for you to love me.” I look up into his gaze as it softens. “Don’t break my heart,” I plead.

  “For-fucking-ever, sweets.” His mouth crashes down on mine, and in the short kiss, I feel his promise to my core.

  Landon

  * * *

  I fucking hate how insecure she is. How she’s been conditioned to expect the pain her accident caused. I get her reservations when it comes to me. I’m pushing full-steam ahead after all, and we’ve barely interacted with each other for a full day, but I know she’s meant to be mine. She has to play catch-up with these feelings, and I can wait. We have an entire lifetime ahead of us.

  Cecilia Marks was made for me. There’s no doubt in my mind.

  Walking towards the private elevator leading to the penthouse, Cecilia is fidgety and nervous. “What are you thinking, sweets?”

  “I…I’ve never…that is…umm.” A blush breaks out across her cheeks implying what I already suspected earlier. She’s completely innocent and all mine for the taking.

  “Nothing’s going to happen you don’t want, Cecilia.” It may kill me, but I’ll never push her for more than she’s ready to give me.

  “I know, it’s just…earlier…” She looks anywhere but at me. “You might expect things, and that’s really not me. I’ve never…” She pauses again, and I battle back my laugh. “Ugh, why is this so damn hard?” Frustrated, she runs rough fingers through her dark hair.

  “You’re a virgin,” I point out for her.

  “Well, yes. But it’s more than that.” She still won’t look at me.

  A loud ding saves her from explaining as the elevator makes its stop and the doors whoosh open. Guiding her inside with one hand on her back, I swipe my card through the reader and the rise to the top is quick.

  I don’t say anything on the ride up. I stand solidly beside her, watching from my peripheral vision, and I see her gazing over at me with questions in her eyes. I can almost read her thoughts. She’s wondering how much I know about her, what I have planned for this evening, and likely, what I want in the future.

  The answer is quite simple.

  Everything.

  I want everything from Cecilia, and I won’t settle for less.

  Startled when she grabs my hand, holding it between both of hers, I wait to see what she’ll do next. The soft touch of her finger drawing circles on my palm while the other rubs lightly up and down my forearm is hypnotizing. The muscles flex under her gentle touch, and I close my eyes to savor the feelings she evokes in me.

  “You’re very…large,” Cecilia murmurs, still gazing at my hand in hers.

  “That so?” I chuckle lightly, continuing to watch her.

  “Do you have tattoos?”

  I grin down at her. “You’ll have to wait and find out.”

  I wink as she glances away. I couldn’t look more forward to our evening if I tried.

  Cecilia

  * * *

  The elevator reaches a stop on Landon’s floor, and my breathing picks up pace. Not from panic or fear, but because I want him. I may have been struggling with the idea of us being together earlier, but he makes me feel alive. Loved and wanted.

  I’m not sure I’m ready for the things his wicked eyes promise, but I’m ready for Landon Powers to give us a shot as a couple. My lack of experience keeps me from jumping him the way I want, from confessing what I’m beginning to feel for the man.

  Landon is a large man, and it was made crystal clear how much so while we were in the elevator but even more so now in his home. Standing nearly a foot over me, I noticed how well his suit accentuated his muscled arms and shoulders while I was playing with his hand before. It calmed me as I realized our difference in size.

  The feel of his bulging veins in his arms made me wonder just what kind of pleasure his strength could bring me. Surely a man as delicious as he is, is meant to convey a sensuality I’ve never dreamed of experiencing before?

  “Come on,” he murmurs, grabbing my hand and pulling me along behind him. Landon leads me around his place slowly, pointing out each room and the views they hold. It’s all so magnificent. Far nicer than I would have imagined.

  I come to a stop in front of one of the many windows, looking on as the sun begins to set over lush green trees surrounded by a small pond. The sun’s rays flicker like a fire lighting the night. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” I murmur.

  Landon’s broad chest pushes into my back as he wraps his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder. We watch in silence as birds fly, clouds move lazily across the sky, and traffic slows for the evening. It’s relaxing and hypnotic.

  “I need you, Cec. Your body under mine. Your curves hugging me tight while I love you. I need to feel your heat, sweets.” His words leave me a panting, horny mess in need of relief. “Are you ready for me?”

  Turning to face him, I watch as his eyes dilate with lust shining nearly as bright as the sun we just watched. All that desire for me. “Yes, Landon.” I breathe softly. “I’m ready for you.” And I know I am because I realize that for once, I’m going to be loved for who I am.

  Prepared for him to take me to his room, I’m surprised when he pushes me up against the window and proceeds to make love to my mouth. Tongues tangling, hands roaming, my entire body feels like it’s about to go up in flames from his touch.

  The softer Landon caresses me, the harder my nipples pebble, and the more I squirm to find much-needed relief. “Please, Landon,” I beg on a sigh.

  “Mmm, I love when you beg me, sweets.”

  Lifting my shirt above my head, he drops it to the floor and presses tiny kisses along my breasts above my bra, completely ignoring where I need a reprieve.

  “Fuckin’ beautiful,” he mumbles against my flesh.

  Running his strong hands along my hips, I feel him slowly brush them up my spine. Popping open the clasp on my bra, Landon allows the straps to leisurely glide down my arms. When it should have fallen off, I have a sudden desire to cover up, so I cup the garment to my chest and try to breathe through my panic.

  “Don’t hide from me, Cecilia,” Landon commands, and I duck my head, concealing my expression from his intense stare.

  A growl rumbles in his chest, and I lower my arms, letting the silky material fal
l from my hold. My scars, the ones I’ve feared for so long, throb as his eyes land on them. Seeing them rather than just knowing about them is much different.

  There’s a crisscross mark running from the bottom of my left breast and across my stomach to touch my hip. Aside from the one on my cheek, it’s the nastiest. One nobody else has ever seen.

  Landon doesn’t appear to care. He looks at me with so much hunger in his eyes that I’m breathless. He looks at me like he’s a starved man and I’m his next meal. Like if he doesn’t get a taste of me right now, he may not survive the night. It’s a heady feeling knowing I have that power over such a large man.

  He makes me want to be everything he needs, and for once, I feel like I can be.

  Landon

  * * *

  Fucking hell. Cecilia is the epitome of gorgeousness. Leaning against the window with her sultry breasts on display and the sun setting in the background, spotlighting her, she looks like the goddess I keep calling her. If only I could make her see herself in the same light as I do. Take away all her doubts and fears.

  “You look…” Lost for words, I kneel at her feet. Gazing up her lush, imperfect frame, I begin to undo her shorts. The fucking things make her look like a pin-up model that soldiers from the fifties would be drooling after. Hell, I’m drooling over her.

  Her thighs begin to rub together as I slowly draw the fabric down her legs and toss them over my shoulder.

  “Holy Jesus,” I groan.

  No fucking panties.

  She’s trying to fucking kill me.