Chapter 64: Chapter 64 It Does Not Matter
Phoebe’s POV
"So, do you... believe me?" My heart hammered against my ribs. I had no idea what I was even hoping to hear from him.
The realization hit me like a slap—how desperate I’d become. I was practically begging for someone, anyone, to validate me. I craved belief so badly it hurt. Just one person to trust my words. I’d never understood how much I needed it until now.
One person. That’s all it would take.
I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath, waiting for his response. But his answer never came. The king had decided not to give me one.
He released my body and cupped my face with his bloodstained hands, staring straight into my soul.
"I want you," Perry said. "I want you. Doesn’t matter if you’re lying or not. I want you."
I didn’t know how to process that. Having someone believe me felt crucial.
But the king had thrown everything aside because he wanted me.
So even if I lied, it wouldn’t matter? Then why kill the warrior if it made no difference?
And I realized how naive I’d been to think lives held any weight for Perry. He’d sent hundreds of warriors to die on the frontlines while invading other kingdoms.
What was one warrior’s life to him?
Perry wouldn’t care if that warrior had a family waiting for his return, or a mate who loved him, or children.
I knew the warrior had only followed orders. I hated his lies, but I hadn’t wanted him dead.
"I want you, Phoebe. Give yourself to me." Perry stroked my cheeks with his thumbs, smearing blood across my pale skin.
Then he leaned down to kiss me. The kiss wasn’t rough—almost gentle—but all I could think about was the poison. This was my chance to kill him. He deserved it.
Perry nibbled my lip, biting softly, and guided me backward until my knees hit the bed. He pushed me down.
The king even cushioned my head with his hand, never breaking the kiss.
The kiss stretched on forever. Whenever I ran out of air, he’d pull back briefly, brush his thumb over my swollen lips, then kiss me again.
I swear I could taste blood in the kiss from his stained fingers. It should have revolted me, but somehow it didn’t.
Embarrassingly, I loved how Perry took his time, like he wanted to savor every inch of me.
When he finally finished with my lips, he trailed kisses along my jaw, down to my neck, while his hand squeezed my breast.
By now, my dress felt suffocating. I needed it off. I wanted to feel his skin against mine.
I must have lost my mind, because I never used to enjoy this. Sex terrified me after what Kevin had done.
But when Perry touched me this gently, paying attention to what I needed, even my smallest discomfort, I couldn’t resist him.
I wanted to push him away—every instinct screamed at me to—but I couldn’t. Instead, I pulled him closer. I wanted his heat to consume me.
The mate bond was insane.
Now I wondered what would happen to me if Perry died. Would I survive it? And if I did, why would I want to keep living?
If I survived the heartbreak when the mate bond shattered, I had two options: fall back into Kevin’s hands, or run forever.
Neither sounded appealing.
I moaned when Perry sucked on his mark on my neck. The sensation shot straight to my belly, building heat inside me.
The mark was our most sensitive spot, making the feeling ten times stronger. My dress became unbearable against my skin. I wanted him to rip it off like he had before, but I couldn’t say it out loud. Too embarrassing.
As if reading my mind, Perry pulled my dress up, freeing me from the fabric prison. Then he unhooked my bra, making everything better.
Perry watched my eyes as he pinched my nipple, making me look away because I couldn’t stand seeing myself reflected in his gaze.
"Eyes on me, Phoebe," Perry said darkly. "Eyes on me." He pinched my nipple harder to emphasize his demand.
When I finally met his gaze, he leaned down and captured my lips. This kiss was aggressive—he demanded my complete attention as he positioned himself between my legs. I could feel how hard he was through his pants.
Perry’s hand traveled down to my flat stomach, caressing me with gentle touches that made me shiver. Then he moved lower and tugged at my panties, freeing me from them. I lifted my hips to help.
Once I was completely naked, I wrapped my arms around his hips. It was bold, but Perry approved, groaning against my lips. He loved it.
Then I tried something I never imagined I’d do. I reached down and found his pants. With shaking fingers, I unzipped them. Perry responded with a guttural growl.
"Shit," Perry cursed under his breath, but I knew he liked it. This encouraged me to explore more.
I touched his member, making the king stop kissing me and pull back slightly to look at me.
His intense stare made me freeze. I thought I’d made a mistake and now he was angry.
"Don’t you dare stop," Perry growled. He wrapped his hand around mine and guided me on what to do.
I swallowed hard. I used to hate touching Kevin, but with him, I wanted to explore more. My hand trembled slightly as he guided me along his length.
"Yes, like that..." Perry lowered his head and groaned in pleasure when I squeezed him lightly. "Fuck. I want to be inside you."
He pulled my hand away and thrust deep into me, making me gasp in surprise because I wasn’t prepared. Thankfully, Perry gave me time to adjust to the sudden invasion.
But then, to my surprise, he flipped our bodies over. Now I was on top of him. I pressed my palms against his chest while he held my waist.
"Ride me, Phoebe," he said darkly.
