Chapter 68: Chapter 68 The Cost Of Pleasure
Phoebe’s POV
I stared at Perry, ready to bolt. Fear crept up my spine—would this make him furious? But when he raised his head, his lips glistened. He licked them slowly.
"You taste absolutely divine," Perry said with that devastating smirk, heat flooding my cheeks crimson. He leaned down again, pressing his mouth to my core before standing and capturing my lips, letting me taste myself on his tongue.
The memory hit me—he’d done this before. How foolish I’d been, thinking he’d be angry about me coming on his face.
He craved it.
"Now, get dressed. Or we’re not going anywhere."
Perry strode from the room, leaving me alone. Without his support, my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the cold floor, fighting to steady my breathing. That had been overwhelming.
He’d gone straight for me, but... I’d loved every second.
I bit my lip hard. Was wanting this intimacy so wrong? I’d endured sex with Kevin for an entire year. Even during my period, he’d force me to satisfy him somehow.
Rare were the nights he left me be.
But through all that darkness, never once had I felt what I experienced with Perry. He was intense, yes, but incredibly attentive to what I needed. He fulfilled me completely, made me shatter apart.
He satisfied me first. Beyond that angry sex at the beginning, everything else was...
earth-shattering.
I touched my tender flesh, feeling the slickness there. When I rubbed myself, it couldn’t compare to Perry’s touch.
Moments later, I snapped from my dirty thoughts and quickly dressed, fixing my appearance. I found him waiting outside with a velvet box in his hands.
"Turn around," he commanded. His voice remained rough but softer than usual.
I accepted the velvet box he offered and opened it. A necklace and matching earrings lay inside. When I turned, Perry fastened the necklace around my throat and helped with the earrings.
In the mirror, I looked stunning.
"Those belonged to my mother. I want you to have them."
I spun around, disbelief washing over me. "But... they’re too precious."
"So are you." He pulled me against him from behind, chin resting on my shoulder as he kissed my neck. "You’re beautiful."
For the first time in forever, I believed it. Looking at my reflection, I didn’t hate what I saw. I was beautiful.
***
Perry took me to the shopping district, and I felt completely overwhelmed. Not just because he bought me countless dresses, shirts, pants, jewelry and more, but walking beside him in public presented its own challenge.
Most people had only heard rumors that the king found his mate, but many didn’t believe it. After nearly a year, no palace announcement about a future queen had come.
So when they saw the king with a woman, they couldn’t help staring at me. They’d bow before him, but I felt their gazes tracking my every move.
Only then did I understand why I hadn’t received this treatment walking with Timothy.
"He keeps plenty of women at his disposal," Perry said, handing another shirt and pants to the sales assistant helping us.
Perry asked about my style preferences, selecting pieces he thought I’d like while encouraging me to choose more. We weren’t leaving until I picked at least five items I wanted from the store.
"Women?"
Perry chuckled at my surprise over this fact, since most wouldn’t expect the royal gamma to be someone who charmed women and slept with anything available.
That last thought made me wince, but I realized why people hadn’t reacted the same when I walked with Timothy—they’d assumed I was just another of his conquests.
Somehow, that irritated me.
At day’s end, Perry brought me to an upscale restaurant atop a towering building where city lights sparkled below us.
"This is gorgeous," I whispered, but Perry caught every word from across our table.
Our corner table sat against floor-to-ceiling windows, immersing us in the city’s nighttime glow.
"Do you like it?" Perry asked, eyes locked on me, and I caught that warm expression when he saw my smile.
"Yes."
It was rare, but we ended the day on a perfect note—and it only got better when we returned to the palace.
Perry spent the night making love to me. I lost track of how many times I climaxed, screaming his name when the intensity became too much.
Meanwhile, Perry consumed me like a starved beast finally finding his feast.
The last thing I remembered before passing out from another orgasm was his electric blue eyes burning into me, blazing with lustful fire. He wanted me—there was no question.
I’d never been desired this fiercely before, not even with Kevin. That alpha had only shown me lust and pain.
But Perry gave me real pleasure, and I’d never get enough.
***
I woke to soreness between my thighs.
Heat radiated through me as I noticed Perry sleeping, his arms cocooning my body.
But when I shifted to turn over, nausea hit hard. I shoved him away and rushed to the bathroom, emptying last night’s dinner into the toilet. When I finished, I gasped heavily.
Thankfully, Perry slept too deeply to notice.
Exhaustion overwhelmed me after vomiting everything. I sat on the floor after flushing, staring blankly ahead as dizziness washed over me.
This had to be the poison’s effect. I needed to stop taking it orally. I reminded myself never to do it again—I’d die before achieving my goal.
