Page 52 of Storm

This is not the same Melek I met twelve years ago. That man kept everything close cut until he realised I liked to run my hands through his hair when we fuck, and that beard…Well, that’s history.

I squirm in my seat. His sharp stare ignites my core. The sensation enrages me. Besides the obvious, part of the reason I hate him so much is because, from the moment I laid eyes on him, I wanted him—his body, nothing else. I’d never wanted to feel a man’s touch on me before him. It was primal. Animalistic. Pure, sinful lust.

He exuded secrets I wanted to devour.

If it were another time, another place—damn, another world—this could’ve been more… Instead, I was forced to be his. How do I move past that?

I don’t.

I can’t…

It would be a betrayal of my family to look past everything he is.

“Wife.” Melek grasps my hand like he’s been doing it for the past twelve years. Newsflash, he has not. The bedroom doesn’t count.

Don’t let this handsome bastard suck you in, Storm. Not again.

“What is your news, Melek?” I ask with a slight hint of agitation, pulling my hand out of his.

He looks on at where my hand has retreated, boiling. Good. Now we are both in a shitty mood.

“I had a tour scheduled at the factories this week?” Spearing my beeken vengefully, I shove it in my mouth and chew, mouth open. He squints his full-lashed eyes at me and continues. “I was going to postpone it, but I’ve decided you will both come with me instead.”

I spit out my food.

No joke, it goes flying, hitting Melek square in the chest. From the other side of the table, giggling ensues. “Mama, Papa said no spitting food at the table, remember?” he tries to say sternly, his childish delight comes through regardless.

When he was three, Sunny went through a stage of wanting to cannonball his peas through his mouth, which Melek wasn’t happy about. I was just happy the kid was eating the occasional vegetable since he was going through a beige-food-only phase.

“It’s alright, son. Mama was just surprised. She didn’t do it on purpose.” My husband speaks up for me, and I go to grab the beeken from his shirt.

“I’d say I’m sorry, but you deserved that,” I say, reaching over to pick the half-chewed food off his clothes. He grabs my wrist tightly and pulls me to him.

“Son, go into the kitchen and ask what’s for dessert?” Melek’s eyes don’t leave mine, but we both know if anyone mentions dessert, our son is on it. He runs from the room in a flash.

“Oww, can you ease up?” I demand, as he runs a hand under my dress, reaching up my thigh. Eyes bore into mine, giving me a look that says, Who’s your commander? Are you going to submit to me? I’d almost find it funny if I didn’t know exactly what he was going to find.

I seize his shoulder with my free hand and squeeze. His calloused fingers make contact with my wet underwear.

“This is exactly the reason I am taking you with me. You are growing too bold, wife, and without Mary here, I cannot trust you to do what you are told.” He runs maddening lines up and down the thin material covering my dripping pussy. My eyes automatically close as I resist the urge to hump his fingers.

“What about Sunny?” Pleasure starts shooting through my groin. Don’t hump his fingers, Storm. Not at the dining table.

“He will come with us.”

“But—” There are so many things I want to say, so many words on the tip of my tongue, but Melek’s hands are magic. My body bends to his will.

He’s never taken us out of Halo. Not once has he ever mentioned it. He has taken his yearly trips to check on the front lines and the different factories before, yet not once has he invited me. However, Mary was always around. As much as I treated her like a mother, she was always Melek’s dutiful keeper first—another casualty in this war.

Hurtling through the door, Sunny comes with a plate of chocolate cake. “Look! Look!” he exclaims. Melek casually removes his hand from under my skirt and stands.

“I’m going to pack. We are leaving tomorrow morning.” He runs a hand over my stomach, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead before going over to Sunny, who is eyeing us suspiciously.

“You and Mama eat a slice of cake. Then you need to pack a bag because we are going on a work trip tomorrow.”

The plate nearly drops out of our son’s hands. Melek quickly grabs the decadent cake, placing it carefully on the table. “Then, early to bed for both of you.”

Ever the excitable child, Sunny wraps his arms around his father in a hug. Melek is quick to fold into the embrace. Seeing them like that has me dreading the deal with the fae. Only for a second. Then I remember where we are. Halo.