The Assassin's Bride

Restlessly shifting, Carina slowly roused to a curious movement on the bed. Sighing deeply, she lazily stretched her arms above her head.

"What now?" she mumbled petulantly, still half-asleep.

It was very late. The glass doors were open, the exterior wilderness relatively hushed. Moonlight streamed in, eerily illuminating the quiet room in pale light.

"Wha-what is happening?" Carina faintly asked no one in particular. Rapidly blinking, she tried to stretch her legs.

But her legs wouldn't budge, and Michael was between them. Carina's toned, slender thighs were easily enclosed in his arms as he lay on his belly, his face in her crotch.

"You taste so damn good," was his muffled reply. Using his elbows for support, his hands curled over the tops of her thighs, squeezing sensually.

Now wide awake, Carina jerked with shock when his mouth hotly covered her pussy, his tongue intimately stroking and exploring her.

"Wha-? Oh!" Carina breathed. No other words came to mind, and she seized two fistfuls of the bedsheet as ribbons of pleasure tickled up her torso and thrummed down to gather at the apex of her thighs.

Michael raised his head to see her arch back into the pillows.

"You're so deliciously sensitive. You like it, don't you?" he breathed, wickedly trailing his tongue down her inner thigh.

"Mmhh...Yes," Carina panted. She was slightly irritated, very aroused, and reconciled to the fact there was no point fighting. It was one of her favourite ways to wake up, and she wondered whether Eduardo had told Michael about it.

"Then tell me," Michael teased. Carefully sliding a finger into her, he watched her shiver from the sensation. "Ask me, Carina," he said encouragingly.

Carina pouted at the ceiling and rolled her eyes, though she couldn't deny he was ridiculously talented.

"Eat me, Michael. I like it," she shyly murmured. Reaching to the side, she pulled one of the soft pillows across her face.

"No, no, no..." Michael softly chided. Chuckling, he unhooked one arm from under her thigh and reached up to draw the pillow away. "Look at me, and say it."

Taking a deep breath, Carina eased up onto her elbows and let her eyes adjust to the sight of Michael between her spread legs. He was completely naked, gleaming moonlight enhanced the smooth definition in his arms, his muscular torso, and his incredibly toned ass.

"How long have you been..." she began, but trailed off. Registering they were both naked and Michael was eating her pussy, she looked away, too embarrassed to finish the sentence.

"Not long enough," Michael cheekily replied, his teeth flashing white in a grin. "Go on, Carina."

Realising he was waiting, Carina lowered her face to let her hair form a protective curtain. Michael immediately reached out and stroked it back, tucking the silky strands behind one ear. Summoning her courage, Carina forced herself to meet Michael's heated gaze, shuddering with pleasure as he slowly moved a finger in and out of her.

"Uh...I-I.." she stuttered, wriggling a little. She was so self-conscious, especially with Michael intently watching her face, his gaze growing more intense by the second.

"I like it, Michael," she said in a small voice.

"And?" he prompted, his broad shoulders tensed with excitement.

"And..." Carina faltered. "And... I want you to lick me," she said quickly, feeling her cheeks heat as he laughed.

"That's my girl," Michael said proudly.

Then for the next few minutes he was preoccupied with using his tongue and fingers, and Carina relaxed against the bed, slightly jerking her slender hips against his face. This time she couldn't imagine Michael was Eduardo. Eduardo liked to go down on her, but his technique was completely different.

'

You're such a slut,

' a voice in Carina's mind angrily reprimanded. Carina shook her head to dispel the self-judgement.

"Uhhh," she moaned, starting to tremble as her pussy became soaked with Michael's saliva and her own wet arousal.

"Good girl," Michael panted against her pussy, her sweet juices coating his chin. "Come on. Come for me, sweetheart."

"Urrrrrh-" Carina's eyes widened. Her heart raced as her body slowly approached an intense climax.

"Oh, uhhhh-

fuck

" she panted, writhing on the bed as she came. Her straining movements almost disengaged Michael's mouth, but he held her thighs firmly enclosed in his arms.

"Mmmm," Michael smiled against her triumphantly, and spent a while gently licking her while she weakly lay back, her body completely slack with relaxation. Elation flooded Michael from head to toe, peaking when her body shuddered from the powerful orgasm.

Michael slowly kissed up her body, and the next moment Carina opened her eyes, Michael cupped her face as he entered her.

"Oh..." Carina sighed into his mouth, tasting her pussy on his tongue as it slid against her own.

"Oh, Carina," Michael groaned, straining against her. Then his hands, slightly shaking, moved to her bare breasts. Enclosing one in each hand, he gently squeezed them with each thrust.

"You're perfect," he murmured against her lips, smiling into her bewildered eyes while he drove in and out of her.

Trying to harness his self-control, Michael painstakingly withdrew his cock and knelt above her on the bed. Grinning at her confusion, he guided her small hands to wrap around his shaft.

"You know what to do," he wickedly encouraged her, his dark eyes alight with lust.

After hesitating, Carina began to pump the thick, wet shaft with both hands. While she warmed to her task, Michael's fingers circled her breasts, he gently rolled her nipples between his fingers. Eagerly, he watched her jerk him. Then he encased one full breast in his hand whilst the other extended for her mouth. He traced the soft, silky flesh of her pink lips and dipped two fingers between them.

"Suck," he thickly ordered. His broad chest trembled as she complied, still with that sweet, confused look on her face. She looked so innocent, so beautiful, and yet was doing something obscene and intimate for his pleasure.

At his command, her lips obediently tightened around his fingers, her tongue flicked and worked up and down them as she sucked. Squeezing her breast a little harder, Michael looked down to her hands rhythmically stroking his long, thick length, shining with her cum.

Michael wanted the moment to last forever, he felt slightly giddy from the tantalising things happening all at once. Carina was driving him crazy, most of all from the expression in her wide, dark eyes. It was a mix of startled and aroused. She was sucking his fingers, jerking his cock while he touched her breasts, her dark, tousled hair splayed sexily across the pillows.

"Oh, fuck, Carina!" Michael groaned, and with delight watched her submissively jerk him to climax. A few intense seconds passed before strings of thick, hot cum coated her smooth, flat belly.

"Ohh..." Michael moaned, slightly overwhelmed by the unique experience. Catching his breath, he began to gently knead and stroke her breasts until her small hands awkwardly fell away from his cock.

Again, she looked adorably embarrassed, even a little ashamed, and wouldn't meet his eyes. It was a side of her he had never witnessed. Touched, Michael bent and dropped quick kisses to her mouth, nose and forehead, and left the bed.

Returning with a small cotton towel, he wiped Carina's belly clean of his cum. Then he tossed the material to the floor and climbed into bed alongside her. Carina tiredly allowed him to draw her into his arms.

"I can't come inside you, yet," Michael confessed against her temple. "I want to, so badly. But I'm not ready to be a father." He nuzzled her neck. "I need to know I can be around to raise them with you."

Carina sleepily frowned against his smooth bicep and didn't answer. His admission suited her very well, but for completely different reasons.

"May I sleep here tonight?" he asked, breathing in her hair.

Carina doubted it was a question. Their naked bodies were intimately entwined, and Michael seemed settled for the night.

"Yes, I want you to," Carina numbly answered. Knowing the lie had to begin at some point, the faster she got on with it, the more convincing it would be.

Silence followed, and she wondered if Michael believed her. She knew he was awake, because his fingers continued to trace thoughtful circles around her shoulder and down her back. Contemplating the seemingly limitless possibilities of Michael's thoughts, Carina fell asleep in his arms.

*******************

The next morning, Carina woke to find herself alone, naked beneath the blanket Michael had tucked around her. In the new day, the small apartment flooded with natural sunshine, and everything seemed starkly bright. The beige walls glowed peach, reflecting gold rays of sunlight with a glare that hurt her eyes.

Petulantly kicking her feet from under the blanket, Carina glanced up and noticed the small camera set high up in one corner of the room. It made sense, she supposed, if Michael told the truth about his kidnapping jobs. Still, she resented the fact she was constantly monitored.

Sitting up against the plush pillows, Carina raked a hand through her dark hair, which had curled a little after the nights events. Drawing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms about them and contemplated her strategy. It was a severe disadvantage that Michael knew her so well. She also sensed he relied on his instincts, and would be difficult to lie to convincingly.

"If it's the truth, then I am not lying," she reasoned, wringing her hands at the grim task ahead. Narrowing her eyes at the wall in front, Carina took a deep breath and began to work on her approach.

"Ok. I have lost Eduardo, and am alone," she stated, as though rehearsing a speech.

"Michael took me from dire circumstances," she slowly added. This was relatively true. Carina pulled a face, knowing she needed to adapt. "Michael

rescued

me from dire circumstances," she snarled softly.

"Michael

rescued

me from dire circumstances," she repeated, fighting to keep her voice neutral. "And I can do no better than him..." Carina stopped and pulled a face after saying something so distasteful. She shut her eyes and rubbed her temples.

"You have to get out of this, Carina, use your head," she scolded herself.

"I love you, Michael," she grimaced, before making a mock gagging sound.

Forcing her mouth into an alluring smile, she tried again. "I

like

you, Michael," she said with slightly less rage, but she knew without a mirror that her fake smile would appear alarming.

"I have no one, Michael rescued me, and this is the fucking best I can do right now," she hissed, wanting to throw something.

Slamming an angry fist into the bed, she jumped when the locks clicked and the door to her suite swung open. Michael entered with a large, silver breakfast tray.

"It's a nice day. If you like, we can eat on the balcony," he offered, tilting his head toward the open glass doors.

Carina opened her mouth, but lost her voice as she realised with some shock that the thin, seemingly impenetrable barrier had vanished.

"I reversed it while you were sleeping," Michael confessed, grinning at her stunned expression as she tried to figure out where it was attached, or retracted to.

"I knew you would be very emotional on the first day," he explained. "But your system should be clean now, your brain back to its excellent intelligence. Therefore, I am confident you know better than to do something so stupid."

Inwardly bristling that he knew her so well, Carina forced a smile. He was right, she had been recklessly upset upon first discovering her captivity. It was also true that in the sober light of morning, she reverted to the firm belief that suicide was a cowardly waste of life. Though she wasn't a religious girl, Carina genuinely believed that to do such a thing would definitely not be met with reward on the other side, if there was one.

"I would love to eat on the balcony," she said politely, choosing to ignore his humiliatingly accurate summary of her personality.

As Michael cheerfully balanced the large tray in one hand and lifted the latches so the glass doors could widen, a sudden thought struck Carina. She was naked, and the clothes cupboard was several metres away. Having placed the tray on the table outside, Michael returned.

"What now?" he enquired. A wicked half-smile curved his mouth as his dark eyes flickered to the dip in the blanket at her breasts and up to her flushed face. "There's no need to be shy around me, Carina. I've seen you mostly naked before," he reminded her, and he grinned when Carina seemed to blush an even deeper shade of red.

Of course, he was right again. With a mix of regret and humiliation, Carina remembered the boat trips when she wore nothing other than a sheer, miniscule g-string when she wanted to tan. But she was proud of her body, and completely safe with Eduardo's claim on her. Everyone knew she was sacred. Once Carlos unceremoniously threw a caterer overboard and made him swim a short distance to shore, after he'd mistaken Carina for a paid escort and groped her breast.

"We used to flirt, remember?" Michael softly continued, interrupting her reverie.

Carina cringed. Recalling all the times they jokingly complimented each other with filthy innuendo, Carina wanted to scream. As far as she was concerned, she was just messing around with a good friend. Even Eduardo found their banter funny. Of course, she admired Michael's looks and physique, but it was an objective appraisal. She never, ever considered being unfaithful with him.

"I just need time to get used to this," she said abruptly, looking pointedly from the blanket at her chest, to the wardrobe across the room.

Carina wasn't a shy girl, and she may not have cared if she was dealing with a complete stranger. But she couldn't help drawing a link between the Michael forcing her to be his lover, and the Michael who was her friend. Now he used her body like a playground as though he was Eduardo, and for whatever reason, it embarrassed her.

"Ok," Michael shrugged, and waited. A few seconds ticked by, until Carina took his meaning. When her eyes widened with dismay and her mouth opened to protest, he burst out laughing. "I'm being a bastard. Go and dress, sweetheart. I'll be outside."

With immense relief Carina watched him settle at the table and cast his gaze over the lush forest before them. Eyes continually darting in his direction, Carina clasped the blanket to her chest and clambered off the bed, edging toward the cupboard with her naked back to the wall. Despite her paranoia, Michael didn't pay her any attention. Glancing at the entry that Michael always locked behind him, Carina noticed it was slightly ajar. But she knew better.

When she finally emerged on the balcony in a red dress, Michael whistled. Carina pouted and seated herself opposite. The dress was provocative, but by nature, so was she. There was no point changing her character, it would only make him suspicious. The dress was a vibrant matte red, with very thin spaghetti straps. It sat loosely about her bust, but tightly clung to her slender waist and thighs, ending just above her knees. In making her outfit choice, Carina snidely predicted it would be very difficult for him to spread her legs.

Noticing the silence, Carina's thoughts froze as she met Michael's amused stare.

"What were you thinking?" he asked curiously.

"Why?"

"You look both annoyed, and satisfied. It's very cute," he smiled, reaching for a slice of fresh bread. Buttering it, his dark brown eyes were lightened by the sun as he cast a sly glance her way when she didn't answer. "Never mind," he shrugged, and began to eat.

Carina awkwardly dropped her gaze and tried to pretend they were on one of Eduardo's trips. Whether it was business or leisure, Michael and Carlos were usually part of their travelling group. It was common for Michael to safeguard Carina while Eduardo and Carlos went off on business.

Then there were the times they returned, and she knew by Eduardo's good mood, and the brooding anger on Carlo's face, that Eduardo had been unfaithful. On those occasions she often sought out Michael's company, and he always politely humoured her. So she'd thought.

"I was thinking that you were right," Carina announced, staring hard at the mandarin she peeled. "I couldn't have stayed where I was, so this is probably the best place for me."

'

Probably?

' said an exasperated voice in her mind.

"This is the best place for me," she corrected, struggling to speak with conviction.

"Mmm," Michael didn't look at her, seemingly preoccupied with layering sliced prosciutto on his bread and balancing tomato and basil on top.

"So...yeah." Carina slowly trailed off, beginning to feel really stupid.

She wasn't even sure if Michael was listening. Without looking at her, he bit into his carefully assembled creation, and contemplatively chewed. Before taking a second bite, he paused.

"I don't expect any admissions from you, Carina," he said. "I know your body did not lie to me last night."

Carina winced, and she carefully studied a small cluster of spreads, before picking out a little jar of blackcurrant jam.

"Well," she muttered, feeling very deflated that she accomplished nothing. "After being friends for so long, this will be uncomfortable." With relief, she saw Michael nod.

"I will be gentle with you," he promised. Casting his eyes to the side on an afterthought, he continued. "And I won't bring up distasteful things about Eduardo, if you take care not to say his name in the heat of passion. Fair deal?"

"Yes," Carina dully agreed, not sure she would keep her side of the bargain.

"Good," Michael said pleasantly, and immediately switched topics.

Carina tried her best not to appear sullen, and Michael seemed happy that she made an effort to be civil. After tea and coffee, Carina curiously watched Michael neatly gather the plates and cups onto the glinting, ornate tray and place it on the ground away from the table. As he got to his feet, Carina ran her eyes over his physique and realised with a start that he held his hand out to her.

Tentatively placing her hand in his, Carina was drawn into his arms, and gently lifted onto the table. "Have you guessed where we are, yet?" Michael asked, kissing her ear and looking over her head at the expanse of green around them.

Carina shook her head against his chest, gleefully remembering that the snug dress ensured her thighs were tightly closed. But then Michael stepped back and pulled her to her feet, grinning at her bemusement.

"Turn around. Admire the view with me," he invited, gently directing her to face the incredible sight.

"Oh!" Carina's eyes widened as Michael's fingers curled under the silky hem of her dress and began to tug upward.

"Oh, Michael, I don't know..." Carina protested uneasily. He pressed close behind her, his erection nudging into her back. With nowhere to go, she was forced to slightly lean forward and support herself with both hands on the table.

"Shh," he replied, placing a reassuring kiss to the nape of her neck.

Carina knew he was smiling while her dress rapidly worked its way up her thighs and above her hips. Then his hands stroked over her taut, perfectly round buttocks, and slid down between her legs. Nudging her ankles with his feet, he encouraged her legs to widen so his hand could stroke down over her belly and cup her pussy.

"Oh, sweetheart. You're ready for me," he said, sliding a finger into her. Still supporting herself on the table, Carina arched and Michael's hand smoothed up her waist to caress her breast over the dress.