Chapter 51: The Table
"Get on the table," Caius commanded.
Rose still had her knees on the ground. She fell back at his words, a hand to her mouth as she stared upwards with a face stricken with fear. Caius leaned forward, still seated, and she bolted to her feet immediately, bumping her head against the table before adjusting properly and slipping out from under it.
Rose tried to ignore the stinging pain at the top of her head as she placed trembling hands on the edge of the table, her palms against the polished wood. She was unsure how to get on it. Did he want her to just lie on it? She didn’t turn around to look at him, but she knew he was watching with the way the hairs at the back of her neck stood on edge.
"Sit," he said.
Sit, Rose repeated mentally. It was more for herself as it took her a while to process what he said. Her mind was in shambles. She still couldn’t believe this was happening. Nothing about anything that had happened to her in the past few days was believable.
Rose lifted herself and placed her rear on the table, her legs tightly together. There was no other way she could sit — she had to face him directly. He was still sitting on the chair, completely exposed. Rose shut her eyes and she heard the sound of the chair scraping against the floor.
He walked to the table and parted her legs, standing in between them. Rose couldn’t help but notice his sword was still around his waist. She didn’t fight when he pulled her legs apart — she just kept her head down.
He lifted her chin with his palm around her neck, and Rose’s eyes flew open when he pressed his lips against hers, forcing her mouth open, but she shut it immediately when she saw his eyes were also open.
Caius held her in place as he kissed her, his grip tight. Something was strange — his kiss was gentle. She could feel his desire, but unlike when it would usually be filled with fiery urgency, it was almost tender. When she started to kiss him back, his grip loosened and he pulled away with a smirk on his face. Rose grew embarrassed. Her reaction was expected.
He lifted her leg suddenly and Rose yelped. He shot her a look and she swallowed the rest of her scream. Her dress gathered at her waist, exposing her pale, thin legs. His fingers trailed along her inner thigh, tracing the trembling flesh until they met the thin fabric of her underwear — a barrier so fragile it was laughable. He could rip it with only one hand.
"Lean back," Caius said through clenched teeth as he looked down at her. His eyelids were heavy, and she could barely see his eyes.
She did as he requested, her palms resting on the table to support her weight while he stood between her legs, a hand holding one of her legs up. She felt him move her underwear out of the way. Without any warning, he slid right in. Rose’s eyes nearly popped out of her sockets, and she brought a palm to her mouth to seal the sound. It would echo through the hall if she dared let it escape.