Chapter 25 Behind

Angelique angles her left breast to his mouth. The purplish tongue darts out, circling her nipple before he fixes his teeth on the tip and closes his lips around it. Angelique cries out, and again Ruiz makes as though to rise. “Wait,” I murmur, “wait.” Angelique lowers herself toward his cock. Still retaining the grip on her nipple, Hardwick pulls, painfully stretching her breast in a bestial tug-of-war. My entire body stiffens in anguished suspense as the tip of the phallus settles between her thighs. Hardwick gasps, releasing Angelique, as the poison I put on her nipple takes effect. Eyes widening until it appears they will pop from their sockets, his neck arches impossibly back. Foam bubbles to his lips and, with a cry of alarm, Angelique scrambles backward, losing her balance and falling before Ruiz can catch her. Attendants rush forward, screams break out around the room. I swiftly rise and shout for the guards stationed outside the door. No one stops us when we leave, although Ruiz carries Angelique’s still form in his arms. I pause only to remove the collar from her neck and throw it to the floor. Once outside I lift my skirts and run, Ruiz beside me, racing death back to my apartments. The skin around Angelique’s lips is blue, her breathing so shallow fear clamps around my chest. I force the antidote into her mouth, rub her throat until she swallows, Ruiz crouched beside us the entire time. After giving orders to and dismissing my staff, we wait, unable to leave her side until her color normalizes and she takes a full, deep breath. Without conscious thought I reach for Ruiz’s hand, and the heat of his strong fingers steadies me. Her eyelids flutter and Angelique begins to shiver. “Bring her through to the bedroom.” Is that my voice, so tremulous and faint? “A warm bath will help.” Ruiz carries her and lowers her into the tub, uncaring of the soaking he receives. The tenderness on his face as he strokes her cheek is almost my undoing, but I force back the tears and sponge water over her shoulders, trying to avoid looking at the bruises forming on her poor, battered breast.