chapter 12

Tate watched as Chelsea evaporated before his eyes, her whispered words still lingering in the air, into his damaged soul, his shattered lonely existence.

"I was in her dreams Tate, she loves you, give her your heart and she'll be yours forever."

His black eyes welled with tears of happiness and disbelief that he was loved, that someone like her had seen past the darkness and the endless imperfections his mother beat into his broken being.

Kneeling down he peered into the terrified wide blue eyes of Daniel, mouth wide sobbing as black jagged stitches sealed what was left of his severed tongue.

Brenda gave him painkillers, not enough to ease his pain, but just enough to prevent him from going into shock, per Tate's orders that he remain aware and awake for his punishment.

Daniel stared up at him confused desperate to plea for his life, to beg for forgiveness, for a chance to explain why he was there.

Tate tilted his head in morbid fascination imagining how he would ultimately end Daniels life for good.

Tate's voice was calm, detached from any emotion as he nodded reacting to Daniels agonizing expression as he attempted over and over to form words with his lips.

"It's funny how fear takes away all the arrogance, how knowing impending and certain death is coming can erase the mighty ego."

Daniel shook his head furiously as if trying to get a specific word out.

"Tell me, did it make you feel like a man degrading her, having her lying there before you, giving you everything only to humiliate her? Night after night you made her feel ugly, worthless and small. She questioned every move, every word, you took her spirit, broke her heart."

Eyeing the bloody nub in his open mouth Tate shrugged carelessly.

"Oh well, guess you can't tell me now can you?"

Furrowing his eyebrows Tate noticed that he was trying to mouth the same word over and over.

Curious he decided to play along believing he was drawing out Daniel's torment.

He watched as he gnashed his teeth together, spouting out a muted short word again and again.

After several attempts something clicked inside Tate's mind, suddenly peeking his interest to a heightened state that ignited his fury.

"Dad, that's what you're trying to say isn't? Meaning Violet's dad?"

Tate was all too familiar with Violet's father and the years of abuse that ultimately lead to her lowering herself to being with men such as Daniel.

Daniel nodded excessively almost excitedly seeing that Tate was figuring it out.

"Her father is the reason you're here, he sent you didn't he?"

Again Daniel nodded with encouragement praying that Tate knew of Violet's history with her dad, hoping that he would connect the dots and redirect his rage towards him.

Tate slowly lifted his darkened eyes upwards to stare off into the blackness of the attic picturing in his mind Violet's reaction to her father's incessant phone calls and texts.

He pictured the inward shame and despair that would spread across her lovely pale face as his hurtful words gutted her excruciatingly.

Thoughtfully he spoke again ominously as unmeasured distain and hatred welled inside him.

"You're still with that whore aren't you, what, did he pay you to get back with Violet? That fucker thought that's what she deserved, that you were the best she could do."

Daniel racked with pain and dumb as a sack of rocks nodded agreeing with everything Tate said even nodding towards his pants pocket willing him to look.

Sighing Tate shoved his hand inside the front pocket of his jeans where Daniel was motioning to pull out a check written out for one thousand dollars.

Crumbling up the check in his palm Tate pressed the sole of his sneaker against the side of Daniel's face shoving his ear into the wooden floor.

"Death with not come fast for you, it will be without mercy, it will seem like forever, but first you will listen as I make love to the angel you tried to destroy. You will learn a lesson before your ending. You will hear her cry out in ecstasy, in shear bliss. You will understand what a gift it is just to be in her presence, to have the priceless pleasure of being inside her, loving her, making her feeling like a goddess."

Giving him one last kick in the face before leaving he looked back unaffected by Daniel's hysterical silent cries.

"But hey thanks for the tip, don't worry, her father will pay. Worse than you if you can believe that, see ya later Daniel, listen now… I wouldn't want you missing anything."

Tate closed the door nodding to Lydia who stood just outside.

"Don't worry little man, he ain't going anywhere, there's about twenty two scorned women who will make sure of it. Now go show her, love her, give her what she's been missing all these years."

Tate glanced down the attic stairs stepping down each one slowly, his mind focused on Violet, breezing past one lost forgotten girl after another.

Envy swirled mixed with yearning desire filled the dense air around the girls knowing that they would never again know the touch of a man or the subtle beautiful art of seduction.

Standing outside the door of his bedroom where Violet peacefully slept Tate took a deep breath brushing her blonde waves away from his eyes.

Quietly pushing open the door his heart began to pound with the force of a thousand drums as he looked down upon her.

His cobalt blue sheet draped just above her breasts as her silky hair fanned out across the pillow case.

His breath uneven and shaky forced his lips apart as he focused his lungs to keep working.

The starkness of the azure blue sheet across her milky white flawless skin as well as her chestnut hair sprawled like spun gold was sheer artistry.

Releasing the crumbled check from his hand on the bureau he kicked off his shoes placing them neatly against the wall.

After he pulled off his socks folding them inside his sneakers he reached back lifting his shirt from his body folding it seamlessly placing it on the club chair by the bed.

It was that moment that her whiskey colored eyes fluttered open to find him standing over her shirtless with the moonlight encasing his firm toned body in an iridescent almost dreamlike vision.

"Tate... are you alright? What happened with Dan - "

Holding his finger to her lips he rasped reassuringly, his voice soothing her, calming her.

"Daniel is gone, he will never bother you again. I promise you."

Relief covered her face as she gazed up at him.

"You know, how I feel... for you... "

Her breathless whisper was all it took for his body to react, throbbing instantly hard wanting urgently to be present inside her as his hands slipped the buckle from his pants.

Unable and unwilling to look away Violet stared him down lust glowing wildly in her eyes.

Folding his pants calmly he placed them on the chair over his shirt not wanting to rush one moment of this.

Taking a sharp anticipated breath he edged the deep blue sheet down and away from her bare body leaving her vulnerable unable to hide.

Biting her bottom lip unsure from a history that was unkind in love and sex she crossed her arms in front of her pressing her legs together one over lapping the other.

A small understanding smile framed his handsome face as he shook his head slowly.

Sitting beside her he brushed the back of his hand across her cheek tenderly smoothing his thumb across her bottom lip.

"There is no reason to hide from me, you are beautiful Violet."

Her uncertain eyes flickered away from him not able to believe words that contradicted everything she had ever heard about herself her entire life.

Lifting her chin he forced her gaze to his intense black eyes that grew more serious by the moment.

Showing her with everything he had, and everything he was he rasped seductively against her lips.

"I love you Violet."

Taking her hands in his he pressed them to his chest.

"I belong to you; you hold my heart in these hands, my soul is trapped forever in your care. I will never hurt you, never deceive you, I am yours if you will have me till the end. Please Violet let me show you, prove to you that these words are true."

Her eyes widened with emotion never in her wildest imagination did she ever believe words as beautiful and true would be spoken to her, to someone like her.

As his mouth covered hers she nodded slowly sinking into his kiss, choosing to believe, letting him in, taking down protective walls that kept her heart safe.

Moving between her legs urging them carefully to part as he hovered over her shivering form his lips slid along her jawline to her long graceful neck.

Like feathers caressing her gently Tate smoothed his mouth adoring her, exciting her, bringing closer to the surface the confidence and passion that had been lying dormant for years.

Soft teasing fingertips glided along her hips tracing delicious circles over her ribcage brushing momentarily beneath the curve of her breasts.

Every move, every swipe of his tongue or sultry whisper of his breath was sculptured formed with meticulous precision; the most heartfelt care was given to every touch.

Tonight she would be worshiped; tonight she would feel the presence of a boundless enduring love.

Pressing his forehead to her chest he reached up and laced his fingers inside her hair gripping her golden tresses as his sweet breath blew softly over her nipple causing a loud throaty moan from her lips.

Insidious eyes opened as his lips curved upwards knowing this was the first of many cries of pleasure Daniel would be enduring on this night.

Tate's long eyelashes fluttered torturously over her hardened nipple as her head arched back.

Panting harshly she gripped the back of his tousled flaxen hair groaning a plea that he easily heard.

"Louder, I want to hear you tonight. I need to hear you Violet."

Licking her lips she pulled in her bottom lip ripping open her wound again as a much more vocal 'please' escaped her mouth.

Rolling the rosy nub with the tip of his tongue he felt her approval with a sharp tug of his hair and the clutch of her thighs hard against his waist.

This one motion caused his throbbing cock to slip along her slit teasing her clit.

The explosion of pleasure was not lost on him as he recreated this act again and again forcing her back to arch giving him better leverage to ravish her, pulling, licking kissing evoking sounds that would make even the bitterest ghost envious.

Slipping down with great ease he circled her clit with his firm tongue lifting her ass up with his hands to move inside, making her tremble begging for a release that he would not allow her to have just yet.

Falling, drowning with every sound escaping from her mouth he became more forceful, with a need left vacant for so long within reach she was driving him mad.

Digging into her thighs he buried himself curling his tongue in just the right spot humming as he tasted the beginnings of her orgasm.

Moving away just in time before she fell he couldn't help but nip at the cut on the inside of her thigh lapping at the crimson blood seeping through.

The metallic taste sent him into a frenzy as he gripped her calves pulled her down the bed hard providing him with her pretty mouth again.

Deep passionate kisses filled the air as he rutted against her sliding through her grabbing at her hip urging it over the back of his leg.

Perched at her dripping pussy he licked her lips softly as he began to whisper his voice hoarse with urgency and need.

"Open your eyes Violet."

A shuddered breath puffed against his lips as she fluttered her half lidded eyes to look at him.

With one forceful thrust he was finally home, safe from demons and ghosts and a mother that set out to destroy everything that was good within him.

Stilling for a moment he needed to savor this, warm and wet, he fit inside her as if it was always meant to be.

They stared into each other's eyes as the swell of her breast glistening with sweat pressed gloriously against his chest while his rough grip of her hip held her there.

His lips parted as he slowly began to finally move inciting a ravenous overwhelming feeling that there was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

Girls were scattered everywhere as the volume of Tate and Violet's cries reverberated throughout the house.

Some stood just outside the door jealously deepening the already gaping hole in their chests.

Others lined the stairs leading to the attic arms folded jaws clenched tight, mixed feelings twisting their insides.

One could not help but to melt into them, hearing every thrust, every passionate moan for more, his name bouncing ricocheting off of every wall and ceiling made it impossible to imagine that it was them instead of her.

Lydia stood hovering over Daniel making sure he heard every single word, watching with utter delight as tears fell from his eyes as he quietly painfully moaned.

Faster, harder, deeper he pounded her lifting her half way off the bed all while gazing down into her blissful face free of hesitation, of fear, of any uncertainty.

Feeling his control slipping he suddenly flipped them over perching her on top straddling him.

For a split second she shook her head no as a look of shock covered her sweaty flushed face.

This was the position where Daniel humiliated her; she swore she'd never do this again.

Tate shouted her name snapping her out of the past as he smoothed his hands up along her waist to caress her breasts.

"You are fucking beautiful, and you Violet, you are mine, please do this for me."

His strangled words were breathy gritted between his teeth as he willed himself to hold back watching her basked in the moonlight, an angel and her devil.

All her tragic memories vanished as he moved upwards forcefully deep inside her causing her to throw her head back.

The vision riding him was straight out of a dream, with golden hair stuck damp against skin that shone like diamonds.

The indescribable pleasure rushing through her extinguished any previous pain as she confidently freely unabashedly rocked against him.

Unable to hold back his feelings any longer he captured her gaze mouthing the words 'I love you'.

With one hand firmly attached to her hip he moved his other hand down to her clit where he strummed his thumb lightly tortuously till she was screaming his name.

Grunting hard he fell with her as she collapsed against his chest warm in his embrace and gentle kisses.

A rush of emotion rushed through the house like a strong gust of hot wind racing up to the attic through every hallway down into the dark basement even permeating the cracks in the walls reaching the outside.

Falling to her knees on the edge of the water Chelsea cried out his name as tears fell one by one down her cheeks.

Feeling a heavy hand on her shoulder she nervously glared behind her gasping as cold eyes looked back at her.

"Now now dear, no need for all those wasteful needless tears. Come with me darling, let's have a heart to heart. I believe I can mend what pains you."