jherbert.sepulchre-第33节

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me　into　a　whore。'
　　'Why　should　he　want　to　do　that？'
　　'Felix　enjoys　corrupting　people。　But　it's　too　soon　for　you　to　have　realised　that。'
　　'Cora；　this　doesn't　make　sense。'
　　'You　already　know　there's　no　sense　to　any　of　this；　Liam。　Why　persist　in　looking　for　it？　I'm　sorry　if　I've　bruised　your　ego；　but　the　truth　is　I　was　merely　obeying　instructions　last　night。'　Her　hand　was　shaking　and　she　quickly　drank　to　prevent　the　wine　spilling　over。　She　glanced　at　him　and　was　surprised　to　find　him　smiling　still；　but　this　time　that　coldness　was　there；　the　glint　of　cruelness　that　somehow　was　constantly　lurking　beneath　his　surface　manner。
　　'Maybe　Kline　wanted　me　kept　busy；'　he　said。
　　She　caught　her　breath。　He　was　right。　For　reasons　of　her　own…reasons　that　were　unclear　even　to　herself…Cora　had　wanted　to　hurt　Liam；　to　break　through　that　aura　of　sureness。　But　there　was　more　to　it　than　that。　She　had　wanted　him；　had　wanted　him　to　make　love　to　her；　had　gone　to　him　willingly　as　if　。　。　。　Cora　struggled　to　crystallise　the　thought　。　。　。　as　if　he　might　be　her　。　。　。　saviour？　Redeemer？　Oh　God；　what　a　fool　she　was。　Even　then；　when　he　had　been　inside　her；　it　wasn't　enough。　She'd　needed　something　more；　much　more。　And　they'd　had　to　make　love　a　different　way　so　that　she　could　achieve　her　own　satisfaction。　Felix　had　reduced　her　to　that；　made　her　a　creature　of　sensations　rather　than　emotions。　And　she'd　despised　Liam　for　this　also；　for　she　had　allowed　him　to　see　her　for　what　she　was。　Tonight　she　had　tried　to　hurt　him；　but　he　had　turned　it　around。　It　was　she　who　had　been　humiliated　further。
　　'Please　go；　Liam；'　she　said；　her　voice　brittle。
　　'Oh　no；　not　yet。　Not　yet；　Cora。'　That　faint　Irishness　to　his　voice　again。　How　strange　that　it　should　make　him　sound　so　dangerous。
　　'I　want　you　to　leave。'　Instead　he　took　the　glass　from　her　hand。
　　'I　don't　know　what　game　it　is　you　all　think　you're　playing；'　he　said　quietly；　'and　honestly；　I　don't　much　care。　But　at　least　there's　something　more　to　you；　Cora；　something　that　megalomaniac　hasn't　touched　yet。　I　don't　know　how　he's　managed　to　bring　you　to　this　point；　but　I　do　know　you've　kept　a　part　of　yourself　away　from　him。　You　were　different　the　first　time　I　saw　you；　and　I　think　it　was　because　I　was　seeing　you　the　way　you　used　to　be；　the　way　you　can　still　be。'
　　'There's　nothing　left　for　…'　He　touched　his　fingers　to　her　lips。　'You're　wrong。'　His　own　lips　replaced　his　hand　and　she　tried　to　turn　away。　He　held　her　firm　and　kissed　her；　hurting　her。
　　Cora　sank　into　the　sofa　and　pushed　at　his　chest。　She　didn't　want　this。　He　wasn't　the　man　to　take　her　from　Felix。　They　were　alike；　Felix　and　Liam。　Cruel　men。　Vicious　men。　That　was　why　Felix　was　fascinated　by　him。　They　were　akin。
　　He　was　hurting　her；　and　there　was　pleasure　in　that。　But　she　mustn't　let　him；　she　couldn't　let　him　。　。　。
　　Halloran　grabbed　her　wrist　and　pulled　it　aside。　She　was　lying　on　the　sofa　now；　the　robe　open　beneath　the　belt；　exposing　her　thighs。　He　continued　to　kiss　her；　his　mouth　hard　against　hers；　and　when　she　finally　wrenched　her　head　away；　his　lips　sank　to　her　neck　and　he　bit；　but　used　no　strength。　Cora　moaned；　partly　out　of　self…pity　and　partly　out　of　self…disgust；　for　feelings　were　being　aroused　in　her。
　　'Please　don't；'　she　tried　to　say；　but　Halloran　had　pulled　the　robe　away　from　her　breasts。　He　lowered　his　head　to　them。　'I　don't　want　this！'　she　hissed；　but　his　hand　was　on　her　thigh；　pressing　firmly；　then　gliding　down　to　her　knee；　reaching　behind；　touching　delicate　nerve…points。　His　weight　was　on　her；　pinning　her；　and　he　used　his　body　to　part　her　legs。　Still　she　protested；　squirming　against　him；　her　fingers　clenched　on　his　shoulders。　She　could　have　clawed　him；　or　pulled　his　hair；　or　bit　him。　But　she　didn't。
　　He　sank　to　the　floor；　kneeling　before　her；　keeping　his　body　between　her　legs。　Her　robe　had　fallen　open　pletely；　the　belt　loose　around　her　waist；　and　Halloran　deftly　undid　his　own　clothing。　He　entered　her；　the　movement　hard　and　quick；　causing　her　to　cry　out　even　though　she　was　moist；　ready　for　him　despite　her　resistance。　His　lips　found　hers　once　more　and　this　time　she　did　not　refuse　him；　the　force　of　her　kiss　matched　his。
　　Her　arms　reached　around　him；　drawing　him　tight；　and　now　Halloran　groaned；　a　soft　murmur　that　excited　her。　Cora's　legs　were　rigid　against　his　hips　and　she　thrust　herself　forward；　letting　him　fill　her；　wanting　more；　crying　for　more；　her　breathing　tight　and　her　arms　trembling。　Cora's　cries　turned　into　gasps　and　Halloran's　hands　went　under　and　around　her　shoulders　so　that　he　could　pull　her　down　onto　him；　his　own　thrusts　controlled　and　rhythmic。　But　that　restraint　was　soon　overwhelmed　and　he　twisted　his　face　into　Cora's　wet　hair　and　she　arched　her　neck；　pushing　her　head　back　into　the　cushions；　her　hips　almost　rising　off　the　sofa；　clutching　at　him　as　their　juices　surged　to　mix　inside　her　body。　Her　cry　was　sharp；　trailing　to　a　whimper；　their　bodies　shuddering　together；　slowly　calming　to　a　trembling；　eventually　relaxing　to　a　stillness。　They　lay　there；　neither　one　willing　to　separate。
　　Halloran　felt　the　wetness　on　his　cheek　and　lifted　his　head　to　look　at　Cora。　She　was　weeping　and　when　he　tried　to　speak　she　pulled　him　down　against　her。　His　arm　slid　beneath　her　neck　and　he　held　her　tightly。
　　They　stayed　that　way　until　her　weeping　stopped；　neither　one　saying　anything；　feeling　no　need　to；　content　to　rest　with　each　other。　Cora　loved　the　feel　of　him　inside　her；　even　though　he　was　soft　now；　and　she　ran　her　fingers　beneath　his　shirt；　caressing　his　spine。　Halloran　raised　himself　without　withdrawing　and　lifted　her　legs　onto　the　sofa。　He　lay　on　top；　brushing　his　mouth　across　her　face；　kissing　her　eyes；　her　temples；　her　cheeks；　passion　subdued；　replaced　by　tenderness。
　　'You　don't　know　what　he's　done　to　me；'　she　said。
　　'None　of　that　matters；'　he　soothed。
　　She　sighed；　a　sweet　sound；　when　she　felt　him　being　hard　again。　They　made　love　slowly　this　time；　their　movement　sensuous；　almost　languid；　sensing　each　other　in　a　different；　more　perfect；　way。　Their　passion　grew　but　was　unleashed　easily；　a　flowing　then　gently　ebbing　release。
　　As　before；　they　remained　locked　together　for　some　time　and；　when　at　last　Halloran　withdrew；　it　was　with　reluctance。　He　adjusted　his　clothing；　then　sat　on　the　floor；　an　elbow　resting　on　the　sofa　where　Cora　was　still　stretched。　He　leaned　forward　to　kiss　her　lips；　his　hand　smoothing　away　the　damp　hair　from　her　face。
　　'Liam　。　。　。'　she　began　to　say；　but　he　shook　his　head　and　smiled。
　　'No　need；　Cora。　We'll　talk　tomorrow。　Tonight　just　think　about　what's　happened　between　us。'　He　stroked　her　body；　fingertips　tracing　a　line　over　her　breasts　down　to　her　stomach；　running　into　the　cleft　between　her　thighs。
　　Her　arms　went　around　his　shoulders　and　she　studied　his　eyes；　her　expression　grave。　'I　need　to　know　more　about　you；　can't　you　see　that？'
　　'In　time；'　he　said。
　　'Is　it　possible　for　me　to　trust　you？　There's　something　。　'　she　frowned；　struggling　to　find　the　word　'。　。　。　dark　about　you；　Liam。　and　I　can't　understand　what　it　is。　There's　a　remoteness　in　you　that's　frightening。　I　felt　it　the　first　time　we　met。'　He　began　to　rise；　but　Cora　held　on　to　him。
　　'I　told　you　yesterday；'　he　said。　'I'm　what　you　see；　no；　more　than　that。'
　　'It's　what　I　feel　in　you　that　scares　me。'
　　'I　often　deal　with　violent　people；　Cora。　It　can't　help　but　have　an　effect　on　me。'
　　'You've　bee　the　same　as　them？　Is　that　what　you're　saying？'　He　shook　his　head。　'It　isn't　that　simple。'
　　'Then　try　to　explain。'　There　was　exasperation　in　her　demand。
　　He　began　to　rise　again　and　this　time　her　arms　dropped　away。　'In　my　trade　violence　usually　has　to　be　met　with　violence；'　he　said；　looking　down　at　her。　'It's　sometimes　the　only　way。'
　　'Doesn't　that　corrupt　you？　Doesn't　that　make　you　the　same　as　them？'
　　'Maybe；'　he　replied。
　　She　pulled　at　her　robe；　covering　her　nakedness。
　　Halloran　walked　to　the　door　and　paused　there。　'It's　when　you　start　to　enjoy　the　corruption　that　you　know　you're　in　trouble。'　He　went　out；　quietly　closing　the　door　after　him。
　　Leaving　Cora　to　weep　alone。
　　Halloran　washed　himself　in　a　bathroom　along　the　hall　before　returning　to　his　room。　Once　there；　he　hung　his　jacket　over　a　bedpost　and　took　the　gun　from　its　holster；　placing　it　on　the　bedside　cabinet。　He　removed　his　shoes　this　time；　set　the　small　alarm　clock；　and　lay　on　the　bed。　The　curtains　were　apart；　but　moonlight　was　feeble　again　that　night　and　barely　lit　the　room。　Despite　the　fact　that　there　was　an　extra　bodyguard　on　duty　inside　the　house；　Halloran　would　only　allow　himself　four　hours'　rest；　intending　to　check　on　Monk　and　Palusinski　during　their　individual　watches；　scouting　Neath　and　the　immediate　outside　area　in　between。　Cora　had　taken　up　nearly　an　hour　of　his　rest　period。　And　a　lot　of　energy。
　　He　shut　his　eyes　and　remembered　the　hurt　on　her　face　as　he'd　left　the　room。
　　A　brightness　flashed　beyond　his　eyelids。
　　Halloran　opened　his　eyes　again。　The　room　was　in　darkness。　Had　he　imagined　the　sudden　flare？
　　It　came　once　more；　filling　the　room　like　a　lightning　flash。　Yet　no　rumble　of　thunder　followed。
　　He　quickly　moved　from　the　bed；　going　to　the　window。　He　peered　out　into　the　night。　A　muted