His Hollow Heart (Fallen Kingdom Book 1)
His Hollow Heart: Chapter 20

Bella

My entire body trembles as I grip the banister. My sweaty palm slides down it, and even though I know I should turn around, something doesn’t let me. There’s a reason why Cal is so protective over his room, and maybe this is why. If he’s hiding something, this could be my only chance to replace out what it is.

Thankfully, there’s more sconces on the wall that are lit up, so I’m able to see where I’m going. The lights being on only reaffirms that something is definitely down here.

Fear courses through me when I think about what that something could be. It could be dead bodies—or imprisoned women. Oh my God, what if he plans to take me down here one day and tie me up? Maybe I really don’t know Cal at all.

Saliva begins pooling in my mouth with each step down the spiral staircase. There’s a familiar scent that only strengthens the farther down I go. It’s that lemongrass scent that I smelled my first day here.

When I make the turn down the last few steps, I’m shocked to see that it’s just an empty room. The walls are painted all white. The floor is clean cement. There’s nothing down here except for a door.

I walk over to it and wrap my fingers around the handle. Drawing in a deep breath, I give it a turn, but it’s locked.

Dammit.

As soon as I turn around to go back up the stairs, I’m face to face with a very angry Cal.

“Umm. Hi,” I say, stupidly.

Cal makes a growly noise before grabbing me by the waist and flinging me over his shoulder.

“Put me down,” I holler, my hands smacking at his back.

I shrill when his palm slaps hard against my ass.

There’s a bite to the imprint he left and instead of making me fearful, it pisses me off. “What the hell is the matter with you?”

“Didn’t you ever learn that snooping can get you killed?”

I push my hands to his shoulders, lifting myself up as he one-arms me up the stairs. “Oh, are you going to kill me?”

“You’ll be lucky if you get off that easily.”

Was that a threat? That was definitely a threat.

“Why do you care? There’s nothing down there anyways.” I chuckle. “Does it make you feel like a villain to have a secret door in your closet?”

“You’re about to learn how much of a villain I am. Now shut your damn mouth.”

Pushing myself up further, until I’m stiff in his arm, I block his path with my body. “I’m not scared of you, Cal.” I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen him look this angry. I should be scared, but I don’t think he’d hurt me. “Will you just put me down? I can walk.”

“You know, Bella. You’ve proven to be a pain in my ass. Therefore, it’s time to reciprocate.”

His jaw clenches right before his hand cracks my ass again.

Shrieking, I draw in a ragged breath. We’re at the top of the steps, at least, I think we are. I don’t even care. I grab Cal by the face and grit through my clenched teeth, “Don’t ever fucking do that again.”

His nostrils flare, warranting the threat of another blow. His hands wrap completely around my ass, fingers squeezing into the depths of my skin.

“What are you gonna do about it? Fight me?”

Kicking his foot out, he kicks open the door to the closet and carries me in. The suits are all pushed to the side giving us a clear entry inside.

“I won’t stop until I know what’s behind those doors. So you might as well just tell me.”

“Oh,” Cal draws, “you will stop if you know what’s good for you. Would you like a preview of what will happen if you don’t?”

Is that a question? Of course I don’t.

Cal carries me over to his bed with shaky arms. He seems nervous, which is surprising for a man who exudes so much confidence. I look into his eyes, noticing he hasn’t blinked since we stepped foot in his room.

Remembering that Peter said no one is allowed in Cal’s room has me wondering if that’s the reason for his apprehension.

“Why are you so secretive with your room?”

Cal drops me onto the bed and takes a step back. Standing with an unnatural stillness, he stares straight ahead.

“This is my sanctuary. A place where no one can touch me and I’m in control. Don’t we all need our own personal space as such?”

“I…um, I guess.” Most people have bedrooms, but we don’t treat them as a barrier from the outside world like he does.

Cal drops his gaze on the wall behind me and walks over to the snakes. He takes something attached to the side of the glass cage that looks like a remote. With the press of a button, the aquarium lights up.

It’s like he called them to him, because all of the snakes come to the forefront of the glass. My insides shiver. There are so many of the brown ones, but it’s that big black one that has my stomach twisting in knots.

Cal pushes another button that slides open the glass on the cage. He looks at me and the darkness in his eyes—the curl of his lip—causes me to scoot back on the bed. Hugging my knees to my chest, my dress drapes over my legs. My heart beats at an unprecedented rate when he reaches his hand into the cage and the sleek, black monster slithers around his arm.

“Cal,” I say in warning, “what are you doing?”

He ignores me, walking over to the end of the cage where the other snakes are. He slides the doors open with the press of a button. Instead of letting the snake climb on his arm like he did the black one, he snatches it by the throat and pulls it out.

I gasp at the sight of him squeezing the smaller snake’s neck.

The black one continues to slither up his body, its head nuzzling up to Cal’s neck while it tangles around his arm.

Cal begins walking toward me. My heart beats faster, ruffling my rib cage. I’m as far back as I can go on the bed, but I continue to squirm, hoping to move further.

“Cal,” I say again.

His knees press into the plush mattress as he slowly comes toward me. “You know what I love about snakes?” His brows rise as if he expects me to answer him. When I don’t, he continues, “Any other pet would look down, tuck their tail, and run when they’ve done wrong. Snakes, on the other hand, they’ll stand tall and look you right in the eye.”

I turn my head, pinching my eyes shut as he kneels directly in front of me. “Please just put them away.”

“You’ve proven my point. You were a bad girl, Bella. You went snooping around where you didn’t belong and now we need to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Look me in the eye,” he says in a demanding tone.

I open my eyes and slowly turn back to face him.

“You’re wearing your fear and snakes feed off that.”

He comes closer as my breaths become delayed and my head gets dizzy from the lack of oxygen.

The snake stretches his body, stiffening with its head in the air, and Cal brings his hand down to the bed.

“Please don’t put it down,” I beg him. He doesn’t listen as the snake slithers off his hand and onto the silk comforter.

The other one is wrapped around his hand, but that one doesn’t worry me as much. It’s on the smaller side and looks more like a rat snake.

With the snake in his hand, Cal climbs up the bed to me, getting as close as he can with my knees blocking him.

“What are you doing?

His hand, while holding the snake, slides up my leg and he pries them apart, but not without a fight on my end. I squeeze them tightly, forcing my knees together.

Cal looks up at me and smirks before allowing the brown snake to slide off his hand and around my calf.

“Cal, please. Get it off me,” I cry out, tears rolling down my face.

With my attention on the snake, he’s able to push my legs apart, and his body slides between them. “Are you done sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, Bella?”

“Yes. I promise. I’ll never come in here again. Just get that damn thing off me.”

I look at the other snake that’s sliding slowly around on the comforter. It seems docile, but I know they can strike at any moment. I don’t know much about snakes, but I do know that.

I’m afraid to move, so I don’t fight Cal off as he slides my underwear down, over the snake and off my legs. Long fingers skate up my inner thigh, pushing my knees further apart. His face nuzzles in, warm breath riding up my legs.

This is really happening. I have a snake latched onto my leg while Cal is preparing to feast on me. I take a deep, ragged breath when his nose brushes my sensitive clit. I close my eyes but open them again quickly when I feel the weight of something on my chest.

“Oh my God. Move it. Please, Cal. Just get it off me.” My chin is pressed to my chest as I watch the snake slither over it. Its head level with mine, staring me straight in the eye, as if it’s telling me that it is the one with the power.

“Snakes are powerful. And we both know I like power-filled things.” His long tongue stretches out, sliding inside me like an unhinged snake, flexing and flicking feverishly while he sucks my pussy.

I blow out a breathy moan, hating that I’m instantly turned on by the thrill of this. I don’t dare move, I don’t dare make a sound, but the way he’s licking me up and down like I’m his favorite taste in the world, it’s damn near impossible.

Cal pushes my dress up farther until the bottom half is bunched at my stomach. “Get rid of the dress,” he barks out the order.

“I can’t,” my words come out in a quivering whisper, “the snake.”

“She’ll move. The little guy, on the other hand, he’ll latch on for dear life.”

My hands shake uncontrollably as I slide my fingers under the straps on either side of my shoulders. I push them down, taking care not to piss off the snake. I’m staring straight into the eyes of danger, gambling with my life. Even if she’s not venomous, she could choke me out in two seconds flat.

The straps fall to the side and the snake worms its way up to my bare chest, sliding across my exposed breasts. With a straight back, I push my dress down until Cal removes it.

Two fingers pinch my throbbing clit, causing me to whimper at the mix of pain and pleasure.

The snake writhes against me, resting on my collarbone while Cal works his magic.

All I can focus on is the greedy feeling washing over me. I buck my hips up, needing more than what he’s giving me. I feel like a whore at his beck and call. A weak and miserable slut who spreads her legs for the thrill of the ride.

Cal has awoken something inside of me that I didn’t know existed—sexual needs, unfulfilled desires. He’s a master at his technique and I’m a mere peasant begging for his touch.

When he removes his shirt, I gaze open-mouthed at his shapely chest covered in black ink. A coat of black hair runs down the V of his abdomen and when he takes off his sweatpants, his cock springs free. Hard, with bulging veins and a plump head that I want to wrap my lips around just to see how it feels in my mouth.

Cal leans forward, his hands pressed on either side of me. His mouth falls to my breast and he sucks my nipple in his mouth. He’s a man who knows what he wants and I’m so turned on by that fact.

My eyes close as the snake begins slithering again, while the other latches onto my leg like I’m its lifeline.

“Do you like when I suck your nipples, Bella?”

I nod without giving it a thought. I like everything he does to me. I never know what to expect, but every touch is an electrical current running through me.

He gives my nipple a flick and I shudder while he watches my reaction. Biting his lip, he reaches down and I feel him unravel the snake from my leg. Bringing it up between us, he puts it right in my face, which instantly stirs the black snake. “Kiss it goodbye.”

Thank God!

I breathe out a sigh of relief that he’s putting them away. But there is no way in hell I’m kissing that thing.

I turn my head in disgust. “Not a chance.”

“If you want him to leave then kiss him goodbye.”

Chills shimmy down my body. I close my eyes tightly, pucker up, and hope like hell that thing doesn’t bite me.

I’m thrown off guard when it’s Cal’s mouth that meets mine and not the head of the snake. I feel the weight of the snake drop beside me and the one on my chest instantly leaves. Cal cups my face in his hands and kisses me forcefully while I feel the snakes squirm against my side. There’s a hissing sound that signals alarms in my head, but Cal doesn’t allow me to break free to see what’s going on.

Seconds later, he lets me go and I look to my side but turn away abruptly, burying my face in Cal’s neck when I see that the bottom half of the brown snake is hanging from the mouth of the other.

She ate him. She really fucking ate him next to us while we’re lying here naked.

“Are you insane?” My words are muffled against Cal’s skin.

He doesn’t react; instead, he shoves his cock inside of me, causing my lungs to deflate in one breath.

“Do you want this, Bella?”

God, the way he says my name with that gravelly tone makes my pussy twitch.

“Yes. I want this.”

He doesn’t move. Just holds his cock still inside of me, filling me to the brim while his balls rest against my ass cheeks.

“Say it. Tell me you want me to fuck you.”

I don’t respond. Not because I’m embarrassed to admit I want him to, but because the words feel degrading, like I’m begging. Maybe that’s what he wants.

He pulls back and rams his cock in so hard that my head reverberates off the headboard. “Ugh,” I cry out.

“Tell me.”

He does it again, kinking my neck in the process.

“I want you to fuck me.”

He pushes himself up so that his face is hovering over mine. He’s wearing a grin, proof that he got what he wanted.

In one fell swoop, he pulls his cock out. Proof of my want for him drips from its head onto my parted lips.

His body slides down again while the black snake climbs over my rib cage. I can see the bulge in her from swallowing the other snake whole. I hold my breath as she makes herself comfortable in the crease of my neck like it’s a warm bed for her after finishing a meal.

Cal pushes my legs open until they are widespread. He slides one possessive finger inside of me with ease then adds another. Working them just right, I begin to relax and enjoy the feelings coming over me.

Just as I start to get into it, he pulls his fingers out. I brace myself up on my elbows with a raised brow. “What are you doing?”

He pinches my clit again, this time so hard that every cell in my body is alerted. “Do you plan on snooping in my room again?” He doesn’t stop as he awaits my answer.

“No. Never again.” It’s very possible that I lied, but he doesn’t need to know that. He just needs to hear what he wants so he’d give me what I need.

His fingers penetrate me again, long, curled, and deep. His palm cups my crotch as he pumps them inside, hitting my G-spot while his thumb rubs my aching clit.

This time when I relax, he doesn’t stop. My hands slide down to my stomach, grazing the soft skin as I lick my lips. Modesty eludes me. Time has stopped, the world has ceased to exist, and it’s just this moment of heightened energy. My hips rise, then fall, up and down, while Cal finger-fucks me. The sound of moisture coating his fingers as he fills me to the brim. His palm slapping against my pussy, thumb circling my clit.

“Oh God,” I cry out, grabbing his full head of hair and tugging. Everything washes away. I’m filled with a burning agony and a dire need to release. I squeeze my walls around his fingers, arch my back, and… “What the hell? No!”

Why did he stop? My hands begin to shake like an addict in need of a fix.

Cal comes up on his knees, grinning from ear to ear as he grabs the snake.

“You asshole!” I spit out.

“Punishment is a bitch. Now, roll over.”