Retaliation

by Anise Storm

  Hannah had dreamed about being in his bed again, powerless to do anything more than beg him for a release only he could grant. No way could she risk it.

  “Now,” he ordered again, this time removing his mouth from her skin.

  “I can’t,” she told him honestly. He stopped his ministrations, and she whimpered. Thaddeus meant to unravel her, and she realized by the time she left tonight, he’d be successful in the endeavor.

  “I want you to see who the hell is fucking you right now. Open those eyes,” he implored her, and something in his tone let her know he wasn’t going to stop until he got exactly what he wanted.

  He began stroking her again, and she heard the sounds of her own arousal while his fingers entered then withdrew, pushing the limits of her control until her body writhed in equal parts pleasure and pain.

  “I can do this all night, Hannah. I’ll bring you to the edge repeatedly and never allow you to orgasm. I’ll give you everything you want and more, once you give me what I want.” Tracing her clit with his thumb, he added, “Open your eyes for me, now!”

  She finally did so, and, fluttering her eyelashes, she expected to see Thaddeus, but she gasped at who was looking down at her instead.

  “Finley!”

  Chapter Three

  Hannah awoke with a start to find herself still on the plane. Her heart was pounding, the heavy rhythm beating loudly like a drum in her ear. She glanced over at the woman in the seat next to her and, thankfully, she was still asleep, completely unaware of what had just happened.

  Hannah brought a hand to her forehead and wiped away the beads of perspiration that had formed there. Leaving the elevator with Thaddeus had been only a dream. Part of her felt relief while another part of her ached. God, I’m a complete mess.

  Looking down, she saw the glass of melted ice, then brought the cup to her lips. She needed a cold shower after that dream, but this would have to do for now. There was no telling how long she had been asleep. Hopefully, it had been a while.

  Before she could even grab her cell phone or look at her watch, a crackle came from the intercom system, followed by an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are starting our descent. Please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright and locked position. Make sure your seat belt is securely fastened and all carry-on luggage is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Thank you.”

  Well, that answered that question. She had slept for hours, likely because of exhaustion from her stress. The flight attendants made their way down the aisles, collecting trash. Hannah put the unopened can of soda into her purse then handed the woman the plastic glass and empty shot bottle of whiskey. Jack Daniel’s. No wonder I dreamed about that—and him.

  Blaming the liquor sounded good, but drinking had nothing to do with why her thoughts had turned back to Thaddeus Remington. It had been her subconscious trying to tell her something. Because she’d ended up with Finley in the dream, maybe it was a sign that she’d made the right decision in New York City to rebuff Thaddeus and return to Finley.

  She wasn’t sure what the future held for her and Finley, but Hannah had to see it out. The last two months had been more than she could’ve ever wished for. Hannah had harbored feelings for him long before she’d moved back to London. The difference now was she had gotten to act on them, and she was more confident they were reciprocated—or, at least, they seemed to be.

  Hannah remembered how nonchalant Finley had been the morning he’d dropped her off at the airport. For all she knew, he might have grown tired of her cramping his bachelor style. It would serve her right if he threw her out on the streets after she got back to London. She deserved nothing less, considering the fact she had not only kissed another man but had also spent hours dreaming about being back in Finley’s bed.

  Hannah was truly conflicted. Her head told her Finley was her future, while her body told her it was Thaddeus. Hannah couldn’t allow her heart to make the final decision because she had to admit—even if only to herself—that she loved both men.

  Hannah sighed then looked out of the window of the plane. She was truly in a clusterfuck of her own making. She had to figure out something soon or risk losing both men forever. She remained lost in her thoughts while the plane continued its descent then landed gracefully.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Heathrow Airport. Local time is eight-fifteen a.m. and the temperature is seven degrees Celsius. For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the captain turns off the Fasten Seat Belt sign. This will indicate we have parked at the gate and it is safe for you to move about the cabin. At this time, you may use your cellular phones if you wish. Please check around your seat for any personal belongings you may have brought onboard with you, and please use caution opening the overhead bins since heavy articles may have shifted around during the flight. If you require assistance, please remain in your seat until all other passengers have deplaned. One of our crew members will be pleased to help you.

  “On behalf of Delta Air Lines and the entire crew, I’d like to thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you onboard again in the near future. Have a nice day.”

  The hours spent on the plane had her no closer to making a decision. The only thing she was certain of was she wouldn’t call Finley from the airport. She planned to take a cab to the penthouse, because the last thing she wanted to do was wake him up. It was also for the best that she kept the details of what had happened in New York City to herself until she could make heads or tails of the ramifications of it all.

  The plane finally came to a stop at the gate, and she unfastened her seat belt. Standing, Hannah tried to stretch out the stiffness in her limbs. It had been a long flight and planes weren’t the roomiest of contraptions. After gathering her purse then grabbing her carry-on bag, she moved into the aisle.

  A line quickly formed, and Hannah and her fellow travelers all left the aircraft single file. She pulled out the telescoping handle of her bag then wheeled it down the long hallway to Border Control.

  Once she’d made it through Customs and retrieved her luggage, it didn’t take her long to find a cab. After the cabbie had loaded her bags and she was in the back seat, she rattled off the address of the penthouse then sat back, staring through the side window until the Chelsea Harbor came into view. Home. She had only been away for one day but with the current weight on her conscience, it felt like it had been much longer.

  After the cab stopped, she paid the driver then looked up at the large building in front of her. The doorman stepped outside and smiled. “Good morning, Miss Brinkley. Do you need help with your bag?”

  She flashed a smile. “Good morning, Mr. Porter. No, thank you. I can take this upstairs myself.” She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears while walking to the elevator.

  She spent the entire ride to the top floor silently hoping that Finley was either still in bed or even gone for the morning. Both were a real possibility because he wouldn’t be expecting her back until later tonight. She had even promised she would call him ahead of time. Yet another thing I’ve messed up on.

  Taking a deep breath then letting it out, she stepped into the hallway. She fumbled around her purse for her keys. Finding them, she unlocked the door.

  All hopes of sneaking in and up to her room faded at the sound of the blender. Finley was up. Hoping the sound of the appliance would drown out her arrival, she quickly shut the door. No sooner had she taken three steps toward the stairs when she heard his voice then turned to smile at him.

  “Good morning, Sir.”

  Chapter Four

  Finley had been up all morning, cursing the fact that his bed had been empty. Things that he’d once enjoyed, like the solitude of his penthouse, were now things that he didn’t even want anymore. He had been used to having Hannah warming his bed so much that he’d woken up almost every hour on the hour, hoping to feel her beside him.
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  Hannah wasn’t expected home until later that night, and he had already planned to cook dinner for her instead of taking her out. After the last however-many hours without her, Finley didn’t want to share his girl with anyone, including the wait staff at a restaurant.

  He had intended to burn off some frustration in the fitness center downstairs, but now she was home, and Finley had a much better idea how to do that. “Baby girl, what time did your flight get in? I would have picked you up from Heathrow.”

  As she stepped into his view, Finley was taken a bit aback. Hannah was usually very transparent, and this morning was no exception. She had a guilty look on her face, and he had no idea why. Maybe she thought he was mad because she hadn’t told him her flight was arriving sooner than anticipated.

  “It was early, and I didn’t want to disturb you,” she explained hastily.

  The way she shifted nervously on her feet had him holding back a low growl. Remembering why she had left in the first place, he wondered if her trip had gone badly, so he crossed the room to her.

  “What’s wrong, Hannah? Did everything go okay for you with your work in New York?” It had to be that, but Finley hoped it wasn’t the case. She had been so miserable unemployed. It had taken her a while to find the one she had at Tucker International.

  Hannah seemed to love her new job and she had raved about it ever since starting there. He’d had Tucker International checked and hadn’t necessarily liked the results of his investigation. There was nothing terrible in the findings, just rumors. But she had been happy when he’d last seen her, and her happiness was really all that mattered to him.

  It was then he remembered what his attitude had been toward her. Fuck! She probably thought he was mad that she had gone there instead of completing the weekend plans they had made previously.

  Hannah was probably dealing with guilt for cancelling them, then caught the first flight back to him. Finley considered himself a major ass. Pulling her into his arms before she could even respond, he lowered his head and didn’t miss the way she quickly turned her face so his lips touched her cheek instead of her mouth.

  “I’m sorry for yesterday, baby girl. I had a lot of things on my mind,” he started to explain. It was the truth. He had been conflicted on whether to take their relationship to the next level. He was a Dominant, but his chosen lifestyle wasn’t what drove his feelings. He wanted something different from her.

  Finley wanted to eventually give Hannah his name. He wanted to take her to be his wife and submissive.

  Hannah wriggled out of his grasp, and his eyes narrowed sharply.

  “I’m just tired, Sir. Can we talk later, please?” Her voice echoed the irritation he saw on her face now.

  Finley understood he should just agree and let her go, but he couldn’t bear to do so while she looked so upset. She had been keeping things from him for weeks, since she’d arrived here in London. He had been nothing if not patient with her. The fact she was now blowing him off yet again irked him so much he didn’t want to just let her escape upstairs.

  What had him torn about her to begin with was the fact she didn’t trust him enough to truly confide in him. He was a straight shooter and hated whatever it was that kept her from trusting him completely. There was nothing she could have done when she’d run into him in Atlanta that would have changed his opinion of her.

  He couldn’t understand for the life of him why she wouldn’t accept that. The very basis of any D/s relationship was honesty. This wall undermined that very foundation and, frankly, he was growing tired of it.

  “I think it is better we talk about whatever it is that has been bothering you, not just now, but since you’ve been here, Hannah. I can’t help you if you don’t let me in. Can’t you see, baby girl?” he pleaded.

  Hannah huffed then spun away from his touch. “I said I’m tired. Just leave it—and me—alone,” she responded haughtily. There was a bit of fire in her eyes and definite anger in her voice.

  Then, just like that, Hannah grabbed her stuff and walked to the stairs, leaving him standing there speechless—or almost speechless.

  “What-fucking-ever.”

  Turning on his heel, he re-entered the kitchen, picked up his protein smoothie and keys then left the penthouse. It looked like he was going to go with his initial plan of working out to burn off some energy after all, except now he had added motivation.

  Hannah had never spoken to him like that in the entire time they had known each other—not when they’d first met years ago or since she had moved back to England. This was so out of character. A part of him was pissed off that she’d pretty much thrown his concern for her back in his face and told him to ‘fuck off’. Another was the realization that despite the things he had done for her, she still didn’t fully trust him.

  The thought lingered with him all the way downstairs, and he was thankful upon entering the fitness center that it was empty. The things he was thinking and likely to say were not appropriate for others to hear. Finley just hoped some one-on-one time with the punching bag, followed by a heavy-lifting circuit, would cool his temper.

  “Bloody hell,” he cursed while wrapping tape around his hands. It was at times like these he actually questioned his sanity. Finley had not told her the extent of his romantic feelings where she was concerned, and that was proving to have been wise. Still grumbling to himself, he started his workout.

  Chapter Five

  The cold temperature barely registered on her skin while Hannah stood outside on the rooftop deck. She felt numb and had since arriving home this morning. She had no idea what had come over her. Even now she winced thinking about how she’d talked to Finley when she had gotten home.

  All he had wanted to do was make sure she was okay. His sympathy had been sincere. That was a fact. What she also realized deep down was how undeserving of it she really was. Finley was too good a man for her. Perhaps allowing Thaddeus to kiss her in the elevator the previous night had just been another reflection of that truth.

  What am I going to do now? It seemed to be the question of the hour. Finley would expect her to at least apologize for speaking to him the way she had. More than likely she had even earned herself a punishment for it.

  A shiver racked her body at the thought of being back in his playroom. The only other time she had actually earned a legitimate punishment, Finley had allowed her to choose the implement. His anger at her now, however, ensured she wouldn’t fare the same this time.

  Prepared to accept whatever he deemed necessary, Hannah hoped she had not messed up so much that he would send her away. She was still confused where they stood romantically, but to lose his friendship? It would gut her completely.

  She didn’t know she’d started crying until her body shook while she sobbed quietly. She also hadn’t realized that she was no longer alone until he wrapped a blanket around her.

  He pulled her back to his chest and held her. “I’m sorry for earlier, baby girl. I can’t stand to fight with you.”

  “I don’t like fighting with you either, Sir,” she said, and it was true. He tightened his arms around her, and she drew from his strength while she leaned her head against him. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like I did.”

  Finley exhaled. “You had just got home from a long flight, and I should have let you get some rest. Did you get any sleep?”

  Hannah had tried to sleep once he’d stormed away, but her chest had hurt so badly that she’d stayed in bed for what had felt like hours, just staring at the ceiling while trying to figure out how everything had managed to go so wrong so quickly. It was like her life was imploding, and she could only stand idly by and watch.

  Once she had tired of lying there, Hannah had gone to take a shower, hoping to wash the travel filth from her skin. She’d ended up in a heap on the floor, crying, instead.

  Hannah would not reveal all of that to Finley because she still didn’t want to answer his questions and, more importantly, this mess she found herself in ha
d been created by her own lies, omissions and lack of self-control.

  Having learned her lesson from earlier about spouting off, Hannah added one more lie to the mountain she’d already built. “I did manage to get some rest.”

  “Good,” he murmured close to her ear. “Let’s go back inside so you don’t catch a cold. I want to hear about your meeting and what you thought about the Big Apple.”

  She almost protested but decided she could tell him about everything leading up to the party. There was nothing to be ashamed about regarding those few hours. “Okay.”

  She turned around then followed Finley back inside the penthouse. After having stood outside for the last hour or so, she sighed because the warmth immediately made her feel better. Hannah removed the blanket then laid it over the chair before moving to the fireplace.

  The orange flames flickered and licked at the dry logs. She gazed at the flames, feeling an instantaneous thaw.

  “I’ll be right back, baby girl. I’m going to make us something to drink.”

  Hannah smiled up at him then returned her attention to the fire. Finley was so good to her. She could remember listening to him talk about everything during her college nights while she’d curled up beside him on the couch. He would always have a cup of coffee for himself and hot cocoa for her.

  She treasured those times it had been just the two of them. Finley would talk to her about other people, including women, and she would imagine what it would be like to be one of his dates. Everything about their relationship had been so natural. “What happened to those days we didn’t even have to try to be friends?” she said absently.

  “I sometimes wonder that myself,” Finley replied, entering the room and handing her a steaming mug of her favorite cocoa.

  Hannah hadn’t realized she’d actually asked that question out loud.