by Zoe Blake
Despite practically having his fist tear into my tight body, his cock still felt heavy and thick.
“Oh, God! Yes! Fuck, Richard! Oh, God!” I screamed as I dug my nails into his shoulders.
“That’s it, baby girl. Come for me.”
With the power of him driving his body into mine, I slid along the silky sheets till my head slammed against the headboard, pinning me underneath his weight and against the wall. The pressure from my building orgasm caused me to let out a primal howl as I absorbed each brutal thrust, riding wave after wave of one of the most intense experiences of my life.
Picking up the emerald I had spit out, Richard forced it between my lips as he pressed the fingers that were still covered in my arousal into my mouth. Greedily, I lapped my tongue along his salty skin even as my jaw ached and my throat rebelled.
In my depraved mind, I wished he had taken the time to shove something hard and long into my ass, so I could feel every hole stretched and filled by his punishing touch.
With a roar, Richard pulled free and shot thick, hot streams of cum onto my stomach.
Running his hand along the sheets, he collected the discarded jewels that lay scattered around us and dropped them into his still warm cum. Then picking each one up, he pushed them into my mouth, till I was choking on the taste of him and his wealth.
Chapter 7
Lizzie
Was that an apology?
Richard’s way of explaining how and why he’d allowed our game to go to such extremes?
Either way, I knew the subject was closed.
He had sent that part of the message loud and clear.
What else could I do? I had made my choice, now I must deal with the consequences. I might not have known the extent of what I had been getting myself into when I chose Richard, but I couldn’t deny I knew I was making a dangerous choice. The warning signs were there.
Practically from the moment I had met him he had proven to be possessive, controlling, and intense. And if I were honest with myself—I mean really honest—I fucking loved that about him. Sure, it scared the crap out of me, but at the same time it was just so damn hot. To have a man as powerful and influential as Richard make no secret of the fact that you were the center of his world?
It was intoxicating.
Besides, I was still all turned around about what had happened at his estate.
How could I be certain it wasn’t me forcing his hand?
That it wasn’t me insisting we go that deep into the fantasy?
After all, I was the one who dreamed of living in the Victorian period. Hell, I was even basing my future career on that dream!
And while Richard may be all of those things, he was also romantic, sexy, handsome, sweet in his quiet moments, and beyond generous, not only with his money but his time and attention.
I was thinking in circles and all it had gotten me so far was a headache.
Feeling like Scarlett O’Hara, I wouldn’t think more on it today… I’d worry about it tomorrow.
Rubbing my temples, I rolled onto my side and curled my knees up, wincing a little at the soreness between my legs. I had fallen back asleep not too long after he had given me that kinky as fuck insane orgasm.
My gaze fell on a stunning purse resting next to his pillow.
With a gasp, I sat up and grabbed the small top-handle bag. Holy shit! Running a reverent hand over the metallic pink Mordoré Nappa leather, I traced the outline of the gold heart, pearl-encrusted clasp.
It wasn’t lost on me that the purse was from Dolce & Gabbana’s Devotion collection. There was nothing Richard did that didn’t send some kind of hidden message or have some kind of symbolism to it.
Opening the flap, I saw one cream-colored envelope and a small velvet pouch. The soft calfskin interior brushed my knuckles as I reached in to retrieve the items.
Pulling on the dark purple strings of the velvet bag, I poured the contents onto my sheet-covered lap. They were the jewels from earlier. Although they were now cleaned and sparkling, they would forever bring to mind all the dirty deeds Richard had done to me with them.
Running a nail under the envelope flap, I pulled out the heavy card stock note and recognized the Winterbourne embossed family crest and Richard’s aggressively slanted penmanship.
There is a driver waiting to take you to Bond Street, when you are ready.
I’ve arranged a special lesson for you today with a member of the Morris family.
Bring the jewels.
If my meeting ends early, I will try to meet you there.
If not, we are dining at eight p.m. tonight.
Wear the new Ellen Wise Couture gown.
—R
If I was going to Bond Street, that could only mean David Morris Jewelers. One of the most famous bespoke jewelers in the world. They have literally made crowns for Europe’s royal families. Ever since Richard had me drop out of University, he had arranged for countless lessons and short internships with some of the most famous designers in the world. Even during our game, I still met with seamstresses to create my Victorian gowns. The fact was, I was getting more of an education now than I ever would have sitting in class making peasant blouses!
Jumping out of bed, I headed straight to my walk-in dressing room. Hanging on a brass hook to the right was a garment bag with the simple font logo of Ellen Wise. That must be the floral hand-embroidered gown from her spring collection Richard had ordered from her San Francisco atelier. I would look at it later. For now, I needed to decide what I would wear for my first bespoke jewelry lesson.
Adjusting the pussycat bow on my Michael Kors emerald dress, I turned to the driver.
“I’m not sure how long I’ll be, John.”
He nodded as he closed the door he had held open for me. “That’s no problem, Miss Elizabeth. I’ll just be right here when you’re ready.”
While I was still getting used to having servants always about, I had to admit having a driver and no longer having to rely on the tube was definitely nice.
Nervously holding my new Dolce & Gabbana bag close, keenly aware of the exorbitant fortune in jewels contained inside, I took a deep breath and swung open the heavy glass door.
Several hours later, clutching the leather portfolio that contained the true-to-size artist rendering of the cascade necklace I had designed, I emerged from the jeweler’s shop. I couldn’t wait to show Richard. I would have to return the drawing so they could make the necklace. I didn’t feel confident giving them permission to move forward without Richard’s approval first. It was after all several million pounds’ worth of loose jewels. It felt too presumptuous to spend Richard’s money like that, even though Mr. Morris assured me Richard had said to move forward with whatever I had designed regardless of cost. I did however let him keep the jewels in their safe, which was a relief. Spying John in the driver’s seat, I gave a slight wave to get his attention as I waited for a group of people to pass me on the sidewalk.
Just then, I spotted Richard walking away from the car.
“Richard! Richard!” I called out, rising on my toes to see over their heads.
I could see his tall frame and ebony hair as he moved down the street away from me.
The man didn’t even turn at my call.
I went after him, but a tall blonde on her mobile shouldered me as she quickly passed, making me drop my portfolio. By the time I retrieved it and looked about me again, he was gone.
Maybe it wasn’t him?
I felt sure I recognized the suede jacket he had been wearing earlier.
“Is something wrong, miss?” asked John as he opened the back passenger side door for me.
Not willing to admit that Richard had possibly ignored me, I shook my head no as I got into the car. Turning to reach for the seat belt as John took his place behind the wheel, I swiveled to buckle it and let out a shrill scream.
Alarmed, John turned to face me. “What is it?”
With both hands covering my mouth in horror, I
just stared.
Following my gaze, he saw the dead bird on the seat beside me. Its brightly colored wings were spread wide, its head cocked at an unnatural angle.
The door across from me opened. John, with a wad of tissues in his hand, swooped up its small body. “I’m so sorry, Miss Elizabeth. I have no idea how this got in here!”
Turning away, he slammed the door shut before running around the back of the car in search of a trash can.
Looking down, I could see small drops of still-wet blood on the tan leather seat.
Returning to the car, John once more took his place behind the wheel, but turned to face me.
“Are you all right?”
I didn’t respond.
“I’m very sorry, miss. The bird must have flown inside unnoticed when I opened the door.”
“Yes. Yes, John. That must be what happened,” I answered weakly. I continued to stare at the drops of blood as the car pulled away from the curb.
I was absolutely certain that was not what had happened.
“Please, miss. I’ll be sacked for sure if His Grace finds out about this.”
He must not have seen Richard put the bird inside.
Unwilling to give a staff member a glimpse into the sordid details of my life, I placated him. “Don’t worry, John. I won’t mention a thing.”
The poor dead bird had been a brightly colored parakeet. A pet bird. If it had been from the wild, it would have more than likely been grey, like a pigeon or a brown sparrow.
No. This was a message.
Richard always called me his little bird.
It looks like another game had begun.
Once again, I didn’t know the rules. The frigid hand of dread gripped my heart as I guessed at what the final outcome would be.
Chapter 8
Lizzie
Sitting at my vanity table, I stared down at the stolen mobile I had partially hidden in my lap. I wasn’t allowed a mobile of my own anymore. Despite owning one of the world’s richest telecommunication companies, Richard hated technology, especially cell phones. He said they were a mindless, trivial distraction. He rarely carried his own, and I had fallen out of the habit of carrying one as well. It’s funny how something that felt so necessary to modern life could so easily be discarded.
Unfortunately, I needed to check something on the internet and I didn’t want Richard to find out by seeing a search history on the computer he allowed me to use in the study. I didn’t trust those clear history options.
My hands were shaking too much to type the words in the search bar. I had to be quick. The sleeping footman I had stolen it from would soon realize it was missing. It had been hard getting the facial recognition to work with his closed eyes and slack jaw but eventually the softly illuminated screen lit up. When done, I would drop it under a chair in the hallway for him to find later.
“Ready so soon, my love?”
I jumped at the sound of Richard’s voice. Hiding the phone within the folds of my dress, I met his gaze in the mirror’s reflection.
His footsteps were silent as he walked across the thick bedroom carpet to reach me. Placing his hands on my bare shoulders, he gave the top of my head a kiss.
“Did you have a nice lesson today?”
Squeezing my thighs tight, praying the light of the screen didn’t show through the tulle of my skirt, I had to swallow past the dryness in my throat before answering. “It was amazing actually. I never thought I’d like something as much as designing dresses, but I might actually like designing jewelry even more. All the techniques were fascinating and everyone was very generous with their time and in answering all my newbie questions.”
I was rambling.
“The necklace rendering is over there, if you’d like to see it.” I gestured with my head, hoping he would turn away.
He didn’t.
Keeping his keen gaze locked on mine in the mirror, he smoothed his hand down over my hair before resting it once more, high on my shoulder. Slipping his other hand up higher, his fingertips pressed against my collarbone.
Feeling lightheaded, I tried to steady my breathing as my heart thumped loudly in my chest.
His voice was a husky purr against my ear. “Each time I look at those jewels wrapped around this pretty little neck of yours, I will remember the sight of them covered in my cum resting on your tongue.”
Both of his hands were pressed against the base of my throat. If anyone were to look upon us, they would think it was a loving gesture.
It didn’t feel like love to me. Memories of the dead bird flashed before my eyes. In this moment, it felt more like a threat.
Every second that passed increased the chances the phone hidden in my lap would suddenly ring. There would be no way I could explain its existence or why I was hiding it to Richard.
Curling my hands into fists, I let my nails bite into the barely healed scratches on my palms. The harsh sting of pain grounded me. Swallowing, I picked up a blush brush with what I hoped was a steady hand and swirled its bristles around the dusky pink compact. Raising it to my cheek, I said, “You need to let me get ready or we’ll be late. I know how much you hate being late.”
Richard smiled before giving the top of my head another affectionate kiss. Taking his jacket off as he crossed the threshold into his dressing area, I could hear his slightly muffled voice as he continued to make conversation. “Did I mention where we are going tonight?”
Lifting the cell phone from its hiding place, my heart sank when I saw the dark screen. Knowing what I would find, I touched it with my fingertip anyway. The familiar passcode screen lit up. Locked. My chance gone.
“Elizabeth?” Richard called out.
“Sorry, Richard. I got distracted. No, you haven’t told me where we’re going,” I called out as I stood up, gripping the cell phone in my hand, panicked and unsure of what to do.
Tripping over my long skirts, I lunged for the bed and slipped the phone under the mattress, just as Richard appeared back in the bedroom dressed in a loosely open, deep blue bathrobe. I loved him in that robe. It brought out the dark sapphire in his eyes.
Richard crossed toward me and slipped a warm hand around my waist, drawing me in close. Nuzzling my jaw, he murmured, “I’m taking you to your favorite restaurant, Aqua Shard.”
I hated how my body responded to his slightest touch. Just the feel of his hand on my hip. The way he drew me in close. The spicy scent of his aftershave that still lingered on his skin from this morning.
Closing my eyes, my heart ached. He always did this to me. Frightened me one moment, then charmed me the next. Leave it to Richard to surprise me with reservations at my favorite restaurant. I just loved the food and the stunning panoramic views of London. It made me feel as if we were alone in the world, staring down at all the twinkling lights of humanity.
Was it any wonder I tempted death and the devil himself by staying with this man?
“I have been very cruel to my sweet little bird,” observed Richard, breaking into my confused reverie.
Tilting my head back with a slight moan as he playfully nipped and licked at the delicate skin just beneath my ear, I reached up to hold on to his shoulders as my knees felt weak. “Really?” I anxiously whispered.
My heart stopped. Would he own up to placing the dead bird in the car for me to find? Would he admit it was just another cruel game he was playing to keep me unbalanced and by his side?
“I haven’t told you how stunning you look in your new plumage.”
Stepping back, he took one of my hands and lifted it to his lips before he drew my arm up high and gestured for me to spin for him.
Obeying his silent command, I did a quick shaky spin, showing off my new dress; a blush-colored tulle covered in strategically placed hand-embroidered flowers that hugged my every curve. With its wide shoulder straps and floor-sweeping length, it was both seductive and modest, precisely Richard’s preferred style for me.
“You are without a doubt the most beau
tiful creature to walk the earth.”
Blushing, I tried to brush his compliment aside.
Taking my hand, he placed it over his already hard cock. “Can you feel what you do to me? I must be mad to share you with the rest of the world tonight. I should just tie you to this bed and have my wicked way with you instead.”
As if it were second nature now, my hand gripped the rigid length through the folds of his robe.
Before my traitorous body could react to the kinky promise of his words, I once more remembered the stolen cell phone hidden inches away under the mattress. In my mind, I could hear its shrill ring betraying its hiding place like the beating of the telltale heart.
“Richard, you need to get ready. We’ll be late,” I said as I anxiously ran my hands over the lapels of his robe.
With a playfully dramatic sigh, he relented, but not before placing a hand under my chin and raising my gaze to his own. “Fine, but I will make good on my threat later tonight.”
I swallowed my fear. Part of me knew he was talking about restraining me to the bed later, but there was another part of me that knew you couldn’t always be certain with Richard. Maybe he was referring to the threat he had not-so-subtly made earlier with the dead bird?
As he walked away, he tossed over his shoulder, “By the way, I called ahead and made sure the chef would prepare your favorite dish tonight; Barbary duck breast with apricot ravioli. I know how disappointed you were the last time when it wasn’t on the menu.”
Damn the man. He was driving me insane!
Thoughtful boyfriend one moment.
Torturous puppet master the next.
Waiting several dreadful heartbeats after hearing the shower turn on, I pulled the phone free from its hiding place. Hiking up the heavy length of my skirt, I ran across the bedroom. Opening the door, I looked both ways down the dimly lit hallway before sliding the phone across the black-and-white marble tile. It came to rest against a printed linen armchair halfway down the hall. Just as I closed the door, I could have sworn I saw a shadow move but couldn’t be certain. Quietly closing the door, I raced back to my seat before my vanity. Picking up a large brush, I dusted my cheeks with pale powder, attempting to brush away the stain of my deceit.
