Shane

by Linzi Basset

  He sighed as he settled in a chair and pulled her onto his lap. His voice was hollow as he relayed what they had found in Tampa. He stared at her with earnest eyes.

  “I’m serious about what I said, Ava. Life is too precious, too short, and too unpredictable to waste time. I want to call you my wife, honey. More than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life. Marry me, Ava. As soon as possible.”

  “I will, Parker … calling you my husband has a very nice ring to it.”

  “Fuck this,” Zeke growled as he jumped up and stormed to the door. “I’m gonna find Taylor. You’re right, Parker. Time is precious and it’s wasting as we speak. We’re getting married too.”

  Inside Castle Sin, Ace took Remy in his arms and held onto her like a lifeline. She had become his savior, the one who made him whole.

  “It’s time, Remy. You have two weeks to arrange our wedding.”

  “Two weeks! Ace Sinclair, you are crazy. There is no ...hmmm,” she mumbled as he silenced her with an urgent kiss.

  “Two weeks, Remy. It’s not negotiable.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Not that I’m complaining to have a day off, but care to explain why you have the sudden desire to show me your house?” Alexa asked as Shane held open the front door to his beach house in South Bimini in the Bahamas. He had explained on the way there that he, Zeke, and Ace lived a couple of blocks apart from each other in a private estate on the island.

  “Because we’re going to have a very serious conversation today, Alexa.”

  With the news from Zeke, Parker, and Ace that they were getting married soon, and the realization that time was passing him by, he’d come to a decision. He wanted Alexa in his life. Delaying the inevitable had disintegrated when he’d witnessed how happy and relaxed his cousins and brother were, having committed to grasp their happiness with both hands. He was the fucking oldest of the family, and it was time he put his own happiness first for a change.

  She glanced up as she walked past him. A sense of foreboding threatened to cripple her but she refused to give in to the negativity. The scene a couple of nights ago was still fresh in her mind. It hadn’t been her imagination that everything had changed between them since. For one, he didn’t hide his emotions from her anymore. It had given her hope for a happy future for the first time in years.

  “Should I be concerned?” She twirled around as she gaped at the doublewide entrance hall—a gorgeous open space that led into a kitchen and a large great room that then led out onto a patio. The ocean view was breathtaking, courtesy of the floor to ceiling glass sliding doors. Two winding staircases embraced the space. “Oh my, this is beautiful.” She smiled at him. “Not that I’m surprised. Your apartment is just as luxurious and tasteful.”

  “I have a very competent interior decorator.” He looked around, trying to see it through her eyes. The coloring in certain areas was bold, in others subtle, but it represented the atmosphere he had wanted—inviting and homey. A place where he could relax and forget about the ugliness of the world.

  “I can see your touches everywhere, Shane. There’s no need to discount the decisions you made.” She strolled deeper into the house, brushing her hand over the surface of tables, admiring the beautiful paintings, and drooled over the fabric of the sofas.

  “It seems you know me better than I imagined.” He fetched two beers from the bar. It was an exceedingly hot day.

  “Ahh, the elixir of angels …” She dimpled prettily. “Well, my kind of angels, anyway.” She took a deep swallow of the bitter drink as she walked out onto the patio.

  It was the one thing Shane loved about her. She was down-to-earth as much as she was excitingly sexy and beautiful.

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “In the Bahamas, close to fifteen years. In this house …” he leaned against the wrought iron balustrade and regarded her with a serious expression, “I just moved in a week ago.”

  Alexa stilled, desperately trying to read the message in his eyes. “Shane … you know I’m not one for riddles. What are you saying?”

  “You’re an intelligent woman, Alexa. Do I really need to spell it out?” She blinked, overcome with joy that flooded her mind as his voice deepened. “I clinched the deal the day you signed our contract. It had been standing empty for six months so I could move in immediately.” His eyes remained glued on hers. “I hope you like it. When I went house hunting I looked at every property through your eyes.” His smile was wry. “I believe I’ve come to know your tastes well enough to know what you like.”

  “Y-you bought this house for … us?”

  “I told you where I want our relationship to end up, Alexa. You wouldn’t have signed that agreement if you didn’t want the same.” He gestured around. “Yes, this is our home. A new start … the beginning of our lives together in a home that we’ll build together.” He laughed as she threw herself into his arms and planted kiss after kiss on his lips. “I guess that means you approve.”

  “I do.” Her cheeks reddened. “I’ve never had a place that I could truly call home … except for Castle Sin.”

  “Then this makes the moment twice as special.” He tapped her on the nose. “Just a fair warning, love, you have your work cut out for you. The great room and entrance hall are the only rooms that have been decorated and have furniture. The rest will be your job.”

  She slipped her hands around his neck. “Our job. If we’re going to do this, Sinclair, we’re gonna do it together.”

  “I like the sound of that.” He kissed her briefly. “And this is our home in every way, Alexa. You are listed as co-owner on the deed.”

  “Shane …” Tears flooded her eyes. “That’s too much. You don’t even know if we’re going to—”

  “Oh, but I do. We are going to be happy together, Alexa. Whether you realize it or not, you are the woman I chose because I believe you have the ability to guide me back to the light, open my heart to the possibility of a happy ever after … to love.” He cupped her chin and stared at her unblinking. “In a very short time, you have done exactly that.”

  “Y-you … are you saying you love me?”

  “Hmm.” The amusement in his voice washed over her, encapsulating her with so much warmth she felt weak. “The day I declare my love, Miss Silver, you won’t have to ask.”

  She speared her fingers through his hair at his nape as she leaned into him. “Sooo … are you saying there isn’t a bed anywhere in our house?”

  Shane was stumped at the flood of emotions that filled him to hear the words our house fall so naturally from her lips. He hadn’t realized until this moment how important it had been to him that she liked the house, that she accepted the feelings that were developing between them. The love that—

  His breath stuttered in his chest. He had embraced what he’d believed was meant to be for years already but he’d never given a name to what had been lurking in his heart. The yearning and desire for her he’d boldly accepted as his due but that had been the only aspects of a relationship with her he’d been willing to admit to.

  Until now … right here … at this very moment.

  Love. God, I love her.

  He’d been committed to Rita and it had infuriated him the day he’d caught her with that bastard, but over the years he’d come to realize that his heart had never been fully invested in her. He had been angry and disappointed, yes, but his heart hadn’t been broken.

  Not like this … never like this. These emotions … this woman could destroy him.

  “It’s a little early to go to sleep, don’t you think?” His smile was devilish at best.

  “Who said anything about sleeping?”

  “Ah, you intend to seduce me, is that it?”

  She batted her eyelids and smiled mischievously. “How am I fairing?”

  “Poorly. I think you should start with BDSM 101 training in the morning.”

  “But … Daaaaddy, I so want to play with your—eeek!'' she squealed as he tossed her over
his shoulder and stalked into the house.

  “Now you’ve dunnit. I’ll show you what I do with a naughty little girl.”

  She deliberately wiggled her buttocks closer to his face as he ascended the stairs.

  Crack! Crack!

  “Oww! Dammit, Shane … that hurts,” she complained in a pretend whiney voice.

  Crack! Crack!

  “Daddy, little girl. You will call me Daddy.”

  Crack! Crack!

  “Is that understood?”

  “Yes … oh, yes, Daddy.” She wasn’t into Daddy play and knew Shane wasn’t either but for the moment, they were both having fun with it. It seemed like the perfect way to celebrate their new home together … with fun, laughter, and … hopefully painful pleasure.

  Her breath puffed from her chest as he dumped her unceremoniously on the bed. A quick glance confirmed it was the only piece of furniture in the room.

  A pleased smirk played on his lips as he watched her undignified position and bouncing breasts. She didn’t attempt to push her dress down or close her legs. Instead, she fluttered her eyelashes and purred in a husky voice, “Are we gonna play now, Daddy?”

  “That depends.” He locked eyes with her as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

  “Pleeease, Daddy,” she pouted prettily.

  “Little girls should know better than to beg but I’ll be lenient today. So, you want to play?”

  “I do, very much so.”

  “A game or a challenge?”

  Alexa frowned at him but the glimmer in her eyes was filled with excitement. “What’s the difference?”

  “A game has a defined result; a challenge is dependent on successfully completing and following instructions.”

  “Hmm, that sounds intriguing. A game of challenge then, Daddy.”

  Her nipples tightened as one eyebrow crawled higher, giving him a young, devil may care, bad boy look.

  “Are you sure? I have to warn you, little girl, I don’t hand out easy challenges.”

  “I’m up for it.”

  “Rules. First—”

  “A challenge with rules? Surely that’s not—owwww, fuck!” she screamed as he landed a brutal slap on her inner thigh.

  “It’s not part of the rules but you should know better than to interrupt me,” he said sternly. He threw his shirt on the floor as he kicked off his sneakers. She licked her lips at the manly display of his bulging muscles as he regarded her with his hands low on his hips. Her clit sizzled as a result of the pain scorching her thigh.

  “I’m sorry, Daddy,” she offered contritely. She glanced at the bright red outline of his fingers on her leg but knew better than to rub the stinging mark.

  “We start at ten points. For every instruction you fail, you’ll lose points. You will be told the value of the points before each challenge. If you complete the entire play with points on the table, you decide how we end the game. If you lose all your points before that time, you’ll be punished and I will decide how to end the game.” His smile widened as she blinked at him. “Still wanna play, little girl?”

  Alexa licked her lips. She was so damn horny; she just knew she was going to end up being punished. She spread her legs further apart and shifted her hips seductively.

  “I wanna play, Daddy … preferably hide the salami with your cock. Please Daddy, can we just skip to the end?”

  His brows drew together in a dark warning. They might be playing a game but he was a Dom first and foremost. Master Fox wasn’t known for leniency.

  She lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

  “Elaborate.”

  She peeked at him through her eyelashes. That little devil on her shoulder was clearly out to get her into deep shit as she found herself reaching below her panties and rubbing her clit.

  “I’m sorry for trying to manipulate you, Daddy, but not that I’m so horny for your cock I’m about to burst.”

  His eyes followed the movement of her fingers but he seemed completely unaffected by her ministrations to arouse him into ripping her clothes off and pounding her into kingdom come.

  “As far as apologies go, you just failed miserably, little girl.” He unzipped his jeans, giving her an enticing peek at what he was hiding underneath. “Stand on your knees.”

  She quickly scrambled upright and did as instructed.

  “Did I tell you to stop masturbating?”

  Her eyes widened but she knew better than to sass him. He was already intent on punishing her. She might be pushing his buttons but she knew when to tread lightly. Her hand disappeared under her panties again.

  “Remove your dress.”

  She flicked an irritating look at him. Couldn’t he have told her that before she started rubbing her horny nub again?

  “But if you stop fucking your clit, you lose two points. If you climax, you lose five points.”

  “That’s not fair. I didn’t know the challenge had already started,” she protested, cursing herself for not realizing how skilled the Masters of Castle Sin were in playing games and fucking with a sub’s mind.

  “The challenge started the moment you said you wanted to play, little girl. Don’t pretend indifference now. It’s not going to do your tender little ass any good.”

  “Yes, Daddy,” she muttered as she struggled to remove the sundress and continue masturbating. It took a lot of effort and reciting a list of curses before she finally managed. She flung the dress at Shane. “There, it’s off!”

  He caught it mid-air and fingered the material as he watched her. “Hmm, it seems you don’t like this dress much. I guess that means you won’t mind if I use it in our challenge.”

  “Noooo! You can’t … stop! What am I gonna wear when we leave?” she wailed as she watched him tearing the dress into four strips. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “Eight points.”

  “Fucking hell,” she snapped, realizing she’d stopped rubbing her clit. She continued with vigor. “Is there a way I can gain back some points that I lose in the course of the challenge?”

  It was the one thing he enjoyed about Alexa. The confidence to challenge a Dom to level the playing field, which was one of the reasons so many of their members loved scening with her.

  “Of course, little one … if you’re up to the game continuing throughout the night.” He laughed at the annoyed grunt she responded with. “I suppose that’s a no?”

  “Shall we get on with the challenge, Master Fox, or is this it?” She was fast reaching the stage where her thighs trembled with juices slipping from her slick pussy in preparation for an orgasm. Standing on her spread knees like she was would be difficult to keep it contained.

  “Not quite.” His eyes dropped to her hips. “Now the panties.

  “What? You can’t seriously expect me to take them off while I’m masturbating?”

  “No? It seems you’re mistaken. You will remove them in the position you’re in. No getting off the bed. Get to it, little girl, time’s a wastin.”

  “This is impossible,” she mumbled as she struggled to push the thong over her hips with one hand while keeping the other moving in brushing motions over her swollen nub. It went fine until the piece of lace reached her knees. “There’s no fucking way I can do this.” She sighed heavily as she fluttered her eyelids at him. “Please, Daddy, I need some help.”

  “Assistance from me comes at a price, little girl.”

  “Name it,” she said gritting her teeth. Shards of heat stabbed at her pussy. If she didn’t do something, she was going to fail before the challenge properly started.

  “Very well. You can use both hands to remove your panties …” He smirked as she perked up at the thought of a respite that would offer her the opportunity to stave off the climax he knew was nipping at her heels. “While I rub your clit.” His smile widened at the glower shooting daggers at him. “We don’t want the little nub to be neglected, do we, little girl? Especially after you’ve made such an effort to please it up to now.”
/>   “That’s not helping me, you fiend!”

  Crack! Crack!

  Her scream followed the searing slaps against her nipples, followed by two more as she continued to glare at him.

  “Stop!” she cried out as he aimed for two more.

  “Not until my naughty little girl says what I want to hear.”

  Crack! Crack!

  “I’m sorry! Please, Daddy, I’m sorry for calling you a fiend.” She panted but suppressed the desire to cup her stinging nipples. The holes from the lures had healed but her nipples were still super sensitive and tender.

  “I see we’re at six now.”

  “Fuck me,” she hissed but smiled and used the opportunity to quickly rip off the offending thong. Since she’d lost the points already, she might as well make good use of it. She didn’t push her luck further and immediately started stroking her clit again.

  “Sneaky,” he said with a flicker of amused appreciation at her inventiveness. “How swollen is your clit, little girl?”

  “Like a bulging balloon, I’d say.” Her voice sounded thin and she knew it wouldn’t take much more to nudge her over the edge. She watched him suspiciously as he strolled to the corner. She stiffened as he knelt at a large, black leather bag … a toy bag similar to the one he used at Castle Sin.

  “Good to know,” he rasped as he returned with two clover clamps attached to a thin chain. “These are Ringed Monarch vise clit clamps.”

  “Ah, hell,” she moaned as she eyed it, forcing her fingers to continue their circular brushes over her clit that suddenly seemed to withdraw and attempt to play hide and seek. “V-vise clamp?”

  “Hmm, they are tight going on and with every pull, clamp little nubs like a proper steel vise.” His eyes glimmered as he looked at her. “Ever clamped your tits in your daddy’s vise in his garage, little girl?”

  Alexa’s cheeks glowed, remembering doing just that. She had discovered her love for painful pleasure at the age of sixteen and had been daring in her journey of youthful discovery.

  “Ah, I see that you did.” He sat down on the bed in front of her. “Then this will be child’s play for you.”