by Ivy Barrett
“What’s the matter?” He gently turned her face back around and raised her chin until she looked into his eyes. “You look so sad.”
“I don’t understand what’s happening to me. I’m angry and bitter when you’re not around. But the second we’re in the same room, all my resentment melts away and all I can think about is being with you.”
His thumb brushed over her lips, causing tingles to trail in the wake of the simple caress. “Wouldn’t you rather think about something enjoyable, something with hope and possibilities? We can’t change the past, so why waste time and energy thinking about it?”
“You make it sound so simple.” She shook her head. “I lost so many people during those first few weeks. It was one devastating blow after another. My best friend and her husband died right in front of me.” She paused, paralyzed by grief as a crystal clear memory flashed through her mind. Reality had just exploded without warning. A force she still didn’t understand sucked Bill out the gaping hole that had once been his kitchen wall. Lynette was buried by debris, but Nikki could see the top half of her body. Gaping wounds and the stench of burning flesh, eyes wide with terror. “Their faces haunt me night and day,” she whispered, forcing the images back into the past.
“Was there anything you could have done to save them?”
Nikki shook her head, too choked up to speak. New York had been one of the first cities to fall to the Skarilians. The attack had been fast and merciless. Millions died in a matter of minutes, but somehow Nikki survived.
“Did your behavior contribute to their deaths?”
“No, but—”
“We all lost people to the Skarilians.” His expression was gentle, patient. Still, there was a subtle firmness in his tone that challenged her to rise above her self-pity. “All the guilt in the universe won’t bring them back.”
“So I should just forget them and move on?” she lashed out, irritated by his nonchalance.
“That’s not what I said and it’s certainly not what I meant. We honor those we lost by not squandering our opportunities. We must live well and make sure our lives are meaningful.”
She wasn’t sure if having kinky sex with two aliens qualified as meaningful, but she understood his strategy. Lynette had been vibrant and fun-loving. She’d been married to Bill for about two years and they’d just started to think about having children. If Lynette found out Nikki was spending most of her time depressed and remorseful, Lynette would have been furious. Tarlon was right. Nikki needed to make the most out of life in honor of Lynette and all the others rather than being encumbered by their loss.
“If you don’t stop brooding, I’ll have to find a way to cheer you up.”
Her smile was still sad as she struggled to shake the shadows. “You’re welcome to try.” It was wonderful to have someone who cared about her mood, or anything else about her for that matter. The Skarilians left her with nothing and no one. A cousin she had barely known took her in out of obligation, but there was no real connection between the two. Nikki had felt empty and numb for so long that the emotions Tarlon and Sintar stirred were shocking.
Moving closer, he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pressed his lips against her temple. “We’ll make new memories, happy memories together in this house.”
She closed her eyes. His words called to her, tempting her to leave the past behind and fully embrace the future. “I haven’t agreed to mate with you,” she reminded, but already her voice sounded breathless.
He switched sides, his warm mouth lingering against her skin. “What’s holding you back?”
She laughed. “Logic and experience. You’re convinced we’ll live happily ever after, but you don’t even know my last name.”
“It’s Romano.” He pulled back and waited until she opened her eyes. “I know more about you than you realize.”
“Really?” His confidence made her feisty. “What did I do before… all this?”
“You were in guest relations at a large luxurious hotel in Manhattan, hoped one day to become a concierge. After the attack, you went to Seattle to stay with a distant cousin. Your cousin joined the Carnal Compensation Program a few months later, and you followed her example.”
She’d been impressed with his research until she realized all that information could be found in one place. “You got your hands on my CCP application.”
“True, but I know lots of things that weren’t on your application as well.”
It had been obvious from the start that Tarlon was interested in her. Still, she hadn’t realized how seriously he took the attraction. “Such as?”
“It’s easier for you to trust nice guys, like me. But you’ve always had a thing for bad boys. You don’t want to be attracted to them, but as soon as one walks into a room, your gaze naturally gravitates in his direction.”
Every word was true, but how had he found out? She’d only told a handful of people about her destructive tendency to fall for bad boys. Erin would never share something that personal, but Kyla might. Kyla loved to talk and she loved attention. All Tarlon would have to do was turn on the charm and Kyla would have sung like a canary.
“Did you bribe my roommates into telling you all my secrets?” she grumbled, feeling betrayed by Kyla’s discourtesy.
His lips parted, the smile playful this time. “Maybe. Or maybe I’ve just seen how you look at Sintar.”
Sintar took the concept of being a bad boy to a whole new level. “I look at your brother like I’d rather murder him than speak with him most of the time.”
“True, but there’s also a deep, aching hunger in your eyes that isn’t there when you look at me.” He didn’t sound hurt. He was simply explaining the facts as he saw them. “You like me, might even enjoy being intimate with me, but you don’t lust after me.”
“I don’t lust after Sintar either.” Her insistence came a little too quickly.
“If you say so.” He continued to smile, as he lowered his head and resumed his exploration of the side of her face. “Sintar overwhelms you, pushes your boundaries. I want to make you feel safe. Adored.” His lips drifted lower, teasing her jaw with gentle nips and soft touches of his tongue.
She grasped his shoulders, already feeling dizzy. His patience made her restless, but she knew better than to rush him. The Ventori liked to be in control in and out of the bedroom. She parted her lips and moaned softly, hoping he’d focus on her mouth. He did, but not in the way she’d intended. His lips brushed back and forth across hers, stirring up tingles and making her desperate for a real kiss.
“Please,” she whispered.
“Please what, sweet love?”
She licked her lips, touching his in the process. “Kiss me. I want your taste in my mouth.”
“When I’m ready and not before.” His tone was much softer than Sintar’s would have been, but the result was the same. She had to surrender to him, accept whatever he gave her.
Left with no other choice, she relaxed into his embrace and focused on the softness of his lips and the warmth of his breath. He wrapped one arm around her waist and caressed her face with the other hand. Safe, that’s how he wanted her to feel, but all this was doing was driving her crazy.
“Take off your sweater,” he whispered against her parted lips. “Show me those pretty breasts.”
She started to say she’d do it if he’d just kiss her, but decided not to risk making him angry. The cardigan wasn’t buttoned, so she simply shrugged it off. Then she pulled the shell off over her head.
His gaze narrowed when he saw the bra. “You know we don’t allow underwear.”
She tensed, debating what to say. “I’m not wearing underwear. Bras are for support, not modesty.”
“Your breasts are not large enough to require support. This is an intentional defiance. Admit it.”
Not admitting her wrongdoing was another infraction. Yet admitting she’d been defiant would earn her a spanking. She was trapped by her own impulses. She’d known Sinta
r would react like this to the bra, but she hadn’t expected Tarlon to care. “My defiance wasn’t aimed at you.” It was as close as she could come to an excuse.
“You’d rather have Sintar spank you?” He stepped back and lowered his arms. “I should make you sit here in nothing but that ridiculous bra until he returns.”
Sunlight spilled in through the blinds, making the breakfast nook bright and cheerful. Tarlon’s mood seemed even darker in the cheerful setting. “I’m sorry.” She lowered her gaze to the floor. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. I’m disappointed that you think so little of me.”
Not understanding his objection, she looked at him. “You’re the only part of this proposal I find appealing. If you offered to claim me without your brother, I’d be much less hesitant.”
“And you’d be bored in a month.” He shook his head. “You might not be ready to admit it yet, but you need Sintar. And so do I. The only relationship I found at all fulfilling was with a female I shared with Sintar. Now lose the bra and lock your hands behind your head.”
Any playfulness vanished in an instant and suddenly Tarlon seemed very Ventori. She unfastened the bra and let it slip down her arms, damning herself for being so foolish. If she hadn’t worn the stupid thing she’d be kissing and caressing Tarlon right now, well on her way to feeling safe and adored.
She raised her arms and entwined her fingers behind her head. The position lifted her breasts, displaying them for her angry companion. Tarlon looked at her with cold assessment, as if inspecting a potential purchase.
He closed the space between them, but didn’t touch her, didn’t speak. Instead, he gathered the front of her skirt and tucked it into the waistband. Heat crawled across her face, doubtlessly turning her cheeks bright red. He circled behind her and did the same with the back of her skirt. This was even more humiliating than being completely naked.
“Very nice.” He lightly squeezed both breasts, then teased her nipples into tight little beads.
She stood there like a statue, doing her best to ignore his careless touches. If he wanted a live sex doll, that’s what she’d become—mindless, heartless, cold. He pushed one of his hands between her thighs. Her pussy lips were so much more sensitive with all the hair removed. Just the light brush of his fingers made her clit twitch and her core tight and achy.
One of his fingers eased between her folds then he withdrew his hand. “You’re not very wet. Let’s see if we can do something about that. Bend over the table and spread your legs.”
Was he going to spank her then take her upstairs or fuck her right here? His directive seemed even more obscene when surrounded by domestic tranquility. Still, she walked to the small round table and bent forward, pressing her breasts against the smooth wooden surface.
He moved closer, then slapped the back of her thighs, one side and then the other. “I said open.”
The slaps had been a warning, so they hadn’t really hurt. Still the sound of flesh connecting with flesh sent a strange need curling through her. She moved her legs apart, confused and conflicted by her body’s reaction to his obvious attempt to humiliate her.
“Wider.” The slaps were harder this time. Still, the sting turned immediately to heat.
She moved her feet wide apart and arched her back, displaying her pussy and ass. This was what he wanted, what he expected from her. Her cheeks parted and a current of air teased her puckered hole. It was likely he could even see the opening nestled between her cheeks. A fresh wave of humiliation washed over her and she found it hard to stand still.
“Very nice.” He squeezed one ass cheek and then the other. “Now should I spank this lovely behind or this nice pink pussy?” As if to help with the decision, he swatted her bottom and then her folds.
She gasped and tossed her head when his hand connected with her sensitive crease. The same impact he’d delivered to her ass had produced three times the discomfort when placed on her nether lips. “Ass,” she cried. “Please, Sir, spank my ass.”
“I have other plans for your pussy, so you’ll get your wish. But know this.” He cupped her mound possessively. “Intentionally displease me again and I will not spare your pussy a nice hard spanking.”
His hand left her sex and delivered the first real swat. She closed her eyes and forced herself not to tense up. Fighting against the pain only made it linger. The second spank was every bit as hard as Sintar’s had been.
Tarlon covered her entire ass with well-placed spanks. She clenched her teeth and gripped the edge of the table trying to keep herself from screaming. Emotions gathered as they had the first time she was disciplined. She was angry and embarrassed, yet grief and loneliness welled with staggering speed. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she battled her reaction harder than the pain he was delivering to her backside. Despite all her efforts, a shuddering sob escaped.
“Talk to me, Nikki. Why are you crying?”
She waited for his next swat, hoping the pain would drive away her anguish. “I don’t know.” It was the truth and yet it was an evasion.
He moved in close and blanketed her with his body. His arms covered hers and he entwined their fingers. His chest pressed against her naked back, and his pelvis cradled her sensitized bottom. “I asked you a question.” He spoke right above her, his breath teasing her ear.
“This happened before. I don’t understand it.”
“I do.” He rocked his hips, drawing her attention to the distinct ridge of his hardened cock rubbing against her bottom. “If we didn’t need to wait for Sintar, I’d shove that deep into your ass. You’ve kept your emotions bottled up for years and they need to be released.”
“And how will fucking my ass accomplish that?”
“You need to be shocked, taken, pushed beyond control. Then everything that’s bottled up inside you will come spilling out. Spanking is getting you close, but it’s not intense enough to free you.”
She wasn’t convinced he was right, but she knew what he was talking about. Internalizing everything had always been her go to strategy. She worked with the public. Lashing out, regardless of how abusive they became was simply not an option. She could call security or tell them she was ending the conversation, but she wasn’t allowed to give as good as she got, not even close. So when loss compounded loss this past year, she fell back on what was familiar and buried all of her emotions rather than processing any of them.
“Do it,” she whispered harshly. “Fuck my ass.”
Chapter Four
Anxious to continue taming his potential mate, Sintar entered the house Tarlon had chosen for them. It was a short walk from the school, which was where he’d spend most of his days. Yet the unattached dwelling would offer them a level of privacy lacking on a Ventori ship or at Protectorate Headquarters. Sintar carried a small case filled with pleasure aids, discipline implements, and restraints. Some had come from their shuttle, but most had been manufactured by the energy transformer here at Camp Accord. Tarlon’s message hadn’t indicated whether or not he’d reconnected with Nikki. She better not be using her friend as an excuse to avoid them or she’d find herself back over his lap.
Then he heard her hushed voice urging, “Do it. Fuck my ass.”
Anger surged through Sintar, lengthening his strides. His jogging steps soon brought him to the archway separating the kitchen from the rest of the house. Nikki bent over the kitchen table, a flowing skirt her only garment. Tarlon’s body contoured hers, his hips lightly rocking.
“Your cock better not be inside her or…” He let his brother’s imagination complete the threat.
Tarlon looked back at him. His gaze was passion bright and just beginning to glow. “Only because I love you, brother.” He stepped back, revealing the impossibility of what Sintar had feared. “I’m still fully clothed.”
Pleased with his brother’s restraint, Sintar shifted his gaze back to Nikki. Her well-curved ass was bright pink, doubtlessly from a recent spanking. �
��Has she misbehaved again already?” He wasn’t at all surprised. Their mate was spirited and she was also battling demons he’d only begun to understand.
“She returned from visiting her friends wearing a bra,” Tarlon explained.
“Did she now?” He allowed himself to smile, knowing she couldn’t see him.
“She is still in the room and able to answer for herself.” Her tone snapped with defiance, though she remained bent over the table.
“Then explain why you were begging my brother to fuck your ass when you knew damn well the next cock to penetrate you was supposed to be mine.” He wasn’t really angry. He would have been if Tarlon had ignored his wishes, but this was about authority. She needed to understand that his orders must be obeyed, and she would never be able to use Tarlon against him. The fact that Tarlon was still dressed proved that point. Tarlon was every bit as dominant as Sintar, but Sintar was the older brother so he had authority over them both.
After a long pause, Nikki said, “I’m not defying you, Sir. I just find it hard to explain something I don’t understand myself.”
“Try.” He approached the table and placed his hand on the small of her back. She was too much of a temptation to ignore entirely.
“Both times I was spanked I…” She made a distressed sound and turned her head sharply to the side. “Can I please get up? I need to see your face.”
She’d asked so nicely, so he decided to indulge her. He drew her up, then lifted her to sit on the tabletop, spreading her legs until her pussy was clearly visible. She didn’t object or protest, but a lovely blush colored her cheeks. “Continue.”
“It’s easier for me to suppress everything than to allow myself to experience pain.”
“But being spanked makes you emotional?”
“Very.”
Sintar looked at Tarlon and switched to Ventori. It was better if their mate didn’t realize what they were trying to do. The entire point was to shatter her control and instigate an emotional breakthrough. That would be harder to accomplish if she saw it coming. “I’ve been too lenient with her. We need to spank her until she breaks down without actually breaking her spirit.”
