“That’s not how relationships work, Anne. You need to tell me.”
With a shake of her head, I felt myself get pissed. More so than I could ever remember. Did she not want us to work? What could be so God damn important that she’d hide a part of herself from me?
“It’s not that I’m afraid anything will come out of me telling you,” she rushed, “I trust you, Sir. You have no reason to use my secret against me. It’s just for my own protection. You have to understand. People have tried to…take it. My whole life. To say the words,” she looked down, “I can’t.”
Take it? What in the hell was she talking about. Whatever she had made her feel safe. I couldn’t fault her for that. I knew the feeling, but I couldn’t stand her not being able to be open with me. Time, I tried to tell myself. We’d only been together a month. I’d give her a few more weeks and then I’d make her. She said it wouldn’t come between us. I had to trust her on that.
“Kneel on the coffee table.” My voice sounded angrier than I felt. Anne swallowed hard and stood. The dress slid past her hips and pooled at her feet. She stepped out of it and took one step, two, until she was standing right in front of me. I saw her legs flex and I lunged forward just as she shot out of my reach and raced for the bedroom.
“God dammit.” I kicked off my shoes, pants, and socks and raced after her. The room looked empty as I scanned the surroundings. “You’re so going to get it for disobeying me. You have no idea.” These games were her favorite. She was going to cum so fucking good as I pounded her past the point of breathing.
The door to the closet was open, but she’d hid in there last time. I headed for the restroom, barely breaching the threshold when she bolted from the other side of the bed, right for the door I’d just walked in. I leapt forward, wrapping my arm around her waist and spinning her back to the bed. The mattress bounced as I threw her down over the edge and made her lean over it. My hand connected with her ass and she yelled out.
“What did I tell you to do?”
“Kneel on the coffee table,” she breathed out.
“That’s right. And you disobeyed.” I leaned forward, sinking my teeth into the back of her shoulder. She jerked, but moved her ass until it rubbed along my cock. My hand pressed into the middle of her back and I eased the tip of my length inside of her, only to slam forward, causing her to scream out and moan. She was so fucking wet I didn’t stop. I used my hold on her shoulder and gave her everything I had.
The sound of my hips and balls slapping against her was fucking magical. Anne’s hands clutched to the comforter while she arched her hips even more.
“No one is ever going to take better care of you than me. You’re going to learn that you can trust me. Not only with your life,” I said, tugging at the pearls, “but your secrets, too. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Anne.” I leaned forward, slowing my thrusts, and kissing the side of her face.
“I believe you, Sir. I do. I just can’t yet. Soon,” she said, moaning.
I pushed in deep, grinding my hips into her, over and over. The pull of her channel against my cock had my own control slipping. I threw my weight down and I wrapped my arms around her, pinning hers to her side as I buried myself inside completely. My hand moved past her stomach and I rubbed against the top of her slit. With the cry and the spasms that followed, I let my cum explode inside of Anne for the first time. I knew she was clean and on birth control so I wasn’t worried, but the pure shock of what I’d done hit me hard. I hadn’t even considered pulling out. It was a first for me and with every wave of release, I clutched to the sensation greedily. I wanted more. To go even further. Yes…I’d find every way for her to belong to me. Especially ones that leaned more toward my dark side. Scratches and bite marks weren’t enough. I wanted her branded. Marked. Displaying something on her skin that made her mine forever.
Chapter 7
Anne
Bags full of new clothes littered my car as Sarah, Nancy, and I piled all of our things in. My trunk was full and so was half of the backseat. Nancy pushed them over as she climbed in, once again complaining about her feet hurting. Sarah threw me a look from over the roof and I laughed, shaking my head as we both slid into our seats in the front.
The day had gone exceptionally well, minus Nancy’s occasional complaints. It felt like old times again, and a certain comfort had settled over me. Michael’s confession had put me at ease over the concerns for Natasha. I believed him. If anyone knew about rumors, it was me. Words had a way of getting around and becoming misconstrued. I had no doubts that that was the case concerning their breakup. Happiness was once again in full swing and my relationship couldn’t have been going any better. On the outside, anyway. On the inside, I wasn’t sure what was happening.
My fingers traveled over the pearls around my neck for the briefest moment before I reached forward and inserted the key, bringing the engine to life. Pounding on my window had me jumping.
“Nancy,” I said, rather meanly. “Your boyfriend is at my window.” Maybe I was being a bitch, but I didn’t feel like putting up with Liam. I’d made it more than clear last week that no men were allowed.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she bit out. “We’re just friends.” The bitterness in her voice had me frowning. Reluctantly, I cracked the window.
“Yes?” My eyebrows rose in annoyance. I’d never been outright mean to Liam, but I’d been clear about where I stood on more than one occasion.
“I thought that was y’all. It totally escaped my mind you’d be here together. Hey, do you think I can come? I kind of wanted to talk to Nancy.”
My head turned toward the back and I looked at her. With the way her eyes narrowed, I knew her mind was going. If Nancy was anything, it was smart.
“Fuck off, Liam. You’re not here for me and we all know it. You’re only making yourself look desperate, so just leave.”
A tick had settled in his jaw as he glared toward the backseat.
“We’re leaving now.” I went to roll up the window when his hand pushed in, locking on the top. My pulse jumped.
“Anne, can I just talk to you for a minute? Privately. It won’t take long.”
How many times was this going to happen? I instantly shook my head. “We have nothing to talk about. Absolutely nothing. Ever again,” I emphasized.
“You’re wrong. We can make things right,” he said lowly. “You don’t want to be with that uptight suit. He’s all wrong for you.”
Anger flared at his insult to Michael. “You know nothing about him,” I snapped.
“I know he’s probably worse than having a daddy over your shoulder. He watches every little move you make. I bet he even decides what you eat.”
My fists clenched. “You better watch your mouth, Liam. Michael cares for me a lot more than you ever did.”
“You’re only saying that because he’s filthy rich.”
I jerked my door open and he jumped out of the way, almost getting hit from the force. “Is money the only thing you care about? I’ve got a tip. Get a fucking job. You’ll have some of your own.”
Liam rolled his eyes. “I do have a job.”
“Asking people for money so you can keep your band alive is not a job. Now, get this through your head right now. You and I are over. Way over. You need to stay the hell away from me. I’m about ten seconds from slapping a restraining order on your ass. I’m so sick of you weaseling your way back into my life in one form or another.”
The more I advanced, the more he retreated. I was so invigorated by releasing my true feelings that my hands shook at my sides. “It stops now. Leave me the hell alone. If I see you anywhere near me again, I’m calling the cops. If you don’t believe me, just show up. You’ll be in cuffs so fast it’ll leave your head spinning.”
Multiple expressions flashed over his face. I knew defeat when I saw it. “You were a bitch, anyway. Y’all fucking deserve each other.”
“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “We do. We’re perfect for one anoth
er. Oh, and there’s nothing wrong with being a bitch, when it’s called for.”
“Whatever. When you get bored, and you will, you know where to find me.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“We’ll see.” Liam turned, walking over to his truck. The door slammed and only when he was driving off did I get back in mine.
The uneasy silence didn’t last long as I pulled from the parking lot and headed toward the restaurant. Nancy burst out laughing from the back and with the sound, the tension disappeared.
“I don’t think he’ll be coming back around after that,” she said, leaning in between the front seats. “Way to go, Anne. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so mad before.”
My eyes stayed on the road as I shrugged. “I’m tired of it. I’ve told him, I don’t know how many times, to leave me alone. He’d better listen because I wasn’t playing about the restraining order.”
“I’m sure he gets the point,” Sarah said from beside me. “Did you see how scared he looked when you said that? I think you crushed his greedy little dreams.”
I glanced over. “Good. Maybe he’ll take my advice and get a job. Knowing him, though, I’m not counting on it. At least it’s over with. I’ll be happy to never see him again.”
“Amen,” Nancy agreed.
The traffic thickened and half an hour went by before we even got to the halfway point of the restaurant. Sarah looked over, frowning. “This is taking forever. I’m sorry, Anne, but I don’t think I can stay out much later. I promised my roommate that I would help her with a few things and it’s already getting late. If you calculate traffic once we leave, I’ll feel horrible for making her wait for so long.”
“That’s okay,” I said. “We’re better off rescheduling lunch for another time. Michael will be home soon anyway and I wanted to be there when he arrived.”
Nancy agreed and I headed back to the penthouse. After I parked in my space in the parking garage, I walked them out to the guest parking. The moment I waved them away, I darted for the elevator. I wanted to be in position when Michael walked through the door. It was the part of the day I looked forward to the most. When he was gone, I yearned for him. I wasn’t truly complete until we were together. The feeling scared me, but I tried not to think about it as I tapped my foot and watched the elevator come to a stop at our floor.
The ding put me into action. I jogged to our door and punched in the code. Before I could even push it shut, I stripped off my shirt and pulled at my belt, unbuckling it. The beep sounded from the alarm I’d set and I was pulling everything off as fast as I could. My pants fell to my knees while I tried to make my way to the room at a hurried pace.
“Anne, what in the world are you doing?”
My head jerked toward the sofa to see Michael staring at me in bewilderment. He was in the process of loosening his dark blue tie and I was so offset by his appearance, I tripped over my pants, crashing to the floor.
“You’re home? But your car wasn’t in your spot.”
“No, I have it in the front. What are you doing?”
Heat covered my face in embarrassment while I kicked off the pants and stood. “I was going to wait for you. I thought you’d arrive before I had a chance to get in position.” I didn’t wait. I walked over, kneeling at his feet and bowing my head. Michael’s finger slid under my chin, bringing my face up to meet his.
“You’re absolutely adorable. Come here and tell me about your day.” He patted his lap and I stood, curling into him. The subtle hint of his cologne had me melting into his hard frame. I loved the way he smelled. How the rich spicy fragrance clung to everything he came into contact with.
“Typical day of shopping. Sarah bought out the store and Nancy complained about her shoes.” I inhaled deeply, feeling my body come to life.
Michael’s attention went to the door. “You didn’t buy anything?”
“It’s in the car. I wanted to meet you first. It would have taken too long to get everything out.”
He hugged me tightly, causing the cologne to increase in strength. “We’ll go down there in a minute. Did you already eat? I’m starving.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Traffic was too bad. We decided to meet another time.”
Suddenly, the day’s events came crashing back. Guilt ate at me as I tried to decide whether I should tell him about Liam. I knew I should, but I also knew he’d get angry and I really didn’t want to ruin the day. But I couldn’t hide it from him. If he found out and I didn’t tell him, he’d be angrier at me than at the situation.
“Liam showed up.” My words were but a whisper, but at the way he stiffened, I knew he’d heard. When he didn’t say anything, I decided I better tell him everything. “He asked to go with us so he could talk with Nancy. She wasn’t having it and neither was I.”
“Good.” Michael shifted me on his lap. “Did he leave after that?”
I swallowed hard, feeling my pulse increase. “No, I tried to roll up the window and he put his hand inside, holding onto the glass. He said he wanted to talk to me, privately.”
Michael’s breathing deepened, but he remained quiet.
“We got into an argument when I told him no.” I risked looking up. “He said I was with you for your money and I exploded. I told him if he ever came near me again I was going to file a restraining order. And I plan to if it happens again.”
The hold on my body tightened. “You won’t have to worry about him again. I promise.” The threat in his voice was clear.
“Don’t do anything, Sir. Please. I took care of it. He won’t be back.”
Again, silence.
I remained quiet and let myself sink into his chest. My fingers traced down the lapel, moving toward the tie he’d loosened. What was he thinking? My stomach turned and I glanced up. “You don’t think that, do you? That I’m with you for your money?
Michael’s eyes narrowed as he looked down. “How many times have I tried to put you on my account? You won’t let me. I know my money doesn’t matter to you.”
I relaxed, and he continued.
“Although, I would like to get you on there before I leave. Just in case you need something. I refuse to leave without you being protected completely.
“Wait. Leave? Where are you going?” I pushed myself up to face him. He’d never mentioned anything about going anywhere.
His brow creased as he lifted his hand and brushed back the curls from my face. “I have to go to Hong Kong for a week or so. Tie up this deal. I’d take you with me, but I can’t guarantee we’ll see much of each other. Plus, you have your own business to run. You’d be miserable if I forced you.”
“Hong Kong?” My throat tightened at the words. We’d been practically inseparable since we’d met. I couldn’t imagine being without him, not even for a week or two. The thought was crippling. I was scared for reasons I didn’t even understand. When did I become so weak? So dependent on someone else’s presence? Was this what love was? If so, I wasn’t so sure I liked it. My life had somehow become intertwined with his. Maybe his leaving was good. I could refocus. Get back on track and find my strength so this didn’t happen again.
“Are you going to cry?” Michael’s eyes widened, bringing me back to reality. Panic had his stare scanning my face in a mix of jerky movements. First my eyes. Then my lips. Back to my eyes.
“What?” My hand raised to just above my cheek making sure nothing had escaped. Stinging had the tears building even more. God, was I? Surely not. “No,” I laughed, trying to cover my uncertainty. “It’s your job. What you do. I know this. Everything will be fine. You’ll be back before either of us even realizes it.”
“Anne.” There was that tone. The one that turned me into puddle at his feet. I’d do anything when his voice slipped into that mode. But, not today. Not concerning this.
“I’m okay. Really.” I forced myself to grin. It was the best I could do. “When do you leave?”
Again, I could see how uneasy he was. His mouth
tightened as he looked off into the distance toward the balcony. “In the morning.”
I nodded, feeling like an invisible hand was crushing my heart. “Everything will be fine.” We’ll just make sure these next few hours are special.” I turned, straddling his lap. My hips rolled forward and I reached behind his neck as I moved up to brush my lips against his. The kiss was sweet, but I could tell he wasn’t finished.
“I don’t want to leave you,” he whispered. “It doesn’t feel right.”
“Let’s enjoy the time we have left and not think about it.” Yes, I was good at that. Not facing problems until they were right there under my nose and there was nothing I could do about them.
Michael’s face hardened, the worry disappearing and something altogether sexually dark taking over. His finger traced the strap of my bra, moving down to caress the swell of my breast. “You could go, if you wanted. I want you to, even if we won’t be able to see much of each other.”
I laughed and shook my head. “I can’t. I have T-shirts to make, orders to honor, deadlines on when I have to mail out the packages. I just can’t.”
He sighed. “I know. I just wanted to make it clear that the option was open.”
“Shh, later,” I whispered, pushing forward so he’d continue touching me. A slow shake of his head was followed by his finger pressing against my lips.
“That impatience of yours is going to get you in trouble.” His finger hooked on my bra between my breasts. “You’re getting on my bank account before I leave. If not, you’re going with me regardless of what you say. I won’t go unless I feel that you’re safe. Here, at my place, I know you are, but I want you financially taken care of as well.”
My eyebrows lifted, a little surprised that he didn’t trust that I’d be able to survive on my own. “I did perfectly fine taking care of myself before you came along, thank you very much.”
“I know you did, and I’m not knocking how much money you make, Anne. I just want to cover all the bases. It’ll make me feel better.”
Watch Me Page 8
