by Linzi Basset
Rachel’s snarky response was an effort to hide her emotions that had been all over the place—ever since she’d woken up that morning. She could still feel the heat of his body pressed against hers, his arms holding her in a tender embrace throughout the night.
His eyes flickered. Not with anger or reproach but understanding. He got up and walked toward her. As he came closer, the sandalwood scent that he favored made her head swim with intoxication.
Rachel shook her head, desperate to clear her thoughts. She’d come here to make her intentions known, as well as her demands. She wanted love. She craved it. But she also wanted to stand on her own feet. She’d lived in a house where her mother had been a slave to her father. She’d jumped at his command, so much so that he’d controlled every aspect of her life. Rachel suspected that was the reason she’d started to take out her frustrations by abusing her daughter. It was her way of exerting some power over another human being. Rachel had been the one to suffer.
“I told you I wanted to marry you but there’s more, Mason. I can’t live the life my parents do. I’m worried that our relationship may degenerate into the same over time.”
Mason didn’t press for more information about her parents, preferring to wait for her to trust him enough, to tell him what hounded her in her sleep at night. She’d been restless in his arms last night. He’d caressed her back to soothe her and had felt the old scars on her back. He believed the two were connected.
“Because of my sexual domination over you?”
Rachel searched his eyes and melted at the sincerity reflecting in them. She shook her head dolefully, and admitted softly, “I suppose that’s what I’m scared of. That I would lose my own identity in a relationship like that.” She pressed her hands against his chest in an attempt to keep him at bay and say her piece.
“Sexual domination is limited to just that, Rachel. I have no desire to control any other aspect of your life. No one has that right.”
“As long as you know I want a relationship where we are a ‘we’ and two separate ‘I’s’.” She frowned but didn’t look away from his searching gaze. “Like sitting on a teeter totter. I have to admit that I’m scared. Balancing is a difficult task. It requires you to trust your partner implicitly. Otherwise you would end up in the mud.”
Mason cupped her cheeks and captured her mouth for a succulent kiss that melted any resistance she had.
“Life itself is unbalanced, Rachel. Together we’ll keep it balanced. We’re both in the flow and make no mistake, sweetie, we’re in this together. We have to make this work. Not me and not you—we. When you’re in need of support, I’ll be there to guide you. And sometimes, we’ll just enjoy the ride, the joy of just balancing life together. I promise never to let you crash to the ground, luv.”
“Talking about balancing it,” she lilted in a sultry voice. Rachel needed time to dissect what he had just said, to allow her mind to wrap around the future he was offering. “I owe you.”
The sound of his zipper opening was the only warning of her intent. The shift from an emotional discussion to intimacy surprised him but he realized she needed to think through what he’d said. He gave her the mental space she needed. Her hand closed around his hard shaft, blood pounding through his veins. All in one direction—south.
“Rachel—”
“Hm, I see Mason Junior is all up in arms this morning,” she teased.
He watched how her hands wrapped around his length, to caress and slide along his girth until he was fully aroused. She glanced at him through her eyelashes, a seductive smile on her lips.
“Now, honey, it’s my turn to play.”
“Rachel, we’re in—fuck,” he puffed when she bent over at her waist and wrapped her lips around his bulbous head, rolling it around like a lollipop before she pushed forward and didn’t stop till her nose tickled his crotch. Mason was assailed with emotions. He struggled to hold onto his sanity as he watched her blonde head bob as she started working him up and down, pumping his shaft with her hand. His body was adrift in a maelstrom of arousal.
“You’re fucking amazing, luv, do you know that?” Mason groaned. He folded his hands around her head and forced his cock all the way down her throat. He groaned and didn’t move, savoring the tightness until the muscles started to convulse around his length as she battled to draw oxygen into her lungs. He pulled back to allow her to breathe, then he started to fuck her throat, praising her with a growl when her hands clamped around his buttocks to guide him. He plunged faster, muscles tightening; a clear warning of his impending climax.
Then the hot moistness of her mouth was gone. He blinked and found her standing at the door, smiling at him while she wiped the dripping saliva from her chin.
“Tit-for-tat, honey. And be warned, if you dip that cock into any other pussy for release, there’ll be hell to play,” she smirked and opened the door.
“So, throat and ass are okay, then?” His amused voice caught her on the threshold. She tossed her hair over her shoulder to send him a sharp glare.
“Don’t push your luck, old-timer. Your climax belongs to me. I’ll be the one to feed it, no one else.”
Mason watched her leave. Amusement mingled with respect in his mind.
“God, I love this woman.”
His voice echoed back at him, startling him. He did love her, since that first night. He would make sure he did everything right, without wasting time. At his age, time was inconsequential, especially since he knew what he wanted.
Rachel Melinda Cooper—body, mind and soul—as his beloved wife.
* * * * * * * *
“I should’ve had an abortion when your father had suggested it, the moment he heard you were a girl. He was right. You’re useless, incapable of doing anything properly and all this whining! Lord, I wish you would stop complaining!”
Rachel was aghast and stared at her mother with her heart in her throat. She had always suspected that she was an unwanted child but the cruelty still broke her spirit.
“I’m not whining, mother, but the headmaster insisted that all parents sign the waiver before we leave on the summer school trip,” Rachel said. Her mind was made up. She was going on that trip even if she had to sign the damn thing herself. Her parents didn’t want her around for three months and she wasn’t looking forward to being her mother’s punching bag either. The abuse had steadily gotten worse over the years, to the extent that her mother had started using a belt. She didn’t care where it landed, or if it tore through the young skin, as long as she gained the satisfaction of being the one in charge.
“You’re not going. Your father decided it’s time to find you a husband and he has arranged a couple of dinners with potential families.”
“A husband? I’m sixteen years old, Mother! I’m not getting married for a very long time and when I do, it will be with a man of my choice,” she said, doing her best to keep her voice from quivering.
Crack!
The slap was so hard that Rachel fell back against the kitchen counter. Dazed and disorientated, she watched her mother storm closer. She fisted her hand in her hair and slammed her head against the counter.
“You will do as you’re told. You don’t have what it takes to find a husband. Who would love a loser like you? No, you little twit. You’ll do as you’re told.”
“No!” Rachel struggled in her hold and stood staring at her, finally giving up on ever having a loving relationship with her parents. She cradled her temple which was throbbing painfully. “I’m my own person. I will live my life the way I choose. You have no right—”
“No right? You owe us, you little bitch. For all the time and money we’ve had to waste on you over the years. The clothes, the toys and the fancy school your Nana insists you attend. You’ll pay us back by marrying into a family that will benefit us, your father in his career. Do you hear me?”
Rachel stared at her like she was seeing at a stranger. Her hands fisted in front of her chest. She felt the tears burn in her ey
es.
“You dare glare at me?” Amory yelled, mistaking the tears as a glint of rebellion.
Rachel cried out when she saw the wild look in her mother’s eyes as she finally lost the tenuous hold she had over her rage. Amory had told Rachel before that it was because of her that she had lost face with her husband. Giving birth to a girl had been a failure in his eyes and she’d been paying the price ever since.
She grabbed the first thing she could find, a plastic broom and swung it in an arch. Rachel’s screams spurred her on as the sound of the hits that rained on her back cracked through the room.
“Let that be a lesson, girl. You will follow my orders.”
Rachel could feel the stickiness of blood in her hair as she struggled to her feet. She looked at her mother with true hatred.
“That was the last time you lifted your hand against me, Mother.” Rachel could barely talk but her furious tone stayed Amory from lifting the broom again. “I’m not useless. I am clever and I have dreams. I’ll not give up on them. Never.”
“You little whore!” Amory shrieked and charged forward. Suddenly, she was yanked back so hard that she tripped and fell on her butt.
“I always suspected you were abusing this poor child but this, I refuse to stand back and allow it.”
Amory stared up at her mother, disorientated from the fall. Wilma pointed at Rachel who was leaning against the counter on the verge of passing out.
“Look at her. Look, I said! It’s your own flesh and blood and you nearly killed her. This is it, Amory. I am taking her with me. She’ll live with me from now on. I’m warning you, don’t try and stop me. I suggest you make sure that spineless husband of yours understands it as well. Neither of you are worthy being called parents.”
“Chef? Are you okay?” Andre, the maître d' asked, yanking her back from the dreadful memories.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said listlessly.
Andre had quickly warmed up to her and had turned into a worrywart and protector of the petite blonde chef.
“Mr. Walker just phoned. He asked that you prepare the special dessert for him for dinner tonight.”
Rachel glanced at him in confusion. She’d learned Mason’s preferences over the last couple of weeks but had no idea what the special dessert was.
“Which would be?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest. It’s not on our regular menu, except if you added something that I’m not aware of.
“No, I haven’t changed the menu again.”
Andre shrugged. “Well, he said something about a juicy fig tart with honey.” He frowned, in thought. “I must admit, it does sound very exotic but now that I think about it, Mr. Walker never has fruit desserts, except the poached pears. Is it even fig season?”
He turned away and missed the blush that bloomed over Rachel’s cheeks.
Chapter Seven
“I’m confused.”
Alexis watched Rachel pace like she usually did when she came for a chat in her office. Her hands fluttered in the air. It was part of a ritual during which she gathered her thoughts before she started talking. Alexis didn’t say anything, just waited patiently.
She’d been worried about Rachel’s reaction after finding out that Mason had been with Noah, Logan and her last night when she’d phoned. Mason wasn’t being forthcoming about what went down between him and Rachel later.
Rachel spun around and sat down. “We spoke about the swinging part of the relationship, Lex, but you never said anything about BDSM.”
“Ah,” Alexis said with a twist to her lips.
“Just, ah? Does Noah punish you and sexually dominate you too?”
“Yes, and yes.” Alexis shrugged. “Sometimes when I deliberately sass the three of them, they punish me as a group.”
“Are you telling me you do it because you want to be punished?” Rachel’s eyes were wide.
A bright rosy blush spread over Alexis’ cheeks. “I don’t get punished often. Maybe if we lived a full BDSM lifestyle it would’ve been different, but I’ve come to crave flogging. The sting of the leather strips awakens the heat in my veins faster than almost anything. I can’t explain it, it just happens.”
Rachel frowned. “What do you mean a full BDSM lifestyle?”
“We don’t scene, like BDSM couples do, like erotic whippings or floggings, etc., although Noah loves insisting on orgasm control when Logan and Mason join us.”
“So, couples scene outside of a club environment?”
“Yes, they do. It might be because Noah is easing me into it, but I’m a little hesitant to bring up the subject.”
“Why? Don’t you trust him?”
“I trust Noah with my life, Rachel and I know he’ll never hurt me, at least not more than what I can bear. For all I know, he might not be interested in anything more than what we already have.”
“Well, you’ll never know unless you ask and from what I’ve read about a BDSM lifestyle, communication is the key.”
“You’re right. I’ll never know unless I ask.”
Rachel jumped up and started pacing again. “Mason told me I’m the woman he wants to marry.”
“Seriously? That’s wonderful!” Alexis beamed. She sobered when Rachel slanted a glance her way. “Or isn’t it? I thought you said you wanted him.”
“I do and my heart agrees.” She wrung her hands and sat back down. “The punishment scares me, Lex,” she said after a long silence.
“Did he hurt you?” Alexis asked with a worried frown.
“Well, no. Don’t get me wrong, it hurt like hell but he didn’t hurt me, you know?” She said with confusion on her face. “He pussy-whipped me with his belt and I still can’t get over how much I enjoyed it.”
“As a Dom he can read your body language, Rachel and understands your limits better than you. Mason will never overstep them.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what’s bothering you? Come on, girlfriend, out with it.”
Rachel looked around the office. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times but she couldn’t get the words out. The nightmares of her mother’s abuse continued to pester her and had taken its toll. She had sworn to keep the shame hidden. Nana was the only one who knew. But now, she felt the urge to let it all out.
“There’s something about me I’ve never told you and Shanna.”
The words were uttered so softly that Alexis had to strain to hear. She came to sit down next to her. She took her hand and squeezed it.
“Take your time, sweetie.”
“I . . .” Rachel swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’ve been living with Nana since my sixteenth birthday.”
Alexis frowned. She knew how close Rachel was to her grandmother and that they adored each other, but this was news to her.
“Well, the two of you have always been very close.”
“She saved my life, Lex.”
“What? Rachel, I’m in the dark here. You never told us that you had been threatened,” Alexis was upset and concerned that her best friend hadn’t trusted her enough.
“Because I wasn’t, not in the way you’re thinking. My mother . . .” She waved her hand in the air and blinked back the tears. “She abused me, Lex. Since I was ten years old.”
“Oh, my god! That summer break you didn’t make it for the trip. Is that when it happened? You were different after that. Reserved and lost in thought. Shanna and I thought you were in love.”
“She lost it that day, Lex and if Nana hadn’t intervened, I think she might have killed me.”
“That scar on you back. Was it from—”
“Yes. She hit me with a broom. My back was a crisscross mess of cuts and bruises. I had a cut behind my ear, my face was swollen—I looked horrendous.”
“Why didn’t you tell us? We would’ve been there for you.”
“You were. You don’t know how much your care and concern meant to me, even though you had no idea what was bothering me.”
Rachel was squeezi
ng Alexis’ hand so hard, she winced.
“I couldn’t tell you, Lex. I was ashamed. All these years it had been a burden to carry. That I wasn’t what they’d wanted. In their eyes I’ll always be a failure. Father controlled Mother’s life. He ordered, she obeyed. I think abusing me was her way of exerting some control over her own fucked up emotions.”
“You had nothing to be ashamed about. Abuse is wrong and there’s no way to justify what your mother did, Rachel. You were the victim and from the looks of it, you still are.”
“Some of the beatings . . . I deserved.”
“No. Don’t you ever believe that. It was wrong and it will always be wrong. Honey, look at me,” Alexis said urgently. “You’re a wonderful human being. You have so much love and compassion, it astounds me. You’ve made a success of your own life and that they can never take away from you. Never.”
“I know, but they were right about me fucking up relationships. I’ve never been able to hold on to a man before. And with Jason . . . I was such an idiot.”
“No, he was the idiot and your parents—the assholes on top of that.”
“What do you mean?”
“I promised your Nana I wouldn’t tell you because she didn’t want you to be hurt more than you already were, but I think she would agree that it’s time. Your parents paid Jason to court you, Rachel. They set it all up, right from the first meeting. Your father was adamant that you marry into a family that would be a stepping stone for him to enter politics. Jason was a weakling and went along with it. The ten million dollars your father offered as compensation would’ve given him the independence he wanted from his own father.”
Rachel stared at her with a blank expression. She found it difficult to compute that she’d not realized it herself. All the signs had been there. How eager Jason had been to please her father.
“And it would’ve worked if Father hadn’t pushed Jason so much to rule over me. I would never be any man’s slave—in any shape or form.”
“That’s when you walked away? How did you find out he wasn’t sincere?”
“The day I broke it off with him. He’d become more and more like my father. Demanding and expecting me to jump at his every demand. He was pissed off and called me a useless woman. He also said I would never be able to keep a man’s interest for long. He even used the same lingo my parents always did. I told him to take a hike. Women have rights. I’ll never forget the smirk on his face when he called me a good fuck and in his words, ‘Money well earned.”
