Wearing Him Down

by Jessa Kane

  “I d-didn’t…” I stammer, my body still inching toward cloud nine despite the turmoil in my chest. “I-I don’t know why I said that.”

  “Oh yes, you do. It’s a long time coming,” Grant bites out, massaging me with the vibrator. “You will not call me your Daddy and take it back.” He starts to jiggle the device lightly, directly on top of my clitoris. And as if that’s not enough to push me past my breaking point, my stepbrother leans down and rakes his teeth over my nipple, sucking it into his mouth. “Give me that cream right now, Sienna, before I do something I won’t be able to take back.”

  I’ve been hovering right on the edge of what promises to be incredible bliss for the last few minutes, but it’s like I’ve been waiting for Grant to demand I let go. As soon as he does, I bite down on my lip and fling myself into the storm. I absorb that storm in my belly and it advances lower, lower, until my sex clenches up tight, so tight, and an overwhelming flood of relief passes through me. It tickles, it hurts, it revives. It’s everything.

  While I shake like a leaf, I cling to the sound of Grant’s voice, but I can’t make out the words, only that I’m comforted to have him close. I wish he’d come closer, but the pleasure rollicking through my body is too intense to be distracted. I’m wracked with wave after wave of indescribable pleasure, my hands twisting in the material of Grant’s shirt. And then I simply turn limp, my vision winking and going dark.

  I have the barest awareness of Grant hoisting me up into his arms and carrying me out of the living room. I want to ask him to kiss me goodnight and stay with me, but…there’s a worry building in my gut that I did—or said—something wrong. Or that I pushed Grant when I shouldn’t have. When he settles me in my bed and tucks me under the covers, I console myself with the belief that everything will be fine tomorrow.

  But tomorrow is not fine.

  It’s the opposite of fine.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I haven’t seen Grant in five days.

  My world is upside down and spinning down the toilet.

  Energy eludes me. Getting out of bed is an effort and I have no appetite. I can’t concentrate in class and my instructors have asked several times if I’m okay. I think they’re worried I’m going to collapse and bring my angry stepbrother down on their heads again.

  If something happened to me, would he even care anymore?

  For the last year, I’ve never gone a day without seeing Grant. Whether at breakfast, during our evening hug or at dinner. On the couch while I read and he worked on his laptop. His home became my home, but only because he was in it. Now? As far as I can tell, he hasn’t set foot inside the penthouse since the night we messed around on the couch.

  Since the night I called him Daddy.

  Walking down the hallway of the finishing school toward Elegant Correspondence class with my dozen bodyguards flanking me on all sides, I drop my face into my hands and groan. I can’t believe I called Grant that name. I mean, I’d just accomplished the herculean feat of getting him to kiss me, then I let out the naughty, forbidden words from my subconscious. Was he horrified? Does he think bringing me to live with him was a mistake?

  What if he’s making other arrangements for me as we speak?

  I stop at my locker, punch in the combination, open the door and stick my head inside. My bodyguards are probably wondering what the heck is wrong with me, but on day one of their jobs, Grant made it forbidden to speak to me unless I’m in danger of some kind, so the big bruisers just stand beside me quietly. Fine by me. It hurts to talk, anyway.

  I miss Grant. A lot. Every second without knowing if he’s mad or disgusted with me is like a punch in the stomach. It’s agony and I don’t even have the strength to walk to my next class, let alone participate in the lecture and discussion. Will another day really pass without Grant coming to see me?

  Shoulders sagging, I run my fingers along the diamond necklace I’m wearing. I put it on this morning so I could feel close to Grant, but it’s not working. I just look like a sad, pathetic skeleton in a hundred-thousand-dollar piece of jewelry.

  “Whatcha doing in there, Sienna?” Ophelia’s voice startles me and I smack my head off the top shelf, making her wince. “Ouch. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” Rubbing the sore spot on my head, I turn to her with a fabricated smile that I don’t quite pull off. “I’m wonderful.”

  She arches a brow. “No one has ever looked more miserable while saying those words.”

  “Can you give me a pass on my terrible mood? You’re my only friend and I don’t want to scare you off.”

  Ophelia ducks her head, smiling. “I don’t scare easy.”

  “Good. Because I need to tell you something. You give terrible advice.”

  She winces. “You tried to wear down Mister Foster, didn’t you?”

  “Yes. And it was going extremely well. Until it wasn’t.”

  My friend starts to put an arm around me, but the closest security guard grunts and she reacts like she’s been burned, taking her arm away. After giving the guard a censorious look, we both lean back against the lockers, holding our books to our chests. Suddenly, the idea of continuing with my lessons today is totally unacceptable to me. I’m feeling restless and cooped up. Confused, sad…and the beginnings of anger are starting to rear their ugly head. How dare Grant kiss me so hungrily and tuck me into bed with such care…before abandoning me! Yes, now that I think about it, I’d like to poke him in the eye!

  So I made one little error. Family isn’t supposed to leave you flapping in the breeze like an old windsock, no matter what you do. He gave me a home and love. Then he took it away. It’s his fault I’m lonely. If he’d just left me with my mother’s housekeepers, I would never have known how wonderful it could be to have someone care about me. Now that I do, it’s horrible to be left without a word.

  “I have to get out of here,” I whisper to Ophelia out of the corner of my mouth. “If Grant doesn’t want me, that’s fine. But I’m not going to put up with his contingency of bodyguards when he’s washed his hands of me. I just…I need to go somewhere I can think. Where I’m not surrounded by constant reminders of him.”

  “I hear you loud and clear.” Ophelia brushes back her hair in a casual move. “You know, there’s a window in the faculty lounge. No bars—and it leads to a fire escape. I think they like to sneak a cigarette out there once in a while.” She shrugs. “Five floors of stairs and you’re on West Broadway.”

  A laugh bubbles up in my throat. “How do you know this?”

  “I had to escape checkbook balancing class once,” Ophelia says. “I don’t math well.”

  “Right.” I sigh. “Won’t there be instructors in the faculty lounge?”

  “Yes. But if you ask me nicely, I can create a diversion.” She leans over and whispers in my ear. “Here’s the plan…”

  Five minutes later, I’m inside the women’s bathroom. Waiting. I check the time on my cell phone. One p.m. Right on cue, I hear a crash and then Ophelia’s shriek echo down the main hallway. My leg. Oh God, I think I broke my leg.

  I peek out the door of the bathroom and just like she said, all of my bodyguards are facing away, watching the commotion. Across the hallway from the restroom, the instructor’s lounge door bangs open and several of them fly to Ophelia’s aid, leaving the lounge empty. Quiet as possible, I creep from the bathroom and tiptoe across the hall, ducking inside the lounge.

  My heart is moving like a hamster on a wheel. I’ve never done anything remotely like this. I’m a good girl. I stick to the rules. But I don’t want to turn back. I wasn’t lying when I said I need to get away from reminders of Grant before they crush my broken heart to dust. It’s an urgent need and for now, I’m following my impulses and living in the moment.

  When I slide open the window, my confidence wavers. Five floors didn’t seem like much in theory, but we’re a long way from the ground. Gathering up my bravery, I climb out and start my descent to the street. It seems like it’s taking forever, b
ut before I know it, there is only one floor left to go. And of course, that’s when I’m discovered. There’s a shout from the window above and I accelerate my pace, jumping to the ground with a squeal and taking off running.

  I dodge businessmen in suits and a tour group, hooking a quick right at the corner. I zigzag down one-way streets for a good ten minutes until I’m positive my chances of being discovered are squashed. My sides are heaving with exertion when I enter a park and fall onto a bench. Adrenaline tickles my ribs and I can’t help it, I’m kind of impressed with myself. I made a plan and executed it. And in the process, I surprised myself. Found out what I’m capable of.

  Go Team Sienna.

  The next few hours are all about me. I have some cash in my sock and use it to buy an ice cream, chocolate with rainbow sprinkles. I walk to the West Side and stroll along the Hudson, hopping up onto the Highline for a better view. If it seems like a lot of people—mostly men—are staring at me, it must be my imagination. I haven’t been out by myself in a long time. Maybe I just forgot how much folks like to people watch.

  When the sun starts to go down, I’ve reached Greenwich Village and decide to take a rest on the stoop of a brownstone. Once again, I get the weird feeling every man who passes is looking at me just a touch too long, but I’m distracted from that concern when a young gentleman sits down beside me on the stoop.

  “Hey there,” he says, winking.

  I check the urge to look behind me, just in case he’s talking to someone else. “Hi.”

  He sends a nod over his shoulder. “This is my house.”

  “Oh!” I shoot to my feet and his gaze climbs my bare legs with interest, flaring in a way that makes me uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I was only going to sit here for a minute. I’ll just—”

  Before I can walk away, the man stands, as well. “No, please. It’s fine. It’s obviously my lucky day.” He comes a little closer and winks. Again. “Come on inside. I’ll give you the grand tour.”

  “I-I don’t think that’s a good idea—”

  “Is there a new private school around here?” he interrupts, looking me over with an indiscernible expression. “I don’t see many girls in this particular uniform. And for damn sure, none of them look like you, sweetheart. Not even close.”

  Alarm flares in my belly and I back away toward the main avenue, but he follows.

  “Come on, I can pay you. Whatever you want,” the man says in a low urgent voice, reaching for my arm. Grabbing it. “Just lift up the skirt and let me jerk off on those legs—”

  Tires screech.

  The sound is so loud, I jump a foot in the air, dislodging the man’s hand. My gaze flies to the street to figure out what’s happening. There are four black SUVs—the kind my bodyguards transport me in—and I know I’ve been found. What I don’t expect is Grant to lunge out of the first SUV and let out a roar. It’s earsplitting enough to send everyone on the sidewalk scattering and make me stumble back a handful of steps.

  His tie is loose and askew, hair in disarray, eyes wild.

  In that moment, I realize I was quite mistaken.

  My stepbrother still cares for me a great deal.

  “Uh oh,” I whisper. “I’m in trouble.”

  “What?” says the man next to me, his voice shaking in fear. “You know him?”

  “Don’t speak to her,” Grant growls, having reached the sidewalk. He wastes no time winding up and driving his fist into the man’s face—and the guy goes down like a sack of potatoes, blood spraying onto the ground. Grant doesn’t stop, though. He reaches down and jerks the man up by his collar, getting in his face. “No one touches her. No one. You’ll die for your mistake.”

  “Grant, no,” I breathe, jumping into action. Even my high-powered stepbrother can’t dodge a murder charge. Probably. I hook my arm through his and try to pull him off, but he appears to be considering eating the man’s face for dinner. “I’m fine. Look at me. I’m fine.”

  “Sienna,” he grinds out, without looking at me. “Get in the fucking car.”

  Oh no. No way. He’s not going to order me around after he’s been missing in action for five days without an explanation. “Don’t talk to me like that,” I shout at him.

  His head turns slowly in my direction, a single eyebrow arched. “Do you really want to test me right now, princess?” he rasps.

  I cross my arms. “Yup.”

  He throws the man to the ground with considerable force. Takes one step in my direction. And before I can brace myself, I’m dangling like a limp noodle over his shoulder. In another place and time, I might appreciate being face to face with the butt to end all butts, but not right now. All I see is red. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  He laughs.

  Laughs.

  There’s no humor in the sound, only a warning of what’s to come, and within seconds, I’m inside the SUV, the door slamming behind us. Grant settles into the leather seat beside me and with seeming calm, leans forward to communicate something to the member of security personnel sitting in the front passenger seat. The man leaves the vehicle and I only get a glimpse of him approaching my would-be attacker where he continues to bleed on the sidewalk, because the SUV starts moving. I almost feel bad for the guy.

  Grant presses the button above his head to raise the partition, cutting us off from the driver. Then we’re alone. The atmosphere becomes eerily still inside the vehicle even as the cityscape begins to whiz past outside the windows.

  “There is a reason I keep you guarded around the clock, Sienna,” Grant says through clenched teeth. “Do you have any idea of the picture you make, my little blonde princess, strolling around the city in your uniform? Men were circling you like vultures.”

  I lift my chin and stare out the window, refusing to admit Grant is right about this one thing. I had no idea my appearance could create that kind of a stir, but I can still feel that man’s hand on my arm and frankly, I haven’t been that scared in a long time.

  He plows his fingers through his dark hair. “Do you have any idea what the last few hours have been like for me, Sienna?”

  With a gasp, I turn toward him in the seat. “Do you have any what the last five days have been like for me, Grant?” I’m horrified to hear a hitch in my voice. “I wasn’t even sure you would care if I took off.”

  “You weren’t sure if I would care?” His expression is one of utter disbelief. “Oh Sienna, you’re about to get a very valuable education.”

  He reaches for me, but I smack his hands away. “I don’t want your education.”

  Grant doesn’t listen. Instead, he hooks his hands under my knees, turns me until I’m facing him and then yanks, making me fall backwards on the seat. One second I’m staring up at the roof in shock. The next, Grant’s hands are under my skirt and I’m having my panties ripped down to my ankles. Tossed aside. Lust trickles into my belly, but even though I’ll never stop wanting Grant, I’m still mad as heck. I jackknife on the seat and push at his shoulders, but he easily pins me down to the seat. “One more hour without you and I would have gone insane, Sienna,” he growls, wedging his big body between my kicking legs. “When they told me you were missing, I wanted to kill. I wanted to destroy everything in my path. Don’t you understand I’m nothing but a cold bastard without you? Don’t you understand I can’t live without you?” He tears my shirt down the middle, sending buttons flying in every direction and then he buries his face between my breasts, groaning as he kisses each globe in turn. “You promised you would never leave me, you beautiful little liar.”

  “You left me,” I shout up at his gorgeously ravaged face. “You’re the liar.”

  “No.” His hands slide up over my breasts and knead them gently. “I was there, princess. You just couldn’t see me.”

  “Seeing you matters.” I attempt to swallow the lump in my throat but can’t. “I called you…that name…and you obviously didn’t like it. But you didn’t have to abandon me over it.”

  “Didn’t like
it?” My bra is torn off next in a quick wrist twist, Grant’s eyes hot and intense on mine. “You’ll be calling me Daddy every day for the rest of your life. Not hearing it for five days has been torture. It echoes in my head every minute of the fucking day.”

  “Really?” I wince in self-disgust at the breathlessness of my tone. I’m supposed to be mad, dammit. Stay mad. I refuse to easily disregard the hurt he caused. “You know what? No. I don’t regret running away, Grant. I needed to get away from reminders of you and I’ll do it a hundred more times if I want.” Ignoring his growl, I press on, though it’s difficult to maintain the upper hand when I’m naked, except for my uniform skirt and knee-high socks. “You gave me a home and everything I could ever want, but…don’t you know I would trade it all to have just you? Only you? And you took yourself away from me.” I push his big shoulders futilely. “I’m in love with you. And I never want to talk to you again!”

  Apart from running away, I’m not sure I’ve ever caught Grant off guard. But I have. He opens his mouth to speak and closes it again, seeming to struggle through a breath. “Sienna,” he says gruffly. “Love isn’t a strong enough word for what I feel for you. You consume me. You hold my soul in your precious hands. I’m so in love with you, I have to temper my actions or they would terrify you. By the end of the day, you’ll realize how deep my feelings run. Can you trust me on that?”

  Well I guess I can’t be mad anymore.

  My heart is lodged in my throat and it’s so happy, it’s ticking like a speeding clock. He loves me. Grant loves me. There’s so much that needs explaining, but having his love overflows my cup and I find myself nodding, a smile stretching my mouth. “Yes.”

  He exhales in a rush.

  And then his eyes cloud with lust. A lot like the kind I’m experiencing.

  I’m naked on the seat, nothing but a flap of plaid covering my sex, and when Grant’s mouth falls to my breasts, I can do nothing but thread my fingers through his hair, holding him there while he sucks my nipples greedily, his cheeks hollowing with the effort. His ministrations are enough to make me climax, but before the tide rises, his mouth trails lower and attacks my womanhood. There’s no other term for it. He closes his lips around the entire sensitized area and twists his face, kissing my private flesh the way he’d kiss my mouth.