“I was just passing the time until the storm receded,” Lauren said as flippantly as she could. No sense in letting him know that just imagining herself on some of these items had her on the verge of orgasm. Her panties were so wet, they were sticking to her folds. It was a damn good thing she had picked up batteries yesterday. She had a feeling tonight she would need the relief. “Your brother was pretty adamant that I not drive. I apologize if I wasn’t supposed to be up here.”
* * * *
Caden took in her flushed face and parted lips. Her words hid what her actions displayed. He had been coming out of his office when he saw Lauren walk up the stairs. Jane, their hostess for the club on Friday and Saturday nights, had stopped in to pick up her paycheck. They spoke of some changes Jane thought would benefit the club, as well as ideas for future events. Fetishes were growing, and so was the clientele.
Knowing the rain had finally lifted, Caden had concluded their meeting and, once Jane had left, followed Lauren up the stairs. He wasn’t surprised that her curiosity had won out, but he was taken aback at the longing he saw in her face while looking at the marks on the St. Andrew’s Cross. He couldn’t hide his pleasure at what a gem she was turning out to be, and he was growing more confident that he and his brother would be the ones to make her shine.
Unable to help himself, Caden leaned down and lightly brushed his lips across hers. He heard the swift intake of her breath and felt the tightening of her fingers against his chest. Taking the tip of his tongue, he ran it lightly across her lower lip. The entire time, he kept his eyes focused on hers, looking for any sign that she didn’t want this. She had yet to close them, and the silver that was staring back at him was now a shade of slate, confusion mingling with awakening.
Caden brought his hands up over her arms and her shoulders. Not stopping until he had her neck cradled in his hands, he angled her head for better access. Melding their lips together, he finally tasted her. Sweet. Heady. Alluring. And he wanted more. With one hand, he reached for the ball of hair at the base of her neck, sliding the pins out to feel her hair fall to the middle of her back. Not holding back and wanting her to know exactly what she did to him, Caden threaded his fingers through her hair and tightened his grip, tilting her head to the exact position where he could control the kiss. Hearing her moan in pleasure and seeing her close her eyes was almost his undoing.
Moving her slightly to the left, Caden walked her backward until her ass was snug against the St. Andrew’s Cross. Releasing her lips and letting her catch her breath, he leaned back enough to see any signs that she didn’t want what he was about to propose.
“Have you ever fantasized about what it would be like to be bound and displayed for a lover?” Caden asked softly, loving that her eyes dilated at his suggestion. “Would you let me give you a taste of what we can offer you?”
“Offer me?” Lauren asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not looking for anything. I—”
“Then why is your breathing ragged and your pulse accelerated? I bet anything that your pussy is wet and your clit is swollen. Your body is telling me something different.”
Caden brushed his lips over hers once more, as he slowly caressed his fingers down her arms. Reaching for her right wrist, he brought it up slowly to the fur-lined cuff that was attached to one corner.
“Fully dressed, let me show you the feeling that comes with losing control,” Caden said, waiting for her agreement before attaching the cuff. “I promise you, I won’t remove one item of clothing.”
“I will never lose control, especially fully clothed,” Lauren assured him, her confidence coming back. He would prove her wrong.
“Then you agree?”
Caden could see the confusion in her eyes as to how they had come so far, but he had a gut feeling if he let her walk out that door without a taste of what they could offer, they would never get her back. At her slight nod, he fastened the leather around her right wrist. Not wanting panic to set in, he reassured her with another kiss as he did the same to her left. He left her ankles free, not wanting to push her too far today. But his hunger to see what she looked like when she came was overwhelming, and he wanted nothing more than to be the one to make her lose control.
Using the back of his hand, Caden brushed over one nipple, seeing it harden beneath her pretty pink blouse. He vowed to not look away from her beautiful face again though and was rewarded to see her lips part at the pleasure she was feeling. Ever so slowly, he let his hand travel lower.
“Even fully clothed, I can give you a release that will blow your mind,” Caden said softly. He heard her intake of breath and saw her silver eyes darken at his promise. Wanting nothing more than to see her reaction, he cupped her mound. “There’s only one rule— and that is you don’t come unless given permission.”
Lauren instinctively went to pull her arms down, but was prevented by the restraints. The pulse on the side of her neck was faster than before and he loved that she couldn’t prevent the movement of her hips. The tiny thrust went directly against his palm, obviously giving her bundle of nerves the pressure it needed.
“I won’t come,” Lauren declared, her voice husky. “This is pointless, so you can release me now.”
“I would love to give you a release, but again, not until I say you can come. It’s one of my rules.”
Caden used his middle and ring finger to brush over her clit and even through her white pants, could feel the swollen nub. A slight moan escaped her lips. He brought up his other hand to her left breast, using his thumb to manipulate the hardened pebble. His dick felt like it was ready to explode, so he found himself taking deep breaths to regain control. This was about her and showing her that their needs coincided more than she realized.
He kept his touch light enough that she couldn’t take her release quick, but hard enough to make her want more. She conceded another tiny moan and he watched as her eyes closed, bringing her lashes down upon her rosy cheeks. She was a vision.
“Would you like me to stop?” A flush had stolen over her face, making her skin the color of her blouse. Her hips were now moving in tiny jerks. “Lauren, would you like me to stop?”
Again, Caden watched as she tried to bring her arms down and he loved the tiny mewls that passed her lips. He knew he’d stained his briefs and would have to take matters into his own hands later, but knowing that he was the one to show her how intense a little restriction could be was worth it.
“Please,” Lauren begged, her hands now clenched into small fists.
“Would you like to come?” He knew this was where he could lose her, but couldn’t resist pushing her comfort zone. She would either respond to his questions and demands, or shut down and he would be forced to stop.
“Yes.”
That one word, almost a moan, was his undoing. She might not know it yet, but that one word meant she trusted him. He would see her through this and then hopefully, continue to build on that trust.
“Come for me.”
Caden pressed his fingers harder against her mound, making sure her clit was stimulated enough to send her over the edge. He watched as she threw her head back, closed her eyes, and made the sexiest little whimpers he’d ever heard in his life. Caden moved closer to her, bringing one arm around her waist and holding her close. He felt her body jerk with each spasm her pussy was making and Caden did his best to slowly bring her down from that high.
“Caden!”
He felt Lauren jerk in his arms, her eyes snapping open and trying to comprehend the interruption. Trent was yelling for him, yet he found it hard to let go of her—angry to lose this connection. Knowing the moment was over and wanting her to have her space, he gradually let his hands slide up her arms to the cuffs. Releasing the restraints, Caden brought his hands to her face, needing to see her eyes.
“Are you all right?”
Lauren cleared her throat before speaking. She managed to avert her gaze, much to his dismay, and said, “Yes, fine, but I shouldn’t hav
e allowed that to happen.”
“I haven’t kept it a secret that I want you, Lauren,” Caden replied. “And what just happened wasn’t a mistake.”
Taking a step back, he reached down to the floor where her hair pins had fallen. When she opened her mouth to say what he was sure to express her regret, Caden put a hand up to stop her.
“Do not say that it shouldn’t have happened,” Caden sharply ordered. “It did. And it will again, once we have Victoria back.”
“Caden, Victoria’s on the phone! Get down here!”
Grabbing Lauren’s hand, Caden made his way down the staircase with her behind him, pocketing her hairpins. Walking swiftly into his office, he found Trent leaning over his desk with his palms flat on the dark wood. It was obvious that Trent had the phone on speaker, so Caden immediately asked, “Victoria, where are you?”
“Caden, I’m fine. I don’t know why you two are so upset about this. I just needed time to—”
It was evident she broke off due to a man speaking in the background, which immediately made Caden see red. His baby sister was not talking with either him or Trent about why she needed time to herself, which he still wasn’t sure he believed. Yet here was some man she was confiding in. Either that, or he had somehow brainwashed her into not coming home to work out her problems with the people who loved her.
“We are upset because this is out of character for you, Vic,” Caden said, purposefully using her childhood nickname. Maybe it would jar some sense into her of how worried her two older brothers were. “Whenever you have problems, you have always come to us. So we can only assume that you are in trouble.”
“Who is that?” Trent demanded, his fingers curling into fists on either side of the phone. “Is he the reason you can’t come home? Is someone preventing you from leaving wherever you are?”
“Trent, stop it,” Victoria’s voice sang through the speakerphone, although frustration with her brothers was evident. “I’m not the little girl you had to watch over before. I’m a grown woman and have a life. I just called to say that instead of coming home in two weeks, it looks like it’ll be three.”
Chapter Five
Lauren saw Caden’s and Trent’s expressions and waited for the explosions. Surprisingly, both men just stood there, as if absorbing the news. Neither moved for a good thirty seconds, and it floated through her mind that maybe living the life of a dominant gave them a tiny bit more control than the average male. She quickly averted where her thoughts were taking her. This was business, regardless of what had happened upstairs.
Her body was still trembling from the release Caden had given her, and she was trying her best to get herself under control. What had she been thinking, agreeing to let him restrain her wrists and touch her? She hadn’t been, that was the problem. After all she had done in her life, making sure she avoided getting emotionally involved with a man, it scared her that Caden could make her come so easily. And that meant it was more than a physical response.
Trent started speaking again, reassuring Victoria that they didn’t see her as a little girl but trying to get her to understand how this was out of character for her. While he and Caden were trying to get information from her, Lauren quietly walked up to the desk and placed her hand on a lipstick tube that Caden had left there from earlier. If she could finally get a trace of energy and pinpoint where Victoria might be, then she could walk away from this and never look back.
Not wanting them to know what she was really doing, Lauren rested her fingertips as furtively as she could on the small black tube. Energy crackled underneath her touch, drifting up her arm and into her chest. The connection was strong, so she felt as if her body was becoming one with the energy of the earth. Immediately, she knew Victoria was someplace near Atlanta. If Lauren had been in Atlanta, the easier it would be to locate a precise location, then her being farther away from her target. The closer she was to whomever she was locating, the more accurate her ability. With the signal so clear now, did that mean it was a fluke earlier today where Victoria’s energy had been intermittent? Was something wrong with her ability? She tried to shut down the immediate pang of panic.
Lauren hadn’t meant to close her eyes, and when she opened them, both men were staring at her with an intensity that shook her to her core. Did Trent know that Caden had given her an orgasm upstairs? Was it evident on her face? While there was the constant undercurrent of attraction that made her body flush, Lauren also realized they knew what she was doing. So much for her being subtle.
“Caden, Trent—are you listening to me?” Victoria asked. “I have an odd question that I need you to answer.”
“Not until you answer us first.” Trent had yet to take his eyes off of her, but continued talking. “Our contacts have said you haven’t used your bank accounts in two weeks. You haven’t spoken with any of your friends who live in Tampa or contacted anyone from the club. If it’s no big deal that you need time away, then you can tell us where you are and who you are with.”
“Oh my God! You did contact the police!” A muffled sound came over the speaker, indicating Victoria had placed her palm over her end of the phone. Muted voices could be heard, and Lauren could see the undercurrent of emotions that were pouring off of Trent and Caden. Finally, the line cleared. “You two can be such idiots! Did I not leave a message with you when I left saying that I needed some time to myself? Did I not say I would be home in a month? You two need to find a woman you can concentrate on and let me live my own life. You are constantly saying you want to settle down, so just do it already.”
“Victoria—” Caden was the one who tried to speak this time, but Victoria spoke right over him.
“Back to my question. Do you know any Nobles?”
Lauren was trying to concentrate on too many things but immediately noticed the abrupt silence in the room. For one, she was taken aback that Victoria had called them idiots. It was almost laughable, seeing as how these two men were probably never called out on anything in their lives. Two, they were looking for a serious relationship, and Victoria had said woman, not women. Lauren wasn’t stupid. She knew multiple people living in ménages and knew exactly what Victoria was referring to. And for the last thought, while Lauren had started thinking this was a mistaken case of a little sister needing to live her own life and that her power had a temporary faulty moment, Victoria’s last question blew that out of the water. There was only one reason she would be asking that, and that was if the man she was with really was a Restricter.
“Why would you ask that?” If Lauren thought Caden’s voice was made of steel before, that was nothing compared to now. “Are you involved with something that’s dangerous?”
Lauren felt like she’d been slapped. She took immediate offense that he assumed anything to do with her kind involved danger. It didn’t matter that she felt the same, because her reaction was only due to the circumstances in front of them. Caden had no idea that she thought the Noble who was involved with his sister held a very threatening power. She took a step back from the desk, which made Trent stand from his leaning position.
“I have a friend who is worried about me, that’s all. If you have hired a Noble to find me, I’m asking that you tell them to back off. Please, as my big brothers, will you trust me that I just need time to myself? As much as you want it to, my life does not revolve around you. I will be home in three weeks, I promise.”
A clicking sound ended the conversation, bringing quiet. The stir of anger was still present at their crass judgment, and she knew it was time to leave. Too many things had happened today that she wasn’t comfortable with. She needed time to herself to sort things through and then to call Theo to let him know they did indeed have a Restricter walking around. The only way Victoria would have known her brothers had hired a Noble was if someone was with her to feel Lauren trying to connect with her energy. On the other hand, Victoria didn’t seem to be in any distress and had made that quite clear to Caden and Trent.
Turning, Lauren
walked out of the office. On the side hallway table was her purse with the two items of Victoria’s. Pulling them out, she set them on the side table. Picking up her purse and slinging it over her shoulder, Lauren turned to see both men come out of the office. She could tell their intent was to find more answers, but she wasn’t ready to share what she knew. Victoria was not in any danger—at least that she knew of.
“Mr. Luca, I would appreciate a ride back to my car,” Lauren asserted, aiming her request at Trent. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Caden. “The storm has passed, and it is obvious your sister is safe. She wants time to herself, which I can understand. I’m glad that everything has worked out for you. Victoria will be home in no time, and I’m sure she will gladly tell you everything about her trip.”
“How did she know we hired you?” Caden demanded, looking imposing with his black shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows and his stern facial features. Trying not to be intimidated, Lauren went for glib words.
“She knows you better than anyone, is my guess. I’m sure once she realized you overreacted by calling the police, the next obvious step was contacting a Noble. She took a guess.” It took everything for Lauren not to tack on the word dangerous, but she held her tongue. When Caden had implied that Nobles, in general, were threatening, it was like a dagger to her heart. They didn’t need to know that it hurt to know they viewed her like that. What was really troubling her, was if Caden really felt that way about Nobles, why would he even want to touch her like he had upstairs?
“We did not overreact. You know this, Lauren,” Caden warned, taking a step forward. “Look me in the eye and tell me that what happened earlier is common. You said if she was traveling, you could lose the connection. Is that true?”
Noble Release [Nature's Nobles 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4
