by Measha Stone
This wasn’t a casual fuck. This hadn’t been friends giving away benefits. This was more. Too much for him to consider at the moment with her looking up at him with all her sweetness. Looking into her eyes, he sensed she felt the same. Emotion filled her gaze, her mouth quirked up in a smile. This hadn’t been a mindless fuck for her either.
He planted a kiss to her lips, then withdrew from her body. He rolled off her and sat beside her, pulling her thigh to rest on his lap. His come trickled out of her pussy. With his fingertip, he smeared some of the hot liquid across her mons.
“What are you doing?” she asked, pushing herself up to her elbows.
“Marking what’s mine.”
Chapter 17
George knew.
He had to know.
He’d given her a weird smile when she’d walked into his office with Ryder. Maybe he could smell the sex on her. Ryder’s dry come on her pussy. He hadn’t let her wash it off. He’d snuggled up to her and held her and talked with her until it was time to get ready for the club.
She couldn’t think too much about the experience. When she did, when her mind replayed his touches and kisses and how hard he’d fucked her, she wanted to crumble into the nearest chair. It hadn’t been a quick fuck or anything she would categorize as casual.
He hadn’t merely been inside her, he’d been with her, intimate and passionate. She hadn’t known men could be so intense during sex. Not that she had an over-abundance of experience, but she hadn’t lived in a nunnery either. Nothing compared.
“Sam?” George’s voice broke her out of her cloud of worry.
“Yeah?”
“Ryder is in the purple room tonight. You can hang in there with him if you want, you don’t have to keep me company,” he said from behind his desk.
She looked at the stacks of papers. “When’s the last time you went through all this?” she asked, waving at the piles.
“Been a while. Most of it is probably old bills that were already paid.”
“Why don’t you let me go through some of this while you do your management thing?”
He quirked his head.
“I don’t need to babysit Ryder. He’s busy monitoring the play sessions. I’ll be okay in here.” She started to shoo him from behind his desk.
“Okay, I’ll make a few rounds.” He paused at the door. “Hey, did you talk to Ryder?” He gave her a pointed stare.
“Of course I did.” She turned away from him, unable to keep hold of his gaze without giving anything away. Technically, she had spoken to Ryder. Several times in fact. But not matter how she angled the truth, she wasn’t being honest with George. The sick feeling in her belly confirmed it. “But can we table it for now? I want a stress-free night, okay?” She picked up half a stack of papers and started flipping through.
“Okay, yeah. We can deal with it later,” George said before he shut the office door behind him.
She blew out a relieved breath and sank down into the office chair. Comfy and well-worn, but it did nothing to sooth her frazzled nerves. She would have to tell Ryder soon about Randall.
Her phone went off, jolting her from her worry and annoying her at the same time. Paul needed to back off. She was too old for all his coddling.
“Yes?” she answered.
“Ah, you answered. Good.” Randall’s deep voice penetrated through the phone, lodging a ball of fear in her throat.
“R-Randall?” She sank back in the chair, eyes closed. She’d changed her number. How had he gotten it?
“Samantha, you don’t sound happy to hear from me,” he continued in the same sultry voice she’d been attracted to when she’d first met him. He’d had such authority about him, she had been drawn in from first glance.
“I’m surprised, that’s all.” No matter how ruffled her insides were at the sound of his voice, she would not cower to him.
“You didn’t hear I’ve been released?”
“I did. But I didn’t think I’d hear from you,” she admitted.
“Why? Because you betrayed me? Because you tattled like a naughty little schoolgirl?” His voice twisted into the sinister sounds she remembered from his meetings. When he’d thought she wasn’t listening, wasn’t paying attention, the criminal in him roamed free. It was the undercurrent of evil in his voice that had drawn her to listening to his plans. He’d never used that tone with her, though, only his men, his partners.
Until now.
“I—I only answered honestly, Randall.” She curled her fingers into the hem of her skirt. “I’m sorry you feel betrayed. I—”
“Don’t give me that bullshit.” He laughed, an ugly sound that sent a cold streak running down her back. “The case against me is going to be dismissed.”
She’d already heard about his attorney’s attempt to have the ruling overturned, to get him completely clear of the charges and off parole. Anderson had told her, her brother had warned her, and now, she was getting the information straight from the ass’s mouth.
“I don’t expect to see you at any of the proceedings. No hearings, no court meetings, nothing.”
“Why isn’t parole good enough for you?” Why go through all the hassle to get everything overturned when he was already free and had the run of the town again?
“That’s not your concern,” he snapped. “Tell me you understand what I expect from you.” He put on the same dominating tone he’d used when they’d played together. He wasn’t anything like Ryder, not in the Dominant sense, but he knew how to take control. It had been that part of him she’d latched on to.
“Just leave me alone, Randall, and I’ll stay far away from anything that involves you,” she said. And she meant it. Randall was not her problem anymore. She wanted to be left out of it, left alone. She’d done the right thing, she’d answered everyone’s questions honestly when they’d asked her, and it was still following her around, still lurking in her shadow.
“Sounds like a fair plan, Samantha. But if I hear one whisper you’re coming back home, that you’re even thinking of showing up to talk to anyone about me, I’ll have to take precautions. To protect myself.” The threat couldn’t have been clearer.
Her fingers curled harder around the edges of her phone. The tightness of her throat didn’t let her answer escape fast enough for him.
“Do you understand me?” he demanded, his control slipping enough for his anger to seep through.
“Yes. I understand,” she answered.
“Good. And you tell that brother of yours to back the fuck off too.”
Paul. He was still in Indiana. He could get hurt.
“I’ll mention it to him.” She forced her voice to remain level. Inside, she was shaking, but she wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of knowing it.
“Not one whisper, Samantha. You got me?” She could sense his snarl, having seen it from the shadows, she knew how cold it could be.
“Yeah, Randall, I got it.”
“That’s a good girl.”
Chapter 18
Ryder checked his watch again and looked over his shoulder down the hall. He’d only signed up for a two-hour slot, and it was coming to a close.
Samantha was somewhere off in the back, helping George get organized, and he missed her—a feeling he wasn’t accustomed to, but there it was.
“Hey.” A hand clapped his shoulder.
Ryder turned slightly to see Kendrick standing there, and his lips split into a wide grin.
“Kendrick, man, it’s been a long time.” He turned around and held out his hand.
“Yeah, same here.” Kendrick grinned. “Been busy as hell, how about you?”
“Usual.” Ryder shrugged, adjusting his stance to keep an eye on the room while he caught up with Kendrick. “Your wife with you?” Ryder asked.
“Not tonight. Kelly’s pregnant again,” Kendrick announced. “The morning sickness is around clock this time. She’s at home, hopefully in bed, if Connor lets her sleep.”
“Your son’s a wild o
ne if I remember.” Ryder had been invited to the little guys’ first birthday party, and he’d been a bundle of energy even before they’d sugared him up with cake.
“And impulsive—just like his mother.” Kendrick grinned with pride. “Anyway, I’m your relief.”
“Splitting time between here and Top Floor?” Ryder asked as he shimmied off the bright yellow vest to hand over. It made spotting the dungeon monitors easy in the darkened play spaces.
“Yeah. I like this place, though, more like home,” Kendrick said.
“Red!” A woman’s scream interrupted them. The room quieted at the sharp sound of the house safeword being called.
“I got this. You head out.” Kendrick patted Ryder’s shoulder and pointed to the blonde woman bound over a spanking bench. Her partner had already dropped the cane he’d been holding and was whispering in her ear while working the cuffs open, but Kendrick would hang close by incase he needed to interfere.
Ryder stuck around for a minute, to be sure there wasn’t any drama, then made his way out of the room. Samantha should be good and tired by now. He’d get her home and tucked into bed—his bed.
“Ryder.” George fell in step with him.
“Hey, George. You think I can take Samantha home, or do you need her to keep playing secretary?” Ryder grinned.
“I know, I need to hire someone. I will. Soon.”
Ryder laughed. “You’ve been saying that forever.”
“Look, I wanted to talk to you about Sam.” George stepped in front of him when they entered the hallway leading to the offices, muting the noise of the dungeon and lounge.
Ryder’s back tensed. “Okay.” He raised his chin. “She spoke with you, good.” Ryder nodded. “I would have told you myself, but she insisted it come from her, and I let her—”
“What are you talking about?” George asked with raised brows.
“Samantha,” Ryder said, raising his gaze to the closed office door. “She told you…about…us.”
“She said there was nothing to worry about.” George frowned.
Ryder’s jaw clenched. She hadn’t told him.
“Don’t go getting angry.” George laughed. “She didn’t tell me the specifics, but I saw enough in her expression when she talked about you. The two of you are involved.”
“What exactly did she say?” Ryder asked, sensing the bedtime story he planned was going to have a very different ending.
“You two are involved, right? I’m not wrong?”
“No, George. You’re not wrong, but did she tell you that, or did you guess?”
George sighed. “That girl. Grown woman and she still thinks white lies will keep her out of trouble.”
“So, she didn’t tell you.”
“Not exactly. Sort of beat around the bush, but I got the idea.” George crossed his arms over his chest. “But if she wasn’t completely honest about that, I’m almost afraid to ask—”
“Ask what?” Ryder shuffled around until his back was to the door.
“Did she tell you about Randall?” George tilted his head, looking up at him like he was preparing for a storm to erupt right there in his hall.
“Who’s Randall?”
George’s arms fell to his side, and a fierce frown pulled on his lips.
“That woman,” he growled.
“What did she not tell me?”
“Randall is her ex-boyfriend. Very ex-boyfriend. There’s some drama going on back home with him, and her brother’s worried Randall’s going to come up here.” George’s nostrils flared when he blew out a breath. “She can tell you the rest. It’s her story, but she promised me she’d tell you now that he got paroled.”
“Paroled?” Ryder’s eyes went wide. What the living hell had she been involved in?
“I’ll let her tell it.” George shook his head.
“Where’s her brother in all this? Why isn’t he up here?” Ryder asked. She’d been getting messages and calls from him daily, so why wasn’t he up here helping her if her ex-boyfriend was causing a problem?
“He’s going through a mess of his own. His wife left him, it’s a shit show, and to be honest, Sam doesn’t know everything going on with him right now.”
“Great. Family secrets keep getting deeper?”
George shook his head. “Nothing like that. She knows Jerri walked out on Paul, but she doesn’t know the trouble his wife’s been causing him since Sam came up to Chicago.”
Ryder nodded, leaving it alone. He could only tackle one problem at a time, and right now, the pressing matter was behind the closed door.
“I know she’s a bit of a handful right now, but she’s really not so full of drama.” George came to her defense. “I’ll understand if you want her to find somewhere else to stay, though. You’ve been more than generous so far—”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Ryder growled. “I just told you we were involved. Why would I toss her out?” Ryder stepped toward him.
“I know.” George smiled. “Just wanted to be sure how you felt about her.”
Ryder scrubbed his hand over his face. “Right now, I feel a twitch in my palm. I’m going to get her and go home.”
Done with this conversation, he threw open the door to the office.
Samantha sat at the desk, her cell phone cradled in one hand, her expression sheepish and concerned. Maybe she’d heard him and George talking about her through the door.
“Samantha.”
Her gaze lifted to him. No. That wasn’t trepidation. That was fear.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, getting to her side in five quick strides.
“N-Nothing,” she lied through her perfectly white teeth.
“Sam, you got through a good amount. Thanks.” George walked over to the desk and starting shuffling papers.
“I think it’s time we go home,” Ryder said, his eyes fixed on her in a steely grip. She’d been hiding things, and now, right to his face, she lied. That bedtime story was going to have to wait.
“Ryder?” she murmured as she unfolded her legs from beneath her on the chair.
“Let’s go, Sam.” He lifted her phone from her hand and pocketed it in the back of his jeans. “This is mine for the time being.” He raised a brow, almost daring her to argue with him.
Her senses must have kicked in, and she lowered her gaze.
“He told you,” she whispered, looking down at her lap.
George stopped moving around. “I told you I would, Sam.”
“This isn’t on him, Samantha. This is on you. Let’s go.” He put his hand out for her to take, but she shook her head.
“You’re upset.”
“I am.” He wouldn’t lie. Making her scared wasn’t his intention either, so he softened his glare until some of the worry eased from her brow.
“Maybe I should stay here until you’re not upset?” she asked, throwing on a playful smile. Teasing wasn’t going to get her anywhere, but he couldn’t completely blame her for trying.
“Don’t push me, little girl. Get up and let’s go.” He wiggled his fingers at her to let her know he wasn’t going to be patient much longer. If she didn’t want to get her ass bared right in front of George, she better get going.
She slid her gentle hand into his and rose from the chair.
“I can come back tomorrow, George, and finish organizing this stuff if you’d like. I don’t—”
“You’re busy tomorrow.” Ryder tugged her hand.
“Don’t worry about this mess, Sam. You’ve got your own to straighten out,” George said flatly. Ryder gave George a curt nod and pulled Samantha to the door.
“Ryder, I can explain everything,” she said hurriedly once they were outside the club and making their way down the long stretch of stairs.
“And you will,” he agreed, not loosening his hand on hers even a fraction. His little girl was going to learn a big lesson once they got back to his apartment.
“It’s not as bad as George made it out to be,” she tried
again to sound reasonable once they were at the car.
Ryder yanked open the passenger side door and settled a hard glare on her.
“Sam, you have one hell of a punishment coming when we get home. I really wouldn’t push it right now with a flippant attitude. You will tell me everything that’s going on, but not until I ask you to tell me. Right now, you are to sit your ass in this car and keep quiet. I don’t want to hear a sound out of you until I tell you otherwise. Am I clear, young lady?”
Her throat worked as she swallowed, and her eyes widened. The tinge of fear she’d had when he’d first barged into the office washed away by the acceptance. She’d be getting her punishment, and she wouldn’t be fighting him about it either. The woman was smart. She knew when she was beat.
She lowered her gaze and climbed into the truck, folding her hands in her lap. He reached in and grabbed the seatbelt, pulling it over her chest and clicking it into place. He could feel the warmth from her body as he moved across her, but he wasn’t giving into carnal thoughts. Not now. Not until he knew what the hell was going on and figured out how to keep his little girl safe.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she whispered as he started to pull back out of the truck.
He paused, looking into her eyes. His face was so close to hers, he could feel her soft breaths wash across his cheek. “I think you’re sorry you got caught more than you’re sorry you kept something from me. But we’ll sort that out at home. Right now, quiet.” He tapped her lips with his finger, then stepped down from the truck and shut her door.
His little girl was sorry.
But not as sorry as she was going to be.
He hadn’t lied when he’d said he was a strict Daddy.
His little girl was about to find out how strict he could be.
Chapter 19
She was a fool.
An absolute buffoon to think George would have kept his big mouth shut. She hadn’t meant to deceive Ryder; she’d only wanted to keep him from getting hurt.
