by Sienna Mynx
He strolled out without another word on the matter but stopped in the hall. She looked back to see him glaring at her. “Forget about lunch. I’ve lost my appetite,” he informed her.
Destini rolled her eyes to the ceiling. She dropped on Amy’s desk, staring at the closing door. What just happened?
***
“What I don’t get is why you waited all this time to tell me?”
Destini paced her bedroom. The lights were off. The sun had slipped away. Its fading rays bled through the wood blinds casting her bed and dresser in a shade of violet. Naiya’s question was valid. She had delayed this conversation. She’d done it on purpose. She needed time to explore her new life with Sir without influence from her friend. And more importantly, she didn’t trust Naiya anymore.
“I just needed someone to talk too, now.”
“Okay,” Naiya said, but Destini suspected a full-blown pout had settled over her friend’s face. “I’m shocked. Carson, I had no idea he, um Sir, was the Sir Gaylor. That he works for Gaylor Prep. I want to kick my own ass for my part in this. No wonder you’ve been distant with me. I don’t know if I can ever make up for this. Sir Gaylor? He works for Gaylor Prep?”
“Not works, he owns the place,” she said.
“Right, even more creepy,” Naiya mumbled under her breath.
“Creepy?”
“Well yeah. Do you hear what you’re saying? Some rich elitist tied to some secret society with black roses has lured you there to be his... his sex-slave and you signed a contract to agree to it.”
“It’s not like that. Well it is, but he’s not deceptive,” she said.
“Destini?”
“There’s more to it,” Destini reasoned.
“Like what? Have you met his brother? Have you been out in public together? Has he made any overture to commit to this thing you said he refuses to call ‘love’ between you?”
“No. No. And yes. The contract is a commitment, the deepest one we could share.”
“And any court would throw it out in a blink of an eye. It’s not binding like marriage. He is conveniently leaving that off the table.” Naiya reminded her.
Destini rubbed her brow. She and Sir were falling in love, but it was a different type of love. She was no masochist to his sadism. She enjoyed their sex play because of the feelings she had for him. Right? How could she possibly explain it to Naiya? She couldn’t verbalize these emotions any better than Sir could.
“I have an idea!” Destini said. “Oh my God! Why didn’t I think of it before!”
“What is the idea?” Naiya asked.
“You.”
“Me?”
Destini plopped down on the edge of her bed. “Come with me to Maryland. When Russ is having his consultation, you can stay with me at the hotel. I’ll be there for his doctor visit and once he’s okay and checked in the hospital we’ll spend time together.”
“Wait. I’ve been trying to get us to go somewhere for weeks, and now you want too. Because of Russ?” Naiya asked.
“Please don’t do that. I told you why we’ve been distant. This is an opportunity for me to have closure with Russ and start again with you,” Destini said.
“This sounds crazy, but I have to agree with Carson. Russ doesn’t deserve your friendship. The man is scum.”
“Naiya—”
“Let me finish. But I love you for being you Destini. And both Russ and I hurt you. Deeply. So yes. I like the idea. If you agree to something.”
“What is it?” Destini asked.
“Don’t tell Russ I’m coming. Let’s just see how he acts when he discovers I’m there.”
“Why?” Destini frowned. “It won’t matter to him.”
“Humor me. I don’t trust him Destini. Let’s see what happens,” she said.
“Okay.” Destini sighed. “Thank you.”
“And Bryce Carson. It’s the real thing?”
“I’m in love with him,” Destini said for the first time aloud.
To this she received nothing but silence. The silence shouted the questions she knew would come next. Are you crazy? You certainly don’t want to repeat the mistakes you made with Russell. Yes, Sir was mysteriously guarded. Yes, he was obsessive about them. But she had found herself freer with him in their secret love affair than she had in all her years of living in normalcy.
“Are you sure it’s love?” Naiya finally spoke.
“Yes,” Destini smiled. “What else could it be?”
“Let’s go to Maryland. Do a Spa or something after we put sickie-poo in the hospital. Put some distance between you and Carson, and then you can see things clearly. Okay?”
“I’ll see you in a few days,” Destini grinned.
“Love you,” said Naiya.
“Love you too.”
Destini sank into the sofa cushion. She tossed the phone to the coffee table, struggling over her doubts. She wondered how Bryce would react to the news that Naiya was coming. It certainly would address his concerns. She was learning Sir every day, and he wouldn’t apologize for his insecurities any more than she would ask him to. It just wasn’t how things were done with them. Besides, he had blinders on in that area. Drawing her legs up to her chest, she let her feet hang off the edge of the sofa seat with her toes wiggling. Destini hugged her legs and dropped her head on her knees.
“Wake up.”
She felt him between her legs, his cock lodged deep inside of her. She moaned and smiled as phantom thrusts that minutes before had rocked her to sleep now moved in and out of her gluttonous pussy.
“Destini?”
It was a dream. Him inside of her, her taking him from behind, or was it the last shared moment they had before she drifted to sleep?
“Destini?” His voice was kind. It was always the same octave, deep and smoky with a hint of that English prep she knew lied in the man underneath. She smiled and turned on her pillow toward him. Her eyes fluttered open. She could barely see him through the veil of her lashes.
“Destini?”
“Mmm, yes.” She blinked away the sleep clouding her vision. “Sir?”
“Breakfast. I made it for you.”
Destini’s head lifted from her pillow. She rose on her side by the aid of her elbow. Sir stood by the bed holding a breakfast tray and wearing her pink and yellow robe. She quickly scooted back into the pillows with a wide-mouthed yawn.
“Like the robe,” she winked.
“It smells like you,” he said in his usual casual manner, as if his broad arms and chest stretching her robe were the most natural of things. Sir set the tray over her lap. Presented before her was a pile of fluffy yellow eggs, golden brown toast that was lightly buttered, and a sliced pink grapefruit in a small bowl. “You need to go grocery shopping. It’s all I could find. Go on...” he nodded.
“You didn’t have to do this, Sir. You’ve made breakfast for me every day this week.”
“I like taking care of you.” Sir eased on the bed and the breakfast tray dipped. She caught the juice before it tipped over. He, however, caught her tangles that fell over her brow, moving them out of her face. He kissed her cheek. “Now eat. I know you’re hungry. It’s after ten.”
“Ten?”
Destini took note of the time on her digital clock. He was right. It was Sunday. She would normally be writing at 4:00 am. But at that time this morning, she had been riding his demanding cock. She sighed. Her routine was off. There was barely any time for her any more.
“I didn’t mean to over sleep,” she mumbled.
Sir just smiled.
She ate.
He watched.
“Don’t you have some things to do?” she asked, chewing.
“It can wait.”
Destini nodded. He was sweet, attentive, but he was there—always. Peeking up at him after several bites, she swallowed and said, “Maybe you should check in with the dorm mothers. I heard that Andrew Hall had an incident last weekend.”
“They have it under control. A
lready called and checked while you slept. The girls have been reassigned to different rooms. It happens from time to time.”
“Oh.” Destini chewed, mechanically, not really tasting the food. “Maybe you should go and pay a visit to be sure?”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Sir chuckled.
“I need to clean, pay bills, do some—”
“Writing?”
“Yes, I need to catch up on my writing.”
“I understand. You need space, I guess.”
“What is it?”
“It’s new for me.”
“What is?” she frowned.
“This. Us.”
Destini nearly choked down her last swallow. “Come on. You’ve had girlfriends before.”
Sir looked away. He sat up and shed her robe.
“Sir?”
“I’ve had women before, but none... not girlfriends,” he said and stood. She stared at his broad back, his firm muscle-packed buttocks and hairy thighs. Did she hear him right? She was his first girlfriend? That couldn’t be right. He pulled on his pants.
“Are you serious? You never had a girlfriend?”
Sir shrugged. “Never wanted one until now, I guess.” There was something deceptive in his tone when he said the latter. He wasn’t lying, but he certainly was telling her a half-truth. He pulled down his sweater and favored her with his charming smile. “Eat up and get some writing done. Call me if... well if not, I’ll see you later.”
“Wait.” Destini set the tray aside. She threw back the covers and slipped on the robe he had cast aside. Sir stopped, his eyes downcast, his hands fisted. She saw how tense he remained and didn’t understand why. He was no virgin. Hell, after the nights they spent together, she was certain his experiences with women were far more reaching than her experiences with lovers. But intimacy without rigid rules and his imposed boundaries remained an issue? She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed the side of her face to his chest. “I like that I’m your first. In a way, you’re my first, too. We can grow in this thing... our thing... together.”
Destini felt his arms rise. Soon they folded across her back and locked her into his embrace. “There are things I want to tell you, Destini. I do. I just don’t know how.”
Destini lifted her head to speak, but he covered her words of understanding with his kiss. And when Sir kissed a woman, that woman was instantly silenced. She held to him, savoring the sweet swirl of his tongue. Soon, she felt him walking her back to the bed. This part was natural for them; even the rougher nights were natural for her now. He lowered her to the bed and came on top, putting his full body weight on her. She could feel his groin bulk between her legs as he pressed down on her. He grabbed her by the throat, and she gasped for air. Her eyes fluttered as his hand tightened on her windpipe, and he rammed his cock in her. He loosened his grip on her throat and she dragged in a breath. She met his eyes, pleading.
“Speak to me.”
Her voice came out in a strained whisper. “If you keep this up, I won’t be able to let you out of this bed,” she moaned.
His tongue sweetly circled her nipple while his cock thrust in and out of her. “That’s my plan,” he growled.
Destini woke. She lifted from the sofa. On some nights when she missed him the most she dreamt of their most precious moment. When he was vulnerable with her. And the dream was always the same. Her mind refused to let go of any detail. She needed that warmth and memory because she missed his affection that evening.
She was his first love, and he still couldn’t admit it. Maybe she should call him and talk this one out. Force him to tell her his secrets. Destini walked through her small cottage and from the sofa to her bathroom, her courage ebbed. She was like Sir in that way. She, too, loved to hide. But how long could they last this way?
Nineteen
“Rain, I don’t understand. Tell me what I did wrong!”
“Leave!” She forced the door with all of her body weight. It gave some, but not enough. Conrad had proven he was stronger, and she was growing tired of the struggle.
“Let me in.”
“No!”
“Rain—”
“Go away!”
Conrad pushed, putting his full weight on the door, and her feet slid across the hardwood. Rain slipped, her footing giving way to a sliding shuffle and the door swung open. She stumbled out of the way. She wanted to lunge at him, rip at his eyes, claw at his throat, and punish him. Damn him!
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Why did you have to go and ruin it? Why!” she said, surprised by the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. She stumbled back. Her arms were wrapped around herself so tight, the muscles locked as if they were positioned permanently. She couldn’t flee him. No, he would force the argument. Conrad slammed the door shut. He stood there with that wide-eyed look of befuddlement. She was to derive pleasure from his pain, his confusion, and his disillusionment with her. Now it just added to her torment.
“Tell me what I’ve done?”
“There were rules. Our rules. My rules, you asshole! You broke them.”
“When? How?”
“LOVE! You said you loved me. Nothing we do is about love. It never has been. NEVER.”
Rain turned for her room. She made it a foot forward before he seized her. He was strong. She’d never known his true strength until now. She fought him, bucking in his arms, kicking her feet.
“Listen to me. Listen,” he spoke to the back of her head, his face pressed there, his words reduced to deep warm puffs of air against her nape. “I said I love you because I do. I can’t help it. I know your rules. I understand them. I can live with them. But I won’t lie about how I feel. Why does that scare you? Why?”
Emotions on display, Rain dropped her head. “You say you love me. It makes me regret.”
“Regret what, Rain?”
“That I’ve never said it to you.”
***
Destini had changed. There was no doubt in her mind. Gone was the fire and spice of the forbidden. She had seen the forbidden, explored and crossed boundaries she never knew could be tested. Now she was left with nothing but questions, and all of them were centered on love. Until she found the answers, she couldn’t write anything.
There was a knock at her door. Destini’s eyes lifted from her laptop screen. Sir hadn’t called since their office spat. He always came in the night. Tonight would be no different. She’d even prepared for a visit. Destini set out some toys in the bedroom, his favorite ones, to tease him. She figured the talk would come after they reconnected, passionately.
Lowering the lid to her computer, Destini set it aside. She’d never been one to invest in lingerie. She had nice panty and bra sets, but nothing too extravagant or sexy. Now her top drawer was stuffed with the finest silks and lace that could be ordered over the Internet. He’d email her pictures and the shipping notice after he selected his favorite of the week. He loved to dress her up, and she loved the way she felt on most nights in his arms. Tonight she’d chosen a cotton-candy pink camisole with a thong panty. She kept trying to adjust the lace underlay that kept getting sucked in between the lips of her vagina. Her matching satin robe stopped at her knees. She tied the knot securely. He could unwrap his peace offering if he had come to apologize.
The knocking persisted.
“Coming,” she called, hurrying out of her room to the door. “I thought you would go home first.”
Destini breath caught in her throat at her surprise visitor. It was him, but after one look into his eyes she knew it wasn’t. Bryce Carson was the man of her heart and she’d never seen him with such an imposing, threatening scowl.
The man smiled and there was nothing welcoming in it.
She grabbed the collar of her robe, tempted to shut the door. “Bryce?”
“I’m not Bryce. You know that don’t you?” he replied.
“Thaddeus?” she answered.
“Very good,” he gave her a single
nod.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m sorry to call upon you so late.”
Destini was dumbfounded. When had Bryce’s twin brother arrived? And at this hour why would he think it appropriate to knock on her door. She thought the man was in Ireland. Bryce refused to speak of him other than to mock him in some sly way.
“Please, um, please come in,” she said.
Destini stepped aside. Thaddeus Gaylor nearly filled the door when he passed through. His rich fragrance of wealth and power hit her full force. He wore a suit perfectly tailored to his body. His red-and-black striped tie, the only splash of color in his dark suit, had a small gold tiepin at its center. It looked to be of the family crest. He and Bryce were identical. Except for something Destini couldn’t quite name.
Gaylor’s presence was overwhelming, especially when looking into his eyes. They were a crystallized winter green and glistened. His gaze felt cold, void of emotion or feeling, and she secretly wished he’d look elsewhere. His dark hair was smoothed back in a deep wave that tapered down neatly at the sides and his nape. He stood only a few feet from her. And he waited. She closed the door, feeling undressed before him. She clutched the front of her robe tightly. She thought a hint of a smile tugged at the right corner of his mouth at her evident discomfort. “What can I do for you?”
“I’ll get to the point. I’m here about my brother. I know you are close.”
“Colleagues.”
Thaddeus Gaylor’s dark left brow winged up. He mocked her now with his sly smirk. Once again she felt the need to bolt to her room and put on layers of clothes. There was something obscene about the way he blocked her passage, they way he eyed her. Was that her imagination?
“You’re closer than colleagues,” he stated rather than asked.
“I don’t get your meaning. I work for your family.”
“I’m sure you do, Ms. Sanders.”
Destini swallowed down her nerves and steadied her backbone; she would need it now more than ever. Dealing with Bryce and his penchant for cruelty was one thing. There was no way she’d be mocked by this arrogant brother who apparently was at the root of all Bryce’s issues.
