by Chandra Ryan
“That’s a relief.”
“To you and me both. Now, you’re probably wondering why I’m here.”
“Maybe a little.”
“I always like to say thank you in person. So thank you.”
Parker shook his head. “I was just doing my job.”
“No. You didn’t have to believe my father—an alleged terrorist. You didn’t have to protect him from that madman. But you did.”
“It was the right thing to do.”
“And you most certainly didn’t have to throw yourself in front of weapon fire meant for a Sub.”
“She’s the best damn captain I’ve ever had the privilege to serve under. She’s fair, strong, kind, intelligent and has more faith in her crew than any crew deserves. That Sub is more human than most of the men wearing the uniform.”
Lee nodded slowly. “On this we do agree.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re humble and a great judge of people. I think our fleet could use more captains like you.”
“But I’m not a captain.”
“Not yet. I don’t think it’s going to take long for you to make the rank, however.”
“I’ve only been a lieutenant commander for two weeks.”
“So if I offered you a ship of your own today?”
“I’d respectfully decline. I’m not done on the Tempest yet.”
“Funny. I offered Lieutenant Barkswell XO on his choice of ships and he gave me that exact answer.”
That was more than odd to Parker. “XO would get him one step closer to captain. Everyone’s told me that that’s what he wants.”
“Guess there’s something he wants more.”
“Huh. Today is full of surprises.”
“That it is.”
“And what about Speck?”
“Undergoing a congressional investigation as we speak.”
“Good. Then it mattered.” The chaos and pain had made a difference. The good guys had won.
Jasper smiled. “It always matters.”
Parker paused uncomfortably. He had one more thing to ask and it wasn’t a small thing. “Sir? Sorry, Jasper?”
“Yes?”
“I was wondering if I could ask a favor?”
“After you turned down command of your own ship? I’m intrigued.”
“I’ve gathered from conversation that you know Captain Harlow and have done everything you politically can do to protect her.”
He nodded solemnly. “I made a promise years ago and I keep my promises.”
“I saw her ability firsthand and can easily imagine how it would’ve been abused if you hadn’t stepped in.” He shuddered as he remembered how shaken and drained she appeared after having read Lee on the ship. He could only imagine how painful a life of playing lie detector for the government would’ve been for her. “For that I’m grateful.”
“I’m happy I’ve been able to help her. She’s a remarkable person.”
“But that’s just it. She’s not. Not legally at least.”
Prime Minster Lee took a step back in surprise.
Parker didn’t slow down though. He had the advantage and he wasn’t about to give it up. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for her and for the others of her kind. But if you’d just given her citizenship, you wouldn’t have had to write special laws or form committees. She would’ve been protected with the same rights and by the same laws that protect you and me.”
“I…” He paused for a second and then shook his head. “To be honest I didn’t think about it then.”
“And now?”
“Most of the citizens won’t like it. I’d be asking them to share their rights with a group they feel is inferior. It won’t be easy.”
“Doing the right thing never is.”
Prime Minister Lee smiled and nodded. “You remind me a lot of the man I was at your age. Life was simpler.”
“I have a feeling it was just as difficult back then. Only a different kind of complicated.”
“You’re probably right. About everything.” He turned and started walking toward the door. “I’ll have my people look into the citizenship. I’m not making any guarantees. And if it does happen it’ll be slow and in stages. But I’ll do everything in my power to see that it gets done.” He saluted and then turned to leave. As soon as he stepped through the door Harlow entered the room.
“They tell me you’re going to live.”
“That’s what they tell me as well.”
“That’s good. Otherwise I would’ve had to kill you.” She sat down at the edge of the bed. “You took a shot for me.”
“Pretty badass, right?”
She laughed but it was a hollow and brittle sound. “I guess that makes you my hero.”
“You guess? Have you never read a fairy tale?”
“Sorry. I’ll have to add that to my ‘to-do’ list.” She lay down so her head was snuggled in the crook of his arm. It was out of character but he wanted her near him so badly that he didn’t dare question it. “I was wrong. About so many things. I’m sorry.”
“Your plan was solid. I’m the one who screwed up. I should’ve kept a better eye on the situation.” It was a difficult thing for him to admit but it was the truth.
“Not about that. About…”
He waited for her to finish but she didn’t. There was only one thing he could think of that would bring her to silence. “Us? It took me getting shot for you to realize that?”
“No. I’ve known for a while. The last three days have been hell. But you were over me so there was nothing for me to do but get over you. Which, of course, I was a complete failure at because…” She paused and took a deep breath. “Because I’d fallen in love with you.”
“I—”
“No.” She interrupted him. “I need to get through this. I was too busy being stubborn to really listen to the misery. I couldn’t admit to myself how much you meant to me. There was no way I could come clean with you. I might have gotten around to it eventually. But everything went wrong before I could.”
He chuckled at her summation. “Yeah, I was there.”
“So, before you’re off to your new assignment, I just wanted you to know that I was wrong. And that I’m sorry.”
She didn’t know he’d chosen to stay aboard the Tempest. That was interesting. He should probably tell her. But she’d been torturing him for the last three days. And she had interrupted him when he’d tried to tell her how he felt. He guessed he could keep her in the dark for a little while longer. “I’ve been told that Barkswell elected to stay aboard the Tempest.”
“He did.”
“But I thought he was hell-bent on racing to the top of the military ladder.”
“Apparently he’s got a thing for Rowe. Poor guy. I doubt she’d notice him even if he stood on his head and serenaded her with a clackamore.”
“That’s rough.”
“It’s going to take something really special to get her to wake up and take notice.” She wiggled as she cuddled closer to him and his cock sprung to life at the contact. Apparently the sedative had completely worn off. “So what about you? Which ship did you take?”
“Lee told you he was offering me one?”
“It might have crossed his mind.”
“And I thought you didn’t read minds.”
She chuckled. “I don’t read my crew’s minds. Politicians, and apparently alleged terrorists, are a completely different story. In my defense, I’ve found it can be good for my health to know what they’re thinking.”
He could understand that logic. “Which one do you think I chose?”
“The Severance.”
His heart stopped at the name. “Holy shit. He was going to give me the Severance?”
She poked him in the ribs. “You didn’t listen to all your options before you chose?”
“Nope. I knew which one I wanted. Granted, I didn’t know the Severance was on the table.”
“So which one did you pick
?” Her breath tickled his ear with the question.
This was it. The moment of truth. “The Tempest.”
“What?” She propped herself up on one elbow to look at him. “You’re taking my ship?”
“No. Silly thing. I’m staying on as your XO.”
“Oh.” She lay back down next him. “But why?”
“It’s the only place I want to be.”
“But it isn’t the ideal assignment for anyone. The ship is run-down, the missions dangerous, the captain demanding.”
“All true. But it has its perks.” He kissed her forehead gently. “I was wrong, too. You aren’t the only one who’s been in hell for the past three days. I lied when I told you I was over you. I love you, Harlow. And you aren’t getting rid of me.”
Her whole body relaxed next to him with his words. “You’re going to be my XO, really?”
“I’m all yours, Captain.”
“Mine, huh? I like the way that sounds.”
He scooped her up and rolled her over so she was lying on top of him. “So what are you planning on doing with me?”
She looked a little concerned. “What about your arm?”
“It’s healed. One of the benefits of being genetically enhanced.”
She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on his neck. “Someone could walk in at any moment.”
“Then you should hurry up so we can get to the good parts before they do.”
“Are you sure you’re up for it?”
He wiggled his hips so his hard cock rubbed against her. “Oh I’m up, sweetheart.”
She jumped off the bed and undressed as quickly as possible. Thankfully the flimsy hospital robe that covered him didn’t prove to be much of an obstacle. “Condom?”
She pulled one out of her uniform pocket with a self-satisfied smile.
“I do so love an optimistic woman.”
She opened the package and slowly rolled it over his cock. “How do you want me?”
“Every way possible.”
She laughed as she climbed back up onto the bed. “How do you want me this time?”
“Ride me.”
She straddled him then positioned his cock at her entrance before sliding down on him. “I’ve missed you.”
Her inner muscles clamped around him tightly and the warmth made his eyes roll back. “Missed you too.” She rose off him a couple of inches but then lowered herself down his length again. The control of her disciplined movements drove him to insanity. He needed her to take him. To make him hers. “Faster.”
A seductive smile flickered across her face for a split second but then she complied with the order. The muscles on her thighs rippled and her back arched as she took him fast and deep. Each of her movements was timed perfectly and brought him closer to the cusp of his orgasm. When he didn’t think he could take any more of the sensual torment he lowered one of his hands so he could strum her clit with his fingertip.
She let go with a loud shout and a firm tug on his hair. The slight edge of pain was just what he needed to push him into his own climax. His whole body shook with the power of the release and his vision went black for a second.
“Is everything oka—” The voice died the second the first footstep crossed into the room. “Oh.”
He pulled Harlow to him and threw the thin hospital cover over them both. “We’re fine, Doctor.”
“Yes. Well. Um…”
“If you could give us a couple of minutes to get dressed, you can come back and chastise us all you like.”
The man left in a flustered huff just as Harlow started to shake with laughter. The sensation made his body shiver again. “Roll over. Let’s see if we can have another go before he comes back.”
* * * * *
“Are you sure you can’t move?”
He pulled on the ropes but found them secure. “I’m certain, Captain. There’s no way I’m getting free.”
She smiled mischievously before she put the blindfold over his eyes. “And can you see anything?”
He could almost imagine her waving her hand in front of his face. The image made him smile but he knew better than to laugh. “Not a thing. I’m completely at your mercy.”
“Well! Would you look at that. A big, strong super-soldier at the mercy of a little Sub like myself.”
“Yeah, yeah. Play the poor, defenseless Sub card for as long as you can. Soon you’re going to be a citizen just like the rest of us. Then what will you do?” It’d been a full year since he’d woken up in that hospital bed. A year of political debate and discord. But he could see some progress. It was slow, just as Lee had promised. It was happening though.
He shivered as she ran a feather over his thigh. He never would’ve guessed this would become one of her favorite games when he teased her about it all those months ago. He also never would’ve guessed how much he’d love being the one tied and blindfolded. Thank god she had, however. Surrendering control to her was amazing.
“Maybe I’ll make you my sub.” The whispered words were followed by a gentle nip on his earlobe. He moaned at the sensation and moved his head to kiss her but she was already gone. “Or maybe I’ll make you my husband.”
It was the first restriction the congress had gotten lifted. Subs could get married to citizens now. He hadn’t expected her to ask him though.
“Parker?” Her voice sounded uncertain.
“I’m at your command, Captain. But, between you and me, I think I’d make a better husband than sub.”
She kissed him on his chest and he could feel her smile against his skin. “I agree. Neither one of us will ever be a Sub again.”
“Except in bed,” he added quickly. He was all for marriage and empowerment but he didn’t want to lose this.
She ran the feather over his nipples slowly. “Except in bed. And, just so you know, I am keeping track. The next time it will be me tied and blindfolded or I’m breaking out the candle wax.”
“You say the most romantic things.”
She chuckled softly as she rolled a latex barrier over his cock. The bed creaked softly as she straddled him and then he was sliding into the depths of her soft, warm pussy. All conversation stopped. She set a fast and hard pace as she fucked him without reserve. She knew his body well and what she needed to find release. But he was still hard when she got off him. Usually at this point she would untie him and he would be in the dominant position for the next round. That didn’t happen though. Instead he felt her small hands remove the condom.
There was a moment of silence and then he could hear the latex drop to the bottom of a wastebasket. “Do you know what I’ve been thinking about all day?” Her voice was low and husky still.
“Not a clue.”
“How you’d feel in my mouth.”
Shit. He nearly came at the words. When her tongue traced a path from his balls to the head of his cock he nearly tore his arms out of their sockets trying to get free. He needed to hold her—to run his fingers through her hair.
“Oh no you don’t.” The words were whispered against the sensitive skin of his dick. “You move your hands, I stop. Remember.”
He growled but somehow managed to force his arms to relax.
“That’s a good boy.” Without any warning she sucked his cock into her mouth as she cupped his balls. His orgasm slammed into him unexpectedly and made him buck his hips desperately beneath her. But she didn’t pause. As hot currents of pleasure raced up his spine she took him deeper into her mouth and swallowed his essence with a moan.
He was beyond any thoughts of control as he pulled against the ropes this time. It wasn’t until he heard the snap that he remembered he was supposed to be holding still.
“Damn it, Parker.” Her voice held only teasing admonishment. “Maintenance isn’t going to believe I accidentally broke another bed.” She licked his cock softly, eliciting another round of shivers from him.
He waited patiently for her to untie him and take off the blindfold before grabbing her and rol
ling on top of her. “I think they stopped believing you two months ago.”
“Probably right.”
“One of the hazards of having an enhanced soldier tied to your bed.”
She kissed him softly. “I guess I’ll have to learn to live with it then. Because you aren’t going anywhere.”
“No sweeter words have ever been spoken.”
About Chandra Ryan
Being from a rather nomadic family, Chandra Ryan loves to travel and meet people. But she’s found that sometimes, like when you’re stuck inside because of a good old-fashioned Southwestern heat wave, you have to make do. Fortunately for her and her loving family, who don’t like seeing her suffer from cabin fever, she’s found creating new people and places equally as fascinating. Also, you’re a lot less likely to spill your ice tea.
Chandra welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Chandra Ryan
Bond Betrayed
Ink in the Blood
Universal Defiance 1: Ulterior Motives
Universal Defiance 2: Shared Objectives
Universal Defiance 3: Extreme Circumstances
Universal Defiance 4: Hostile Intent
Print books by Chandra Ryan
Bond Betrayed
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Subservience
ISBN 9781419991745
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Subservience Copyright © 2014 Chandra Ryan
Edited by Beverly Horne
Cover design by Kelly Martin
Cover photography by vita khorzhevska/Shutterstock, Maria Starovoytova/Shutterstock
Electronic book publication March 2014
