Laken's Surrender (Haven)

by Roberts, Laylah

  Men. Such idiots sometimes. She wasn’t going to serve his brothers pizza.

  “I’ll close up for half an hour and go to the store. Shouldn’t you be headed back to work? Don’t you have a cat to rescue or someone to ticket?”

  She bent down to grab her handbag from beneath the desk

  Smack! A sharp slap landed on her butt.

  “Hey!” She turned, glaring at him.

  He grinned unrepentantly. “Couldn’t resist. Come on, I’ll go with you to the market. Although I don’t know what’s wrong with pizza.”

  ***

  “Go into the dining room, bend over the table and spread your legs,” Duncan whispered in her ear. He pressed against her back, his heat instantly warming her. A shiver ran down her back at his words.

  “Duncan, we don’t have time. Your brothers will be here soon.”

  Smack! Smack!

  She squealed and turned, her hands protecting her ass. Duncan stared down at her sternly.

  Sighing, she cast her gaze over the food. She turned the stove off. The roast was covered and resting. With a small glare, she moved past him towards the table, stilling when she saw the towel lying on the table, a butt plug and lube sitting on it. Was he kidding?

  Smack! Smack!

  For God’s sake, what was wrong with him?

  “Fucking hell, will you stop spanking me, asshole!” she snapped. Oh shit.

  There was silence behind her.

  She turned, encountering his stony gaze. “Sorry, Sir, I—”

  “Do I call you names, sugar? Do I swear at you?”

  She shook her head.

  “Is that an acceptable way for us to speak to each other?”

  “No, Sir.”

  He pulled a chair out from the dining table and sat down, beckoning to her.

  “Are you going to spank me now?” she asked as she moved until she was standing between his legs.

  “Yes, I am,” he said firmly. “Panties off and over my knee.”

  Moving slowly, she tugged down her panties. Laken took the hand he held up to help her over his knee.

  Duncan drew her skirt up and over her ass. He rubbed her bottom, squeezing lightly.

  “Why are you about to be punished, sugar?” he asked.

  “For swearing at you and calling you an asshole.”

  “Why is that unacceptable?”

  God, she hated how he made her reflect on her behavior. She just wanted the punishment over. But she knew that he didn’t like to discipline her without her fully acknowledging and understanding why.

  “Because a relationship should be built on respect, Sir.”

  “Yes, sugar. Respect, communication and honesty. I know these aren’t the best circumstances for us to build a relationship, but that’s what I what with you, Laken. I want to grow old with you, to one day sit on our rockers and watch our great-grandkids run around. After this is over and this bastard is out of our lives, I am not going to let you go. I love you, Laken.”

  Wait! What?

  Before she could question him, he smacked his hand down on her ass. She let out a loud squeak as he quickly followed it up with volley of heavy spanks. He didn’t keep to a rhythm, just spanked her steadily until tears filled her eyes and dripped off to land on the tile floor.

  Heat engulfed her butt and she let out a loud sob. Immediately, she found herself right-side up, her legs straddling his lap, her head held tightly against his chest as she cried. Once she started, a damn seemed to break inside her and she couldn’t stop.

  She sobbed until she was exhausted, until her tears had let a giant wet patch on his shirt. All her fears, all her worries, her very real terror that somehow that bastard would get hold of her again gushed out in deep sobs that took a long time to ease.

  “Oh God,” she rasped. “How embarrassing.”

  More than a little horrified, after all the spanking hadn’t been that painful, she pulled back and tried to climb from his lap.

  “Stay where you are,” he growled.

  “Let me go, Duncan,” she told him, struggling slightly. “I fu—” She caught herself just in time, looking up at him a little guiltily as he frowned down at her. “I mean it. I want some time to myself.”

  “No.”

  “Can’t I have any time to myself,” she cried.

  Sighing, he ran his knuckles down her face. “You can. What I won’t allow is for you to run from me when something scares you. I want you to run to me, Laken.”

  She slumped against him and his arms surrounded her, holding her tight. He just held her, not talking for the longest moment.

  “I’ve got to check on dinner.”

  “You turned everything off. It will be fine,” he countered, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

  “I can’t believe you told me you loved me just before you spanked me,” she told him.

  His chest moved up and down as he chuckled quietly. “Really? I thought it was quite fitting.”

  Laken shook her head, sitting back again to look up at him. “You never said it before.”

  His gaze warm, he pushed the hair back of her face, tucking it behind her ears.

  “I should have. I’ve loved you for years, Laken Michaels.”

  Tears dripped down her face again. “Oh my God, what is wrong with me?” she said in disgust, wiping her cheeks. “I never cry and now I seem to be doing it all the time.”

  He brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “I’d say you were well overdue, sugar. You’ve been through a lot lately and you’ve been keeping much of it bottled up inside. Think of it as stress relief. Sometimes a spanking just helps you release that tension and stress.”

  She narrowed her gaze at him. “If you think you’re going to suggest that I need therapy spankings, think again, buster.”

  A grin crossed his face, and she caught her breath at how truly sexy he was. Not classically handsome, his jaw was a bit too wide, his features a bit too rugged.

  “You sure about that? It could be good for both of us.”

  “No,” she told him firmly, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Okay, sugar. No therapy spankings then. But we need to change this inclination you have to take off when something upsets you. I expect that when you are upset, particularly if it is something I have done, that you will come to me. Okay?”

  “I’ll try,” she said.

  “Now, do you have anything to say to me?”

  She pretended to ponder the question as she sat there, tapping her finger against her chin. He let out a low growl and she knew she was pushing his patience.

  Leaning forward, she kissed him softly. “I love you too, handsome. I’ve loved you for a long time and I plan on loving you forever more.”

  He pulled her close, holding her tight.

  “As soon as this is all over, you and I are going to sit down for a long conversation about our future. But for now, I want you to get up and take your position over the table.”

  Tensing slightly, she stood and turned, bending over so she rested on the towel that was laid on the dining table. She fought to keep her position as he raised her skirt up over her waist.

  She heard a squirting noise and looked over her shoulder to find him squirting some lubricant onto his fingers.

  “Eyes front,” he ordered.

  He pulled her bottom cheeks apart. One finger swirled around her back entrance and she groaned.

  “Silence, sugar,” he told her, pressing his finger forward. “Relax for me.”

  Why did he always think he could just order her to relax? She had a freaking finger up her ass, after all.

  Another finger joined the first and she clenched, the slight sting of pain making her gasp.

  “Shh, sugar. Deep breath in then slowly out. That’s it.”

  He pushed his fingers in and out until pleasure built deep inside her. He pulled free.

  “Reach back and pull your ass cheeks apart.”

  Something cool and hard pressed a

gainst her asshole. She immediately seized up, trying to keep him out.

  “Let go and relax, sugar. Do you want to please me?”

  “Y-yes, Sir,” she told him, meaning it.

  “Well, tonight I want you to wear a plug for me. I know this isn’t easy for you, but it would please me. However, it’s not going to happen unless you relax for me, sugar. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I don’t know if I can, Sir,” she told him honestly.

  “You can, baby,” he told her.

  One hand reached around to play with her clit, his finger swirling around the swollen nub. The tip of the plug entered her ass.

  “My beautiful girl. I know how hard this is on you and you’re doing so well. Have I told you how much you please me?”

  As her arousal grew, she found herself relaxing and the plug slid easily inside her.

  “Deep breath in then out and it will all be over,” he murmured. She let his voice wash over her, soothing her. “Good girl.”

  She suddenly realized that she no longer seized up with fear at those words.

  “Damn, that looks sexy, sugar.” She shivered as Duncan ran his hand over her still tender ass. “Let me help you up.”

  He slid her skirt back over her ass, his hands lingering on her butt.

  She bent down to pull up her panties, but he held her in place. “Step out of them, sugar, you won’t need them.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me?”

  His gaze grew cold and she bit back her protests.

  “What if it pops out, Sir?”

  “What?” he asked, looking confused.

  “The plug! What if it just pops out?” She could see it now, her bending over and it would just pop out, probably landing in one of his brothers laps.

  Duncan chuckled and tapped her bottom lightly. “Well, you’ll just have to concentrate very hard, won’t you?”

  Jerk.

  Laken’s nerves were shot. She sat across the table from Kellan Jones, trying hard not to fidget.

  “That was a great dinner, Laken,” Eli said sitting back in his chair, rubbing his stomach. “I haven’t had a home-cooked meal in a long time.”

  “It was very good,” Kellan added awkwardly. She’d noticed that Eli did most of the talking. Kellan didn’t miss much, though.

  “Everything is set up for tomorrow night,” Eli said. “We’ll have some people inside the club keeping watch over Laken.”

  Duncan nodded. “Good. I want them totally concentrating on Laken’s safety. Not that I intend to let her out of my sight.”

  Eli stared at him solemnly. “Just be careful, Duncan. He may try to take you out in order to get to her.”

  Laken took in a sharp breath, looking over at Duncan.

  “I’ll be fine,” he told her. “Don’t even think about it. I am not letting you go in there by yourself. I can take care of myself, Laken. He won’t get to me.”

  Laken didn’t like this at all. But she also knew she wasn’t brave enough to do this without him.

  She turned to Kellan. “I don’t want Duncan hurt. You make sure whoever is watching me is looking out for him too.”

  Kellan looked at Duncan, his eyebrow raised. Duncan’s lips twitched. Duncan ran his hand over her head.

  “Would you all like some coffee?” he asked his brothers.

  They nodded.

  Laken stood as quickly as she could manage. “I’ll get it,” she offered. “Why don’t you all move into the living area and I’ll bring it in.”

  “Pretty protective of you, isn’t she?” Eli said as the three of them sat in the living room.

  Duncan felt a flush of pride. “She is. But she sometimes forgets how important she is. I want everyone watching over her tomorrow night, not me. I can look after myself.”

  “Just as long as you’re aware you could be in danger as too,” Kellan said.

  Duncan could only pray that this guy would come after him. In his mind, that would be the ideal situation. He stood as Laken came into the room, taking the tray from her hands and placing it on the coffee table. He made her coffee first and handed it over to her. Strong and sweet, the way she liked it.

  “So, Laken, are you feeling ready for tomorrow night?” Eli asked.

  She snorted. “As ready as I can be when I’m setting myself up as bait for some psycho murderer. How come I couldn’t attract a more normal stalker?”

  “Normal?” Duncan queried.

  “Yeah, one who goes after women in dark alleys or deserted parking lots. Instead I have to go around half naked and have someone tie me up and spank my ass to tempt this guy.”

  “Not just someone. Me,” Duncan growled at her. He turned to his brothers. “Did you bring me what I asked for?”

  Eli pulled a small velvet bag from his pocket. “Here it is.”

  Duncan reached over and took hold of the bag. Opening it, he was aware of Laken’s curious gaze. He crooked his finger at her.

  “Come here, sugar.”

  She stood, blushing slightly as she gazed over at his brothers. Reaching over, he grabbed a small pillow off the sofa and placed it between his legs.

  “Present yourself.”

  She took a deep breath, her gaze nervous, but kneeled before him on the cushion, her thighs apart, her hands palm up.

  Duncan pulled out the necklace from the bag. “Gaze on me,” he told her, watching as her eyes grew wide. The necklace was a rose gold locket with small diamonds embedded into a star pattern.

  “This is my collar, sugar, do you accept it? Will you accept my protection, my guidance and my love?”

  He hadn’t realized how anxious he’d been until she nodded and relief flooded through him.

  He waited a long moment.

  “Yes, Sir,” she finally said, her voice shaking slightly. “I’ll accept it gladly.”

  “Lean forward.”

  He did up the clasp, letting it fall around her neck to nestle in the dip made by the swell of her collar bones. Then he tipped her chin up, laying a soft kiss on her lips.

  “Inside the locket is a tracking device,” Eli explained. “As long as you’re wearing it we can keep track of your location.”

  She nodded and leaned her head against his thigh. Eli grabbed his computer and pulled it out of its bag, setting it up on the coffee table.

  “I’ve arranged it so you can meet the others involved in this operation,” Eli explained. “We didn’t think it was a good idea to meet in person. There’s a reason Kellan and I might come here to visit our brother, but if he’s watching you he’d grow suspicious of a group of strangers coming in and out.”

  Duncan nodded. “Turn around, baby.” He didn’t want her to move far, he enjoyed having her close.

  He helped her swivel around. She leaned against his leg once more and he was hard-pressed to hide his satisfaction. He couldn’t believe how relaxed she was with him.

  Eli brought up Skype and his call was answered quickly, a gorgeous dark-haired woman appearing in the screen.

  “About time, Eli,” she told him with a slight frown.

  “You can’t rush a good meal, Tarin,” Eli replied with a grin. “Roast beef, mashed potatoes then apple crumble for dessert.”

  The woman glared at him through the computer screen. “Asshole, bet you didn’t once think of us. Marc brought dinner tonight. Pizza, again. That makes five nights this week.”

  “Hey, I never got the same flavor twice,” a large man protested as he sat beside the woman.

  The woman elbowed the man in the side. “Move over, you great lump.”

  “Are you two arguing again? You’re driving me to drink,” another voice complained from somewhere else in the room.

  “Let me do introductions,” Eli said. “Meet Tarin and Marc, they’ll be inside the club. Marc is going to introduce himself around as an old friend of Jake’s. They were at Saxon’s last weekend, scoping things out.”

  Duncan nodded at the two, not moving his hand from where he was massaging Laken’s neck.

  “Turn the computer screen around,” Eli ordered. The screen was turned in a blur, settling down on another man sitting in a chair in the corner.

  “Hello, Travis,” Duncan said, having met his brothers’ boss a few times before. The huge man nodded, his golden surfer looks at odds with the deep frown on his face.

  “Duncan,” he replied with a nod. His gaze dropped to Laken. “Hello, Laken. I’m Travis Downs, I own Raptor Inc., and I’m the boss of this lot, God help me.”

  “Hey, we’re a fantastic crew,” Eli protested. “Secretly he loves us.” He winked over at Laken.

  “There are two others who are on our team. Ian, who has been watching you during the day and Sawyer who has been taking the night shift,” Travis explained. “Ian’s sleeping at the moment.”

  “Tomorrow night, Kellan and I will be watching from outside the club,” Eli explained. “Ian and Sawyer will be watching as well. Travis will be running things from the hotel. Inside the club will be Tarin and Marc. They’ve both been in the scene for ages. If you need to go to the bathroom or for some reason Duncan has to leave you, they will stick close by. But remember you’re not supposed to have met them before.”

  Laken nodded as Duncan dropped his hand to her shoulder, lending her his strength.

  “Thank you for doing this, Laken,” Travis said seriously when Eli finished going over all the preparations. “I understand how incredibly difficult this must be. I want to promise that your safety is of utmost importance to us. We want to catch this asshole, but we won’t do it at your expense.”

  Duncan felt her relax at Travis’s sincere words.

  Laken stayed where she was until his brothers left later, her forehead resting on his knee as he continued to touch her.

  He placed his hand on her head, feeling her presence soothe the worry and anger roiling inside him. He really didn’t know how he was going to do this and remain calm.

  But he had to. This danger to her had to be eliminated.

  Duncan helped her clean up then pulled her into his arms, holding her close. “I’m going to have to keep a close eye on those brothers of mine, the way they were staring at you tonight; I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they try to steal you away from me.”

  She laughed softly and nuzzled her face against his chest.

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