by Sarah Bale
“What are you doing now?” Dev asked.
She caught his scowling gaze in the mirror. “Will you hold me?”
His arms went around her and he pulled her close. Through the towels his erection strained against the material.
“Will you take the chains off now? There’s something I want to show you.”
He eyed her warily but nodded. She held out her right arm so he could remove the cuff. When the cuff came off she cringed to see two red marks circling her wrist. She pulled her hand back and held up the other, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
He removed the cuff and cursed at the mark on her left wrist. The scrape was a dark red and stung when he touched her. She held back her hiss of pain, trying to downplay the stinging ache.
“Dev, my ankles too please.”
She needed the chains to be gone before she made her next move. The marks were going to cause another issue if she didn’t get Dev’s attention on something else.
He bent at the waist and removed the cuffs. Thankfully the marks were barely noticeable. The darker marks on her wrist made sense. Her arms had jerked the most, not her legs.
He stood.
“Hold me again,” she said.
He started to open his mouth and she stopped him.
“No. Don’t say anything. This is my turn to talk. Now hold me.”
His arms went around her again but he didn’t hold her as close as before. She held back a sigh and leaned into him so he had no choice but to hold her in the way she wanted to be held.
“Dev, I promised you I would use my safe word. I never used it because there was no need.”
He met her eyes in the mirror again and bit out, “Didn’t you see your fucking wrists? They were almost bleeding! Jesus Christ, Shannon!”
Oh boy. He wasn’t taking this very well. She held up both her wrists.
“I’m fine. These marks are nothing and I’m not bleeding. Dev, look at me. I swear I would have stopped you if it became too much.”
She took his hand from her hip and kissed his palm before moving his hand to her breasts. He started to pull away but she stopped him. She rubbed his hand over her sensitive nipples. Even though the towel was between them her budded peak poked against his palm.
“I was so turned on earlier when you and Marco were playing with me.” She chuckled. “Who would have thought I would have liked being chained up?”
She used her other hand to unwrap the towel and let it fall to the ground. Right now she didn’t want anything between her and Dev. His gaze ran her body up and down but he still didn’t move his hand. She bit her lip. What to do, what to do?
“At first I was scared about the chains. They seemed so…hard but I was wrong. Once they were on they felt almost normal. Even when I was thrashing around I barely even noticed them. Sure I noticed the pain.”
His eyes darkened in the mirror and she went on.
“But the pain quickly turned to hot pleasure. I felt so fucking good, Dev.”
She took his hand from her breast and moved it down her stomach. Goosebumps popped up across her skin and she smiled. Even when she was guiding his hand, he still managed to turn her on.
His hand reached her pelvic area and his eyes darkened further. “Shan, what are you doing?”
She kept moving his hand until he cupped her sex. “I still want you.”
His jaw clenched. “I’m not going to make love to you. I don’t think you realize how exhausted your body really is.”
She bit back a smart reply and used her hand to spread open the lips of her pussy. She then held onto his index finger and ran it through her juices.
“I may be exhausted but I’m also so turned on I’m creaming for you.”
She loved how desire danced across his face as she said the words. His reaction made her feel so sexy and wanted.
“So if you aren’t going to sleep with me, then I hope you will at least help me take the edge off my arousal.”
He swallowed and nodded. “Sit on the counter.”
She took two steps forward and climbed onto the counter. The marble was cold against her skin but the shiver that swept across her body had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with the man falling to his knees before her.
Marco caught her eye and nodded. He then quietly made his way from the room. She was thankful he had come to help Dev but was glad to see him go. What happened next needed to be the two of them.
“I never meant to hurt you,” he said as he brushed kisses along the inside of her thigh.
Her legs opened to grant him better access and she replied, “Dev, I would have told you. You have to trust me on this.”
His eyes lifted to meet hers as his mouth made contact with her pussy. Her hips lifted and he reached up to hold her in place. God he felt so good. Hot breath collided with her skin as his tongue glided through her wet folds.
“Ah,” she moaned out. “Yes, Dev. Right there.”
His tongue swirled around her clit and she shuddered in pleasure. Hot tension began to build deep in her stomach and her hands grasped the edge of the counter until her knuckles were white.
“God you’re so fucking wet, Shannon,” Dev rasped. “You really liked being chained up didn’t you?”
He sucked on her clit while he entered one long finger inside her. Slowly he began moving it in and out.
“I liked it. A lot,” she replied.
He entered another finger and she gasped.
“Oh god.”
A third finger entered her and she moaned. He would kill her if he didn’t make her come soon. His teeth scraped over her clit again as he began moving all three fingers. Being finger-fucked had never turned her on but with Dev it was different.
Her hips lifted again and this time he didn’t stop her. Instead he pulled her closer to the edge of the counter and continued his skilled movements. Her stomach tightened and her breath hitched. Dev’s fingers left her throbbing pussy and he grinned up at her for a moment before he began fucking her with his tongue and mouth.
His warm tongue lapping at her pussy was her undoing and she screamed out his name as an orgasm ripped through her body. Wave after wave she released her tension and he drank every last drop.
When she stopped shaking, he stood and picked her up. Without saying a word he carried her back into the bedroom and placed her in the bed before crawling in right behind her.
She nestled against him and whispered, “Do you want me to return the favor?”
His erection rubbed thickly against her back and she wanted him to find his own release.
He pulled her closer. “No, babe. Right now all I need is to hold you.”
Her heart leaped and she nodded. She wanted so badly to say how much she loved him.
Instead she said, “Thank you, Dev.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Shannon sat in the large chair near the window in the library. She put the book she was reading against her chest and stretched. God she ached but in a good way. After falling asleep in Dev’s arms she was awakened the next morning to small kisses on her shoulder.
When he climbed on top of her and slid into her aching folds, she felt something was different between them. Could it be possible Dev was starting to feel the same way about her that she felt for him? Mutual feelings seemed almost too good to be true but the look in his dark eyes said otherwise.
When he came he started to cry out something but pressed his face against her neck. As he said her name over and over she found her body responding. God, would they ever get enough of each other? She prayed not.
The door to the library opened and Mrs. Ingram came in, carrying a tray of hot tea and cookies.
Shannon set her book aside. “You didn’t have to bring me anything.”
“I wanted to, dear. I know how it is to get caught up in all these wonderful books.”
Shannon glanced at the grandfather clock that sat against one of the walls and gasped. “Is it really three? Holy cow, wher
e has this day gone?”
Mrs. Ingram chuckled. “Just as I thought. You did lose track of time.” She set the tray down and went on. “I also brought your cell phone. I kept hearing it ringing while I was cleaning and figured it might be important.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out Shannon’s phone.
Shannon took the cell with a smile.
“I’m sponsoring a friend through AA. He’s probably checking in.”
Mrs. Ingram nodded. “My late husband lived to be twenty-two years sober. He sponsored people as well. In fact I still keep in touch with some of them even to this day.”
Hearing stories such as that always gave Shannon a ray of hope. Sometimes day-by-day life became hard, and knowing there were people out there who were sober over twenty years provided her with inspiration.
The length of her own sobriety seemed small by comparison but she hoped one day she could say she had been sober for twenty years or more. One day at a time. That was the only way.
“I am sure you are proud of your husband.”
“Oh yes. I always get sad when I hear of those who didn’t stick with their sobriety though.” Mrs. Ingram smoothed her apron. “Well I had better run. Dinner will be served at eight tonight since Mr. James is at a meeting.”
Shannon nodded. Dev had mentioned having a meeting with a few of his sponsors. He seemed nervous but wouldn’t tell her why.
Mrs. Ingram left the room and Shannon unlocked her phone so she could see who had been texting or calling her. She didn’t really think Joe was trying to reach her. If she were betting, she’d guess Johnny.
She scanned her text log and her stomach dropped. Johnny had sent several messages to her. They all said pretty much the same thing—hold up your end of the deal. Don’t fuck this up. Keep your boy toy in bed. She set the phone down in disgust just as it began ringing.
“Hello?” she answered.
She didn’t want to talk to him right now but she didn’t have a choice. Johnny remained too unpredictable to be left to his own devices.
“Well, well,” he purred. “Look who is finally answering their phone.”
“What do you want?”
He chuckled. “You know what I want but since you swore you would never give that to me again…”
Her body shook in revulsion and she held back a smart response.
She didn’t say anything and he went on.
“Aw, not going to play with me today?” He laughed. “Guess not.”
“Johnny, is there something you wanted? I’m kind of busy.”
An outright lie but he didn’t need to know that.
“See I might believe you were busy if your boy wasn’t sitting on the other side of this window I’m standing in front of.”
“Window?” she echoed.
Her heart pounded. How in the hell had he weaseled his way into Dev’s meeting? She could hear voices in the background and the occasional phone ringing so she didn’t doubt his word.
“And I find it funny he is even at this meeting when I specifically gave you orders to keep him so busy his head would spin.”
She sat forward in the chair. “John—”
“No you listen to me, you fucking bitch. I gave you one fucking job. How hard is it to spread your legs and let him fuck you until he can’t even think about getting out of bed? I thought it would be easy for a slut like you!”
She gasped, his insults hitting her as if she had been slapped.
“Now I am going to give you one more chance. I’m not even going to ask you to sleep with him this time.”
She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “Whatever it is I’ll do it. Just leave Dev alone.”
“I knew you would come around, Shannon. You always do in the end. Now here is what you are going to do. Ask the kind housekeeper to borrow one of Dev’s cars but not the flashy new one your boy bought you. Get something that will blend in.”
She swallowed. “It’s going to be hard to leave…”
“I am sure you will think of something,” he sneered. “Drive into town and look for the Embassy Suites. You won’t miss it. Go to the front desk and tell them you are visiting a guest named Baby Bray. They will give you a room key and you will then go to the room. Understand?”
“You bastard,” she whispered. “I should have never told you about the baby.”
He laughed deeply. “I would have found out, even if you hadn’t told me. Unlike some people, my private investigators always find things for me to use against a person. You just saved me a step by divulging the information yourself.” He paused then added, “Now do you understand?”
“What time do I need to be there?”
“One hour from now. Don’t be late.”
“What will I be doing?”
“Oh, you’ll see…”
Johnny hung up the phone and Shannon rubbed her forehead. If she was late, there was no telling what he would do. Why did he have it out for Dev? As far as she knew they had no prior knowledge of each other. But something made Johnny go after Dev.
She took in a deep breath and went in search of Mrs. Ingram. Shannon found the housekeeper in the kitchen, playing with Alice on the floor.
“I hate to ask but is there a car I can borrow?”
Mrs. Ingram smiled. “Actually your car was delivered just this morning.”
“My car?” she echoed.
“Yes, Mr. James said it was a gift. He said you knew…”
She smiled. “Oh yes…how could I have forgotten?”
“If you look out the window over there, you can see the car parked outside the garage.”
Shannon walked over to the window. The sporty car gleamed in the sunlight and her heart leaped at the sight. She couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel and see what the car could do.
Johnny’s warning flashed through her mind and she bit her lip. She couldn’t drive her new car. The bright red Mercedes was too flashy.
“What’s wrong, dear?”
“Uh, I hate to ask but is there something more…normal looking?”
Mrs. Ingram smiled. “Afraid to drive such a beauty on the road? I understand the feeling. I’ll have the SUV brought around. You are probably more accustomed to driving a vehicle like that.”
“Thank you so much.”
She glanced wistfully at her car. The SUV would have to do for now.
* * * * *
Nearly an hour later Shannon stood in the lobby of the Embassy Suites. She smoothed her shirt as she walked up to the front desk.
“Hi,” she said to the man behind the counter. “I am here to see a friend and I believe they left a key for me.”
“What is the name of the guest?”
“Baby Bray.”
Her teeth clenched and she fought to keep her expression neutral. She didn’t want to draw any more attention to herself than needed.
“Ah yes. Here is the keycard. Room 719. Just take the elevators to the left and go to the seventh floor. This is also for you.”
The man handed her an envelope, which was so light it felt almost empty. She tucked the package into her purse.
“Thank you.”
Once on the elevator she pulled the envelope back out and lifted the flap. Three photos fell out and she held her hand to her mouth in shock. The first photo was from the Sunset Café. Dev sat at the table and she stood before him with her hand on her hip.
The next photo was of her and Dev at his house in Miami. They both stood on the balcony that overlooked the gardens. Her skin began to crawl as she looked at the last. Taken at the airport in Colorado, she exited the jet with Dev right behind her. How in the fuck did Johnny have these photos?
The elevator chimed as she reached the seventh floor. Okay she could do this. She walked down the hallway and found the room. She slid the keycard into the door and then opened it.
The room was dark except for a lamp near one of the beds.
“Hello?” she called out.
She turned on another lamp, which ca
st the room in a yellow glow. She sat on the bed with an angry sigh.
“What in the heck are you playing at, Johnny?” she asked the empty room.
The phone next to her rang and she jumped.
“Hello?”
“Well look who is following directions now. How did you manage to leave the house?”
She rolled her eyes. “I said I wanted to go to a bookstore.”
“Nice cover,” Johnny said. “I taught you well. I see you drove a SUV. Good girl.”
His knowledge of what she drove creeped her out but she shouldn’t be surprised.
“Did the front desk give you the envelope?”
“You know they did. How did you get those pictures?”
“I have my ways, Shannon. You know better than to ask.”
She sighed. “I have to get back soon so can you stop dragging this out. Why aren’t you here?”
“I knew you missed me.”
She huffed and counted to ten before replying. “Please just tell me what you wanted.”
“What I want and what I’m going to get are two different things but have the same outcome. Devlin James will not win.”
Her heart ached at the thought of Johnny using her in some way to make Dev lose his fight. She had to find a way to tell Dev the truth soon. She wouldn’t tip Johnny off, though.
“How am I supposed to help Dev lose his fight?”
She imagined Johnny smiling as he said, “You have your ways, my pet. Obviously sex is not one of those ways though.”
“Johnny…” Her voice held a warning behind it.
“I’m not going to ask you to fuck him to keep him distracted. You are going to slide under the radar until the night of his fight. Wear something revealing that will draw attention to you. My men will handle the rest.”
“That’s it?”
After all his threats this seemed such a small request.
His tone darkened. “Yes that’s it. That is the last thing I’m going to ask of you so you had better not fuck it up. Something slutty and revealing. Got it?”
“Yes.” She took in a deep breath. “But how do I know you’ll leave me alone after the fight is over?”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head. After the fight is over you will never see me again…as long as my plan goes according to schedule.”
