What Alex Wants The Complete Duet (What Alex Wants #1-2)

by E. M. Gayle

  We were at an impasse whether he wanted to admit it or not.

  “Look, Alex. This just makes it more certain that it’s time to let this go. My life is a mess. I am complicated and that’s not good for you or your world.

  “Stop right there.” The low pitch of his command should have halted my tirade in its tracks, but the pain of these last several days fueled me now and there was no turning back. I’d come here to say good-bye and, dammit, that is precisely what I intended to do.

  “No, I won’t stop. I have to get this out before I let you talk me out of it. For once in my life, I am going to try and do the right thing, okay?” His scowl deepened, but I continued. “This isn’t going to work because it isn’t what I want. I’ve already lived a life with a man who claimed to love me who not only didn’t, but he ultimately humiliated me because he thought I was weak and needy. So I’m not about to keep living a life with a man who understands and embraces the submissive part of me but doesn’t love the woman. I deserve better than that. I deserve an equal emotional relationship.” Not the exact words I’d planned, but they’d do. I reached behind my neck and underneath my hair and unclipped the exquisite necklace Alex had bestowed on me not long after we agreed to explore a Dom/sub relationship. (when he’d been in the shower that morning I’d located the key he kept in his wallet and unlocked the lock.)

  With shaky hands and an even heavier heart, I placed the silver chain on the table in front of me. Afraid to look him in the eye again, knowing my resolve crumbled the longer I stayed, I walked to the foyer, grabbed my coat and purse and slipped out the door.

  Every second I waited for the elevator I prayed he wouldn’t come after me. My only hope of sticking with this decision relied on him letting me go. When the familiar ding finally chimed and the door slipped open, I began to let some of the pent-up emotion free. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I turned and stared at his door one more time. I held my breath, half hoping.

  It never opened.

  The elevator closed and the quick descent began. Like it or not our relationship was over. And the pain of losing him? Well, that would soon come. It couldn’t be helped or stopped. I stared at the button for the penthouse one last time and then slid my eyes closed.

  “Goodbye, Alex,” I finally whispered.

  Chapter 12

  Alex

  Alex sat at the head of the table and stared at the necklace sitting in front of the untouched meal he’d had prepared for their dinner. What the hell had just happened? He scrubbed his hands over his face several times and refocused on the gleaming table top. The fucking collar was still there.

  She called it a necklace. He called it what it really was. A collar. The symbol she wore to let everyone know that she was taken. That she was HIS.

  After more than a week of missing his time with her because of that damned out-of-town trip to Italy, he’d planned to set everything aside to put all of his focus on Harper for a much needed scene between submissive and Dominant.

  He should have known something was wrong when she didn’t answer his calls that day. He’d been too busy cleaning up Ronin’s mess and trying to process her falling in love with him. That had thrown him for a loop more than he cared to admit. No one was supposed to fall in love, but he knew how the world worked. Things rarely happened the way you expected them to, especially when it came to emotional responses.

  Then their world had gone off the rails all because he’d screwed up by taking her to a party on Viktor’s boat. Rage coursed through him every time he thought of the Russian asshole that he still couldn’t find. The bastard had gone underground, probably into some hidey hole in Russia where no one could get to him, and it was making him take his frustration out on everyone else around him.

  As the head of his security, Gerard ended up taking the brunt of it and did so without a word. The man simply had the patience of a saint.

  What could he say? The last several days had been hell. Sleep wasn’t going well because every time he closed his eyes he saw the explosion on the boat with Harper right in the middle of it. She hadn’t seen what he did and he wasn’t so sure she comprehended just how close to death she’d come.

  Awake he had to face the stitches on her forehead that reminded him constantly that he’d failed her. He never failed and that he did so with a woman so important to him… Well, it was no wonder he was on a tight rope with his control.

  He’d planned to change all of that with Harper tonight. He needed to pamper her, prove to her he could keep her safe, and most of all fuck her. They both needed to get back to reality as quickly as possible or he was going to break.

  Instead she’d fucking taken off his collar with tears running down her cheeks. The stricken, tragic look on her face had frozen him in place and put every self-preservation instinct into hyperdrive. It was his stupid reaction that allowed her out of his apartment for even a second. She was probably halfway to the lobby by now.

  Alex shoved his chair back, lunged for the house phone and pressed the button for his building security.

  “Yes, Mr. Woodman, how can I help you this evening?”

  “Ms. Harper is on her way down. Make sure she doesn’t leave the building before I can rejoin her,” he barked.

  After a slight pause, Charlie answered. “Yes, sir. I’ll take care of it.”

  Alex threw down the phone, rushed to the elevator and depressed the down button several times, impatience flooding through him. His normally calm reserve was mostly gone as he began formulating what he’d say to the woman trying to walk out on him.

  The doors opened, he stepped inside and waited for the quick ride down to the lobby. He had no doubt Charlie would do as he’d asked. His people were used to his unusual requests and above all they were loyal.

  The minute the doors slid open, he heard Harper’s choked sobs and repeated pleadings to leave the building.

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Allison, I have to detain you for a few minutes more. I’m sure Mr. Woodman has some very important reason for not wanting you to leave just yet.”

  “You’re damn right about that,” he muttered under his breath. He quickly crossed the lobby and stopped directly behind her, waiting.

  “Harper.” To an outsider, the simple statement of her name would appear calm and neutral, but to his wayward woman with her beautiful need to submit, she would detect the underlying command with automatic precision. He couldn’t begin to describe how beautiful that trait was.

  Just as he expected, her arguments halted and her back straightened. While she didn’t turn in his direction, he definitely knew he had her full attention. Instead of closing the remaining distance between them and grabbing her by the arm like he desperately wanted to, he waited. The tension in the room increased until nearly palpable and still he waited for her to react. Poor Charlie looked miserable standing there, his gaze going back and forth between them.

  A few seconds later, the doorman cleared his throat and picked up his hat. “I think it’s time for my break.”

  Alex nodded at him, grateful as always for the man’s amazing efficiency. He had a knack for understanding and predicting not just his needs but those of the few homeowners his building housed as well. That coupled with his stunning abilities with computer systems that enabled him to respond at lightning speeds to any situation that arose made him a very valuable employee. He’d definitely owe the man another bonus for tonight. His staff liked Harper—a lot. It probably wasn’t easy to watch her cry either.

  The second the door closed. Harper’s shoulders sagged and she turned to face him. “You need to let me go, Alex. This isn’t going to work anymore. We both know that.”

  If he truly believed she meant what she said, he’d cross the room, kiss her cheek and make sure she got home safe. Then he’d arrange for the best of the best security to watch over her and send his good friend Jeremy, a man he trusted more than any other, to check up on her and make sure she wanted for nothing.

  But she wasn’t being hone
st. Not with him and certainly not with herself. And he was bullshitting himself if he really thought he could walk away so easily. “This isn’t like you to run when things get difficult.”

  “Sure it is,” she said with a wave of her arm. “I run all the time. That’s what happens when people start hurting. They run.”

  “Then it’s about damn time you learned to run to me when you’re hurting, not away from me.”

  “Like you did,” she fired back, her eyes flashing with heat and pain.

  “I’m not going to argue with you while standing in the lobby. We’re going back upstairs like two rational adults to finish talking this out.” Except he didn’t feel even slightly rational. Her rebellion fired his blood and the idea of fucking it out of her appealed to him more than it should. In his head he already had her bent over the bench in his foyer with his dick shoved up her pussy.

  Without another word he moved close, captured her wrists behind her back and marched her to the elevator. Together they rode in silence except for the thundering sound of his heartbeat rushing blood in his ears.

  The less said right now the better. He needed a second.

  The door dinged open and he pushed her toward his apartment. They might have made it inside had he not heard the rough catch in her throat. That simple sound was enough to send him over the edge. He pushed her against the wall next to his front door and ground himself against her ass. There were no other tenants on this floor so they were unlikely to be interrupted. Although with the surge of possessive need tearing through him, someone showing up would not deter him from his goal.

  He needed her right fucking now.

  The thin fabric of her skirt did nothing to stop him. He shoved the material out of his way and slid his fingers underneath the elastic of her panties. The wet heat that greeted him ripped a groan from his throat as he buried his face in her thick, dark hair.

  “Fuck, kitten. You’re always so god damned wet for me. How can you walk away from that?”

  “Please, Alex—” She struggled against his hold.

  “No, don’t say another word unless you need to use your safeword. I can’t take another excuse from you right now. The fierce heat of your needy cunt is all the truth I need at the moment.”

  That resulted in a gasp from her that spurred him on.

  He reached between their bodies and yanked her panties down and out of his way. He then unfastened his belt, unzipped his pants and shoved them down his hard thighs. With her body pinned to the wall, he slammed into her.

  No preamble. No foreplay. Just pure feral need.

  A cross between a snarl and a growl hissed from Harper as he gave himself over to the instinct to simply claim. He drove into her with one thrust after another. She was his and he wasn’t letting her go without a fight.

  His woman. His submissive.

  The snug grasp of her pussy made it hard for him to think. With each stroke she got wetter and hotter. His balls were already drawing tight. Fuck she drove him to the brink. He’d ached for her when they were apart, feared for her life when she’d been taken, but this—this need made him feel insane. Incoherent words tumbled from her mouth while she bucked her hips to meet his thrusts.

  The image of her collar sitting on his table tore through his mind every time he fucked into her. She had to get the message that they weren’t separating like this. If nothing else, she’d understand the primal instinct between a Dominant and submissive. The last couple of weeks had gotten them out of whack and he strove to rebalance their relationship tonight.

  He slapped her ass cheek, a hard spank that would leave behind a nice red streak. There’d be time for more of that later, but she needed to remember why they were doing this. “We don’t need a symbol to know who your Master is, Harper. But your lack of respect for your collar shocks me. If you truly don’t want to wear it anymore, you’re going to have to ask for your release.” He thrust hard, slamming her into the wall. “Politely.”

  “Yes, S—Sir,” she cried, her words hissed through hard pants. That coupled with the erotic sucking noises of her slick pussy made his chest puff with pride. He tightened his grip on her wrists and rolled onto the balls of his feet to adjust the angle of his thrusts. Her sharp intake of breath let him know he’d hit the perfect spot he sought.

  “Don’t forget your rules. No coming without permission,” he warned.

  “Oh please, Alex, I can’t…” The pleasure sweeping across her face tore at his resolve. In a split second he withdrew and flipped her forward, lifting one of her legs to wrap around his waist.

  “Open your eyes and look at me, dammit,” he said as he pushed back inside her.

  She blinked several times before she locked onto his gaze. Her eyes didn’t look focused yet. They were glazed with lust.

  “C’mon, kitten. Eyes on me while I fuck this sweet pussy. You’re going to do this. Fight the clawing need to orgasm until I tell you it’s okay.”

  “Why are you doing this to me?” she pleaded, small whimpers following every other word.

  “Because you haven’t earned it yet, baby. And I want to watch you squirm and struggle.” He tunneled deeper, making sure to change the angle of his thrusts each time.

  “I can’t do it,” she whined. “It’s too much.”

  “Hold on to me. Scratch at my back or pummel your fists on my chest if you have to but don’t stop looking at me. Those gorgeous eyes staring at me with such desperation make my dick harder than I know how to handle.”

  Her sharp little nails dug into the flesh of his shoulders at the same time he rubbed over her g-spot. Her body quivered and her muscles clenched as he watched her fight the onslaught of pleasure he reigned down on her. All while she stared at him with a combination of lust and pissed-off female who sat teetering on the edge of her control.

  “Please, Alex. I can’t take anymore. I can’t stand it.”

  The sound of her begging pulled at his own control as the force of his own need rose up to meet hers. He ground his back teeth and fought it. Not yet. He couldn’t stop now.

  “Goddammit, Harper. Fucking come. Do it now!”

  He lifted upward and dragged the length of his shaft against her swollen clit. The heat alone from her was about to burn him alive. She scratched down his back hard enough to draw blood and hurtled over the cliff.

  She arched her back as he plowed into her clutching clasp. It had been a long time since he’d seen her this out of control and fuck if they both didn’t need it. But he needed more. Always more. Once was never enough with his needy, exquisite submissive. Half the time he wondered which one of them needed the other more.

  He suspected it was him.

  He ground down on his control and pumped hard. To her credit she never looked away. Her eyes blazed with pure naked hunger only he could slake. Just him. That’s what she had to learn tonight. She squirmed and thrashed, fighting him at the same time she reached for him. When she began pushing at his chest instead of clawing him closer he finally relented of his punishing strokes and withdrew.

  “I can’t breathe, Alex. It’s too much. Too everything.”

  He disagreed. “It’s not enough. But not like this. Get inside and get these fucking clothes off. I need to see all of you.”

  She nodded as he eased her to the ground. He allowed her just enough room to squeeze by him and enter his apartment. He closed the door behind him and methodically finished removing his own clothing. His pants hit the floor, which she grabbed and neatly folded for him on the foyer bench. The same with the shirt after he removed it and flung it to the side.

  “Now you want to be sweet? When ten minutes ago you were running away from me.” He cupped one of her bare breasts and pulled enough to stop her from moving away. He contemplated his next move and ultimately gave in to the raging need riding him harder than ever before. “Lie down on the table there and spread your legs for me. I want to see every inch of your body on display for me.” He lowered his voice to a near growl. “Me, kitte
n. Your Master.”

  Chapter 13

  Alex

  He would never touch her in anger but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel some of the betrayal of her earlier move. Not long ago she’d uttered the three words that he’d never expected to hear from a woman and they mean something to him. But they did. They’d seared his heart and burned into his brain like a permanent tattoo. Now he’d give anything to hear them again.

  First, she’d beg. Then he’d get what he wanted.

  He took himself in hand and stroked slowly from base to tip as she watched. Her tongue darted out and licked her lips. Alex leaned forward and stroked two fingers inside her pussy. “Do you want me now, kitten? Or do you want to use your safeword?”

  She whimpered when he removed his fingers and sucked them into his mouth. Fuck. He loved tasting her. She had no idea how much control she had over him. Everything he did was done with her pleasure as his motivation. What could he do to make her life better? How could he give her more? How would he keep her safe?

  “Say it, Harper. Tell me what you want. Only girls brave enough to tell their Master what they really want get their rewards.”

  Her breath hitched, her eyes grew wide. Alex dug deeper for control. Something about Harper Allison had gotten under his skin from the moment he caught sight of her across a crowded club, and every day since then it had only grown more intense. There was nothing she could ever do to get him to leave. Except utter that one word and mean it. Otherwise all bets were off.

  Her mouth pursed a moment before she spoke. “Fuck me, Alex. Please.”

  For a moment he only stared as he tried to catch his breath. His heart raced and his head buzzed with the urge to fall on top of her and use her so damned hard neither of them would recover for days.