Seduced

by Kate Allure

  “I don’t think…” It was getting hard to speak. “He doesn’t want his name ruined.”

  Ian grimaced thoughtfully. “How about this instead…? Let me approach one of the club owners. He’s a friend of mine. He has a reputation for taking care of unpleasant situations. Since it’s his club potentially at risk, I think he’d be willing to make sure Rupert is kept in a box, figuratively speaking.”

  “What could the owner do?”

  “I don’t know. But trust me, Fletcher’s not a man anyone wants to cross.”

  Relief made her shoulders sag. That way it would be out of her hands. “Sure. Go ahead and box Rupert up. But I don’t want to hear the details.”

  Ian nodded. “It might take time, but we can relax knowing you’ll be safe.”

  It all seemed like a big muddle and suddenly not all that important. She wanted to ask Ian why he’d left her at the club that way. But she was too tired to deal with it tonight. “Now it’s your turn to leave.” She pointed toward the door, shivering.

  Ian frowned. “You said we’d talk.”

  She waved a hand. “Not gonna talk. I just needed you here until Rupert left. Now I want you to go.”

  She looked over at him, but he seemed far away, like she was looking backward through a telescope. The floor seemed really far away, too. The whole room seemed suddenly cloudy and dark.

  She started to crumple.

  Ian jumped forward, catching her and sweeping her into his arms. “Good lord. I think you’re going into shock.”

  Barely audible, she mumbled, “Put me down.”

  “Hell, no. You’re shaking. Here, I’ll put you on the sofa.” He gently lowered her onto the cushions. Before her eyes drifted closed, she noticed his gaze taking in her flat.

  She should order him out. But she was so tired—she needed to rest for a moment. If only she weren’t so very cold. She trembled uncontrollably as a reassuring nothingness started to take over her mind.

  A heavy blanket was tucked about her. Still she shivered, but then a warm body settled next to her, drawing her against its heat. She was floating in a disjointed, half-aware state, but she knew instinctively it was Ian. Despite everything, she knew he would keep her safe. She knew it deep in her soul.

  Her gut-clenching, gut-wrenching shivering started to slow.

  Then she felt nothing at all as she lost herself in empty, black sleep.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  “I’m sorry, so sorry,” Ian whispered hoarsely. He didn’t quite know what to do, so he stayed where he was.

  Tori mumbled and moved about restlessly in his arms.

  Holding her close, he hoped his body heat would warm her and stop her trembling. He regretted many of the choices he’d made with this special woman, but most especially he wished he’d never left the club tonight.

  Eventually she quieted and stopped shaking. He should probably leave, but he didn’t want to leave her alone and unprotected.

  So he sat there and watched her sleep. And cataloged all the mistakes he’d made from the very beginning. Rather than baiting her in court, he should have found another way to attract her attention. His second error had been keeping his identity a secret once he realized it was her behind the mask. But his biggest mistake had been believing even for a minute what that psychopath had told him rather than asking her for the truth.

  Would she ever trust him again?

  Regrets big and small overwhelmed him, but the one thing he would never regret was wanting her in the first place. The very proper and intriguingly mysterious Justice Victoria Whittingstall had allowed him into her life and permitted him to meet the sexy, delightful, adventurous woman behind the sedate and prim facade. He would cherish those memories, no matter what happened next.

  An hour later, she stirred.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  At the sound of his voice, she scooted away into the corner of the sofa, curling into a ball. “I believe I asked you to leave,” she whispered woodenly.

  “I wanted to make sure you’re okay. I’ll go now if you want.”

  But, after rising, he instead knelt down before her, bringing his eyes in line with hers. She refused to look at him, her gaze glued to her lap.

  “I wish you’d talk to me,” he said. “I understand now about Rupert tricking you with that slave parade, and I wish with all my heart I hadn’t left you there without asking you for the truth.” He couldn’t say the rest aloud. Couldn’t say he’d left the woman he cared for to be abused by a creep because he let his pride rule. “I’m so sorry, Tori.”

  She slowly raised her gaze to his. “I heard that Rupert tricked you, too. But what I’ll never understand or forgive you for is…” She swallowed, looking like she was holding back tears. “For hooking up with another woman and going off with her. How could you?”

  The truth of what she believed finally became clear. Pain lacerated him like a knife slicing his emotions into jagged pieces.

  “Oh, Tori. No! It wasn’t like that.” He reached for her, wanting to comfort her, but she jerked away. It hit him like a physical blow, and he dropped his hands. “Please understand, Emmy is an old friend. Just a friend. She’s my club sponsor, nothing more.”

  Tori scoffed. “I’m supposed to just take your word—”

  “Please let me explain. I didn’t believe Bridlington at first when he told me you two were back together, but I couldn’t find you anywhere to ask. Then I looked up and there you were, reclining like a princess on that litter. I was still going to try to talk to you, but then you started saying how great the sex was with him and—”

  “Oh my god! You thought I was talking about Rupert?” She leaned toward Ian and reached for him but then dropped her hands.

  Nodding, Ian said, “You looked so excited about going to Bridlington. So happy. It hit me like a ton of bricks falling on my chest. I couldn’t breathe. There was nothing I could to do but leave the club. Emmy saw how gutted I was and went with me. But just to keep me company. That’s it.” His voice cracked, anguish searing him.

  Compassion momentarily softened her expression before her eyes narrowed. “If you believed all that, why did you come here tonight?”

  “After I dropped Emmy off, I drove around and around, and I couldn’t wrap my head around you being with Bridlington again. The whole thing just didn’t make any sense. I went back to the club to confront you, and everyone was talking about how a member was thrown out after assaulting a woman. The staff wouldn’t tell me anything, but I worried it might be you, that he’d deceived you. Things started to make sense. So I rushed here to make sure you were all right.”

  She looked like she wanted to trust him, her face registering both astonishment and sorrow. “What a mess. I guess I do believe you.”

  “I’m telling the truth, I promise. Emmy and I have never been involved. Ever.”

  “But I—I don’t know what to do now,” she said, looking uncertain.

  “I do.”

  After hours of languishing in confusion, he reclaimed his strong and decisive nature. Still kneeling in front of her, he took her hands again. This time she didn’t pull away. “Let’s start over,” he said. “Let’s take our time getting to know each other as friends and give you time to heal. Then we can see where things go.”

  She gave his hand a little squeeze. “I’d like that.”

  He wanted to pull her into his arms and hug her, but he settled for holding her hands. “Thank you. I’m proud of you for being able to put this terrible ordeal behind you. I’ve always thought you were mysterious and fascinating, but you’ve got courage and inner strength, too, and many other amazing qualities.”

  “Ooh. And here I thought I’d been making progress in the femme fatale department. I guess I’ll have to settle for inner strength and amazing qualities.” She grinned, and it reassured him that she was able to tease again.

  “Of all your amazing qualities, your sexy allure is the one that brings me to my knees.” He wagg
led his eyebrows and pointed at the floor. “See. I’m on my knees for you. Again, I might add.” He gave her his cockiest grin.

  She laughed. “Well, don’t just kneel there. How about you sit up here next to me and warm me with your hot bod?”

  He climbed back onto the sofa, ridiculously excited to be near her.

  Carefully, he drew her against him, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He kept his hold loose, nonthreatening, trying to show her she was safe with him.

  “This is nice,” she murmured, snuggling deeper.

  It was definitely nice, but he found the proximity to her was doing what it always did. Too bad. His jolly John Thomas would just have to wait until she was healed, emotionally and physically. For now, it was more than enough that this incredible woman wanted him in her life as much as he wanted her in his.

  He settled her closer and rested his cheek against the top of her head.

  Then she turned her face toward him and gave him a severe look. “Barrister, on second thought, I find your proposal completely without merit. Unacceptable.”

  “What?” Confusion mixed with anxiety made his face fall.

  “I don’t want to be just friends. Not even temporarily. Further, the court is finally willing to concede that your brief does contain a full load, so hefty it requires two hands. And I think you must concur that this high court judge has proven herself capable of exploring every inch of it.”

  He couldn’t suppress the massive smile that grew on his face. “My Lady, you have, indeed. But may I approach with additional evidence?”

  “You may, barrister, and be quick about it.”

  Joy lit him up. He pulled her onto his lap and into his arms, loving the way she melted against him.

  She tilted her face up to him, placed her hands on each side of his head, and drew him closer. “Kiss me, Ian King, barrister extraordinaire, sexy Dom, and submissive par excellence. And don’t ever let me forget that it’s you who heals me.”

  “And you, me.”

  He put his lips to hers and explored her mouth, and they were lost in each other, two lovers finding each other once again.

  And this time, they wore no masks of any kind.

  Sex-pilogue

  One month later

  “What are you thinking about?” Ian leaned closer, studying Tori in their intimate little alcove inside Sadie’s. “You have the most deliciously sexy expression on your face.”

  She felt relaxed and turned on. As she always did around her lover. “Or maybe I’m just sloshed full of champagne,” she quipped.

  “No. I don’t think so. You look…” He scrutinized her, staring intently into her eyes as if trying to read her inner thoughts.

  “Well?”

  “You look like, well, you look like…sex. That’s the only way I can describe it. Like a walking, talking incarnation of sex.” His eyes narrowed, a slight frown on his face. “You didn’t already…? Never mind.”

  “Ian King! I did not have sex here without you. Yes, the club staff pampered me all day, but that was it. The reason I look like this is thinking about what we’re going to do, here, tonight.”

  “Are you sure you’re ready? After everything that happened here in the club? We’ve had fab sex at our places this past month, so maybe we shouldn’t push it.”

  She placed her hand on his. “I want to be here. I’m ready. And neither of our flats has any fun furniture.” She winked at him. “Seriously, thinking about what’s coming… I want to eat you alive.”

  Excitement flashed across his expression, which swiftly transformed to desire, his eyes intense and hungry. “Let’s forget dinner and go straight to the suite.”

  “We’ve already ordered.”

  “They can put the food on hold.”

  He looked upward. Following his gaze, she glanced up to see that their alcove had thick velvet curtains that could be pulled shut. His eyes flicked to hers, a question in them.

  “Ah. Oka-ay.” She reached for the fabric, guessing no employee would interrupt a closed alcove.

  Surprising her, he stayed her hand. “I want you badly. Right now. It’s a raging, burning thing inside me.”

  Her pelvis clenched, his declaration thrilling.

  “But I want to do this right. You deserve the perfect night, nothing less. Nothing hurried or impatient.”

  “Honestly, I don’t mind.”

  “But I do. I need to do this for you. It staggers me that you’re willing to put your trust in me again. You’re amazing. I need to show you how much by treating you right. With respect and reverence.”

  She frowned. “Maybe I don’t want—”

  “By making slow, perfect love to you.” He dropped his voice to a low whisper and leaned closer. “Believe me when I say that when we’re done, you’ll have no doubt about how much I adore you. I’ll show you with my body that I’m the one who’s really enslaved.”

  Frissons of excitement skittered across her skin, her sex growing wet and needy. “Oh, Ian.”

  “Will you let me do this for you?”

  “Yes.” She moaned, dizzy with lust. “Yes.”

  He leaned closer.

  It hadn’t been even twenty-four hours since they’d made love, but she hungered for his kiss and his body as if it had been months. His warm lips settled on hers, and her eyes drifted shut. He drew her against him, his arm sliding behind her back. She leaned closer, grasping his shoulders. Her lips parted on their own to accept his plunging tongue into her open mouth.

  Yes, her mind screamed. Yes!

  She burned for this man like no one ever before, and she nearly went back on her promise, nearly demanding he fuck her here. Now.

  Fire inflamed her, the slow burn of desire instantly a raging inferno. She moaned again, pressing herself against him where they sat in the booth. His tongue danced in her mouth playfully, but she wanted more. She pulled his other hand onto her thigh, close to where she throbbed. She quivered when his fingers brushed her mons through her dress.

  “Please!” she begged.

  He kissed her a little longer before slowly pulling away. He looked as pained as she felt, but he shook his head. “Tori, I—” It was a hoarse, needy sound, and he cleared his throat. “We are going to do this right.”

  He eased her away from him.

  She watched him gain control of his lust right before her eyes. Even that made her want him more—his incredible control would soon be directed her way, and the burgeoning sub within her craved it.

  He grinned wickedly. “It will be even more fun if I make you wait for it. Orgasm denial is my preferred punishment method. I’m sure if I think hard enough I can find some reason to justify withholding your release.”

  “You’re not playing fair! I didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “Hmm. I seem to remember a certain dominating high court judge misbehaving in her chambers.” He frowned severely before winking at her.

  “Come on! That was over a month ago.”

  “Revenge is a dish best served cold, don’t they say? But you won’t be cold, my sweet, delicious submissive, you’ll be burning up. Hot, bothered, and mindlessly begging for it before I let you anywhere near a climax.”

  “What happened to, slow, perfect love?” She gave him a cute pout.

  “It will be slow. It might even seem interminable.” His authoritarian voice trembled through her submissive senses, but his wink told her he was teasing.

  She could barely talk. She sat there panting, all but oblivious to the fact that she was in a restaurant with other diners. Her one overwhelming urge was to get his clothes off and climb onto him. Force him to sink his cock into her.

  She gazed wildly at the privacy curtains, but he grinned wider and shook his head.

  “Please?” she whispered.

  “Soon,” he whispered back. Looking out of their alcove, he added, “I think our food has arrived, my sugar sweet.”

  The waiter set their plates on the table while she squirmed on her chair, all
tingly and sweaty. She slid her gaze sideways to Ian. He looked so calm. He winked at her again, and her eyes narrowed. Two could play that game.

  She glanced down and saw his bulging crotch, proof he was as aroused as she.

  He grinned, seeing where her gaze had gone. “We’re going to have such fun.”

  He had no idea. “Yes, we are.”

  Surreptitiously, she slid a hand over and gently squeezed his cock through his pants, laughing when he jolted upright. His eyes met hers, and she saw laughter there…and a challenge. He would make her pay later for any trouble she caused now.

  She squeezed a little harder, making it clear she’d play the game her way.

  The waiter finished topping off their champagne flutes and asked, “Is there anything else I can get you?”

  “Rope,” Ian replied, not taking his eyes off her. “I don’t suppose you have rope on the menu?”

  “We do, sir.”

  Surprise made her mouth drop open, and Ian laughed.

  The young waiter’s face remained flat, the epitome of courteous, properly trained staff. “Would you prefer red or black?”

  Ian grinned but reached down and purposefully removed her grasping fingers from his privates. “That’s okay,” he informed the waiter. “If My Lady will behave herself, I won’t need to restrain her.”

  The waiter nodded and moved on.

  Ian gave her a faux severe look, silently telling her he would tie her up right here in Sadie’s if she tested him further.

  Then what? Would he feed her by hand while she sat there helpless to stop anything he might do to her? It reminded her of the last time she’d dined here.

  She squirmed, aroused and mortified at the same time. “You are a master at this stuff, aren’t you?” she murmured breathily.

  “Would you want it any other way?”

  She took a moment to think about it. “No, I wouldn’t. I like everything about you, including your devious mind.” She grinned. “Especially your devious mind.”

  Chuckling softly, he leaned over and bit her neck.

  She jumped, but he held her in place to speak quietly into her ear. “I think you’ve proved more than equal in the dirty mind department, Miss Candi.”