PLAY ME: A Kinky Reads Title

by Dukey, Ker

  “Did he hurt you?” I choke out.

  “No.” He shakes his head. “No, the woman, I knew her. When he released her and took off her blindfold.”

  “Who was it?” I gasp.

  “My teacher.” He grimaces. “She was mortified and became hysterical. It intensified my self-loathing and guilt and took me years to overcome that. She quit her job and moved out of town.”

  Oh my God. “Did you tell anyone?”

  Shaking his head, he exhales a heavy breath. “No, I stopped doing the odd jobs and withdrew into myself until I got a little older and came to terms with the fact that the man was an asshole. I researched BDSM and educated myself. He was a bad Dom and violated her trust.”

  “And yours,” I state.

  “Yes, and mine.”

  We fall into a contemplative silence, accepting our food as it arrives.

  “I want you to know,” Joshua tells me after a while, “there are bad, wrong people in the world who do ruthless things, but we’re not the ones to blame for the things that happen to us.”

  I know that.

  “He was a cop,” I blurt.

  He freezes, placing his fork down and reaching across the table to offer comfort by taking my hands.

  “I was in college, walking home, and he…” I shrug, a mocking laugh rattling my chest. “He told me he couldn’t let me walk home because I’d been drinking.”

  His face darkens with fury. Not at me, for me. Protectiveness washes over me.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” he states.

  “I got in the car.”

  “It wasn’t your fault, Quinn.” Each word is punctuated with a fierceness I feel deep in my bones.

  I smile weakly at him. He never calls me Quinn.

  “I knew something was…just off. I don’t know how, but I sensed the evil when he drove past my street.” I exhale, closing my eyes. Tears sting the back of my eyelids. “I always had these fantasies that were too risky and naughty to share with my peers. I liked the thought of being taken. You know, rough-sex, surprise sex, so it felt like I’d somehow put that out there in the universe and brought it on myself.”

  “Quinn, it wasn’t your fault.”

  I nod, letting the tears seep down my cheeks. “I know. I know that now.”

  “Did you report him?”

  “To who? The police?” I scoff, pulling my hands from his and pushing my plate away. I’ve lost my appetite.

  “So, the siren at your place?” He sighs, running his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

  “For what? You can’t stop sirens from passing my house.” I swipe away the tears on my cheeks with the balls of my hands. “I feel silly for letting it have such an impact on me after all this time.”

  “There is no time limit on healing. You should never feel embarrassed or ashamed of needing to be held through the bad nights.”

  My heart thuds at his words.

  “Thank you for just being you. For staying and understanding.” I gulp down the remaining wine left in my glass.

  “Do you want to get out of here?” he offers.

  “God yes.” I chuckle. Not the type of dinner I thought I’d be having tonight, but one I’m glad we had. We each gave a piece of ourselves tonight.

  “I want to know you, Quinn. All of you.”

  “Don’t get too close. It’s dark in here,” I jest, but he knows it’s the truth.

  “Then I’ll turn the lights on.”

  I don’t tell him he already has.

  9

  “Come on,” I tell her, taking her hand. “I want to show you something.”

  We walk down the busy street toward a small courtyard that belongs to a bar. It’s low-key and romantic with lights strung across the open space between two larger buildings.

  “Ever been to Madison’s?”

  She shakes her head. “I’ve heard of it and driven by it, but I’ve never stopped to check it out. What is it?”

  “You’ll see. Hope you saved room for dessert.” I flash her a wide grin as I take her to the hostess stand. “Two please.”

  “Tonight is chocolate showers and fruit flowers.” The hostess gestures for us to follow her.

  I had to come to this place a few months ago to meet Ren. Since Ren’s a talent agent for his brother’s record label, I thought maybe he was bringing me to a cool show. Turns out, he wanted to scope out the place. For a fucking wedding. It’s trendy and beautiful with all the twinkling lights and massive plants everywhere, making it seem like a hidden jungle, and by the end of it, he’d committed to a date. Presumptuous motherfucker considering he hadn’t even asked the girl to marry him yet.

  The hostess leads us over to a table for two hidden behind a trellis of rose bushes in full bloom with lights woven in. Quinn seems dazzled by the quaint beauty of it all, which was my hope.

  “I know you’re an independent woman and all that,” I say with a grin, “but allow me to take lead on this. Do you trust me?”

  Without hesitation, she nods, making my heart fucking soar.

  “Good girl,” I praise. “I’ll reward you for that later.”

  She laughs. “Are you always naughty?”

  “I own a sex club. I think we both know the answer to that.”

  The waiter comes by with a rolling cart. His name is Timothy. He pours us some house wine, then proceeds to chat with us as he prepares our dessert. His rolling cart comes fit with a mini stove, a saucepan, and even a blowtorch. He shows off his fancy knife work as he cuts fruit into fun shapes, all beautiful flowers, then displays them like they’re part of a garden on a big plate he’s set between us. Quinn is transfixed and all smiles as he starts cooking his chocolate. Once it’s melted, he pours it into a fancy dispenser and showers it over the flowers, then sprinkles it with some powdered sugar.

  “Voila! Enjoy your dessert.”

  When he walks away, Quinn shakes her head. “It’s too pretty to eat. I feel like we should take a picture.”

  “Like every other person who comes here so we can brag about it on Instagram?” I tease with a lifted brow.

  “Hey now, I’m in marketing. It’s what I do. Stuff like this excites me.”

  “And here I thought all I had to do was show you my dick.”

  She giggles. “Well, that too. Fine, forget the picture. I’m diving in.” She picks up a fork and stabs at a green kiwi rose. After she coats it with some melted chocolate, she brings it to her mouth.

  “Careful, Red, I might devour you right here,” I warn.

  Her green eyes flash with wickedness. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

  My cock reacts to the way her mouth wraps around the fork. A whimper of pleasure, not unlike how she sounds when she comes, rises up her throat as she chews.

  “This is so good,” she tells me. “What a cute little place. I’m definitely bringing Wayne here.”

  I’d be jealous, except she says it in an affectionate, normal way. Not like one would refer to a boyfriend, ex or lover.

  “As long as I get to come with and meet Wayne.” I lift a brow in challenge. “Brother?”

  “Best friend.” She licks some chocolate off her bottom lip, and my dick jumps in my slacks. “And funny you say that. He wants to meet you too.”

  “You talked about me to the best friend. This is getting serious, beautiful. When should I go ring shopping?”

  “Stop,” she groans. “You’re such an ass.”

  “Good thing you’re into it.”

  “We do share the same…desires.”

  “I like you, Quinn,” I blurt out. “A lot. I know we set this whole gig up as something you need, but I don’t feel right about you just being a client or this being a transaction. It feels like so much more than that.”

  She nods and eats another piece of fruit. “It’s strange, huh? Not expecting something so intense and real and then it just—”

  “Lands in your inbox like a present you didn’t even know you wanted, but now despe
rately need.”

  “Did you think I was crazy sending you that email? Be honest.”

  “Crazy? No. I worried about you…whoever you were.”

  “I can handle myself,” she says, her chin lifting and eyes flashing.

  “And sometimes it’s nice when someone else handles you.”

  “I like you too,” she admits. “I didn’t expect all this.” She waves her hand around at the venue, then me. “I didn’t expect you.”

  “I’m usually into blondes,” I say, as she says, “Typically, I go after guys like Mr. Black.”

  “Blondes?” she groans.

  “Who the fuck is Mr. Black?”

  We both laugh.

  “I want to do more of this.” Her eyes twinkle with happiness. “It’s fun. You’re fun. I feel…safe.”

  “I want to do more of this too.” I flash her a devilish grin. “I want to do more of the unsafe stuff too.”

  “You like to chase me.”

  “I’m a wolf. And you like to get bitten, Little Red.”

  “I could fuck you right there,” I tell her, pointing down a dark alley. “Anyone walking by would see.” I grab her ass over her dress. “What do you think about that?”

  She laughs and shakes her head. “They’d hear me screaming. Wouldn’t understand our kink. You’d be sitting in a jail cell by morning.”

  We continue to walk.

  “I guess that idea’s out,” I deadpan.

  She stops and smirks. “I can’t have you locked away. Someone needs to give me countless orgasms.” She stumbles slightly.

  “Hey,” I say, growing serious. “How are you feeling? Did you have too much wine?”

  Brief panic flashes in her eyes, and I hate that I put it there. “N-No.”

  I tug her to me and embrace her. “Look at me, Little Red. Even if you were black-out drunk, I would take care of you. Understand.”

  “I understand,” she whispers, nodding her head up at me.

  Sliding my fingers into her silky hair, I kiss her deeply, making her feel that promise with every heated swipe of my tongue.

  “We could go to that alley,” she taunts against my mouth.

  “Don’t worry, bad girl. We’ll catch a cab and continue this show at your place.”

  She shakes her head. “Take me to yours.”

  “You sure?”

  “Trust, Joshua. I trust you.”

  Her words fill up my fucking soul. I won’t let her down. Not ever. That, I know for fact. This woman swooped into my life unexpectedly, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t fucking ready for her. I’ve been ready my whole life for someone like her. Mr. Graham set me unwillingly on my course when I was a kid, but eventually, I learned how to navigate the waters on my own. I just needed a hot co-captain with a dark thirst that matches mine.

  I hail us a cab and take her a few streets over to my loft apartment overlooking the city. It’s swanky as fuck. I love it. As we push through the door, I remember my goddamn brother has been squatting here until he gets back on his feet after a nasty breakup.

  “Yo, assho—lyshit, it’s Quinn. My Quinny.” He stares at us in astonishment as we come through the door.

  “She’s not yours,” I growl out. “She’s mine.”

  “Technically,” she chides, swatting at me, “I belong to no one, but I’ll allow your alpha caveman crap because it’s funny watching Rocko squirm.”

  He gapes at her. “You were in the club…I thought you were fucking lost.”

  “Nope. Found exactly what I was looking for.” She looks up at me and smiles. “Joshua is really good at his job.”

  Rupert holds up both palms. “Yeah, I’m going to stop you right there. I get it. You two are a couple sex freaks. And together. You’re not so innocent, Quinny, I can see that. More power to you.” He tugs Quinn to him for a hug. “Honestly, I’m happy for you. I know you went through a rough time for a while there.”

  She nods and hugs him tight before pulling away. “Thank you. I know…” she trails off and sighs. “Sometimes life is shitty and it’s hard to talk about.”

  “I’m always here in case you need an ear,” he tells her with a gentle smile. “I’m going to bail now. I can’t stomach the idea of hearing my brother make sex grunts. You two good?”

  I appreciate he’s looking after his old friend and making sure she’s okay with the situation. My brother is a good guy. He’ll make some woman happy one day.

  “Peachy,” she assures him. “Get lost now so the sex grunts can commence.”

  He grabs some shit, then bails, clapping me on the shoulder on his way out. My stare finds hers. I rake my gaze down her hot body. Curvaceous in all the right places.

  “Little Red, you better run. I’m giving you to the count of three to hide, then I’m coming for you. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into you.”

  She squeals, kicks off her heels as she tosses her purse on the table, and bolts.

  “One…”

  A shriek as she darts down the hallway.

  “Two…”

  Something slams shut.

  “Three.” I take off my suit jacket and tie, then take my time locking up. I prowl toward the direction she went, turning off lights as I go and stripping out of clothes. When I reach my bedroom, I pause, my weight making the wood floors beneath me creak.

  My heart pounds so loud, it’s deafening. I peel off my socks and boxers as I listen.

  Clank.

  So faint, I almost miss it.

  I stalk over to my closet and twist the knob. The door creaks open. Silence. Aside from the quick, ragged breathing she’s trying hard to keep quiet. Something soft lands at my feet. Her dress. My dick jumps in appreciation.

  More hangers clang together.

  I follow the sound, no longer interested in speaking. I want to hunt her down and make her mine. She knows her safe word and knows I won’t betray her trust. And for those reasons, it makes our game all the more thrilling. No one gets hurt.

  She makes an attempt to dart past me, but I anticipate her move. I grab her around the waist and push her blindly up against the closet wall. Her shriek makes my dick practically weep with need. The air is thick with her terror mixed with lust. I can almost taste her arousal.

  “A little girl like you shouldn’t be hiding in the closet of the Big Bad Wolf. Naked.” I grab her thigh and hike it up to my hip. My dick slides against her pussy. “You’re not safe here.”

  She whimpers. “I feel safe with the Big Bad Wolf.”

  I nip at her throat. “That’s because you have teeth too, Little Red. Don’t forget that.”

  “Joshua,” she breathes, her nails raking across my flesh. “Please.”

  Gripping my dick, I heed her unspoken command. She wants me inside her. Now. I press against her entrance, pleased as fuck when I slide right into her hot, tight body. We both groan in pleasure. I grab her ass with one hand, squeezing, and begin a punishing assault as I fuck her. Our lips find their way to one another and we kiss like it might be our last.

  Luckily for us, it’s the first of many.

  “You’re mine, Quinn.”

  “I’m no one’s,” she argues breathily.

  Lies.

  She wants me every bit as much as I want her.

  Reaching between us, I massage her needy clit, hedging her closer to orgasm with each expert circle of my fingertips. When she’s close, I back off.

  “You have a safe word. Use it.”

  She growls like she’s the wolf. “Fuck you, Joshua. I’m not using it now!”

  I grin against her mouth. “Feisty when you don’t get what you want. Give me what I want, and you can have it.” I tease her, harder and faster. So close. So close. Then, I back away again.

  “Yours,” she chokes out. “I’m yours.”

  I rub her right into ecstasy, reveling in her screams and the way her pussy clenches around my dick. My hips buck into her until my nuts seize with pleasure.

  I fill up Little Red because she wan
ts it—fucking craves it.

  She’s mine.

  And I’m bound by boyfriendly duty to give it to her, goddammit.

  Every last drop.

  10

  Four blissful weeks we’ve been together as boyfriend and girlfriend. I don’t care if it’s too early to say I love you, but damn, I’m utterly smitten, and yes, head over heels in love with this man.

  “So, he just came running out of the room, naked in front of a full club of people?” Wayne gasps, over-animated and dramatic.

  Chuckling, Joshua nods his head, sipping his beer. “Buck-ass naked covered in whip marks with his wife chasing him.”

  I finally gave in to Wayne’s demands to meet the man who kept the smile on my face formally.

  “How did she find out where he was?” I ask, invested in knowing all the details.

  “Followed him there. She joined as a member just to get access to the back rooms.” Joshua cringes. “Made me have to rethink security measures and membership evaluation. It’s a tricky business,” he jests.

  “Oh, I bet it is.” Wayne beams, grinning ear to ear. He’s been transfixed on Joshua since he arrived over two hours ago.

  “Speaking of, I need to get to work,” Joshua announces.

  “Oh, so soon?” Wayne pouts.

  “Sorry. You should stay for another drink. Keep my girl company. I’ll pay the bill and leave my card on the tab.” He nods to Wayne, then turns his attention on me.

  “I’ll be working through the night, but will pick you up for breakfast in the morning.” He grips my face in his palms and kisses me like no one is watching. His tongue sweeps across the seam of my mouth, demanding entry, and like a good girl, I open up to him. Our tongues dance and bodies heat, then he releases me, making me sway in my chair in the wake of his touch. “Take care on getting home.” He kisses my head.

  “I’ll see her inside myself,” Wayne croons dreamily.

  We both watch him leave, eyes glued to the well-fitted suit caressing his ass.

  “Well, damn, does he have a twin who happens to like cock?” Wayne sighs.

  “Wayne!” I scold, then burst into a fit of giggles. “He does have a brother, actually, but he’s into women, and you’re married!” I bark.