Page 39 of Bought

Had I made the right choice in pleading the way I had back in the hotel? It had been a risk to be that honest, to show him a piece of my soul, but I hadn’t been able to think of another way to convince him.

‘You will be afraid. I’m going to turn you inside out…. It will all be mine in the end. All your secrets. All your passions. Everything that you are…’

What he’d said to me earlier echoed in my head, along with the darkness in his voice. A warning and maybe a promise as well, though it was too late for second thoughts. I’d made my decision.

I was scared, it was true, no point in pretending I wasn’t. But I hadn’t lied to him. I’d wanted to be his for tonight. I’d wanted all the pleasure he could give because I hadn’t realized what I was missing out on until he’d shown me back in that hotel room.

And there was also that aching part of me that wanted to know what it felt like to belong to someone because I never had. And if it was going to be anyone, it had to be him. He’d kept his word and hadn’t hurt me. He’d given me only what I’d asked for and nothing I hadn’t. And at every stage, he’d given me a chance to refuse, to get out if I wanted.

It wasn’t his fault I hadn’t taken any of those chances.

He reached down to the catch of my cloak and undid it, sliding the fabric away. Then he gathered it up carefully over one arm and took it to the long, low white leather sectional sofa and laid it down on the cushions.

The air was cool against my heated skin, but not uncomfortably so.

It was a nice room, very restful with its white walls, dark carpet, and sleek shelving, though I found it slightly clinical. There were no photos anywhere and nothing that looked in any way personal, and I probably should have paid more attention since the whole reason I was here was to find evidence that he’d murdered his mentor, but I couldn’t concentrate. He’d returned to where I knelt, standing in front of me and all my focus was on him.

He could be a murderer. You realize that don’t you?

I didn’t know why the thought hadn’t occurred to me before and even now, it didn’t make much of an impression. Because while Tennyson Fox was cold and distant, the man who’d told me he didn’t hurt women, who’d steadied me with his hands as he helped me to my feet, who’d given me all the chances in the world to say no, couldn’t have taken someone’s life.

You don’t know that.

I shoved the thought away hard.

“You’re pretty naked, sub,” he said. “Therefore, you will always be naked in this house. Clothes are not acceptable. However, if you’re cold, I expect you to tell me so I can adjust the temperature for your comfort.”

Always be naked…

I’d been ogled by men many times, but it had never been admiring. It had always been predatory. They saw a pretty, fragile-looking blonde woman. Someone naive they could easily manipulate and failing that, easily overpower. They didn’t care about me, because it wasn’t actually me they wanted. What they wanted was to feel like a big man, a powerful man, in charge and in control.

I hated it and yet I already knew it wouldn’t be like that with Fox. The way he looked at me was intense and hot, and it was clear he liked what he saw. But because he had nothing to prove, it didn’t feel predatory in the same way.

Also, I wanted him to look at me. I wanted him to want me.

Pathetic. Your daddy issues are going to get you into trouble.

But I wasn’t going to fucking listen to those thoughts, to those doubts. Tonight, I’d allow myself to have him and the pleasure he gave me. It still felt strange that I liked him being so dominating, and maybe that made me fucked up, but I wasn’t going to second-guess it. Life hadn’t given me much in the way of bright days, so why shouldn’t I take one when the opportunity came?

That didn’t make me weak or pathetic, it didn’t.

“You say ‘yes sir’ when I give you an instruction,” he said. “Repeat it for me, please.”

I swallowed. “Yes…S-sir.”

“Very good.”

The satisfaction in his voice made warmth glow in my chest.

Slowly he circled me again, coming to stand behind me. He was very close. I could feel his heat and smell the warm spice and faint pepper of his aftershave. My skin prickled and tightened. I wanted to turn to see what he was doing because I was getting nervous. But then I heard him move, felt him as he dropped to his knees on the carpet behind me, so close and yet not enough to touch.

I caught my breath, every part of me focused on the man at my back.

He said nothing, but his fingertips brushed over my shoulders and down, following the line of my spine, a featherlight touch that made me tremble all over. Then his fingers moved to my hips and up my side, tracing the line of my body, making the prickling sensation worse.

Then abruptly his palms flattened against my skin as he gripped me by the hips, pulling me back against him. I couldn’t stop the sharp breath that escaped as I felt the muscled strength of him behind me, his body rock-hard beneath the layers of cotton and wool of his clothes, and so hot. As was the length of his cock pressed against my ass.

I flushed helplessly, pleased that I’d affected him so badly and yet nervous as hell because what I’d felt back in the hotel hadn’t been my mistake. He really was that large.