Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“But on your timetable.” There was bitterness in her words.
“Yes, we have to both be ready. And I didn’t stop you from dating.”
“Really?”
He shrugged. “Unless the dude was an asshole, and then I took care of it. Now I’m ready to take care of you. In every way.”
“You’re ready to take me down from the shelf now? TJ Taggart has figured out that the pathetic girl who followed him around might make for a convenient lay?”
He stepped back, feeling his skin heat. This privacy room was a suite with a big bed on one side and several pieces of equipment, including a spanking bench and a sex swing. And a nice table where he’d prepped a whole lot of toys. He selected a cane, taking it out and testing it against his palm. It smacked, the sound satisfying to him. “If that’s how you want to play it, we can do that.”
Her eyes were on the cane. “Play it? I’m not playing. I got tired of waiting for you to see me, and you can’t stand the thought of not having your sad little crush on a string. What does that make you? I know what it makes me.”
He crossed the space between them, that cane in his hand. “Don’t use the word pathetic in my presence again.”
Her eyes narrowed. “It makes me pathetic.”
“You know your safe word. I wanted this to be fun, but if this is what you need, baby, then I’ll give it to you.” He brought the cane down on her ass. There was a whooshing sound and then a gasp from Lou. He brought it down again. “You are not pathetic. I’ve spent a hell of a lot of time ensuring every fucking Dom in a ten-mile radius stays off you. You think Lucas wouldn’t have scooped you up and gotten you on a stage tonight if you would have let him?” This stroke hit the underside of her ass and had her cursing. But he did not hear her safe word. “He would have taken you on that stage and gotten you naked and fucked you in front of everyone, and the truth of the matter is if that had happened while I was gone, I would have dealt with it. You having sex wasn’t the problem. You wanting what Lucas can give you, craving him, that’s what I fucking feared.”
“I’ve never craved anyone but you, asshole.”
Sweet words. He brought the cane down again, right across that pretty ass. “Excellent. Then the next sixty or seventy years should work out for you because while I craved your attention before like a fucking lost little boy who didn’t want to lose his only friend, it’s different now, and it’s not going to change. I crave your naked body against mine. I crave that wet pussy of yours. I crave this round ass that one day I’ll spread wide and work my cock inside. I haven’t done that, Lou. I’ve never been all that interested in anal, but I want your ass, baby. I want to put my mark on every fucking inch of this gorgeous body. This body I haven’t even had a proper chance to inspect yet. I’ve given you a couple of orgasms, sub. Now I want to see what’s mine in this club.”
He stepped in front of her, her gaze meeting his, and he could already see the need there. She’d cried a bit, but he was sure the way her pulse was beating at her throat had nothing to do with pain and everything with anticipation. He took a step back, looking her over. He brought the cane out, touching the tip to her chin and bringing her head up.
“I’m going to take these clothes off you, Louisa. They’re nothing more than armor meant to keep me away. Eventually you simply won’t wear any when we’re playing and it will be okay because it pleases me.”
“I thought you were jealous.”
“Oh, I am righteously possessive is what I am. I always have been when it comes to you. You’re the prize. You’re the thing I can’t give up no matter what. How does it feel? You think you’re the little mouse no one notices and yet you have two of the biggest predators in our world who made a deal a long time ago to share you, to protect and shelter you. Little mouse? You’re the fucking center of the universe.”
“Are you talking about Kala?” Lou asked.
How had Lou never seen this? “Baby, if she swung that way, she would have stolen you away a long time ago, but she’s honest and knows herself. She wants what’s best for you, and that’s why we work as a team to protect you. Except she doesn’t give you good advice. You should have gone to prom with me. I stood outside your house watching all night long in case you changed your mind.”