Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
“Roughly a year,” he says.
“Who owned it before me?”
“I’m not at liberty to name names, but one of your clients.”
It’s a good answer—the right answer—which sets up the story I’m trying to tell right now. “And this person owned it how long?”
“He created it,” Kurt explains. “It was his from day one ten years ago.”
“And did I ever claim the ownership duties?”
“You did not.”
“Did I ever spend time in any of the places those stairs lead?”
“No, you did not,” he says.
“And why should Faith trust that you aren’t simply protecting me?”
He looks Faith in the eyes for the first time since joining us. “I protect my members, but I don’t lie. I’d decline to answer rather than lie, as I did when asked about the prior ownership. This was never Nick’s place. It was mine. It’s simply official now.” He looks at me. “Room eleven is yours.”
I nod, and he gives Faith another look but says nothing more. He simply turns and walks away. I don’t speak to Faith. I lead her down the hallway, and I don’t stop until we’re at room eleven. I open the door and allow Faith to enter what amounts to a giant bedroom with a wall of sex toys on the left. A massive canopy bed is on the right. A bondage stand is in a half-moon space at the back wall that is covered by a curtain. Beyond that curtain are seats, should you decide to invite viewers, which I never did.
I’ve barely shut and locked the door before Faith is already moving deeper into the room, walking up to the wall of toys. She pauses and grabs a black silk face mask, then walks toward the bondage stand. She steps inside it, her back to me as she starts undressing. I move to a spot a foot back, watching her, waiting, telling myself I’m about to show her that we are still us here and anywhere. That I am still me. Once she’s naked, standing there, her perfect, heart-shaped ass on display, she puts on the mask and then turns to face me. Her arms are at her sides, hands gripping the bars on either side of her. Her breasts are high, full, nipples tight pink nubs. And yeah. My cock is hard. Hard as Sin City is to beat on a good day for a casino, which is every fucking day. This is Faith. She can smile and my cock sees it as an invitation.
“Tie me up,” she demands, her voice quavering, and I don’t miss the way her knees tremble, and that jolts me with realization. She’s trying to be that person she was in the club with Macom. But she’s not that person. And I’m damn sure not Macom.
I walk to her, and I grab the bars above her hands, but I don’t touch her. I lean in, my lips near her ear. “You will never learn how to fuck me and still be alone, because you will never be alone again, Faith. And I won’t touch you in this place.” I remove her mask. “Get dressed. We’re leaving.”
“No. Nick.” She grabs my lapels, her naked body pressing to mine. “I need—”
“To put your fucking clothes on,” I say. “And let me be clear, Faith. If you don’t get dressed, I will dress you, and that’s going to be awkward for us both. I’ll be in the hallway.” I turn and walk to the door, opening it and stepping outside, running a hand over my face, adrenaline I didn’t know I’d triggered pumping through me.
I lean against the wall, inhaling and willing my body to calm the fuck down. I am always calm. Until now, apparently. The door opens, and Faith exits the room, thankfully fully dressed, and I don’t look at her, nor do either of us speak. I take her hand and lead her down the hallway, getting us the hell out of here. We exit the mansion and start down the stairs. By the time we’re at the bottom, the car is pulled directly in our path, and I open the door to allow Faith to enter. A minute later, we’re in the car and are back where we started. Her scent and her anger is a powerful cocktail, and I turn to look at her.
“That anger of yours can burn me alive, sweetheart, but I’m still going to be here, and I’m still not going to let you go.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Nick
Thankfully, the drive home is short. Ten minutes and I pull us into the garage and kill the engine. I’m out before it even dies, walking around the car to get Faith. She’s out of the Audi by the time I’m there, facing off with me. “I should go back to Sonoma.”
She just burned me, all right—scorched me inside and out. I’m pissed. One hundred percent certifiably pissed. I don’t say a word. I walk toward her, pick her up, and throw her over my shoulder, just like I did the last time she tried to leave.