"She is stubborn, that's for sure." Alex rubbed Paul's back until his breathing was better managed and he laid back.
"Well, she's had to live on her own her whole life. I'm sure it's eating away at her staying with you."
"I want her there," Alex said vehemently, earning him a sly look. He sighed. "She belongs there. With me." He sat back in his chair. There was no point in sugarcoating it for his dad—or himself. He wanted her in his life, in his home, and in his bed every fucking day.
"Have you told her that? Alyssa isn't used to people wanting to take care of her. She's not going to go along with it easily."
"I'm aware." Alex grunted, dragging his fingers through his hair again. "I've done everything other than disconnect the internet to keep her off the rental sites. I don't think she really wants to go. I think she feels like she's taking advantage."
"Son, just tell her how you feel. She won't want to step one toe outside your apartment once you do. I saw the twinkle in her eye when she talked about you, and I saw the way her face lit up when you walked into the room. But you have to tell her. She doesn't know what love looks like. Not really." Paul took a ragged breath, and Alex wasn't sure if it was from the memory of what Alyssa endured growing up or his medical condition.
"Mr. Tribelli?" Two young men walked into the room. "Your room is ready." Alex stepped out of the way as they raised the rails on his bed and began to play with the tubes and cords of the machines. "We are going to room thirty-one forty-five. Will you be coming up with us? The nurses will chase you away after a few minutes, but you can come up if you'd like."
"No. He has to get home," Paul answered for his son. "Go on. Alyssa is waiting for you. I'll see you in the morning."
"Call me if you need anything."
Paul chuckled as the two orderlies wheeled him out of the room. "I think they've got it covered. Now go."
Alex watched as his father was whisked down the hall and around the corner. The fear gripping at his chest subsided only slightly at his father's good-natured jabs. He didn't know much about emphysema, but he would rectify that immediately by getting on the phone with an old college friend who worked at Northwestern’s pulmonology department.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his worried thoughts.
Room 413. There's a key at the desk for you.
Alyssa. His father had implied love. Alex hadn't loved anyone other than Jessica for as far back as he could remember, and even that love was more infatuation than true heartbeat-skipping love. It was different with Alyssa. He couldn't get enough of her—looking at her, hearing her voice, smelling her, tasting her. God, tasting her! His cock reacted at the mere thought of feeling her smooth body beneath his.
Walking away from the hospital and toward the hotel, his phone vibrated again.
If it pleases you, I’ll be waiting naked and kneeling in the room.
His breath hitched, and he stopped walking for a moment to re-read the message. If it pleased him? Fuck, she was throwing him off his game. He'd expected her to argue about taking the following day off work, and here she was putting her desires out there for him, giving him the power to deny or accept.
Pleases me greatly. Kneel facing the window. Do not look at me when I enter. On my way.
Ignoring the fatigue in his body and the heat of the night air, Alex picked up his speed and all but sprinted across the street to the hotel.
Chapter 28
Alyssa read Alex’s text with a light heart. She'd gotten it right for once. His look of surprise when she'd agreed to call off her shift had made her both cringe and smile on the inside. If obeying something so simple as taking off a shift in order to be with Paul at the hospital was so shocking to him, what did that say about her ability to be his submissive?
The more she thought over the past weeks, she realized she hadn't put in much effort. She'd resisted him nearly every step of the way, and he'd been so patient, so loving toward her. It was apparent her doubles were frustrating to him, but he never forced her to quit, he never pulled out the mythical “Dom card” and threw it at her. He truly wanted the best for her, and he was willing to give her time to figure it out for herself. There had been more than one night when she'd gotten home from the club and he'd directed her straight to bed. Or when she had a few hours between shifts, he demanded she take a nap, but every action he took had been for her benefit. She found the brochures for UIC and Columbia sitting on the breakfast bar in the kitchen, but he never pushed it, never demanded she look at them. He put the idea out there, told her he believed in her, she could do whatever she wanted, and he would support her one hundred percent.
The door clicked just as she slid into position. She faced the closed curtains of the window, her hands resting on her knees. His footsteps were soft as he entered the room, but she could feel his presence before she even heard him. The muted sound of the door closing, and the chain being slid into place filled the room. It took everything in her not to turn her gaze on him.
"So fucking beautiful." His whispered words sent a shiver down her spine. Her skin came alive with electricity. "Please stand up and put your hands behind your neck. Stay facing the windows."
The hiss of his belt sliding through his pant loops gave life to the electric current that was her skin. Her fingers linked together behind her neck, steadying her stance, and she waited for the first strike of the belt.
"Do you remember the last time I used the belt on your ass?" he asked, standing a little closer to her.
"Yes."
"Tell me," he ordered with a warm voice.
"You punished me for being disrespectful." It had been a hard night—one she didn’t want to relive. But it had brought them closer.
"That's right. You had been a naughty girl."
She swallowed at his words. "But you were a very good girl tonight. Such a beautiful good girl." His hand gripped her ass cheek, and she jumped from the sudden touch.
"I bet you are so wet for me right now. Aren't you?" he asked, his fingers trailing lower, until his feathery touch lit a fire within her and he found out how wet she was. "Ah, very wet. Tell me what you thought about while you were kneeling here, waiting for me." He lightly patted her sex, but her whole body craved his touch.
"I wondered what you would do. I tried not to plan it," she admitted freely. His lips brushed against her shoulder.
"Very good." His fingers withdrew from her, and before she registered the lonely sensation, a sharp slap shook her ass, and she yelped more from the surprise than the sting. "I'm going to spank you with my hand," he announced, giving her two more hard swats, leaving a warm tingle behind. "Then I'm going to whip you with my belt. I'm going to show you how a good girl gets the belt."
His left hand, the one holding the belt, snaked around the front of her belly and gripped her waist, effectively holding her in place as his right hand went to work spreading a warm glow through her entire ass. She moaned from the heat, but found the sensation calming. A steady volley of swats, enough to tease her, but not enough to satisfy her as he went along. "Such a good girl," he whispered before pulling away and stepping back from her.
The trembling in her stomach led way to a quickened breath as she heard the jingling of his belt buckle. Leather crashed across both of her cheeks, leaving a burning trail in its wake as he pulled back and unleashed a lash near the curve of her ass cheeks. Her heart raced as the third strike landed, and by the fifth, the familiar buzz hijacked her senses. Each harsher strike took her to a new plane.
"How are you doing, baby?" He paused to run his palm over her scorched flesh. She blinked a few times and nodded. "Use your voice, baby." He sounded somewhat distant, but she hung on to him.
"I'm doing good, sir." She nodded again.
"Pick a number between five and ten." He dragged his nails across her tender flesh, and she hissed at the new sensation, moving up to her tiptoes. From her peripheral, she noticed his shit-eating grin.
"Seven," Alyssa croaked out.
The bite of his scratches distracted her from the fire of his belt, but only for a moment.
"Seven it is. Seven lashes, then the belting will be over. No, don't pout." Was he laughing? "Once the belting is done, the fucking can begin," he promised her. She took several deep breaths.
The first lash struck, and she stumbled forward a step. She jumped right back into place and bent forward a bit to push her ass out and steady her stance.
"Nice," he said approvingly, and the second blow crossed her ass. The third and fourth lash came quickly, giving her no time to register the burn of the leather.
"Your ass is so red, so brilliantly hot." He sounded out of breath as the fifth and sixth strike met the curve of her ass. She sucked in her breath at the sharp sting and moved up to her tiptoes. "Back down, baby. One more." He waited until she was planted on her feet again.
She squeezed her eyes shut, both anticipating and dreading the last feel of the leather. Her mind reeled, and her body hummed. The snap of the leather echoed in the small hotel room before she felt the effect of the harshest lash yet. She cried out and stumbled forward. Letting go of her hands, she caught herself on the window ledge and took gulping breaths.
His hands were on her, rubbing her ass and her back while she focused on her breathing. "It's okay, baby. I got you." He helped her to stand and wrapped his arm around her. When had he taken his shirt off? She nuzzled into his bare chest, feeling safe in the warmth of his skin. He stroked her back and placed kisses to her head until her breathing calmed and her mind settled back into the present. Pulling back, she smiled up at him. His concerned look washed away with his own grin. "There you are." He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes.
"I believe I was promised a fucking?" she reminded him breathlessly, reaching up to kiss his lips. Her lips may have initiated the contact, but he controlled it. His hands snaked into her hair, holding her firmly in place while his tongue demanded entrance. Every nerve in her body exploded into action. Her lips were swollen, and her face flushed while he gazed down at her with fervor.
"Yes, you were." He kissed the tip of her nose. Then her cheek. Then her shoulder.
"Alex," she pleaded, and he responded by nipping her with his teeth. "Alex!" She groaned, and he chuckled. "Please."
"Ah, there's the magic word." He made quick work of sweeping her up in his arms and depositing her in the middle of the king-sized bed. She leaned up on her elbows, watching him as he unbuttoned his slacks and dropped them to the floor, along with his boxers. She drank in his hard body with such desire, she had to remind herself not to fling from the bed and tackle him to the ground.
Slowly, as if he knew the torment she was in, he placed one knee onto the bed and lifted himself up. The muscles in his arms tightened and bulged at the weight he put on them as he crawled to her. His eyes bore into her, commanding her to stay put, not move an inch. When he reached her, he tilted her face up, eliminating any gap between them as his mouth pressed over hers. She leaned back into the pillows from his weight, and her hands splayed open on his chest. Not pushing, but feeling the hardness, the strength she'd come to rely on. His grip on her lessened as he kissed her, his erection pressing against her belly reminded her of the want she felt.
He broke off the kiss, leaving her breathless. Alex maneuvered himself between her legs, pulling them up in one swift movement. She was spread wide for him. He dragged his gaze down to her pussy, licking his lips before returning his attention to her face with a wicked smile.
With a powerful thrust, he entered her. She cried out from the instant fullness, but the sound was lost in his kiss. Deep, hard thrusts dragged her to the very edge of existence. She dug her fingers into his shoulders as he continued to drive into her again and again, pulling her legs higher, wider. She took him, every inch he gave her, while still wanting more. She wanted all of him.
"Touch your clit," he commanded in a rough voice. She slid her hand between them, finding the swollen flesh and rolled it beneath her fingers. So close to the edge, she bucked her hips at him, pulling his cock into her faster and matching his powerful thrusts. His dick slammed into her wet pussy over and over again, bringing her arousal to levels she’d never experienced before.
He released her thighs and dove both hands into her hair, gripping her hard as he took her mouth in another hard kiss. Alex drove roughly into her sex as he ravished her with his kiss. When he plunged into her and remained deep within her, she came, crying out her release into his mouth. The kiss ended, and he captured her eyes as he pumped once more and found his own release. His orgasm dominated him as he emptied into her with thick pulsations. He rested his forehead on hers. His breath, heavy and quick, matched hers as they lay silently embraced in each other's arms.
Several minutes ticked past before he withdrew from her, his hot semen sliding onto her thighs. Alex told her to stay put, and he disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a damp washcloth. Every muscle in her body relaxed at the tenderness he displayed while taking care of her.
He pulled the covers back and motioned for her to scoot beneath them before he slid in beside her, pulling her to his body. Sex lingered in the air. His warm breath blanketed her neck as his strong arms held her close. Everything was right in the world. Nothing could shatter their protective bubble.
Wrapping her fingers around his hand, she whispered. "Welcome home, sir."
Chapter 29
A week later, Alex walked into his office at Top Floor with mixed emotions. Things were changing at a rapid pace, and he wasn't sure he could keep up with everything. Alyssa seemed to have completely turned around on him. There was no longer any resistance to his dominance or her submissive nature. No arguments about her work schedule. She'd cut her time at the diner in half and agreed to quit once they replaced her. When he logged into the computer that morning to check his email, he found a college application half filled out in the browser.
Something weighed on her mind, though, but she wouldn't open up about what it was. Several times, he'd seen her check a text message and become tense and irritated by it. When he'd questioned her, she’d waved it off as unsolicited texts. He felt he should push the issue, but her deliberate effort at making him happy in every other way kept him from rocking the boat.
The hospital released Paul the morning following his attack. They had ruled out emphysema as the cause of his breathing issue and treated him for pneumonia. Although Alex was skeptical, the steroid medications they’d prescribed seemed to be working, and Paul was well on his way to a full recovery. Alyssa drove out to his house on her days off at the diner to check on him and be sure he didn't need anything. Alex was grateful for her help as his workload at the advertising firm only seemed to be building, and Top Floor was getting ready for the big slave auction. Kerri hadn't been replaced, which meant Brandon had been left in charge of the administration workload, with Alyssa's help, but he needed to speak with Bradley about the hiring of a new manager.
On his desk sat some of the ledgers he'd requested from the bookkeeper. John and Travis's milking of the accounts would be short lived once he worked his way through the numbers to find where all the money had been syphoned.
"Hey." Bradley walked through his door just as he'd taken a seat behind his desk. "Wasn't sure if you would be in tonight." Bradley carried a few folders.
"Me either." Alex sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You want to help dig through these receipts?" He waved his hand over the pile of papers sitting on his desk.
Bradley laughed. "Hell no. I found the mess, it’s your turn to take a crack at it. Speaking of which, I need your okay for the company's donation to the auction this weekend. Ten grand."
Alex let out a low whistle. "That's a pretty hefty donation."
"We'll take in at least that much with the extra door fees from the outside members coming in for the auction and the slaves entrance fees."
"What is the fee? I've been so wrapped up in my dad and the ad firm—"
"And Alyssa," Bradley
cut in with a knowing grin.
Alex shot him an irritated look. "Yes, and Alyssa, but I've been so wrapped up, I haven't been paying attention around here."
"You've done more here than John and Travis. Hell, I wish we would just buy their asses out and take this place over." Bradley rubbed his chin.
"Why don't we? Do you have the funding?"
"Fuck yeah. The funds haven’t been the issue, it was the risk. But now that I know this place is solid and the other two floors are doing damn well too, I wouldn't mind going all in. The thing is getting those two assholes to sell. This isn't just an investment, it's their playground."
"Well, we can sweeten the deal. Give them both lifetime memberships with free access to the party room once a month. They can get a steep discount on the food and drinks, but no charge for the room and staff." Alex studied Bradley's expression. He'd known the man for several years from a local group he used to frequent when he first put a name to his cravings. He could be trusted, of that Alex held no doubt, but he wasn't sure of his want. Bradley, as far as he knew, didn't hold an ordinary day job like himself. He'd come into his money from his family, and he'd made several wise investments early on, which grew his small fortune into a larger one. But owning fifty percent of a club was much different than only a quarter.
"That sounds fair. You want your attorney or mine to write up a proposal?"
"Should we get one that's on a club retainer?" Alex thought out loud. The four investors had all used their own attorneys, and it had been a bit messier than Alex liked.
"That would work. So, which attorney?" Bradley asked.
Alex fought back the growl forming in his chest. "I don't care at this point. Have yours write up the buyout proposal and we can figure out a better plan after the auction." Alex rubbed his eyes. The day was wearing him down. All the arguing he did with Alyssa about working two jobs, and here he was exhausted from doing the same damn thing. "Is everything set for the auction? I know I've left all the heavy lifting to you."
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