He lowered to try kissing her, but she shoved hard at his shoulder. Using more force, he started to shift their positions, telling her with his actions that he wanted more sex.
Before they got distracted, she had to ask one more question. “Baby,” she said, letting him kiss her for just a moment.
“Hmm?”
“Will you move back home with me? Our support means so much to Dover. I don’t want him to be alone, and I want to be there too. It makes me feel better to be there, and we should help—”
He cut her off with a kiss. “The guys moved our stuff back tonight. They were picking up the mattress for our bed too. Everything will be there ready for us when we go back.”
“Our bed,” she said, trying to figure out why it felt so significant that he’d used that word.
“Yeah,” he said, lifting his body to slide his hand down her torso and between her legs. He bypassed her pussy to grab the inside of her thigh. “Everything is ours, baby… And as soon as you’re ready to make it legal…”
Dropping to suck on her neck, he left his mark on her. Raising her arms to the frame of her bed, she gripped it tight and parted her legs further.
“My crook,” she said. “Who’d have thought you’d ever be trying to coerce me into doing something legal?”
“I know, it feels kinda dirty,” he said, trailing his tongue down to her cleavage.
Melting into the bed, his mouth was making a soup of her insides. Purring out her pleasure, Harlow dragged her knees up his sides to his ribs. “We should get cuffs.”
Picking up his mouth, he made eye contact. “Says the woman who’s been in jail to the guy who’s been under threat of prison his whole life.”
Her lips curled. She opened her arms wide only to bring them back together as she draped them over his shoulders. “Leather cuffs or silks then,” she said. “I want to tie you up.”
He licked her lip. “Baby, you don’t need ropes to restrain me. I’m yours to command. You tell me not to move, I won’t move.”
“It’s not the same,” she said. “I want to be under your power too. You know how I love it when you dominate me.”
“Want to do that wax thing as well?” Nodding, she was excited by all the possibilities. “We’ll stop somewhere tomorrow, get whatever you want.”
“Anything?”
He must have noticed the way her eyes lit because he became dubious. “Why do I think I’m the one who’s going to need a safe word?”
“I just want to try things, baby,” she said, sliding her hands through his hair. “Any limits you want to tell me about in advance?”
Tilting his head, he almost nodded. “There’s one major one I can think of.”
Widening her smile, she tightened her body around his. “I don’t want to do that… I’d never cause you pain. I’m not a sadist.”
“No, but you are a masochist,” he said and grabbed her throat tight. Gritting her teeth, she let out a hiss of pleasure. “I won’t draw blood.”
Playing with the twist of her lips, she did her best to be sly. “No needles then.”
His suspicious eyes narrowed. “Do you get turned on when Dover’s putting ink on you?”
Pointing her tongue, she let it touch her upper lip and he took a turn to growl, forcing her head further back with his grip on her neck. “Think it’s…” With the constriction of her throat, she struggled over each word. “The vibration.”
“I’m gonna have a word with him about that.”
After what had triggered the tension between them that night, she was so pleased to hear him teasing her about other guys. His trust was real; he just had to remember to trust himself too.
“I don’t…” He must have heard the strain in her voice because he loosened his grip enough to let her speak easier. “You can always say no to me.”
One side of his mouth lifted. “But I never will, Trink… Fuck, I love you.”
“Prove it,” she said, trying to reach for his dick, but he had her pinned and she couldn’t move where she wanted to. “Fuck your cock in me.”
Pushing his lips to one side, he surprised her by being more quizzical than lustful. “Hmm.”
Leaping up off the bed, he strode across to her closet and put the light on.
Rising to her elbows, she wondered where her sex had gone. “Baby… what are you doing?”
A shout from somewhere else in the house made her look to the door. Ryske stuck his head out of the closet to look too. After a moment of eye contact, he went back inside.
“We don’t need special products from a store,” he called out. “We can improvise… You’ve got plenty in here, belts, scarves… garters we keep, panties can go.” A smile rose to her lips. She let her weight fall from her elbows. “I don’t know what this is, but I’ll spank you with it.”
She laughed and rolled onto her side. “There’s a riding crop in there somewhere.”
His moan of approval thrilled her. “You got a vibrator?”
“No,” she said and he poked his head out to land suspicion on her. “I don’t. Rupert didn’t like that stuff. He said using sex toys and props made him feel like he was lacking.”
Ryske disappeared back into the closet. “It’s okay,” he called out. “We’ve got a backup.”
That was curious, so she rose onto an elbow. “What backup?”
One of his palms appeared and he wiggled his fingers, making her laugh. “What about your tongue?”
“That will be busy somewhere else,” he said.
Harlow had no idea what he was planning. Her man valued having a plan going into an op, so she didn’t doubt she was in for a good night. Relaxing, she was ready to surrender herself to his mercy.
The rumble of raised voices quaked through the wall from the guest room. Rupert must have chosen to sleep in there… or at least that’s where the argument had traveled to.
Harlow felt safe in her room with Ryske and took a moment to appreciate just how lucky she was. Out there, in the rest of the house, people were hurt, and angry, confused, sad… There were so many emotions beyond her sanctuary, so many negative ones. Only one ruled in this room: love.
Ryske appeared from the closet. The bundle of things in his arms made her eyes flare.
He let out a short whistle and dumped everything on the end of the bed. “Flip over onto your front.”
Harlow started to do as he asked. “What are you going to do to me?” she asked, tilting back to look over her shoulder to watch him sort through his wares. Except when she noticed that his cock was already hard, she was distracted by his appeal.
“Eyes front,” he said. “Grab the top of the headboard.”
“Ryske,” she said, rising onto her hands and knees. “Maybe I could play with you first.”
Something cracked across her ass, sending a shot of pain up through her. A yelp escaped her throat. Assuming he’d found the crop, she tightened the circle of her hands around the top of her headboard.
“You’re my slave, Trinket,” he said in a deep drawl. “When I want you to do something to me, I’ll tell you to fucking do it.”
Biting on her lower lip, she let the sting on her butt and the heat of his words course through her. Ryske knew she was independent and headstrong. He also knew that in their intimacy, she’d always been aroused by him in the dominant role.
Adopting a lifestyle on a permanent basis wouldn’t really work for them. But, they had such an innate way of reading each other that each could trust the other to know when to exert power and when to surrender it.
She started to turn her head. The end of the riding crop brushed her cheekbone; Ryske used it to push her back around.
“Breaking the rules means punishment, slave,” he said.
Something warm and soft covered her eyes. He tied a scarf around her head plunging her into darkness. She couldn’t look even if she wanted to.
Silence followed. She was about to ask what he was doing when she felt the bed shift beneath her. Except
, she didn’t move on the bed. It felt like the whole bed moved.
Confirmation came when he cupped her face and drew her head up so he could kiss her. From the angle, he had to be standing behind the headboard, meaning he must have pulled the whole bed away from the wall.
He kissed her cheek and then her ear. “You owe me two and the night hasn’t even started,” he murmured on her ear. “My cock’s gonna spend a lot of time in your throat tonight… Say thank you.”
“Thank you,” she said, her lips curling while her body fizzed with anticipation. This was more daring than anything she’d ever done and they hadn’t even done anything yet. “Cr—”
“You call me sir if you’ve gotta call me anything,” he said. “But you’re only gonna speak when I tell you to… which I won’t.”
Something soft touched her chin, more fabric… a gag.
Harlow ducked back before he could do what he was going to do with it. “Sir, before I surrender myself to you…”
“What is it?” he asked, part him, part playing.
“I love you so fucking much.”
Bowing down, he rubbed his cheek on hers. “You’re about to love me a whole lot more,” he whispered.
The fabric went over her mouth and he tied a tight knot at the back of her head. At his mercy while he tied each of her hands to the top of the headboard, she couldn’t begin to imagine what he was planning, but she didn’t question for a second whether or not she’d enjoy it.
Gagging her was a gift. He was ensuring that they wouldn’t rouse the rest of the house with their antics. Though, Harlow suspected her family wouldn’t miss that there was something going on in her bedroom that had never happened before.
Ryske was a sexual force unlike any she’d ever known. Whether they were playing and teasing, or kissing and making love, she loved every second, and every inch of his body.
Tomorrow they’d go back to life and dealing with the problems that swirled around them. For tonight, they belonged to each other and if this was a test of their trust, she didn’t doubt that they’d both pass with flying colors.
18
Breakfast was never going to be fun.
Sneaking into the shower with Ryske had been fun. Having sex in there before he washed her body and her hair had been fun. But, the inevitable had to come eventually and Harlow found herself wiping her grin from her face the minute she stepped into the dining room with Ryske.
Lena was there in her usual seat beside Jean. Neither were speaking and there was a sadness hanging in the air that hurt her heart. Going around the table, Harlow could tell that Ryske sensed it too, but he knew better than to comment.
Through the French doors, she spotted her father and Rupert at the far end of the backyard engaged in conversation. She couldn’t tell how heated it was or what was being said. They were at the other end of the lawn, facing each other, maybe eight feet apart, and Rupert was making hand gestures.
“Uh oh, that’s his you’re being unreasonable gesture,” Harlow said, tucking her hair behind her ear and sitting down in the chair Ryske was holding for her.
He’d never pull her chair out at home. Sometimes the con required him to be of high breeding, so he did know how to act with impeccable manners. She guessed he’d gotten into the habit here or still wanted to impress her family.
Jean inhaled a long, tired breath. It didn’t seem like anyone had slept well. Lena’s posture was terrible, but that could be because of her mood too.
When her mother breathed out again, she laid a hand on the table. “Ryske, I don’t mean to be forward. This isn’t a question I would usually ask…”
Harlow heard alarm bells, but Ryske didn’t flinch. “Ask me anything.”
“You may not be the man we thought you were, yet you stated that everything you’ve done for this family has been because you have an affection for my daughter.”
“I love your daughter, Mrs. Sweeting.”
Vehement in his respect, he always sounded a little defensive when anyone equivocated on his feelings for her.
“That’s what leads to my question,” Jean said. “My husband, he… He wants to know what your role will be in this family.”
There was no chink in the proverbial armor he’d donned after Jean’s slight. “I won’t lay hands on Lena, if that’s what he wants to know.”
Lena’s horror was obvious when she straightened like someone had prodded her. Jean just looked downcast.
Her sister’s alarm swung from Ryske around to her. “Harlow, I wouldn’t—I would never—”
“It’s okay, honey,” Harlow said, and took Ryske’s hand. “I’m not planning to be done with him any time soon anyway.”
“That’s not what my…” Jean shifted in her seat. “He wants to know if you will be a part of this family… If you plan to be a permanent member of this family…”
Harlow was dumbfounded. Was her mother asking Ryske to marry her or telling him to get out if he wouldn’t?
“Mom, if you ask him to leave, neither of us will ever come back,” Harlow said, infected by Ryske’s defensiveness.
Frustrated, Jean frowned at herself. “No, I… Brysen wants to know if Ryske plans to be a stable fixture in the family because this is a difficult time for us all and we need support.”
Seeing her mother’s exhaustion, Harlow’s heart broke some more. “Mom, Ryske isn’t going anywhere. He’s here for whatever any of us need. You can rely on him. Both of you can. Dad too.” Rupert maybe less so, but she didn’t think now was the time to highlight that. She smiled. “He’s even better than most guys because he has far fewer morals.” The attempt at a joke only garnered anxiety from the other side of the table. “Except for the sex with Lena thing. He definitely won’t do that.”
“Thanks, babe,” Ryske said, picking up her hand to kiss her knuckles. “Am I blushing?”
“Ryske,” Jean said. “Your relationship with Harlow. Is it frivolous? Please, be honest.”
This time he was more solemn. “No. Harlow and I won’t part for anything. I’m her guy. Period.”
Jean sighed. “I don’t know why I believe you, but I do. Maybe I’m tired or you’re very good, but I believe you.”
Ryske glossed over that doubt. “What do you need, Jean?”
“Harlow’s father has traditional views. He feels Harlow should have a representative… someone to speak on her behalf. An advocate…” Closing her eyes, she gave up on explanations. “Brysen would like for you to join them.”
“Harlow doesn’t need me to speak for her,” Ryske said. “She’s capable of speaking for herself… She’d kick my ass for presuming to—”
“It’s okay,” Harlow said, probably surprising the shit out of him. “I trust you to speak for our corner of the family.”
Ryske had trusted her to speak for their crew at the consortium meeting. She trusted him to keep his cool. Her father would only clam up if she was to stride out there. There were things he’d voice in front of men that he would never even whisper with his daughters in earshot.
It worked both ways anyway. Harlow needed a chance to talk to her mother and sister in private. They’d be more open without Ryske listening in.
He smirked and put a hand to her forehead. “You feeling okay, Trink?”
“Yes,” she said, smiling and shaking her head at him. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Go be a man with the men.” Ryske pushed out his chair. As he turned, Harlow caught his face. “Just… control yourself, representative,” she murmured and kissed him.
Leaving via the French doors, Ryske strode across the lawn. When her father spotted him, Harlow turned back to face the table. She really didn’t want to see how Rupert would react when Ryske showed up.
Picking up the coffeepot, Harlow began to pour. “I should’ve given him coffee,” she said. “Though he functions fine without it, unlike me.”
Harlow selected a pastry and figured her mom had the deli deliver because she hadn
’t cooked this morning. She certainly hadn’t made what was on the table.
“Will they be okay?” Lena asked. “Will Ryske calm daddy down?”
“If anyone can, he can,” Harlow said, pulling a piece off her pastry. She could see that Lena was on alert. Jean seemed too tired to even focus. “Mom, if you need to go back to bed, just go. We’ll take care of everything down here.”
“I have to be here for your father,” she said. “As you’ve seen, he didn’t go to the office today.”
Neither him nor Rupert were at SweSec, which may be a first. Harlow couldn’t think of another time when either of them hadn’t been there when it wasn’t a holiday or event.
“He’s so mad, Harlow,” Lena said. “He came down this morning and just looked at me, he didn’t even speak.”
“He’s disappointed,” Jean said. “Can you blame him, Lena? Neither of us were expecting this and we don’t… We don’t know how to process it.”
Harlow drank some more coffee. “Yeah. The ladies at the lunch club will be horrified,” she said, startling both her mother and sister. “I’m sorry. Mom, I didn’t take the news well either… Where do you think dad’s Dalmore went? But, it is what it is. We’re here now and we just have to face the facts. Lena is pregnant. She’s going to have a baby. The baby is healthy, a good size, perfect… She had an ultrasound. There are pictures.”
Jean seemed surprised, but perked up to look at her younger daughter. “You have pictures?”
Lena nodded.
“Go get them,” Harlow said to her sister who leaped from the chair and dashed out, probably just happy to be doing something. Jean was blinking, in a sort of daze. “Mom, Rupert and I weren’t together. I know it’s not conventional, and maybe they’re not crazy in love. But, he’s a good man and he’s been a part of this family for a long time. He’s not going to beat her or mistreat her. Dad always wanted him to take over the reins at SweSec. I remember that’s why he was so disappointed when Rupert and I split up… Now he has another chance. Rupert will be marrying into the family, just like you both always wanted… And, he’s mortified, Mom. Rupert didn’t want to hurt anyone in this family.”
Go All In (A Go Novel Book 4) Page 14