Tell Me Now

by S. Moose

  I cry because my world isn’t dark anymore.

  “The day I heard your voice was the day I felt alive again. Then you walked into my office and into my life, imprinting me. Madison, out of all the women I’ve been with, you’re the only one worth it. I know you want me to open up more, and with time, I will.”

  Madison wraps her arms around my neck and holds me tightly. My gut tenses to her warmth. Her grip on me loosens, and she looks at me. There’s the light again. The light I’ve been yearning to see, and it’s the only light that affects me. It shines brightly, and at this moment, I can breathe again.

  “I’m here, Bryce. I’ll be by your side. Let me pull you out of this darkness you've been living in. I'm here now and I'll always be here. You don't have to live with your demons. We’ll take it slow. I won’t force you to open up any more until you’re ready.”

  “How can you not think I'm a monster?”

  Madison presses her lips to mine. “Because I know the man you are and I know your heart.”

  Hearing her say those words has a profound effect on me. I don’t care if she’ll see me and all my brokenness and scars. If she wants to continue this with me, it only shows she’s able to look past all the issues I have—my dominating and controlling ways. We’ll work together to make this work.

  “Madison?”

  “Yes?”

  “Come home with me tonight.”

  A wide smile spreads across her face. “Yes.”

  The moment we’re inside the penthouse, I’m gentle with my kisses. Tonight, I’m going to make love to her and show her how much she means to me. I have her pressed against the wall, my hand sliding up her smooth and creamy thigh. Pushing aside her panties, I press my fingers against her wet slit and run them up and down, feeling her shudder to my touch. I’m revering her with my mouth, taking all her breath into my body and feeling my soul come alive. She works her hand over my cock through my pants. Quickly releasing my cock, she grasps it, sliding her hands up and down. I’m lost to her touch and don’t register her sinking to her knees. Before I can say anything, she slides her mouth over my cock and tightly holds the base. She pulls my pants down with my boxer briefs and squeezes my ass.

  “Fuck,” I hiss, pulling on the silky strands of her hair. “That’s so good. Damn, Madison.”

  The way her tongue swirls around the tip and feeling the back of her throat is making me dizzy. There’s so much I want to do to her and so much I want her to feel. Right now, fuck, she’s pushing me deeper into her mouth, and I get harder, feeling my own release approaching.

  This is the first night we’ve been together in a few days, and I don’t want her to be on her knees, sucking me off. I want her to feel me and let me fill her precious cunt.

  “Get up,” I order her, and she quickly stops and rises to her feet. I take her hand and pull her with me until we’re in the bedroom. “This is where we’re going to reconnect.”

  “Okay.” She’s breathless, and it’s fucking sexy.

  I turn her around, and take off the dress she’s wearing. The material pools at her feet. I press my lips to her bare back and run my hands down her body.

  “Let me love you,” I mutter in her ear. Removing her bra, I toss it on the floor, slowly trailing kisses down her back until I’m at the lace of her thong. “Jesus, baby.” I stand up straight and gently push Madison forward so her ass is in the air. Next to go is her thong. With the slinky material in my hand, I bring it to my nose and inhale deeply. A little moan falls from her lips, and it’s the sexiest noise. Her breasts are round and perky. I lick my lips and watch her pink nipples harden.

  “Bryce.”

  “I know, baby. I know exactly what you need.”

  I guide her to the bed and lift her until her head's on the pillows and my body is over hers. My cock is hard, and my balls are fucking tight.

  I need her.

  Bending down, I kiss her cheeks and take a deep breath. Her arousal is sweet. I position myself between her thighs. The head of my cock slides along her entrance while I rest on my forearms.

  “You mean the world to me Madison. With you is where I belong. Promise me you won't leave?”

  “Yes. I promise you. Please make love to me.”

  I push myself into her tight hole and relish in the feel of her warmth around my cock. The moans spill from my lips as I pull out slowly and push myself inside her.

  “Baby,” she whispers, and pulls me down to kiss my cheeks and then my lips.

  I'm taking my time cherishing her body and feeling every inch of her. Making love with Madison is better than anything else. A few more slow and sensuous thrust and I feel her clamping down on me.

  “Come with me,” I whisper.

  I’m filling her with my seed, and she takes all of me. The sigh of pleasure tells me she enjoyed that just as much as I did. Everything about her is perfect. I feel her heart beating against mine. I don’t want to leave her, but I need to take care of her.

  “I’ll be back.”

  Rushing to the bathroom and back, I clean her, and she watches me. Once I’m done, we get under the covers, and she rests her head on my bare chest.

  “This is where I belong.”

  “And this is where you’ll always be,” I tell her.

  Chapter 36

  Madison

  The next morning, I wake up alone but not for long. Bryce’s putting bags by the door, and he’s dressed in a sexy black suit.

  “Are you leaving again?”

  “We are,” he says while walking over to me. He sits down on the edge of the bed and kisses my lips. “I have a few meetings in California, and I’d like you to come.”

  “Is Tiffany coming?”

  He tilts his head to the side. “Why would she? I’m bringing you. Everything she’s done in California is complete. I have her going to New York City tomorrow morning to finalize the legal portion of a deal I’m ready to close.”

  “Oh. So this is how you dealt with her? Keep moving her around from state to state?”

  He laughs, and I love hearing the rare sound. He’s always so serious.

  “Sure. As soon as the meeting was over, we had dinner with Antonio and his team, before she took the private jet home. If I’m traveling with anyone, I’ll let you know. I know you hate the idea of me being with another woman, and I can respect that. Please know I’d never do anything to hurt you. You mean the world to me. Baby, you are my world. Everything makes sense again. I can see the brightness of the sun, the brilliance of the day.”

  “I’m sorry for being so insecure.” Bryce sits down on the edge of the bed, and I move closer until my head rests on his shoulder. “You mean the world to me, Bryce. I know this is going really fast, and yes, I’m still scared, but it feels right, and that’s what’s important.”

  “Yes.” He kisses the top of my head, and my breathing becomes even and calm. “Get ready.”

  “Okay.” I lift my arms in the air and stretch before getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom to get ready. I put on a strapless dress and matching heels.

  Grabbing my purse from the dresser, I head downstairs to meet Bryce in the kitchen. He has coffee ready for me with cream and sugar to the side. This man is honestly killing me. He’s trying extremely hard, and I’m glad I can be open to this.

  Kelly emerges from the corner with a smile on her face. “Good morning,” she announces, and I return a smile.

  “Morning, Kelly.” I notice a brown bag she’s holding. “What’s that?”

  “Your and Mr. Hunter’s breakfast along with snacks.”

  “Thank you, Kelly,” Bryce says and takes the bag from her before letting her know when we’ll be back and not to allow Tiffany to come over for any reason.

  “Come on, baby. We need to leave.”

  I wave to Kelly and wrap my arm around his waist as we walk out the door and down to the SUV.

  The plane ride is quiet. Bryce has a few calls to make, so I take out my Kindle to read. I’m lost in
the story. Feeling all the feels and dying a little on the inside. The issues this couple is facing are similar to what I’m going through with Bryce. He’s slowly opening up, but I still have so many questions.

  Bryce sits next to me and places his hand on my thigh. “I’m sorry for ignoring you all morning. I’ve had important conference calls that required my full attention.”

  “It’s okay. I’ve been reading and keeping myself busy.”

  He leans over to see what I’m reading. Pulling away, I’m slightly embarrassed by my reading selection. Can you blame for me being a diehard romance fan with a preferred dose of naughty? Well, a lot naughty.

  “Since you pulled away, I’m even more fascinated with what you’re reading.”

  “It’s nothing.” Blushing, I power down my Kindle and put it back in my purse. “Why so curious?” I muse, wondering if he caught any of the naughty words on the screen.

  “No reason.” He smiles as he lightly touches my chin. The heat of his hand overwhelms me, and I take a sharp breath. “We should be landing shortly.” He leans against the seat and pulls out his phone, scrolling until he finds what he needs, and his forehead wrinkles.

  My heart rate picks up at a rapid pace. It’s been a few weeks since we became a couple, and his touch still ignites a fierce longing for him. The empty ache between my thighs is starving for his touch.

  I’m admiring him. Today, he’s wearing jeans and a soft gray V-neck shirt. It stretches across his chest, showcasing his broad shoulders and muscular arms. The arms I want to feel around me.

  The next forty-five minutes go by quickly. Bryce takes my hand and guides me off the plane, walking toward a black limo. The drive is nice, and luckily, traffic isn’t too bad, so we arrive at the hotel rather quickly.

  Stepping out of the car with Bryce, a friendly doorman nods his head in greeting.

  “Welcome back, Mr. Hunter.”

  “Thank you. This is my girlfriend, Madison Smith.”

  He smiles at me. “Very nice to meet you, Miss.”

  “You as well …”

  “Leo, Miss,” he insists.

  “It’s nice to meet you as well, Leo.”

  Bryce and I wave him goodbye before entering the lavish and elegant hotel. I’ve been in nice ones before, but this one takes the cake. The marble floors are polished, and the beautiful layout has a large table in the middle of the lobby with a breathtaking bouquet of hydrangeas. Surrounding the lobby is couches and loveseats. There’s a bar close by, and a pianist plays a soft melody.

  “Madison?”

  “Hmm?” His voice pulls me out of my trance of the hotel, and we walk onto the elevator and ride it to our floor.

  The doors open, and I’m in awe. We’re staying in the presidential suite, which is the entire floor.

  “Babe, this is so nice. How long are we staying here?”

  “I’m glad you approve.” I hear the smile in his voice. “We’ll be here for four days. I’d like to stay longer, and hopefully soon we can. Would you like that?”

  I’m not starting at Henry’s company for another week, so it’ll work out. It's sad I won't be working with Kaylee, Galen, and Glenn anymore. Luckily, Glenn fully understands and wished me the best of luck in my future endeavors.

  His strong arms circle my waist and bring me to his chest. “Yes. Of course.”

  “Good.”

  “I hate to do this, but I have an urgent meeting I must attend. You’re more than welcome to go shopping or enjoy the spa. Whatever you’d like to do, please go ahead.”

  I’m a little disappointed he has to go already, but I know this is his job, and we’re not traveling for pleasure. “Oh. No worries. I’m going to take a quick shower and head down to the spa. A massage and facial sounds relaxing.”

  “I hope you have fun. I’ll text you.”

  “Okay.” I try to muster a smile. “I love you.”

  Bryce leans down and kisses my lips, tightening his grip on me, and our moans fill the room. “I love you.”

  Once I finish taking a shower and freshening up, I call the spa and let them know my room number. There’s availability for me, so I head downstairs and text Kaylee to let her know I’m okay.

  Madison: Made it to Cali. I love it here! Heading down to the spa now.

  Kaylee: Lucky girl! Henry says hi and hopes you have fun. Did you turn in your notice yet?

  Madison: Yeah. I did. Sorry I didn’t tell you. Since Glenn knows how hard I’ve been working, I don’t need to work my last week there, so I’m going to have a lot of free time.

  Kaylee: Aw, I’m so glad he’s doing that. We’ll miss you for sure! More reason to get together more often.

  Madison: For sure!

  The doors open, and I head to the receptionist.

  “Hi, Miss Smith. We’ve been expecting you.”

  Of course. “Hi.” I smile and fill out the necessary paperwork.

  I’m led into the spa, and she shows me around. There’s a pool, sauna, hot tub, and a relaxation room with complimentary tea, coffee, water, and snacks.

  “And this is where you’ll change, and there’s a robe in there for you, Miss Smith.”

  “Thank you.”

  The receptionist leaves, and I get out of my clothes and put on the robe. There’s still some time before my massage, so I let myself sink into the soft cushions in the relaxation room.

  It’s a little past six when I return to the hotel room. There’s no message or call from Bryce, so I get into bed and eventually fall asleep.

  Feeling light kisses brush against my cheek, I can’t help my smile. My eyes open to a very handsome man.

  “Hi, baby,” he says and leans down to kiss me again. “Did you enjoy your spa day?”

  I nod. “Yes, quite so. Now, I’m starving. Can we get room service? I’m way too relaxed to get ready and eat in public.”

  “Of course. Stay in bed. I’ll get everything and wake you when it’s here.”

  “Okay.”

  I watch Bryce walk out of the bedroom, and I know I won’t go back to sleep, so I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. His voice filters in, and I wonder who he’s talking to.

  “Don’t worry.”

  Pause.

  “Everything’s going well.” His voice is agitated, and my curiosity is getting the best of me. “The payment went through. It’s not necessary. Use your money for yourself.”

  I open the bathroom door, tugging the silk robe I have on, and walk into the living room. Bryce’s body is stiff. This conversation he’s having isn’t good, and he’s stressing out completely. I hate when he’s like this.

  Tense.

  Dark.

  Broody.

  “Listen …” He sees me and smiles, taking my hand in his. “We will discuss this later.” Bryce ends the call and slides his cell phone into his pocket. “No more sleeping?”

  “Who was that? Is everything okay?”

  “All is fine, baby. I promise. Now, are you ready to eat?”

  Chapter 37

  Bryce

  After two rounds of fucking and making love, Madison’s fast asleep on the bed. The sheet covers her bottom half, exposing her smooth bare back. Another pang of guilt hits me. I’m far into this, more than I thought, and there’s no way I can ever go back to a life without her.

  I’m all in.

  Not only is the guilt pulling me, tugging on my conscience, but it’s the deep emotional connection we share. She’s more than I expected. More than I need. With her, my life is better. I know I sound like a pussy, but I don’t care. There’s so much more to Madison than meets the eyes. God, if the truth comes out, it’ll kill her. It’ll kill me, so I can’t let it happen. Protecting Madison is my highest priority.

  I slip out of bed, pull on a pair of sweats, take a seat at the table, and open my MacBook. I try to sort out my emotions. Everything’s a fog and not making sense. Madison is pure, and here I am, holding the cards, which I know will kill her. The email stares at me. The truth i
s there. She’s never going to forgive me. Between all the lies and secrets, all she’s going to see is a powerful man betraying her. I won’t be able to pull myself out of it.

  Telling her about Blaire, opening myself up to that sort of hurt, only proves to me what I already know. Madison Smith is my world. My life. I love her with every fiber in my body. I understand the meaning of love, and it’s because of her. I’ve avoided the emotions for so long, and now that I know how amazing it can feel, especially with Madison, there’s no way I can let her slip away. Whatever I do next, I do know her feelings and protection is number one. I don’t care what happens to me. The only thing that matters is Madison’s fully taken care of and not touched by the lies surrounding her.

  I spend the rest of the night finalizing a deal I’ve had for the past few months. Emailing it to Tiffany, I get a message on my cell phone.

  Tiffany: Someone came to the office.

  Bryce: I know.

  Tiffany: How can you do this to her? You have to figure this out.

  Bryce: Why do you care?

  Tiffany: Because I can see how much she loves you and how much you love her. We shared a past, and there’s nothing either of us can do to fix it, so I’m going to focus on the present and future. My future will be with someone I love and who loves me. I want the type of love you and Madison have. It’s rare, Bryce. So rare. Don’t fuck this up!

  Bryce: Your sudden change in feelings for me and Madison is confusing.

  Tiffany: I went to visit Blaire’s grave, and I talked to our daughter. Something came to me while I was there. I’m harboring so many negative feelings and sadness. I need to let it go and just hold her in my heart. I think our daughter was telling me that, and when I mentioned your name, I saw a butterfly flying over her grave.

  My heart constricts, and it’s becoming hard to breathe. I reread Tiffany’s words and let her message sink in.

  My princess.

  The day we buried my baby girl was the last time I saw her grave. Her tombstone. I remembered we chose her tombstone and an angel, so she’d always have someone looking over her.