“She came here willingly. So did you. The rest . . .” Cort shrugged. “You’re both too damn stubborn to deal with this thing between you on your own. You can walk out now and forget the whole thing, or . . .”
“Or?” Ford took a deep breath, then went to Akira’s side and carefully removed the duct-tape gag. “I need you to be fucking clear about what you expect from us.”
“Or you can stay and use this opportunity to make up. You can both curse me out for forcing the issue if you want, but unless I hear ‘red,’ neither of you are leaving until you can play nice.” Cort met Ford’s eyes and saw the instant when what he was offering registered. He gave Ford a tight smile. “I know why you wouldn’t punish her. It’s not a problem anymore.”
“How is it not a problem? Are you leaving her?”
“No.”
“Then—”
“I think it’s pretty obvious what he’s suggesting, Ford,” Akira said softly. She studied Cort’s face for a moment, then sighed and turned to Ford. “I’m surprised you never thought of it considering both your sisters are—”
“I’d never share you if you were mine.” Ford crossed his arms over his chest and took a seat on the bed beside her. “So no, it wasn’t even in the cards.”
“I’m not yours. And I can’t see that changing.” Akira shot Ford a dirty look, rising gracefully from the bed to approach Cort. “I understand your reasons for this, Sir, but I can’t promise to do anything besides tolerate him while we’re stuck in here.”
“Fair enough.” Cort pulled her close, kissing her, tasting her sweet lips and the heat of her mouth. Then forced himself to let her go. “I won’t be far. Say the word any time and I’ll let you out.”
Akira’s lips slanted. “He’ll safeword before I do.”
“Not likely.” Ford pulled his feet onto the bed, stretching out with his arms folded behind his head. “Is there a time limit on this, Cort, or does she just get to bitch me out until she loses her voice?”
“I won’t be ‘bitching you out.’”
“Really? What’s changed?”
“You’ll be lucky if I say anything to you, you . . .” Akira sucked in a harsh breath, shook her head, then peered up at Cort, a rueful smile on her lips. “I will make an effort, Sir. But only because I love you.”
If he doubted that, even for a second, he wouldn’t risk letting her and Ford explore whatever this was between them. He kissed her cheek, then retreated from the room. “The only reason I’m doing this is because I love you. And because I know he does too.”
* * * *
Ford groaned as he watched Akira pacing the room, wishing she’d just sit down and chill until Cort got tired of this stupid game. He spotted a pile of books and magazines on the dresser and went over to check them out, hoping one would help pass the time.
He dropped the first one with a snort. You’ve gone mental, Cort.
The themes of all the books and magazines were either BDSM or hockey. “This is stupid. Is this his way of telling us that we’ve got stuff in common?”
Akira came over, her cheeks growing red as she glanced over the titles. “No, I think those are for me.”
“Tough Guy by Bob Probert? Give me a break.”
Her nostrils flared. “Oh, but the romance novels don’t surprise you?”
“Ah . . .”
Tugging hard at her wrist cuffs, Akira got one hand free, then grabbed the non-fiction hockey book. “He knew you’d bore me. It was thoughtful of him to give me ways to entertain myself.”
“Yeah, sure. Guess that makes up for him bringing you here under false pretenses.”
She plopped down on the bed with the book open on the pillow, her brow raised as she glanced over her shoulder at him. “What false pretenses? He was kidnapping me for nefarious purposes. This qualifies.”
Strange, but it was actually kinda fun butting heads with Akira when it was more a battle of words than bitterness. He sat on the dresser, his gaze drifting from her idly swaying feet to the gentle curve of her cute little ass in her tight jeans. His lips twitched at her words. “I know, it’s horrible. Being forced to be around me for any amount of time—”
“You’re smarter than you look.”
“—‘cause when it comes down to it, you’re going to have to stop pretending to be okay with this.”
“I am okay with this. When you say something worth hearing, I’ll listen.”
He lowered from the dresser and moved to the bed, leaning down with his hand braced close to her elbow. “You’re going to have to beg me.”
She snickered, casting him an amused glance. “Yes, I’ll get right on that, Sir.”
Cheeky little brat. He shoved away from the bed, lifting his shoulders in an offhand shrug. “All right, but I believe the whole point of this is for you to receive your punishment. You’ve been nagging me to give it to you for two weeks—”
Akira slammed the book facedown on the pillow. “I never nagged! I just don’t understand why you refused! You were going to the club because of me, and then when you got a chance to—”
“It’s not just for you! Not anymore!” He pressed his lips shut, inhaling slowly and picturing her strapped down, ass up, able to do nothing but take as many lashes from the cane as he chose to give her. Chicklet had taught him that trick when he’d asked her why she never raised her voice at Tyler. When the boy was in brat mode, he could try the patience of a saint. With his exhale, he found some much-needed calm. And recalled how much Akira needed to see her Dom was in control. He chose his words carefully, his tone measured. “Do you honestly think I’d just take any opportunity I was given? That I could punish you, then just hand you back to your man?”
“Why not? You do it with other subs?”
“No, I don’t. I spend time with the subs I discipline. They don’t hate me when I’m done.” He stared at the window, black beyond the pale lilac curtains. “I’ve had them curled up in my arms, happy with what I can give them.”
“I’m sure you give them a lot.” Akira’s bottom lip trembled. She glared at him as she sat up. “I really don’t need to hear about all your conquests.”
“That’s not why I’m—ugh, this is pointless.” Ford held his arms out, palms up. “Forget the begging. Just ask me to punish you and I’ll do it. A few swats on the ass with your jeans on, and we can tell everyone you learned your lesson.”
“All this might be fake to you, but it’s not to me. I’ll accept a punishment, but only if it’s real.”
“It can’t be real!” No yelling at the sub, Ford. He gritted his teeth. “You want me to stay away, don’t ask for real.”
“I’m asking.” Akira gave him a derisive once-over. “What are you afraid of?”
You. He almost laughed at how quickly the answer came, if only in his head. You fucking terrify me, shorty. Out loud, he managed a slightly better response. “I’m afraid you’re biting off more than you can chew, little girl.”
Her lips parted. She strode up to him, lifting her hand like she’d either shove him or slap him. But she seemed to catch herself at the last second and did neither. Her lips curled away from her teeth. “You fucking pussy.”
Too goddamn tempting. He shook his head, laughing as he went to knock at the door. “Nice try, shorty.” He cleared his throat. “All right, you had your fun, Cort. I’m ready to leave.”
He could hear Cort walking down the hall and stopping at the other side of the door. “Safeword?”
You’ve got to be kidding! Ford latched on to the handle and rammed his shoulder into the solid wood door. “Enough with this shit! Open the fucking door!”
Akira chuckled softly behind him. “Did you forget the word?”
“No, I didn’t forget it.” Ford rested his head against the door. “Cort, this is fucking illegal.”
Cort actually burst out laughing. “So?”
“So open the door! Come on, this isn’t fucking funny!” Only, it sorta was. Ford knew Cort, and his best friend was
about as moveable as Everest when he got an idea in his crazy head. “I’ll do it, man. I’ll punish her, and then I’ll have her screaming my name. Is that what you want?”
For a long time, Cort didn’t say a thing. Ford almost thought he’d left the hall. But then Cort spoke, so quietly Ford had to hold his breath to hear him. “If that’s what she wants, we’ll both learn to live with it.”
Akira strode forward, her eyes hard. “It’s not what I want. You know what, Ford’s right. This is getting us nowhere. Open the door.”
“At least you’re agreeing on something. That’s progress.” Cort let out a heavy sigh. “Funny thing is, if you weren’t both so full of it, one of you would have said ‘red.’ But you haven’t, so get comfy.” He laughed again. “And quit shouting for me. I’m in the middle of a Big Bang Theory marathon.”
The man’s lost it. Ford backed away from the door, looking around the room for something he could use to pick the lock. He spotted some bobby pins in Akira’s hair and moved to snatch one.
She slapped his hand away. “What are you doing?”
“Picking the lock. I need one of those, then we’re both out of here.” He scowled as she skittered out of reach. “Stop messing around.”
“My Master put me in here. I’ll leave when he lets me out.” She put her hands over the pins when he tried for one again. “Don’t touch me! Damn it, you’re obnoxious. It’s like being stuck in a room with an annoying brother.”
“A brother?” That was quite enough. He stepped into her personal space, speaking with his lips over hers. “Would you let your brother do this?”
One hand wrapped in her hair, he tilted her head back as his lips came down, silencing her protests with a bit of pressure. She shoved at his chest, then bunched her fists in his shirt, gasping as he teased the seam of her lips with his tongue. He wanted more of her, more of the honeydew sweetness, of the barely restrained passion. His blood carried a charge through his veins that sparked as he dipped his tongue into her mouth and touched the tip of hers.
She’s not yours. When this is over, Cort will take her back.
He probably would. For all Ford knew, Cort wanted to get him out of her system. But that meant he was there.
Which meant he could stay.
Not like this, though. What he felt with her was blazing hot, close to a flash flame that could die once it stole all the oxygen from the air around it. For this to last, they needed more.
“Not yet, shorty.” He took his lips from hers, smiling down at her. “I know what you want, but—”
“You know what I want?” Akira stiffened against him, her eyes shooting poisonous little darts. “Because I let you kiss me? You arrogant bastard. I’ve kissed a lot of men, and it didn’t mean anything until Cort.”
“Uh-huh.” He smirked, knowing it would get her even more aggravated. “May I finish now, my dear?”
“Don’t be all patronizing with me, Ford.” Akira retreated a step, then another as he moved toward her. “You have this one opportunity. Take it or leave it.”
He continued backing her up until they’d entered the bathroom. Then he cocked his head. “After I’ve punished you, right?”
“Like you could, you coward.” She sneered at him. “All you have is kisses and pretty words.”
“You couldn’t handle more.”
“Really? Try me.”
“All right.” He picked her up and put her in the bath, reaching down to turn the shower on. And blast the cold water. He held her in place, grinning as she screeched. “Count to ten, pet, and I’ll consider the punishment served.”
* * * *
“I could kill you! Let me out, it’s cold!” Akira yelped and latched on to Ford’s arm as her feet slipped. “A goat and an—an ape! That’s who y-you call your mom and dad! That’s why you’re so stupid!”
“Very creative, shorty. I’d call my ‘father’ worse than an ape, but that’s irrelevant.” Ford smoothed her wet hair away from her face. “Count and it will be over soon.”
He’s serious. She sniffled, turning her face away from the icy spray. “O-one.”
Ford rubbed her arm, then bent down, adjusting the temperature of the water so the cold wasn’t quite slicing at her, but was still uncomfortable. “You get all fired up and speak without thinking. I was happy to find out you weren’t lashing out at Sahara the next day. I checked on her and she—”
“Two.” Akira swallowed, staring at him through the hair clinging to her face. “I hated seeing you with her.”
“I know.”
“Not for the reason you think. Three.” Akira’s chest ached as she pictured Ford, holding Sahara so tenderly. But she made herself finish talking. “You’ll hurt her. You don’t care about her.”
“You know that’s not true. I played with her because I’d already agreed to do a scene with Pischlar, but I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t care a little.”
“You care about—” Doesn’t matter! Her throat tightened. “Four.”
“I care about all the subs I play with in some way.” Ford traced his thumb over her wet bottom lip. “But I don’t love them.”
“Five.” Akira took a deep breath as her heart pounded and her flesh heated despite the cold raining down on her. “Six. And I asked you not to say that.”
“Try to stop me. It won’t ever change.” Ford moved close to her, almost as much of the icy water hitting him as was covering her. But it didn’t seem to affect him at all. “I love you.”
“Stop.”
“Seven.” He kissed her, his lips chasing away the cold. “Eight.”
“Ford . . .” Tears mingled with the droplets spilling down her cheeks. She wanted to tell him she couldn’t love him back. She’d been hanging on to hating him for so long. Had barely accepted that maybe she shouldn’t. And then things had gotten confusing. And now it was too late. “I love Cort.”
“Nine.” Ford inhaled slowly. “Can’t say I don’t wish you didn’t. But . . . he could have kept you to himself. I gave him every reason to.”
She was shaking all over, but she wasn’t sure this punishment was good enough anymore. How could it be when Ford had spent the whole time telling her everything she hadn’t even dreamed possible? It couldn’t be true.
She turned away from him, hugging herself.
“Ten.” Ford turned the water off. “Come here.”
Letting him hold her, she took tiny steps with him into the bedroom, reeling with the thoughts of all that had led to this. The way she was talking to people lately . . . not only Ford, but Jami. And even Cort! She was swearing and being mean. That wasn’t her!
Two big towels were draped over her. And Ford’s arm. She wasn’t sure she should accept his comfort. He’d been too easy on her.
“Hey, talk to me.” He used one of the towels to soak up the moisture from her hair. “You’ve been punished before and you know how this works. All’s forgiven. You’ll be able to go back to the club.”
“Took me a lot longer—” her teeth chattered, her jeans and T-shirt molding to her body like a thick coat of ice “—to forgive you.”
“What I did was a lot worse.” Ford faced her, hooking his fingers under the hem of her shirt. “Arms up, shorty. You’ll get sick if you stay in these wet clothes.”
“Right.” She lifted her arms, feeling a little numb. He’d want to make love to her now. She had a feeling she’d enjoy it, but she was too emotionally drained to work up any excitement. She didn’t say anything as he peeled off her shirt, then her jeans, leaving her in her damp, white bra and panties. As he moved her onto the bed and pulled the blankets over her.
But when he crossed the room and tapped on the door, she went still. Listened to him speaking softly, making out only one word before the door opened. “Yellow.”
“I know you’re not big on planning, but please tell me you brought a change of clothes?”
Cort frowned and glanced over at her, then back to Ford. “Why are you wet?”
; “I punished her. I’m not leaving this room until I give her aftercare, but she needs to be comfortable.” Ford pulled his own soaked shirt away from his chest. “I wouldn’t mind getting out of this either.”
“There’s stuff in the dresser.” Cort hesitated in the doorway, his steady gaze on Akira’s face pulling her out of the numbness, giving her a feeling of longing that almost overshadowed the guilt that made it so hard to breathe. He shook his head and came to her side, taking her hand as he knelt by the bed. “You look so lost, Tiny. Was this a mistake?”
God, she loved him, but she couldn’t wait for the day when caring for her didn’t make him second-guess himself. She shook her head quickly, sitting up with the blanket held to her chest. “It wasn’t a mistake. I just . . . I don’t know what comes next.”
“We get you all nice and warm.” Ford came over with pink and purple cupcake pajamas that still had tags on them. He tugged off the tags, then held up the long sleeve, flannel top. “Then I’ll hold you for a bit before you start deciding you hate me again.”
“That won’t happen.” Akira’s brow shot up when Ford gestured for her to turn away from him. She did so without question, then blushed as he undid her bra strap. Cort sat on the bed and pulled her bra off. Ford held the shirt for her to slip her arms in. Cort did up the buttons.
All right, now I’m confused. This all seemed backward. Shouldn’t they be working on getting her clothes off rather than on? She got out of her wet panties, the length of the shirt making it easy not to flash anyone, and quickly pulled on the pants. Being fully clothed gave her some strength, but she wasn’t sure she wanted it. I would have done anything they wanted before. Why change that?
“It’s simple, shorty.” Ford pressed his hand to her cheek, his whiskey-colored eyes reflecting the light like the golden liquid would shimmer under the sun. And those eyes seemed to see right through her. “Just being this close to you is more than I could have hoped for. When you’ve had time to absorb everything, you can tell me whether or not you want me. Because I won’t take what you’re in no position to give.”
“I can give you myself, Ford.” She licked her bottom lip, the idea of him taking her much more appealing without the cold, without the feeling that it would be rushed. And with Cort here, she wouldn’t have to wonder if he’d regret setting all this up. It would be no different from when he’d shared her with Dominik. “We have tonight. Take it or leave it.”
Delayed Penalty (The Dartmouth Cobras #5) Page 31