“You’re right,” She says. “I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m sorry, Mallory. For everything. Please remember what I told you back at the winery: it’s still true and more evident now than it ever was.”
Hanging up, Alex stares at me questioningly.
“She said I was perfect for you. If that’s what you’re wondering.”
“I think she’s right,” Alex says, catching my fingers playfully in his own, “What do you think?”
I whisper, “I still haven’t decided yet.”
Hearing my response, Alex frowns, but doesn’t question me any farther. Looking around his living room, I try to find something that would kill a few snow-laden hours.
“Do you have any board games?”
“I think I have some kid ones for when Anna comes over.”
Moving to his media cabinet, he opens a side cupboard, revealing a few games. Reading across the familiar childhood titles, I nod my head in approval.
“Take them out, let’s play. It’ll be fun.”
“Seriously, Mallory?”
“Well, what else are we going to do?”
Moving towards me suggestively, Alex purrs, “I can think of a few things.”
“Stop it,” I say, hearing the giggle come into my voice.
“Fine. Let’s play, Ms. Winston.”
“Thank you,” I reply with feign generosity. “You can pick which game we play first.”
Alex settles on a candy game, and we sit cross-legged around the table to set up the board.
After playing at least one round of all the games in the cupboard, I can’t suppress my smile when I see his enthusiasm at winning a board game. Though I do have an inkling that he might have been a sore loser, so I may not have been playing to my best ability.
“You were right. That was fun. Playing with you is much better than playing with Anna.”
“It was fun,” I agree. “But I’m a bit hungry.”
My stomach grumbles loudly, as if to confirm this.
“Why don’t we have an early dinner since we had a late breakfast and no lunch? Does chili sound ok? I already have a batch ready to reheat.”
“Chili sounds great on a day like today.”
Once the chili is warmed up and we’re sitting at the table eating our dinner, Alex’s phone chimes with a message, which he ignores.
“You can answer that, Alex. It’s ok.”
Glancing at his phone, he reads for a moment, then says, “It’s Samantha. She says that Will took it much better than she had anticipated. In fact,” he smiles, “he was upset that her due date is almost here and he’s missed all of it. He’s going to be here Sunday once the storm lets up, since she can’t travel this late in her pregnancy. She says thank you, by the way.”
“I’m glad it all worked out for them.”
“Me too,” he replies, blowing lightly on another spoonful of chili.
“Oh, that reminds me: you need to talk to Abi. When she came to see me, she said she had some evidence proving that the baby wasn’t yours. I just don’t want you to be caught off guard by anything.”
He seems surprised, but unconcerned. “I’ll go ahead and call her now. Thank you, Mallory.” Alex says, golden eyes crinkling, “You’re beautiful and kind and always know the right thing to do.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but thank you.”
I smile, and begin clearing our dishes from the table.
When Alex calls Abigail, I head to the room where I had intended to stay. Lying on the bed, I send a text message to Steven and to Bea to make sure they’re doing ok. They both reply quickly to let me know that they are. From what I gather, they’ve each been enjoying the complimentary room service as a result of the storm. Assured that they are safe, I message Madison to see how things are back home. She fills me in on some local gossip and talks about what she’s heard from Mika, which unfortunately isn’t much. Before ending our conversation, she asks if it would be ok to ask out Bradley. Evidently she had a crush on him from day one, but didn’t want to mess things up with us. I smile down at my phone, promise her that I am ok with her going on a date with him, then let her know that we never did more than kiss. She says that would have been awkward, which makes me laugh, but I completely understand.
After finishing my conversations, I rise from the bed and grab my suitcase, opening a hidden jewelry compartment. From within its depths, I retrieve my blue velvet bag. Carefully tilting it upside down, I let the heavy, chained necklace fall into my open hand. The chilled metal against my palm brings me back to the first moment when Alex draped it across my neck. For two months, I never took it off.
“You still have it?” Alex asks from the doorway, startling me.
I clasp my hand quickly, the cold metal of the open-heart digging into my palm.
“May I see it?”
Glimpsing towards my clasped hand, then back at Alex, I slowly uncurl my fingers. Breath measured carefully, he traces his fingers against my wrist, up to my hand, coming to stop at the necklace. Alex lifts up the piece of jewelry, allowing the diamonds to shimmer in the flickering firelight.
“They did a remarkable job with this.” He says, appraising the careful workmanship appreciatively, “It’s almost as beautiful as the woman to whom I gave it. I’d like to hold onto this for a bit, if that’s ok?”
“Why?” I whisper, saddened a little.
“Well, I’m hoping I’ll be able to give it back to you someday – soon - for the reason it is intended. It’s too beautiful to keep tucked away.”
I nod, mesmerized by the light being thrown from the diamonds.
“I want to be honest about something with you, Mallory,” Alex says quietly, running his thumb along the pendants uncomfortably.
Concerned, I questioningly meet his gaze.
“I have had other submissives since our time together. Three to be exact. My need for dominance was so overwhelming, I felt completely out of control when I left you. I knew you held an important piece of me and…. I tried to do everything I could to make that feeling go away,” he says, finishing with a heavy sigh.
My shock quickly gives way to nausea. Appalled at his confession, I grab the necklace from his hand and shove it back in the velvet pouch.
“So your only reason for wanting me now is to feel complete and in control of your own life?” I ask, anger flaring in my chest.
“No! I want you because I love you, because you are the only person that makes me feel whole. I never felt anything with those other women - they were nothing. They were just a way to bide my time until I could come back to you.” Taking a deep breath and exasperatedly running his fingers through his hair, Alex whispers, desperation spilling past his lips, “God, Mallory. I feel like a lovesick fool right now, pouring out my feelings for you. I don’t have any idea what I’m doing, all I know is that when I saw you on Saturday everything in my life… clicked… and I knew you and I were meant to be together. Don’t you still feel it? That electricity between us…”
He reaches forward, touching my forearm lightly, and I can feel my skin glowing beneath his touch. It’s as if a flame has ignited beneath the surface and begun simmering.
“I feel it. I’ve always felt it,” I reply quietly, in spite of myself.
“Just let me in. Trust me. I will be your everything, if you’ll only let me.”
Gazing into his eyes, I can see a multitude of emotions floating within their depths: an abundance of love and desire; warmth, hope, and a hint of fear. Alex is treading into a world with which he is unfamiliar. He’s told me in the past that he had avoided relationships because they were too much work and the women generally expected too much from him.
“I only want you Alex, you’re my everything,” I say before inhaling a deep breath. “I trust you enough to be in a relationship with you again. Just tread carefully,” I plead. “I’m still a bit broken.”
“Darling, I will mend every part of you back together myself.”
After kissing m
e hard against my lips, Alex pulls back and grips me in a tight embrace.
“You have made me so happy just now. I haven’t been this happy since the first time you let me tie you up.”
Remembering that moment, I let out a chuckle and say, “You’re quite easy to please then.”
“Come with me.” He says, after kissing me gently, “I want to show you something.”
Before grasping his hand, I place the blue velour bag into his palm. Clasping it tightly, he heads down the hall and places the bag on the dresser in his bedroom, then leads me down to his basement.
As we walk downstairs, I notice that the temperature of the air changes dramatically - it’s incredibly cold. Holding my arms close to my chest for warmth, I glance around and see a typical den set-up with a bar. Taking a key from his back pocket, Alex unlocks a door located beside what he says is a bedroom. Pushing open the heavy wood, he lets me enter first.
I draw in a sharp breath.
The room is set up like a type of dungeon, with cold gray walls, metal fixtures and dark furniture. From some of my previous research, I recognize a St. Andrew’s Cross, a whipping bench, a cage, and a very large bondage bed. The bulky dresser along the wall must contain some of Alex’s toys.
“This basement is where my submissives typically stay. This is my dungeon,” he says quietly, almost as if he is embarrassed.
As a shiver passes down my spine I ask, “Oh. Why is it so cold?”
“Only this room stays so cold, the other rooms have heat for when I have guests. You’re more alert when you’re this cold,” he explains.
“Makes sense,” I nod. “What is all of this?” I question, walking to a metal device that reminds me of the stocks I used to see in Colonial Era books.
“These are just various things that each of my submissives have requested be used on them. I happen to like all the tools, so I purchased them with their pleasure in mind.”
“Please don’t talk about them, Alex. I…I am having a really hard time imagining you with other women, okay?”
“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable.”
“Alex, I’m not uncomfortable. I’m jealous, alright? Now, please stop.”
Cocking his head slightly, Alex stares at me while rubbing his chin. Making an internal decision, he walks over to where I stand and takes my face in his hands. My body immediately heats up when he comes in contact.
“You know, you’re the only one I want to share this room with. I’ll get rid of everything in here and the basement if you want me to. I just want you, Mallory. I’ll spend every one of my days kissing you senseless if that is all you need. Making you happy makes me happy.”
Reaching forward, I rest my hands on Alex’s waist and lean in to him slightly.
“It can stay, Alex. I just don’t want to envision you with other women, I especially don’t want to think of you doing the things that you’ve done with me.”
“I realize what you’re saying, but I need you to understand too. Everything was different with them, Mallory. Those women were just toys. With you, everything is better… easier. With them, I had to look for visual or physical cues when things were reaching a breaking point. With you, I began to feel what you were feeling. Even now, I can tell you’re scared and also excited. I can feel that, Mallory. That makes my connection with you so much stronger.”
Leaning my head against his chest, Alex reaches around and pulls me closely into his embrace. The strength of his arms is intoxicating. I take a few deep breaths before turning my head to the side and looking at the room again.
Pointing to a metal box that has chains going towards the ceiling, I ask, “What’s that?”
“That’s just called The Box. It’s a medieval device that can be hung from the ceiling. It’s pretty standard for a dungeon. And that beside it is a St. Andrews Cross. I’m sure you’ve seen one of those, as well as the whipping bench.”
“What’s that chair used for?”
“Um…well… it’s a gynecological chair. Some women like to have things inserted…”
Cutting him off, I wave my hands frantically, “Nope, I get it. Please don’t elaborate.”
Leaning down, Alex licks my outer ear and whispers, “I want to stick something in you.”
Closing my eyes in pleasure, I let his words wash over me. I’ve always loved when he talked dirty to me. He seems to sense my arousal, and continues.
“I want to lick your pretty pink pussy, drink your sweet honey, and then thrust my shaft in you so hard and fast that you’ll be gasping for air.”
“Oh goodness,” I whisper.
“I want you, now. Being in this room with you, my favorite room, it’s too much.”
Knowing how much he’s already turned me on, I let go of my fear and moan huskily, “Take me, Alex. Please.”
He glimpses into my eyes, and finding no fear - only desire - Alex descends upon my mouth. Grabbing my thighs, he lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist. Moving us against the wall, he rocks against me, sliding the erection behind his jeans roughly against my core. As the fire builds in my center, I slowly rock my pelvis against Alex, my body desperate for friction. Hoping to help me find release, Alex reaches a hand between my legs and presses firmly against my core. With his other hand, he gently kneads my breast through the fabric of my shirt. Soon I’m moaning Alex’s name as I come apart in his arms.
Setting my feet on the floor, I gaze up at Alex, who is wearing a smug smile while adjusting his jeans.
“I love watching you come.”
Pointing towards his hardened member that is pressing against his pants I ask, “What about you?”
“I’m fine, but what I really want is to take you upstairs and make love to you, the way you deserve.”
“Alex, I think I’m…”
“I know you’re not ready to come down here yet, not after everything you’ve been through, but please, I need to be inside you,” he says, interrupting me mid-sentence.
“Alex, I was going to say I’m ready. I want you too. Please make love to me.”
Sweeping his arm underneath my legs, he cradles me in his arms and leaves the dungeon.
Once we’re back upstairs in his room, Alex gently places me on his bed and begins to remove my clothes.
“Never before I have seen anything of such beauty. You are exquisite, Mallory,” Alex proclaims after he has removed all of my clothing.
Unsure of how to reply, I simply look away, instinctively placing my hand over the heart that is carved on my chest, courtesy of Seth. Alex must not have noticed the scar last time, but I realize that he’s sure to now because of my reaction.
“Are you ok, darling?” he asks, a crease forming between his eyes. “Don’t cover yourself up. You’re beautiful.”
Alex reaches forward and removes my hands from my chest. I refuse to look up at him as he stares at my scar. Pressing his fingers to my chin, he forces me at last to look in his direction.
“Did he do this to you?” he asks softly.
Nodding my head, I slowly reply, “He was going to…”
“Don’t relive it, Mallory. I’m going to make this better, ok? Trust me.”
Nodding my head again, I release the tension in my hands and I close my eyes. The sensation of Alex’s lips against my scar is overwhelming. My awareness of his mouth on my heated skin only intensifies as he slowly moves down my body. When he reaches the top of my mound, his fingers slide through my folds, already wet from my earlier release.
“You’re so wet. And you smell so good.”
Parting my folds with his fingers, his tongue begins massaging my clitoris. My bundle of nerves awakens with delight and my hips begin thrashing uncontrollably. Replacing his tongue with his fingers, he continues to rub my sensitive area while focusing his tongue on the slick opening of my body, pulsating in and out. I groan when his rhythm ceases and I open my eyes to find him hovering above me. Twining our hands together and bringing them above my head, Alex
kisses my mouth repeatedly until I part my lips slightly, allowing his tongue to enter and twirl against my own. Sliding his erection against me, the large head repeatedly begs for entrance to my core. Opening my legs more, Alex glides inside me smoothly, eliciting a gasp from both of us.
“You feel so good. I love you so much, Mallory,” he murmurs against my lips.
Waiting for the flashbacks to ruin the moment, I clench my eyes shut, hoping to keep the fear at bay. When the nightmare doesn’t return, I release the tension in my body and feel Alex thrust gently inside me.
“You, ok?” he asks.
“More. Please more,” I say, grabbing desperately at his sculpted behind, urging him deeper.
Moving his lips away from my own, Alex sucks at my nipple, sucking and biting against the sensitive flesh. As the pressure begins to build once again, I writhe uncontrollably underneath him. Sitting up farther onto his heels, he grabs my hips and lifts them, placing two pillows underneath me. Leaning back down, he devours me in kisses, his tongue mimicking his thrusts. Hips raised, his pelvis rubbing frantically against my clit, a delicious tingling rushes through my body, down to my center. Before long, I find myself leaning over the precipice, reveling in the heady feeling that precedes my climax.
“Come for me, Mallory. I need you to come,” he groans, teeth clenched in pleasure.
The sound reverberates beneath my skin. At his direction, I explode around him into thousands of tiny shards. The release is so intense that I have an out of body experience: I am watching Alex gently stroke my hair as he rests his face against my own. Though I can feel the sensation on my skin, it seems I am watching it from afar. As I begin to descend from my pinnacle, I marvel at the intensity of my reaction to being loved by this man.
Chapter 11
Early the next morning, a strange ringing awakens me and I look around, only to discover I’m in Alex’s bed, wrapped in his arms. Smiling to myself, I recall the evening that we spent together in his bedroom and the glorious things he did to my body. The ringing begins again, this time accompanied by a distant knock on the front door.
Stone Unhinged (The Stone Book 2) Page 9