by Alexa Riley
“I shouldn’t have snapped at you, but let’s make it clear. From here on out you wait until I call you before you enter when I’m sitting with her.” His tone is firm and final.
“Of course, sir. My apologies,” I hear a woman respond.
I hear footsteps coming towards me, and I close my eyes. They come to a stop in front of me. A finger slides down my cheek, and I can’t help but lean into it, loving his warm touch. What is it about him that makes me crave him like this?
“All right, sweet pea.” I hear him say before I’m being lifted effortlessly into his big strong arms. His coat falls off me and onto the floor. He doesn’t stop to pick it up, he just leaves it behind. “Let’s get you to the hotel.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face there. That seems to be something I like to do with him. I don’t think I’ve ever cuddled in my life. I see why people like it so much.
I feel a slight chill as we exit the plane and know Lincoln is carrying me downstairs with how we bounce with each step. He holds me even tighter, giving me the warmth of his body.
“The luggage is in the car, sir, and your suite is ready to be checked in,” I hear someone say, but I keep my eyes closed.
I don’t know why I won’t open them. Maybe I’m feeling a little shy. I’m worried about the words that will be exchanged if I do, like where this all goes from here. I don’t want this to end. He said he’d take me to Pairs, and I’m guessing we are here. But what happens now?
“You hungry, sweet pea, or are you still pretending to sleep?” Lincoln asks, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Hungry,” I say against his neck, brushing my lips across his skin. I don’t remember the last time I ate, but I also feel hungry for something else and I don’t want to let him go. I squeeze a little tighter around his neck and finally open my eyes to see the plane sitting on the tarmac. I can’t believe I’m here. This all seems so impossible.
“Have my favorites from Pierre Hermé delivered to my room,” Lincoln says as he slides into the back of a limo. I think he’s going to sit me down in my own seat, but he doesn’t.
“I didn’t dream that, did I?” I let go of his neck and start to slide my hand between my legs to feel what he did to me, but he grabs my wrist, stopping me. I pull back a little to look at him. His eyes are trained on me. Dark and intense.
“I marked that and now it belongs to me.” I lick my lips, unsure of what to say to that. But my body seems to like it. The idea of belonging to this man is powerful. Him wanting me like I’ve never felt before excites me. “And yes, we did that. I had to. I couldn’t stop myself. Something about you calls to me.”
He stares at me like he’s trying to figure me out. Like I’m the one doing something to him.
“I don’t understand,” I admit. Two words play over in my mind: why me?
He brings my hand to his mouth before kissing my palm and putting my hand back on his shoulder, clearly wanting me to wrap myself around him. I do it, but at the same time I slide over, straddling him, wanting to look straight into his eyes now, to try to understand what’s happening. But instead my eyes go to his mouth. Okay, maybe I just want to go back to kissing again and not thinking about anything else. What he does to my body is unreal, and I want it all over again.
“All you need to understand is I’ll take care of you and you belong to me.” He cups my jaw with a gentle hand and traces my lips slowly with his thumb. “I didn’t know lips could be so soft. Like rose petals.” He trails his thumb down my throat and to the V at the top of my dress. “You’re soft everywhere. I’m going to have to lotion you up three times a day to make sure your skin stays safe, aren’t I?”
His eyes are following his fingers, and I’m not even sure he’s talking to me right now. It’s more to himself, as if he’s making a mental note.
A small lump forms in my throat at someone wanting to take care of me like that. Larsa took care of me, but she was paid to. Not that I don’t think she cared about me, but it was still different. To have someone want to do it because they desire it feels different. It makes me feel special, and I’m not sure I’ve ever felt that before.
His eyes come back to mine. “What’s wrong?” His face hardens, and the softness he had a moment ago slips away. I can tell the tears in my eyes bother him.
“Nothing. I just want you to kiss m—” My words are cut off as his mouth takes mine in a deep kiss.
His tongue pushes past my lips, and I close my eyes, letting him take over, letting him have me. I’ll let him take care of me, I’ll let him have me in any way he wants. I’ve never felt so precious to anyone, and it’s addicting.
He pulls back a few moments later and he’s out of breath. I can tell he’s holding himself back and that he had to force himself to put distance between us. He looks between my lips and my eyes longingly.
“Anything else I can do for you?” he asks, and I can tell from his eyes that I could ask for anything right now and he’d do it for me. My mind blanks for some reason. All I want to do is sit right here and I’d be content. “We’re here, so hold that thought.”
Lincoln goes to move me off his lap, but I latch on to him, making him laugh. I don’t want to let him go. “I promise, sweet pea, you’ll be back on me as quick as I can get you there.” He kisses me right under my ear before whispering, “Promise.” I can hear the sincerity in his words and I believe him.
I nod. He rolls down the window that’s been blocking us from the driver of the limo. “Stay in the car for a second.” He tells the man before rolling up the window again then opening his car door. He reaches in for me. He pulls me out, and I see we’re in an underground garage of some kind.
Lincoln drops to his knees in front of me, taking me by surprise. He starts smoothing down my dress. “Turn around.” I do as he says, and he messes with the back of my dress. “Wanted to make sure everything was decent before we walked in. Don’t want something showing that shouldn’t be.” I see a possessive glint in his eyes when he says that.
“Because it’s yours?” I ask as I turn back around to face him. He’s still on his knees, looking a little out of place. The whole underground garage looks vacant, and I see double doors behind Lincoln.
His hands slide up under my dress, going to my hips, just on top of my underwear. “Lift your dress.” I slowly do as he asks, my body obeying him at once. I should feel a little embarrassed or something, but this feels right. Something inside of me is telling me I’m his. I just hope he really means it when he says it.
“Stop,” he says right before the hem of my dress reaches my panties.
He leans forward, pulling my panties down my legs. I step out of them and watch as he licks his lips. He leans forward and, pressing his face against the material of the dress, takes a deep breath, smelling me, making me gasp. I watch him, looking down at the giant of a man on his knees in front of me. He’s probably ruining his suit that cost thousands and thousands of dollars.
“You’re mine. I can smell it on you, and by the time this day is over no one within five feet of you will miss my claim.” I feel my core clench at his dirty words. He pulls my dress, dropping it down, making sure once again it’s all in place.
He stands up, pulling me to him and wrapping an arm around me. “Now let’s get to our room so I don’t have to smell you through your dress.” He nods to the wall, and I look over to see a camera. He’s telling me he didn’t lift it further because he didn’t want someone to see me. He knocks on the limo window and the driver steps out.
“Take the limo to the front and give the bellhop our bags,” he orders, then pulls me even closer to him as we head toward the double doors.
“Where are we?” I ask, looking around the vacant underground concrete garage.
“I wanted to make sure your dress was fixed, so I had them bring us in the back door. My security knew this area was clear.”
“Security?” I ask as we reach the elevator. I see the door is already open and two men in black suits
are standing inside. One in each corner, arms at their sides.
“Sir, your room is ready,” one of them says. I glance back and forth between the security guards, wondering why he needs them. The guard hands Lincoln a key card.
Lincoln hits the P button on the elevator bank, and the doors close. We start to move up, and he leans down and kisses the top of my head.
When the elevator stops, it opens into a giant suite. He ushers me forward, and I take a few steps before I realize he didn’t follow me. When I turn around I see Lincoln has a security guard pressed against the elevator door, his forearm to the man’s throat.
I take a step forward, shocked the other security guard doesn’t try to break up the fight. In fact, he blocks me from getting closer.
“You think I pay you to stare at my woman’s fucking ass?” Lincoln growls. The man is starting to turn purple. He clearly can’t answer him. “She’s mine, and no one is going to look at her like he wants a taste. You should be thanking me for letting her be in a fucking elevator with you and you even got a chance to smell her sweetness.” My cheeks turn pink at that.
I go to pull him off, but the guard next to me holds his hands up. “Ma’am, please don’t. I’ll have to stop you, and I don’t think Mr. Grey would be too happy if I had to touch you to do that,” he says, making me freeze.
I don’t know what to do. So I try the only thing I can think of. “Lincoln. Please come here,” I say softly. Maybe too softly, because he doesn’t respond for a second. Then finally he releases the man, letting him fall to the floor, coughing and gagging.
Lincoln turns to look at me “Coming, sweet pea.” He nods to me before turning to look at his other security guard. “He’s fired.” The guard nods in understanding.
Lincoln steps away from them and comes over to me. I stare up at him. He just lost his shit out of nowhere. I hear the elevator doors slide shut, leaving us alone in this beautiful suite together.
“Did I scare you?” he asks, cupping my cheek. The anger he displayed moments ago is nowhere to be seen.
I give a little shrug. “I guess it’s because I don’t really know you, and now here I am in another country alone with a man with whom I did things I never could’ve imagined before this. You’ve been utterly sweet to me, but then what I just saw…” I trail off as all the truth comes spilling out of my mouth.
“I know, sweat pea.” He leans down and runs his nose across my neck. “Why don’t you go freshen up and I’ll make sure our bags and food get here. Then I’ll tell you all about me.”
He pulls back to look down at me. I study his eyes, trying to see how all the anger left so fast.
“I promise you. You’ll never be safer than when you’re with me.”
“He was looking at me?” I ask.
“He was more than looking at,” he growls out. “You’re mine,” he adds, like I forgot. He keeps saying it over and over. I’m starting to think maybe I really am.
He brushes his lips across mine. “Use the bathroom in the master.” He wraps his hand around the back of my neck before sliding his fingers into my hair, making my head tilt back even more. “Don’t be too long or I’ll have to come looking for you.” He gives me another kiss on the lips, and I can tell when he lets me go he doesn’t want to do it. I turn and walk down the hallway. When I glance over my shoulder, I see he’s watching me go.
I walk into the main bedroom and stop short. All the walls are covered in thick curtains, but I can see sunlight poking out from the bottom. There’s a giant bed in the center of the room with a chandelier hanging over it. Everything is pure white. I’m almost scared to touch anything in fear I’ll make it dirty.
Seeing the bathroom off to the side, I dart inside. It matches the bedroom, everything is white. When I get to the mirror, I’m shocked to see what I look like.
My hair is a little wild, likely because Lincoln can’t keep his hands out of it. My lips look full and swollen. I gasp when I see a small hickey on my neck. I remember, when we first got on the plane, he said something about it would have to do when he sucked on me there. I can only think he means a claiming mark.
My hand goes to the mark, and for some silly reason it makes me smile. I like seeing it there. I freshen up a little, trying to get myself under control and not look like I’ve been rolling around in bed.
When I lift my dress, I see the evidence of what I thought might have been a dream. Traces of cum coat my thighs. I should probably grab a towel and clean it off, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’m also not sure if I’m allowed to. He stopped me from putting my hand there in the limo.
I slide the dress off, dropping it to the floor. My bra follows. I wonder what Lincoln did with my underwear after he took it off me.
I turn and grab the silky robe hanging up by the door and slide it on. When my bag gets here I can change, but I need to get out of that dress. It’s wrinkled and is showing the wear it received from Lincoln last night.
I start to make my way back into the main room of the suite but stop when I see Lincoln put his hand up, motioning me to not come forward. His eyes lock on mine, and I stop moving.
“Out,” he barks, and I take a step back. “Not you, sweet pea,” he says softly, letting me know he didn’t mean me. Why does he keep calling me that name? And how can his voice can change so easily?
I hear an elevator ding and doors slide closed as Lincoln moves toward me. He offers me his hand, and I walk toward him, doing as he commands.
“Didn’t want them seeing you like this.” He slides his fingers across my bare shoulder. I hadn’t even realized the robe slipped off a little. “Come away from the bedroom or I’ll never get you fed.” He pulls me past a living room with a black grand piano in it, and into a dining room. The table is loaded with so many pastries that I think it would take me weeks to eat them all.
“I don’t even know where to start,” I tell him, my mouth already watering.
He pulls a chair out for me and I sit down. “Let me,” he says, picking up a plate. I watch him move around the table, picking up the delicacies and putting them on the plate. His dress shirt is now untucked, and I can tell it’s been some time since he’s gotten to shave. He looks even more handsome like this. And he also seems more relaxed.
“You owned that plane, didn’t you?” Pretty sure that was how everything happened so fast.
He smiles at me. “I own a lot of planes.”
I study him as he places the plate in front of me. Since I’ve come face to face with him, he keeps taking care of me.
“You must be really rich. You just don’t—”
“Look the type?” he asks, cutting me off. No, that wasn’t what I was going to say, but now that he did I’m thinking about that. I guess he doesn’t. He seems a bit rough around the edges.
“I kind of meant because of how much you take care of me—making my plate, checking to see how I’m doing, calming me in a panic attack. Holding me. That’s not normal rich-people behavior.”
I never saw my father or mother be as doting to each other as Lincoln has been to me. I’ve never really seen it with their friends either when they come over with their spouses. He just doesn’t fit the mold of the rich people I’ve grown up around.
“I was in the military for a while,” he tells me, as if reading my mind. I gasp when he picks me up easily and places me on his lap. “Try this.”
He picks up a little pastry puff and brings it to my lips. I open my mouth and he slides it in. I bite into it, and warm, sweet cream fills my mouth, making me moan. It’s wonderful.
“I might come off cold and angry to those around you, but I will never be that way with you,” he vows, and I can see the truth in his eyes. “I will spend my life protecting you, and that includes anyone who dares to look at your ass.”
I can’t help but smile at his words. I nod, understanding the possessive need he has. Because I feel it, too. I couldn’t stand the thought of another woman looking at him like that. Or possibly having
his attention.
He feeds me another puff, and I moan again. Lincoln growls at the sound this time, and my eyes snap to his.
“Are you not hungry?” I ask as I lick my lips to get any cream that might have escaped.
“I am.” His eyes are trained on my mouth.
“Do you want a bite?” I reach for something on the plate.
“Not of that.” His voice is deeper now. His mouth comes my ear. He pulls my earlobe between his teeth, sucking it into his mouth and causing me to wiggle on his lap. I still when I feel his erection digging into my bottom. “Am I still coating your thighs, or did you wipe me off?”
“Still there,” I tell him as he trails kisses down my bare shoulder. My eyes close in bliss.
“Open.” I feel something press against my lips and do as he tells me. This time a sweet coconut taste fills my mouth. He keeps kissing me. “Want more?” he murmurs against my skin.
“More,” I plead, but not of the food. Of him. Of that mouth of his. It does the most wonderful things to me.
“More what?” he asks. He pulls a little at my robe, and cool air greets one breast. I open my eyes to see him run his tongue along my nipple. I can’t pull my eyes away from the sight.
“More of you,” I groan as he sucks my nipple into his mouth. The feeling is bliss, and I arch my back a little, wanting to be closer to him. “Lincoln, please, I…” I start to shift and move around, needing release.
“Say you’re mine and I’ll give you everything.”
“I just want you. Not everything,” I admit. I know what it’s like to be given everything. I’ve lived that life. I want someone to be just mine.
“I’m already yours, sweet pea,” he says, taking a playful bite of my nipple. Our eyes lock.
“Then I’m yours.”
The last word is barely out of my mouth and he’s standing with me in his arms.
“I want to eat in bed,” he says as he carries me to the bedroom.
Chapter Six
Lincoln
I bring her to the bedroom and watch her eyes become hooded with need when I lay her down on it and push her legs apart.