You, Me, and the Crazy Ex: A Club Stigmata Novella

by Luckett, Elle

  The first splash of wax on the freshly shaved mound of my pussy had my whole body bucking from the table. My wrists twisted above me as I tried to escape every bind holding me in place. Including my own. The skin was so sensitive already that the heat just intensified it. The wax fell quickly after my first reaction, and my body didn’t disappoint Denton, giving him every response milked from me as I writhed in desperation.

  When the drip of hot wax found my labia, fire rose from the depths of my soul, and my eyes blinked wide. I couldn’t deny myself my orgasm anymore, and I couldn’t stand the pain that circled the pleasure like a promise. My grip was slipping, and there was nothing I could do to regain that.

  Denton watched every one of these thoughts pass over my face. He tipped the candle again and again, the wax coating that sensitive flesh between thigh and pussy so my hips rose, again and again, twisting from the table as I screamed his name loud enough to make my throat raw. The two syllables of his name now coated with a pleading and begging he could no longer deny, either.

  In one fluid movement, he had the candle blown out, and had placed it on the rolling table as he stepped between my legs. Our eyes met for only a second, but that was enough for him to see the permission in them. The urgency that passed between us both like electricity only took a second to process before he stepped forward and thrust into me so hard, I was sure my heart had stopped beating altogether.

  “Come, Emerson.”

  I did as I was told, the euphoric orgasm fleeing the tentative hold I had over it and crashing over me violently. My body bowed from the surface like I’d been possessed while white-hot flames of pleasure sent me out of my body and into the clouds above.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lethargy is a beautiful thing. My body was spent and sated, my mind foggy and calm, and Denton’s arms were wrapped so tightly around me, I felt safer than I could ever remember feeling in my life. I always enjoyed being in his arms, and over the last week, that had been a nightly occurrence. But like this, with my skin still overheated and electric from his beautiful torture, there were no words. Denton’s body was warm, his skin smelling uniquely of him and that sexy masculine musk of sweat and sex. When I pushed my face against his chest and inhaled, he shook gently with his quiet chuckle.

  “You checked out on me, beautiful.”

  “Mental exhaustion,” I hummed in response, barely shifting in his lap.

  “You managed to deny yourself longer than I anticipated and pleased me in the process,” Denton admitted, his lips brushing my temple as his body shuffled beneath mine. My pleasure soared in my chest at his praise. That had been the only reason I’d been able to succeed, and I had a feeling he knew it, too.

  I shifted gently in his arms again and inhaled something that didn’t really fit with Denton. The scent of leather and expensive cologne felt out of place. It suddenly occurred to me that I had no idea where we were. The room around my self-imposed darkness suddenly felt too comfortable to be the sterile themed area where we’d had our scene together. Hesitantly, I forced my eyes open and glanced around—my only reaction was raising one eyebrow at Denton in question. I didn’t remember the room, but I recognized the style.

  “Is this Thomas’ personal room?” I asked.

  “It’s his personal playroom,” Denton corrected me, his palm brushing blonde strands back from my face as he looked up with me. We were both settled in a huge leather chair that seemed designed for this kind of function, and knowing Thomas, it had been. “It was a full house tonight. All of the rooms were in use, so he let us in.”

  I scanned the area again, stopping on a beautifully ornate St. Andrew’s Cross that sat against one of the walls. “One of yours?”

  “Good eyes. That’s one of my first commissioned pieces.” He nuzzled his face into my neck as I continued to look around.

  “You did the cabinetry in here, too,” I said quietly.

  “Tell me how you know,” Denton demanded quietly, his hands stroking my exposed skin.

  I wasn’t sure I knew how to explain it. I didn’t really want to. I understood that he wanted to know how I felt about him, but putting that into words after only a week felt strange.

  “Emerson.” The command in his tone was unmistakable.

  “It feels like you.”

  Denton paused and waited for me to go on; his hands still intimately stroking my skin. If I could have pointed to his motions as an explanation, I would have. It felt like him because he worked on his pieces like he normally touched me. His hands lovingly shaping the piece until all I could feel was satisfaction when I looked at it. His pride was searing the surface of it. I’d watched him in his workshop all day, and I felt like I knew him better because of it.

  “Explain it to me, baby.”

  I opened my mouth to talk at the same time as a buzz started on the other side of the room. Denton and I both turned to the source of the sound, which was his toy bag. It could have been either one of our phones going off, because mine was in the back of my jeans that he’d put in there before we’d left my place, just in case we went somewhere after we left Stigmata.

  “Ignore that,” he said quietly into my ear as the sound died, leaving the distant hum of the bass from the club in its wake. “Explain to me…” He stopped again when the buzzing resumed. “I remember why I normally leave that shit in a locker now.”

  “Want me to grab it?”

  “I can—”

  I stopped him with my lips, my mouth still against his as I rose from the comfort of his lap, breaking contact only as I stepped out of reach. I sauntered across the room, naked as the day I was born and loving the heat his gaze left on my flesh.

  Opening his bag, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t his phone buzzing, but mine. Dad was printed across the screen and made a slash of panic rise in my chest. Mom was usually the one who called me because they were both together all the time. My father hadn’t called me from his phone in a long time.

  One glance back at Denton, and he nodded in approval before I swiped my thumb across the screen to answer. “Pops?”

  “Hey, Emer,” he said quietly, his tone apologetic. The other end of the line was quiet, and I knew he was probably alone, another rare occurrence that made my heart rate pick up and alerted Denton, who rose from the chair behind me. “Sorry to interrupt, kiddo, but I activated the cameras after last night’s incident, and I just caught your, uh, friend coming back to check her handy work.”

  “Shit. Did she tag the garage again?”

  “She did, and I let her because I called your Uncle Paul.”

  “Uncle…” I trailed off and smiled. My dad’s brother had been a detective for the NOPD, and had retired into PI work for insurance companies and suspicious housewives. “You mean…?”

  “I briefly explained, in as little detail as possible, what this young lady was up to, and why she was adding her own personal touch to your mother’s decorating. He’s going to make sure you have some ammo to fire back at her with. You know the old man likes to play dirty when he can. He pulled up just as she got through with the word homewrecker. It’s also misspelled. No w.”

  “Pops, you’re a genius.”

  “I’m pretty sure ninety-nine percent of the population could have figured out her mistake, kiddo.”

  “Ha-ha. You know what I mean,” I chuckled, running my hand over my confined hair as Denton’s arms came around me. I leaned back against him and sighed. “Thank you, Dad, and I’m sorry.”

  “Paint can be cleaned, Emer. I just don’t want to think about what she’ll do when she realizes this plan to get under your skin isn’t working.”

  “I understand.”

  “Call your mom tomorrow.”

  “I will. Thanks again. Love you, Pops.”

  “Love you back, kiddo.”

  My dad hung up first, and I let my hand holding the phone drop as Denton’s arms tightened around me only a second before he turned me to face him.

  “How bad?” he a
sked.

  “Homewrecker without the w,” I said with an eye-roll. “My dad has her on camera.”

  “What they must think of me,” Denton said with a frustrated sigh. “They only met me today, and half-naked in your towel at that.”

  “Well, at least you gave my mom a thrill.”

  This was exactly what he’d been worried about. That first date, when Kara had shown up at his place, he’d already seen this exact scenario playing out in his mind, and though I’d made it clear this bitch wouldn’t deter me, he seemed to be preparing himself for that inevitability.

  He was wrong. The denial and rejection wouldn’t be coming from me.

  “Denton, they don’t blame you, and they certainly don’t blame me. This shit is on Kara.”

  “She’s a side effect of me.” He leaned forward, his forehead pressing against mine. “You shouldn’t have to deal with this mess.”

  “Neither should you.” I raised the hand not holding the phone and let it rest over his heart that was beating too hard to offer me any real comfort.

  “Emerson,” he sighed my name again. The sound a little more resigned like he’d made a decision I wasn’t going to like. Gripping the tops of my arms, he held me away from him, and my hands dropped to my sides while his eyes studied my face. His gaze briefly dropped to my naked body before he closed his eyes and shook his head. “She’s never going to stop, sweetheart. She knows I will cave long before she gets bored. I can’t…”

  I felt myself stiffen, and from the way his eyes flashed open, Denton felt it, too. I knew what he was going to say next; I could feel it in the tightening of his fingers around my arms, could see it in the pain on his face. That slow-building resignation now stirring a bad feeling in my gut.

  As much as I wanted to scream and shout and tell him he was being ridiculous, there was a part of me—namely my pride—that forced me to hold my tongue as he tried to find the right words. I watched as several emotions passed over his features: hate, anger, resentment, pain, hurt, and confusion. He cycled through them all in different orders, each one stronger than the last, until he eventually released his grip on my arms before scrubbing his palms over his face in frustration. I waited as patiently as I could, my chest tightening as I waited for him to break it all off for my own good. Then, when he dropped his hands, I saw another emotion pass behind his beautiful blue eyes and allowed a small, satisfied blossom of hope to spring inside of myself.

  “I should let you go. Spare you her sick games, but selfishly... I can’t,” he said, his eyes now blue flames as they met mine again. I stayed still, watching as he studied my features, waiting for me to be the one to take the initiative and walk away. He should have known he would never see me giving up, that he’d never hear me tell him goodbye, and he should have known better to think he’d have to watch me walk away because I couldn’t.

  After a week of being in his bed and his life, I was ridiculously in love with this man.

  Not a toe in the shallow end or a taste on the tip of my tongue. No, I was fully and wholly in love with Denton Strake. Skeletons and all.

  I watched hungrily as his teeth found his bottom lip, my hands twitching at my sides as his body showed his pleasure at what he found in my eyes before I felt his reciprocation wash over me in a violent wave of comfort.

  He felt the same way.

  Denton was falling in love with me too.

  “Say it, Em,” he growled.

  “You sure it won’t scare you away?”

  His lips curled up on one side as he held my gaze, his arm reaching out, circling my waist and pulling my body against his. Our breaths tangled between us, all composure gone, leaving behind a panting desperation that I felt all over my body.

  “Emerson.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I love you,” I whispered.

  Saying the words aloud made my head light, my legs tremble, and my belly tighten.

  Denton closed his eyes slowly, his lips curling into a blinding smile that was brighter than the sun.

  “Again.”

  “I love you.”

  “One more time before I fuck you.”

  My whole body felt like a nerve ending. He was looking at me like I was the only thing that existed in the world, and it was a heady feeling that I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to. I’d never told a man other than my father that I’d loved him, and I’d certainly never told anyone that I was in love with them.

  I could barely catch my breath. Happiness, excitement, and arousal were a volatile mix that made me dizzy. Every part of my body trembled with emotion. I swayed on my feet, my breasts pressing against his chest, my inhale stuttering as I tried to get another breath in to say the words he was waiting for.

  “I’m in love with you, Denton Strake.”

  Denton’s arm tightened around my waist, and he pulled me up his body. Taking two or three steps, my back was suddenly against a wall, and the contents of a bookcase rattled precariously. He didn’t wait for me to catch my breath. Like a chain reaction, he thrust his way inside of me with a grunt of satisfaction. Tonight, he was choosing to show me how he felt rather than say it aloud, and for me, that was good enough.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I found Denton shirtless the next morning, painting my parents’ garage. After waking up alone with Brees half stretched out over my legs, I went on the hunt to find him. I followed Brees to the door and made some assumptions. I snuck down the stairs, noting that my mother and sister were keeping him company with a pot of coffee and a plate of avocado toast. I very generously pretended not to notice my mom checking out my boyfriend’s ass.

  Brees alerted them to our presence before I could, his big body shooting down the stairs and heading directly for the food and the women already cooing at the sight of him. He occupied Mom and Skylar long enough for me to steal a kiss from Denton as he recoated his roller in the paint tray.

  “Morning,” I hummed happily, my hand resting on his abs as he smiled brightly at me. I wasn’t sure how he was up and already working after our night together, but I marveled at the warmth of his skin under my palm. “You didn't have to do this, you know.”

  “It’s the least I could do,” he said, pressing his lips against mine again. “You sleep okay?”

  “Better than okay.”

  He gave me that searing smile again, and the sight of it made my whole being tremble in elation, but I only had a moment to admire him some more before my sister’s not-so-subtle cough interrupted. Denton brushed his lips against mine once more before glancing over his shoulder at Skylar, who was watching me with her inquisitive smile firmly in place.

  It had only been two days since she’d met Denton, and that damnable smile she shot at us said everything. She always had read me like a book.

  “Later,” I murmured with a promise.

  “You can bet your ass on it, beautiful.”

  I smiled before I stepped away and headed to the table for coffee only to stumble when I noticed the empty pot that sat between the three cups. Catching my disappointment, Skylar shot to her feet, her arm threading through mine as she grabbed for the carafe.

  “Let's go and get you some coffee. Be right back, Mom.”

  Our mother was currently preoccupied looking down at a magazine while trying her best not to stare at the beautifully tanned back of the gorgeous man currently painting her garage. I sympathized with her. It was fast becoming a favorite past time of mine, too.

  “Uh huh,” she offered us half-heartedly, and grinned.

  I rolled my eyes and allowed myself to be towed toward the main house, trying my hardest not to look back at Denton who was trying to keep Brees back from stepping in the paint and trailing it over the concrete of the drive. My mom abandoned her magazine and popped up from her seat in an eager attempt to help him.

  “My God, it’s like y’all have never seen a man before.” I was trying, and failing, to hide my bemused smile.
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br />   Skylar glanced over her shoulder and grinned with a small shrug of her shoulders. “To be fair, he’s very easy on the eyes.”

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “I know you haven’t just figured that out. Just like you know I’m also highly inquisitive,” she said, reaching for the back door. “Including the reasoning for the paint job. Homewrecker? Really?”

  I glanced at the garage one last time with a small smile. I didn’t think Denton would mind sitting out of another rundown of his past relationship with his ex. So, I spared him the recap and glanced at Skylar with a sad smile.

  “They’re divorced and have been for a while. The bitch cheated on him a lot and has been blackmailing him for alimony since.”

  “Blackmailing, how?” she asked, closing the door behind us and heading to the sink to wash out the pot. “What exactly does she have on him?”

  “Mom didn’t tell you?”

  “Not in any detail. She said photos that could be misconstrued.”

  I nodded at her assessment. The explanation was pretty accurate, and Mom had obviously been vague to protect me. Out of my family members, however, Skylar wasn’t a concern when it came to explaining my sexual proclivities, so I told her everything. I explained about Kara, how she was using images of consensual sexual encounters to accuse Denton of abuse, how Denton and I met, and the nature of our relationship. Being my sister, though, she eventually got to inevitable question my parents hadn’t asked.

  “How did you get into the whole BDSM scene?”

  I smiled at her over the rim of the mug as I brought it to my lips. “Probably the most boring origin story in the history of the world.”

  We looked at one another for a moment, cracked a smile, and said at almost the same moment: “College.”

  “Was it a surprise?”

  I shook my head. “The guy I was seeing said that this goth girl he’d gone to high school had always had a thing about ropes. They’d ended up at the same school, and she said she had to show him this group she’d found. Part of it was ropes, which is called Shibari, but it was a smaller part of a whole.”