“I thought I told you to call me Mr. Sterling,” Caleb growled from the doorway. I wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there, but the death glare he was sending Julie’s way indicated it had been long enough for him to hear most of what she’d said.
Julie took a step toward him, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face. “I’m so sorry—”
“You know what?” he interrupted her. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. You’re fired. I wanted to wait until I found a replacement, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to allow you to disrespect Madeleine like this. Not after I’ve already warned you about it. And especially not when she could be carrying my child.”
“Child?” Julie gasped, which was more than I could say. My shock at his statement kept me silent.
“Pack your stuff and get the hell out of here. I’ll call human resources to let them know you’ve been let go for insubordination, without a letter of recommendation.”
“But,” she whispered.
Caleb wasn’t having any of it. He strode forward, wrapped his hand around her upper arm, and moved her out of the office before slamming the door shut. When he turned to face me, the force of his glare knocked me out of my stupor. After what had happened over the last couple days, there were a million questions I wanted to ask, so much we needed to discuss, but there was only one I could think of at the moment.
“Why in the world would you tell her I could be pregnant?” I asked while standing up to face him on a more even level.
Caleb practically growled his response. “Because I’ve fucked you bare about a dozen times in the last two days, filling you with as much of my come as I possibly could in hopes that you would be.”
My knees weakened and I fell back into my chair. We’d never even had a discussion about being clean, and I’d been in such a sensual fog, I hadn’t thought about insisting he wore a condom. But never in a million years would I have considered he was doing it on purpose in the hopes of knocking me up, something that wasn’t even possible. As stupid as I’d been behaving around him, I wasn’t that much of an idiot. “Caleb, there’s no way I’m pregnant. I’m on birth control.”
Chapter 9
Caleb
On some level, I knew I should have felt guilty, but I didn’t. I couldn’t find it in myself to regret doing everything in my power to keep Madeleine, to start our family, to begin living our forever. As if that wasn’t enough, there wasn’t room for guilt because anger consumed me. We would get around to discussing what happened in Paris, but first, I was going to lay my cards on the table and be honest about trying to get her pregnant. There wasn’t anything she could do to get me off that path.
I rounded Madeleine’s desk and leaned down to place my palms on the armrests, caging her in. My face was inches from hers, forcing her to tilt her head back, unable to avoid meeting my hard gaze.
“No, Madeleine, you’re not,” I gritted out. “You missed your doctor’s appointment. Your body is ripe and ready for me to plant our kid inside you. Make no mistake, baby, if I haven’t already, I will have you pregnant as soon as humanly possible. And,” my voice hardened, along with my cock as I imagine her naked body with a rounded belly, “you can expect to stay that way for a while.”
Madeleine’s eyes widened in shock as I spoke, but at that last statement, they narrowed and lit with fire. She braced her hands on my chest and shoved with all of her strength, but I didn’t budge. Not even an inch.
“I can’t believe you!” she yelled. “Get the hell away from me, Caleb.”
“That’s never going to happen, Madeleine.” I removed my hands from the sides of the chair and slowly slid them up her arms to cradle her face. I craved her with everything I was, and my body was aching with need, my cock desperate to be inside her. “When are you going to stop fighting? You know you belong to me.”
I stared into her deep green eyes and watched the play of emotions, ranging from longing and sadness to fear and anger. Then, she shuttered them, her face becoming a blank mask. “Let me up, Caleb,” she demanded, poking me in the shoulder.
I sighed and stood, backing away slightly and giving her room to follow. Once on her feet, she took a deep breath, drawing my eyes to her tits as they rose and fell. Fuck, I was hanging on by a thread, an inch away from bending her over the desk and making her scream my name.
“Caleb,” her voice drew my eyes back up to her face, “I want out.”
“Excuse me?” My tone was deadly, a warning.
“The—the clause,” she stuttered. “I want to use the penalty clause. Spend a night with you.”
Her words brought a rush of desire so intense, I nearly lost my balance as images of her under my complete control danced in my vision. She wanted to use the penalty clause? Perfect.
She obviously wasn’t ready for me to convince her with words of love. She wasn’t ready to admit she was wearing deliberate blinders when it came to examining her feelings for me. She had no idea what she agreed to—no idea she was about to be laid bare before me, literally and figuratively. What I had planned required the ultimate trust, and for Madeleine, that kind of faith was built on love. A small part of me—okay, not that small—was going to make her pay for running from me.
“Go home. Get some rest and meet me at my house tomorrow night. Eight p.m.,” I said tersely as I walked out of her office. Just across the threshold, I turned back, grunting, “Don’t be late.”
Her arms were wrapped around her body and her eyes tightly closed as silent tears streaked down her face. I wanted to cross back and take her in my arms, to comfort her and care for her, but I needed to stay my course. If this didn’t work, I was going to kidnap her ass, take her to a deserted island, and keep her all to myself. The thought was intriguing...let’s call that plan B.
***
At seven fifty-eight, the doorman rang to tell me Madeleine had arrived. I’d collected all of the items for tonight, put them in a duffle bag so they wouldn’t overwhelm her all at once, and tossed it into my bedroom on my way to the front door.
Madeleine stood on the other side, her head held high, back straight, but her eyes were filled with trepidation. I loved her strength; it was one of the sexiest things about her. However, it was the thought of her submission that had my body practically vibrating with desire. I’d changed into a pair of low-hanging, silk lounge pants, foregoing a shirt and shoes. Biting back a smile, I didn’t miss her head to toe perusal of my body, or the hitch in her breath when she got to the V of my abs and the visible erection beneath.
I swept my hand in, encouraging her to enter. She marched past me and my eyes glued themselves to her sinful ass. I shut and locked the door, then followed to find her standing in the open living room of my penthouse apartment. She stood rigid, her arms straight and hands fisted at her side.
Walking up behind her, I gently grasped her shoulders and pulled her back against my chest. “Baby, relax,” I whispered, burying my face in her thick curls. “You have to trust me. You should know I will never hurt you.” Her muscles released a small amount of tension and I placed a soft kiss just below her ear, encouraged by her shivering response. “Beyond your limits,” I clarified softly.
Letting go of her shoulders, I didn’t wait for a response. Instead, I led her to an area in front of a large fireplace where flames burned brightly. I’d left a glass of wine on the low, glossy wood table. I reached for it and handed it to her. “Drink,” I instructed.
She gave me a stubborn look and I raised an eyebrow, silently reminding her who was in charge. She huffed, but brought the wine to her lips. The long line of her throat as she swallowed and the press of her lips on the crystal captivated me.
I stifled a groan, anxious to have those plump lips wrapped around my cock, swallowing—no, there would be no swallowing until she was pregnant. I wasn’t about to waste a single drop.
When the glass was empty, she looked around, presumably for where she should put it.
“Leave it,” I said. She set
the glass down and when I held my hand out, she took it without a word. I loved the sound of her voice, but her silence meant she would listen, which was vital. She needed to follow my directions very closely tonight.
The bedroom beckoned and I guided her to it. The room was dominated by a king-sized bed, specifically bared, with the exception of soft, Egyptian cotton sheets. We stopped beside it and I turned her to face me, lifting her chin with a finger. “I’m in charge tonight.” I phrased it as a statement, but waited for her to nod her agreement.
“It’s crucial that you do as I say. I said I’d never hurt you beyond your limits, but I’m going to push those limits.” Fear began to cloud her eyes, so I quickly added, “I will always stop if you ask me to.”
Again, she nodded. “You will not speak unless I give you permission, with one exception. I need you to choose a word, if you say that word, I will stop.”
Madeleine’s jade pools bored into me with a captivating intensity. “Paris,” she mumbled. Her choice curved my lips up in a soft smile and I pulled her into my arms, laying my forehead against hers.
“Paris?” I confirmed.
She leaned her head back and lifted a challenging eyebrow.
I sighed. “Don’t play games, Madeleine. I asked a question, answer it,” I said, following my mandate with a swat on her ass.
“Yes,” she snapped, “Paris.”
“Good girl.” Dropping my arms, I backed away from her and crossed them over my chest. “Undress.”
She did as she was told and with every bared inch of creamy, peach skin, my excitement grew. This night was inevitable. Whether she’d used the clause or not, we would have ended up here eventually, but watching her strip and knowing what was coming, I found myself glad I didn’t have to wait.
Once she was naked, I retrieved my bag from the floor and set it on the bed. There were several coils of soft, cotton rope and I removed them, leaving the rest of the contents for later. Her attention focused on the cord in my hands and she bit her bottom lip, betraying her nerves.
“Madeleine,” I waited for her to lock our gazes, “eyes on me. I need to see your face. Do you understand?”
She nodded and I swiftly gripped her chin, squeezing just enough to assert my control. “When I ask you a question, you will answer with words.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Good. I promise to explain everything as we go.” For the first time that night, I brushed my lips across hers. “I will take care of you. I’ll always take care of you.”
I’d spent a lot of years working my way through the beautiful women of Manhattan and experimenting with different methods of sex and pleasure. I’d eventually discovered Kinbaku, a specialty rope bondage also referred to as Shibari. The intricacies of the knots and level of control held by the rigger fascinated me and I’d taken classes to become a rope master.
I started with breast bondage, tying a rope around Madeleine’s mouthwatering tits in an intricate and decorative pattern, leaving the globes bare. I spoke as I worked, detailing what I was doing and checking her comfort level while running my fingers underneath the wrap of rope to even the tension and adjust. I wasn’t surprised to see growing interest in her expression as I worked, the chemistry between us burning hotter than ever before.
Next, I fashioned a crotch rope. Careful to avoid pressure on her stomach, I wrapped the rope around her hips, tied it in front, and then fed it between her legs, making sure it rested snugly between the lips of her pussy. My fingers came away wet and I knew I’d been correct in my belief that Madeleine would be aroused by my fetish. Securing her elbows and wrists behind her, I looped the rope from between her thighs and fed it into a slipknot at her wrists. Inspecting the tensions, I tugged on it, knowing the threads would rub her clit, and was rewarded with a gasp.
Checking to make sure she was immobile, I increased the pressure until she was panting heavily, then stopped. She released a small whimper in protest, but didn’t speak. I stood behind her and slid my hands around her waist and up her chest, until each palm was overflowing with one of her tits. I clutched each mound tightly, soaking in her little mewls of pleasure.
Her nipples were already hard and they scraped along my skin as I dragged my hands away. Then I started toying with each pink peak. I worked them into diamond-hard points, twisting and plucking, and groaned when Madeleine’s quivering body pressed back into mine, her ass cradling my thick arousal.
Satisfied her tits were sufficiently primed, I reached into the duffel and grabbed a silver chain with a clover shaped clasp at each end. I walked around to her front and kissed both sweet little buds before placing a clamp over each one. She hissed at the initial pain and I hesitated, waiting to see her reaction before continuing. Curiosity seemed to get the better of her because she stayed silent.
I stood back a moment and admired her gorgeous body, a masterpiece of skin and intricate knots, all intended for pleasure. Licking my lips, I contemplated where to start. I dipped a finger underneath the chain of the nipple clamps and claimed her mouth in a deep kiss. A tug tightened the tension on the clamps and she cried out, her parted lips giving me the opportunity to plunge my tongue inside. I lost myself in her kisses for a few moments before pulling back.
“Kneel on the bed,” I instructed. I helped her climb up and quickly rid myself of my clothing before taking position behind her.
One of my hands slid into her unbound hair and I tugged on it as the other used the rope to stimulate her clit. Her loud moan mixed with the beauty of her submissive positioning and my ropes binding her had my cock standing straight up, hard and pulsing. With every cry, I had to work not to come, to hold back for when I was ready to sink into her soaking wet pussy.
I worked her with the rope, my hands on her skin, the nipple clamps, and firm tugs on her hair. Her moans became screams and I knew she was getting close, so I softened my movements, until her writhing became a quiver.
“Don’t stop!” she yelled.
I’d been holding off for the right moment. I spanked one tight ass cheek, causing a ripple through her skin and stimulating the whole area. “Did I tell you to speak?” I asked gruffly. She shook her head frantically. Another slap, this one leaving a red handprint on her lily white cheek. The sight had pre-come dripping steadily from my dick.
“Apologize,” I demanded with another harsh slap on the opposite cheek.
“Fuck! I’m sorry!”
I soothed the stinging skin with gentle rubs, but not for long. I began to work her again, bringing her to the brink of orgasm over and over, but never letting her peak. Tears of frustration started to leak from her eyes, yet she still screamed with passion.
Dipping my head into the crook of her neck, I bit her earlobe on the way down, and whispered, “You shouldn’t have fucking run from me, baby.”
I licked and sucked her neck, coiling the end of the rope and putting constant pressure on her clit. Her heart was beating so hard, I could feel it where my lips pressed to her skin. “Say you’re sorry, baby.” She whimpered an apology and I tightened the rope a little more. “Are you going to run from me again?” I growled, adding three hard spanks to her ass. Her head whipped from side to side without a sound.
Smack!
“Words!”
Smack!
“Are you going to run?”
Smack!
“No!”
I pulled the rope tight and tugged hard on the clamps.
“Who do you belong to, Madeleine?”
“You! I belong to you!”
I still wasn’t satisfied. “Who?”
“Oh my—you, Caleb! I fucking belong to you!”
Hearing her say my name brought a rush of desire that would have brought me to my knees, had I not already been kneeling. I knew I wasn’t going to last much longer, so I repeated the pull and tug while I sunk my teeth into the delicate skin of her neck. She splintered apart, screaming my name.
Chapter 10
Madeleine
&n
bsp; “Caleb!” I screamed, my voice raspy from overuse. Spasms racked my body as I was thrown over the cliff he’d been holding me from all night long. My vision grayed and I was lost in a sea of pleasure so intense, I didn’t know if I’d ever recover. Without Caleb holding onto the ropes binding me, I would have melted into a puddle on the mattress.
“Breathe, baby.” Caleb’s reminder in my ear had me gasping for breath. He’d taken me so far beyond anything I’d experienced, I’d actually forgotten to breathe.
When I started to relax again, Caleb lowered me onto the mattress. He tugged lightly on the chain running between my nipples and a deep moan crept up my throat. “This is going to sting a bit,” he warned as he wrapped his thumb and forefinger around one nipple. With his other hand, he gripped the top of the clamp and slowly squeezed until it loosened and he could lift it off. The sudden freedom was intense as my throbbing flesh expanded.
“Argh,” I moaned, the bite of pain unexpected even with his warning.
“I know it hurts, baby, but I need to get them off. As pretty as your nipples look clamped, they can’t stay on any longer.”
I gritted my teeth as he worked his magic on the other side, breathing in sharply as the blood rushed into my nipple. Then his hands slowly unwound the ropes from my body, soothing my skin along the way. His mouth trailed after his hands, nibbling a path along my skin. Oddly enough, I missed the constriction of the rope as soon as it was loosened. Once every inch of my skin was bared to him again, he stepped back and watched me with a considering gaze.
“My Madeleine likes my rope, doesn’t she?”
“Yes,” I whisper, my voice quivering as I realized how much of an understatement it was. I didn’t just like what Caleb had done to my body, I loved it.
“I’m going to have you bound and begging for me in a moment,” he promised as he bent over and grabbed a coil of red rope out of his duffel bag. “I’m changing to silk, because you won’t be able to stop yourself from pulling against the ropes. This one won’t slide against your skin quite as much.”
Penalty Clause (Risqué Contracts Book 1) Page 5