Bound (Dark Horse #1)

by J. S. Scott

  I wanted so badly to believe him, but I couldn’t. “Okay. I’ll have to take your word for it,” I answered quietly.

  “You don’t believe me?” he guessed.

  I slowly shook my head.

  “Smart woman,” he rumbled. “But someday you’ll trust me, Anna.”

  He turned and left the bedroom. I followed him, for some reason hoping that his prediction was correct.

  CHAPTER 9

  Kane

  Damn it. Fucking Anna had left me with one hell of a problem—I wanted to fuck her again. And again. And I couldn’t stop thinking of all the things I wanted to do to her.

  Sex seemed like a perfect way to pass the time as far as I was concerned, though I had a feeling she’d probably have a different opinion on the matter. Didn’t matter that she’d lied to me about not enjoying herself. I knew the truth, and the way she’d cried out as she came, the way her slick sheath clenched my cock, milking me for all I was worth, left no doubt in my mind that I’d given her the best orgasm she’d ever had.

  I also had no doubt she’d eventually be back for more.

  Although she was no longer bound to the bed, she still wasn’t looking too happy, and after poking around the cabin, she was looking bored and antsy—and the last thing I wanted was for her to start thinking of some way to make a run for it. Best to keep her and her mind occupied. “If you need me to distract you, I’ll happily do so.”

  “Believe me when I tell you that I don’t need you to distract me in any way, shape, or form. I’m fully capable of keeping myself entertained—and I’ll do a far better job of it.” She gave me a taunting stare, and I had to admit that she wore that spunk well—though it only made me want her all the more.

  “Now there’s something I’d like to see.” The thought of her getting herself off as I watched her stroking herself, her fingers working her clit as she pinched her nipple, had me going so hard, my cock ached and strained against the zipper of my jeans.

  “You’re a perverted asshole.” She tossed a glare in my direction, but her cheeks had flushed so red with embarrassment, that her freckles had gone into hiding. It was a damn good look for her—and one I wouldn’t mind seeing more of. Might just have to find new ways to make her blush.

  “Nothing perverted about it, Cupcake. Perfectly natural and healthy—and you can’t tell me you’ve never gotten yourself off.” If she said otherwise, she was nothing but a liar—and it left me curious to see if she’d tell me the truth.

  “That’s personal and intimate. And no, I haven’t done that sort thing—at least not with a stranger watching me.” She gave me an accusatory glare, as if it was all my fault that the conversation had turned to the subject of sex—though I’d have a hard time denying that my mind lived in the gutter.

  “How can you still call me a stranger when I’ve had that tight body of yours wrapped around my cock as I made you come?” Unable to resist her, I closed the distance between us, and with a firm hand on her hip, I pulled her to me, her curves brushing against my body and trapping my erection between us. “Maybe we should get more familiar with each other then. Wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable with me watching as you get yourself off.”

  “That’s never going to happen.” The glare she gave me had me thinking I should have locked up the knives before setting her loose. Not that I couldn’t disarm her in a heartbeat.

  “Never is a long time, sweetheart—and you may not be tied to the bed at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I’m not the one in control.”

  Okay…so I felt a little bad for antagonizing her. Not a whole lot. But a little.

  I’d never said I wasn’t an asshole—just not a murderer.

  And I soon found out that there was one more thing she was damn good at, and that was giving me the cold shoulder. She’d been doing an excellent job of it now for hours. I was guessing the “control” comment hadn’t gone over all that well with her.

  I’ll admit, it made me want to try to change her mood around. After all, it’d be to my advantage to get her to agree to my business proposal, and if she hated my guts, then chances were good that she wouldn’t take me up on my offer. But I also knew that if I didn’t want her to try and escape, I’d have to gain her trust.

  She was coming around, albeit slowly, though I had something that might help to show her that I was willing to make her stay with me here at the cabin just a little more…entertaining. Especially since she was going to make me crazy if she didn’t stop pacing.

  “Come on, Cupcake. I think it’s time I showed you our new digs.” I grabbed her hand, happy to see her smile, though I told myself it didn’t matter. Not when she might still betray me and land my sorry ass in jail.

  “New digs? Does that mean we’re finally leaving and heading back to town? Heading home?” She looked far too hopeful, though it served to remind me that she was only here because I was holding her hostage, and given half a chance, she’d take off in a heartbeat.

  “Unfortunately not. We can’t head home—not until my partner finds the evidence I need to clear my name.” Which was taking far longer than I’d like. I’d have to put a call in to Gavin, who was not only my business partner, but one of the few people in my life that I trusted completely. He’d hired the investigators, and was keeping tabs on them, even though he himself was working a different angle. But one way or another, he’d know what they’d found so far, and more importantly, he’d no doubt light a fire under their asses if need be. “Come on.”

  I dragged her to the pantry, where rows of built in shelves and counters lined the small room. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, and yet one of the shelving units was capable of sliding out on hinges and hidden casters. Pressing the hidden latch, I pulled aside the wooden unit so that I could access the secure key pad on the heavy metal door.

  Making sure to block her view, I punched in the code and pulled the door open, stepping to the side so she could take the stairs that led to a hidden bunker. “After you.”

  “No fucking way. I’m not going. So you can—what? Murder me where no one will hear my screams and it’ll be easy for you to hide or clean up the evidence?” She was looking panicked—again. And it was starting to get old, especially when I was trying damn hard to be nice and meet her half way when it came to trusting each other.

  “Listen up, Cupcake. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead already. And look around. No one is going to hear you scream. Period. So get that pretty little ass of yours down those fucking stairs before I drag you down there, and then make sure you’ll think twice about being a pain in my ass again.” The thought of putting her over my knee and spanking her ass red had me immediately going hard, half-wishing her stubbornness would bolster her defiance so she’d disobey me.

  “No.” She crossed her arms in front of her generous chest and glared at me with a brazen disregard for her own safety.

  I couldn’t help the shit-eating grin that spread across my face. “You really don’t want to be able to sit, do you…”

  “Fuck off, Kane. What do you think I am? Some sort of errant child who needs to have a time-out because I’ve disobeyed you?” The fire in her eyes only served to remind me of how passionate she could be, making me want to take full advantage of all her anger.

  “No…I think you’re being a bratty girl who’s decided that it’s wiser to stand here and antagonize me, instead of getting her ass down the fucking stairs so I don’t spank it red.” I kept my tone stern and serious so that she’d know I meant every word of it.

  “Hmph!” With a final glare aimed right at me, she spun around and headed down the stairs.

  I took a moment to lock and secure the door behind us, after pulling the pantry shelf back in place. It’s not as if I expected anyone to trace me to the cabin, but it didn’t hurt to make sure every detail was in place. Being thorough and tending to the details was one of the reasons I’d m
anaged to be successful, even when the odds were against me.

  “What the…” Anna’s gaze took in the room, clearly expecting some sort of musty old cobweb-filled cellar, instead of the luxury apartment that was tucked away beneath the cabin. This place was designed to make the end of the world comfortable, and though we didn’t have to ride out any sort of apocalypse, it should make our extended stay here a little more tolerable.

  I stepped to her side, unable to hide my shit-eating grin. “What do you think?”

  “It’s…nice.” She shrugged, suddenly looking unimpressed, her gaze aimed at the heavy metal door that I’d just slammed closed moments ago.

  “Nice? That’s it? Well, if you’d rather go back upstairs so I can tie you to the bed again, just let me know—or has that been your angle all along? That, despite all your issues, you secretly want to be at my mercy.” It wouldn’t be the first time I’d come across somebody who got their kicks by pushing their boundaries with the very things that they had a problem with, since it allowed them to deal with their fear in a very controlled environment.

  Not that she was buying my theory, since she looked ready to slap me. “You really are a bastard, Kane.”

  “Well, there’s no denying that one, Cupcake.”

  CHAPTER 10

  Anna

  I barely had a look around before my stomach began to roll and my pulse accelerated. “We’re underground. The cabin is right above us.”

  “You’re a damn genius, Cupcake,” Kane replied sarcastically as he joined me at the bottom of the stairs.

  It was a nice, luxury apartment. It looked like it had been decorated with no thought to expense.

  Problem was, I was too busy panicking to really notice anything else. “I need to get out of here.”

  My tone was desperate, and I hated showing Kane any fear. He’d probably get off on that. But I couldn’t control the dictates of my mind and body telling me to flee.

  There were no windows, no light but those overhead, and suddenly it felt like the ceiling was too low and the walls were closing in. I was trapped, with no way to escape.

  “Please, can we go back upstairs?” I rasped, trying not to hyperventilate, but not succeeding.

  Kane looked at me in confusion. “Why? It’s a whole lot better down here than it is upstairs. Plus, I won’t have to confine you. There’s no way out unless you know the code.”

  Shit! Did he really have to mention that I couldn’t get out if I tried? It just made me more terrified.

  I’m trapped! No way out!

  Forcing myself to take one deep breath after another, I strode into the space, trying to tell myself that I was okay, that I was safe. Unfortunately, keeping a distance from Kane only made me feel more trapped. Leaning against one of the walls, I attempted to clear my head, asking myself the question that one of my last counselors had told me to consider whenever my panic attacks came over me.

  What’s the worst thing that could happen?

  Logically, I knew the answer was absolutely nothing. But my brain was on overdrive about several scenarios that were highly unlikely. None of them were pleasant thoughts.

  The underground cave could be unstable and the whole cabin could come down on top of us. We could die. We could be buried alive, suffocating because nobody is around to help us.

  Breathing hard, reliving the memories of my own experience of being buried by an avalanche, I trembled as I leaned against the wall for support.

  “Anna? What the hell is wrong?” Kane questioned in an urgent voice, obviously realizing that I wasn’t dealing with my change of location very well.

  I could hear his voice in the distance, but my anxiety had taken over, and I started sweating, my vision blurred, and I was dizzy as hell. My heart raced until I thought it was going to gallop out of my chest.

  “Anna?” Kane asked as he grabbed me by the shoulders. “Answer me for Christ’s sake. You look like you’re not here with me.”

  I wasn’t. I was trapped in my own little world where I was reliving the experience of near-death and being buried alive.

  “Don’t touch me!” I screamed, sounding hysterical, knowing damn well that he must think I’m delusional.

  “Stop, Anna… You’re safe,” Kane insisted, pushing me against the wall and trapping me within the small space between his arms, both of his hands now resting against the wall.

  “I can’t. I can’t. I have to get out of here!” I started to struggle, trying to punch at him as my damaged brain could only think about escape. “I can’t stand being down here. We’re buried. I’m trapped.”

  He stopped my feeble attempts to hit him by taking both of my hands and twining our fingers together before he held them over my head and against the wall.

  “Listen. To. Me.” His voice was calm but firm. “Nothing is going to happen. My uncle was a prepper. He believed the apocalypse was coming soon. This apartment is strong enough to withstand almost anything. You’re safe down here, Cupcake. You’re safe. I promise you.”

  With my hands now useless, I started kicking and screaming. “Let. Me. Go.” Not only was I trapped underground, but now he was confining me, too. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think about anything except escape.

  “Fuck, Anna… Settle down.” Kane pushed me harder against the wall, trapping my legs with one of his.

  I started to sob out my frustrations, no longer caring if I let Kane see my fear. “I have to get free. I’ll die if I don’t.”

  Breathing hard and dizzy from hyperventilating, I was shocked as he lowered his head and kissed me mid-shriek, swallowing my vocal protests.

  There was no way I could avoid his sudden, sensual attack, an embrace that nearly made me forget my panic. His thrusting tongue clashed with mine, demanding yet tender as he explored my mouth, slowly pulling me from my anxiety.

  Continuing his erotic assault to my senses, my hysteria gradually subsided. I was bombarded by sensations, his masculine scent, and the gradual heightening of my desire to let him have his way.

  “Kane.” His name slid easily from my mouth as he released it and started exploring the sensitive skin on my neck.

  “Don’t think, Cupcake. Feel me.”

  Oh, I did feel him. I wallowed in Kane until his essence was oozing from every pore of my skin.

  He released my hands and I quickly wrapped them around his broad, muscular shoulders.

  I startled briefly as I felt his fingers edging their way between my thighs, not even noticing that he’d opened the button and zipper of my jeans.

  His fingers were met with blistering heat and wetness. “Jesus, Anna! You aren’t wearing any underwear.”

  “I washed it and hung it in the bathroom to dry.” Since I didn’t exactly have spares, I wanted—at the very least—my undergarments and body clean.

  Forgetting completely about my lingerie as Kane’s fingers delved between my folds and zeroed in on my slick clit, I moaned my relief as he rubbed and teased the sensitive bundle of nerves.

  “Please,” I begged, my body clamoring for more of this. More of Kane.

  He dropped to his knees, yanking the jeans down my legs as I kicked off my shoes so he could make quicker work of the task. There was nothing else in my head right at the moment except finding my release.

  One kiss.

  One touch.

  My body was completely surrendering to Kane’s will.

  I moaned as he tossed my jeans to the side, and then buried his face against my pussy. Pressing my thighs apart, he urged me to open up to him so he could get better access, and I obeyed immediately.

  “Yes,” I hissed with satisfaction as his tongue made contact with my clit, the sensation so damn good that I nearly came on the spot.

  I speared my hands through his hair, gripping the locks like they were my lifeline. And maybe they were. My climax was already
building, and there was nothing to keep me from flying apart, the pieces spreading all over the cosmos.

  “Fuck. Me.” My voice was demanding and desperate.

  He kept right on laving my pussy like it belonged to him. His tongue explored, his teeth nipped, and his mouth was busy making sure he tasted every drop of the juices he was pulling from my needy body.

  It was so quiet, all I could hear was the sound of his mouth suckling, and the beating of my pounding heart in my ears. “Please. Please.” I was whimpering now, but I didn’t care.

  I needed the gorgeous man with his head between my legs to allow me some relief. Now!

  He used two of his fingers to plunge into me, filling me, until I imploded, the muscles of my pussy squeezing around his fingers.

  My body shuddered, wave after wave of my explosive climax pummeling me as Kane just kept fucking me with his fingers and licking my clit hard as I came.

  Finally, he rose. My body was still quivering as he ordered in a husky voice, “Wrap your legs around my waist, Anna.”

  I did what he wanted, desperate to feel him inside me. Even though I’d climaxed, the need for him to bury himself inside me hadn’t subsided.

  My saturated core met only hardness as I tightened my legs around his hips. Kane must have liberated his enormous cock, but I’d been too caught up in my own pleasure to see it happen.

  He gripped the cheeks of my ass, squeezing the flesh and pinning me against the wall as he entered me in one swift thrust. My body accepted him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

  “You’re so fucking hot and wet, Anna. I’m not sure this is going to last long,” he grunted as he started to move.

  “Don’t care,” I answered fiercely. “I just need to feel you.”

  “Oh, you’ll feel me, Cupcake. Just…” thrust… “like…” thrust… “this.” The last plunge inside me buried him to the root of his cock, and I moaned my relief as he continued to move in and out of me like a man who had to fuck like his life depended on it.

  God, I really hated my treacherous body and the way it responded to Kane. But I needed him so badly that my hands moved up to fist his hair and I slammed my mouth down on his. He responded immediately, kissing me just as desperately as I was kissing him.