Indebted Heart

by Measha Stone

  "Mr. Tribelli?" Two young men walked into the room. "Your room is ready." Alex stepped out of the way as they raised the rails on his bed and began to play with the tubes and cords of the machines his father was hooked up to. "We are going to room 3145, will you be coming up with us? The nurses will chase you away after a few minutes, but you can come up if you'd like."

  "No. He has to get home." Paul answered for his son. "Go on. Alyssa is waiting for you. I'll see you in the morning."

  "Call me if you need anything." Alex told him firmly.

  Paul chuckled as the two orderlies wheeled him out of the room. "I think they've got it covered. Now go."

  Alex watched as his father was whisked down the hall and around the corner. The fear gripping at his chest subsided only slightly at his father's good-natured jabs. He didn't know much about emphysema but he would rectify that immediately by getting on the phone with an old college friend who worked at Northwestern in their pulmonology department.

  His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his worried thoughts.

  Room 413, there's a key at the desk for you.

  Alyssa. His father had implied love. Alex hadn't loved anyone other than Jessica as far back as he could remember, and even that love was more infatuation than true heartbeat-skipping love. It was different with Alyssa. He couldn't get enough of her, looking at her, hearing her voice, smelling her and tasting her. God, tasting her! His body reacted at the mere thought of feeling her smooth body beneath his.

  Walking away from the hospital and toward the hotel, he felt his phone vibrate again.

  If it pleases you, I'll be waiting naked and kneeling in the room.

  His breath hitched, and he stopped walking for a moment to re-read the message. If it pleased him? Fuck, she was throwing him off his game. He'd expected her to argue about taking the following day off of work, and now here she was putting her desires out there for him, giving him the power to deny or accept.

  Pleases me greatly. Kneel facing the window. Do not look at me when I enter. On my way.

  Ignoring the fatigue in his body and the heat of the night air, Alex picked up his speed and all but sprinted across the street to the hotel.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Alyssa smiled down at her phone at his response. She'd gotten it right for once. His look of surprise when she'd agreed to call off for her shift in the morning had made her both cringe and smile on the inside. If obeying something so simple as taking off a shift in order to be with Paul at the hospital was so shocking to him, what did that say about her ability to be his submissive?

  The more she thought over the past weeks she realized she hadn't put much effort in being his submissive. She'd resisted him nearly every step of the way, and he'd been so patient, so loving toward her. It was apparent her double shifts were frustrating to him, but he never forced her to quit, he never pulled out the mythical 'dom card' and threw it at her. He truly wanted the best for her, and he was willing to give her time to figure it out for herself. There had been more than one night when she'd gotten home from the club that he'd directed her straight to bed. Or when she had a few hours between shifts, he demanded she take a nap between shifts, but every action he took had been for her benefit. She found the brochures for UIC and Columbia sitting on the breakfast bar in the kitchen, but he never pushed it, never demanded she look at them. He put the idea out there, told her that he believed in her and that she could do whatever she wanted, and he would support her one hundred percent.

  He'd done all of these things, and she'd resisted every time he made a move that made her uncomfortable. She'd become a submissive that only submitted when it suited her, and she hated it. On the cab ride to the hospital, among the worry for Paul, she began to think what life would be like for her without Alex in it. She'd never known such security as she had with him. There was no worry that he would run out on her or cast her aside. His feelings and his actions meshed perfectly, and he'd shown her nothing but kindness. Could she find that somewhere else? Would she want to? The answer was simple, no. Even if there were another man out there that was anything similar to Alex, she didn't want him. She only wanted Alex. His strong arms around her when she felt too exhausted to carry the weight on her shoulders. The broad chest she snuggled into while sleeping more soundly than she had in her life. His sense of humor, his sternness. She'd never known anyone that could make her stomach twist in a knot with one look.

  The girls had talked about love. She wasn't sure if this was what they meant, or if it would last forever. In her experience it wasn't possible, but she'd made the decision to put all of her effort into her relationship with Alex. Less hiding and more openness. She didn't have to give up her independence to be with him, he didn't want her to morph into a doormat. He wanted her. Just her.

  The door clicked, signaling the lock being triggered just as she slid down to her knees. She faced the closed curtains of the window, her hands resting on her knees, waiting. His footsteps were soft as he entered the room, but she could feel his presence before she even heard him. The muted sound of the door closing, and the chain being slid into place filled the room. It took everything in her not to turn to him, to gaze on him. She wondered briefly if he was happy with her positioning.

  "So fucking beautiful." His whispered words sent a shiver down her spine. Her skin felt alive with electricity, waiting to be touched. "Please stand up and put your hands behind your neck. No, don't turn around, keep facing the windows."

  The hiss of his belt sliding through his pant loops gave life to the electric current that was her skin. Her fingers linked together behind her neck, steadying her stance and she waited for the first strike of the belt.

  "Do you remember the last time I used the belt on your ass?" he asked standing a little closer to her than previously.

  "Yes." She surprised herself with the ability to speak with such arousal and want clouding her mind.

  "Tell me," he ordered with a warm voice.

  "You punished me for being disrespectful." She didn't like the memory of that evening. It embarrassed her that she'd earned a punishment so early in their relationship, so quickly after agreeing to be his submissive.

  "That's right. You had been a naughty girl."

  She swallowed at his words. Her nipples were already erect with need, and she felt her sex becoming more wet by the moment. "But you were a very good girl tonight. Such a beautiful good girl." His hand gripped her ass cheek, and she jumped from the sudden touch.

  "I bet you are so wet for me right now. Aren't you?" he asked, with his fingers trailing their way lower to where he would find out for himself how hot she was for him. Lower they crept until his feathery touch lit a fire within her, and she sucked in air. "Ah, very wet. Tell me what you thought about while you were kneeling here, waiting for me." His fingers lightly patted her sex, but her whole body craved his touch.

  "I wondered what you would do. I tried not to plan it," she admitted freely. His lips brushed against her shoulder.

  "Very good." His fingers withdrew from her and before she registered the lonely sensation, a sharp slap shook her ass, and she yelped more from the surprise than the sting. "I'm going to spank you with my hand," he announced and gave her two more hard swats to her backside, leaving a warm tingle behind. "Then I'm going to whip you with my belt. I'm going to show you how a good girl gets the belt."

  His left hand, the one holding the belt, snaked around the front of her belly and gripped her waist. Effectively holding her in place as his right hand went to work spreading a warm glow through her entire ass. She moaned from the heat his hand brought, but found the sensation calming. A steady volley of swats, enough to tease her but not enough to satisfy her as he went along. "Such a good girl." He whispered into her ear before pulling away and stepping back from her.

  The trembling in her stomach led way to a quickened breath as she heard the jingling of his belt buckle. Leather crashed across both of her cheeks leaving a burning trail in its wake as
he pulled back and unleashed another lash, lower near the curve of her ass cheeks. Her heart raced as the third strike landed, and by the fifth she felt the familiar buzz take over her senses. Each strike was harsher than the last, taking her to a new place with each sharp lash.

  "How are you doing, baby?" He paused to run his palm over the scorched flesh of her ass. She blinked a few times and nodded. "Use your voice, baby." He sounded somewhat in the distance, but she hung on to him.

  "I'm doing good, sir." She nodded again.

  "Pick a number between five and ten." He dragged his nails across her tender flesh, and she hissed at the new sensation, moving up to her tiptoes. From her side view she noticed his grin, his shit-eating grin as he once again dragged his nails across her ass.

  "Seven." Alyssa croaked out. The bite of his scratches distracted her from the fire of his belt but only for a moment.

  "Seven it is. Seven lashes then the belting will be over. No, don't pout." Was he laughing? "Once the belting is done, the fucking can begin," he promised her. She took several deep breaths. She felt his presence, could hear his words, but everything appeared further away. A buzzing sensation took over her mind and her body, a pleasant hum that drowned out the loud noise in her head.

  The first lash struck, and she stumbled forward a step from the force of it. She jumped right back into place and bent forward a bit to push her ass out and steady her stance. "Nice," he said approvingly and the second blow crossed her ass and a groan escaped her. From the pleasure or the pain, she couldn't tell. It all mingled so well together she couldn't pinpoint where one began and the other stopped. The third and fourth lash came quickly, giving her no time to register the burn of the leather. "Your ass is so red, so brilliantly hot." He sounded out of breath as the fifth and sixth strike of the belt met the curve of her ass. She sucked in her breath at the sharp sting and moved up to her tiptoes. "Back down, baby. One more." He waited until she was planted on her feet again.

  She squeezed her eyes shut, both anticipating and dreading the last feel of the leather. Her mind reeled and her body hummed, it would all be over after one more lash. She didn't want it to end, but she trusted that he knew when to continue and when to stop. The snap of the leather echoed in the small hotel room before she felt the effect of the harshest lash yet. She cried out and stumbled forward, letting go of her hands she caught herself on the window ledge and took gulping breaths.

  His hands were on her, rubbing her ass and her back while she focused on her breathing. "It's okay, baby. I got you." He helped her to stand and wrapped his arm around her. When had he taken his shirt off? She nuzzled into his bare chest, feeling safe in the warmth of his skin. He stroked her back and placed kisses to her head until her breathing calmed and her mind settled back into the present reality. Pulling back, she smiled up at him. His concerned look washed away with his own grin. "There you are." He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes.

  "I believe I was promised a fucking?" She reminded him breathlessly, reaching up to kiss his lips. Her lips may have initiated the contact, but it was he who controlled it. His hands snaked into her hair, holding her firmly in place while his tongue demanded entrance. Every nerve fiber in her body exploded into action with his hot kiss. Her lips swollen and face flushed while he gazed down at her with fervor.

  "Yes, you were." He kissed the tip of her nose. "But I have something else in mind first." Without any preamble his fingers were on her nipples pinching. She grimaced and squealed at the onset of the piercing sensation. "Good girl." He kissed her mouth tentatively and increased the pressure on her nipples. He released her, bending lower to take one breast into his mouth and soothe the burn he'd caused. His wet tongue lapped over the taut peak. Her legs felt wobbly, and the lust he ignited in her threw her off balance. She gripped his shoulders while he moved to the other breast again capturing it in his mouth and using the heat of his tongue to send her into another frenzy of erotic longing.

  "Alex." She pleaded and he responded by nipping her with his teeth. "Alex!" She groaned, and he chuckled. "Please."

  "Ah, there's the magic word." He made quick work of sweeping her up in his arms and carrying her the few steps to the king sized bed where he deposited her. She leaned up on her elbows watching him as he unbuttoned his slacks and dropped them to the floor, his boxers with them. She drank in his hard body with such desire she had to remind herself not to fling her from the bed and tackle him to the ground.

  Slowly, as if he knew the torment she was in, he placed one knee onto the bed and lifted himself up. The muscles in his arms tightened and bulged at the weight he put on them as he crawled to her. His eyes bore into her, commanding her to stay put, not move an inch. When he reached her, he tilted her face up eliminating any gap between them as his mouth pressed over hers. She leaned back into the pillows from his weight, and her hands splayed open on his chest. Not pushing, but feeling the hardness that was there, the strength that she'd come to rely on. His grip on her lessened as he kissed her, his erection pressing against her belly reminded her of the want she felt.

  He broke off the kiss, leaving her breathless. Alex swung his body between her legs, pulling them up and bending them at the knees. She was spread wide for him. He gave her pussy a quick glance and returned his gaze to her with a wicked grin on his lips. His cock thrust quickly into her passage. When he was seated to the hilt, she cried out from the instant fullness. He captured her cry in his mouth as he crushed her with another kiss. He penetrated her with his deep hard thrusts, and she dug her fingers into his shoulders as he drove into her again and again. He pulled her legs higher, wider apart and she took him deeper, her clit rubbing against the coarse hair of his groin.

  "Touch your clit," he commanded in a rough voice that told her he was as enthralled in the passion as she was. Obeying his dictate with no hesitation she slid her hand between them, finding the swollen flesh and rolling it beneath her fingers. She moaned loudly as the waves threatened to crash over. So close to the edge, she began to buck her hips upward at him pulling his cock into her faster and matching his powerful thrusts. His fingers dug into her thighs, and his eyes bore into her with such ferocity she would have been fearful of him had she not been so caught in the wild fire of desire he'd created. His dick slammed into her wet pussy over and over again bringing her arousal to levels she never experienced before.

  He released her thighs and dove both hands into her hair, gripping her hard as he took her mouth in another hard kiss. Alex drove roughly into her sex as he ravished her with his kiss. When he plunged into her and remained deep within her, she came, crying out her release into his mouth. The kiss ended, and he captured her eyes as he pumped once more and found his own release. His orgasm dominated him, as he had dominated her, as he emptied into her with thick pulsations. He rested his forehead on hers. His breath heavy and quick, matching hers as they lay silently embraced in each other's arms, bodies still bound to each other.

  Several minutes ticked past before he withdrew from her, his hot semen dripping from her and onto her thighs. Alex told her to stay put, and he disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a damp washcloth and cleansing her of his seed. Every muscle in her body relaxed at the tenderness he displayed while taking care of her.

  He pulled the covers back and motioned for her to scoot beneath them before he slid in beside her, pulling her to his body. Sex lingered in the air; his warm breath blanketed her neck as his strong arms held her close to him. Everything was right in the world at that moment, nothing could shatter their protective bubble.

  Wrapping her fingers around his hand she whispered. "Welcome home, sir."

  Chapter Thirty

  Alex walked into his office at Top Floor with mixed emotions. Things were changing at a rapid pace, and he wasn't sure he could keep up with everything. Alyssa seemed to have completely turned around on him. There was no longer any resistance to his dominance or her submissive nature. No arguments about her work schedule. She'd cut her time at the diner
in half and agreed to quit in full once they replaced her. When he logged into the computer that morning to check his email, he found a college application half filled out in the browser.

  She had already left for the diner, so he hadn't had a chance to question her about it. On the other hand, in some ways she'd also been distant. Something weighed on her mind, but she wouldn't open up about what it was. Several times he'd seen her check a text message and become tense and irritated by it. When he'd questioned her, she waved it off as unsolicited texts. He felt he should push the issue, but her easy smile and deliberate effort at making him happy in every other way kept him from rocking the boat.

  The hospital released Paul the morning following his attack. They had ruled out emphysema as the cause of his breathing issue and instead treated him for pneumonia. Although Alex was skeptical, the steroid medications they prescribed seemed to be working, and Paul was well on his way to full recovery. Alyssa drove out to his house on her days off of the diner to check on him and be sure he didn't need anything. Alex was grateful for her help as his workload at the advertising firm only seemed to be building, and Top Floor was getting ready for the big slave auction. Kerri hadn't been replaced which meant Brandon had been left in charge of the administration workload, with Alyssa's help, but he needed to speak with Bradley about the hiring of a new manager.

  On his desk sat some of the ledgers he'd requested from the bookkeeper. John and Travis's milking of the accounts would be short lived once he worked his way through the numbers to find where all the money had been syphoned.

  Travis didn't like his poking around and made sure to mention it at the last owner's meeting. When Alex confronted him on the personal spending Travis had grown red, more from anger than embarrassment, and demanded actual proof before another word was said about it.