by Measha Stone
"You are always on my ass about telling you everything. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I've already established I was an idiot." He pointed out. "Why didn't you tell me about Stephen harassing you? I found out from Brandon that he's been in the club almost nightly, chasing you, texting you? Kelly even said that he showed up here." His expression soured, eyes darkened and lips tightened.
"Wait. Wait." She shook a hand in the air. "I haven't forgiven you yet. You can't get mad at me; we aren't together anymore." She pointed a finger at him.
"Fair enough." He nodded. "But once we have resolved this." He jerked a finger between herself and him. "We will resolve the other thing."
"You think it's that simple?" She fisted her hands and placed them on her hips. She wasn't getting much of a fight out of him. Didn't he realize that she woke up that morning thinking they were done, over, he was gone forever?
"No." His voice softened. "It's not that simple. I really hurt you. The last thing in the world I ever wanted to do was hurt you, and still, I did a whopper of a job. You are hands down, the best damn thing to happen to me. The refreshing frustration I needed." Two steps and he was in front of her, pressing her against the counter, but not touching her. "I've never been ashamed of who I am, but you've shown me that my actions proved otherwise. I don't need to take out an ad, but to be honest with those closest to me, that's what I wasn't doing. Usually, it's the submissive learning to be comfortable with her natural desires, but with us it's been the reverse." He did touch her then. He cupped her chin with one hand.
"You let Stephen get between us," she whispered. "You thought horrible things about me. You couldn't do that if you cared for me."
"I don't care for you." He tightened his hold when she began to pull away. "I love you, Alyssa. And that scared me, which makes no sense. I've never been afraid of love, but what I feel with you? It's not just love. It's so fucking intense. You've been able to trust me. After all the shit that's happened in your past, you should have been scared shitless of me, but you weren't. Cautious, yes, but not scared. You opened up to me, you trusted me, you gave yourself to me. You are nothing like your mother. You are loving, and caring, and honest, and everything that you shouldn't have been able to become. You defy logic." He ran his thumb over her lips.
She stared at him silently. Absorbing his words. As groveling went, he was doing a fairly decent job. "I love you, too." The words fell from her lips, releasing a tension in her chest that had been choking her until she said them. "You really hurt me," she added.
"I'm really sorry," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I'd rather take fifty lashes than ever do it again."
She cocked an eyebrow. "Well, that's an idea."
He laughed, pulling her to him and crushing his mouth to hers. No resistance, she melted into him.
Chapter Thirty-six
Relief flooded through Alex's veins as he held Alyssa to him. He hadn't lost her! So fucking close, too close, he'd come to losing her, to letting her run away from him. The entire way to Kelly's apartment he'd vowed to himself that if she gave him another chance, he'd never disappoint her again. Ever.
He ended their kiss and pulled her to his chest. Hugging her tightly. "Promise me that you'll never hide things from me. Things like Stephen wanting you back, and pestering you." She looked up at him, eyes wide and a gentle blush on her cheeks
"I suppose I owe you my own apology for that."
"You are lucky he wasn't dangerous. Kelly almost got herself killed keeping secrets from Kendrick. If I had known he was bothering you, I would have put a stop to it." He felt his muscles tense. When Kelly had told him that the asshole had come to his apartment looking for Alyssa, he'd wanted to put his fist through a wall. The feeling only got stronger when Brandon admitted that she'd been batting him away from her in the club for weeks.
"He's not dangerous." She shook her head. "I should have told you. I'm just not used to not taking care of things myself. But I'm working on it." She smiled.
"You know I'll want to punish you for that. For holding something like that back from me."
She sucked in her breath. "I just forgave you for something horrible." His finger over her lips stilled her.
"I want to punish you for it. I will punish you for it, but not tonight. Not now. Now, I want to turn you around, pull down those yoga pants and have my way with you."
A playful grin tugged at her lips, and he wouldn't deprive himself another moment. He leaned down and kissed her—a long, deep kiss. When she moaned into his mouth, he broke it off, leaving his eyes with her. "I love you." And with that he scooped her up into his arms and charged through the kitchen, through the living room and up the few stairs to the main hallway. If she wondered how he knew where he was going, she didn't bother to mention it and he made it to the guest bedroom, where he guessed correctly she'd been staying.
Once his knees touched the bed, he dropped her into the center of the mattress. He climbed onto the bed with her, gently pushing her to her back.
He nipped her mouth, toying with her, every now and then placing harder kisses to her lips. He took his time, slowly torturing both of them with his mouth.
With slow hands he pulled her shirt up and over her head, keeping his eyes locked with hers while he moved on to her bra. "I hate these things. Such a pain in the ass," he murmured as he reached behind her and with the nimbleness of a craftsman undid the clasp and pulled the bra from her body. His mouth went to her neck for more nibbles, and licks.
He could feel her heart beat as he pressed his chest to hers. It was frantic. Her hands were on him then, sliding down his chest, then his stomach until her fingers gripped the hem of his shirt, pulling it up toward his head. "Tit for tat?" he laughed as he lifted up to let her pull the garment over his head and threw it across the room.
Turning his attention back to the topless beauty laid out before him, he licked her collarbone, then kissed his way between her breasts before moving to settle his mouth directly over her nipple. "Have I told you how much I love your breasts? If I haven't that was completely irresponsible of me." He grinned up at her.
Wide, aroused eyes stared back at him.
Keeping his eyes on hers, he reached his tongue out and flicked the taut nub.
Her eyes immediately closed and she hissed.
"So responsive." He blew over her now wet nipple before capturing it between his teeth. Another hiss added to a groan. He released her and began trailing kisses down her tight belly until he reached the elastic band of her pants. "This won't do." He hooked his fingers into the band and yanked downward, pulling not only her pants, but her panties down over her legs and throwing them off the bed as well.
"Alex," her voice was strangled as she reached for him.
"Hands, Alyssa. Put them up on the headboard. I won't have you getting in my way." He watched as the gentle pout crossed her face as she slid her hands up and complied with his order. "Now, where…? Ah, yes." Sliding down the bed, he settled between her thighs, her spread thighs, taking in the scent of her arousal.
Gently, he stroked her slit with his tongue. "Have I ever told you how wonderful you taste?" He murmured between licks.
"Alex." She moaned, lifting her hips up toward him. He continued to tease her with his tongue.
"Down, Alyssa." He said sharply and applied a quick slap to her pussy. She complied immediately with a soft grunt. "Keep your ass on the bed. Don't interrupt me again." He tried to sound firm, but knew his grin had to be heard in his voice. He was too damn happy to have her beneath him again, with him, in his arms, to think of truly chastising her at the moment. He wanted to drink her up, hold her close, where he could keep her forever.
Using his fingers, he spread her lips, exposing her wanting clit. "Would you like me to suck on your clit, Alyssa?" he asked, holding himself steady.
"Alex." She groaned.
"Yes, that's my name, but I did ask you a question," he reminded her. "Do you want me to take your clit in my mouth and
suck until you come? Would you like my fingers to slide into your cunt?" Two of his fingers did just that as he asked and again she moaned. "So fucking wet. And hot. Answer me, please."
"Yes!" She finally yelled out, and he smiled over her lost composure.
"And how do you ask?" He slowly moved his fingers within her, stroking her inner flesh as he breathed over her exposed clit. Her fingers gripped the headboard.
"Please, sir, will you suck my clit?" she asked in a low, sweet voice that hardened his cock even more than it was.
"So beautiful." He dipped his head and did as he promised. His lips wrapped around her clit, sucking it lightly between his teeth that scrapped it with dedicated attention. She tightened around his fingers as he stroked her harder. Knowing she was close and that she would not be able to withstand any more teasing, he decided to push her over the edge.
He slid a third finger into her and lapped at her clit with his tongue, while still sucking hard on her. Her orgasm was explosive. She bucked off the bed and cried out her release as he felt her sensitive flesh convulse around his fingers. Now, he wanted nothing more than to get his cock inside her.
Gentle kisses to her clit and long strokes eased her down from her orgasm. "There. Now…" He quickly rid himself of his pants and moved with predatory intent up the length of her body until his mouth reached hers. His lips captured hers, claiming her again. His. She was his.
His erection paused at her entrance, teasing them both with his slow movements as he sank deep into her.
"Alex." She breathed once he was seated fully inside her. "Fuck me, Alex. Please take me." Her eyes were ablaze with desire and pleasure. "I missed you so much." Another whisper.
"Never again," he vowed as he linked their hands together. His thrusts were powerful, hard, unyielding and she cried out for more, pulling her legs up and wrapping her ankles around his waist.
She lifted her body with each thrust, taking him in further. He heard his own guttural growl as she arched up at him again, she was tightening around him, pulling him to the edge while she raced to it with him.
"I… God… Alex!" Again her body exploded. Her convulsing passage milked him, harshly pulling the pleasure from his body as he slowed his thrusts and sucked in air. His forehead rested on hers, as they both gulped in air while looking at each other.
"I love you." He said again, and reclaimed her lips.
"I love you, too." She said between kisses. She was his.
Chapter Thirty-seven
"I can't believe you are really going to punish me." Alyssa glared at him over his kitchen table. Their kitchen table. He had made it perfectly clear that any attempt to find a place of her own would be dealt with harshly and precisely. Her accusation of being a prisoner had been met with a playful swat.
"I can't believe you thought I wouldn't." His eyes peered over the morning paper at her.
"We broke up."
"No. We had a fight. You hid from me for over a week and then we made up. But that's not what I'm punishing you for, although, I think it is worthy of another punishment."
"Alex!" She dropped her spoon into her oatmeal. Ever since she'd moved her stuff back into his apartment he'd become almost unbearably authoritative.
He folded the paper neatly and tucked it under his plate. "There is another matter that we need to discuss." Pulling out his wallet, he retrieved the two checks she had sent Paul. Her stomach twisted; she had wondered when he'd bring those up. "These are bullshit," he said plainly, tossing them between them on the table.
"Alex—"
"I get that you felt you were taking charity, and that your stubborn pride wouldn't allow for the fact that my father and my mother simply cared for you and wanted to be sure you had what you needed. To be honest, I think if my father had ever witnessed your mother being worse than she was, you and I would be siblings right now instead." He paused and put a hand up. "Never mind. I don't want to think it."
She wanted to laugh over the repulsed expression that crossed his features, but thought better of it. She was attempting not to get herself in trouble. In all honesty, she knew hiding Stephen's advances was wrong. He posed no threat, she knew that, but he could have gone off the deep end. As it was, he had returned to Missouri and began pestering a few old exes there. He was lonely. Telling Alex any of that at the moment wouldn't be beneficial, she decided.
"My father is ready to 'tan your hide' over this check." Alex stabbed the incriminating slip of paper with his finger. "Don't worry, I told him I'd take care of it."
"What?" She hadn't meant to shout, not really. "You told your father—that?" The heat in her cheeks warmed the entire kitchen, and his boyish grin didn't do much to cool her off.
"I told him to leave the hide tanning to me," he answered with a shrug of indifference. "But, we decided something else instead. Bradley and I have decided to buy out Travis and John. They are just eating up too much of the damn profits. And, you have a knack for managing the club, regardless of your doubts. So. Dad and I are taking this money," he scooped up the checks. "And using it to buy a few shares of the club in your name. It's not a gift. Your money is buying it and you will own ten percent of the club. That includes the two floors below. "
She stared at him with an open mouth. She knew her mouth was open, and she probably looked like a buffoon, but there was little she could do about it at the moment. "But—"
He cut her off. "Bradley manages Top Floor and enjoys doing so. The other two floors have their own managers that seem to be working out rather well, so you'll be staying on Top Floor and will be managing the lounge and the private rooms. You'll answer to Bradley, not me. I won't be your boss in any way. But," he held up a finger when she began to speak, "I will be your dom, here at home, at the club, or on the street. Which means if you start putting in too many hours, I will step in."
"If I take the ten percent."
"There's no option here, Alyssa." He leaned over the table. "You are taking it."
She took a long breath. Everything felt out of sorts, spiraling everywhere. "Okay. With that, I won't have to work extra, or at the diner. I can afford…"
"School," he said simply, picking up his fork and stabbing at his eggs.
"What?" Had she not been clear on her feelings about micromanaging?
"That's Dad's thing. You can take it up with him. He said you've always felt less than adequate because of your social and economic status. Which I now see he's right. I should have seen that, and I apologize for not paying more attention."
"You apologize? Alex. This is exactly what I didn't want. I don't want to be managed like this."
"I'm not managing a thing." He placed his hand over hers. "I won't force school on you. You'll have the income from the club, so you won't need a degree. But a few business classes here and there wouldn't hurt. Especially since we seem to be in the market for a new accountant. One that won't be so easily persuaded to look the other way when money is mishandled."
She stared at him in complete awe. Unsure of what to think or how to proceed. "I didn't give that money to your dad for him to buy me a club," she said quietly. "Why can't I pay him back for everything he did for me? The clothes he bought me, the school supplies? One year, he paid for an entire year of hot lunches at school." She felt hot tears threatening to fall and took a steadying breath.
"If you do this, you take the money that you worked your ass off for, and bought in on the club, you would be paying him back. You would be living up to the potential that he's always seen in you, that I see in you." Alex ran his thumb over her hand. "He didn't do those things in the hopes of getting his money back. He did them so you would have a better chance at a better life. And now here you are. You own ten percent of a nightclub, you might be going back to school and you live with a wonderful man who would rather murder someone than allow you one minute of unrest."
He made sense. Damn him. Paul had always looked out for her best interests, always wanted better for her, for her to have better and grow
up to be better. He never expected a refund on his payments. Going along with their plan, although she didn't like that they had sat down and hatched the plan in regards to her future without her, would be smart. She could go to school if she wanted, she could devote her time to managing the club. She knew she could do it; the previous doubts seemed to have melted away with Alex's confidence in her.
"What about you? Are you going to keep working two careers?"
"I put in my resignation at the firm. In two weeks, I'll be down to just one career." His grin lit up the kitchen, more so than the bright sunlight already streaming in.
"It won't seem weird? I mean everyone will know you bought me my share."
"You are buying your share," he said with a firm voice. "It's your money. And, another thing. I want that ledger thrown away. I won't have you keeping track of every penny I spend on you, because get ready—I'm going to spend a shit load on you. I've tolerated your lack of wardrobe for far too long. You are going shopping. Hell, we are going shopping." The twinkle in his eye absolved the irritation he forced into his voice.
"You don't like my clothes?" She feigned shock.
"Alyssa. I would much prefer you to wear nothing, not a stitch of clothing at all times. That way I could swat your ass when you get too snarky, and suckle your nipples when you get too lusty, and fuck you whenever the mood strikes me. However, it would appear that you do need some clothing. So as part of your punishment, you will be spending the afternoon with me on Michigan Avenue buying a new wardrobe that is to my liking. Yes. I'm micro managing this affair— deal with it. But when we return home, there will be no clothing for the rest of the day.