by Abby Gordon
“You didn’t put that in a song, did you?” She set a plate in front of him.
“More or less,” confirmed Sean, picking up the fork.
“What?” Pausing the action of sitting down, she stared at him. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” he replied with a nod, scooping up rice, chicken, and vegetable. He put the forkful in his mouth and hummed. “Mm, delicious.” He grinned at her. “As good as the meat pastry at the hotel.”
Jessica blushed and picked up her own fork. “I still can’t believe I did that,” she demurred. “I’ve never done anything like that.”
“Really?” Sean grinned. “And yes, that’s a song as well.”
“What’s it called?”
“The First Tease. There’s a song about first seeing you, being intrigued by you. One about learning to trust you.” He took another bite, chewed, and quickly swallowed. “My hangover after the whole Nora bit. You took care of me. Made me eat, listened as I rambled and babbled.” He gestured at her with the fork. “Most people would have run to the tabloids with all that.”
“You never would have talked to them,” she replied. “You knew I wouldn’t.”
He nodded. “True. I trusted you not to and then after the poisoning…”
His voice faded off. Jessica saw the flicker of fear and shock that someone had tried to kill him. Reaching out, she put her hand on his forearm. He smiled at her.
“You didn’t make a big deal out of it. You just acted as if what you were doing was perfectly natural. What you always did. As if we’d always done that. Trust between people isn’t easy. Not in the things that really matter. And for me, especially the past few years, it’s been impossible. I can count the number of people I absolutely trust on one hand.”
“With what?”
“With my secrets,” he replied. “With what matters most.”
“That would be Maisie,” she answered.
A smile curved his lips at the thought of his daughter. “That list is even smaller,” Sean admitted. “But you’re on that list as well.”
“Me?” Jessica was dumbfounded.
Acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world to drop the bombshell of trusting someone with his child, Sean continued eating.
“Where were we?” he ruminated. “Oh, yeah. The songs. Intrigued, A Step Closer, and The Tease.” He gave her sideways look even as she stared at him. “Oh, you were a tease that night.”
“I…I’m not sure what to say,” she managed, still trying to get over his previous words.
“Then a couple about that night.”
“What?” Her jaw dropped. “Sean, you didn’t…”
“Oh, nothing specific,” he assured her. Then winked. “Much.”
“Sean!”
He laughed. “Don’t worry, baby. Nothing about tying you up or spanking you.”
Jessica shifted on the stool, the words bringing back erotic memories. Sean smirked.
“That’s good,” she murmured.
“A couple about how I felt after,” his deep voice continued. “Like I could do anything, take on the any challenge, and do it with one hand tied behind my back and blindfolded.”
“I thought I was the one blindfolded,” she countered with a smile.
“So you were,” he murmured, catching her hand and bringing her fingers to his mouth.
He nibbled on the tips, then sucked her middle finger in, curling his tongue around it. Jessica’s breath caught in her throat and she felt her pussy tighten. A knowing gleam appeared in his dark eyes, and she had to drop her gaze. A final nip and he released her hand.
“Then there’s the song I wrote on the plane over. The realization of how what I’d said, the way I felt, and how I hadn’t protected you. All I could think of was getting to you, taking care of you.” His fists clenched on the smooth surface. His jaw worked, and when he finally spoke again, his voice was tight and strained. “I’ve always prided myself on being a man. A real man. And a real man doesn’t leave his woman to be hounded and abused the way you were. There aren’t many times, many things I’ve done, that I’ve been ashamed of. That’s the biggest.”
“But you came for me,” whispered Jessica, putting a gentle hand over his fist. She eased a couple fingers into the clenched hand. “You knew how the paps would act when you arrived and were ready for them. I didn’t understand then, but I do now.” A shiver swept through her. “When we were leaving the building and they swarmed up the steps, I froze. They were terrifying with their shouting.” She smiled at him. “You were like Heathcliff. You swept me up in your arms and held me close so they couldn’t get to me. You carried me off to safety. And did I imagine it or did you snarl at them?”
“I growled,” he admitted.
“So put that on your list of things to be proud of,” she told him, picking up her wine glass and raising it in toast. “You do the big he-man stuff very well.”
“I do, do I?” he wondered, finally relaxing a bit. “Anything else I could put in a song?”
“Oh, I could give you a very long list,” Jessica replied, then grinned. “But I don’t think the radio would be able to play the song.”
His eyes narrowed. “Miss Munroe, I do believe you’re teasing me again.”
A twinkle in her eyes, she reached over with her fork, stabbing a piece of chicken. His gaze dropped to his plate as she swirled it in the light sauce. Instead of bringing it to her mouth though, she raised it to his. He parted his lips and pulled it off the fork. Their gazes locked as he chewed.
Leaving the stool, he stepped around the corner to stand behind her. Lowering his head to hers, he whispered, “Delicious.”
His hands already roaming the front of her body, Jessica leaned back against him.
“You need to do another song,” she murmured. “About seduction.”
His chuckle was low and erotic. “Baby, that sums up the entire album.”
“Tell me more,” she sighed, lifting off the stool so he could pull her dress off.
“I’d much rather show you,” he replied, scooping her into his arms. “Big he-man stuff time.”
“My favorite,” she cooed.
Chapter Twelve
Sean could see the uncertainty in her eyes. Being tied up was one thing. Being tied up spread-eagle on the bed with dildos in her pussy and ass was beyond anything Jessica had ever imagined, much less done. And then he’d gotten inspired and wanted to go to his studio.
Leaving her on the bed in that position.
As he stood at the side of the bed, just staring down at her, uncertainty slowly changed to fear, then irritation.
“Sean, I don’t like this,” she whispered. “I know you said a sex slave can’t deny the master anything, but…”
“I’ll get the baby monitor,” he suddenly said, remembering it.
“The what?” she asked as he raced out of the room and into the second bedroom.
It was in here someplace. He pulled open drawers, rummaging through, leaving them open as he worked his way around. Maisie had been maybe six months old and Charlotte had been overprotective, wanting to monitor her every breath. Well, he thought, kneeling in front of the wardrobe, she still was a bit, although she didn’t hover quite as much. But…Aha! Grabbing the box, he pulled the end flap out to make sure it was all still there.
“Sean?” Jessica called from the other room. “If you’ve gone into your studio and left me here then I’ll…”
“Found it,” he told her triumphantly returning. “And you’ll do absolutely nothing that I don’t give you permission to do,” he said sternly, putting the box on the bed and pulling out the receiver. “Now, new batteries.”
“Do you have those?”
“Of course, darling,” he replied blithely. “The island is in the middle of hurricane lane.”
He went to the bathroom and found the batteries in the bottom drawer.
“That’s not entirely encouraging,” she told him as he opened up the device. “I’ve ne
ver been through one, but I’ve seen the news reports. They’re terrifying.”
“Don’t worry, baby. It’s not the season.”
“Not the season? What…no, never mind,” she sighed as he placed the speaker on the nightstand a couple feet from her head. “Sean, I don’t understand what game this is.”
“It’s not a game, pet,” he told her, sitting on the bed.
His eyes took her in. Dark hair carefully away from the ropes, hard nipples that he had teased sported cups lightly pinching them. A fairly large dildo, nearly the size of his cock when fully erect, curved in her pussy, with a nub on her clit, while a much smaller one with plenty of lube was seated in her anus. Both were held in place by a harness. Her arms and legs were stretched fully but not uncomfortably and tied with soft rope. He’d had everything a while, but never used them. He’d been preparing for Jessica, he realized. He’d bought it all and brought them to the island three years ago.
“Not a game?” She frowned, shaking her head on the pillows. “You’ve got me like this and you’re just going to leave me here? How is that not a game?”
“Call it an endurance test,” Sean suggested, picking up a small device the size of his thumb. “See this?”
She eyed it warily. “And that is?”
“The remote for all the lovely devices in and on your sensitive body.”
“A remote?” Comprehension filled her eyes. “Sean, don’t.”
“Ah-ah,” he told her, leaning down and kissing her hard. “You don’t give the orders, slave.”
“Please?”
“I’ll keep it light,” he promised, thumbing the switch.
Jessica inhaled swiftly, her eyes widening as the dildos and nipple cups began vibrating. “Sean,” she pleaded.
“I’ll be able to hear you,” he reminded her, taking the receiver with him.
“Sean,” she ground out, frustration clearly in her voice.
He turned at the door, held up the remote, and turned it up again. With a moan, she closed her eyes. Chuckling, he went to his studio, plugged in the receiver, and turned the volume up. The last thing he wanted was her to come.
“No unauthorized and unsupervised orgasms from my slave,” he murmured, opening up his notebook to the song he’d worked on before dinner.
Jessica ground her molars. Damn the man, but he knew just how to get her body revved up and then leave her hanging just at the edge. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax, to absorb the erotic vibrations coming from her nipples, pussy and, she gulped, her ass. Taking deep breaths, she let herself float in sensual dreams.
The edge of the mattress suddenly dipped and a rough hand went over her mouth. A heavy weight settled on top of her. For a second, she thought Sean had returned, but the voice in her ear was not the deep voice of her master.
“He’s playing the unattended slave game?”
Her eyes flew open. She glimpsed blond hair and green eyes before she brought her head up sharply to crash into his.
“Bitch,” he muttered, hands fondling her body as he crouched between her thighs.
“Sean!”
In the studio, Sean heard the murmurs and frowned, glancing at the speaker. Jessica’s cry galvanized him. Instinctively, he opened the top drawer, his left hand grasping, then he was sprinting through the breezeway to crash into the bedroom. Jessica was writhing as much as she could, struggling to buck the man off her, and keep his cock out of her. The harness was on the floor, the dildos vibrating madly. Sean stepped to the bed and pulled the hammer back as he raised the barrel to the man’s head.
“Get the hell off of her,” he ordered, letting ice fill his veins.
“We’ve shared before,” the man bluffed, eyes widening at the pistol.
“By invitation only, Walt,” Sean countered, keeping his gaze on the other man’s face. If he looked at Jessica, he knew his finger would tighten on the trigger.
“I figured you forgot to call me,” he shrugged.
“No, I will never share Jessica.”
“Oh, please,” Walt scoffed. “You told the whole world about that night in London with her. Everyone figured out you took her somewhere private to fuck her brains out. I’m just the one who knew where you were.”
Sean’s body stiffened when Walt’s head turned to look at Jessica.
“No,” she breathed.
“We always share,” he told her.
“No, we don’t,” Sean countered. “Now, three seconds to get off her.”
“Or what? You’ll shoot me?” Will said scornfully. “Is that thing even loaded?”
“Always,” Sean replied softly. “One.”
“What’s so—”
Patience gone, Sean shifted the muzzle to the right and fired at corner. Jessica screamed and Walt froze. Sean brought the pistol back. Walt’s eyes followed it. Realizing his intent, he shouted and scrambled off the other side of the bed to wedge himself in the opposite corner than Sean had shot.
Eyes narrowed, Sean moved to the head of the bed, keeping his gaze on Walt, who flattened himself against the side of the wardrobe. His right hand reached out and tugged the end of the rope that held Jessica’s left wrist.
“Can you get the others?” he asked.
“Yes,” she sobbed, turning and grabbing her right wrist.
The sound of her tears cut deeper into his heart than anything he could remember. She freed her right ankle, but the left ankle rope knotted. Sean moved to the foot of the bed to help her and in a moment she was off the bed and his right arm held her tightly to him.
“Jess, listen to me, baby,” he murmured. “Pull on my T-shirt and the boxers on the floor. Do it, baby.”
Shaking, she pulled on the underwear, clearly relieved to be covered from Walt’s greedy gaze. Sean reached into his pocket and turned off the dildos and nipple cups. Jessica clung to his waist.
“Baby, I want you to go into the main room. At the bottom of the phone list, dial that number. It’s to a public address system throughout the island. Say ‘all-call to the Livingston bungalow.’ Say it three times. Got it?”
Shaking, she repeated it. “All-call to the Livingston bungalow. Three times.”
“Good girl. Go, quickly. And come right back here.”
Nodding, she scurried out. Sean focused on Walt, unable to believe what the man had done. They’d known each other for more than two decades. Yes, they’d shared a few women but, as Sean had pointed out, by invitation only and with the woman’s consent. They’d never just helped themselves to the other man’s woman. And after everything else she’d been through, for Walt to nearly rape Jessica… Sean aimed the gun at the man’s head.
From the other room, Jessica’s trembling voice could be heard.
“Fucking A, Sean,” Walt raged. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Wrong with me?” Sean demanded. “What the fuck is wrong with you? You show up here uninvited, assault Jessica, damn near rape her, and you want to know what is wrong with me? Who the fuck do you think you are?”
“Your friend,” Walt yelled back. “The friend you’ve known since we were ten. The friend who was with you every step of the way and who you turned your back on as soon as you became a star.”
“What?” Sean stared at him. “What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t turn my back on you. You got into drugs, and I didn’t want anything to do with them.”
“Bullshit,” Walt scoffed. “You did them a bit, but then got too damn full of yourself. You had women throwing themselves at you. People tripping over themselves to get your picture or autograph and you cut me from the band because you were afraid I’d take some of the spotlight from you.”
“Because the drugs fucked up your mind,” remind Sean. “Just like they’re doing now.”
Jessica appeared in the doorway. Walt lunged for her but she ducked behind Sean as he moved to intercept the other man. With his fist. As Walt crashed into the wall, Sean shoved Jessica toward the bathroom.
“Get in there and
lock the door,” he ordered.
She didn’t hesitate but flew away, slamming and locking the door behind her. For a long moment, Sean and Walt locked eyes, waiting for an opening to take on the other.
“Sean? Sean, where are you?”
“Who did the all-call?”
Sean grinned at the first voice, felt relief as the second came from the porch. The first two men to appear were the ones he’d hoped were on the island. All the men of the families knew how to fight, but the two who strode through the living area and into the bedroom were the two who’d been in combat—JW Franklin and Ben Hancock. If he had to be in a fight, those were the first two he wanted at his side.
Behind them, Sean glimpsed and heard Saul, Samuel, and another man who had served in Ben’s company.
“Walt?” Ben scowled at the man leaning against the wall and groaning. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“He assaulted Jessica,” Sean replied. “Damn near raped her.”
“Fuck me,” snarled the former military captain. “I didn’t think he was that big an asshole.”
JW reached down and plucked Walt from the floor as if he were a feather pillow.
“This one’s a bit scrawny,” he rumbled. “I think we should throw him back.”
“I want him banished,” Sean stated, bringing up the mechanism that could refuse people access. “Forbidden from the island.”
“Agreed,” Ben confirmed.
“And I’ll make it three,” JW added, releasing Walt who crumpled back to the floor with a muttered “what the fuck?”
Ben glanced about the room, not even raising an eyebrow at the ropes on the head and foot boards. “Where is Jessica?”
“Locked in the bathroom,” Sean replied, glancing at Saul. “Did he fly in?”
“Yes, Mr. Sean,” the stricken man answered. Sean understood how he felt. Walt had come with him several times the first few years he’d been getting into his music. Saul wouldn’t have known he wasn’t invited. “His plane is still here. Grounded at the all-call.”
“Good. Do you have the handcuffs?”