by Leah Brooke
Chuckling, King lifted her limp form with infuriating ease, settling her naked body over his shoulder before striding from the room.
“It’s dawn. The sun’s coming up. You know, you’re cute when you whine.”
Insulted, Brenna slapped at him, not bothering to open her eyes. “I don’t whine. I just don’t like being yanked out of my bed when I’m sound asleep. I want to go back to bed with Royce.”
With a large hand at the back of her knees, King held her firmly, running his other hand over her bottom as he made his way down the semi-lit hall in the opposite direction of the playroom.
“Tough. You don’t work today and I want to spend some time with you. You said you wanted to work out with me, so we’re here to work out.”
Brenna punched his butt, disappointed to find he’d already dressed in workout clothes. “I didn’t say I wanted to work out in the middle of the night, damn it.”
King went into the room near the end of the hall, closing the door behind him. Gripping her waist, he slid her inch by inch down the length of his body until her feet touched the floor, chuckling when she went limp against him.
Wrapping both arms around her, he ran his hands down her back, touching his lips to her hair. To her surprised delight, he stood there, holding her in silence for several minutes, doing nothing more than rubbing his hands up and down her back.
Leaning into him, she rubbed her cheek over the soft cotton shirt he wore, lifting her arms to wrap them around his neck. She could smell the soap he’d used from a recent shower and breathed it in with a sigh and snuggled closer.
Threading his fingers through her hair, he settled them at the back of her neck and rubbed, lifting her face to his as he did. With a smile, he pushed her mussed hair back from her face, his eyes raking over her body before settling on hers.
Sliding a fingertip down her jaw, he moved it lower, tracing it down her neck to her collarbone. Holding her gaze with his, he slid his finger lower to the upper curve of her breast.
“Good morning, baby.”
She shivered as his touch grew bolder, the tips of his fingers light over the outer curve of her breast, sending sharp arrows of awareness to her nipple. Wide awake now, Brenna ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders, marveling at how small and fragile she always felt when she was with him.
“Good morning.” She smoothed the sleeveless cotton shirt over his chest, disappointed that it wasn’t bare skin. He’d apparently already dressed for his workout, complete with sneakers. Since he obviously didn’t plan to have sex, she wondered why he hadn’t allowed her to get dressed before bringing her to the well-equipped workout room.
Staring up at him, she smiled, and for the first time, she noticed how tired he looked. Trying to keep the jealousy from her voice, she looked up at him through her lashes. “You and Royce must have come to bed really late last night.”
King smiled, sliding his hands down to her breasts, his eyes narrowing at her gasp. “We just came up. I wanted to get a workout in before I go to bed.”
Brenna moaned when his fingers zeroed in on her nipples. “Hmm, and you needed my company so much that you had to yank me from a warm bed?”
King grinned and tugged at her nipples. “Something like that.”
* * * *
Staring down at her, King thought about the number of times he’d checked on her during the night, and how difficult it had been not to ditch his responsibilities downstairs and climb into the bed with her. After hearing about her response to Royce’s attention earlier, he’d spent the rest of the night trying not to think about her. For the first time in his life, he’d had trouble focusing to give the attention needed to those in the club.
Everything the Doms did to their subs had his mind racing with thoughts of doing the same things to Brenna.
Even though he knew Royce would have given Brenna the aftercare she needed, calming her until she settled, he couldn’t stop checking on her.
If Royce thought Brenna felt insecure and apprehensive, King believed him.
The look on her face when they’d had lunch continued to haunt him, but he realized all of the words in the world wouldn’t help. Only time would convince her that they could be happy this way and form the kind of bond the Ericksons had. It took time, trust, patience, and love.
He already had the last two.
He just needed to convince Brenna to give him the first two.
Christ, he loved her, and with some unseen threat hanging over her head, having a woman who belonged to him took on a much deeper meaning.
She belonged to him—a concept he had to admit he never really understood before.
The responsibility of her welfare rested squarely on his and Royce’s shoulders—a sobering thought.
“King? Is something wrong?”
Smiling to dispel the worry in her eyes, he gathered her against him. “Of course not. What could be wrong? Would you like some juice before you start?”
He ran a hand over her tight bottom as he made his way to the small refrigerator in the corner, enjoying the silkiness of her skin. “Royce told me what happened last night.”
He turned in time to see her blush, but it was the vulnerability in her eyes that held his attention. He watched her closely, alert for any sign of self-contempt.
Relieved to see only embarrassment, he paused, waiting until she looked at him again.
“You looked beautiful. Very sweet and helpless.” Hiding a smile at her look of surprise, he scowled. “I can only hope you learned that Royce and I don’t make idle threats and that we mean every word that we say to you.”
He’d watched the short video before erasing it, his body tight with need at the sight of her crawling across the floor, pushed along by a rubber cock in her ass.
It was the look in her eyes, however, that captivated him.
In the video, the defiance in her blue eyes sent a surge of need to his cock, but it was the powerful lust and helpless surrender that knocked the breath from him.
Walking back to her, he handed her a container of orange juice and bent to kiss her nipples, which stood out just begging for attention—as always.
Smiling, he took a nipple into his mouth, unable to resist the temptation of the pink tip, or of shocking her when she still had that drowsy look in her eyes. He liked sneaking beneath her guard, and enjoyed watching her struggle to get it put back in place again.
Until he ripped it away again.
She would never be the type of woman who would surrender easily, something he knew would bring him unending delight.
Brenna would be the type that would never stop defying, daring, or pushing them. She would test her boundaries, test their limits, and would often need reassurance after submitting so completely.
He and Royce both expected and looked forward to caring for her, and every day the possibility that this could be a long-term arrangement became even more real.
Full of fire and passion, Brenna challenged him, her undeniable femininity an irresistible lure.
It would take a tremendous amount of time, patience, and attention before Brenna truly understood the power and fulfillment of surrendering.
God help them when she did.
He smiled to himself as he watched her drink her juice, forgetting herself and covering her breasts, an endearing habit he would try hard not to completely break.
She would definitely become a force to be reckoned with, especially when they’d formed a bond and she understood just how much power she held over them.
He eyed her nakedness with a hunger that seemed to grow every day.
Holding out his hand, he waited until she lowered the container, before taking it from her and setting it aside.
“I came up to check on you several times last night. Royce said that you seemed a little unsettled. Why? Because you did what you didn’t think he could make you do, or because you liked it?”
“Go to hell.”
King raised a brow at that, anticipation
rushing through his veins.
“Present yourself.”
He almost laughed out loud at the look on her face, one of stunned fury that he looked forward to turning into desire and helpless surrender.
Brenna looked away, covering herself by tightening her arm around herself and placing a hand over her mound.
“King, I don’t feel like playing right now.”
“I’m not playing.” Removing her hand, he reached out to cup her breast, pleased with her sharp intake of breath when he stroked his thumb over her nipple. With the intention of unsettling her further, he pushed aside the hand she used to cover her bare mound.
Once again, his cock jumped at the look of confusion and hunger in her eyes, the shiver that went though her. Her nipples beaded tighter and the muscles of her stomach quivered beneath his hand.
Raising a brow, he tapped her nipple. “I don’t think you fully understand the concept of belonging to us. You don’t get to pick and choose when you do, or how much you’ll allow. I know it’ll take time to build that trust, and I’ll make allowances for that, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you get away with defying me.”
Her chin lifted, her eyes sparkling with fury and reluctant arousal.
“I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman.”
The tears in her eyes knotted his stomach and had him reaching for her, but she sidestepped him. She looked so lost and sad he couldn’t stand it.
“I’m a freak!” Her words ended in a sob, her cry tearing him up inside.
Overcoming her struggles, he gathered her against him, loving the feel of her soft, warm curves against him. “Stop it. Come on. Let’s get you settled down.”
She tried to push him away, something he would never allow. “I don’t want to settle down! How can I settle down? What’s wrong with me? I didn’t think it would be this way.”
King had dealt with a lot of females in distress over the years, but none had ever tugged at his heart like Brenna’s tears did now.
Never had establishing his position with her been more important.
Lifting her slight weight, King made his way to one of the benches and settled her on his lap, each of her sobs like a knife to the heart. Not allowing her to hide her face against him, he cupped her cheek, pressing the other against his chest.
The feel of her naked bottom against his leg only made him feel more protective of her.
Using a thumb to wipe away a tear, he kept his voice low and soothing. “You didn’t expect it to be what way, baby?”
Brenna sniffed. “It’s supposed to be about sex. I always fantasized about it, but in my fantasies, whoever I was with did what I wanted, when I wanted it. How are you and Royce ever going to respect a woman who crawls around like a dog? I don’t know how I could have been so stupid. I should have known—”
King touched a finger to her lips to silence her, hating the direction her thoughts had taken. Hugging her close, he began to rock her, surprised that it felt so natural.
“First of all, no one ever said it was just about sex with us. I know this is difficult for you, but that’s just because you don’t understand yourself enough to accept the bond forming between us. Royce and I are here to help you with that, but we can’t read your mind, baby. You’ve got to talk to us.”
Brushing back her hair, he held her gaze, not allowing her to look away. “I had trouble coming to grips with being dominant, too.” At her look of surprise, he smiled. “Did you think it was easy for me to realize what I needed in order to be happy? To be satisfied. Do you have any idea how many women loved what I could do for them in bed, but couldn’t handle the kind of man I am out of the bedroom?”
Brenna leaned back, staring up at him. She blinked, sitting up straighter. “Really?”
With the knot in his stomach growing larger by the minute, he stroked her back, long, firm strokes designed to comfort her—and him.
Staring out, he remembered the looks of fear and sometimes disgust on some of the women’s faces, along with their assurances that he would still be willing to have sex with them when the mood struck them.
He’d long ago tamped down his emotions regarding women and found himself frustrated that by doing so, sex didn’t seem as rewarding as it had before. The absence of the bond he should have had, he needed to have with his sub, limited his satisfaction in every encounter.
Until Brenna.
In her eyes, he didn’t see disgust. He saw curiosity and hunger.
She had both in her eyes when she looked at him now.
“Are you trying to tell me that there are women who didn’t want you?” She laughed bitterly and looked away. “Nice try, but I know that’s bullshit. I talked to several women in town before I met you for dinner that first night. They all want you. They got all gaga, with those stupid looks on their faces when I mentioned your name and Royce’s.”
Intrigued, and amused, King turned her back to face him.
“What stupid looks, and what the hell is gaga?”
To his further amusement, Brenna waved her hand. “You know. They all look like they would give their eyeteeth to spend a night with you. They probably throw their panties at you when you walk by—and don’t try to tell me that they don’t fall all over themselves to be close to you downstairs. I saw what that woman did.”
Delighted with her, he adjusted her on his lap until she straddled him.
“You didn’t interfere. I’m proud of you. I wouldn’t touch those women down there. One, because while they’re here, they have their own Masters. Two, I’m at work down there, not play. And three, I have you. Fair enough?”
Brenna’s jaw clenched, but she rubbed against him as though she couldn’t resist, a balm to his battered soul. “I still don’t like it. King, did you really mean it when you said that you had a hard time dealing with the way you are? I mean, you’re the one in charge, not the one who wants to submit. Who wouldn’t want to be like that?”
With his hands full of firm ass, King yanked her closer, pressing his cock against her slit. Trailing his fingers between her thighs, he couldn’t help but smile at her warm slickness.
“You didn’t. Remember?” He moved his fingers, slipping one into her hot pussy and smiling at the way she instinctively clenched on it.
His body tightened when she threw her head back and whimpered, her pussy clenching harder on his finger. The surge of pride and another emotion he didn’t want to examine too closely rose within him.
He suddenly felt ten feet tall—and scared out of his mind.
He didn’t know if she realized what it did to him when she responded so readily, but the closeness that they needed right now had nothing to do with sex. She needed him, and now more than ever, he had to be what she needed.
Stroking her hot inner flesh, he ran a hand down her back, delighting in her shiver and the fresh rush of moisture that coated his finger. The idea of having her as his own suddenly seemed almost too good to be true.
Slipping his finger free, he hid a smile at her moan of protest.
Part of his responsibility as her Dom would be to take care of her every minute of every day, something that he looked forward to more than he’d anticipated.
Right now, she didn’t need sex. She needed to talk, and it was up to him to give her what she needed.
The vulnerability in her eyes tugged at him as never before. With an inward sigh, he settled his hands on her waist and dropped a quick kiss on her soft lips, fighting the almost overwhelming need to deepen the kiss and pour what he felt into it.
In his present mood, he would probably scare her to death.
Lifting his head, he stared down at her, shocked at the yearning inside him to one day see her heavy with the child he and Royce would plant inside her.
The knot inside him continued to grow with the realization that if he didn’t deal with her fears and anxieties, she could walk away. He stood, setting her on her feet.
“Let’s get you dressed in your new workout clothes. We’ll
talk while you’re stretching.”
Brenna’s eyes widened, the suspicion in them making him laugh. “You’re actually going to let me wear clothes?”
King grinned, slapping a hand over her firm bottom. “This time.”
* * * *
Fascinated at the bunch and shift of hard muscle, Brenna found it hard to concentrate on the weights King had given her.
“So you started lifting weights because of your father?”
King pushed the bar of weights off of his chest yet again. “Got sick of being called puny and weak. Left home at eighteen, joined the army, and started lifting weights. By the time I got out, I’d bulked up some.”
He dropped the weight onto the bar above him before looking over at her. “It was around that time that I realized that I had the need to dominate in the bedroom. I was still young and stupid and didn’t know what to do about it, so I tried to pretend it wasn’t there.”
He sat up, eyeing her thoughtfully before coming to his feet.
“The way you are now.” He moved closer, taking the weights from her and setting them at her feet as he crouched down in front of her and took her hands in his.
“I heard about a club where I could find what I was looking for, and met Royce there. We were both young enough to be confused, and old enough to know what we wanted. That’s when we decided to open a club of our own. We wanted to give others the chance to explore this side of themselves, and have a place where they could find the answers to their questions. I’d heard about the way people lived in Desire long ago, and we decided to settle here. The rules of the town and the idea of protecting women at all costs appealed to us and went along with our ideas for the club. Blade already lived here, and once we got to know him, the three of us went into business together.”
Brenna had a hard time believing the self-assured man in front of her could have at one time been so confused and unsure of himself.
“When did you and Royce begin sharing? I can’t imagine the women you slept with complaining about the sex. No matter what you say, you’re not going to convince me of that. I’ve been on the receiving end often enough to know that you can make a woman do anything you want her to do.”