by Jane Henry
We passed the people in the lounge area and came to a narrow hall. Though I’d only gotten a glimpse into a small part of Limits, I could tell that it was enormous, several stories big. We made our way toward a large set of silver elevator doors in the hallway. I was thankful I’d read a lot of books and had and watched enough TV that none of this was completely foreign to me. I’d just never experienced any of it before.
A beep sounded nearby that made me jump, but Ryder merely took his phone out of his pocket without breaking stride, still holding my hand. He tapped a button on the phone, then shut it off and pushed something by his ear. It took me a moment to realize he’d transferred the call from his phone to his earpiece. “Use channel A,” he ordered. “We’re back and I won’t be leaving again tonight.”
He nodded and “mmhmm’d” a bit, but didn’t say anything else for a moment. He stopped in front of the elevator, pointed for me to stay right where I was, and smacked a round button with an up-arrow. I watched in fascination as the arrow lit up and the numbers above the door indicated floor the elevator was on. There were three floors in total. The elevator stopped at one, and the large doors opened, revealing a glass interior, a mirrored ceiling, and a silver bar to hold onto. Ryder gently shoved me on.
“Go on. Hit the button for the third floor.” I did what he asked, as he finished his call.
“No signs we were followed? Good. Yes. Have Dean activate the second level of surveillance. Yes, that one. We haven’t used it in four years, haven’t needed to, but I want it on tonight and until further notice. Be sure all staff knows Caden is Master in Charge on the main floor, Dean surveys all play on the second floor, and you’re to report to me with anything suspicious, and I mean anything. And have some rumors spread that I have...” He paused and looked at me. “That I have a new submissive.”
Oh.
I kept my mouth closed, not knowing how to respond.
He hung up the phone, and the doors to the elevator opened.
He’d called me his submissive. He wanted them to believe that’s who I was.
I didn’t know how I felt about that.
Had he found my books? Did he know I liked to read… those kinds of romance books? It had all started with a box of books our housecleaner had gotten from the library book drive. She’d felt badly for me, being all alone, and brought them one day when my father was traveling. She didn’t speak much English and said something about these being free, to just take out what I liked.
I’d gone through until I found some with covers that intrigued me. Not knowing what I was getting into, I started reading one night, and was pulled in to a world I never knew existed. It was certainly nothing I’d ever read in any of the classics father provided me with.
He led me down the hallway in silence, his shoes clicking softly on the beautiful ivory and gold floor. I expected he’d take out a key when we arrived at the large black doorway, but he merely flicked a button, tapped a few numbers into a keypad, and the door slid open.
“How’d you do that?”
“Keyless entry, programmed to recognize me.”
“So no one else could get into your place without you being there?”
“Exactly.”
Now that we were so close to being alone, my heart kicked up again. I wasn’t sure how I felt being in a place that no one could access but him. Had I gone from one prison to another?
The door clicked shut behind me. He walked past me, and I stood, frozen in place, not sure if I was supposed to follow him or stay where I was. He flicked a light on, illuminating the room, and I caught a brief glimpse of an immaculate kitchen to the left, cast in shadow, and in front of me a large living room area with a fireplace that flanked one wall. Huge, comfortable-looking mahogany couches, gleaming hardwood floors, and the best part of all, a bookshelf laden with books of every shape and size.
I jumped at the sound of Ryder’s deep, commanding voice from the living room. “Rae, come in here.”
Walking toward him, I felt a bit shy, but I was also both exhausted and exhilarated. I froze when I reached the living room. Ryder sat in one of the big chairs. He leaned over, untying his shoelaces and there was something about the intimacy of the moment that intimidated me. He paused, one hand on a lace, and lifted his eyes to me. “I said come here.” There was no humor in his gaze now, as he looked at me across the room. He wasn’t quite… angry. But he wasn’t pleased. “Why are you standing there?”
I blinked and didn’t move. He sat up then, frowning. “Listen, Rae, I’m taking it easy on you, knowing you came from… a difficult past. But you need to know that I’m not the kind of guy that likes being disobeyed.”
Disobeyed?
My heart fluttered madly as I walked closer to him somehow, not understanding why I was suddenly so paralyzed with fear, but knowing that I didn’t like Ryder displeased with me.
“You said to pretend I was your submissive. What does that mean?” I blurted out, sitting heavily on the edge of the couch furthest from him. I didn’t know how he’d react, but his grin surprised me.
“You heard that, huh?”
Heard it? You could say that.
“What is a submissive, Ryder? What does that mean?” I had a vague notion but needed to hear it from him.
He sat back, and the humor fled his face. Folding his arms across his chest, he looked at me. “Do you understand that if you’re honest with me, things will be much better between us? I understand that you may have learned to hide the truth as a sort of defense mechanism, and I get that. But I want you to stop lying to me now.”
My cheeks enflamed, and I looked away quickly, literally squirming in my seat. I felt naked, as if a spotlight shone on me in a crowded room, and I wanted to hide. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said in a rush.
“Stop.”
The sharpness of his tone made me jump. I blinked, then lifted my gaze to his. His eyes met mine, serious and stern, but his voice was softer now. “Rae, stop. You came to me for help. Now you need to trust me. And the first rule I have is that you have to be honest with me. No lying. Do you understand?”
I nodded my head and swallowed, grateful he didn’t ask me to speak for I didn’t trust my voice.
He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees, his blue eyes meeting mine without blinking. “I found a box of books at your house. Tell me the truth. Were they yours?”
I swallowed. “Yes.”
“Did you read them?”
I looked away but his sharp rebuke pulled me back. “Look at me.”
I obeyed. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
“And you sit here and ask me what a submissive is?” He raised a brow at me. He knew that though I was kept apart from the world, I did in fact know what he referred to.
“I want to hear how you define a submissive.”
His eyes narrowed and a muscle twitched in his jaw. “What do you think it is?”
Fine, then. He wanted me to tell him what I thought? “A submissive is not weak,” I said. “They willingly give their trust to a Dominant partner. Someone who has some measure of authority over them. The different ways Dominants and submissives interact varies greatly. Sometimes there is a total power exchange, and the dominant partner controls every interaction they have, every part of his or her submissive’s day, from the clothes they wear to the food they eat. And sometimes, it’s just a matter of play, and couples even switch roles. But the crux of it all is trust, no matter the level of power exchange, and the submissive who gives him or herself willingly to someone in authority over them reaps the freedom of a quiet mind.”
I finished speaking, and felt my cheeks burn.
I had not meant to say all that.
His eyes were wider than before, perhaps in surprise. “That’s a very thorough answer, and a good start,” he said. “So yes. I’m a Dominant. The exchange varies greatly, but I like having as much control as my submissive will give me.”
Something about the way he said my
submissive warmed me through, but I couldn’t look away this time. “I’ve asked you for total honesty so I will give that back to you now.” He sat back, and clasped his hands behind his head. “I’ve been a dominant since I knew that my need for control was acceptable in certain circles. That’s going on two decades now. I’ve had a variety of submissives, but I’ve not had one for over a year. My last partner met a man at this club, and got pregnant with his baby before I even realized she was cheating on me.”
“Oh, my,” I breathed. “That’s terrible.”
He nodded. “It was. It stung and that’s putting it mildly. I haven’t taken a submissive since.” He looked over my shoulder then, as if lost in his own thoughts. “I run this club. I live here. It’s an easy alibi, saying you’re my submissive, because people here expect me to take one. They’ll be happy for me. They’ll be good to you. And I can keep you under wraps pretty easily.”
I shivered a little but hid it with a shrug. I swallowed. “So what does… being a Dominant mean to you?”
His gaze came back to mine, and he sobered. “I like total control, Rae. But I only take as much as my submissive will give me. Control freely given is a gift. I would never want it any other way.” It seemed like an odd conversation to have, sitting in the room of a man I hardly knew, who’d taken me out of the only home I’d ever known at my request. Worried that my father would pursue me, and unsure of what I’d do with myself tonight, never mind the rest of my life.
“Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense,” I said. “So what are you like… as a Dominant?” I tried to surreptitiously wipe my damp palms on my thighs, swallowing though my mouth was dry. I couldn’t quite look at him while I waited for his answer. I liked the idea of being cared for as a submissive, to be the utter focus of someone’s attention.
“What am I like as a Dominant?” he asked, tipping his head to the side. “I think you’ll find out soon enough. For now, it’s time to get you to bed. You’ll be sleeping in here with me, so I can keep you safe and make sure that we don’t arouse any suspicion. Understood?”
I nodded, and suddenly the mere suggestion of rest made my eyes feel heavy. It had been such a long day, a day that seemed like it had lasted far longer than twenty-four hours.
He stood then, and I was reminded of how tall he was. “So this is my main living area. I like things simple in my private quarters, as I spend most of my time down in Limits. You know?” I nodded. No, I didn’t know, but I could hazard a guess or two. “So here is the kitchen,” he waved his hand in the general direction of the kitchen. “I have a few stools against the counter in the kitchen, and I typically eat there. Really there are only two rooms in this place. This one here, that you’ve already seen,” and he pointed to where we were sitting a moment ago. “And the bedroom.”
My tummy dipped, but he continued. “Tonight, I’ll sleep on the couch and you’ll take my bed.” He didn’t ask or even hint, but instructed me, so I followed, not knowing how to respond. I didn’t want him sleeping on the couch, but I also knew by now that Ryder expected me to do as I was told. He led me past the couch, to where a doorway lay hidden in the shadows. I hadn’t seen it before, and now I felt my heartbeat racing as we came near. My hands shook, my mouth dry. It was only a bedroom. Why was I reacting this way?
He turned the knob, and the door opened. He flicked on a light, walked in the room, and beckoned for me to come in. A huge, four-poster bed stood in the center of the room, covered in a black quilt. A pile of fluffy white pillows lay at the head of the bed, and at the foot of the bed sat a mahogany chest. There was a glass-topped table to the right of the bed, and a small black basket with coins, next to a sleek black charging station. On the left side of the room sat a small desk with a chair, and above that a small shelf housed a few hardcover books—I eyed a John Grisham, Steven King, and some business titles I didn’t recognize. Above the bed hung a framed print, black and white bare tree branches against a cloudless sky. He opened a closet, and removed some blankets. “Extra blankets if you need them. I’ll give you some of my clothes to sleep in. Tomorrow, we’ll take care of the rest.”
“This is like some weird sort of sleepover,” I said, before I realized what I was saying. He paused, his hand frozen on the doorknob to the bathroom and turned to me, his lips quirking up.
“Yeah,” he said with a huff of laughter. “I’m not sure you’re ready to play truth or dare with me.”
My cheeks flushed and I looked away, but his voice called my attention back to him.
“Hey, I’m teasing. So let’s get you what you need, okay?” His voice had gentled considerably. I only nodded. So much was on my mind. So much troubled me. But listening to his calm reassurance gave me a little bit of hope.
He walked over to a tall dresser that stood in the corner of the room, and removed a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. “Here. Get changed into these, and I’ll have your clothes cleaned for the morning.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Ryder.”
“You’re very welcome. Now get some rest.”
He left the room. I stared at the door for a moment before I picked up the clothes and stripped out of my jeans and top, neatly folding them into a pile and laying them on the chair beside the desk. The entire room was so masculine, I felt a bit like an imposter.
Who was I kidding? I was an imposter. I didn’t belong here. But I didn’t belong where I’d been kept for my whole life either. The very thought of returning to the dismal, heartless home where I’d been raised depressed me.
I prepared for bed, sliding into his t-shirt, but the boxers were so big they wouldn’t stay up. I tossed them to the side and climbed under the covers, my eyes heavy as I tried to stop my brain, hoping that rest would come. I hated that the door was closed. It made me feel like I did at home, closed off from everyone and everything around me. I scooted out of bed and opened the door.
“Ryder?” A few seconds later, I heard him approaching. Oh, God. He’d stripped to just his boxers, and stood in front of me bare-chested, hair tousled. His huge shoulders dwarfed the door frame, as he leaned against it. A smattering of dark hair covered his chest, tapering down his hardened abs to his boxers. I breathed in deep and breathed out, my body awash with a hum of excitement.
“Yeah?” His gaze roamed over my body before he quickly looked me in the eyes, but I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed. “You need something?”
“I can’t sleep with the door closed.”
He blinked then shrugged. “Okay. Well, then, leave it open.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Of course, I don’t mind. Now go to bed, Rae.” He pointed back to the bed and shot me a stern look. I scooted over, lifted the covers, and slid underneath. He padded back to the couch.
“Ryder?” I yelled out, even though he was now on his couch away from the door.
“Yeah?” he yelled back.
“Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Now go to sleep!”
“Okay, okay.” I laid there, but sleep would not come.
7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryder
I listened for the sounds of her resting, but all I heard was her tossing and turning. If this girl were anyone else, I’d have threatened to warm her ass if she didn’t settle down, but I still wasn’t sure what I could expect from her. I grabbed my phone to check in with Dean and Seth, but all was quiet. No one had spotted a disturbance, nothing was out of the ordinary. My gut said something was off, though. Something wasn’t right, but for now, the girl was safe.
Tomorrow, I’d pull together a team to make sure no one hurt her, and do a full investigation into the man she called father. I had a lot of work to do, but fortunately enough the people who worked for me would make the task much easier. My eyes were heavy and I wanted to sleep, but I couldn’t, not yet, not until I knew that she’d fallen asleep.
What had that man done to her? She said he never touched her, and I’d have to take her word for
it. But what other damage had he inflicted? The eyes that met mine were brave, intelligent, and inquisitive, but I couldn’t help but wonder what lurked behind them.?
I knew the demons I fought, and I battled them daily.
What were hers?
I shut my eyes and had just begun to drift to sleep when I heard the floor creaking behind me. I clenched my teeth and sat up, opening my eyes with considerable effort as I looked over at her, standing in the doorway to the living room.
“Rae, you need to get some sleep, and I do, too. Why the hell are you out of bed again, and what do you need from me?”
I would not look at the nipples that poked the t-shirt. Nope. I wasn’t going to gape at her full breasts that would stretch my shirt beyond repair, or the way the clingy fabric hugged her sweet curves. I cleared my throat and willed my cock to stop fucking with my head.
“Do you mind if I read one of your books?” she asked. “I can’t sleep.”
I exhaled, my patience waning. “You woke me up so that you could ask me if you could read my books? Yeah. For fuck’s sake, read the books. Use my iPad. I don’t care what you do, just be quiet so I can get some rest.”
Her eyes flashed at my tone. “You don’t have to be a jerk about it.” She crossed her arms and glared at me.
Is that how it was going to be? I swung my legs over the side of the couch and pushed myself to standing. To her credit, she didn’t back down, but marched over to me, pointing a finger in my direction. “I’ve spent my entire life having to ask permission for everything. So excuse me if I have a hard time shaking it. Okay? God!”
“Whoa, now, woman,” I said, shaking my head, taming the urge to drag her across my thighs and spank her ass. “There’s no need to talk to me like that. Did you completely forget the conversation we had a little while ago?”
“What conversation?”
I held her gaze. “The one where I explained that I’m a dominant who likes to be obeyed.”