Ace reached for a T-shirt, starting to get a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. “Who is she?”
“It’s your fiancée, Sheriff.”
Ace dropped on the bed. “Hope?”
“You got more than one?”
“I’ll be right there.”
“Thought you might.”
Jumping to his feet, Ace disconnected and jammed the phone in his pocket to finish getting dressed. What the fuck was Hope doing? Shit. All those damned hints. He should have known she was impulsive enough to pull something like this.
He finished getting dressed and, grabbing his jacket, raced for the door. He’d seen the room she was in before, and picturing her in it now had his cock as hard as a fucking rock. Somehow he had to get her out of there before he gave into the urge to use some of the equipment there and teach her a lesson she’d never forget.
Minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot and found an empty space. Throwing the gear shift into park, he realized he was muttering to himself, mostly cursing, and forced himself to take a deep breath before getting out.
He would just talk to her calmly and get her out of there. Once he had her back at his place, he’d make love to her and satisfy this raging need.
Who was he kidding?
He wanted to spank her little ass for doing something like this and fuck her long and hard from behind. If anyone needed an ass-fucking to learn who was in charge, it was Hope. His groin tightened, his cock pushing painfully against his zipper just thinking about it. He got out and hurried across the parking lot and up the front stairs. Maybe he should take her to dinner first and cool down.
Sebastian opened the door before Ace even got there. “Good evening, Sheriff. We’ve been expecting you.”
Ace clenched his jaw. “Where the hell is she?”
Chapter Seventeen
Hope picked up another item and held it up. It looked like some kind of a chain, maybe nipple clamps but the ends were bigger.
“What’s this?”
King snatched it out of her hands and stuck it back in the cabinet, closing the door with a decisive click. “Stop touching everything. God only knows how Ace is ever going to get you to behave. I doubt even Kelly comes in here and picks things up.”
“You said this used to be Blade’s private playroom. He probably has one in his new house now, so he doesn’t use this anymore.”
King folded his muscular arms over his equally massive chest. “You’d have to ask him.”
Too nervous to sit, Hope continued to wander around the room. “Do you and Royce have a playroom?”
King leapt forward and slapped her hand when she started to reach for one of the butt plugs that had been lined up on a shelf from smallest to the widest. “Of course we have a playroom. Stop touching things.”
Hope stuck out her tongue at him and moved away, sliding her hands over the cool leather of the large table in the center of the room.
“Do you share it?”
Narrowing his eyes, King took a step forward when she reached for one of the straps that hung at the corners. “Since we share women, it would only make sense to share a playroom.”
Hope hurriedly dropped her hand and moved away to eye the mirrors that filled one wall. “Don’t you get jealous when Royce is touching the same woman you’re making love to?” She strolled slowly away to another wall lined with hooks that had a variety of devices hanging from them.
King followed her, apparently ready to stop her if she reached for one of the small whips she studied curiously. “I don’t make love. I have sex. And, no, I don’t get jealous. We work well together.”
“Work? That doesn’t sound like fun.”
“Oh, it is.”
“Don’t you and Royce ever want to get married and settle down with one woman?”
His deep laugh held a hint of sadness. “Can you imagine a woman who would take on not one, but two Doms? It happens, but it’s rare. We haven’t met anyone that we would even consider marrying. She’d have to have a lot of spunk.”
Hope wrinkled her nose at him. “Sorry, I’m already taken.”
King chuckled. “I wouldn’t touch you on a bet. Ace must need his head examined to think he can tame a wildcat like you.”
“I’m starting to think the same thing.”
Hope gasped and spun at Ace’s deep drawl, smiling impishly. “Sheriff. What are you doing here?”
King started from the room, patting Ace on the shoulder on his way out. “Thank God. She’s all yours.”
Ace took his eyes off of her only long enough to glance at King. “Yes, she is. Thanks for the call.”
“Anytime.” Shooting a look over his shoulder, he smiled faintly. “Bye, Hope. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Ace didn’t speak again until King left the room. His eyes narrowed, holding hers as he advanced, closing in on her with each step. “What exactly are you doing, Hope?”
Lust burned low in her belly at the determination on his face as he kept coming closer. “I’m trying to get my man to notice me.” Waving a hand, she grinned. “I thought this might be the perfect place to get his attention.”
His eyes flared when she took a step back. “Why would you feel that you don’t have my full attention?”
Suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable, Hope shrugged. “I miss you.”
Ace came to a stop. “What do you mean, you miss me? I’m always here for you, baby. We’re getting married in less than a week.”
She hated this insecurity. She couldn’t live this way. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“Of course that’s what I want.” His eyes hardened into two dark chips of ice. “Have you changed your mind? Have you decided that being married to me isn’t what you want after all?”
Hope took a step closer. “I want you, Ace. I love you.” Going for broke, she took a deep breath. “Why don’t you make love to me the way you used to? Don’t you want me that way anymore?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Hope’s temper snapped. Both relieved to finally be getting this out in the open and scared to death of losing him, she trembled, trying hard not to show it. “Again I’m being ridiculous! Listen you…you…idiot! I’m not the one that went into this and changed the rules without notice. You’re making me crazy. If you’ve decided you don’t want me anymore, just say so, damn you. If you’re worried about what the people here will say, I’ll tell them all that I dumped you.”
Ace closed the distance between them in two strides. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he lifted her to his toes. “Idiot? I’m making you crazy? You’ve been wiggling that ass at me every chance you get when you know damned well how much it turns me on, and I can’t do a fucking thing about it. Not want you anymore? I go around with a fucking hard-on thinking about the things I want to do to you. I’m the damned sheriff, and I can’t keep my mind on my fucking job because of you.”
Hope gaped at him. She’d never seen him like this. Ever. “Ace, I—”
“I’m always in control. Always. You can’t be the size I am and lose control, and I made up my mind a long time ago that no woman would have the power over me that my father’s wives have over him. And what do I do? I end up tying myself to a pint-sized brat who turns me inside out at every opportunity.”
Setting her on her feet, he turned away from her, rubbing a hand over his face. Keeping his back to her, he put his hands on his hips and hung his head. “Everything is fine with us, Hope. I love you. You love me. We’re getting married. The sex is good. Everything’ll be just fine. Don’t make a big deal out of nothing.” His monotone told her that everything was far from fine.
Furious, Hope turned, looking for something to hit him with. Racing to the wall, she grabbed one of the butt plugs and flung it at him.
Ace spun, obviously sensing a threat. The stunned look on his face as he ducked might have been funny at another time, but right now she was too mad to appreciate it.
“You threw a b
utt plug at me?” He ducked as another butt plug sailed past his head and started after her.
Hope didn’t trust the gleam in his eye and quickly ran around the table, keeping it between them. “Irony, huh? You’re acting like an ass so…”
Fire shot from Ace’s eyes. His jaw clenched repeatedly as he advanced. “You’re about to get fucked in yours.”
Taking an involuntary step back at his tone, Hope lifted her chin, determined to have this out right now. Fear of losing him made her hesitate for a split-second, almost backing down.
Until she looked into his eyes.
In them she saw the love she’d anxiously searched for, but also saw raw possession, white-hot in intensity.
The combination took her breath away.
It convinced her more than anything that she had to go for the brass ring. This was Ace. This was the man she loved and she wanted it all.
In an instant, the look disappeared, but she’d seen it and she wanted to see it again. She wanted to stoke the fire until it burned out of control and he took her the way they both needed.
Lifting a brow, she gave him her most arrogant look. “Really? I don’t think so. I think I could pretty much get away with doing anything I want.”
His eyes flared again. “Think that, do you?”
Hope grinned, a smile designed to really tick him off. “Of course. You’re so much in love with me you’d let me get away with anything.”
Ace’s eyes hardened. Standing with his hands on his hips, he looked every inch the dominant male. He slowly moved around the table toward her, forcing her to circle the table to keep it between them. Lust flared briefly when she moved away. “Is that what you think love is? Being so blinded by what I feel for you that I don’t see to your protection? That all I do is coddle you? I told you already that I’m not that kind of man.”
“Could have fooled me. Isn’t that what you think love is? You tell me you love me and then treat me like a doll you’re afraid of breaking. I’m a woman, Ace, in case you haven’t noticed.” Eyeing him warily, she almost got caught when he feigned toward the right. She had to move quickly to escape him and knew she’d only been able to do it because he allowed it.
He was playing with her, so he must have had his own agenda, one that she seriously hoped matched hers.
“Oh, I’ve noticed.” Stopping suddenly, he shook his head, the look of defeat and sadness in his eyes knotting her stomach. “I can’t get it out of my head.”
Hope blinked and took a step toward him. “Can’t get what out of your head?”
Ace sighed and braced his hands on the table to lean closer to her. “All those bruises. You’re so damned little, and when I remembered the night before and what I’d done to you, I was scared to death that some of those were from me. I love you, Hope, probably more than I should. You’re going to rip the heart out of me, and there isn’t a damned thing I can do about it. I know you said you liked it a little rough, but for the life of me, I can’t do it.”
“Oh, Ace.” Shaking her head sadly, she covered his hands with hers. “I don’t know how else to convince you that I can take it, especially if you’re scared. I love you. I know you’d never hurt me. But neither one of us can go on denying something that’s such a big part of us. Sure, I love making love the way we have been since the accident, but there’s something inside me that wants to be taken, too.”
She took a step back, her face burning. “I want you to take all of the choices out of my hands. I want you to take me, use me for your pleasure. I want to scream ‘no’ and you ignore me. I want you to make me come when I say I don’t want to. I want you to turn me over your knee and spank me.” She smiled at the flash of something unbearably hot in his eyes. “I know that’s what you want, too. I don’t mind a bruise or two, hell, I might just bruise you. I trust you completely, Ace, with all that I am. Your love for me and your ingrained caring for women won’t let you hurt me the way you’re afraid of.” Reaching out to touch his hand again, her heart leapt when he turned his to cradle it.
Hope blinked away the tears stinging her eyes. “Please, Ace, don’t hold back from me. I want all of you. I need you to want all of me. I accept that you want to dominate me. I need you to accept that I need to submit to you. I know what I want, Ace, and I’ve been honest with you about it. Please don’t make me feel ashamed for asking for what I need.”
Ace gathered her close, pulling her across the table and into his arms. “Oh, baby, I never meant to do that. I’m so sorry. Hope, you’re just so damned little. If I ever hurt you…” Lifting her, he kissed her deeply, his arms tightening around her as he swept her mouth with his tongue again and again, tangling it with hers until her head spun. He lifted his head, his eyes full of love and passion. And something that alarmed her. Indecision.
Hope pushed lightly against his chest until he released her, hating to see him so vulnerable because of his fear for her. “You haven’t. You won’t.” She unbuttoned her shirt as she moved away, putting the table between them again. Sliding the shirt from her arms, she tossed it to him and slowly turned. “Look, no bruises.”
Ace caught the shirt that hit him in the chest, his lips twitching as he looked her over. His eyes held hers for several long seconds, relief, love, passion, and a hint of fear mingling into a look that melted her heart.
Finally, he smiled, his eyes hooded. “I don’t believe you. Let me see the rest.”
Hope toed off her sneakers and reached for the fastening of her jeans. “Put your hands on the table. I don’t want you jumping over here while I’m tangled in my jeans.”
“Excuse me?”
Thrilling at the steel in his tone, Hope hid a smile. “Do it.”
“No. Give me the jeans.”
Hope grinned. “Maybe you should take off your jeans. I could fuck your ass with one of the dildos on that shelf over there. Hey, would that make you my bitch?”
Ace smiled coldly. “You really are looking for trouble, aren’t you?”
Toying with the zipper of her jeans, Hope fluttered her lashes. “You know where I can find some? I’ve got this room for as long as I need it. Since it’s Blade’s, they don’t book it. Hey, I have an idea. Maybe you can go downstairs and find a Dom that’ll do us both.”
The look on his face was priceless and dampened her panties in an instant. “Give me those fucking jeans right now before I rip them off of you.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“I always knew you were smart.”
“You gonna spank me, Sheriff?”
“And then some.”
“No, I don’t think you want me badly enough. Is your cock hard?”
“You’re gonna find out.”
Hope took a chance and stripped off her jeans as quickly as possible, a little surprised that he didn’t take the opportunity to come after her. “I’m not losing the socks.”
“The socks you can keep. Give me those jeans.”
“They won’t fit you.”
“Give. Me. The. Fucking. Jeans.”
Hope threw them at him and pouted. “Why didn’t you come over here while I was taking them off?”
Ace grinned coldly. “I knew you were expecting it. Besides, I’m enjoying the striptease. Lose the bra. I want to see those nipples.” He turned his back to her, tossing her shirt and jeans onto a bench and went to the cabinet that stood against the wall.
Hope watched curiously as he opened it and perused the contents.
“Very nice. Blade has good taste.” He picked up several items that she couldn’t see, only to put them back on the shelf, the sound of metal clinking piquing her curiosity, until he finally found something that satisfied him. Turning, he jiggled what sounded like some sort of chain in his hand. Looking under the table, he grinned. “Perfect.”
Hope followed his gaze to a series of metal hooks and chains imbedded into the floor. She’d seen them in the club she’d gone to before, and knowing what they were used for, began to get a little nervous, which
only added to her excitement.
Glancing over at her, he raised a brow. “You don’t have that bra off yet?” He pushed a lever at the side of the table, sliding the edges apart until a space about a foot wide appeared near one end.
Intrigued and more aroused by the second, Hope couldn’t tear her eyes away as he moved to the other end and flipped up a cushion that had been hidden underneath. “Guess what I’m going to do to you.”
Hope sneered. “Aren’t you afraid you might bruise me?”
Ace reached behind him for a whip that looked similar to the one he had at home but hadn’t used on her in too long. “The only pain you’re going to feel is going to be your nipples, your ass, and your clit. This whip is designed to sting, not bruise, and you’ll feel the effects of it for quite a while. It’ll make what I’m going to do to you that much more satisfying. For me, that is.”
“Ooooh, Sheriff, you’re scaring me.”
Ace chuckled. “You’re not at all scared, but by the time I finish with you, I think you’ll have second thoughts before thinking you can get away with challenging me again.” His eyes narrowed. “Lose the bra.”
Hope pretended to consider it, playing with the front clasp, careful to keep an eyes on him. “Or what?”
“Or I’ll rip it off.”
“You’d have to catch me first.”
Ace vaulted over the table before she could blink, leaving nothing between them. “Take one step and that bra and those panties will be ripped off of you. I don’t like you wearing the damned things around me anyway. Take the bra off and give it to me. Now. I won’t tell you again.”
The steely tone caused a shiver through her, his voice deeper and darker than she’d ever heard from him before. Caught up in the fantasy he brought to life, Hope slowly undid the bra and just as slowly removed it. She tossed it to him with a seductive smile and ran her hands up her body to her breasts, cupping them and pinching her nipples, effectively hiding them from his gaze. “This feels so good. I think sometimes I could come just from having my nipples played with.” Although she’d masturbated several times in her life, she’d never touched herself in front of anyone else. Having Ace watch her now, knowing that she teased them both, added an element to it that had never been there before.
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