by Carson, Tori
“You didn’t hit me, James. Yeah, you tied me up… I don’t know. What we did doesn’t count,” she stammered.
“Not every couple engaged in BDSM likes the same activities, Amanda. Bondage definitely falls into that category.”
“You’re messing with my head.”
“I think you have a misguided interpretation of the lifestyle. I’m asking you to open your mind and consider there may be more to it than you first thought.”
She nodded. “I’m trying.”
“Thank you.” James pulled a file from his briefcase lying on the counter. He spread out six pictures. “Do you recognize any of these men?”
Amanda pointed to a couple of pictures. “These two.” The first photo was of a man in his mid-fifties, wearing a suit. The second showed a younger man wearing jeans and a polo. “This older guy was here once or twice when I first started working at the club. I think he sells something. André could tell you more about him than I can. I remember he was sleazy. He looked at me like I was a specimen, not a real live person.” She shivered. “This one”—pointing to the younger of the two—“I think he lives in my building. I’ve seen him in the parking lot, getting the mail, throwing out the trash, that kind of thing.”
“Do you know his name?”
“No, I’ve never talked to him.”
“He doesn’t live in your complex, Amanda. He lives near Glendale.”
“That’s weird. Maybe he’s friends with someone at the apartments.”
“I hope it’s just a coincidence, but I doubt it. These men all worked in some capacity with the video system.” James gathered the photos and returned them to the file. “I need to make a few phone calls and then we’ll head home.”
Chapter Six
As they started out of the parking lot, Amanda remembered the homework she had to work on tomorrow. “Can we swing by my apartment? I forgot to grab one of my textbooks.”
“Sure. When is your lease up?”
“The end of May. Why?” Was he going to ask her to move in? It was too soon, but it was very tempting. She felt relaxed there…and with him.
“I don’t like you living there. Aside from everything else, it isn’t the greatest neighborhood.”
“It’s close to school and works with my budget. I’m not home enough to justify a huge rent payment each month. I’m socking money away so I can buy a home once I graduate.”
“We should do some research on flipping houses. There’s quite a fan base for mid-century homes in Arizona. I’ve had several people approach me wanting to buy my home and it isn’t on the market.”
“You don’t intend to sell, do you?” She loved his home and hated the idea he would sell it. It was foolish to be emotionally vested in someone else’s house, but there was no denying the feeling.
“Hell no. I love my house, but there are still a lot of mid-century homes that need some TLC. We could buy one, fix it up and flip it. With the proceeds from that house we could make a small profit then do the same thing. If we’re smart about it, we can make some good money and have fun doing it.”
James was handing her her dream. But at what price? She knew when something looked too good to be true, it usually was.
James slowed down to go over the speed bump near the entrance to her apartment and Amanda got a good look at her car. Whore was written in white paint, a sharp contrast to the black finish. The taillights were smashed and the tires were flat. “My car! Do you see what that motherfucker did to my car?”
“Motherfucker?” He raised his eyebrows and looked at her, shocked. “This from the girl who thinks dang is a curse word?”
“It’s not funny, James. Look at my car.” She wanted to hit something, preferably the stalker. She’d really liked that car.
“I know it isn’t, sweetheart. We’ll make it good as new. I promise. I just wasn’t sure you even knew that word,” he chuckled.
“Knowing it and using it are two different things.” She recognized that he was trying to distract her. It wasn’t going to work, but she appreciated his effort. His calm, ‘I can handle this’, demeanor helped a great deal.
James pulled out his phone and texted something. Almost immediately he got two responses. “I want you to stay in the car while I check your apartment. Some of my friends were close by, they’ll be here in a minute.”
“Absolutely not. Call the police and let them do it. He already trashed my car, he’s not going to hurt you too.” What the eff is he thinking?
“I appreciate that you’re worried about me”—he paused as Captain Bradley appeared at his window—“but you needn’t be.”
As he reached for the door, she reached for hers as well. Instantly, his hand shackled her wrist. “Stay in the car. Captain Bradley’s going to stay with you. A few of my men will go in with me.” He pointed to a car just pulling into the parking lot.
“James, I don’t want you hurt. Let them check it out and you stay with me.”
“Not this time, Amanda.” He cupped her cheek and gave her a quick kiss. “Joseph won’t let anything happen to you.”
James and Captain Bradley quickly traded places.
“Hey, Amanda, we’ll just sit here for a few minutes while they check everything out. It’s going to be fine.”
So many things were going through her mind she didn’t know what to say. She liked Joseph and didn’t want to be rude, but if something happened to James nothing would be fine again.
“I knew James had it bad for one of the subs, but I couldn’t tell which one. I should have guessed it was you. He’s a good guy, Amanda.”
“He’s an idiot. Why didn’t he wait for the police?”
Joseph chuckled. “Last time I checked, this badge means I am the police. If it helps at all, I have a uniformed patrol on the way.”
“You were following us, weren’t you? Did you expect trouble?” It was the only thing that made sense. They’d gotten here too quickly.
“We considered that his behavior might escalate.”
“Did you know James is injured? He’s not a cop and he’s hurt. Why did you let him go up there?” The only thing keeping her in the car was the fact that other men had gone with him.
“Honey, feel bad for the other guy. James is one of the biggest badasses I know and I’m in a field full of ’em.” He touched something near his ear. “Roger that. Come on, it’s clear. You can go up.”
Amanda threw the seat belt off and opened the door. Before she could cross the street, James had caught up with her.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. He’s been in your apartment.”
She stopped in the middle in the driveway, unsure what to do. James pulled her out of the street. “We’re gonna have to make a police report and file an insurance claim. You have renters’ insurance, right?”
“I think so.” She was numb. Her brain seemed to be moving in slow motion.
“Come on, Amanda, let’s get this done.” He was nudging her toward the stairs. “It isn’t safe to be out in the open.”
“How bad is it?” Almost everything she owned was in her apartment, not that it amounted to much.
“I’m sorry, Amanda, he destroyed just about everything.”
At the top of the stairs, he put his hands on her shoulders as moral support. Peering in, she mostly saw men—large, serious-faced men. On the ground by the door she found her books, shredded and torn. She turned away and went to the railing just outside her apartment. James came up behind her and put an arm across her chest as he whispered in her ear.
“We can replace your possessions. The important thing is you weren’t hurt,” he tried to reassure her.
Red and blue lights flashed through the stairwell. The sound of footsteps were getting louder as more people made their way up to her apartment.
“Don’t touch me. Not right now.”
Instantly, he pulled away from her. She turned to face him and knew immediately she’d hurt him. She hadn’t meant to.
“If you do, I’m
going to cry. I can’t protect myself when you touch me.”
“It’s my job to protect you.” He took a step closer and she backed up hard against the rails.
“I don’t cry in front of people. Please, James, just don’t.” She had to get away from him or she was going to lose it. He was too potent. She needed six-foot cement block walls around her emotions right now and walls didn’t work if James was touching her.
“You cried for me,” he whispered seductively as he twirled a strand of her hair.
“That’s different. You matter.” She wanted him to know this wasn’t about him. This was sheer self-defense.
“Because you love me.” He made it a statement of fact.
A small smile peeked out. “Such a bossy man. I conceded that you matter. Must you continue to push?”
“Pushing limits is what a good Dom does. Besides, you know you love me. You’re just being stubborn.” He held her hand as he showered kisses along her fingers.
“I’ll never tell.” She couldn’t help but tease him when he looked so arrogant and sure of himself.
“Maybe turning you over my knee and spanking your ass would loosen your tongue,” he whispered in her ear as he drew her hand to his heart.
“I’m sure it would, but I doubt I’d be saying anything you’d like to hear.” Why did his threat send wetness pooling in her pussy? That was wrong on so many levels, but she welcomed the distraction. Dealing with the mess that used to be her apartment was going to be the most depressing hours of her life.
“And what if I promised you’d be saying, ‘More, Master’, what would you say then?”
“I’d say you’re full goose bozo or in plainer language frickin’ nuts.”
James laughed, and she thought she saw him wince just the littlest bit. “Challenge accepted,” he assured her.
* * * *
Amanda looked around James’ bedroom, grateful the stalker had gone after her apartment and not his home. She had such pent-up energy, she couldn’t think about going to sleep.
“I’m not sure how to proceed, Amanda, you need to talk to me. Do you want a bath? Do you need something to eat? What can I do?” James asked.
He’d been so helpful in dealing with the police and filing the initial insurance claim. After all the photos had been taken and the officers had finished, he’d helped her tidy up and search for anything salvageable. There hadn’t been much left beyond her pots and pans.
Blushing profusely, she admitted, “I want to make love.”
“Never be embarrassed about wanting me, Amanda.” He brought her hand to his cock, letting her feel how hard he was for her. “Do you want to play or do you want vanilla?”
“I want to be in charge.”
He shook his head. “I don’t switch.” James pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Get undressed, sweetheart, I’ll take your mind off of things.”
She followed his directions because she didn’t know what else to do. Amanda wanted to get lost in his touch, but the world was spinning out of control. She was holding on by her fingertips and they were slipping.
Amanda lay down on the bed and pulled the sheet over her while she watched James get ready for bed.
“I like seeing you in my bed. You belong there.”
She loved hearing his voice. It was soothing and erotic at the same time. “Since mine was shredded, I’m grateful you don’t mind a roomie for a few days.”
“Just pocket the insurance money and move in with me. I’m sure the complex will allow you to break your lease. No one would expect you to stay there now.”
“I’m not a charity case, James. I watch my money. I’ll be fine.” She didn’t want him to feel he had to take care of her or that he was stuck with her until the insurance check showed up.
“I never considered you a charity case. I want you in my bed because I want to hold you, kiss you and fuck you all the time.” James ripped the sheet off her body. His strong actions surprised her. He could be rough and oh so tender just moments apart. It sent her heart racing.
Amanda sat up on her knees and kissed him. As the kiss deepened, she leaned into James, pushing him onto the bed. She climbed on top of him, straddling his waist for a brief moment in time.
Almost immediately, James wrapped his arms around her, cradling her to him as he shifted his weight, taking the top position and laying her beneath him. “I’m not submissive, Amanda, and I don’t switch.”
“James…” She didn’t know how to explain what she was feeling, what she needed. “I need to be in control of something. Everything I own was destroyed. I lost my car, my books, my clothes.” She fought to keep the tears at bay.
“Sshh.” James rained kisses down her cheek. “Okay, Amanda, this one time, for you, I’ll do this.” With one last kiss on the tip of her nose he rolled onto his back. “I’m all yours, Mistress, have your way with me.”
With a feeling of relief, she giggled. “Can I tie you up?”
James seemed to consider her request. “No, you have to know what you’re doing with rope or you could cause permanent damage. I’ll let you restrain me, though, using cuffs.”
He rolled out of bed, granting her a great view of his ass. She knew a lot of her friends didn’t think butts were sexy, but she sure did. A guy’s ass was a major turn-on. That and his hands. James fit the bill on both accounts.
Amanda sat on her knees on the mattress and waited as James opened the closet door and pulled out the gym bag he’d used at the club. He set it on the dresser and started looking through it. Before long, he pulled out two leather cuffs and a length of chain.
“Here you go. How do you want me?” He laid the toys and a condom on the bed then kissed her hard.
Feeling so much better, she scooted to the edge of the bed. “On your back, arms over your head. That won’t hurt your ribs, will it?”
“Stop worrying about my ribs, woman. I’m not an invalid,” he complained, as he followed her orders.
“Have you been restrained before?” Amanda asked, afraid to hear the answer.
“Yes, but probably not in the way you’re thinking. To gain Master’s rights at the club, Doms experience everything they would ask a sub to do. You can’t appreciate the gift of submission unless you understand what they’re giving you.”
Amanda had one cuff around his wrist and was attaching the second when she stopped and looked him in the eyes. “I had no idea.”
“We take our role very seriously and we don’t abuse our submissives, Amanda. We please them and protect them. It’s the sub who holds all the power.”
“That’s not true, James. The one night I stayed at André’s, I was trying to find the vacuum. I wanted to help with the housework to pay him back for letting me stay there. Except the door I opened wasn’t the utility room, it was what he called his ‘playroom’.” She shivered, remembering the shock and embarrassment of walking in on them. “He had Sherri bound to a wall and he was beating her with a whip. Really hitting her, with a huge frickin’ whip. I’d say she was about as powerless as anyone could get. Why she stays with him is beyond me.” Amanda decided to just clip the cuffs together. She didn’t want to risk hurting the headboard with the chain. “Just keep your hands above your head.”
“Yes, ma’am.” James waited a moment then continued, “All Sherri had to do to stop the play was say her safeword. One word, that’s it, and André would have stopped. I know it seems foreign to you, Amanda, but Sherri enjoys a bite of pain. It helps her get off.”
Amanda sat back on her heels. “Doesn’t that seem sick to you?”
“I get aroused by D/s. Some would say that’s wrong. I disagree. If it’s safe, sane and consensual, I don’t have a problem with it. That doesn’t mean I want to try everything, but live and let live. Ya know?”
She bent forward and kissed him while she rubbed her hands up and down his arms. He had such strong arms, he probably hit the gym often. “Explain how a safeword works. I’ve heard it a lot, but I guess I don’t
understand the dynamics.”
“Before a scene begins, the Dom needs to know what the sub likes and doesn’t like. You’ve seen the limits list used at the club.”
“Yeah, it has both hard and soft limits and a negotiate column.”
James nodded. “A good Dom never violates a sub’s hard limits and they respect the safeword. Basically it’s a word or phrase that stops all play. If a sub says the word, the scene stops immediately.”
“We didn’t do any of that.” She liked having complete access to James’ body. As they talked, she ran her hands and mouth over every inch of his chest and arms.
“Sure we did. You told me you didn’t want to experience pain and I told you if you said stop, I would. And I would have. For that scene, stop was a safeword. Even though you didn’t say it, when you asked me to untie you, I did. All the protocols were technically met. They just weren’t as formal as they might have been if you’d been familiar with the lifestyle.”
As she processed what he had said, she scooted down the bed and ran her hand experimentally over his cock. She smiled when it jumped toward her. “For someone who doesn’t switch, you sure seem…happy.”
“The woman of my dreams is touching me. That’s definitely arousing.”
Amanda put her mouth around his cock and slid it in and out. The angle was wrong and she couldn’t take him as deeply as she wanted. She pulled him out and dusted his balls with kisses. “You’re so handsome, James. I could look at your body for all time.”
“I’m glad I please you. I love your curves. If I wasn’t worried I’d be accused of topping, I’d tell you to put those luscious tits in my mouth so I could drive us both crazy.”
“I don’t mind hearing suggestions.” She straddled his waist then leaned down within his reach. As he licked and suckled her nipples she gave in to the pleasure. The man had serious talent. She remembered how he’d used that mouth earlier today. She would definitely let him give a repeat performance anytime he wanted.
When she was dripping wet, she gently moved back until her tit popped out of his mouth leaving her gasping at the unexpected sensations. She had thought he would let go, not tip his head back, pulling until it stung. Oh, God, she liked it.