His face lights up like a Christmas tree. “Yes, mistress.”
I laugh. “Then crawl on your knees and beg.”
I watch as he crawls across the floor towards me naked and wanting. He looks up at me and says desperately.
“Please punish me, mistress.”
I snarl. “Why should I?”
He pants. “Because I like the pain.”
I shake my head. “What do you like best?”
He almost whimpers. “I want you to whip me, mistress. I want you to tie me up and flog me until I scream. Then I want you to punish me as you only know how.”
I say softly. “And what about you, Musgrave? Will you give as good as you get?”
He nods his head vigorously.
“I can hurt you if that’s what pleases you, mistress.”
I look interested. “And how would you do that?”
He pants. “I would whip you, flog you and tie you down. I would fuck you hard every way I could and then watch my friends do the same. I could destroy you, mistress, just say the word.”
I say softly. “You sound as if you’ve done this sort of thing before.”
He nods smugly. “Several times, mistress. You will not be disappointed.”
I look down at him. “Then you have earned another session, Mr. Musgrave. I will call you to arrange. Now one last punishment is in order to remind you how bad you’ve been. Resume your position but this time you won’t see it coming.”
As he crawls back to the wall, I remove a blindfold from my bag. I fasten it to his eyes and watch his dick spring back to life. Dirty Bastard. Then I head over to the cameras and remove them carefully.
When I’m done, I head back to him and say darkly. “Are you ready, Musgrave?”
He whimpers. “Yes, mistress.”
As I raise the paddle, I take a deep breath and then bring it down so hard on his ass he slumps forward, screaming in agony. I watch as he comes all over the wall and falls to a heap on the ground.
I laugh softly. “I’ll see myself out.”
Then I gather my bag and the cameras and head out the way I came. Phase one complete.
9
Sam
When Katherine left I didn’t hang around. I grabbed my gear and the van I rented for this mission. I parked not far from the Musgrave residence and set up my equipment. As soon as Katherine set the cameras, it was game on.
As I watched things play out, I felt sick to my stomach. Although he never touched her, just the sight of him near her was enough for me to grind my fist against the walls of the van. I could tell she was uncomfortable. Something in her eyes made the blood run cold in my veins when she raised that paddle. She was somewhere else and I can only imagine what torture she’s been subjected to in her past. That miserable creep Musgrave took full advantage and watching him dissolve into a pool of his own spunk made we want to heave. Men like that sit over the rest of us and determine how our lives will be. Well, this time he’s the one with a very public humiliation heading his way.
I thank God for Ryder’s connections, who obviously gave him the green light to let his guard down so quickly. They will have told him that she checked out and was trustworthy and good at what she does. They would have fed him a line about other famous clients which would have assured her discretion. Fuck, I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of Ryder. These men think they run the country but he runs them. Now he’s pissed and they are about to suffer a mighty fall because of it.
As soon as she walked out, I called the cab I had waiting for her around the corner.
Time to get the hell out of here.
I head back to the apartment and hope the footage is enough. The last thing we want is a repeat performance. It’s going to be bad enough sorting out the other four, let alone having to go back multiple times.
Luckily, I reach the apartment first and am waiting when she returns.
As the elevator doors open I rush forward. As soon as she sees me I see her lower lip tremble. Her eyes fill with tears as I take the bag gently from her hands. “Come on, Katherine, you need a drink.”
I take her hand and lead her gently to the couch and see her battling to control the tears that threaten to spill. As I hand her the glass of brandy, she looks at me through tortured eyes. I sit beside her and hold her hand as she sobs, “You’d think it would’ve been easy. All I had to do was hit him hard, but it brought back painful memories; I knew it would.”
I rub her back and say softly, “Do you wanna talk about them?”
She shakes her head. “Maybe one day but I think I’ve had enough today. Did you get the footage you need?”
I nod. “I think so. I’ll run it later on tonight. Why don’t you grab some sleep because I’m sorry, darlin’, but we have a trip to the theater to endure tonight.”
I watch as she turns and looks at me with surprise. “Phase two?”
I nod. “Senator Grady ‘asshole’ Vincent. He loves nothing more than a night at the theater and he’s your next target.”
She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “You don’t hang around, do you?”
I squeeze her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Katherine. He’s out of town after tomorrow for a while. This could be our only chance.”
She sighs heavily.
“Ok, what’s the plan?”
I sink back in my seat and take a deep breath. This one is particularly nasty like the man it involves. It’s going to be hard on us both. Shaking my head, I try to sound business-like and leave my emotions locked away. “Grady is one of the most abhorrent assholes I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. He’s married to a well-respected Judge who knows nothing of his double life. Grady likes to humiliate women, probably because he’s so gross and was bullied at school. You know the sort, always fancied the cheerleaders in high school but could never get close. The type that remains a virgin until they make something of themselves and then get their revenge on every woman that ever turned them down. Well, that’s Grady. He likes to make women do things they are uncomfortable with just to massage his own ego. His wife would be disgusted if she knew and the shit would hit the fan.”
She looks confused. “So, what if his wife leaves him? That’s hardly going to bring about his ruin. What’s the real angle?”
I smile wickedly. “Because Grady has been a naughty boy, Katherine. He has used and abused a girl who would bring about his downfall overnight. In fact, she’s the daughter of another well-known Judge who is beyond bargaining with. It appears that over the years there are many women harboring a grudge against our friend, who would only be too happy to come forward if he went to trial. Underage girls, rape, false imprisonment, you name it, he’s into it. All you need to do is play the victim and we will capture it all on film.”
She shakes her head and bites her bottom lip which causes my heart to beat much faster. She looks so vulnerable and frightened and it’s probably way too soon after her run-in with Preston.
“But the film may not be enough.”
I grin and laugh darkly. “I think that and being caught in the act by yours truly will be enough. Let’s just say, my evidence will back up the video content and the fact that we already have the names of every other girl he violated waiting to pounce. No, Grady won’t recover from this little scandal and the only place he’ll end up is prison.”
I smile at her reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Katherine. Make sure you look hotter than any other woman there and he’ll be putty in your hands. Don’t lead him on and refuse him at every turn. We’ll make sure you’re alone at some point in the box he uses for all his theater humiliations and the video will do the rest. I’ll be close on hand to interrupt when the deal is sealed. Do you trust me?”
She turns and looks at me with so much trust that it breaks my heart. “I do, Sam. For some reason I know you’ve got my back and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
She is looking so fragile and so damned sexy my cock is bursting to be
set free. As I drown in those beautiful eyes nothing else matters but how I feel about this girl.
I reach for her and pull those gorgeous lips to mine. I want to show her that I care and she’s not alone. She trembles under my touch and I see the desire ignite in her eyes. She shifts slightly closer and I pull her body to mine. Stroking her hair, I gaze into her eyes, wanting to reassure her that I care and am not some asshole intent on using her for one night and then pushing her away. I touch her lips gently with mine and her lips quiver under them. My tongue dances with hers in an erotic dance and I taste the sweetness of the only woman who has ever affected me this way.
She moans against my lips which makes my heart beat faster. Then I taste the woman who is consuming every waking thought in my mind. She is all I can think of and I am drunk on desire. She calls to me like a siren in a shipwrecked sea and I am lost and floundering under my desperate need to claim her heart. How has this happened? Samuel Carrington, billionaire bastard has been floored by this gorgeous woman who landed in my lap like a nuclear bomb and has blown my world apart.
As I pull her closer we are disturbed by the elevator opening and we pull away quickly.
I feel the anger clawing at my insides as I stare at the person who has disturbed my sweetest hour. I see my Vice President, Cody, enter looking surprised when he sees Katherine sitting beside me.
Holding his hands up, he grins. “Sorry, I wasn’t aware you had company. It’s unusual so you can’t blame me, really. Anyway, I’ve got that contract you needed, Sam. Just sign it and I’ll leave you in peace.”
Sighing, I remember I’d asked him to drop it over. Katherine smiles self-consciously and jumps up.
“It’s fine. I’ve got some things to sort out. Nice to meet you, um...”
Cody grins and holds his hand out to grip hers.
“Cody. Sam’s long-suffering Vice President and the bane of his life.”
Katherine smiles sweetly. “Katherine. I’m Sam’s houseguest and probably the new bane of his life. I’m pleased to meet you, Cody. Anyway, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll give you some privacy. It’s been a trying morning and there’s some stuff I need to do in my room.”
She walks out and my anger intensifies at the way Cody’s eyes follow her. He turns and exhales sharply.
“You lucky bastard. No wonder you haven’t come to work, that explains everything.”
I frown at him and he laughs. “It’s ok, Sam, understood. You’ve got to admit though, it’s unlike you to play hooky, especially over a woman.”
I shrug dismissively. “You don’t know shit, Cody. Like she says, Katherine’s my guest and so you can drag your filthy mind from the gutter and bring those contracts over here.”
As he rolls his eyes, I switch my mind to business. Despite everything, I still have a billion-dollar company to run.
10
Katherine
My lips are still trembling from the feeling of Sam’s on them. How has this happened? This wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal. When will I ever learn?
I sink down heavily on the bed and think about the man in the next room. Samuel Carrington. ex-navy SEAL who could have been a Reaper if he hadn’t chosen the business route. Hard and dangerous, just how I like them but with something else, something much more—a heart.
Then my thoughts turn to Preston Musgrave and I feel the disgust raging through my veins. He was despicable and watching him cowering on the floor before me brought back brutal memories I’ve tried to keep hidden. My heart races as I think about the dark time I lived through with Vincent.
I ran away from my parents when I was fourteen because I overheard them talking about my new career path. Funny really, I ran from them straight into the arms of a demon with the same plan. Kitty Rogers, ‘whore.’
I think it must have been stamped on my birth certificate because I was never expected to do anything else. What sort of parent chooses that as an option for their daughter? A desperate one that’s for sure. We never had much and money was extremely hand to mouth. I knew my mother entertained many men and my father used to sit on the porch smoking his cigarettes staring at the moon. I never understood what was going on until I heard the whispers at school. ‘Kitty’s mom’s a whore.’
I got in many fights because of it but they were only stating the obvious. When I heard them that night, I ran. I ran to the bright lights of the city and Vincent found me sitting in the bus shelter alone and afraid. He pretended to care. He pretended he was a businessman who cared for vulnerable girls on the street and he pretended to fix me up with a job and a place to stay.
Well, as it turned out he wasn’t wrong. The place to stay was chained to his bed, and the job was to act as his whore.
He allowed me two hours freedom a day to walk in the fresh air with him escorting me. I could shower and eat and then I was chained back up again. The only time I was free was when he slept with me at night. He wasn’t the only one. He enjoyed watching his friends take what he offered and I became a toy to be shared out when the mood took him.
It must have been six months before the Reapers found me. I heard a loud commotion and there was lots of shouting and firing. I cowered under the bed afraid for my life—not for the first time.
I heard screaming and then somebody kicked open the door and I closed my eyes tightly. I heard a shot and then strong arms lifted me and held me against a broad, hard, chest and ran with me outside.
I curled up afraid, fearful as to what was happening and closed my eyes against the carnage we were leaving behind.
I felt myself flung into the back of an SUV and my captor/rescuer, whatever you wanted to call him, jumped in beside me and all I could hear were the squeal of tires and the heavy sounds of breathing. Then he said gently, “It’s ok, darlin’, you’re safe now. No one can hurt you anymore.”
As I looked up, I recoiled in fear at the large snake decorating his neck and arm. Hard, emotionless eyes, looked at me and I had never seen such a frightening sight in my life before. Then he smiled softly and said, “Don’t be afraid, you’re safe. You’re with the Reapers now and nobody will ever harm you again.”
I’m brought back to the present and the tears slide down my face as I mourn the loss. Cut free and rejected by the man I loved for another. I will never forget my time there but I know it has ended. What my new life will bring is uncertain but I have hope at least. If I can just get through the next few weeks, I know I’ll be ok.
Then I think about Sam and my heart beats a little faster and I shiver inside. So like Ryder in every way but one. He has feeling, and he looks at me like I matter. When he kisses me, it lights a spark in my soul and breathes new life into it. With him I’m a person who matters, not some toy to be played with and then discarded when the interest runs out. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. For the first time in my life I believe there may be a 'happy ever after', after all.
I must fall asleep because a gentle knock at the door wakes me. Opening my eyes, I see the room is in darkness and look over at the clock by the bed and see it’s 5pm. Then it all comes flooding back and I feel the anxiety return.
The door opens and Sam stands in the doorway looking - well, stony-faced actually. He smiles briefly.
“I’m sorry, Katherine. We don’t have long before we need to set off. It’s best you get something to eat before we go. Susan’s prepared some food and then you should get dressed.”
I nod and follow him to the kitchen. As usual, Susan has prepared a feast and I tuck in gratefully. Sam sits opposite and looks at me with a worried expression.
“You sure you’re ok with this?”
I sigh, “Yes, let’s just get this over with.”
He smiles reassuringly.
“The car will leave at 7 pm. The theatre's booked for 7.30. Remember, dress accordingly and we shouldn’t have any problem.”
Pushing my plate away, I shake my head. “You know, I never thought it would be so hard. I was quite excited at the thought of playing Rea
per for once. I know I’m not trained like they are but I didn’t know emotions would figure so much.”
Sam nods. “They don’t prepare you for the emotional part. I suppose that’s why I gave it up.”
I grin wickedly. “Some say you don’t have any emotion. In fact, I was warned about what a cold, hard. bastard you were before I even met you.”
He grins. “They were right. I suppose that’s how I deal with things. Like I told you, no emotion means no disappointment. What about you, Katherine? What do you want out of this?”
I shrug. “You know it happened so fast I never thought about it. I always thought I’d live with the Reapers forever and could never see anything else in my future. I had hoped Ryder would see that I was a woman worth keeping after all but that wasn’t to be.”
I see Sam’s eyes darken and his lips tighten angrily. I can tell he’s uncomfortable with my feelings for Ryder and yet those need dealing with before I can move on. I smile softly.
“When I was a little girl, I had many dreams. All little girls do. Aside from marrying Prince Charming, I always had an idea I’d like to live on a ranch with my very own cowboy. You know, the strong, silent type who is good with his hands.”
I giggle as Sam rolls his eyes. “Cowboy, huh?”
Laughing, I gaze at him dreamily. “Yes, the simple life. That’s all I wanted. To live in the great outdoors and to be free. I would have purpose in my life and things would be so simple. It was never to be though. Life is brutal in so many ways and mine has been more brutal than most. Anyway, who knows? When this is over I can start again. I’ve been assured a hefty fee for my services, enough to start again anywhere in the world. Maybe I’ll travel for a bit and see some of this amazing world we live in.”
Sam looks thoughtful. “What about the Reapers? I understand you can always go back there.”
I look at him sadly. “We both know I can’t. Ryder made his choice and I’m not sure I want reminding that I came second. No, this is my chance to make something of my life and I’m gonna seize it with both hands.”
Twisted_A Billionaire Romance Page 5