by Sykes, Julia
Mallory’s mouth opened before she could stop herself; she couldn’t bear this any longer. “Celeste,” she whispered.
Jake’s brows drew down in a frown. “What about her?” He asked harshly.
“She…” Mallory hesitated. But now that she had started, there was no point in stopping; she had already betrayed both of them by even speaking the bitch’s name. “She’s blackmailing me, Jake.”
His expression turned livid. “What?!” He demanded furiously. “Explain. Now.” His tone was clipped as he made an obvious effort to reign in his anger. But his hands on either side of her had balled into fists.
“She has a tape of us, Jake. A… a sex tape.” She forced herself to continue as Jake’s face darkened even further, livid. “She said she would go public with it if I didn’t break up with you. And now she will anyway because I’ve told you.” Her voice turned to an anguished whisper. “I’m so sorry, Jake.” If she had had any tears left, she would have been sobbing. Now she had betrayed him twice.
She peeked up at him, but his hard eyes had turned soft, the lines of his face easing. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a tight hug. The feeling of his strong arms around her was undeniably comforting, and she breathed in his masculine scent with a small sigh of pleasure. It felt so right to be held by him. He stroked his hand up and down her back tenderly, soothing her.
“It’s alright, Mallory.” His voice was a deep rumble, the warmth of it enveloping her. “We can get through this. Celeste won’t get away with this; I’ll press charges.”
“But the tape,” Mallory insisted, pulling back from him. “She’ll release it as soon as she finds out that I’ve told you.”
Jake frowned. “But how will she know?”
“I have no idea, but she said she would. And I believe her, Jake. She had video footage of us together in your house. Who knows where else she might have eyes and ears.” She suddenly looked around herself, getting the creeping feeling that someone was watching her. Was she even safe in her own apartment?
Jake’s face turned thunderous. “If she has surveillance inside my house, then I’ll find out who put it there. It must have been one of the staff.” His expression suddenly cleared as a plan formed in his mind. “I’m going home, but you have to stay here. I’ll call the staff together and get answers, even if I have to take them to the police to be interrogated. That way they won’t know that we’re back together until I’ve already found them out.”
“But what if whoever it is manages to get in touch with Celeste? What if she finds out regardless?”
Jake took her by the hands. “Then she’ll still go to jail, Mallory. And I’ll stand by you, no matter what happens.”
“Jake,” she said softly. “I can’t let this happen to you. Please…”
He held a finger to her lips. “It’s too late for that Mallory.” His gaze turned intense. “And I would gladly sacrifice my reputation if that’s what it took to have you.”
Her lips parted and her heart skipped a beat.
That evening Mallory found herself sitting in the backseat of Jake’s Jaguar, his driver taking her to his plantation house. He had sounded cruelly satisfied over the phone when he told her that someone was coming to pick her up. Mallory tried to muster up some of her usual resentment for being fetched and brought to Jake, but she was coming to realize that she didn’t really mind it all that much. Her impatience with his high-handed ways seemed unfair when she thought of what Jake had said to her before leaving her apartment; if he was willing to sacrifice everything he had ever worked for in order to have her, then she sure as hell could forgive him for sending a fancy car to pick her up.
Jake was waiting at the front door for her when she arrived, beaming triumphantly. Mallory was buoyed by this, but she didn’t dare hope that everything had turned out okay. Especially since Jake had made clear his lack of concern for the outcome of the situation.
As soon as Mallory was out of the car, he was on her, literally sweeping her off her feet as he dipped her back for a classic Hollywood kiss. When he finally pulled back from her and helped her stand upright, she was dizzy.
“What was that for?” She asked, breathless but grinning like a fool.
He held her by the shoulders and smiled back at her. “Everything is perfect, Mallory,” he beamed. “We’re going to be fine.”
“How?” Mallory gasped. “What happened?”
“I found the hidden camera in the dungeon, so I rounded up my staff and showed it to them, demanding answers.” His face darkened slightly. “It was Charlie, one of the butlers. He cracked pretty quickly.”
Mallory had no trouble understanding how Jake had intimidated the man into talking with no more than a glare and a few hard words. She had been on the receiving end of it many times herself.
“Apparently Celeste has seduced him; poor fool thinks that she loves him.” His expression was a bit pitying. Mallory knew that he understood misguided love. “He’s in jail now. I’ve pressed charges for blackmail.”
“But what about Celeste?” Mallory asked. “Has she released the tape?”
Jake smile broadly. “Nope. Turns out Charlie had the only copy. Celeste didn’t want to be able to get caught with it red-handed. Apparently she let him do all the dirty work.”
Anger bloomed within Mallory’s chest. “What a bitch,” she said under her breath.
Jake chuckled at her. “Indeed.”
“So where is she? In jail?” Mallory couldn’t help being a bit vindictive. “I bet orange is so not her color.”
He laughed again. “Yes, they arrested her a few hours ago. She’ll probably get out on bail, but she will definitely pay for what she’s done to you.” His face turned fierce. “I won’t ever let anyone hurt you, Mallory.”
Looking up into his eyes, Mallory saw the truth of his words; he really would protect her no matter what. “I know,” she whispered.
He gave her a reprimanding look. “No more lying, then?”
“No, Sir.”
Jake beamed.
Chapter 3
“I want to show you something, Mallory,” Jake told her as he took her by the hand.
She smirked. “The last time you said that you were about to take me into a terrifying, kinky dungeon. What could it possibly be this time?” She asked, mock-contemplative. “An orgy in the attic?”
Jake laughed, a deep, rich sound that sent tingles from her fingers to her toes. “Not quite,” he grinned roguishly. “But you’re on the right track.”
Mallory paused, suddenly nervous, but Jake didn’t stop with her. “You’re not getting out of this one so easily, Mallory.” She was pulled along by his grip on her hand as he continued steadily forward, insisting that she follow.
They walked around the back of the house and into the gardens behind it, which Mallory had never seen before. They were absolutely breathtaking. There were well-manicured camellia bushes lining a long walkway that stretched from the back door of the house all the way out to the distant bay, where there was a large dock. From this distance, she could just make out a small yacht moored to it. Halfway to the bay, the garden ended at a beautiful wrought iron gate that separated it from an open pasture where half a dozen horses were grazing.
Mallory wanted to stop and drink it all in, but Jake kept up his pace, not allowing her to linger. “You can look later,” he said with a small smile. “But right now you’re coming with me.”
“Where are we going?” She asked, curious.
“You’ll see.”
Damn cryptic Dom, Mallory thought wryly.
But she found out where he was taking her soon enough. They veered off the garden path and walked through a stand of Oak trees into a more shaded area. When they emerged from the trees, they were standing in a hollow with verdant green grass and a small fish pond. Beside it was a huge, ancient Willow tree. Jake led her towards it and parted the branches, pulling her under the leafy canopy with him. The pliant branches fell back into place
behind them, hiding them from the outside world like a glowing green curtain.
Jake circled behind her, as though allowing her a moment to marvel at the beauty of where he had brought her. Suddenly, he jerked her arm back, putting her off-balance. At the same time he knocked his knee into the back of hers. Before she knew what was happening, she was tumbling to the ground, the wind whooshing out of her as she hit the soft earth.
“Hey!” She cried, but Jake was already on top of her, his lips on hers, silencing her protests. His kiss was soft and sweet, contrasting with his ferocity as he tore open her blouse, popping the buttons off in his haste to remove it. As he was unzipping her jeans, her own hands were fumbling at his shirt buttons, blindly unfastening them as she increased the intensity of the kiss. With a growl, Jake pulled away from her, denying her control. He yanked her jeans down her legs, leaving her in her bra and panties.
He was on his knees, looming over her where she lay on her back. They stared into one another’s eyes for a moment; Jake’s were completely open to her, exposing his soul, leaving him vulnerable. “Mallory,” he said her name like a caress. “You told me last night that you didn’t want to be my submissive. That you were disgusted by it. I know that the last part is a lie.” He smiled down at her knowingly. “But I need to know if the first part is true.”
His expression sobered quickly. “Will you be my submissive, Mallory?”
Heat flooded Mallory’s cheeks as she remembered how she had wounded Jake with her words. Of course she wasn’t disgusted by what they did together! She had never been more blissful in her life. “Yes, Jake,” she breathed. “I will.”
His grin was so wide it was almost boyish, like a kid on Christmas morning. “Excellent,” he beamed.
Without another word, he bent down and hooked one arm behind her back and the other under her knees. She squealed in delight as he lifted her up swiftly, cradling her to his chest and leaning in for a sweet kiss. Never letting go of her lips, he stood and began walking towards the trunk of the Willow tree.
He set her down gently on her feet and pressed her back against the tree, the soft bark lightly scratching her naked flesh. Keeping pressure on her shoulders for a moment, he looked down into her sky blue eyes with his sapphire ones. “Don’t move,” he ordered.
Mallory swallowed and went still as a statue. Jake circled around behind the tree, and she heard a slight rustling sound as he retrieved something that he had hidden there.
Then one of his strong hands was gripping her wrist, pulling it behind her so that it wrapped around the Willow. She felt a rough cord being looped over her wrist before it pulled tight. Jake bound her other wrist with the cord before tying them together. She tried pulling at the restraints, testing them, but she was trapped, pressed closely to the tree.
Jake was walking towards her again, meeting her eye as he crossed back into her line of sight. He was naked now, and he was holding a coil of rope in his hands. It was clearly connected to her restrained wrists. Spearing her with his intense gaze, he pulled the rope around her neck, pressing it lightly on her throat, restricting her airflow. The utter dominance of it, her complete vulnerability to him, made her knees go weak. She could feel herself growing wet as she became lightheaded. She was floating, high on his control.
When he released the pressure, Mallory gulped in air, and the rush of oxygen back to her brain sent her soaring even higher. As she gasped, Jake left her again, seemingly indifferent to her reactions. The rope remained against her throat, but it was held there loosely now.
When Jake was standing before her once again, she tried to nod her head forward, only to find herself stopped short by a tightening of the rope around her neck; he must have tied it off around the tree trunk. As Mallory realized her predicament, her pussy swelled and her nipples hardened. Jake was smiling at her, a slightly cruel glint in his pleased gaze.
“Do you trust me, sub?” He asked.
Without hesitation, Mallory nodded, enjoying the way the roughness of the rope made her nerve endings jump to life as it grazed over her skin.
Then Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of large silver scissors. Mallory balked, feeling a moment of panic. Was he going to cut her?
He cupped her face with his free hand. “I’m not going to hurt you, sub. Trust me.”
Although she was trembling, Mallory swallowed and nodded again. She did trust him. Unequivocally.
Jake brought the scissors up slowly, gently pressing the dull length of them to her skin. She shivered at the contact with the cool, smooth metal. He pulled it across her chest, starting at one collarbone and drawing it towards the other. Mallory let out a little whine, and she wasn’t sure if it was from fear or from the growing need inside her. When he reached her shoulder, the blades eased open, closing around her bra strap. With a definitive snipping sound, Jake cut through the elasticated fabric. It parted easily and fell forward, partially revealing her left breast. But Jake wasn’t distracted. The scissors were at the other strap, cutting it quickly. Her bra was only held on by the clasps at the back now. But her back was pressed against the tree; Jake wouldn’t be able to unsnap it. She watched, barely breathing, as he snipped the small bit of fabric that connected the cups of her bra together. With a little tug to pull it out from where her back pinned it to the tree, he pulled her ruined bra free, leaving her exposed.
Her nipples were hard buds, begging to be touched. But Jake ignored them, drawing the cold, flat blade of the scissors down her sternum and over her belly. When he reached the top of her panties, he changed his grip so that the point of the blades scraped gently across her sensitive flesh as he moved the scissors to her hip. She shivered at the sensation. She was completely at Jake’s mercy, and her pussy was throbbing at the thought.
With a suddenness that shocked her, Jake cut away her panties, snipping either side. He grasped the front of them and pulled them forward roughly. The feeling of the lace rubbing over her hardened clit as he did so made her cry out in longing. She needed Jake to touch her, to be inside her.
“Please, Sir,” she whispered desperately.
With a growl, he was on her, lifting her legs up and wrapping them around his waist as he entered her. Mallory gasped as her back scraped against the tree bark when he pushed into her, the two rough sensations making her eyes roll back in her head as she was overwhelmed.
Jake thrust up into her, jarring her against the tree deliciously each time. She wrapped her legs more tightly around him, needing him closer. His strong arms held her up as he fucked her hard, making her feel helpless against his onslaught, his power. She could feel him hardening inside her, close to coming. She was on the precipice as well, and he pushed her over it. He grasped the rope on one side of her throat and pulled, restricting her air. Bliss soared through her again as her primal reaction to submit was brought to the fore; she completely surrendered to Jake in that moment, giving him everything. She exploded around him, letting out a strangled cry. He grunted as he came with her, calling her name as he finished.
As they both came down from their high, Jake released the tension of the rope against Mallory’s throat. He carefully unwrapped her legs from around him and helped her stand. Although they could barely support her, she somehow managed.
Rather than taking the time to untie the ropes, Jake retrieved the scissors from the ground and cut through them. As soon as she was free, Mallory sank to her knees as they gave out beneath her. Jake was at her side immediately, easing her onto her back so that she lay on the cushion of the springy grass beneath them. He sat behind her and rested her head in his lap, stroking her hair back from her forehead as she continued to enjoy the floaty feeling in her head.
He was looking down at her intensely. “Mallory,” he said her name after a long moment.
“Hmmm?” She answered vaguely.
His eyes were suddenly vulnerable again. “Would you let me collar you?”
“What?” She asked faintly.
“It’s not
meant to be demeaning,” he said quickly. “It’s a symbol of our commitment. It means that you’re mine.” His words were laced with longing.
Mallory wanted so badly to say yes, to ease his worry. Mine. The word sounded nice; it thrilled her that Jake thought of her in that way. But this was all moving very quickly, wasn’t it?
In the wake of her pause, Jake rushed to explain himself. “It’s just… After almost losing you… I can’t…” His usual composure was crumbling. Mallory couldn’t bear to see him falling apart like this.
“Jake,” she said softly, gently cutting him off. “I don’t want to lose you either.” She took a deep breath, knowing that she was about to hurt him but having no other answer. “But I don’t think I’m ready for that. Not yet,” she added, hoping to soften the blow. But inside she still didn’t think that she would ever be okay with the idea of someone owning her.
“Oh,” he said simply. Then his walls were coming back up, the cocky mask slipping back into place for the first time since they had left Venice. Mallory hated seeing it again, but she understood. It was his defense mechanism, and he needed it right now. Still, knowing that didn’t stop the pain she felt at hurting him.
“Well, then,” the cocky Jake gave an easy smile. “Let me show you more of my fabulous home.”
Mallory looked around at her ruined clothes that were strewn around them. “But what am I going to wear?” She asked.
His grin was wolfish. “If you’re good, I might give you a change of clothes.”
Mallory couldn’t help scowling up at him.
Stop moping! Mallory ordered herself as she moped around her apartment. It had only been two days since Jake left on his business trip, but it felt more like a week. And she wasn’t comfortable with how they had parted. Jake was clearly still shaken by her refusal of his offer to collar her. But Mallory couldn’t commit to something like that when she wasn’t sure; it wasn’t fair to either of them.
He had called her twice since he had been gone, but their conversations had been mundane and brief. Mallory was terrified that she had driven a permanent wedge between them by turning him down. Could they ever move past this? She decided that she was going to talk it out with him, to explain her feelings. He was coming back into town tonight, and she wanted to have the conversation in person. It might be a bit difficult, but she couldn’t bear the disconnect that she felt between them now.