by Rosie Praks
And that was when he went berserk.
“Julian, put me down,” I shrieked when he hauled me over his shoulder. Not only that, but he threw away my crutches too. “What are you doing? Pick up my crutches. Pick up my crutches.”
“No.”
“Julian, you bastard. Pick up my crutches. How am I supposed to walk without them?” I shrieked again, but all he did was slap my butt.”
I went still. He slapped my butt. Julian just slapped my butt?
I was a burning ball of rage.
“Julian, you fucking asshole. Why did you slap me?” I screeched over his shoulder, slamming my fist at his back.
I drummed and beat him, but he wasn’t even affected. In fact, I didn’t think he was listening to me. He just slapped my butt again and again, as if to punish me for cursing him. And then when he had enough, he snapped at me. “Shut up, Kimberly. Shut your mouth. You are not to see him again. Do you hear me?”
I was surprised no one came to intervene. Here we were having a fight. I was dangling over his shoulder, yelling obscene curses at him, but everyone turned a deaf ear. Of course, this suited me just fine, as now I could continue to drum and pound his back at my leisure, just to calm my rage.
“You sadistic brute. You slap me one more time and I swear I’ll go see Drew. Just like he suggested. So I dare you to hit me again.”
“You will not see him. I swear I’ll kill him if you do.” He slapped me hard one more time. Just to spite me. A little tear leaked out of my eye. That last one hurt like hell.
“I hate you, Julian. I hate you. Go to hell, you fucking bastard. I hate you.” I rained curses and curses on him.
We finally got to my room. Julian dumped me on the bed, his nostrils flaring with fury. I didn’t care he was mad. I needed to unleash my own anger too.
So I cursed him again, thinking of all the possible awful names that could be said to a human. And one came to mind. “You’re a sick man, Julian, a sick man. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.”
Julian glared at me like I was death and he wanted to strangle me. And that was when it happened. He turned into an animal, launching at me, crashing me onto bed until I lay flat. And then he started tearing off my hospital gown, shredding the material into bits. Now I was fully naked. Not even my panties were spared.
“Hate me, Kimberly. Hate me.” He pinned me on the bed, pressing his forehead against mine, panting like he was losing his ability to behave like a rational human. “Because I’m going to make you hate me even more. I’m going to cage you here on this bed. I won’t let you go outside again. I’m going to lock you in this room until you stop wanting to see him.”
My eyes flared open when he declared this. And he did just that. He loosened the tie around his neck, using it as a sash to bind my wrists together.
But I still had some fire within me. I pushed him back with all the force within. He flew three steps back, just enough time for me to pick up a pillow with my bound wrist and throw it his way.
“You fucking asshole. What is wrong with you today?”
Julian caught the pillow in time and threw it back at me.
And then he was at it again. Except this time, he aggressively bound my tied hands to the headboard. Now I was stuck. And naked.
I was kicking and screaming. “Julian, what are you doing? Untie me. Untie me right now.”
“I mean it. You are not to talk to him again. You are not to see him again.”
“You stupid bastard. I’m not your sex slave. I’m your girlfriend. Respect me. I ask you again. Untie me.”
Julian just stood there, three meters from the bed, breathing heavily.
“No,” he said at last, like all the energy within him had disappeared. His face contorted with pain. The anger no longer present on his face. Just sadness and loneliness. “You’ll go see him if I do. I can’t let you go. I won’t let you go.”
I calmed down seeing his sad, solemn expression. He was like a little boy. So he was jealous. I knew that, but he didn’t need to go to the extent of tying me up. And on top of that, tearing at my clothes.
“Look. I’m not going to see him. Are you happy now? Julian. Where are you going? Julian!” I screamed, watching as he stepped back, and then disappeared out the door.
That damn bastard. He just walked out on me. He tied me up and disappeared out the door.
I looked down at myself. Oh God. I’m completely naked. I need to cover myself up. Oh shit. I’m all bound.
I reached for the call button with my foot. But I was unable to think of an explanation as to why I was laying naked in bed with my wrists tied to the headboard.
Ahh, this just makes me mad. Wait until I see him. I’ll—
I blinked. Julian came back into the bedroom.
And he was naked. He was fisting his cock, milking it with frantic speed, his eyes gazing over me like I was his dessert.
“What are you doing?” I asked, a rasp already apparent in my voice.
My breasts tightened, my nipples hardened, and my clit throbbed. I was struggling to gain control of my body.
He looked torn and savage, his black hair in disheveled waves falling all over his grey eyes and gorgeous face. His arm muscles flexed whenever he pulled and bent to fist his cock, milking that organ hard, until it was like a spear pointing at me. His tan skin was dusted with a sheen of perspiration. Julian at that moment was a dark and dangerous man. My dark prince.
He gazed at me with eyes that stroked my core into flames. I closed my thighs, the infinite need for his cock to be inside overpowering my rational mind.
“Do you find me desirable?” His baritone voice was deeper than usual, but a hint of something else was also present.
But what on earth brought on that question? Vulnerability? Fear?
I yelled back, trying to uncover my uneasiness. “Untie me. Right now, Julian. I mean it.”
But he just charged at me, jumping on the bed and pressing his forehead close to mine.
“I asked you. Do you find me desirable?”
His brewing grey eyes, kissable lips, sharp jawline, everything about Julian was just so close. I couldn’t process what he was saying. All I could see was this gorgeous man in front of me. He was so hot, so mysterious, yet so perfect. For me.
Julian probed his finger into my core so suddenly I almost bucked off the bed.
“I’ll ask again. Do you find me desirable?”
“God, I don’t find you desirable. I find you fuckable. Happy now?” I yelled.
And that was enough. He kissed me. Brutally. While his finger fucked my core until I came.
My entire world was dependent on him. I was at the edge of a precipice, waiting for him to release me from this unbridled desire.
“Oh God, Julian, please. Please.”
“Say you want me. Say you need me.” His fingers kneaded at my clit, the rest of him hot and hungry for me. He moved his body down until he was braced between my parted thighs. Then his mouth latched onto my sleek core, his tongue delving into my canal, vigorously thrusting in and out until an epic orgasm lingered just a few strokes away.
And it came with one final caress of his tongue. I shuddered, my legs twitching in the aftereffects.
But Julian wasn’t finished with me. He sucked me again, causing a consecutive orgasmic effect. I fell back on the bed, writhing and crying for him to satisfy me.
“Julian… I… I want… God, I want you… Please…”
“Say I’m desirable. Say you won’t let me go,” he puffed, hot air igniting my core.
“Julian, give it to me. Please. Take me. I can’t… Ummm.”
I couldn’t think anymore, completely lost. I moaned, groaned, and panted. Julian needed to extinguish this flame now or I’d die.
“Give it to me, please,” I moaned and pleaded again. Tears leaked out of my eyes at the impact of my desire. Again and again, I gripped onto the headboard for support, still begging him for release.
But Julian didn’t. This ti
me he rubbed his long hot length against the cleft of my sex, teasing my clit with the feel of his smooth skin.
“Stop teasing me, goddamn you. Just put it in,” I screamed in frustration.
Why was he tormenting me like this? He threw away my crutches. He made me desire him, and now I couldn’t get him to fuck me. Why? What was he planning to do with me?
At the last call, when I was about to draw blood from biting my lips so hard, he fully satisfied me by plowing into me like there was no tomorrow. He pounded in with so much force I buckled off the bed.
My wrists had come loose from the headboard and I wound them around his neck, using him as support. Now our foreheads were plastered together. Our eyes were glued to one another. Passion, love, desire all shifted through his eyes when he gazed at me.
I kissed him hard, entwining my tongue with his, wanting to taste more of him, to feel more of him inside me. His cock in my channel. His tongue in my mouth. I desired everything about him.
“Julian, Julian, Julian,” I chanted as he thrust into me again, each thrust more forceful than last.
He raced me to my ending, urging me on with his tongue on my lips, his finger stimulating my clit. I screamed, calling out his name in my final moments. He burst inside me, his hot essence leaking down my thighs.
I dropped back to Earth, completely shattered and completely sated.
Julian did the same. He growled and grunted like a feral animal before collapsing on top of me, ending with my name on his lips.
We stayed like this, unable to move, unable to think, only waiting for time to pass as we gained back our strength.
It took me longer to recover, as I was the subject of Julian’s outlet, but he stretched his arm, elevating himself onto his elbow, once again pressing his forehead against my own.
“Tell me you like me. Tell me you love me and not him. Not Drew.” His eyes were misty, a haunting, sad look on his face. “Am I not giving you enough? Do you need me to pleasure you more? Tell me. Tell me you love me.”
Those words cut me deep. But they cut Julian deeper. He was hanging by a thread, waiting for me to reply. His lips were squeezed tight into a thin line, his grey eyes searching for the answer on my face.
I gazed up at him and caressed those solemn eyes of his. He looked like his whole world was about to collapse and his only salvation was my answer.
But what happened if I said I no longer found him interesting, desirable, or that my body no longer craved him or my heart no longer loved him? Would he die? Would he cry?
But I knew I couldn’t do that. I was bound to him, connected to him in more ways than our bodies could ever imagine.
My fingers traced his smooth cheek. “Julian. You’re enough for me. You fill me. I don’t need another man to satisfy me. I love you. Is that a good enough answer for you?”
Julian smiled, his eyes losing that sad look. He was finally satisfied with my answer. That night, Julian lay beside me until I fell asleep.
* * * * *
Chapter 18
I woke to Julian whispering my name. Darkness greeted me when I opened my eyes. Julian was behind me, spooning me against him.
“I missed you,” he whispered, nuzzling at my nape, his hands sliding under my nightdress, squeezing my breast.
I was slightly drowsy, but that small squeeze had my body buzzing. I searched for Julian’s lips. Finding them, I drank in all of him. I missed him. It had been so long since we last had sex.
A month ago, Julian had brought me to his private retreat, right after the episode when he’d tied me up in bed and took me like an animal. His jealous streak.
He took care of me every single day, making sure I was fully occupied with him, having no time to meet Drew or Caitlin again. I missed Caitlin now that I was here. I never even had the opportunity to say good-bye to her.
I was getting better. I could walk now without my crutches. I thought I’d wait a few more days, then go visit her in hospital. I still wondered what kind of sickness she had, though.
Papa had sent in a new representative to replace me, and a whole lot of other staff to organize the planned project, while I was recovering from my injury.
It was quite annoying that I missed out on such an awesome project. But Papa said there’d be more opportunities with other projects in the future.
He came to visit me in those few weeks, staying with us. He stayed in the bedroom a few doors down from my room.
Julian was very cautious. He wanted to sleep with me, but since Papa was here, he restrained himself.
It was hard, he told me when Papa went back home. He was like an animal after that, taking me every single night so by next morning, I could hardly move at all. But it was splendid and beautiful, and I loved that he found my body his wonderland. I loved that he found my body desirable.
That was until two days ago. He stopped coming into my room. He merely kissed me and went to his own room. I wondered what he was upset about. Was it me?
I wished my leg could heal faster so I could return to work and see what had him bothered.
But now I didn’t need to. Right now, he was beside me, cuddling me in his embrace, kissing me softly on my temple, his fingers kneading my breast, sending heat raking up in my core. Julian was back to his normal insatiable self again.
Or so I thought.
“You sleep tight. I just wanted to say good night.” He pulled back.
I caught his arm and pulled him to me. I searched for his lips, kissing him senseless, wanting him to sate me. But he gently pulled back again.
“Go to sleep, Kimberly. You’re tired.”
Yes, I was tired. But what I wanted more was for him to be inside me, making love to me. I missed him. Missed everything about him. I needed him to know this. So I reined him back in again, cradling his head for another steamy kiss, but he resisted, pulling himself up and off the bed.
He ran his fingers through my hair and kissed my forehead and said, “Sleep, Kimberly. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
And then he was gone.
What did I do wrong? Did he not find me desirable anymore?
I watched as he closed the door. A little fear surged through my heart. I was worried.
* * * * *
I rose bright and early the next morning, padding barefoot to the large kitchen area, still in my sleepwear.
Breakfast was on the counter. Julian wasn't present. Again.
I hissed. Was he trying to avoid me? Or was he hiding something from me again?
I distracted myself by having a shower and reading a book. A text message came through. It was Amelia.
I logged onto Skype.
“Hello, Amelia. How’s everything?”
Amelia looked panicked. “Why didn’t you tell me you broke your leg?”
Oh gosh. I totally forgot. Here I was so caught up in my own affairs, concerned for Julian’s welfare, and I totally forgot to let Amelia know.
Joanna and Teresa were our friends, but it was Amelia I was closest to. I just wanted to drum my head on the kitchen counter. Why had I neglected my friends?
“I’m so sorry, Amelia. Everything happened so fast. I didn’t get to send you a message.”
“I don’t care about a message. I was just so shocked when Mr. Henderson told me. That’s all. It’s unlike you to fall down a flight of stairs. You always wear heels. You even run and dance in them. So why did you fall?”
I couldn’t tell her someone pushed me. She was already worried enough as it was. If I told her, she’d freak out even more.
“Just one of my clumsy moments. Please forgive me.”
“Kimmy, it’s not time to joke around. Are you okay? Were you hurt? Shall I come up to see you?”
“Wow-o, just hold your horses, woman. I’m fine. My leg's all healed now. I’m just resting here for a few more days. Then I’ll be able to go back to work.” When I saw her worried face, I added, “Seriously, I’m fine. Julian's here to look after me.”
“Julian?
You mean Mr. Devereux?”
Oh shit! Now everything was coming out of my mouth.
“Ah, yes. That Julian,” I confessed, heat fusing up my cheeks.
“Kimmy, I thought you hated him? Mr. Swanson said you two didn't get along.”
“Well, how can I put it? You know, fire and ice. When it’s together, it melts. Just like us.”
Amelia slumped her face in her palm. “Oh, Kimmy.”
“What? What's that all about?”
“You, you love him, don’t you?”
“Yes. Yes, I do,” I said. I loved Julian. And I wasn't afraid to admit it to anyone.
“I knew it. I just knew it. You've loved him since you guys saw each other at the conference that night. I saw the way you two looked at each other, and I knew.”
“But you didn’t say anything?”
“Of course I couldn’t say anything. If you love him, then I’m fine with that too. But what about that other guy, the one you met in Miami a few months back. Didn’t you say you liked him too?”
“Um… Amelia, the guy I spoke to a few months back, that was him. That was Julian.”
“Oh, Kimmy.” She giggled.
“Now you’re laughing.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” But now it was her turn. I turned the tables on her. “How about you, though? How’s it going?”
“Me? What about me?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb.”
“I’m not playing dumb. What are you talking about?”
“You and Sebastian.”
Her face flushed red as soon as I said his name. She looked down and nervously pulled a thread out of her sleeve. I knew something was bothering her. That was her behavior. She was always pulling out threads from her sleeves if something bothered her.
“Amelia, what is it? Is there something bothering you.”
“There’s nothing.” She looked up, smiling. But I wasn’t convinced.
“Did Sebastian do something to you?”