by Taylor Lee
She prepared to flee, but he was on her before she could back away. In seconds he threw her over his shoulder, ignoring her outraged shrieks, and marched down the hallway into her bedroom. As he threw her onto the bed, she saw out of the corner of her eye some unexpected accoutrements spread across the bed and nightstand. Before she could fully appreciate what he was doing, he crawled on top of her and clipped a set of cuffs on her wrists. In seconds he’d spread-eagled her flat on her back, her arms and legs securely fastened to the bedposts. Jax had restrained her before in their lovemaking, but something was different this time. The intense anger she’d felt from him as well as seen when she first saw him contorted his expression. It made his claim that “size matters” a scary reality.
Before she could spew another stream of expletive-laced invectives, he covered her mouth with a gag, thoroughly muffling her irate shrieks. For a second she panicked, convinced she couldn’t breathe. She tried frantically to meet his gaze, to let him know that not only was he hurting her, he was frightening her. To her horror, he cut off her only means of appealing to him by tying a long scarf over her eyes, blindfolding her. Her muffled cries intensified, as did her frantic efforts to free herself. As close to a panic attack as she’d ever had, she struggled to breathe.
She felt him stretch out beside her. Rubbing her cheek with a calloused finger, his voice was calm, conciliatory. “Hang in there, baby. You know I won’t hurt you.” He added with an amused chuckle, “Except in a good way, that is. Believe it or not, I’m betting that the chances are reasonably good that you will enjoy what I’m about to do to you. And while I want to thoroughly intimidate you, I don’t want to scare you. For that reason, I’m going to take off this blindfold so you can see what I’m about to do each step of the way.” Shaking his head at her muffled shrieks, he said, “Uh-uh. I won’t remove the gag. As I indicated, Viviana, tonight is about actions, not words. At least not your words. I’ve listened to all of your lies that I’m going to. And who knows, perhaps after tonight you’ll be less inclined to lie to me.”
Seeing the resolve in his rigid expression, Viviana fought wildly against the restraints. He shrugged and, ignoring her, began to undress her. In the event that she might think he was softening his attack, he reached for a pair of scissors and began cutting off her clothes. Horrified that he was ruining an expensive cashmere sweater and a pair of Redemption Metallic jeans, she writhed fiercely, trying to stop him. He merely smiled as he lifted her body to free the scraps of her expensive clothing. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Remember you’ve got a closetful of cock-teasing outfits in your closet. You’ll never be without your sartorial weapons to bring men to their knees.” Surveying her nearly naked body, he shook his head in regret, then quickly sliced open the front of her black lace bra, baring her breasts. Fighting to resist him, Viviana gave in and lay back when he snipped at the miniscule ties on her thong, completely stripping her.
Rising to his full height beside the bed, he gazed down at her naked body. His voice was gruff, tight with emotion as he began stripping off his clothes. When he was naked, a tall, strong powerful male animal, he shook his head and muttered, “Goddammit, Viviana, if only you weren’t so fucking beautiful.” Pressing his lips in a hard, straight line, he added, “But you are, aren’t you, my love?”
To her surprise he reached behind him and tossed several ominous-looking tubes of ointment on the bed beside her. He met her startled gaze with a nonchalant shrug. “Yeah, darling, I know I told you that I wouldn’t take your virgin ass when I was angry with you. But I’ve come to understand that not being angry with you isn’t likely to happen, at least any time soon. You see, my irascible woman, I was dead serious when I said that I’ve reached the end of my patience with you. I’ll make that clear when I deal with you as your police chief and you as my subordinate, but tonight is about you as my woman. I plan to claim you, Viviana. In the most potent way possible. To make you understand what it means to be my lover and, more important, my woman.”
To her shock, Jax loosened the tie on one of her ankles, then crawled up beside her. Bending her knee, he rolled her slightly to the side, enough to expose her bare bottom to his hands and gaze. Frantically struggling against him, she fought to keep him from touching her, but it was to no avail. He held her hip firmly with one hand and with the other began stroking her naked bottom. Crooning in her ear, he urged her to relax, to give in. “Yeah, sweetheart, I would be lying to you if I told you that this wasn’t going to hurt, because truthfully I know it will, especially this first time.”
At her frantic attempts to break away from him, he frowned and smacked her hard on one bare cheek. Rubbing the sore spot, he murmured in her ear, “I promise you, Viviana, that even though you don’t believe me now, you are going to love what I’m about to do to you. Do you know how I know that? Because you are the most sensuous, passionate woman I’ve ever known. And buried beneath that cock-teasing exterior is a woman who is begging to be taken, but not by just anyone. Oh no, sweetheart. Only by the man who is powerful enough to claim you, all of you. Which is what I’m going to do now. And sweetheart, while I won’t deny that it will hurt, you can make it hurt less if for once you don’t fight me. If you listen to me and do what I tell you to do.”
To her shock, he separated her ass cheeks, then squirted a dollop of the oily substance against her anus. He began circling the tight hole with one long finger, easing it deeper and deeper into the nerve-rich opening. Helpless to stop him, she shuddered when he inserted another lubed digit and then a third into her anus, stretching her impossibly bigger. His low, crooning words sent showers of fiery sensations across her screaming nerve endings as he told her to give in, to feel what was happening, not only to her but to him. She didn’t know when she realized that he’d rubbed the oily substance on his staff and that the unforgiving pressure she was feeling against her ass was the flared end of his aroused, lubricated penis.
In a gruff voice contorted with a mix of lust and anger, he said, “I’m going to untie you, baby. I need you up on your hands and knees. And, sweetheart, I’m going to remove the gag. I need both of us to hear you begging me not to stop. Beseeching me to take you in a way that you never knew you could be taken.” Loosening the restraints, Jax rolled her onto her stomach and then raised her hips high in the air. As he crawled up over her, his voice was brusque, harsh against her ear, thick with passion. “Listen to me, baby, and do what I tell you to. No, sweetheart, don’t fight me. When I press up against you like this, I need you to press back.” He groaned a deep, tortured male sound. “That’s the way, darling. Damn, Viviana, you are so fucking tight. Keep pushing, love, like that.” His voice escalated to an exultant roar. “Christ yes, Viviana, just like that!”
Long after their passionate cries had quieted and he’d held her next to him, praising her for her passion and willingness to give in to him, Jax carried her into the shower and gently washed them both. Drying her off, he scooped her up in his arms and laid her shivering body on the bed, then crawled in beside her. As they lay together, he stroked her quaking body and whispered sweet words of praise in her ears until they gave in to their exhaustion and blessedly fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Chapter 25
Viviana rolled over in her bed, reaching for Jax. Not feeling his muscular body beside her, she instantly awoke. A shiver of fear coursed over her. Was it possible that he’d left her? That he’d essentially taken her in the most intimate and frankly frightening way possible and then . . . left? Forcing herself wide-awake, she was shocked to see that her phone confirmed that it was 9:45 a.m. Which was impossible. She rarely slept past 6:00 a.m.—never later than 6:30. Managing to sit up, she acknowledged that she’d slept longer than she could remember having done.
It was then that she saw the note on her pillow. It was wrapped around a tube of analgesic cream purporting to ease the pain and discomfort of a number of ailments, specifically those involving one’s anus. Viviana felt her cheeks flame when she read Jax�
�s note.
Princess. You have to be feeling a tad sore this morning. Hope you agree that the experience we had makes the discomfort tolerable. Use a little of this cream and then know that when I have you in my arms tonight I’ll handle any residual symptoms. I love you, Viviana. If you weren’t fully aware before last night, you are my woman and I am your man. Enough said. Until tonight. Jax
Taking several deep breaths, Viviana tried to reconcile her conflicting emotions. She wanted to be angry, furious that Jax had come into her house without her permission and then after restraining her, had egregiously invaded her body—again without her permission. But reading the note and blushing at his knowledge that she was sore in places and ways that she never had been, she wished that he were here. That he hadn’t left before she woke up. She needed his arms around her. She longed to bury herself in his comforting presence, give in to his strength.
Acknowledging what was on her agenda today made Viviana wish something else. That she had allowed herself to confide in the wiliest, most strategic leader she’d ever known. Dammit, Jax was a literal Hannibal, if not Sun Tzu himself. She’d seen him take down an entire cartel in Belize, and he’d saved her last case from disastrously exploding. She shook her head, confirming that there was no way she could have brought Jax into this case. It was too fraught with danger and unanswered questions. God, even she admitted that the idea she’d identified the hideous masterminds behind the Lolitas Unbound, not to mention they were alive and well in San Jose, was frankly laughable. Laughable if it weren’t so dangerous.
The hours she’d spent after she’d left the Williams residence yesterday combing open and closed information sources had convinced her that Hannah Dillinger was the infamous “Miss H” that had terrorized Ariel. In addition, she was certain that the wealthy financial scion, Rodney Williams, was the despicable man Ariel said had made her “dance for him and do things to him.” Now all she needed was proof. She turned to the Internet to look for clues. Hours later, she rose from her computer, unable to read another detailed description of an FBI case involving child prostitution. She’d considered herself knowledgeable in this hideous arena, but had never spent the better part of a day immersed in the ugliness, the sheer horror of what human beings were capable of doing to helpless children.
Over the years she’d built a titanium-strength shell around herself, allowing her to study the Dark Net without letting it invade her psychic core. In the brief moments of self-reflection she allowed herself, she acknowledged that it was becoming harder to contain the fleeting memories from her past. Particularly since her nightmares were becoming more frequent. She’d begun to wonder if it was Jax’s fault. It was a ridiculous thing to think, much less say. But he’d invaded so much of her mind and body that it shouldn’t surprise her that the impregnable shell she’d spent most of her life creating seemed to have a fault line. One that Jax had inadvertently tripped.
Glancing bleary-eyed at the clock, she realized that she had been focusing on her screen for nearly six hours. She debated running Telegraph Pass but surprised herself by deciding that challenging her body wasn’t what her frazzled brain required. Strangely enough, she needed human company. Someone who would be as challenged by these discoveries as she was. Dragging on tight jeans and a sweater, she headed for Flemings. She knew she was taking a chance confiding further in Francis. He was becoming fierce about the fact that they needed to bring Jax into the case. She knew that on one level he was right. Hell, if she wasn’t sure that Jax would laugh in her face at her outrageous conclusions, she would love to lay out her preliminary case and let the strategic mastermind find the evidence she admitted she was missing.
Pulling into the Fleming’s parking lot, Viviana was lost in thought. God, her crazy brain was like an out-of-focus kaleidoscope, spinning crazily from one indistinct image to another. Nothing quite like trying to focus on what she’d discovered about the many young girls Miss H had apparently “coached,” to the memory of the formidable Rodney Williams studying her as though he knew she was on to him, to the much more potent memories of her outrageous lover invading her body and soul. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t hear a man calling her name until he reached for her arm. Surprised, she turned to see the stocky man beside her. Staring at his hand encircling he upper arm, she tried to shut down her protective response. Apparently seeing her reaction, the man stepped back and held up his hands in apology.
“Forgive me, Sergeant Moreau. I didn’t mean to startle you. I called your name several times, and I thought you heard me. I . . . my name is Frank Marshal, and this Dan Coates.” Pointing to the burly man standing beside him, the man called Frank hastened to explain. “We’re stringers with the LA Times and are in the process of writing a background piece on what we are calling the new face of the San Jose PD.” His expression lit up appreciatively as he raked his eyes suggestively over her body and said with an appealing grin, “It goes without saying that no article on the SJPD would be complete without a few quotes and hopefully a photo spread including pictures of the Enchantress.”
Apparently seeing her frown, the second man intervened. “We promise you, Sergeant Moreau, we won’t take up any more of your time than you are willing to give. It’s just that the latest gossip implies that you and the new police chief are an item. We’d kill to be the first to confirm that news.”
Viviana couldn’t hide her impatience. Although she admitted it served her right. For years she’d basked in the star-struck attention of the San Jose media, make that the statewide media. She’d unashamedly used it to further her personal and professional goals and bring some much-needed positive attention to the SJPD. Giving in to the two men who were eyeing her hopefully, she decided she’d have to wait to snag Francis. She’d been looking forward to comparing notes with her one confidant and was eager to begin mapping out what she knew was a risky strategy. Deciding that bottle of Maker’s Mark she’d been envisioning would have to wait, she planted a reasonably pleasant smile on her face and nodded in agreement to the two men beside her.
Turning back to her Mazda, she said over her shoulder, “All right, boys. I guess I can let you buy me a drink. But just one. I’m limited in time. Give me a chance to get my briefcase . . . ”
Much later, Viviana would remember the sharp sting in the back of her neck. It was followed by a blinding pain that brought her to her knees before the world around her blessedly went to black.
***
Jax glanced impatiently at his watch. God, how much longer was this going to take? He was beginning to acknowledge that too much of his time as the new SJPD police chief was spent in promotion. He knew that anything he could do to paint a positive picture of the beleaguered department was all to the good. Damn, after the Dominatrix Diva catastrophe, when the former commissioner and five other members of the SJPD had been arrested for participating in a despicable prostitution ring, public relations should be at the top of his agenda. Planting as sincere a smile on his face as he could muster, he acknowledged the glowing introduction the master of ceremonies was giving him. After all, it was no small feat to be invited to give the keynote address at the annual convention of police chiefs. Particularly since he’d been a police chief for less than a month. Unquestionably his stardom was exacerbated by his “association” with none other than the Enchantress.
Jax admitted that the one way to ensure his smile was sincere, hell, make it approximate a grin was to remember the remarkable night he’d spent with the most erotic woman in the world. The thought of Viviana bound to the bed, staring up at him, her eyes filled with a frantic mixture of fear and desire tightened his dress trousers. He cautioned himself that in less than five minutes he’d be taking the podium and a noticeable erection would be unseemly at best. Throwing caution aside, Jax allowed himself to revel in the memory of taking Viviana in the way that she needed to be taken if he was ever going to convince her that she was his woman. Her outrageous behavior and unwillingness to bring him into her new case had
sharpened from annoyance to anger and, finally, to seething rage.
It was only when he’d buried himself deep in her most private hole did the fury that had made it almost impossible for him to take a decent breath begin to lessen. She had been genuinely angry, then frightened when he restrained her. Her fear clearly escalated when she understood what he planned to do. He was elated when she had stopped fighting him and gave in to his demands. But what he was sure would be one of the most powerful moments of his life was when she obeyed his command to push back against him, allowing him to bury himself deep in her tight channel.
He hated like hell to leave her sleeping this morning. He would have given anything to lie next to her beautiful body and revel in the remarkable evening they’d had. Rather than simply leave a tube of the analgesic cream for her to use, he would have loved to gently rub the soothing ointment into what had to be a sore place. He could almost see and hear her reaction if he did. She’d be embarrassed by his intimate ministrations. That was before he convinced her to give in to his command, insisting that she let him take care of her, all of her, the way he intended to for the rest of his life.
He reminded himself that before he claimed total victory over the challenging woman, he had one small task to complete. That was to break through her determination to thwart his demand that she bring him into her latest case. Jax pressed his lips together, acknowledging that Sergeant Moreau’s lover wouldn’t handle that assignment. No, that task would be managed by her police chief. He smiled grimly, acknowledging that bringing the obstreperous, “lone ranger” sergeant to heel would require a strong hand. One that he was more than willing to apply.
***
Francis glanced at his watch for the fifth time. It was then that he realized nearly forty minutes had passed since he’d received Viviana’s exultant text. “Bring out that bottle of Bowmore’s you’ve been hiding. You won’t believe what I’ve discovered. You and me, Francis baby, are about to take down the infamous Miss H and her financier accomplice. I’m pulling into the parking lot. Reserve the back booth. Be there in five.”