Enthrall Climax

by Vanessa Fewings

  “I thought we were negotiating?”

  “I am.”

  “What does the next level involve?”

  I arched a brow. “Really want to discuss this now?”

  “A hint?”

  I whispered, “I will push you to your limit and beyond.”

  She inhaled sharply. “I want that.”

  “An erotic nirvana?”

  Her fingers tightened around my hand. “It will be good for us.”

  “Do we have an agreement?”

  She threw a smile at someone across the room and then her gaze returned to mine. “My boss.”

  “I’m your boss.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  I glanced over at Dana Davenport, our director of marketing, and gave her a friendly nod of acknowledgment. From the way she glared back, she didn’t approve. “She’s a little scary.” I pulled a face.

  “I can handle her.”

  I couldn’t have been prouder. When I’d first met Mia she’d been a wallflower, a little naïve I’ll admit, but desirously innocent. I’d helped her blossom into the woman she was now and that made what we had all the more sacred. I knew her well, even to the extent of knowing she was about to beg for what she wanted in three, two, one—

  “I’m ready.”

  I suppressed a smile. “Not sure you are.”

  “I am.” She swallowed hard, unable to hide her nervousness.

  In that moment the only thought I had was of me shoving my dick down her throat—I was going to explode if I couldn’t touch her again for the rest of the night.

  The music stopped and I thanked her for the dance, turning my back on her and heading for the bar, trying to act like she had no effect on me despite being aroused by her Black Opium perfume, which she’d dabbed in all the right places before leaving home.

  Her begging me to go darker with her was destroying my will to breathe. Light-years ago it had been my reason to live. Fucking on that level was a goddamned ecstasy unlike any experience I’d ever had. My body was burning up as my imagination offered all the variations infused into formidable play—the fucked-up glorious kind. I had no right introducing her to what had once been my obsession. She deserved to be treated like a queen and degrading her was a hard limit for me as her master. My will to remain decent with her was flailing against my need to return to that rapturous practice.

  Putting distance between us brought me down from the pinnacle of these debauched thoughts, yet my mind raged against my desires.

  I gestured to get the waiter’s attention and ordered another Perrier. I turned my mind to accounting. The recent software updates. The current state of the Stock Exchange. Anything to stop an erection.

  Oh, hell no…

  Black Opium wafted from behind me. “Cameron?”

  I turned and gave Mia a cordial smile. “Hey.”

  She glanced around the room to see if we were being watched. “This is hard on me, too.”

  My brain launched into overdrive with the way she expressed the word hard.

  Being forbidden to touch her was having an adverse effect. I went to brush a strand of hair out of her face and then reached for my water.

  I quickly withdrew my hand, remembering I’d left my drink alone for fifteen minutes. If Shay caught me drinking from a potential threat he’d be on my case. I looked around for him hoping he could save me from breaking Mia’s rule. I was about to wrap my hand around the back of her neck and drag her in for a kiss.

  I chose instead to bite down on my lip like a literary heroine—tongue-fucking her right this second in front of everyone would have been preferable.

  “I’m with you because I love you,” she said softly. “Not for what you can do for me.”

  “I know.”

  She’d more than proven it when she’d stood by my side during the darkest hours for our company. Mia had been right there for me with her love and support, confirming we were everything we needed to be to make this work. She’d been my goddamned refuge.

  “Hey, bro.” Henry tapped my shoulder. “How’s it going?”

  “Great. You?”

  Easily as tall as me and having kept up a military physique from his time as a SEAL, my big brother was garnering the kind of attention he rarely cared about. Henry was a dichotomy, a team player and yet a loner, a martial arts expert and yet as gentle as they come, and most of all a recovering soldier from a war that still wasn’t over. Henry’s capture back in Afghanistan had changed him irrevocably—though from his smart tuxedo and dashing smile he looked every bit the privileged executive.

  We were both fans of “The Art of War” and had benefited from this essential reading material for businessmen who wanted an edge. We’d strived to make running a billion dollar company look easy. He’d dabbled in the family business but more recently I’d sensed a gnawing dissatisfaction.

  He gave a polite smile to Mia to let her know he wanted to talk with me alone.

  With a look of understanding, she headed back to our table. I watched her walk away and my gaze refused to break away from her devastating stride.

  Henry watched her too. “Can’t be easy, pretending to be colleagues?”

  “This is important to her.” Though it was soon coming to an end.

  “So how’s the wedding plans?”

  “I’d marry her tomorrow if I could.”

  “Good answer.” He glanced over at Mia. “She went shopping for a wedding dress yesterday with Mom. So there’s no going back now.”

  “Escape is always possible.” It came out wrong and I cringed at how it sounded. “Not with Mia though. She’s…”

  “Special. I agree.”

  Thoughts of my ex-fiancée McKenzie screamed through my brain, dragging all that carnage with it.

  Henry slapped my shoulder. “Share that thought.”

  I waved it off. “I was thinking of someone else.”

  “McKenzie? That shit’s history. File her away in the ‘She Devil Drawer’ and get on with your life.” Henry patted my back. “And you say I have PTSD.”

  A rush of movement to my left made me step back, water spilling from my glass.

  It was Shay, his eerily silent movements reminiscent of his stealth years back in the military. His black tuxedo camouflaged the bad boy image he’d once carried. He’d been one of the officers to storm into enemy territory to save Henry’s life, and that selfless act had bonded them as close as brothers. He was everything a good soldier should be and so much more. When he’d left the SEALS I’d offered him the kind of salary he couldn’t refuse.

  More recently, Shay had stood by me when I’d sacrificed everything for Cole Tea to drag it out of its recent nosedive, and I was willing to do anything to keep him working for me. His heroism was now focused on keeping us safe in the concrete jungle of New York.

  I might even go so far as to say I loved the bastard.

  “Where the fuck have you been?” I asked gruffly.

  “Was gonna ask you that.” He waved to the barman. “Diet Coke. You guys want anything?”

  “We’re fine.” I gave his arm an affectionate pat. “Have something stronger.”

  “I’m on duty.” His tone turned sarcastic. “Thank you for doing my job all night, Henry.” He was insinuating he’d spent a lot of time with Mia.

  “Careful,” warned Henry, his glare revealing his friendship with Mia was out of bounds.

  An unfazed Shay returned his attention to me. “Everything good for tonight?”

  With my nod I reassured him I had everything covered for yet another detour this evening. I’d planned it down to every detail and I’d been itching to see Mia’s response to her surprise.

  “What’s going on?” asked Henry.

  My glare told him it would soon be my time with Mia.

  “I hear she found the dress.” Shay woke me from my musing.

  I smiled at the thought of seeing her walk down the aisle in a wedding gown. She was going to look ethereal. She’d cured me of
my fear of commitment and had me looking forward to a wedding I’d never envisioned.

  Henry grinned at me. “You’re a lucky man, Cam. Mom is already calling Mia her daughter. I’m concerned all that happiness might be too much for our mother’s black heart.”

  Thanks to Henry, my family had accepted my fiancée after he’d proclaimed she’d been the one to save him from his reclusive life in Big Bear. A spontaneous visit from her had soothed his depression. From the way they’d been huddled together earlier I could see they were close.

  The true miracle here was that Mia had survived a day of shopping with our mom with the help of Aunt Rose, who had been there to smooth out the afternoon in a high-end store on Fifth Avenue. Those kinds of luxury stores were not a natural habitat for Mia.

  “You can’t go wrong with Vera Wang,” said Henry.

  I froze mid-sip as that designer’s name screeched into my brain like a train derailing…

  Shay studied me. “You okay?”

  I spun around to face the bar as I replayed Henry’s words. Vera Wang.

  A horrifying memory replayed in my head, a nightmare visage of lush white tulle slashed into pieces, scattered all over my Beverly Hills bedroom.

  “Finally sinking in?” Henry downed the rest of his drink. “My little brother’s getting hitched.”

  I raised my hand toward the barman. “I’m gonna need something stronger.”

  THE PARTY AT THE MANDARIN ended at midnight and we all shared our sleepy, alcohol-hazed goodbyes. I held back as my friends and colleagues poured out onto the curb.

  Feigning being single was not only hard because I wanted to be able to show heaps of PDA to Cameron all night, it was also flooding me with guilt for seeing how it was affecting him. Still, in a few more weeks I’d have the chance to establish myself as a legitimate employee and not be seen as a woman who had merely used her connections.

  Although we had left the hotel separately, we were soon together again and snuggling in the back of the SUV as Ben drove us away. Resting my head against Cameron’s chest and feeling safe with his arm wrapped around me, I drifted off.

  “Mia.”

  His voice stirred me from sleep.

  I rubbed my tired eyes, expecting to see the entrance to The Walker Tower that led to our penthouse, but I recognized nothing around us. “Where are we?”

  “Detour.” He peered up at the immense office building. “Chelsea.”

  It was really happening…

  I followed his gaze toward the modern brick and glass structure, unsettled that he’d chosen such a late hour. We both had work tomorrow, but after the way I’d begged for this I shouldn’t be surprised. “Will there be others?”

  Will they watch us?

  He removed something from his jacket pocket and opened his palm.

  Staring down at the silver key, I muttered, “You’re not leaving me here?”

  He closed his fist and tapped the glass divider. “Ben.”

  Our chauffeur got out and opened the passenger door for us and I followed Cameron onto the curb.

  He gave Ben a nod of thanks. “Wait for us.”

  That was my first clue this wouldn’t take long—whatever it was. Cameron was always conscious of his driver’s time, even if he was paid well.

  We headed into the foyer, its modern chrome and sleek design contrasting vastly with the exterior. The place was deserted and the lights had been dimmed to fit with the late hour. We threw a wave at the night manager sitting behind the sprawling reception desk as we hurried toward the elevator.

  “Is it a private party?” I held the rail, trying to shake off my sleepiness as we ascended. “Are we meeting someone?”

  He shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. “No.”

  Warmth soaked into my bones as I snuggled into his tuxedo jacket. A waft of his cologne made a rush of excitement slither up my spine. “How did you find this place?”

  “Did my research.” He tucked his hands into his pockets with sophisticated style and gave me one of his affectionate smiles. That was another clue. Cameron hadn’t slipped into his dominant demeanor yet so there was still time to ask questions.

  A flood of pleasure surged through me, my skin tingling with aliveness, my nipples beading with anticipation and my clit throbbing in readiness. All I had to do was prepare for a greater level of pain. Was I capable of enduring the harshest of punishments? True subjugation? He’d secured me in a cage before now so I tried to comprehend how much more depraved this could get.

  “What kind of things?” The words rushed from me.

  “In what respect?”

  “Dark by Chrysalis’s standards and not Hillenbrand?”

  Cameron looked thoughtful “Very often it’s the thrill garnered from a scenario.”

  “So it’s not just more pain?”

  “It’s about bringing your erotic fantasies to life.” He reached out and curled a finger over my neckline, pulling me toward him and leaning in close, ready to kiss.

  A tease I knew so well…

  My insides liquefied as he towered over me with a fierce command. All I had to do was tip my chin up and his lips would be devouring mine.

  My fantasies brought to life…

  A sigh escaped my lips.

  The doors slid open.

  Cameron pulled back and smiled at his teasing refusal to kiss me. He knew he’d set me alight with passion and left me quivering with need. My solar plexus tingled with the thrill of the unknown.

  He took my right hand and interlocked his fingers with mine as we stepped out into a hallway and headed down the dimly lit space. We passed door after door and they all looked the same. It would be easy to get lost.

  “You’ve yet to reveal your fantasies, Mia.” He glanced at me.

  My cheeks flushed as my thoughts skimmed over the erotic imaginings I’d never shared with anyone—they were too raunchy to be brought out into the light, too decadent to be told. He was enough. He’d always be enough and fantasies were just that, a private reverie.

  Cameron arched a brow. “That one’s quite common.”

  My hand slapped to my mouth in embarrassment.

  He leaned close to my ear. “How wet are you right now?”

  I shuddered against him.

  “Mia, I can read your thoughts. It’s a rare privilege.” He dragged his teeth over his bottom lip seductively.

  My blushing face felt like it was on fire.

  He winked. “We’re here.”

  In a daze, I turned to face the door and a ripple of confusion ran through me when I read the sign: Marcella’s Boutique Fashion House.

  This wouldn’t be the first time our society had used a front to camouflage the adventures within. The secret club Pendulum back in L.A. where masters and subs were left to their own devices was fronted by a fancy Italian light store. Or so I’d been told. I’d never been in there.

  My gaze fell back on Cameron. “What is this?”

  He slid the key into the lock, turned it, and led me inside. The white walls were covered in striking photographs of fashion models wearing a colorful array of glamorous designer dresses of every style. In the corner, mannequins were drenched in blue, red, and gold satin gowns, the material flowing off them and pooling at their base.

  As we walked through into a more expansive area there were sketches strewn on a white central table…

  Realization made me spin around. “Cameron?”

  “What do you think?”

  My heart rate took off and my mind scrambled back to reality because I’d been revved toward a completely different kind of climax.

  I was not prepared for this.

  “You’ll be their intern on Fridays. If you like it you’ll be invited to expand to fulltime. If you don’t fuck it up that is.” His eyes twinkled.

  “Leave Cole Tea?”

  “You’d be following your dream, Mia.” He picked up one of the sketches. “Yours are just as good as these.”

  “T
his is too much.”

  He came toward me and swept me up in a hug. “If I gave you the world it wouldn’t be enough.”

  Breathing him in, I closed my eyes to cope with this headiness. “How did you arrange this? Are you sure they’d want me?”

  “Absolutely. You’ll run errands, answer the phones, assist wherever necessary and learn from the ground up. They’re all about nurturing new talent.”

  “This is incredible.”

  “You’ll love Marcella. She’s a world class designer.”

  I drew in a sharp breath of excitement realizing we were standing inside Marcella Rayella’s studio, a renowned designer whose slogan for the more curvaceous figure, Feel Beautiful Because You Are, had made her a legend. So many times I’d swooned over those Vogue pages showcasing her talent for honoring the female form. Her clothes were unpretentious and flattering.

  He looked toward the mannequins. “They’re a little creepy.”

  I spun round imagining myself working here, realizing that this could be the start of something big. “Cam, how will I ever thank you?”

  I’d never in a million years believed this was possible for a girl like me, even after all the possibilities that had come my way.

  “I wanted you to settle into New York first.” He revealed this had been on his mind for awhile.

  My thoughts carried me back to Chrysalis, to the time when he’d been training me as a submissive and had thrown in those extra lessons, including math and etiquette, because he’d seen the potential in me.

  “Seriously…how can I thank you?”

  He arched his brow playfully and then laughed at his insinuation.

  I threw my arms around his neck. “This is amazing.”

  He stepped back. “Maybe you could design your own wedding dress?”

  “I found it already.” My new gown really was beautiful and that comment threw me a little because he knew I’d gone shopping with his mom and Aunt Rose.

  “You might get inspired to create something.” His gaze swept the room. “Find a dress that’s more…you.”

  “I’m happy with the one I have.” He’d fall in love with my Vera Wang as soon as he saw it. I’d chosen a long, lace sheath dress detailed with flowers created from crystals. “It’s so pretty. I can’t wait to wear it.”