Liberated Heart (Windy City Book 4)

by Measha Stone

She stared at him silently. "Of course I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

  "Well, there you go. Now, get back out there, and hash all this out so we can eat." His lips curled into a soft smile that although lightened the tension in the room, did not lessen the firmness of the order.

  "Fine." She tucked an errant hair back behind her ear and marched past him, shoving the door open and re-entering the living room.

  "Everything okay?" Kelly stood from her seat and walked over to her. "You look frazzled. Are you frazzled?"

  Erin pushed Kelly's hands away when she went to grab her shoulders. "I'm fine." She rolled her eyes then. "I'm fine. I wasn't when Jonathan left. I was a mess, but when I sat down and really thought about it, I realized we had been over for a while. I didn't really miss him that much. I was more worried about what my parents would say when I told them, and what you guys would think when I got around to letting you know."

  "What we would think? We'd think he's a fucking asshole and deserves to have his balls cut off," Kelly all but yelled.

  "Seriously, Erin. Why didn't you tell us? We were so worried." Jessica walked over to join them and picked up her hands, holding them gently.

  Erin noticed Bradley enter the room and took a deep breath. "I was embarrassed. I've always been the one with a relationship, the steady one. Then all of a sudden you three were off building these wonderful relationships and there I was, being walked out on. I mean he didn't just not want me—he wanted someone else. He replaced me." She hadn't expected tears, but they had built up in her eyes all the same.

  Alex made his way to the small circle and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Jonathan is a fool, but his loss is obviously Bradley's gain." He glanced over his shoulder at Alyssa then back at the three women. "Him doing what he did speaks to his character, sweet Erin, not yours." He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Now." He dropped his hand. "About this Bradley character." He turned to Bradley who had managed to stand away from her. "I've known him a long time and although I wouldn't picture you with him, I can see he really cares about you."

  "I don't think she's asking your permission to date me." Bradley remarked from behind them.

  "Alex isn't always right." Kelly glared over at Bradley.

  "Kelly." Kendrick's warning went ignored.

  "I mean she's been here a week and hasn't said a word to us. He looks a bit more serious than Erin is used to."

  "Kelly. I love you, but you don't have a clue about what I'm used to or what I want." Erin moved away from her friends and to Bradley's side. "Now. Dinner's ready so go sit down and I'll bring out the food."

  "We'll help." Jessica grabbed Kelly's arm and headed off to the kitchen before Erin could stop them. She looked to Royce and Kendrick still perched on the loveseat.

  "You hid for weeks. Whatever those two have cooked up for you is your doing." Royce winked and stood up, pushing his hands into his pockets.

  "Alex." Erin looked to him for help, and he only shook his head.

  "I'm not getting involved. I think we'll go to the dining room and just wait out this storm."

  "I'll see what I can do." Alyssa gave her a sympathetic smile as she walked past and into the kitchen.

  Erin was left standing alone in the living room after Bradley gave her a kiss on the cheek and led the guys out of the room. Whatever was waiting in the kitchen wouldn't be ignored, so she might as well get it over with.

  She should have known the girls wouldn't let it all drop so damn easily. Jessica wanted details of the breakup and how she met Bradley. Kelly wanted to know if Bradley was as intimidating as he looked, and Alyssa poured the wine.

  "I'm sorry I didn't go to you guys. It's just…"

  "Look, whatever it was that kept you away, you need to know that we wouldn't ever let you hurt alone."

  "I know that, it's just, well, I've always been the tag along so when…"

  "Wait, what?" Kelly popped a piece of chicken into her mouth. "Tag along? What the fuck does that mean?"

  "I mean you guys took me in."

  "I swear I'm going to slap you." Jessica held the serving spoon midair, potatoes dripped into the pan. "You are going to say that you just tagged along during college, and we just haven't kicked you out yet. Like you're some lost puppy that we didn't want to turn away?"

  Erin stared at her for a moment in silence. She'd never told anyone about feeling like that. "I, well…"

  "That's stupid. Why would she think that?" Kelly shoved her hair behind her ear. The long thick curls wouldn't stay put though, and several stocks fell right back in her face.

  "Maybe because you guys tend to talk about her like she's not standing right there." Alyssa pointed out while putting the bottle of wine back on the counter.

  "Oh." Kelly turned to Erin. "Do we do that a lot?"

  "Well, sometimes. It's more that you guys keep things from me. Like when you were having doubts with Kendrick, you didn't tell me the real problem. You talked in code. I get that now, but I didn't know what the hell you were talking about then."

  "We do do that, don't we?" Jessica grimaced then went back to serving up the potatoes.

  "When did you guys find out about Alex owning the club?" Erin put the carving knife in the sink.

  "We found out only about a month ago, I think." Kelly plucked another chunk of chicken from the serving platter. "You'd already started being a bit evasive."

  "You wouldn't have told me anyway." Erin picked up the chicken, holding it away from Kelly's outreached hand.

  "No. Probably not. Not yet anyway." Jessica admitted. "He didn't know we knew." She turned her gaze on Alyssa. "And, Alyssa wouldn't let us tell him we knew."

  "No, don't pin this on me." Alyssa waved her hands in front of her. "I wasn't supposed to even tell you two. Things weren't exactly going all that well with Alex at the time."

  "I heard you guys had some trouble, but you seemed to have worked it out." Erin glared at Kelly when she managed to steal another piece of chicken.

  "We did. He groveled beautifully." Alyssa grinned.

  "I'm sure he does a few other things pretty darn well, too. Less groveling on his end, and more begging on yours." Kelly gave Alyssa a wink to go with the wide smile she flashed.

  "I swear to god, Kelly." Erin's face began to blush.

  "See? Look how easily you embarrass." Kelly pointed at her. "How can I possibly think you're okay here with Bradley. He has a reputation."

  "A reputation for what?"

  "Kelly." Jessica picked up the potatoes while giving Kelly a warning glare.

  Kelly ignored Jessica. "For being mean, harsh, cruel."

  "Oh. That." Relief washed through Erin at her statement, having expected something far worse.

  "And he's never been with one girl for very long." Kelly threw out as well.

  "Kelly, Alex said not to say anything." Alyssa joined Jessica in glaring Kelly's direction.

  "Alex is your keeper, not mine." Kelly shrugged.

  "I think Kendrick had also mentioned…"

  "Stop worrying." Erin cut them off. "Bradley has been nothing but honest with me. We have been honest with each other. This may all end tomorrow, or it may not. We are just taking it a day at a time."

  "Casual?" Kelly's brow shot up.

  "No, not really. I don't know what you'd call it. I mean we aren't going to see other people, but we aren't putting expectations on each other either."

  "Do you think it's wise? I mean, you just broke up with Jonathan a few weeks ago." Jessica's soft voice of reason hung between them as Erin deliberated her answer.

  "Here's what I know: when Jonathan told me about his affair, that he was leaving, I hurt so badly I wished my chest would just explode and be done with it. But a few days later, it wasn't him I was missing. Not really. I mean it still hurt, betrayal like that, well, you know. But it wasn't him. Does that make sense?"

  The three women studied her for a moment before Jessica broke the silence. "Yeah. It does."

  "Can we please go eat now?
Before Kelly eats all the chicken?" She swung her arms toward the dining room door, both to get them moving, and to keep the platter out of Kelly's reach.

  "One last question. I promise." Kelly put her hand on Erin's arm to still her. "Is he mean? Cause he looks mean." Kelly asked again.

  Erin laughed. "Yes, sometimes, but in really good ways." She gave a wink and headed to the dining room before anyone could respond.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Bradley leaned against the banister watching Erin say her last good-byes to Jessica and Kelly. The evening had taken its toll on her. The muscles in her neck were tight, and her hands fisted and unfisted in her lap most of the evening. He wondered if she knew how much energy she used avoiding confrontation.

  Once the front door closed, and Erin turned to him, he crooked a finger at her. Her smile, that had been wavering in those last moments, perked up, and she took a step toward him. He shook his head and pointed to the floor. "Present." Her step paused, and she took a deep breath. Hesitation wasn't what kept her, it was memory. He hadn't asked her to present since he'd taught her the pose. Memory regained, she sunk to her knees and crawled the short distance to him. Upon reaching him, she sat back on her heels, spread her knees and placed her hands on her thighs. Her eyes found him immediately and already her pupils dilated.

  He ran his fingertips across her forehead, pushing her bangs from her face to let him see her eyes more clearly. Aroused, but also focused. "So, I'm mean am I?" He wrapped her hair around his hand and used it to pull her to her feet.

  She winced but managed to scramble to her feet before he had to pull harder. Once steady, he dragged her to the wall near the stairs and pushed her against it. Still holding her hair in one fist, he placed his other hand over her throat, pinning her to the wall with it. Her eyes widened, she took in a deep breath, and she searched his expression. "I, I didn't mean it like that." She knew better than to claw at his hands, but he could see in her expression the inner turmoil to do just that.

  "Yes, you did." He couldn't help but grin. "I heard you, you said I was mean in really good ways, isn't that what you said?" He shook her head a little when she remained silent.

  "Yes. That's what I said."

  "I think that glass of wine I let you have has messed up your memory, pet. How do you address me?"

  Her breath came more rapidly, and her feet fidgeted as he pressed slightly more on her throat.

  "Sir! That's what I said, sir." Her hands clenched at her sides, but her eyes remained focused on him. Such a good girl she was for him, but tonight would push her limits.

  "I haven't been mean yet, but tonight that's going to change. Tonight, I'm going to give you pain, and you'll take every bit of it because it will please me for you to do so. And you want that, right?"

  She nodded as best she could, and he responded with a tighter grip on her hair. "Yes, sir!" Her voice portrayed the difficulty of speaking with his hand so tight around her throat. He could feel her trying to control her breath beneath his grip, as well as every time she swallowed. The power he held in that moment was no little thing. Too hard of a squeeze, and he could injure her indefinitely, or cut off all air supply. He could keep her from breathing at all, hold her there until her face started to turn a darker shade. But she made no move to struggle against him, or push his hand from her throat. She was giving him her trust, and submitting to his desire to control her barest of needs. More than her touching him, more than having her succulent lips around his cock, did her submission to him in that moment turn him on.

  He eased up on his grip around her delicate, slim throat. "What are your safewords?"

  "Mercy and Red, sir." She answered him without hesitation.

  "Good girl." He smiled at her, moving closer to kiss her briefly then run his tongue over her lips. "Get down on your fucking knees and follow me up the stairs. When we get up to my room, you are to strip yourself and present your ass for a spanking."

  She swallowed hard, and her eyebrows furrowed, but she made no remark. "You aren't being punished. This is for my enjoyment. Everything tonight is for my enjoyment. And you'll do everything I ask. Why is that?" He put more pressure on her throat, and pressed his ear to her lips. "Why?"

  She took a deep breath when he released the pressure. The sound alerting his cock at how much she was willing to take for him. "Because I want to please you, sir." Her tongue ran over her dry lips, but she never looked away.

  "Good." He pushed away from her, giving her a little shove to get her back on her knees. She slipped down gracefully and waited for him to begin his ascent before she began to crawl up the stairs. He didn't need to look back to know she was there, he could sense her, feel her eyes on him as they moved closer to his bedroom.

  Once they were in his room he left her to do as he instructed and went off into his closet to gather the toys he'd set aside for their evening. He knew dealing with her friends would be hard for her, and she had shown him exactly what he knew already. She was strong enough to deal with anything head on, even if she needed a little push to get going. Watching her deal with the questions her friends threw at her, he could feel his chest expanding with pride.

  Overhearing her talking with the girls in the kitchen had been accidental. He went to ask if she needed help carrying the large platter of chicken into the dining room, but had heard Kelly's question before he pushed the door open. Her response thrilled him to his toes. Instead of continuing on with his intentions, he'd all but floated back to the dining room to wait with the other men.

  He stripped off his shirt and shoes but left on his jeans. If he walked back in there with no barrier between him and Erin, the fun would be short lived, and he had plans for her. Gathering up his toys, he headed back to the bedroom and found her exactly as she was directed to be. Completely nude and draped over the edge of his bed, hands stretched out in front of her and her cheek pressed against the mattress. She'd pulled her hair into a loose ponytail at her neck and he wondered for a moment if she was trying to help him or deny him the pleasure of wrapping her wavy locks around his fist.

  "That's a good pet." He didn't go to her yet, instead he went about laying out what he needed for their evening. He draped the flogger over her back. "Hold that a moment."

  Then, he took a moment to soak in her appearance. The milky white coloring of her healthy round globes made his mouth water. He wanted to sink his teeth into her ass, but held himself back. There would be plenty of time for that.

  Leaning over the bed, he slid his fingers into her hair, beneath the band holding her hair and clenched his fist. She hissed at the sudden pain in her scalp. He pulled her head back, until she was looking at the ceiling. He could smell the perfume she'd dabbed behind her ear when he pressed his face against hers. "You did a wonderful job tonight, baby. I'm very proud of the way you handled yourself. And I'm sure you'll keep making me proud tonight. Isn't that right?"

  "Yes, sir." She turned her head as much as she could with his hand still clenching her hair to meet his gaze. "You were happy with me?" The question, asked in a near whisper, pulled at his heart. She truly did seek his pleasure.

  "If I weren't, we'd be doing something entirely different right now," he assured her, then grabbed the handle of the flogger and slid it from her back. Tossing it over his shoulder and out of his way, he ran his fingers over her displayed globes. Using both hands he pulled her ass cheeks apart, ignoring her grunt of embarrassment as he took his fill of looking at her. "Your pussy is already wet, and I haven't even touched you yet," he said without looking back at her. He didn't need to. He knew her face was buried in the covers and her cheeks were burning hot from his exploration of her body.

  Sliding his middle finger through her folds, he found her entrance and made no preamble of thrusting it inside. Her back arched and her embarrassed moan quickly turned into an aroused gasp. He grinned down at his greedy little girl when she pushed back against his hand. "Tell me what you want." She hated verbalizing her physical desires, which on
ly made him love making her do it all the more. He never claimed be anything but the asshole he was.

  He pulled his finger from her and delivered three hard swats to the curve of her ass, delighting in the gentle wiggle of her cheeks as they were dusted with color. One hard slap to her exposed pussy had her trying to close her legs tightly.

  "Open them, now." He peppered her thighs with harsh slaps until she complied, yelping with each new smack. "I didn't tell you to move, did I?" He waited for a response that didn't come. "Did I tell you to move?" he asked after delivering another hard smack to her curved ass.

  "No, sir." She took a deep breath, but didn't look back at him. He loosened the grip on her hair and readjusted his stance.

  "Then don't fucking move." He dragged his nails up her ass cheek, leaving a red trail of lines up her ass, until she wiggled beneath his hand and squealed delicately. "Stand up." He led her to the far wall of his room where one single mounting ring was bolted to the wall. He pushed her against the wall, until her sore ass was pressed against it. "Stay here." He kissed her quickly, then headed back over to the bed to gather up his rope.

  She watched him move about, but didn't move. "Hands." He made quick work of binding her wrists and stringing her up to the ring above her. With her hands stretched over head, and her breasts pulled higher, her stomach went more taut. She looked good enough to eat. "How are your hands? Too tight?" He felt around her fingers checking them for a temperature change or discoloration.

  "No, it's okay."

  He raised an eyebrow at her and waited for her correction.

  "It's not too tight, sir."

  "Mm Hm." Having her at his disposal in such a way wouldn't allow him to walk away just yet. He needed to touch her, feel her heat beneath his fingers. Running his hands over her body, he cupped her breasts, then tweaked her nipples before cupping her face and crushing her lips beneath his. "Fuck you taste good." He muttered against her lips. "Ten lashes. Count them, and don't fuck it up or we start over again, understand?"

  "Yes, sir." She nodded as he stepped to the side. He yanked the flogger off his shoulder and threw the falls into the air a few times to get a feel for the implement. It had been a while since he used that particular one. The leather falls could be soft against her skin or they could give quite a bite, but it was the heaviness of them that he wanted.