I Need You Now: Standalone HEA Billionaire Alpha Male BDSM Erotica Contemporary Suspense Romance (Need Series #2)

by Cynthia P. O'Neill

  “No one will need to go to court,” Alexander announced.

  We all looked his way, especially Ethan. “Why?” he asked.

  “I talked with his father on the way over here. He wanted to donate his son’s life insurance money, the sum of a quarter million dollars, to help fund our cause to create earlier detections for aneurysms. He feels sorry for what his son put everyone through.” He paused for a moment. “Tom’s body started shutting down last night. He passed earlier this morning.”

  Marissa instantly began crying. Dane and I tried consoling her, but she insisted, “I’m okay, guys. I’m just relieved it’s over and I won’t have to face him again. I’d never wish what happened to him on anyone, but I can’t say that I’ll mourn his passing. I can’t wait to call—” She stopped mid-sentence and looked over to Rafe. “I’m sorry, Rafe. I didn’t mean to almost mention her name.”

  Hmm. So there was something going on between those two. If they were meant to be I had a suspicion that Mr. Prescott would help bring them together somehow. He’d played matchmaker for a couple of us and seemed to enjoy it. I didn’t see him stopping anytime soon.

  I watched as Marjorie went over to Ethan, who’d turned his chair away from us, and crouched down, putting her arm around his shoulder and giving him a hug. I knew he would feel relief, too. He’d been afraid he’d lose his temper and go after him in court for ruining his life.

  Everyone got quiet until Marissa’s stomach rumbled, which caused us all to laugh. “I guess we should grab that lunch. The baby is demanding food.”

  I leaned into Gianna’s ear and whispered. “I want to see you eating better, now that we’re starting to get a handle on all this craziness.”

  “Is that an order, sir?” she asked with a hint of sarcasm thrown in.

  Since most everyone was walking out of the room, I smacked the backside of her ass with my hand and made her jump. “You’re damn straight it is, little subbie.”

  I heard Ethan stifle a laugh. “You two need to get a room. You’ve been all over each other the whole time we’ve been talking.”

  I’d forgotten he was off to the side, still working. “You know you don’t have to watch. Did you want me to bring you something to eat or are you going to take a break with us?”

  “If you don’t mind bringing me something, I’ll keep on working. I’d rather stay in here anyway and give everyone out there some private family time together.”

  Gianna spoke up. “You know we consider you a part of our adopted family, Ethan. No one blames you for what happened.”

  “Not true. Jackson blames me,” he countered.

  She shook her head and bent down to stare him in the eyes. “Jackson is confused right now and is trying to juggle work with being a single dad. He went from having a wife and co-manager of a department to dealing with all of the PR and Marketing by himself, while training an assistant manager, and learning how to care for a baby. He’s stressed, confused, and lost right now.”

  She reached around his neck to give him a hug. If I didn’t know she loved me, I’d be ready to bust his ass for allowing it and hugging her back. He knew the rule that no Dominant touched another man’s sub without permission, even in everyday life.

  “Just give him a chance, he’ll come around eventually, and if he doesn’t, then it’s his loss for not getting to know you,” she reaffirmed.

  “Okay, you two, break it up.” I let out a small growl to let Ethan know I didn’t appreciate him touching my woman. “You go on ahead, Gianna. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  I was about to confront his negative behavior when he said, “I’m glad to see you’ve put Erin in the past and are trying your chance at love again. I hated what she did to you, what you’d become, having a string of one-night stands, afraid of moving forward.”

  “You’re the reason I realized I needed to move on with my life,” I admitted.

  He looked at me, puzzled, as he eased back in his chair. “How so?”

  I walked over to him. “Do you know how much of a hypocrite you are? You’re telling me that you’re glad I’m moving on and letting go of the past and what are you doing? You’re dwelling in it, allowing yourself to be consumed with misery.”

  “That’s different.” He turned his head away from me, knowing I’d voice my thoughts.

  I shook my head. “Look at me!”

  If looks could kill, I’d be a dead man. Ethan was glaring at me when he finally turned. “You bastard! I told you I can’t move on. Why can’t you understand that?”

  “At least I have your attention. I want you to listen. I see what staying stuck in the past is doing to you.” I reached out and put my hand on his shoulder. “You’ve changed since the accident. You’ve never been the love them and leave them kind of guy. You were more caring than this.”

  “So? Why can’t a person change?”

  “I changed, following the same path you’re on now. I couldn’t let go of the hurt, couldn’t deal with the betrayal. I didn’t want anyone to know my shame, so I hid behind my work, opting for every out of town trip I could find. As a result I pushed away my sister, keeping her and everyone else out of my life, except you. You’re the only person who supported me and didn’t judge.”

  “Like you’re judging me now?” His words were cold, but I knew he didn’t want to hear the facts.

  “I’m not judging you, man. All I want you to do is open your eyes and take a good look around you. That’s all I ask. You might find that your future is staring you right in the face.”

  The timing couldn’t be more perfect. I headed toward the door as Marjorie came in bearing a plate full of food and some drink for Ethan.

  “Here you go, handsome.” She had a smile on her face and loved to flirt. Who knows what the future held for either of them. They’d both been through trying experiences lately. Maybe I could get Marjorie to talk to him and focus on happy times. Nothing seemed to bring her down, not even her ex-husband.

  SEVERAL WEEKS HAD PASSED, but Nate and I were finally making progress at work. Ethan had managed to reverse the systems, so the external perpetrator believed they had access to the real system and instead had the phony one. He’d been able to isolate the virus so it didn’t affect anything, but gave the appearance that it was still causing problems.

  We kept up the appearance of hating one another at work, so the employees would think Nate was on their side, despite him giving them work orders. We’d sneak a kiss here and there in the elevator or behind closed doors, but otherwise played the parts we needed to.

  A few days after Nate’s cameras were in place, we caught several people slacking on their work and confronted them. All of them seemed to realize we were watching, so their speed of processing information increased and we no longer had a backlog of duties.

  I was surprised when Rachel called to let us know she wouldn’t be returning to her job. She wanted to be a stay at home mom and be close to her family. She’d explained that her husband had received a huge promotion at work and they were set to inherit a nice sum of cash from a deceased relative.

  I didn’t think much of it at the time, because every time I heard her talking in the past she mentioned how much she hated her family and his. I guess a relative who’s willing to leave you money can change anyone’s tune.

  I was sad to see her go, because she’d been so knowledgeable with the system and was a hard worker, but I was also excited about the possibility of Nate staying on. My uncle had tried to talk him into taking the position permanently, but he still had a few reservations, mainly his desire to work with Ethan.

  My uncle tried to entice Ethan into working for him as head of the IT department, but he refused. For some reason he still couldn’t accept the fact that we’d forgiven him.

  I hoped the new counter offer my uncle was cooking up would talk both Nate and Ethan into working with us. They’d both be great assets to the company. Plus, I think my sister was enjoying talking with Ethan. They seemed to connect as friend
s on some level.

  Nate and I spent the weekend sitting through a lengthy amount of security footage, which was hard for me to do considering my ass was still hurting from the flogging it received last night. I loved the feeling of the flogger, but always hated how I couldn’t sit still the next day or so. One day I’d learn not to test him.

  We’d been dating and practically living together since we reconnected. He thought it was funny because I couldn’t deal with sex at Dane’s old condo. He’d left all of his furniture behind, bed included, so all I imagined was Dane here with past girlfriends he’d introduced to the family. Eww. It was a visual I couldn’t overcome. So he brought down his bag of toys and accessories to my place and we’d been having some fun there.

  Nate tried to talk me into going back to the club, but I couldn’t do it, not yet anyway. Maybe someday. I did miss the spanking bench and all the fun we’d had that one night. It would be nice to recreate the memories.

  I looked over at Nate, seeing him smile at my discomfort as I shifted in my seat again. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed two suspicious people entering the building using Karen’s badge. Both were dressed in hoodies, one was tall and skinny, while the other was average size, but had a little extra weight.

  We watched as one of them used the badge so they could gain access to the building, while the other took charge of it to get the elevator working on the weekends. My father had insisted that no one have access to any areas outside their own on weekend times, so the elevator was designed to only go to the floor their badge was coded for.

  The elevator indicated it stopped on the accounting floor. We were able to note the time on the display and moved to the tape that had records of people entering and leaving the accounting department on that day.

  The individuals made a point to keep their heads down, avoiding the cameras. They knew exactly where the cameras were located, meaning they’d either worked for us, or knew someone who did.

  “I think we’ve seen enough,” Nate said.

  I was about to hit the stop button on the disc when I noted that one of them had pulled their keys from their pocket and Karen’s security badge fell behind the plant next to the elevator. I rewound the frame over and over again. There was something familiar with the look of the key chain, but I couldn’t place where. I paused it at that location and to see if any of my family members recognized the owner of the keys. In the meantime, I wanted to get out of the security room and see if, by some miracle, the badge was still there.

  “I think you’re wasting your time, honey,” Nate argued.

  He was probably right. I’m sure the cleaning crew must have picked it up and discarded it or had turned it into lost and found, but I had to try one more thing. “Could you move the planter please, so I can take a look behind and beneath it?”

  He was irritated, but he moved it. “Bingo!” The badge was still there. I went over to one of the offices and grabbed a tissue from their Kleenex holder and picked up the card. “We need to call either Rick or Derrick.”

  Nate was already on the phone. “Hey, Derrick, we need a favor. Gianna found Karen Carlson’s stolen ID badge. She noted that the perpetrators dropped it on their way out of the office after planting the virus. Could you pick it up and run it for prints?”

  I watched as he looked down at his watch and nodded. “That’d work perfectly. We’ll see you in a few.”

  He disconnected the call and looked up at me. “Rick’s in the area, he’ll be by to pick it up in a few minutes. We’re not to touch it any more than necessary.”

  I rolled my eyes at him and said, “Duh, Sherlock!”

  His stance immediately changed and his eyes glared at me. Oh Shit! “Testing the waters already, little one? I thought you learned your lesson last night for sassing me. Shall we have a repeat?”

  I instantly flashed back to him ripping my gown off of me. I’d sassed him about the idea of walking around the condo naked. He wanted me without clothes when we were by ourselves and I refused.

  “Funny how you were cleaning the place naked when I wanted to come talk to you that day, but you won’t get naked for me now?”

  I’d argued, “I was by myself then. I’m still a little self-conscious of being naked in front of you.”

  He stripped off his boxers and pulled my chest flush against his, so I could feel his hardness pressing against my belly. “Are you feeling self-conscious now?”

  I shook my head. My mind seemed to fog over, feeling his hot flesh pressed against mine, wanting to feel his length shoved deep inside me. My body responded immediately, feeling the trickle of excitement traveling down my inner thighs. “No.” My voice was barely audible.

  This is what he did to my body, he took control over it, pleasuring it to no end, showing me the joys of submission and surrender. I wanted more.

  I felt his hand pull back before connecting with my flesh. “That’s one for resisting me. You get twenty more with the flogger tonight for disobeying an order. You know the rules. At my place or yours, when we’re alone, you’re my sub and I’m your Dom. Do I need to remind you?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Please take your standing position, while I get things ready in your bed.” I kept my head down, but looked out of the corner of my eyes to see his fine, tight ass walk out of the room. Sometimes I wondered how I got so lucky to end up dating him.

  I struck the pose, feet shoulder width apart, hands interlaced behind my back, causing my chest to stick out, and my head downcast at the floor.

  I was lost in thought as I felt the caresses of the leather flogger move up and down my outer thighs. I prayed he didn’t keep me in this pose for long. The moisture from my arousal was halfway down my legs.

  He pressed his chest to my back, leaning close to my ear as he inhaled. “My god, you smell delicious. Shall I eat you out with candy tonight?” One of his hands traveled around the front of me and into my folds, where he felt my arousal.

  I was surprised how in just a short time my body instantly responded to his words. One mention of punishment or sex and I was soaked. That’s how much the man turned me on!

  I loved the feeling his favorite candy gave. It made my clit and center come alive, but it was hard as hell to contain an orgasm. Sometimes I think he liked pushing my limits just so I’d break and he’d have an excuse to lay his hands on my ass.

  “Whatever you wish, sir.” I knew it was the response he wanted.

  He laughed and then whispered, “That’s the answer I wanted to hear, love.” He wrapped his arms around me and guided me to the bedroom. “Come on, let’s get the punishment phase over with so we can get to the fun stuff.”

  He had a couple of his ties attached to the wrought iron headboard and several pillows off to the side. “I want you up on the bed on your back, darling.”

  I did as he asked. I watched as he climbed up over me, lifting each arm and attaching it the tie, then testing the hold and my ability to move. The amount of care and concern he showed to ensure my safety and well-being made me feel treasured and special. He didn’t say he loved me too many times, but his actions toward me spoke louder than any words.

  I was surprised when he moved back on the bed and suddenly flipped me, so I was on my knees and facing the headboard. He lifted my stomach enough to put some pillows underneath to help me balance.

  “I’m blindfolding you tonight because I want you to feel everything. Open yourself up to new sensations.” His words blew across my neck as he placed gentle bites along my shoulder.

  I felt the bed lift as he moved off of it. I heard the noise of the air before I felt the snap of the leather. He landed the flogger hard against my ass. “Count them off to twenty.”

  “One. Thank you, sir.”

  The flogs came one after another without much time in between. By the time I’d hit twelve the sensation changed from one of a little pain to that of intense pleasure. When I hit eighteen, it was all I could do to hold back the orgasm that was threatening
to spill over. My center was completely slicked and dripping down my legs.

  “Twenty. Thank you, sir,” I moaned out, trying to keep from going over the edge.

  He crawled up on the bed and dipped his fingers into my center, then smeared some on the rosette of my backside. We’d talked about me giving this a try, but so far I’d been resistant. I guess tonight he was going to push my limits. He’d been right about everything I’d been afraid to try so far. I trusted him not to hurt me and to stop when I needed, which had happened a couple of times.

  I tensed as his fingers kept dipping into my center and slathering my moisture on my back entrance. He kissed each stinging cheek. “I love how beautiful and pink your ass looks.”

  He dipped his pinky finger into my center before slipping his cock inside me in one fell swoop. Every time he entered me, it felt like the first time. The size of him always caught me by surprise, but I loved being filled to bursting with him, especially in this position.

  Nate started moving, holding my hips in place with his hands. I started getting lost in the sensation of my climax starting to build again, with more intensity, since he’d denied me the ability to come, when I felt a small amount of pressure at my back entrance. Before I could open my mouth to protest, his pinky finger had slipped in and I felt swallowed whole by him.

  His erection moved out as his finger moved in. He had my body filled at all times. The feeling of entering me was a little weird, but not really painful. I never knew there were so many nerve endings that could be awakened in the ass. I was beginning to see why he wanted to try taking my virginity there.

  I felt my body shaking, responding to his as he reached his free hand around me, finding my clit and pinching it as he whispered, “Come for me, my angel.”

  Every nerve in my body fired off simultaneously as I felt the walls of my pussy clamp down hard on his cock. I felt the same feeling in my ass as I held tight to his finger. The only thing holding me up was the pillows and him. “Yes. Nate. Yes!” I didn’t even realize I was screaming his name.