by Tara Sue Me
All or None
Wall Street Royals, Book 3
Tara Sue Me
What Readers Are Saying About The Wall Street Royals
“Tara has….delivered a delicious, hot, intense and all-consuming plot, with characters you can't help but fall in love with.”
The Sassy Nerd Blog
“…sweet and sinful all wrapped up in one.”
Krystal Amora Book Reviews
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“Tara Sue Me knows how to write erotica and bring you right into that world. But, she also knows how to spin the story around it. It’s not all sex …”
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
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“Wonderfully written unexpected and playful.”
Katie
Copyright © 2021 by Tara Sue Me
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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ISBN ebook: 9781950017249
ISBN print: 9781950017256
Contents
Then
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
FOK
Big Swinging D
About the Author
Also by Tara Sue Me
Then
Ty
Ty groaned at the pounding in his head and rolled over, promising to get the name of whatever the hell he’d to drink the night before so he could make sure he never touched it again. He should get up and take something for his headache, but the thought of sitting upright made him feel sick. Instead, he forced himself to take deep breaths until the feeling went away.
According to the clock at the side of the bed, it was just after two in the morning.
Hell, what was in that drink?
His memory was fuzzy. He remembered the cocktail party he’d hosted in the Upper West Side penthouse he shared with his wife, Lillian. Lillian hadn’t been at the party. She’d left unexpectedly for the hospital because her mother had fallen down her front porch steps. Ty had suggested postponing everything, but Lillian told him there was no need.
The bed shifted beside him and he wondered when she’d returned home. Why he hadn’t heard her? She was more than likely naked, based on her bare shoulders. He had a sudden flashback of the wild spring break trip they went on when they were both sophomores in college.
God, they’d gotten so drunk and then spent the next three days only getting out of bed for the necessities. That was the year they added kink into their relationship. Back then, he’d never let a headache stop him from taking Lillian whenever and however he wanted.
How long had it been since he woke her up and had her suck him off?
His dick twitched as if saying ‘too damn long.’
Hell, how long had it been since they’d done anything kinky?
All at once, his head didn’t seem to hurt as much.
“Lilli,” he called softly, using her submissive name. He leaned over to kiss her shoulder. Something was wrong. She didn’t smell right. “Lilli?” He asked again.
The bedroom door opened right as Lillian turned in the bed to face him.
“Ty?” Lillian asked, but it wasn’t the woman in his arms.
His heart pounded, and he looked over his shoulder to see his name had been spoken by the Lillian at the door.
What?
He looked down to the woman in bed with him. She wasn’t Lillian. She wasn’t even close. Jessica?
“Your new PA, Ty?” Lillian asked, slamming the door behind her. “Seriously? Couldn’t you be a little more original and fuck the mail clerk?”
What the hell was going on?
He sat up. “I don’t know what you think happened, but—”
Lillian held her hand up. “Don’t even.”
“Is this your wife, Ty?” Jessica had dropped the sheet, exposing her perky nipples. “Do you think she’ll join us?”
Chapter 1
Lillian
Now
* * *
Lillian had never thought of herself as lacking common sense. In fact, she’d always thought the exact opposite. Which explained her shock upon realizing that people with common sense rarely hung out at BDSM clubs waiting for their ex-husbands to show up.
It had never been her intention to act so out of character. Her friend, Jaci, had called yesterday and told her in an excited whisper that Lillian’s ex-husband, Ty, had called with a request to reactive his membership at The Club where Jaci worked. The Club being the exclusive BDSM club he and Lillian had been members of during their marriage. Lillian’s response should have been that Ty could go fuck himself and the plane that brought him back to the States. Lillian hadn’t stepped a foot inside The Club since their divorce and had never planned to again. That’s what she should have said, but she didn’t.
No, instead, she decided to visit again. One last time.
Nothing could happen because she visited the place once more. In two days, she’d be on her way to the Florida Keys for two weeks. Not for a vacation, but because two hurricanes had battered the islands, leaving devastation everywhere. Lillian had volunteered to help, thinking it would help keep her mind off Ty.
She should be at her apartment, packing, rather than standing in the large room separating The Club’s check-in room and the play areas. Nothing to do about it now, though. She was already here.
The much-too-white room was filling up with people. Most only walked through because of club rules prohibiting any sort of play in the room, but several members sat chatting on one of the many curved loveseats. She didn't see Ty and decided to grab a drink from the bar tucked away in the far corner. Just as she turned to head in that direction, he appeared.
He’d been in London for over two years, so it’d been at least that long since she’d laid eyes on him. How was it possible he’d grown even more handsome? His dark blond hair held a bit of gray, but it didn’t make him look old. Rather, he looked more distinguished. The laugh lines around his mouth spoke of his laid-back demeanor.
After everything they’d been through, his betrayal, the divorce he didn’t fight her on, being separated by the Atlantic Ocean, and finding their way back to a cordial relationship, the sight of him should not make her body react the way it did. The visceral yearning threatened to pull her across the room to where he stood. She thought about letting it take her, but then she dropped her eyes to the person who’d entered with him.
A woman.
Short with a headful of unruly curls, her eyes flickered from one thing or person to another in unmasked interest and with a hint of trepidation.
A newbie? What the hell?
Just that quickly, she remembered opening her bedroom door and finding Ty in bed with his recently hired PA. Since their divorce, she had tried to date, but had been unable to build up any interest, much less excitement, about doing so. It went without saying; she hadn’t found the first person she wanted to sleep with. Of course, the same couldn�
�t be said of Ty.
Not that she cared. She'd divorced him. He could play and sleep with anyone he wanted. It wasn’t her business anymore.
Still, she had to get out of the room before he saw her and, even worse, noticed she was alone.
He called her name the second she turned away, but she continued through the doors leading to the public play space as if she didn’t hear. He wouldn’t follow because he was much too good of a Dom, and the tiny little thing he brought with him looked scared half to death. No way would he bring her into this area or leave her alone while he followed by himself.
She stopped walking for a minute. Hell, did she think he cared enough to follow her? He brought someone with him for crying out loud. His plan for the night probably involved the newbie sub and a private room.
She snorted, causing several people to look her way, though most went on with whatever it was they were doing before. Except, of course, for one guy who must have decided he enjoyed snorting submissives because he changed course and headed in her direction.
Damn it all to hell.
He was attractive enough, with thick brown hair and blue eyes that sparkled as if he was in on a joke, but after seeing Ty in person, there wasn’t a man on the planet who could tempt her at the moment. God, she’d forgotten how devilishly handsome her ex was.
“Hello,” the Dom said, coming to a stop right in front of her. Damn, he was even more attractive up close. “I’m Eric. I don’t recall ever seeing you here before.”
His smile and demeanor were charming, but lost on her. “Lillian. I’m an old member,” she told him. “Just haven’t been part of the scene lately.”
“Any reason?” he asked.
She shrugged, not wanting to explain the entire situation to a stranger. “Yes, but nothing I’d bore you with.”
“Why do you think I’d be bored?” He was pushing, as one would expect from a Dom, but she wasn’t in the mood for anything he had in mind.
“Trust me,” she said. “You would be. But it doesn’t matter, because I only came to observe tonight. I have no intentions of playing.”
“I can take a hint,” he said, with a grin. “It’s nice to have met you, Lillian. If you decide you’d like to do more than observe the next time you’re here, feel free to find me.”
“Thank you, Eric,” she said, relieved he didn’t attempt changing her mind. He gave her a wink before turning and walking away.
She sighed, watching his tight backside as he made his way across the room. Another time, another place, another lifetime, Eric would have turned her head. For the briefest of seconds, she contemplated calling him back. What would be the harm in blowing off some steam for an hour or two? Or blowing him off?
But she’d never been one to play casually.
“Thank goodness you turned him away.”
She knew the voice, knew it at the most intimate of levels. Lillian closed her eyes and let the sound wash over her. Enjoying the way it made her skin tingle and her insides grow warm and needy. Then, as sudden as she’d let it wash over her, she shut it off, and turned to face the owner of the voice.
“Ty.” She looked him in the eyes, determined not to give into or show any of the emotions running through her body. Not the jealousy, or the anger, and for sure as hell not the desire being around him unwillingly brought out. “How did you think you’d have stopped me if I’d welcomed his advances?”
“I don’t know, but he wouldn’t have put his hands on you tonight,” Ty said as if the entire thing was up to him. Damn cocky arrogant bastard Dom, he never changed.
“I believe you lost the right to have any say on that matter the day we signed the divorce papers,” she told him, almost wanting him to say otherwise.
“That doesn’t keep me from thinking it or wanting to stop it.”
Anger at his words boiled inside of her. How dare he?
“You have some nerve,” she said, hands on her hips. “You stroll in here with some pretty young thing who looks like she might pass out at any minute, and then you think you can dictate who I’m with?”
Screw this. Lillian turned away. Maybe Eric hadn’t gone far. If she hurried, she might catch up with him before he found someone else to play with.
“Maggie?” Ty asked, as if Lillian would know who he was talking about, would know her name. “Because if she’s who you mean, the short woman with the curly hair, it’s not what it looks like.”
Lillian snorted. “Like I haven’t heard that one before.” Though, thankfully, Ty had the decency to look uneasy with his own choice of words.
“Maggie is Isaac’s PA, and she’s completely into him,” Ty said.
Obviously, her ex-husband had forgotten who she’d worked with from the time he went to London until a few weeks ago. She had little doubt she knew Isaac better than anyone after working as his PA for years before the illustrious Maggie. And yes, she’d tell Ty, she knew he went to college with the man, but it wasn’t the same. She’d worked at his side, day and night, for almost three years.
“Please,” she said. “Isaac has never dated women he works with, especially his assistant. There’s no way he’d be with her. Even if changed his mind on that score, I thought you had enough respect for your friend and business partner not to make a move on his woman.”
“You thought right,” Ty said. “But they aren’t together. Or they weren’t until a few minutes ago. The only reason I’m standing here is because Isaac showed up and almost lost his shit, thinking the same thing you did.”
She supposed it should have made her feel better they’d shared the same reaction. They always had been more like-minded than she and Ty ever were.
“Sorry for jumping to an inaccurate conclusion,” she said.
“No worries,” he said, his smile returning. “But I have one question. Why are you here tonight?”
She had never lied to Ty, and she told herself she wouldn't start now, no matter how tempting or easy it would be to do so. “I heard you were stopping by. It never occurred to me you would have someone with you. When I saw the two of you enter the main area, I went a bit crazy in my head.”
“What did you think would happen if I showed up alone?”
“You said you had one question, that’s two.” Not to mention, she didn’t want to answer that particular question because, totally against her nature , she hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Or more to the point, she had, but couldn’t admit the answer to herself, much less confess it to him.
“I’m asking.” He stepped closer, moving into her personal space. “Because I’m alone now. Which means whatever you thought might happen, remains possible.”
“No,” she said, because what she wanted was impossible.
“Tell me.” He lifted his hand as if to brush her cheek, but she turned her face.
“Don’t.” If he touched her, it’d be over, she’d surrender to him.
He’d broken her once. She’d be damned if he’d get the chance to do it twice.
* * *
Chapter 2
Ty
Until Lillian turned her head to avoid his touch, Ty hadn’t realized there were pieces of his heart left with the ability to break. He’d hoped that his move to London had given her the time and space she needed. For the last eighteen months, their talks had been friendly. Jovial, even. Though now that he thought about it, they rarely talked about anything other than work.
Had it all been a facade? Or had the sight of him with Maggie, no matter how innocent it was, brought back memories of that night to her?
Hell, he wished something would bring back the memories to him. Over two years later, and he had no recollection of anything occurring after he welcomed guests into what used to be their home.
“Step away from her, right the fuck now, or I’ll get security,” a rough voice said from behind him. “But only after I kick your ass.”
Ty didn’t move except to look over his shoulder. The Dominant Lillian rejected moments ago stood
there, nostrils flaring, and his expression full of rage.
“What?” Ty asked.
The man took a step closer. “She said no twice, which is one time too many. I suggest you leave now while you still have the ability to walk.”
Fucking hell, this was the last thing he needed. Ty took a step back because he could only imagine how his interaction with Lillian appeared to a third party. Shit. Nothing about this meeting was going his way. It only took one glance at the way the Dom glared at him for Ty to realize he needed to diffuse the situation now before it escalated into something it didn’t need to.
“I know what you’re doing, and I’m grateful to you for stepping in when you suspect something’s wrong or that someone is in trouble.” Ty held his empty hands out because the guy still appeared seconds away from jumping him. “But it’s not….” He couldn’t finish with the way it looks. Damn it all, how many times had Lillian heard that line from him?
Without replying to anything Ty said, the Dominant looked at Lillian. “Are you okay? Do you want me to contact security?”
For a brief second he saw the possibility cross her mind in the way her eyes flicked up at him. He could almost see the, “it would serve you right” in her eyes. As he expected, though, she didn’t go through with it. No matter what, she could never be that vindictive. “I’m fine, Eric,” Lillian told him, even managing to give the guy a small smile. “Ty’s my ex-husband, and I have no reason to fear him. He’d never ignore anyone’s use of no.”