Unexpected Surrender

by J. M. Walker

  “Good.” I kissed her gently on the mouth.

  “Come, Luther.”

  I smirked. “You want me to fill this tight cunt with my cum?”

  She moaned. “Yes.”

  Leaning back, I undid the cuffs wrapped around her ankles and wrists. I wanted to feel her hands on my body. I wanted her nails digging into my skin as I forced her over the edge again, this time with me.

  Once I had her out of the restraints, I kissed her wrists. “Touch me, Lexi.”

  With gentle fingers, she ran them down my chest, over my abs and around to my ass. “Fuck me harder, Luther.”

  Kneeling on the bed between her spread legs, I crushed my mouth to hers and gave her what she wanted. What we both wanted.

  Lexi

  I WOKE A WHILE later. My body was stiff and sore, but I had never been so relaxed in my life. Sitting up, I scrubbed my face and frowned. I was in an office and I was wearing a white robe.

  “You’re awake.”

  My gaze flicked to Luther’s. He was sitting behind a large desk to my right. “Where am I?”

  “In my office.” He sat back, tenting his fingers beneath his chin. “How did you sleep?”

  “Good.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Really good.” I looked around me. Bookshelves lined the far wall. The furniture was dark, much like the owner himself.

  Luther rose from the spot behind the desk and headed to a minibar across the room. “I brought you in here after you fell asleep.” He poured a glass of water and brought it over to me.

  “Thank you.” I took it from him and brought it up to my lips. Taking a sip, the cool liquid eased my parched throat.

  He sat down beside me. “Turn around.”

  I did as I was told.

  With gentle but firm hands, he started messaging my neck and shoulders.

  I sighed, leaned into his touch, and continued to drink the water.

  “Come home with me tonight,” he said, breaking the silence.

  I turned to him. “Really?”

  “I want more time with you.” He cupped my cheek. “Tonight wasn’t enough.”

  My heart jumped. “Luther.”

  He stared at me. “I want more, Lexi.”

  I pulled away from him. “What does that even mean?” I asked, heading to the minibar and pouring myself another glass of water.

  “It means exactly what I just said.” Luther stood, coming toward me. “Why are you making a big deal of it?”

  “Because you’re you and I’m me.” I waved a hand between us. “This…are you wanting to make this work?”

  “What if I am?” He closed the distance between us, brushing a finger over my collarbone and pulling the robe open.

  “Because there’s the whole issue of my brother still.” I should have pushed him away but instead, I just stood there letting him undress me. Although I was sore, I could never get enough of him. I wasn’t sure why or what it was about him that made me so damn compliant, but I found that I enjoyed it. Maybe I actually needed it. He took care of me. Although he did let me be in control in a way.

  “I want you, Lexi.” He took the glass from me and placed it on the bar before turning back to me. “I want more. Not just sex.”

  “You want a relationship?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  He brushed a hand down the center of my torso and nodded. “I do.”

  I tilted my head to the side. “Why?”

  His dark eyes popped up to mine. His jaw ticked. “I don’t like being questioned, pet.”

  “Well, Sir,” I mocked. “Excuse me for wondering what the hell is going on and why you would want a relationship when it doesn’t sound like you.”

  In a quick move, Luther spun me around and pushed me up against the wall.

  I swallowed hard, a nervous flutter racing through me.

  “The thing is, pet,” he growled in my ear. “I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing when it comes to you and it’s throwing me off.” He kicked my legs apart. “But I’m finding that I like it this way. You’re unpredictable and you challenge me. I need it.”

  “I need it too.” I turned in his arms and slid the robe off of my body. “I really need it and it’s scaring me. Because…”

  “Because why?” he asked, leaning his forehead against mine.

  “Because I know no matter what you do to my brother—” I looked up at Luther, cupping his face. “—I’ll still want you.” Shame weighed heavily on my shoulders at my confession.

  “Pet.” Luther lifted me in his arms, carried me over to the couch, and cradled me against him like a child. “You have nothing to feel guilty about.”

  I wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Even though I was completely naked, and he wasn’t, he never took it further. He rested his arm on my lap and that was it. Nothing more. It was almost unnerving the way Luther could go from being a dominant asshole one moment to the complete opposite the next.

  “Will you tell me something about Charlie? You keep saying that he’s a bastard, but I don’t know why. I only know him as my brother.” I brushed my thumb over Luther’s bottom lip.

  “Lexi,” Luther’s voice came out rough.

  “Please. Just one thing.” I needed to know. I needed to understand. I loved my brother, but I knew he had been acting different lately. “Please, Sir.”

  Luther’s nostrils flared. “Fuck me, I love when you call me that.”

  I turned in his arms, straddling him. Brushing my fingers down the side of his thick neck, I traced them over the black ink marking his skin. “Please.”

  “Your brother came to me a while ago. He was desperate. He mentioned something about living in a shitty apartment and he also added that he still lived with his sister. The guys made fun of him.”

  “I’m not that bad,” I mumbled.

  Luther grunted. “It’s not you, pet. It’s all him. Anyway, he needed money. He said that he needed it so you two could get out of debt, fix up the deli and the apartment. If he never would have mentioned you, I wouldn’t have cared but the way he went on about wanting to help his sister out, I felt sorry for him. A few months later, I caved and gave him a job. He had to make a delivery. I was working with a known drug lord. He helped me. I helped him. But Charlie never made that delivery and it made me look bad. That drug lord almost had me killed because of it.”

  “Oh God.” I clapped a hand over my mouth. “I’m sorry.”

  “Lexi.” Luther grabbed my hand. “Don’t be sorry for the stupid choices your brother made. It has never been you. I dealt with it, but it cost me a lot of money to do so.”

  “What did Charlie do with the delivery?” I asked even though I was scared to find out the answer.

  “He kept it for himself. It was money. A lot of money. I’m not a good guy, Lexi. I will do anything to stay as powerful as I am but to be fair, I was kind of forced into this situation.” He shook his head. “Anyway, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I’m not looking for that. Your brother isn’t a good guy and like I said before, he will do anything to make ends meet. And that includes you.”

  “What about me?”

  Luther paused, his jaw clenching. “Charlie showed the guys a picture of you. He was drunk and talking about you. The guys asked to see a picture, so he showed them. They were going on about how hot you are. I saw the picture and I agreed but I was more concerned about your safety.”

  “Nothing has happened.” I told him.

  “Yet, Lexi,” he corrected. “Nothing has happened yet.”

  “Do you think something could happen?” I asked him, not really understanding what he was telling me.

  “I do but not if you stay with me.” Luther ran his hands down the length of my back. “You’re safe with me, pet. I promise you that.”

  I pushed out of his hold and left the warmth of his lap. Picking up my clothes that were folded neatly on a nearby chair, I started getting dressed.

  “What are you doing?”

  I shivered as his deep voice wa
shed over me. “I should go home. I should talk to Charlie and find out what the hell is going on.”

  “If you want to talk to him, talk to him here. Or at my estate but I don’t want you going home.”

  “So, I’m just going to live with you, Luther?” I laughed. “Come on. We both know that’s way too damn soon.” I finished getting dressed when I felt him come up behind me.

  “I meant what I said, Lexi.” He kissed the side of my neck. “I want more.”

  “I like you, Luther. Even though I know I probably shouldn’t, but I do. I can’t help it, but I love my brother. Even if he is the cause of this whole thing, he’s still family.”

  “He will do everything to make sure he gets what he wants, pet.” Luther turned me in his arms. “And he won’t care if he has to use you as bait.”

  “What?” I leaned back. “He would never do that.”

  “No?” Luther pinched my chin. “He could have gone anywhere after I kicked his ass, but he went home. He led me right to you, Lexi.”

  “You won’t hurt me.” I brushed my hand down Luther’s chest. “I know you won’t hurt me.”

  “I won’t.” Luther cupped my cheek, sliding his hand to my nape and tugging my head back. “But he doesn’t know that.”

  “What are you saying?” I asked, gripping his shirt tightly in my hands.

  Luther stiffened.

  “Tell me,” I demanded.

  He took a breath and released me. He started pacing, rubbing the back of his neck.

  “Luther,” I pressed.

  He paused, meeting my gaze. “I think he was hoping I would.”

  A laugh escaped me. “You have got to be kidding me right now. Are you serious?”

  When he didn’t respond, my stomach twisted.

  “Luther.” I hugged myself. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I wish I wasn’t.” He came toward me and before I could protest, had me in his arms. His hand cupped the back of my head, holding me against him. “I would die first before I let something happen to you, Lexi.”

  I leaned back, staring up at him. “Really?” I said, breathlessly.

  “Yeah.” He placed a soft peck on my mouth. “Really.”

  “This is dangerous,” I told him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

  “It is.” He pushed me back until I hit the wall. “But I’m sure you know by now, I live for danger.”

  I leaned my forehead against his chest. Taking a deep inhale, a flutter of peace washed over me. He smelled of spice and sex. God, he smelled good. So damn good.

  “Come home with me.”

  Just as I was about to respond, a soft knock sounded on the door. “Luther, are you in here?” came his sister’s muffled voice from the other side.

  “I am,” he called out. “You alone?”

  “No.”

  A glance passed between Luther and I.

  “Do you trust me?” he murmured, taking my hand and leading me to his desk.

  “I do.” But I still didn’t know what the hell was going on.

  “I need you to kneel here and stay hidden.” Luther cupped my cheek. “Can you do that for me?”

  “You want me to stay quiet?” I asked, my heart jumping.

  “Yes, pet.” He kissed my forehead.

  “Everything okay?” I glanced between him and the door.

  “I don’t know. Just please do as I ask.”

  I nodded. “Okay.” I knelt and moved beneath the desk.

  “Good girl.” Luther’s praise did something funny to my belly.

  I never needed to be coddled before but having him give me recognition over listening to him, warmed every inch of me. But something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

  “What’s going on, Vanessa?” Luther asked.

  “I have a problem.”

  “What the hell is he doing here?”

  My back stiffened at the harsh tone of Luther’s voice. I was tempted to reveal myself but thought better of it. Something forced me to stay hidden.

  “I think it’s obvious why I’m here.”

  My eyes widened. Charlie.

  What the hell was going on?

  “Vanessa,” Luther growled. “You better have a good reason as to why he’s here.”

  “It doesn’t matter why I brought him here,” she answered.

  “Yes, it does,” Luther said. “Especially when all of our clients, including the submissives, go through a process. You know this, Vanessa. So tell me, why the hell is he here?”

  “If you must know, he’s my new pet and I started training him for me.”

  Charlie only chuckled.

  “Vanessa,” Luther barked.

  “What the hell is your problem, Luther? I wanted to know if you have the keys—”

  “Did you ask him who he is?” Luther demanded.

  “Wh…no…why…” she stuttered. She was nervous. She was never nervous. Miss Vee had been the most confident woman I had ever come across. “Fine. Who are you?”

  “You didn’t care who I was the first time, or even last night,” Charlie said, his voice laced with amusement.

  “Listen, little boy. I don’t give a shit what we did but clearly something is going on and you haven’t told me everything. Luther,” Vanessa demanded. “Who is he?”

  “He’s Lexi’s brother,” he answered.

  “You have got to be fucking kidding me!” Vanessa yelled.

  A moment later, Luther came back around the desk and sat in the large chair. He held out his hand, waiting.

  I took it, pushing my face into his palm. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying so damn hard to take the strength from him that I needed.

  “Luther, explain to me what’s going on.” I could picture Vanessa standing there, peering down at both men in the room with her hands on her hips.

  Luther brushed his finger over my bottom lip.

  My eyes fluttered open. Inching forward, I cupped his inner thigh, resting my head against his knee.

  His hand slid to the back of my neck, holding me tight against him. “Charlie, why don’t you tell my sister what’s been going on. Or shall I? No? Okay. So Charlie here is the one who owes me money.”

  “And you brought your sister into it?” Vanessa asked.

  “I never asked her to do that for me,” Charlie said nonchalantly.

  Luther stiffened in his chair. Sitting forward, he held my hand tightly in his. “You didn’t have to ask her, Charlie. She did it because you’re her brother and like the good person that she is, she would do anything to make sure I don’t kick your ass again. Enough. I don’t want to hear any more of your shit. You can leave.”

  “Luther,” Vanessa said gently.

  “Leave,” Luther repeated. “Now.” The door shut a moment later. “They’re gone, pet.”

  I pushed out from beneath the desk and stood. “What the hell is going on? Why is he here?”

  “I think you know why he’s here,” Luther said, turning toward me.

  “He’s sleeping with your sister.” I rubbed the back of my neck and began pacing. “But it doesn’t explain…hell, I don’t even know anymore.”

  “Lexi, come here.”

  I turned away from him. I couldn’t do this. I needed to talk to Charlie. I needed answers. I needed to go home with Luther. I needed…God, I was so damn confused. Maybe I needed some time alone.

  “Lexi.”

  I shivered at the threat hidden in Luther’s deep voice. “I think I need some time alone.” As soon as I got the words out of my mouth, he crashed into me.

  “Don’t say that to me.” Luther cupped my face, tilted my head back. and placed a soft peck on my mouth.

  “Luther, I don’t know what’s going on. Charlie is sleeping with your sister and I…”

  “I don’t think he’s doing much sleeping.”

  I huffed, pushing away from him. “You know what I mean.”

  Luther scrubbed a hand down his face. “Lexi, I want you to spend the night with me.”
r />   “I need to talk to Charlie,” I said instead of answering him.

  “And say what?” Luther came toward me. “I don’t trust him. I know you do but I don’t. I don’t give a shit that he’s family. Something is going on and I have no idea what it is. It’s pissing me off.”

  “Does it bother you that he’s sleeping with Vanessa?”

  “No,” Luther answered automatically. “My sister is a big girl. Although I am kind of surprised that she went for him and not you instead.”

  I looked away, my cheeks heating. “I’m not into women.”

  A gentle hand cupped my cheek, turning me toward Luther. “I know, pet. I know. I don’t want you talking to Charlie alone but…” His jaw clenched. “If you need space, as much as that’ll drive me fucking insane, I’ll give it you.”

  My eyes widened. “Really?”

  He nodded.

  “Why?”

  “Because I need you to trust me. So I have to trust you just the same.” He went back behind his desk and sat in the large leather chair.

  “Why did you keep the money I paid you?”

  He glanced up behind the computer screen. “I’m not a good man. I’ve never been a good man. But for once in my life, I felt that by keeping the money aside, I was doing the right thing.” He looked back at his computer. “Even if you never take it, I refuse to spend it. Oh, when you leave, make sure you shut the door hard. It likes to stick.”

  I glanced between him and the door, wondering what just happened. One moment Luther was demanding that I stay and the next, giving me permission to leave.

  “Luther,” I murmured, taking a step toward him.

  He glanced up from his computer screen. “Lexi.”

  I swallowed hard at the coldness hidden behind his eyes. Turning toward the door, I took a breath and made my way to it. With each step I took, I could feel Luther’s anger growing and growing. But he was right. He had to trust me. I needed answers. And I was determined to get them one way or another.

  Lexi

  I SHOULDN’T HAVE LEFT The Club. I knew that, but did I listen to that inner voice? No. All because I wanted to be a big girl and figure out what the hell was going on. By myself.

  Luther kept the money I had paid him. All of it. And didn’t spend a single cent of it so he could give it back to me. As confusing as this whole situation was, it warmed my heart that he would do that for me.