And so it goes, inch by agonizing inch. Stonehart forces himself into the orifice that has never been explored before. I don’t only feel stretched—I feel like I’m being torn in two. And he’s not even moving fast.
The only thing to do is close my eyes and hope that it’s over soon.
“God,” Stonehart grunts. “Oh God, Lilly, I’m almost all the way in. Can you feel it? I’m almost—” he gives one final push and presses fully into me. “Ahh.”
He leans forward, his hands crawling over my back. He turns my head to the side and breathes a hot breath into my ear. “Are you ready to get properly fucked?”
I make an incomprehensible sound that I hope he takes for acquiescence. I don’t want to do anything to make him angry. Not now. Not when I’m this vulnerable.
“Here we go,” Stonehart says, and he pulls out of me in a long, slow, drawn-out motion. I grit my teeth and breathe hard. He pushes back in.
Then he starts to pulse behind me. I bite down on the leather against the tearing pain. Every single synapse in my body is telling me to fight the unnatural intrusion.
I can’t. The only thing I can do is make the experience slightly less miserable for myself. As tears fill my eyes and trail down my cheeks, as the pain of being split open consumes me, as Stonehart’s movements become fiercer, harder, faster, I do everything I can to make my body relax and welcome the pain every one of Stonehart’s thrusts cuts into me.
Then, completely without warning, something miraculous happens. That tiny, fleeting, miniscule tendril of pleasure comes back.
At first, I think I’m imagining it. But as Stonehart continues to drive into me, I feel it magnifying together with his lustful grunts. It’s definitely emanating from my inside walls. And I… I’ve never felt anything like it.
The pain is still there, make no doubt about it. It’s still overwhelming. But somewhere beneath it, like the flicker of a lone candle in a dark, empty cathedral, is the thing that makes the experience bearable.
I cling to the bits of pleasure like a drowning woman to a life vest. Imagine my surprise when I find it building. Not a lot, of course, but I can still feel it growing. It eases some of the pain.
Suddenly, I’m less focused on my own distress and more on the sounds Stonehart is making behind me. His guttural grunts are filled with the utmost lust and pleasure. As he drives in and out of me, hard as I’ve ever felt him, I start to understand how much he is enjoying this.
He’s not enjoying it because it brings me pain. No, he’s enjoying it because of the overwhelming pleasure my tight body is giving him.
And today, so far, has been a magnificent day. Why should I ruin it by fighting something that he enjoys so much? I want him happy. A happy Stonehart makes for a much better existence, for me.
So, I double down and focus only on that growing ray of pleasure deep inside. I try my best to relax my body and let Stonehart’s grunts wash over me.
I don’t know how the transition happens, but soon, he’s not the only one making sounds of pleasure. They’re coming from my throat, too.
Without warning, Stonehart pulls out. “Turn around,” he orders, breathless. I do, and lay my eyes on his glorious body, covered in sweat and straining with pleasure. “On your knees,” he says. “Now.”
I fall to the ground and look up at him. He’s holding his cock with one hand, jerking it off as he stares down at me.
“Take the belt off and open wide,” he says. My trembling fingers fumble with the strap. I’m transfixed by what I see going on above me. The sight of Stonehart pleasuring himself is exotic.
I don’t get to admire the view for long. As soon as the belt is off, Stonehart roars and shoots hot, sticky semen all over my face. My eyes close on instinct.
“Good girl,” he pants. “Good girl.” He pets my head, then pulls me toward him. “Now, lick me off.”
Chapter Six
We head back to the house an hour or so later. But, instead of leading me inside, Stonehart takes my hand and directs me to the back, where the ocean is.
We didn’t talk much after sex. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, though. That surprised me. It was more of an admission, on both our parts, that after laying ourselves bare, mere words would not do justice to the feelings swirling inside our heads.
The strangest thing of all was Stonehart’s behavior after. Once I cleaned up, he picked me up by the waist and kissed me softly. Then, he wrapped an arm around me and let me rest my head on his shoulder as we sat under the shade of the same tree he fucked me against.
We arrive at the other side of the mansion. I look behind me and see the entire sunroom. It’s a structure separate from the rest of the house, connected by that long, narrow hallway. It looks like it had been a later addition.
I get shivers seeing the room that I know so well from the inside. Stonehart notices, or at least senses something, because he lets me go and continues on without me, granting me some much-needed space.
I’m glad for the privacy. It feels so surreal, standing outside of my prison. When I was trapped in there, did I ever think that I would, one day, be looking in on it from the outside?
The smell of the ocean beckons me. I hear the waves crashing against the shore. I’ve never been able to look down from the top of the cliffs and judge how high up we are. Doing that is the first order of business for me.
I join Stonehart by the edge. He catches my elbow as I walk by him. “Careful,” he cautions, nodding at the ledge just a few feet away.
I swallow and nod. “I will be,” I say. He lets me go.
I walk as close to the ledge as I dare and peer down.
Whoa.
I’ve never been afraid of heights, but even I get a touch of vertigo looking down. We must be two or three hundred feet above the water. The waves crash against the stony wall below us. There is no beach to speak of—just a straight drop into the violent ocean below.
I look to my left and right. Far, far away, I see the lots of other properties. The houses are hidden from view.
“This land must have cost you a fortune,” I marvel. “We’re still in California, aren’t we? Close to San Jose?”
Stonehart’s eyes narrow slightly. “Questions?” he reminds me. I gasp and bring both hands over my mouth. It’s an automatic reaction.
“Oh my God!” I apologize. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—”
“But innocent ones,” Stonehart corrects, flashing me a smile. “I’ll let them pass. Yes, we are in California. Yes, we are close to San Jose. And yes,” he chuckles, “this did cost me quite a bit of money. But the good thing is: I can afford it. And—” he reaches out and yanks me into him, “—it gives me the privacy I need to do this.”
His mouth crashes down onto mine in a heated kiss.
I respond to him instantly. My hands fly to his hair, pulling him deeper. I step into him so that our bodies are pressed together. I kiss him back with as much passion as he directs at me.
Not because I know that he wants me to, but because I want to.
All my self-preservation instincts have gone haywire. I have absolutely no idea where I stand with this man anymore.
He lets me go. I gasp for air.
“That,” he says, trailing his thumb over my lower lip, “was a thank you for behaving so well earlier.”
“If that’s my reward,” I quip, “I might have to start behaving well more often.” I know a comment like that would be dangerous at certain times. But I’m sure it’s not now.
Stonehart smiles. It turns out I was right. “Come this way,” he tells me. “There’s an amazing view of the water that you have to see. It’s even better than this.”
Chapter Seven
We spend the rest of the day exploring the property. Stonehart shows me all the spots he knows. But, with the vastness of the land, they are surprisingly few. I guess he just never had the time or inclination to wander around his home before.
We head inside when the sky starts to darken. I
feel exhausted from all the walking, but it’s a good type of exhaustion. Today had been a wonderful day.
What makes it even more astonishing is that it came right on the heels of last night. And we haven’t even discussed the offer Stonehart made me this morning.
We enter the dining room to find the table already set. I get a rush of bad vibes remembering what happened here less than twenty-four hours ago.
They evaporate when Stonehart picks up our plates and carries the food into one of the sitting rooms.
He pulls a coffee table up to a couch and lowers our meals onto it.
I raise an eyebrow at him. “A break of decorum, isn’t it?”
“Today, with you, it’s worth it,” he says, and gives me that genuine smile that sets my heart fluttering again.
I sit beside him and look at our food. Then, instead of eating, I turn to him. “Jeremy. I wanted to ask you something. About what you said this morning…”
“Lilly.” Stonehart stops me by holding up a hand. “We’ve had a good day. Don’t ruin it now.”
“No, but I have to know,” I press on, determined. “Why would you tell Esteban that you want me to run his company? Was it just to piss him off?”
Stonehart’s eyes darken and his mouth tightens. “We’ve talked about this,”” he says curtly. “I’ve told you my intentions. There’s nothing more to discuss.”
“But—“
“Nothing Lilly,” he emphasizes.
I lower my eyes and wisely drop the subject. I don’t want to press my luck.
Dinner passes pleasantly enough. When I ask Stonehart where Rose is, he tells me that it’s just us here, tonight.
After we finish eating, he stands up. “Follow me,” he says.
I get up and trail him out of the room. In the hallway, he turns back to me and speaks. “There are two parts of the house you haven’t seen yet,” he tells me. “Well, three, if I’m being honest. But you get to see only two of them now.”
I follow Stonehart up the stairs. “The first is my office,” he explains. Neither his voice nor his expression gives away anything that might refer to the time he caught me in the surveillance room. “You are not allowed inside except with my express verbal permission.” He walks to the end of the hall, where it forks into two. Instead of turning either way, however, he runs his hand along the underside of a small, round table.
I hear the whirr of some sort of mechanism. The next thing I know, the wall in front of me is parting.
“The NFC chip,” he says, touching his wrist. He gives me a smile that’s hard to read. “As you can see, you were never in any real danger of stumbling into my office.”
He steps through the new entrance. When I don’t follow straight away, he turns back. “Lilly?”
I swallow and touch the front of my collar. “Is it… safe?”
“Assuredly so,” Stonehart says.
“I won’t get shocked?”
“No.”
“Okay,” I say. “I trust you.”
“That’s a pleasant revelation,” he murmurs as I step after him. He slips his hand behind my back.
I hide my smile.
He directs me to the end of the hidden hall where our way is barred by a set of grand oak doors. They could be twins of the ones to his boardroom.
“Through there,” he says, “is my office. But I needn’t trouble you with it today. This—” he tilts his head to the side, “is what I brought you here for.”
I notice a smaller doorway that I had overlooked. “What is it?”
“You’ll see.” He smiles. “Open the door.”
I grip the handle and push down.
The door swings open. I am greeted by the most magnificent sight I’ve seen in weeks:
Books! Shelves upon shelves of books. A private library of astounding size.
I walk in, mouth agape. The shelves run from floor to ceiling all around me. There isn’t a single space vacant. Thick, richly colored spines stand next to tall, skinny ones. The sheer number of books astounds me. I bet I could spend my entire five-year term in here and not get bored.
Not that I intend to, I remind myself with vitriol. I want to escape. I need to escape. I have to get back at Stonehart for everything he’s done.
But, after a day like today… do I even want to?
Yes! A resounding voice shouts in my head.
That train of thought is lost as Stonehart’s deep voice pulls me back to him.
“…leaving for a business trip for fifteen days.”
“What?” I turn to him, eyes widening. “You’re leaving? When?”
“Soon,” he says. “In the next few days.” He sounds vaguely amused. “The library impressed you. I trust you’ll have enough material to entertain yourself in here while I’m gone?”
“Oh yes,” I say. “This is wonderful. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” He smiles. Then he picks up my hand, kisses it, and cups it between two of his. “I am afraid this is where our journey ends,” he informs me. “Business beckons. I’ll be in the office next door, and I do not want to be disturbed. You may stay in here as long as you like. When you go to bed, you’re allowed to take three books with you at a time.” He holds up three fingers. “Three, Lilly. No more. Do you understand?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Of course, while you’re in here, you may take as many off the shelves as you wish. I expect to see them returned to their proper place when you’re done. Don’t forget what I told you about precision.”
“I won’t,” I promise.
“Good,” he says, and turns away.
He’s already out the door when I find the courage to call out, “Wait! Jeremy.”
He turns back and raises an eyebrow.
I give him a smile that’s chock full of the radiance I feel blooming inside. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
The corners of his eyes crinkle. He gives a little, appreciative nod, and closes the door after him.
Chapter Eight
I spend the next two days locked in the library, coming out only at mealtimes for a quick snack before returning to my sanctuary.
After going so long with no form of mental stimulation, I overindulge. I pick up half a dozen books the first day and start all of them. It doesn’t matter what the subject is: fiction or nonfiction, stories or memoirs, classic texts or best-selling ‘literature.’ Everything is appealing to me.
I gobble up the words faster than I can breathe. At first, I don’t even care what I’m reading. The sensation of losing myself in a book is wonderful—especially after being deprived of the opportunity for so long.
I don’t see Stonehart at all during that time. Once, when I was running out for a late breakfast, I noticed the door to his office ajar. I could hear him barking orders on the phone. His intonation told me he was not very happy. I decided that would probably be the worst time to get caught eavesdropping.
When I hurried back to the library, still chewing the piece of toast from breakfast, the door to the office was closed, and I could not hear anything from inside.
Obviously, Stonehart hasn’t left on his two-week business trip yet. I don’t know when he will. I wish I’d paid more attention when he told me about it. I don’t want to ask him now because I don’t want to seem eager for him to be gone.
A misinterpretation like that could be disastrous.
At the end of my forty-eight hour reading binge, I return to the sunroom, one tattered volume under my arm, and find a note waiting for me on the bed:
I am pleased that you find my library so fascinating. If I had known, I would have granted you access to it earlier.
I will be gone from the estate for the next two days. You have complete access to all my property, except the office. I expect you to be ready for me, as always, when I return.
I leave for two weeks the day after that, so plan on making our next encounter extra-memorable.
- J.S.
I can’t conta
in my smile as I read the words. Two more days without Stonehart, followed by one night together, and then another two weeks apart? I’ll take it.
If nothing else, I need the separation to help rebuild my resolve.
***
I have trouble falling asleep that night. My mind is busy creating all types of scenarios of the future.
I have no idea how Stonehart intends to make our next encounter “memorable”. I decide not to dwell on that, since I can’t change it.
I’m more curious about the Dextran offer. I can’t believe Stonehart would extend it to me. Wouldn’t giving me that kind of free reign be one of the biggest liabilities he can undertake?
I mean, he’s talking about not only giving me full access to the outside world, but propelling me into one of the most important positions!
Why?
In my heart, I know the offer can’t be anything but a vain joke. I mean, I don’t even have newspaper access yet. That comes with another five TGBs. But, already, he’s talking about putting me in charge of a massive technology firm!
It makes no sense. No, it’s worse than that. It doesn’t just make no sense. It’s utter lunacy. Here I am, Stonehart’s prisoner and captive, brought here for reasons unknown, and he wants me to become one of his CEOs?
It’s insanity. I mean, it’s not like I’m thick enough not to see the offer for what it really is: him dangling a large, juicy carrot in front of me. I’m sure I’m never meant to actually reach it.
Then, there’s the gala at the end of the month. That’s something much more immediate. It seems more likely to happen, too. I haven’t heard any more about it, but I assume it’s still on the table. Better to be safe and think it is than to dismiss it too early.
I roll over to a more comfortable position. By my calculation, the gala will take place right around the time Stonehart gets back from his two-week trip. That means I only have one day with him—one night—before the event.
There is no way I’ll earn enough TGBs to go.
Uncovering You: The Complete Series (Mega Box Set) Page 25