by Jenna Jacob
“Is there a code of conduct for subs as well?”
“Oh, yes.”
I had little trouble imagining the gist of that doctrine. Rule one: Do what the Dom says. Rule two: see rule one. My flippant response lay on the tip of my tongue, but I bit it back.
“A submissive honors her Dom by how she represents him; whether in a group of submissives or other Doms, she always defers to her Owner. Communicates, openly and honestly about her feelings, physical and mental well-being, or anything else that affects her life, because it ultimately affects her Dom, too.
“For Dominants, the rules lean more toward nurturing and paying attention to the sub’s needs. By using her strengths and weaknesses he can help her grow: open her up, and push her limits. I abide by the standards of SSC. That stands for Safe, Sane, and Consensual, or RACK, which is Risk Aware Consensual Kink. In essence, it means both parties consent to what is taking place during a session.”
“That’s where negotiations begin, right?”
“Before you play, yes.”
“But we didn’t negotiate anything before you spanked me.”
“That wasn’t a session. That was…” He flashed me a clit-throbbing smile.
“Fun,” I blurted out.
A mischievous sparkle danced in his eyes. “I can’t wait to introduce you to more fun.”
The memory of that slow, rolling warmth spreading over my ass made me squirm. James could easily entice me to lie across his lap again, probably too easily.
“So how do you push a sub’s limits?”
“Take her to the edge, physically or mentally, while paying close attention to her responses.”
“You mean to see how much pain she can take.”
“No. Not always. Some boundaries are emotional. Some are physical. Before I start pushing your limits, we’ll have already negotiated everything out first.”
I swallowed tightly. “What if I don’t want to have my limits pushed?”
James flashed me a wolfish grin. “I can read the expression on your face, Liz. You’d love me to tie you up. To bind you in that soft rope so you’ll be at my total mercy. That would be pushing your limits enough to start out with. Building enough trust and knowledge of another person to engage in such things is a slow process.
The beer bottle trembled in my hand. James reached out and wrapped his fingers around mine. “I’m not talking about doing that today. It’s still too early for that. But hopefully someday soon.”
I swallowed tightly, wondering if or when that day came, I’d wear the same dazed, serene expression as the woman in the photo.
He took a sip of beer. “Okay, getting back to the Dom code, one of the most important rules is to never disregard a sub’s safeword, no matter what.”
“Oh, really?” I asked incredulously. “You disregarded mine awfully fast.”
James shook his head. “I explained that earlier. I even gave you the option to stay on my lap or not. Did I make you do anything you didn’t want to? No. And I never will.”
Slanting his lips over mine, he kissed me long, hard, and passionately. When he pulled away, the room slightly spun as I opened my eyes.
“I need to hit the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” Untangling himself from me, James stood and shoved a hand in his pocket. Dropping a twenty-dollar bill on the table he winked. “In case the pizza comes while I’m gone.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I assured him.
When James turned and walked down the hall, I leaned across the couch to stare at his ass.
“You’re as big a perv as I am, Liz,” James called over his shoulder.
“What are you talking about?” I gasped, quickly sitting back up.
Did he have eyes in the back of his head?
“Nice try,” he laughed. “Uh, Liz?”
Leaning over once more, James’ reflection on a mirror at the end of the hall stared back at me. How the hell had I missed that, I wondered.
“What can I say?” I shrugged. “I like the view.”
“I like yours too,” he smirked before turning and disappearing into his room.
Not thirty seconds later, the doorbell rang. Grabbing the money off the table, I hurried to the door. Pulling it open, I blinked. Standing before me was the sexiest pizza guy I’d ever seen. Tall, swarthy and wearing an expensive Italian suit, tailored to accent miles of lean muscle. His professionally styled hair matched the color of his eyes—deep, rich milk chocolate.
The same as James. Remember him? The guy who just rocked your world? And umm, what pizza dude dresses like that?
One side of the man’s mouth curled in a sexy little smile, wiping away the warning from the little voice inside my head. The short dark scruff staining his jaw and chin made me want to scrape my nails over his bristly hairs. Instead, I gripped the door jam with one hand and thrust the twenty at him with the other as I stared, speechless.
Earth to Liz. Wipe your chin and snap out of it. You think James is going to start flipping cartwheels when he comes out of the bathroom to find you drooling all over this guy?
“Where’s Destiny?” the man asked.
His question popped my balloon of awe. Who the hell is Destiny, and why would she be at James’ house? Unless… Dammit! He’d lied. James was involved with someone.
“I don’t know,” I snipped, finally dragging my gaze to his empty hands. “My apologies, I thought you were the pizza delivery man.”
A slow, erotic smile crawled across the sexy stranger’s lips. His eyelids drooped as he trailed a sensual hooded gaze up and down my body. Without warning, he pushed through the portal, driving me backward as he shucked off his coat and tie, tossing them to the floor.
“Oh, so that’s what we’re going to play tonight, huh?” he softly chuckled, still stalking toward me until he’d backed me to the wall. Pinning my arms above my head, he licked his lips then leaned in close. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”
“Game?” I squawked.
My body tensed, but the man didn’t seem to notice. If he did, he obviously didn’t care. Staring at me as if I were a medium-rare cut of steak, his gaze stilled on my lips.
“Yeah, I can do pizza delivery all right. As long as I can bite into a big slice of you.”
Crushed between his strong body and the wall, his thick erection pressed into my stomach. I fought the insane urge to melt against his pricey suit and inhale the erotic scent of his cologne.
Suddenly, his expression hardened and even though his rugged scent still filled my head and my heartbeat hammered in my ears, I knew I’d just invited a lunatic into James’ house. Panting in fear, I couldn’t erase the image of this hunk ripping off my clothes and fucking me up against the wall. Jesus, what the hell was wrong with me?
He’s going to fuck you all right—the crazy bastard is going to rape you. Run!
I tried to push him off me, but he shook his head. “Now, now. Don’t be upset. I know you wanted pizza, but there’s been a fire at the shop.”
Confusion swirled with my fear, and my brows drew tight.
“I’m afraid I don’t have the pizza you wanted, but I do have a nice big sausage right here.” He dipped his hips and ground his cock against my pussy. “I’m sure you’ll find it hot, tasty and oh, so satisfying.”
Gripping both my wrists with one firm hand, he reached down with the other and began unbuckling his belt. He really was going to rape me. Finally, fear cut through my idiotic haze.
I shoved against him with all my might. “Get the hell off me, you sick fuck.”
Stumbling back, surprise burst over his face. As he opened his mouth to say something, I lifted my knee and drove it between his legs like a battering ram.
A whoosh of air exploded from his lungs as he doubled over and dropped to the floor.
Like a flamethrower, adrenaline fired through my veins. Turning, I sprinted down the hall.
“James. Oh god. Help. James,” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Get a gun…a baseball bat…anything!”
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As I rounded the corner into his room, James came barreling out. Slamming into his solid body, I felt as if I’d hit a brick wall. Knocking the air from my lungs, I nearly landed on my ass in the middle of the hall.
His eyes were wild with a worry. “Liz. What’s—”
“Rapist,” I gasped. “Front room.” Tears were already sliding down my cheeks as fear consumed me.
“Rapist? What the fuck?” James snarled.
I nodded, still struggling to fill my lungs with air as James darted past me. Shoulders squared, chest expanded and both hands balled into fists, I followed close behind him as he stormed toward the family room.
“There.” I pointed to the pervert still on the floor, struggling to rise up on his hands and knees.
“Mother fucker,” the man coughed then groaned. “What the fuck… Son of a bitch.” Strangling on another cough, he growled. “Fuck!”
James looked at the man, then flashed a confused glance my way. He turned his attention back to the guy on the floor, who was clutching his crotch and writhing in pain.
“Ian. What the hell are you doing?”
Ian? James’ boss, Ian? “Oh shit,” I mumbled.
“That crazy fucking bitch just jacked me in the balls,” he spat.
“You were going to rape me,” I cried.
“No, I wasn’t,” Ian shouted then groaned.
James’ expression grew more perplexed by the second.
“Then what was all that crap about the pizza shop burning down, and the big hot sausage you had for me in your pants?”
“Ah, hell.” James scrubbed a hand down his face.
“Role play, sweetheart,” Ian barked with a scowl before turning toward James. “Where’s Destiny? I thought we were supposed to—”
“Shut up,” James ordered. A look of fear lined his face.
“Isn’t she that pretty, blonde sub I met at the hospital?” I asked in a suspicious tone.
More like beautiful blonde with a flawless skin, perfect body, huge boobs, and plump red lips. The same sub that looked like she wanted to gag when Kerr had approached her.
“Yeah, she’s blonde. She’s the sub we share,” Ian choked as he rose to one knee, his face crimson read and dotted with sweat.
“Oh fuck,” James murmured. Turning an ashen shade of pale, he closed his eyes and hung his head.
You are busted, asshole. Wait…share? They share her…what the hell did that mean?
“Share?” I gaped. “Share how?”
“Exactly how you think. We—”
“Ian,” James barked. “For the love of… Shut the fuck up.”
They fuck her…together? Oh, no…James claimed he wasn’t involved with anyone. Sharing the bitch and letting his boss fuck her with him, is pretty damn involved.
Anger and shock nearly took me out at the knees. I wanted to rail at James, but stood there gaping at the two men, totally dumbfounded. Though feeling like the most gullible idiot on the planet, the thought of being fucked by both handsome men at the same time had my heart beating double-time. My mouth turned dry as a desert. Ian gave off an equally Dominant and erotic vibe as James did.
Destiny…you lucky little bitch.
Jealousy burned, but instead of visualizing the beautiful blonde writhing between the two gorgeous men, I saw myself. I could practically feel my pussy and ass being stretched and filled as they drove into me, stripping me of all my inhibitions. The visual dancing in my mind scorched nearly every brain cell I possessed.
Good girls don’t do slutty things.
The sound of my mother’s voice echoing in my ears promptly extinguished the lusty fire flickering inside. James played me like the fool I was. While his look of remorse appeared genuine, it did little to alter the fact that Destiny was en route, planning to have sex with both of them.
Fucking prick…my scent is still on your sheets.
Obviously James didn’t care.
Anger spiked.
How dare that son of bitch lecture me about honesty and communication, when he’d done nothing but blow smoke up my ass? And what a moron that made me for letting him. Damn it, I’d actually believed the asswipe.
The urge to also kick James in the balls rode me hard. Thankfully I’d learned the truth before I grew too enamored with the lying sack of shit. He and Ian were nothing but a couple of kinky playboys trying to get their rocks off with any woman willing to spread her legs. I felt sick to my stomach. Clenching my teeth, I balled up my fists, ready to unleash all my fury on the first one who had the guts to approach me.
“Who is she?” Ian asked James, jerking his head in my direction as if I wasn’t in the room. “She has a name,” I hissed. “It’s Liz. I’m a nurse. I took care of James’ friend Trevor last night.”
“A nurse? Good,” Ian groaned. “Come on over here, sweetheart. Stick your hands down my pants and see if you can find my balls, would you? They feel like they’re lodged under my Adam’s apple, so reach up real high.”
“Find them yourself, asshole,” I seethed. “Or better yet, have Destiny find them. I’m sure she knows exactly what they feel like.”
Spinning on my heel, I yanked my purse off the coffee table and raced out the front door, slamming it with a loud bang. Storming down the driveway, tears blurred my vision while I felt inside my purse for my cell phone. The rage and humiliation coiling inside me made me want to howl like a wolf.
“Liz!” James called from behind me.
“Fuck off,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Liz, goddamn it. Wait up.”
“No. Leave me alone,” I screamed without looking back.
When James gripped my shoulders, I froze. Every muscle in my body tensed. “Take your fucking hands off me,” I spat.
“No. I need to explain.”
Jerking from his grip, I spun and faced him. “There’s nothing to explain, James. Thanks for the awesome pity fuck. I’m sure you and Ian sharing Destiny will be just as meaningful.” Sarcasm singed my tongue like acid.
Scrubbing a hand through his hair, James shook his head. “What Ian and I do with Destiny doesn’t mean anything. She—”
“I’m sure it doesn’t.” My lips peeled back in a condescending smirk. “Just like none of the other women you fuck, including me.”
“That’s not true. You mean something to me, Liz. I know it sounds absurd since we’ve only known each other a short time, but you do mean something to me. You mean a lot to me. After the scare last night with Trevor, I forgot that Ian and I had set this thing up with Destiny. But it’s not what you think. Since I’ve met you, I don’t even want to be with her anymore.”
“Oh, please,” I scoffed. “Spare me the bullshit. I stopped believing in fairy tales when I was six.”
“It’s not bullshit, Liz, it’s the fucking truth!”
“You’re all about the truth, aren’t you?” I sneered. “I don’t believe you. It’s all bullshit. That’s just a line you use on women so you can stick your dick in them.”
James closed his eyes. His lips pressed to a thin tight line. Exhaling several deep breaths, his nostrils flared and his jaw ticked. His attempt to rein in his anger didn’t faze me one bit. I rolled my eyes at his theatrics, then turned and started to walk away again.
“Fuck,” James hissed under his breath. I heard his shoes on the pavement as he started coming after me. “At least let me drive you home.”
“No thanks. I’ll catch a cab.”
“Liz. Wait. Quit being so goddamn stubborn and listen to me.”
Stopping in mid-stride, I turned and gaped at him. “Stubborn? You think I’m being stubborn? You don’t know shit about women besides how to fuck them. This is called self-preservation, James. Look it up on the Internet. I’m sure you’ll be enlightened.”
Anger overrode the weaker emotions pinging inside me. Hurt and humiliated, I felt dirty and cheap. Waving him off, I snorted humorlessly. “Go home, James. Go get ready for the next lucky whore you plan to fuck senseles
s.”
James lunged forward, wrapping his arms around me before sinking a fist in my hair.
Yanking my head back, he jutted his face in close to mine.
“You’re not a whore, Liz. Don’t ever let me hear you call yourself one again. Do you understand me?” he growled through clenched teeth. “What we shared was incredible. You will not degrade yourself or the passion and magic that we achieved.”
It had been magic, at least for me, and knowing James felt the same took some of the wind out of my sails. Still, the thought of him sharing even an ounce of that magic with Destiny sliced deep. While a cyclone of emotions swirled inside me, I couldn’t stop staring at the apology in his eyes or the bow of his sensual mouth. Though James had crushed me, I still longed to lean in and kiss him. God, I was a sicker fuck than he was.
He released my hair as sadness filled his dark eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings,” he softly whispered. “I know you think I’m some kind of man-whore, but I’m not. This thing with Ian and Destiny—”
“It doesn’t matter what I think, James.” I interrupted. I didn’t want to hear the intimate details of what he and Ian did to the girl. It would only hurt more.
“It does to me, sweetheart.” He pressed his lips to my forehead and I quivered.
I prayed he didn’t kiss my lips, for fear he’d rip away my already crumbling determination. But at the same time, I ached for him to slide his tongue inside my mouth and let me drown on his sweet passion, one last time.
“Will you come back inside with me, so we can talk this out?”
I shook my head and inched backward, clawing to put up a barrier around me. “There’s nothing to discuss.”
“Actually there’s a whole lot to discuss,” he insisted. “But not right now. You’re upset and hurt. I don’t want you calling a cab. Come on, let me drive you home.”
“No. I won’t intrude on your evening. I’ll be fine with a cab.”
A breeze ruffled my hair, and I shivered. Hugging myself to ward off the cold, I realized that I was far colder on the inside than out. Glancing over James’ shoulder, I watched a car pull into his driveway.
“Your pizza’s here. The money for it is inside by the door. I dropped it when Ian…”