The only other people who’d been in the house since I’d moved in were Kyle, Brandi...and Delilah. I frowned at the coffee maker as shame swamped me again. There was nothing for it, though. I’d fucked that up big time, and Delilah seemed to be avoiding me ever since.
“Cute place,” Teresa said, breaking the silence. Her tone didn’t agree with her words, but I ignored it. She’d always been the kind to surround herself in more fashionable designs than I enjoyed. The guest house wasn’t fancy enough for her, and I couldn’t find it in me to take insult over it.
“So....” I gathered a couple of coffee mugs and set them on the counter as I struggled to find what to talk about. “Why did you want me to pick you up?”
Her demeanor changed back to the kicked dog stance and she hunched her shoulders as she sat down at the counter. “You were the only person I had to turn to. And...” She rubbed a finger along the edge of the counter. “I missed you. I miss us.”
My heart flip flopped and I turned my attention to the coffee maker as I processed her words. Did she really miss us? One thing was for sure; I missed having an us. But did I miss her? That part I wasn’t too sure about.
“Teresa, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m still very hurt over finding out you were cheating on me. When I saw you at the bar last week with that guy and he said what he did—”
“I never called you an experiment,” she insisted. Her clothes rustled as she stood up and approached me. I kept my back turned to her as I tried to make sense of the emotions warring inside of me. Her arms came around my waist, and she rested her chin on my shoulder. “I never, ever thought of you as an experiment. I loved you. I was so wrong to do what I did to you and I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”
Her pleading whispers tickled against my neck and tears burned the backs of my eyes. Could I trust her again? Did I want to even try? I turned to speak, to protest, to say something, but I couldn’t remember what as my gaze locked with hers. We stood there a heartbeat, two, and then she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine.
Years of memories flooded me with that kiss. Sleepless nights watching movies, lucid mornings after sexy escapades, shared tears over frustrations and dashed hopes. There were so many things we’d experienced together during our two years. Somehow, I wasn’t certain anymore as to whether I should give it up over one mistake on her part. My life already had enough rockiness without adding the continued loneliness and heartache of losing Teresa.
“You stink,” I whispered, wrinkling my nose.
We both broke out into a fit of giggles, and she looked around. “Show me to the bathroom. I’ll wash off the stink so you’ll kiss me properly.” Teresa paused and gave me a pleading look. “You will let me stay, right? At least for a couple of days?”
I sighed and began tugging her in the direction of the bathroom. “You can stay, I guess. There are still some things you and I need to talk about, but we’ll figure something out.”
We entered the bathroom and I turned the water on, using my fingers to gauge when it reached the temperature I knew she liked. A quick glance at her revealed she’d already thrown off all of her clothing and my heart beat in double time. Bruises decorated her body here and there in varying colors. I wasn’t a doctor, but I was pretty sure that meant the abuse she mentioned had went on longer than tonight.
What the fuck did he do to you? Why did you stay with him for so long if he was doing this?
I knew there was no reason in the world she could give that I would understand, so I said nothing. Instead, I forced myself to see beyond the colorful displays of violence on her skin to Teresa herself. She was looking a little thinner, and paler. Stress or bullying?
“I’ll get you a towel and something to change in to,” I said.
As I started to walk away, she grabbed the back of my shirt. “Don’t go. I don’t want to be alone.” Teresa pressed up against me and worried her bottom lip with her teeth before saying, “I need you to touch me.”
I hesitated and let my gaze sweep over her body again. She was beautiful, but so much fear and pain continued to reside in my heart. “I don’t think now is a good time,” I said, keeping my voice as gentle as possible. “You’re upset right now, and the last thing either of us need is for you to wake up with regret tomorrow.”
“You mean later today?” One of her eyebrows rose and a half smile played on her lips. “I don’t think either of us is getting anymore sleep tonight.”
I shrugged. “I don’t have to be at work until around 6 tonight, so I’ve got plenty of time to catch up on sleep if I don’t job hunt today.”
“Job hunt?” Her brow furrowed. “You need a new job? What happened?”
“Like I said, a lot has changed. We can talk about it later. Get in the shower while it’s still hot.” I pulled out of her grasp and exited the bathroom, then closed the door behind me. I leaned my forehead against the door and took a deep, shuddering breath.
The sounds of the shower curtain being pulled reached me through the door, and so did Teresa’s moan of pleasure. Was she moaning because the water felt good? Or was she doing something else? I fought the urge to open the door and check by walking away to gather a towel from the linens closet, then found a pair of pajamas we used to share.
When I came back, her moans were louder and I clenched my fists against the wave of arousal that washed over me. I hadn’t experienced sexual interaction or an orgasm in three months. Not since kicking her out. Raw need burned in me and I tried desperately to control it. I knocked on the door and waited patiently.
“Come in,” Teresa called.
I cracked the door open enough to speak so she could hear me, but didn’t look in. “I’ve brought the towel and some pajamas. I’ll just leave them here in the hallway.”
“Don’t be like that, Paige. You know if I open the door to get them, I’ll be cold. Just set them on the toilet.”
I struggled, debating whether to give in. I knew she was right, but I didn’t trust myself to keep resisting Teresa’s insistence for intimacy. “Fine,” I finally said with a huff.
I dodged in and closed the door behind me in haste to keep the warm air from the shower in. The bathroom wasn’t particularly large, but the water heater did a decent job of pumping out lava-hot water. I kept my head down and stared at the floor as I carried the things and set them on the toilet. A loud crash made me jerk my gaze up, though.
Teresa stood there, curtain wide open, her fingers teasing her opening. She used her other hand to fondle her breast. Her elbow was propped up on the shelf inside the shower, and my bottle of shampoo sat on the floor.
“Paige...” She whimpered and plunged a finger inside of herself as she stared at me with longing so intense it made me feel like the only sexy woman in the world. “I need you. Please.”
“I can’t,” I protested, my voice barely audible against the sound of the shower. “I don’t trust you anymore. I can’t do this.”
She released herself and stepped out of the shower, then reached out for me. “You can. We can.”
Her lips captured mine and I melted into her. Perhaps, during all I was going through, Teresa was the solace I needed. I’d thought it was Delilah, but she’d quickly and efficiently dodged me after one mistake on my part. How many mistakes had Teresa seen me through?
The scent of my lavender body wash emanated from her, teasing my senses. I cupped the sides of her face and delved my tongue into her mouth, losing myself in her body. I needed the escape she could provide, and couldn’t fight it anymore. If I couldn’t have alcohol, then I would use this as my method of coping with the world.
Teresa pulled back and tugged at my waistband. “Take these off. Take it all off,” she said.
I broke away long enough to quickly shuck off my clothing, then we came together again in a frenzy of touching and frantic kisses. Her hands roamed my body, caressed my breasts, tweaked my nipples. I reached between us and explored her wet labia, then flicked a finger over her
clit. Satisfaction swelled within me as she thrust her hips under my touch, and I slid a finger into her.
“Together, Paige,” she managed to say between gasps.
Knowing what she wanted, I spread my legs and allowed her to slide a hand from my breast down to my mons. I kept the finger within her perfectly still and held my breath in anticipation as I waited.
When she thrust a finger into me, I plunged a second one into her. Pleasure pulsed through every muscle in my body as I leaned against a wall and rode her hand while she writhed on mine. I wasn’t sure whose moans pierced the room, but the sound of our voices and the sheer carnal sensations overwhelmed me until I screamed her name and clenched around her fingers. As if in sync, Teresa came with me.
She collapsed against me and we withdrew our hands and wrapped our arms around each other, panting. I was vaguely aware that the shower was still on, but couldn’t muster the energy to do anything about it yet.
“I missed you,” Teresa whispered.
“I missed you too,” I responded automatically, and wondered how my sister was going to take all of this.
Chapter six
“No! Absolutely not.” Brandi slammed her hands down on the desk and glared at me. “I’m already putting up with that little hussy living in my guest house. I haven’t made you send her packing, and I’ve looked the other way when she visits the club while you are working. So has Kyle. We’ve been more than fair, considering she isn’t a participant in the BDSM lifestyle, she’s not sponsored by a Master or Mistress, and she sure as hell doesn’t have a membership. I will not ask Kyle if she can start working here. I’d sooner throw her out myself than trust her with our clients.”
I slumped in the chair and stared at a painting on the wall. “Well gee, tell me how you really feel,” I said.
Brandi dropped down in the large leather chair behind the desk and sighed. “Look, I love you. I don’t love or trust that woman. And I’m not her sister, so I’m not obligated to give her anything. She has a job. Why does she need to work here?”
“Teresa said that douche bag of an ex has been stopping by and harassing her. She wants to quit and find a job elsewhere so she can get away from him.”
“Then file charges and get a restraining order,” my sister retorted. She shook her head. “She’s not my responsibility. She isn’t yours, either. Teresa can put on her big girl panties and find her own job...somewhere else.”
Even though disappointment and frustration swirled within me like my own personal internal thunderstorm, I simply nodded and stood. “It’s okay. I just thought I’d ask since she’s here so much now anyway. I’ll go tell her you’re just not hiring, okay?”
“Always the best at PR, aren’t you?” Brandi offered me a smile. “I’m sorry it’s not the answer you want to hear. I love you.”
“Love you too,” I replied back stiffly.
Without another word, I left Kyle’s office and entered the busy club. Tonight was simply a social night, but there were plenty of clients on the floor. A DJ used the stage to play music, and some couples swayed softly to the sappy love song currently on. I wonder if they are all couples in their daily lives like my sister and her husband. Before Brandi told me about her relationship with Kyle, I’d been under the impression that BDSM couples were one night stands that involved kink and orgies. Extremely distasteful and very scary. Working at The Black Cuff for the past few weeks showed me that the BDSM world was something else entirely.
“Safe, sane, consensual,” I muttered as I approached the bar. When I saw Amy, I gave a small wave. “Have you seen Teresa?” I asked.
She shook her head then frowned. “I saw her come in with you, but she took off over that way.” Amy pointed at the stairs that led to the private scene rooms.
My stomach flipped and sickness engulfed me. “Oh.” I managed to sound far more nonchalant than I felt. “I’ll catch her later. Let me manage the bar while you take a break.”
She shot me a brilliant smile and nodded. “That’d be great. I’m off in a couple of hours, but I’ve been here since noon. Brandi asked me to help prep for the new Abduction Auction tomorrow. We’ve had quite a few subs volunteer, and even a couple of Masters who like to be switches have looked into signing themselves up.”
“What are we fund raising for this time? It must be something big if even Masters are willing to participate.”
“There’s a foundation that is raising money to create apartments for homeless veterans. They are going to offer job counseling, employment services, and a community kitchen where the veterans can volunteer to cook or serve in exchange for meals. The Black Cuff is going to be an anonymous donor to the project.” Excitement poured from Amy in waves. I’d seen her so passionate about something before.
“You seem to really be big on this yourself,” I pointed out.
“Master Rick is a veteran. When we first met, he was still in the military. After he got out, it took forever for him to find a job. He was an officer in the military, but all the civilian jobs turned him down because his skills ‘weren’t transferable.’” Her tone took an ugly turn as she conveyed the last few words. “Apparently he is good enough to die for his country, but not good enough to earn a job.”
“That must have been hard for him. And hard for you to watch him go through.” I walked behind the bar and grabbed an apron, then tied it on.
“It was.” She brightened and gestured around. “We’re in a good place now, and surrounded by friends. Master wants to do everything he can to be sure no one else ever goes through what he did, or worse, so he proposed the project to Mistress Delilah and Master Kyle. They were all on board.”
“That’s great!” I made a shooing gesture at her then pointed out of the bar area. “Get. Go enjoy your break.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She winked at me and took off, disappearing from sight easily.
I scanned the crowd once more, hoping to catch sight of Teresa. A sigh escaped my lips and I busied myself checking the dispensers and bottles to be sure our stock was full. I made notations on a notepad when I found shortages so I could restock the bar once Amy came back from her break. When I laid the notepad and my pen on the counter, my pen rolled off and hit the floor. Grumbling, I knelt down to pick it up.
“For being neither Dom nor sub, you are certainly here quite often,” a male voice commented above me.
I shot up right even as my heartbeat accelerated in anxiety. My eyes confirmed what I already knew and my stomach sank. The man who had cornered me my first night working stood on the other side of the bar, his dark eyes sweeping over me as if I was an object to be appraised.
“Can I help you?” I asked, plastering a fake smile on my face. If nothing else, my years as an editor in chief had taught me fantastic public relations skills.
He chuckled darkly and his eyes narrowed. “I can think of many ways you can help me. Many of them involve a lot less on your part than you are doing now. I also know there are many ways I can help you, Paige.” The way his voice caressed cause bile to rise up my throat.
I stared at him, at a loss for words. There was no way to dodge around what he’d just said that I could think of. Not without looking downright stupid or rude, at least. “I am not sure what you’re talking about, but I’d be happy to get you something to drink if you’ll just tell me what kind of beverage you want.” There. That should be safe enough.
“I’ll take a beer. Whatever’s on tap.”
He settled down on a bar stool and I turned away from him and worked on getting his beer. It provided a great opportunity to hide the dismay likely etched on my features. As I set the beer on the counter before him, he shackled my wrist. I tugged lightly, trying to free myself without making a scene.
“Stop,” he commanded and despite myself, I froze. “I have a job offer for you. I’ve heard you were let go from your job at the beginning of the month. I just so happen to have a position open. It includes food, housing, amenities. Everything you could ever want and th
en some.”
“Things that sound too good to be true usually come with a catch,” I responded before jerking my hand out of his grip. “I can’t think of any job I’d qualify for that would provide such living conditions. I notice you didn’t mention pay.”
His lips quirked and he swept his gaze over me again. “Unlimited spending money so no set pay.” When it didn’t elicit a response, he tilted his head and a flash of anger appeared on his face. It disappeared just as quickly as it came, but that didn’t stop that fact I’d seen it. “I am in need of a service sub. I find playing with the temporary toys around here to be unfulfilling. I want something deeper. More permanent. Considering your current situation, I thought I would approach you first. After all, I do so love training someone new to the lifestyle, and your fiery little temper is just begging to be broken.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m not interested,” I replied. Red tinged my vision as I struggled to contain my so-called fiery temper.
“You’re making a huge mistake,” he warned, and the nastiness I’d seen earlier colored his tone and marred his classically handsome features.
I leaned forward, unable to control my anger any longer. “There’s two problems with your little proposal,” I said, keeping my voice deadly low. “One, I love pussy, and there’s no changing that. Two, I’m not for sale. I haven’t fallen that low.”
He stood so fast that I found myself relieved the barstool was bolted to the floor so it wouldn’t topple. The rage on his face showed plainly, and I recoiled away from him, fearing the sting of a slap across my face. I’d never seen him hit anyone before—the night he cornered me being the first and only time I’d seen him until now—but somehow I knew, absolutely knew that this man would use physical violence to get his way.
“Master Bryce, is there something amiss?” Delilah appeared at his side and shot me a warning look before angling her body in front of his.
The Abduction Agreement (Mistress May I Book 1) Page 5