Forever Loved (Forever Lost Book 2) (17 page)

First, though, he had a punishment to administer. Leo forced himself to retreat, and as soon as she let out an unsatisfied moan that he’d left her empty, he knew he’d be fucking that amazing ass before they left this tiny room.

He didn’t let her say or do anything before his first slap made contact with her cheek. Cassie held on to the desk tightly and said nothing to stop him, so Leo struck her again. This time he smoothed the skin and kissed it afterwards, knowing he’d hit her hard, but her panting breath told him she wasn’t hurt—in fact it seemed she’d loved him using a firmer hand. After two more slaps he moved on to the other cheek, where he delivered another four to her increasingly reddened ass.

Deep down, there was a part of him that sadistically delighted in hurting Cassie, but only as much as she wanted. He truly enjoyed giving her what she needed from him. Leo was doing everything he could to pleasure her, like a good Dom should. She wanted the pain, for whatever reason, and he was strong enough to deliver it to her safely. Panting, glistening, and groaning with pleasure, Cassie arched her back and opened her legs wider. Leo knew exactly what she needed, and slapped her right on the clit.

Leo thanked God for the thumping music that drowned out the sound of Cassie’s scream. At first he thought he’d hurt her, but when she peered back over her shoulder at him with a desire he felt in his soul, he knew she’d just exploded in pleasure rather than pain. He pushed down his pants and was inside her soaked opening in seconds, and she was still clenching as the last remnants of her orgasm echoed through her. “Fuck, Cassie. You feel so good,” he groaned, and then hissed when she wriggled against him, burrowing him deeper inside.

Leo pounded hard, pressing into her while driving his own climax ever closer. When he could wait no longer, he pulled out and teased her tight ass with the head of his cock, coaxing his way inside without asking permission or having to tell her what to do. Cassie relaxed immediately and welcomed him, and Leo groaned at the tightness she held him with. He came after just a few strokes, but didn’t stop his movements. He was too hard to be satisfied yet, so carried on just a little bit longer, and watched in awe as she came for him one more time.

Leo pulled himself out slowly. He then helped Cassie to the small bathroom, where he got cleaned up while she composed herself. She looked utterly fucked, and he supposed she was. She seemed surprised when he soaked the handkerchief from his jacket pocket in warm water and cleaned her up as well, as though she thought he would be too disgusted to clean up his own mess, but it was quite the opposite. Leo loved how she’d taken him so willingly, but he also took great pleasure in knowing she was comfortable and cared for even after their epic lovemaking session was over. “Have you done it properly before? Not just what we’ve done?” he asked, and didn’t look into her eyes when she replied with an almost silent affirmation.

Leo didn’t ask for any details. He didn’t need or want to know who had taught her how to do it, nor did he want to embarrass her by making Cassie tell him. It needed to stay in the past where it belonged. They were moving on together. Cassie had shown him that by pushing her panties into his pocket even after she’d told him about the disgusting memory of Eduardo and the present she’d been forced to give him. He knew he’d never make her feel bad for her sexual past. He’d had hundreds of women over the years, in many different ways too, so he could never judge Cassie or her preferences in the bedroom. In fact, he downright loved that she was opening up more and more about what she craved, and knew he was more than willing to give her everything she wanted.

***

The next day, they bid farewell to the Taylor’s and headed back to London. Cassie was more emotional than she would’ve thought she’d be, but wouldn’t let herself cry. Her parents had been their usual selves, but she really thought Leo had made a good impression on them both, and hoped he’d be a welcome addition to her life now that they’d gotten to know him better. Will had firmly embraced him as his brother-in-law, regardless of the constant reminders from his big sister that they weren’t planning to get married. Her parents had brought up the subject as well, but Cassie had shot their comments down right away.

A part of her considered herself to have some kind of curse when it came to having a husband, and the thought of getting married a third time was depressing. Cassie was widowed twice over, and that was more than enough for one lifetime. She and Leo would be together for the rest of their lives, she had absolutely no doubt about it, and she didn’t need a piece of paper or a ring on her finger to know that.

Not caring about the travel sickness, she climbed in the back to sit with Leo for the ride home. She had to be with him, so she popped a tablet with some kind of herbal remedy to help ease her nausea and then settled in beside her man. Leo wrapped an arm around her and pulled Cassie closer, and with a cocky smile he rested one hand over her ass. She was still a little bruised, but not as sore as she would’ve thought, and her memory of the night before only made her want more. She had to admit, she’d thoroughly enjoyed all three elements of what’d gone on in that office, and was more than willing to do them again whenever Leo asked her to.

Everything was perfect, and while the pessimist inside wanted to warn her that trouble might just be around the corner, she pushed it away. Only the positive thoughts were allowed into her mind right now, and she intended to keep it that way.

Chapter Fifteen

Happy days together turned into blissful weeks, and before long Cassie fell into a wonderful routine of work and home life that she never dreamed she could have before. Leo had remained his ever-forceful self, at times still closed-off, but he was working on it, and she didn’t push him. They explored her interest in the darker, more violent sides of his sexual prowess, and as promised, tried their hands at a little roleplay of their own.

She woke late one morning to find him gone, but a note was left behind in his place. Cassie grabbed it and read his fine handwriting with a smile.

My love,

I’ve gone to the office, but I won’t be long. The game is on, and today’s the day I teach you how to be ravaged, Cassie. Watch your back, as you won’t know when or where I might pounce. Fight back all you want, but don’t forget I’ll only stop for the safe word–-Jellybeans.

Yours anticipatively,

Leo x

Cassie bit her lip with excitement. It seemed he was finally willing to show her the last of those things he’d told her about months before, and she was more than ready to try it out. She climbed up out of bed and got herself ready for a day of cleaning and running errands, figuring she’d best go about her ordinary tasks while waiting with bated breath for him to strike.

By mid-morning, the wait was already torture, and she showered with one eye on the door, all the while failing in her bid to ignore the sweet, burning desire building in her gut. She was a twisted knot at first, watching every movement from the corner of her eye like a paranoid lunatic, and had to force herself to calm down. Cassie did some breathing exercises and stretched out with a bit of yoga.

With one ear on the door, figuring she’d hear Leo when he came home anyway, Cassie then set about completing her chores. As she stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes, she was so deep in thought she finally forgot all about their game. She daydreamed of a future life with Leo. Yes, she still had her damaged past and the baggage that came with it, but so did he, and together they were mending those broken parts of one another. Their future could be as bright as they wanted it to be, and she was sure ready for less of the chaos and drama.

A gloved hand suddenly covered her mouth, and a wall of heavy muscle pinned her to the counter from behind. Cassie jumped and tried to scream, but the sound was drowned out by the epic force holding her still and silent. Her heart was beating out of her chest and her breath was ragged, and when her attacker’s breath tickled her ear, she shuddered.

“I’m going to remove my hand, and if you dare scream you’ll be sorry. Understand?” the rumbling baritone voice murmured against her cheek, and Cassie nodded. She knew it was Leo right from the start, and wasn’t scared, but was also well aware of the game he was playing. He was the cat and she was the mouse. And, like a cat, he was an unrelenting force hell-bent on catching his prey. But she was a crafty mouse who was already enjoying their game, so much so that she wasn’t quite ready to give up just yet.

As soon as he dropped his hand, she shoved an elbow back into his ribs. A deep grunt was all she got from him, but Leo stepped away just enough for Cassie to slide free from his hold and make a run for it, and she knew he’d let her go on purpose. She charged for the door, but only made it as far as the hall before being swept off her feet and into the air. She cried out, kicking and squirming in an attempt to get free, but it was no use. His hand was back over her mouth again, and no amount of struggling could get her free.

Leo flung her over one end of the couch on her stomach, and Cassie knew she had no options left. He was holding her by her wrists at the small of her back, and was pressing her face into the sofa cushions, while her ass was sticking up over the raised arm of the sofa completely at his mercy. His free hand grabbed at the waistband of her pants, ripping the clothing from her in a rush, and Leo buried himself inside of her from behind.

After just a few hard thrusts she was putty in his hands, and any fight she’d tried to keep hold of was quickly lost. But she did it all willingly, wanting this and so much more from her intensely sexy lover. The excitement drove her wild, as did his body as he forced himself into her over and over. He roared as he came, and Cassie was right there with him. Her body clenched around his pulsing length, taking everything he had to give her, and when he finally stilled they both fell into a crumpled heap of bodies entwined.

“Whoa,” she breathed, and nestled deeper into his hold.

“Yeah,” Leo replied, and despite his earlier savage treatment, he kissed and caressed Cassie with gentle touches. When she’d come down from her extreme high, she peered up at him through her lashes and marveled at the man who loved her so much she felt breathless in his arms. He was a brute, through and through, yet Leo was also tender, caring, and gentle when he let himself be. He loved her with everything he had, and she adored how he wasn’t afraid to show it. “Did you like it?”

“Well, obviously,” Cassie teased, and she laughed when he tickled her rib playfully. “You didn’t keep me waiting too long either, but I enjoyed the anticipation.”

“I’ve been hiding in the apartment all day, waiting for the opportune moment,” he told her, and Cassie laughed even harder. “I never went to the office, it was all part of my master plan to have you fooled.”

“Wow, you’re a good stalker. I didn’t even know you were here!” she cried in response, and Leo took a half bow. He sat them both up, checked Cassie over, as though to make sure he hadn’t been too rough, and then led her away to get cleaned up.

***

No amount of sickness remedy was working this time, and Cassie’s stomach lurched at the very idea that there might be something more behind her symptoms than she’d first thought. One possibility kept coming back to her, though, the idea quickly becoming less and less impossible to imagine. Siobhan had gone on a few times about how her pregnant sister hadn’t had morning sickness, but a general queasiness that’d lasted until around halfway through her term, and it seemed almost feasible that it could be the reason behind her now constant nausea. With the implant in her arm, Cassie’s periods had stopped anyway, so she hadn’t skipped any, but she definitely felt strange. There was an “off” feeling she couldn’t shake.

“I’m taking my lunch break,” she told Siobhan, who immediately offered to go with her. Cassie refused. She didn’t let on, but she needed some time alone, albeit with her bodyguard in tow. Thankfully, Roger knew when it was in his best interests to stay quiet, and that this was one of those times.

It was a quick walk down the street to a chemist, and less than thirty minutes later, Cassie was staring at the two small blue lines that read as a positive result on the pregnancy test in her hands. “Oh, God,” she groaned, and then stashed the test in her purse. Cassie wasn’t sure how to feel, somehow both elated and terrified at the same time. She made her excuses to Siobhan, asking her to close up for her, and let Roger drive her to the casino so she could talk to Leo about her incredible discovery. There was no waiting or hiding it from him, and she needed him to be delighted with their impending parenthood before she could even begin to contemplate celebrating the news.

Cassie bypassed the lobby and its horde of young women waiting to greet the guests. With Roger at her side she rode up to Leo’s office in silence. Usually, he’d leave her to it when she got to the casino, but this time he’d stayed, and Cassie was glad.

“It’ll be okay,” he mumbled. Cassie felt a lump form in her throat. She wasn’t ready to talk, not yet, but she appreciated having her trusty companion and his always so ready encouragement. “Don’t be scared.”

“But, what if…” she began, but Roger cut her off.

“What if the woman he loves comes and tells him she’s going to give him the one thing he’s been missing his entire adult life? What if the woman he adores tells him she’s going to give him a child? I’d say he’ll be pretty bloody happy about the news, and if he isn’t quite jumping for joy, it’s just ‘cos he’s scared—like you.”

Cassie took a deep breath and steadied herself. Roger really did need a raise, and she made a mental note to make some fuss of him very soon. He’d been a silent support no end of times, and at other times a source of fun to help take her mind off the seriousness shrouding her daily life. Then there were the moments like this, when he offered her heartfelt advice and a shoulder to cry on exactly when she needed it most.

“Thanks,” she told him when they reached Leo’s office door.

“Any time, boss lady,” he replied with a wink, before taking residence in a chair across the hall.

She knocked and went inside, and found Leo and his cousin Brian browsing through some paperwork at the huge desk. They both looked up in surprise, but each grinned in welcome. Brian made his excuses and left them to it, while Cassie hovered across the desk from her gorgeous lover. She didn’t know how to say it. Her mind went blank.

“What’s wrong, love?” Leo asked, and stood so he could walk around the desk and gather her up in his powerful arms.

“Leo, I’m…you’re…” she stammered. “You’re going to be a daddy,” she finally managed, feeling as though she might be sick. Leo grabbed her chin and tilted her face to meet his, dazzling Cassie with the most radiant smile she’d ever seen. Tears poured from her eyes uncontrollably as she took him in. Leo wiped them away with his pocket-handkerchief without a word. He sniffed, as though fighting back the tears himself, and continued to peer down at her adoringly.

“And you’re going to be a mommy,” he purred, his accent lilting with the American sound he’d somehow become accustomed to mixing with his British inflection. She laughed.

“Yeah, I guess that too,” she mumbled, and then sobbed when he planted a deep and loving kiss against her lips. She wasn’t afraid, not anymore, but she was damn well shocked to imagine that this could actually be happening for real. It wasn’t a pipedream and it certainly wasn’t planned, but Cassie thanked God for sending them this baby, and knew they’d both love it more than either could ever have imagined.

When she’d finally calmed back down, Leo took her to sit with him behind his desk. She climbed into his lap without a care and then watched as he finished his work and cleared the table.

She dozed in his hold, and came to when she felt herself being lifted up into his strong arms. “Leo?” she asked, rubbing her bleary eyes.

“It’s okay, love. I’ve got you,” he told her, placing her down on the sofa across the room from his desk with gentle hands. “I’ve called for a gynecologist, she’ll be here within the hour.” Panic flared within again, but this time it wasn’t to do with her nerves, but her excitement.

When the doctor arrived, they made quick work of discussing Cassie’s contraceptive uses before agreeing that her implant had somehow failed. The kind and warm young woman was methodical as she then ran through Cassie’s medical history with her. Cassie paled when the question, “how many surgeries have you had and where?” came up.

Leo held her hand tightly in his, and his strength helped Cassie be honest about her reconstructive labial surgery after Jonah’s attack.

“Okay. Well if you’ve still managed to continue with normal sexual health since then, I assume the surgery was a success?” Dr. Singh asked, and Cassie nodded. The doctor’s dark brown eyes were suddenly warmer, her gaze less business-like, and her features had noticeably changed. Cassie couldn’t be sure if she was like this with all her patients, but she certainly felt put at ease by the approach Dr. Singh continued on with. “And, is this your first pregnancy? Including miscarriages, etcetera?”

“Yes,” Cassie answered honestly, and was glad she didn’t have anything else to discuss with the doctor about her torrid past.

After analyzing a urine sample, the doctor was able to confirm the pregnancy. Cassie caught Leo’s broad smile. His happiness spurred her on, and while she hated needles, she stared over at him to keep her mind off of it when the doctor then took some blood.

“How about we try listening to the heartbeat?” Dr. Singh then asked, and both parents-to-be sat a little higher in their seats. Cassie wanted to hear that sound more than anything else in the world, and hadn’t even considered they might be able to listen in so soon. She immediately followed the doctor’s instructions to lay down and lift her shirt. Dr. Singh felt around for a while, seeming pleased with what she found there, and she took out a small device she then lubricated and ran across the base of Cassie’s stomach. Within seconds, a fast thumping noise came through the handset, and the doctor grinned. “Perfect. I’d say you’re around nine weeks along. Congratulations,” she told them, and passed Cassie a tissue when she began crying again.

***

Leo had never been happier. Things were falling into place for him and Cassie, and he truly felt as if their luck might’ve changed for the better. They were so in love, regardless of the ups and downs, and he knew they’d make great parents to the tiny new life miraculously growing inside of his amazing girlfriend’s womb. He watched her sleep for hours that night, his hand resting gently on her stomach, and finally drifted off in the early hours when his exhaustion overtook his excitement.