“Lilian, open the door before I break it down.”
My brother’s voice had me cringing and Alec pulling at the tie. With the knot I fastened, he was getting nowhere fast. I reached to the lock, pushing it back and swinging the door open. At the surprise on Slade’s face, I tilted my head.
“He didn’t touch me. As you can see, I didn’t allow him to.”
Still, Slade stared in disbelief. “Out.” He waved, not breaking his bewildered expression.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask that you not hold Alec accountable. He didn’t know what I had planned.”
Slade pulled me out of the way, but didn’t get any closer. “What is that…?” He moved even more to the side. “Did you choke him with something? The tie before you secured him? His neck is red all the way around.”
My head lowered, but I didn’t drop my act. “That’s between Alec and me.”
A furious glare was turned on me. “Lilian, answer my question.”
“It was consensual. I didn’t choke him because I was trying to seriously hurt him.” My own anger was pushing in and I tried to stay calm. For some reason, it wasn’t easing like it usually did. Tonight was just too much. “Are we done? I really don’t think this part of my life is any of your business. I’m a grown woman, whether you want to see that or not. And this,” I said, pointing toward Alec, “is only the beginning. I’m finished with all of the security I’m stuck with. Guards,” my head shook, “no more. Not a single one. I want my freedom.”
Shattering…fuck, it was happening. I was breaking. That word…
“Do you hear me!” I yelled. “I’m done being a slave. I want
freedom
! I want to be on my own. No more,” I said, slicing through the air. “I’m finished. Brace and Terrance can take me home, but then they leave. If they don’t, I will, and if you try to stop me, I’ll never forgive you. Never!” I yelled again.
The hurt on Slade face disappeared as fast as it had appeared. “This is all my fault.” The way he ran his hand over his mouth had me fighting not to explode.
“This is
my
fault. Not yours. Do you hear me, Brother? I did this. All of it. And you know what? I’m the only one who can fix it. Not you. Not your detail.
Me.
Now, back the fuck off and let me figure out my life for myself.”
I didn’t wait for his reaction. I wheeled around, heading toward the door so I could leave. The temptation to take off and disappear was there. What would happen if I just got in the car and started driving to wherever I wanted? To leave and never look back?
Brace and Terrance almost collided with me as I broke past the door, but I didn’t stop. I glanced back. They seemed too fixated by what was before them that they didn’t even notice my increase in pace. My quick walk turned into a jog and I turned up the speed as much as I could in heels. The sidewalk pounded beneath my feet and I felt myself becoming free for the first time since I’d come back home.
Traffic blurred by and I kept going. People moved out of my way and thinned out the further I disappeared from downtown. My lungs were on fire with each intake of breath, but I pushed myself harder. Before I knew it, I’d somehow kicked my shoes off and was blocks away. My building was only fifty yards ahead when I stopped, gasping for air. Shit, had I just done that? I laughed, huddling over as I breathed in the cool San Francisco breeze. A hole in the nylon fabric had one of my big toes showing and it made me laugh even harder.
“You always were a rebel, disobeying at every opportunity.”
My eyes widened and I jerked to stand. Breathing became impossible as I connected with a pair of eyes I only saw in my dreams.
“Well, hello, slave. Did you miss me?”
Rage was present on my Master’s face and I barely heard my cry escape past the roaring of my pulse.
“Answer me,” he said, dragging me to an inlet on the side of the building.
Darkness cloaked around us as we became concealed from the main road. “You have to let me go,” I said, weakly. God, my voice hadn’t sounded convincing in the least. How could it? My wildest dreams flirted with my worst nightmares. Every desire tugged and pulled at my core, making me wet.
“Let you go?” Shadows played across his face as he shook his head. “But, slave, you knew once you became mine there was no going back. You belong to me. For life. You even said so yourself.”
It was my turn to shake my head. All the therapy told me to run. To call the police and report the dangerous man before me. The submissive who loved her Master begged to drop to her knees and take hold of his legs so we would never be separated again.
“What’s the matter, my gift? Did you forget who you are?” The caring person I’d fallen in love with shone through and I grabbed his wrist. This couldn’t be real.
“You never came to get me. You weren’t supposed to come.” The two statements clashed about as much as the conflict going on inside my brain. Cold brick bit into my back while he pushed into me, pinning me to the wall.
“You doubted my vow? I killed for you. I’ll
still
kill for you.”
“Please…”
Zain covered me with his body even more, grinding his hard cock against my lower stomach. “Please, nothing. Forgetful slaves have to face consequences. Bad ones hurt even more.” His hand dove into the top of my dress, forcing its way under my strapless bra. A moan poured from me at him squeezing my nipple and rolling it between his fingers. “If you asked me, I’d say you’ve been a very, very naughty girl tonight, Lily. I think it’s time you partook in your punishment.”
Chapter 7
Zain
Feeling Lily under my hands again, smelling her sweet skin as she breathed against my cheek…it didn’t get any better than that. The scent of her perfume made me lightheaded with lust. I wanted my cock in her so desperately, I knew there was no stopping the events that had been set into motion. Our time had finally come, and it was all thanks to my slave’s temper.
When I saw her stand and follow Alec Brighton into the men’s room, blood red jealousy had me easing from my car, gun in hand. I’d been lucky to get a view of them at all. The flirting I saw from the beginning had been a time bomb waiting to go off. Every smile, every inviting expression…Lily had hit the detonator when she stood and joined him. If Slade hadn’t pulled up at the same time, I’d probably be in handcuffs. Whatever happened in that restroom had been bad enough to leave all of her protectors dropping the ball on her safety. What had they seen? Were they killing Alec this very moment? Had they already left his lifeless body on the floor, a mystery to anyone who happened upon him?
“Tell me what played out when you joined Alec.” My finger pinched her nipple harder, while my other hand pulled her dress up past her hips. The garter belt stretched as I twisted it in my fist, still angry that she’d worn it for him when she never had the chance with me.
“You saw that?” Her voice cracked and she sobbed as she moved against me.
“I’ve seen almost
everything
you’ve done since you were taken from me.” I jerked at the belt, turning it even more, bringing her impossibly closer. “I fucking said you were mine. I said I loved you a million times. How could you turn your back on that?”
Another sob. “You never came,” she said, pushing against me angrily. “You left me here. Let them take me. You fucking—” A sound laced with pain had her crying harder while she thrashed beneath me. “No, you’re in part responsible. You ruined my life. Get off of me.”
“Never.” With a yank, I broke the belt, moving my hand down to the side of the thong. “Did he see this? Did he touch what’s mine? Hmm?” Fabric ripped under my hand and I jerked the other side just as hard, removing the barrier completely. The sway of her body bumping into mine sent a growl pushing past my throat. “Fucking speak, slave. Did you let that motherfucker touch what I own?”
“You have to stop. Please.”
“Answer.” My hand let go of her hip and I held her face level with mine. “What happened in that restroom, Lily?” My tongue licked over her lips, needing to taste her again. I nearly moaned as I pulled at her lower lip with my teeth. “Do you know how much that hurt watching what I’ve tried to get back give herself away so freely? You didn’t have to go back there, but you did. Now…tell me,” I gritted out.
A sniffle left her and her eyes cut up as she tried to straighten. There was that strength I knew in her.
“It’s all your fault. You turned me into this.”
“Into what?”
Silence. My shake had her weeping. “Don’t you see? I became you. Every single part. I tied him up. Told him what to do. Then, my brother walked in. End of story.”
The world could have stopped and I wouldn’t have known it past the pain that slammed into my chest.
“You told him what to do?” I gripped her face tighter. “And what was that?”
“Let me go,” she said, angrily. “This ends now. I’m not yours. I never was.”
The building of pressure against my heart was damn near breaking it. This wasn’t my Lily. I knew to expect this sort of reaction, but experiencing it firsthand was far from easy.
“You’re going to tell me every single detail. I want to know what you just lived. What you let him experience.”
“No. If you don’t let me go, I’m calling the police. I’ll have you arrested for assault.”
“Assault? On what’s mine?”
She tried to move her face out of my hand but I gripped tighter, not allowing her to break our stare. “You can’t do this here. The law won’t even let you touch me if I don’t want it.”
I kissed her, cutting off what she was about to say. “But you do want it,” I said, rubbing my cock against her again. “I feel how your body gravitates toward mine. Your hips are moving into me as we speak.” She stilled, but I kept going. “Don’t close your eyes, slave. Look at me.” Tears streamed over my fingers as she obeyed. “Good girl. Now, tell me you don’t love me. I know you can’t. God, Lily, you’re
everything
to me. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to get to you? How hard this has been for me, too? I love you,” I stressed. “Do you think I would be here right now if I didn’t?” Again, my lips pressed into hers. “Fuck, I’ve missed you so much.”
The crying only got harder. “We can’t. This isn’t right. You’re the enemy. You’re the bad one I’m supposed to stay away from.”
“Your enemies are dying off one by one. I’ve killed two of my uncles so I can cut ties. Two more and my father, and we’re home free. No more worrying about them ever hurting anyone again. I promised you I would make them pay for what they’ve done. I’m keeping my word. Just like I kept my word on coming for you. I’m here. Right fucking here. Don’t stop loving me now. We’re so close.”
The squeal of brakes had her eyes breaking from mine. I thought she had been taking my words sincerely, but she began to struggle in earnest. Fuck, I didn’t want it to be like this.
Her mouth opened and my hand slammed over it, muffling her scream. “Don’t you dare. You know in your heart I’m the one for you. I don’t give a fuck about the conditions that surrounded us when we first met. Something happened when it was just you and me. We fell in love. Now you’re trying to find any excuse you can to deny what you know is true.” My head shook. “I’m not going to let you. I refuse to stop until you’re the Lily who was forcefully removed from my room. She fought with every ounce of strength she had to try to stay with me. I want her back and you’re going to give her to me.”
I removed my hand, taking her mouth with all the brutality I felt she deserved for her betrayal. I couldn’t get enough. For the briefest moment, I felt her kiss me back. “That’s it. Let yourself go. Come back to me.” My arms wrapped around her as I deepened the kiss. At my hand tugging at her hair, she broke the connection, taking in a deep breath.
“This is so wrong.”
“No, this is right. We belong together and I’m going to show you why.”
I fixed her dress as I let her feet search for the ground. Slade’s fancy sports car was parked in front of Lily’s building, but the Town Car was nowhere to be seen. They had to be out looking for her or dealing with Alec.
“One night to try to convince you,” I said in her ear. “You give me that and if you want to go home in the morning, you can. If you refuse to stay with me tonight, we leave the country immediately. Your choice.” Before she could answer, I continued. “One night or Afghanistan. Either way, I get my chance. Think my proposition through. There, you’ll never escape and you know it. I’m willing to be miserable under my father’s roof if it means I get to keep you, so I’m fine with it either way.”
A frustrated sob left her. “This isn’t fair. You have to see how complicated things would be. My brother would kill you if he knew how we met. We have to go our separate ways. You have to leave while you still can.”
“Slade doesn’t scare me. Besides, do you really think he can best me at my own game? Death is nothing more than a delivery service in which I excel. He doesn’t stand a chance.”
The fighting grew stronger. “Zain, tell me you’re not going to hurt my brother.”
Killing was something I never joked about and I wasn’t going to lie to convince her either. “Your brother is safe…for now. Unless he gives me reason. Now, choose. One night, or do you want to go back?”
Lily closed her eyes and a shiver had them reopening. Was it from the cool air or her imagining what the night would hold? I knew she didn’t want to verbally admit her true feelings. She was trying to view me as the enemy now — as if I had been the one who ripped her off the street and sold her. But I was determined to pull out her need for me, no matter what.
“Do you give your word you’re truthfully going to let me walk away?”
“Yes.”
The tension left her body and I loosened my arms as she found her footing. “Fine. One night. That’s it. I’m warning you now, you’re not going to change my mind. We can talk all night and try to figure out this mess, but it’s a waste of time. You should just go home. Things can’t go back to the way they were between us.”
Oh, they wouldn’t. They’d be better. We’d be here, away from my family and the danger that surrounded them. There was nothing that could force my hand in taking her back to that hell. I’d never broken my word before, but tonight I would. Desperate times came with desperate measures. Lily would be mine again. She’d come to overlook our past and focus on our future.
“I love you and I’m not going anywhere.” I cupped her face, giving her one last kiss. She remained quiet as I eased us around the side and led her quickly into the building. “No talking until we get to my place. If you speak to anyone, I’ll shoot them. You know I’m not lying. If you say I’m going to lose you, what’s left for me? Don’t do something stupid.”
“It was you I saw earlier?”
“Yes. I told you, I’ve been here all along. When you stand at your window crying, I feel it. When you sleep, I’m there when you wake from the nightmares. You didn’t have those when you were in my arms, did you?”
She kept her head down as I pushed the button to the elevator. “You didn’t, because you felt safe with me. I can give you that back. All you have to do is embrace this new chance we have.”
The sound of the elevator arriving had her dragging her feet as I tried to push her forward.
“I don’t know if I can do this.”
My hand tightened and I gave a tug that sent her stumbling my way. “You have no choice anymore. It’s time you remember your place.”