Unraveled (22 page)

“You’re busy running the dojo. You don’t have time to be my chauffeur.”

“It’s my right to take care of you,” he argued. “And if you won’t let me do that,
at least let me teach you to take care of yourself.”

She placed her hand over his heart. “Thank you for thinking of me and looking out
for me.”

“It’s not jealousy about Tom the chauffeur playing fetch and carry for you.”

But she knew that was a large part of it. Any man who did anything for her made Knox
feel like he was slacking. Wanting her to rely on him for everything was unrealistic.
And what happened if she leaned on him—only him? At some point he’d get resentful.
She’d been through it before. “Knox. This
is
me taking care of myself.”

He stared at her, the muscle in his jaw flexing as he struggled with how to respond.

“How about if we start small with the driving thing? Every time we drive past that
indoor go-kart track you tell me how much you’d love to take me there.”

His eyes lit up. “You’d go today? Right now?”

“If you take me out for sushi afterward. Oh, and frozen yogurt.” She walked her fingers
up his chest. “Of course that’ll have to be to go, because I plan to use your body
as my dessert plate.”

No surprise Knox burned rubber taking her there.

*   *   *

ANOTHER
boring Thursday.

She’d done payroll.

She’d done promotional research.

She’d done the dishes in the break room.

Her gaze zoomed to Knox. There was one thing she hadn’t done today.

Shiori pushed her chair back and stood. “Pick a fight with me.”

Knox looked up from his desk. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Say something cutting like you used to.”

“Why?”

“Because I always secretly got a thrill out of verbally sparring with you.” Sauntering
across the room, she said, “Insult me.”

“Is this some kinda test?”

“No.” She reached his desk and spun his chair around, pressing her hands into the
armrests. “Say, ‘Jesus, She-Cat, why didn’t you just do the log-in reports in crayon
since it looks like a second-grader did them?’”

“Funny.”

“Or how about . . . Ms. Hirano, your attitude sucks balls today.”

Knox raised an eyebrow. “Maybe because you had my balls in your mouth last night?”

“No, you never said sexual things to me before.”

“At least not to your face.”

She smiled. “See? Stuff like that.”

“Kitten, I don’t know what you’re after here. Is this a Domme game?”

“No. It’s a you and me game. While I love the fact we’re getting along so well, I
miss that back-and-forth we used to have.”

“What do you want to do about it?”

“How about if we start this over?” Shiori straightened up. “Play along.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“When I walk in, act like it’s the first time you’ve seen me today.”

Knox still seemed confused, so she hoped he picked up on what she wanted.

To make the scene authentic, she shouldered her purse and slipped out the door, closing
it behind her. She wandered down the hallway, careful not to get too close to the
training room.

After five minutes had passed, she opened the door and meandered in, slamming it shut
behind her.

“Wow, you’re here before the crack of noon today, She-Cat?” Knox said with total sarcasm.
“That’s two days in a row. Are you hoping that’ll put you in the running for Employee
of the Month?”

“Bite me, Ob-Knox-ious.” She tossed her purse on her desk.

“I’ll pass since I doubt you’ve had a rabies shot recently.” He smirked.

“I’ve gotta give you props for not giving up. Even when your jokes always suck ass,
gosh darn it, you keep on trying to convince me you’re funny.”

Knox flashed his teeth. “Maybe it’s a cultural thing, Shitake. American humor escapes
you.”

“Of course that’s it.” She smacked herself in the forehead. “It’s a language barrier.”

“Glad you’re coming to terms with your limitations.”

Why the fuck was this getting her hot? Her heart raced. Her belly had butterflies.
Her face felt warm.

“How about if we cut the crap? I looked at your so-called log-in reports,” Knox said
snidely.

“And?”

“And why are they in Japanese?”

“Because Japanese is my first language?” she replied.

“How in the hell am
I
supposed to read them?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s the thing, Knox. Those reports aren’t
for you. Which I’ve told you umpteen times, not that you ever pull your head out of
your ass long enough to listen to me.”

The hard muscle in his jaw flexed. “You finished them in another language so I couldn’t
double-check your data? Real mature, She-Cat.”

“I don’t need you going over those reports like a teacher checking my homework.”

“How do I know you’re not trying to hide something?”

“Are you fucking serious right now? What could I possibly be hiding?”

He shrugged. “Maybe you’re having parties in Ronin’s penthouse since you’re the only
one with access to it.”

“Parties?” she repeated. “You really think I’d jeopardize my brother’s privacy as
well as his trust in me?”

“Like I said, I don’t know. That’s why I need to read those reports. You could be
having rooftop keggers up there every Saturday night for all I know.”

She stalked over and slammed her hands on his desk. “Am I even supposed to know what
that means? What the fuck is a kegger?”

Knox’s gaze had turned molten. He was just as turned on by this as she was. “Keggers.
Wild parties with kegs of beer where the goal is to get drunk, lose articles of clothing,
and see how stupid you can act.”

“That sounds right up your alley, Ob-Knox-ious. Is that why Ronin didn’t leave
you
a key to the penthouse?” she asked sweetly.

“Yeah, well, he had to give
you
some kind of token since he left
me
in charge of the dojo.”

“You are such a dickhead.”

“Yeah? Baby, you’ve taken
bitch
to a whole new level.”

Shiori leaned closer. “I wish we were on the mat right now, Godan, because I’d pound
that smug fucking face of yours into the ground.”

Knox’s big hands circled her wrists and he got nose to nose with her. “You have that
backward, kitty-cat. I think you’d like me pounding your hot little body into my mattress—not
the training mat. And I’d be more than happy to oblige you, but I’d probably have
to gag you first.”

“You’d have to pin me first,” she shot back. “And we both know who’s got the better
skills when it comes to takedowns.”

“Don’t tempt me to prove you wrong.”

They were so close they shared the same air. Fire danced in his eyes, and she could
smell the heat of his skin. The embers that’d been smoldering between them ignited.

“Knox.”

He didn’t answer; he just brushed his mouth across hers. Once. Twice. “Is this what
you missed, kitten?” he murmured against the corner of her mouth.

“Yes.”

“Me too.” He angled his head and ran his nose from her temple down below her ear.
“What are we gonna do about it? Because right about at this point in the conversation
is where you’d walk away.”

“If I walk away this time, will you follow me?”

“Without a doubt.”

She nuzzled his cheek, breathing in the scent of aftershave and arousal seeping from
his skin. “Do you have a condom?”

“Since fucking you is now a reality and not a daydream?” He planted a hot kiss below
her ear. “Baby, I shoved a whole box in my bottom drawer.”

“Hoping I’d fuck you in the dojo, Shihan?”

“Always.” His lips followed the shell of her ear. “Since we
are
in the dojo, which is my domain, Mistress rules don’t apply. So get your ass in the
supply closet and wait for me.”

Here was a test. Technically, Knox was right; he called the shots at Black Arts. But
since this was about sex, it should be her show.

Isn’t it your show? You made him act a scene out with you. This is the result. You
letting him have control and making sure he knows it’s only because you allowed it
adheres to the Domme-sub rules you’ve established and isn’t him pushing boundaries.

When Knox whispered, “Play along,” her internal debate ended.

Shiori sought his mouth and kissed him hard. Reminding him who had the power and she’d
exercise it whenever it suited her. Then she pulled away and crossed the room to the
small supply closet in the corner without looking back.

KNOX
rubbed his hand over his mouth as he watched her walking away.

That ass. Jesus. It called to him like the gravitational pull of the moon.

The second the supply-closet door closed, he yanked open the bottom drawer and ripped
off a single condom package.

He forced himself to wait another minute before he chased after her, which gave him
a chance to plan how this encounter would play out. He understood the leap of faith
she’d taken, offering him the chance to take charge—he sure as fuck didn’t want to
blow it.

Shiori’s role-playing game had gotten him all kinds of worked up. It reminded him
of the months they’d gone back and forth nearly every day. And he was man enough to
admit it’d gotten him hot then too.

The minute was up.

As Knox crossed the room, he wished his shoes made more noise on the wooden floor
so she could hear him coming for her. The hinges squeaked on the door when he opened
it slowly. He
closed it behind him and locked it, then took a moment to study her, building her
anticipation.

Shiori stood in front of the window. With the way she’d angled her head, the sun shone
on her ebony hair, and a section reflected as fiery red. When he started toward her,
he saw her hands tighten on the ledge.

Two floor-to-ceiling shelving units flanked the room on both sides. Since this was
an old building, the ceilings were high, as were the windows. He’d always thought
using this as a supply closet was a waste of good space—until now.

Knox moved in, pressing his body to hers. He reached beneath her arms to begin unbuttoning
her blouse and rubbed his lips against the back of her neck. Her scent teased him—warm
skin with the hint of spice. After he’d managed the buttons, he stripped off her blouse
and her bra.

He groaned at feeling her soft, bare skin beneath his hands. “I love touching you.”

“I love the way you touch me,” she admitted. “And I need you to take your shirt off
so we’re skin to skin.”

“Anything for you,” he said into her hair. He made quick work of ditching his shirt
and pressed his bare chest to her naked back.

A small hiss escaped her.

She’d worn pants today. His hands followed the contour of her upper torso, down her
sides to her hips. He traced his finger along her waistband, just to feel her quiver
from his touch. Then he unhooked the clasp on the inside of her pants and pulled down
the zipper, all the while letting his mouth drag openmouthed kisses across her shoulders.

As soon as her pants were loose, he pushed the soft fabric down her hips and over
the curve of her ass until they pooled around her ankles. “Step out of them and kick
off the shoes.”

Even when Shiori shifted sideways, he kept his hands and his
mouth on her, not only in a show of control, but as a constant reminder he couldn’t
get enough of her.

Knox put his lips at the base of her neck, following the ridges of her spine with
his tongue all the way down until he had to drop to his knees. Now her mouthwatering
ass was right in his face.

Nice.

He hooked his fingers into the sides of her black panties and pulled them down, eliminating
the last barrier between them.

When she kicked her underwear aside, he tapped on the insides of her calves as a signal
to widen her stance.

Then he teased those dimples above her ass with his lips until the fine hairs stood
on end and she tried to rub her thighs together. It was very tempting to give her
a good, hard smack on the ass to make her stay still, but he wasn’t sure how far he
could push her. So he opted to distract her, pressing against her lower back and changing
the angle of her hips.

Her breathing had become erratic, and he glanced up to see her breath fogging the
window.

He allowed himself a small grin before he zeroed in on his next target. Moving his
hands down the outside of her butt, he placed his thumbs just inside the crack of
her ass so he could pull her cheeks apart. Then he dragged his tongue down the split,
lifting her slightly so he could reach that pink pucker.

Shiori cried out, “Oh god,” at the first wet lash of his tongue.

He swirled his tongue around the outside of the tight rosette, lapping at it until
the muscle loosened. Then he jammed his tongue inside.

Another loud gasp echoed to him and he felt her legs start to shake.

His cock pulsed. He’d gotten so lost in the chance to touch and taste Shiori however
he wanted that he’d forgotten his body’s needs.

That’s your submissive nature. Making sure your Mistress is satisfied before you are.

And for once, his male ego didn’t argue. It just urged him to get on with it.

After one last long lick where he got his first taste of the juices flowing from her
pussy, he pushed to his feet. Somehow he managed to get his pants down and the condom
on one-handed because he kept a hand on her at all times. When they’d first become
physical, she’d demanded some part of him be touching her all the time. And now he
needed that connection as much as she did.

Knox planted a kiss on her shoulder. There was a ledge above the heater that might
be rough on her knees, but it put her at the perfect height. Keeping hold of her hips,
he said, “Knees on the ledge and then I want your hands on the window.”

As soon as she’d gotten into position, he rocked his pelvis to her ass. He held his
cock in his left hand and spread his right hand between her hip bones, adjusting the
angle and allowing his middle finger to connect with her clit.

And another swift intake of breath as he stroked her there.

He pushed inside her pussy slowly. Once he’d filled her with his cock, he said, “Hard
and fast.”

Her “Yes” came out with a whimper.

Knox pulled out and impaled her. Again. And again. The sound of skin slapping against
skin and Shiori’s soft grunt each time he bottomed out inside her echoed in the small
space.

Now the window had a wider patch of steam from their combined heavy breathing. Her
back was slick with sweat, as was his chest, making them stick together.

He rubbed on her clit gently, knowing she didn’t like aggressive touches at the start.
But the harder and longer he pounded into her, the wetter she got, and he could increase
the speed of his strokes.

When Shiori’s body went stiff beneath him, he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled
her head aside to get at her neck. At
the touch of his lips to her damp skin, goose bumps erupted and she moaned.

“I love fucking you. I love everything about how we are together. The sounds, the
scents, the tastes, the feeling of your body moving against mine.”

“Knox . . .”

“Do you like the way I fuck you, Nushi?”

“Yes.”

He sucked the tender skin below her ear. “I want to take that sweet little asshole
of yours like this someday. Getting it good and stretched out with my tongue before
I ram my cock in hard.” He nuzzled the back of her neck. “Tell me you’ll let me do
anything to you that makes you scream when you come.”

“Anything.” She panted. “Anything I tell you to do.”

“Tell me what will make you come now.”

“I’m so close. Faster on my clit. And your mouth—”

“I know where you want my mouth,” he growled. Then he pulled harder on her hair, forcing
her to give him access to the spot she was protecting. He latched on to it with his
teeth and sucked hard, flicking her clit and managing to keep the slamming rhythm
of his cock.

He knew the instant she started to come; one hand left the window and got a death
grip on his hair. Her cunt muscles contracted around his dick, and her clit spasmed
beneath his stroking finger.

“Fuck, yes, oh yes.” Shiori didn’t scream, but she gasped and moaned through every
pulsing throb until he heard her voice turning hoarse.

After the storm of pleasure ebbed, she curled her hand around the back of his neck
and pressed the side of her face into his. “You . . . that . . .” She sighed. “Yeah,
I love the way you fuck.”

He wondered if she’d noticed the grinding of his teeth and how he’d slowed his thrusts
to keep himself in check.

Shiori angled her face to capture his lips. After teasing him with almost kisses and
an exchange of breaths, she said, “Thank you for this.” Another lick on the inside
of his bottom lip because the woman knew how crazy that made him. “You rocked me.”

“My pleasure. Mistress, can I come?”

“Yes.” She returned her hand to the window, knowing he’d finish this with sheer force.

Knox curled both hands into her hips, anchoring her to receive these last few pile-driving
thrusts. He watched himself plunging into her until that moment when his balls lifted
and his orgasm jetted through him in pulsating waves.

It felt so fucking good to be sated and soft within her hot walls that he kept pumping
even after that last blast.

Shiori didn’t stop him. Didn’t say, “Enough. Pull out.” She just let him come down
from his orgasmic high gradually. She got him. Every single time she knew what he
needed and found a way to give it to him.

No wonder he worshipped her.

Immediately after Knox eased out, he helped her down from the ledge. He turned her
around and kissed her for a good, long time, knowing that’s what she wanted. Bodies
and mouths touching, not to establish her dominance, but to strengthen their bond.

Once he was certain she had regained her sense of balance, he dropped to his knees,
despite the awkwardness of having his pants around his ankles. He didn’t ask for permission
since she’d given him the appearance of his being in charge. He lowered his mouth
to her pussy, using his thumbs to get at the sweet pearl already returning to hiding
within her pink folds. He sucked gently but relentlessly until she came against his
mouth. He drank her orgasm down, swallowing her juices like fine wine.

She petted his hair afterward. “Being with you is like nothing I’ve ever experienced,
Knox.”

“I’m striving to make a good impression.”

“You’ve succeeded. Thank you. Now we need to get dressed.”

Even dressing separately wasn’t uncomfortable, which proved to him how easy it was
being with her. Shiori didn’t play mind games. She didn’t try to trick him or trip
him up so she could punish him. She simply . . . enjoyed him, in whatever manner she
chose.

And it was a real boost to his ego that he could make her mindless, that he could
make her come so hard she couldn’t breathe or speak. That she’d chosen him to be part
of all that with her.

“What are you thinking about so hard, over there?” she asked.

Knox buttoned his shirt, watching as she did the same. “That you’re right. We need
to have more fights.”

She laughed.

“Seriously, is it all right if I look for activities we can do together that keep
the competitive nature alive between us?”

Her eyes softened. “I’d love that.”

“Cool.” He opened the door to let her leave first.

Right as they walked out of the supply closet, Deacon walked into the office.

Deacon looked from Shiori to Knox and then to the closet. “Were you two fucking around
in the supply closet?” He paused and held up his hand. “Never mind. I don’t want to
know.”

“Did you need something?” Knox asked.

“A couple of the guys you cut from the MMA program would like to speak with you.”

“Did they show up with flowers and chocolates to thank me personally for cutting them?”

“I wish they’d come in through the dojo and not up to the business offices. That way
they would’ve gone through the metal detector.”

Shit. “That bad?”

“Spewing shit like any other dumb fucker who thinks looking tough and acting tough
translates to toughness in the ring.” Deacon cracked his knuckles. “They’re punks.”

Knox ran his hand over the top of his head. “All right. Let’s go.” He looked at Shiori.
“Translate those reports into English.”

She smirked. “Sure thing, boss. Don’t you want me to help explain a few things to
the punks?”

“Nope. We’ll handle it.”

For a moment it seemed like she’d argue, but she slipped behind her desk.

Knox and Deacon walked side by side down the hallway. “Who showed up?”

“Radley and Lotte.”

“Of course it’s those two. They don’t know when to shut their fucking mouths.” Knox
dropped his voice. “Where the fuck did they get their egos? Jesus. It’s not like they
did anything of note to earn them.”

“No clue. They’re pathetic little wannabes. Ronin wouldn’t let me work with them full
force or they wouldn’t have lasted as long as they did.”

When they entered the training room, Blue gave a subtle nod and slipped out the side
door.

Both guys had taken on belligerent postures like punk-ass gangbanger rejects. They
also looked high. Great. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s bullshit that you think you can just cut us from the MMA program with no warning,”
Lotte said.

“Yeah, you tell him, bro,” Radley piped in.

“Black Arts is a private dojo, and we have the right to revoke training privileges
at any time.” Knox’s gaze swung between them. “Is that all you needed me to clear
up?”

Lotte sneered. “You don’t have the fucking authority to kick us out.”

“I’m in charge of the dojo while Sensei Black trains out of the country. What I say
goes. You’re both done. I know you packed up
your gear and were refunded the balance of your fees, so I don’t get why you’re here.”

“You act like you’re hot shit, but you don’t know shit. You’re the joke in the MMA
program.” Lotte threw back his shoulders. “You have no skills to offer. You just wander
around the training room like a big, stupid ape.”

Even these bottom-feeders see how worthless you are to the program.

His ego picked a helluva time to push that crisis to the forefront of his thoughts.

“Yeah,” Radley added. “When Sensei Black gets back and hears that you cut his two
most promising fighters, he’s gonna be pissed.”