Enthrall Him (Enthrall Sessions Book 3) (29 page)

Not destroy it further.

I hoped Richard might start to relax and enjoy being here. Soon, his fears would dissolve and his moodiness would lift.

He was my sweet, loveable Richard.

I was glad Cameron was still here to ease the transition.

Voices carried from downstairs.

Stephen, Shay, and Cameron sounded like they were already sparring with their intellectual banter. No doubt there would be plenty more stories from the enigmatic Dr. Finley. He was like the favorite uncle I’d never had, and if my prediction was right, very gay too.

And so fricken loveable.

Beneath this dress, I wore delicate stockings and a black lacey garter belt and panties. I decided not to wear shoes, preferring to go barefoot.

I’d brought up a glass of champagne for Richard, as well as a single chocolate covered strawberry on a china plate.

In the mirror’s reflection, I caught Richard staring at me from the bathroom doorway. I turned to face him, taking in that low hung towel wrapped around his waist, that tanned muscled torso rippling as he used another towel to dry his hair.

He oozed sun kissed sports god.

I wondered if he’d visited any of his old haunts while left alone in L.A., done any of those usual death defying sports he’d once been addicted too. That abrasion on his left arm was a hint he’d faced off with a rock.

“Wow, Mia,” he said. “I love that on you.” He ambled over and tipped my chin up and kissed me.

His cologne sparked my senses and brought a familiar rush.

“I found it in my wardrobe,” I said.

He pulled back.

“Shall I take it off?”

“No, baby, you look beautiful.”

“What happened to your arm?”

His fingertips trailed over the abrasion. “Malibu Creek State Park. Apparently you can’t forge new routes.”

“I wish you’d be more careful.”

“I don’t do boring, Mia. You know that. Why did you change?”

“This is my first Christmas eve dinner,” I said. “I want to look pretty.”

“You didn’t celebrate Christmas with Bailey?”

“She either gets Christmas off or New Year. She opts for New Year.”

Richard gave a look of sympathy.

“What did you mean by Cameron taking his final strike on Lance?” I asked.

“Cameron has some dirt on him.”

“Embezzling funds from his clients?”

“Lance covered his tracks. That’s off the table now. But the scandal surrounding his daughter is pretty juicy.”

“His daughter?”

“She got involved with a senator. It was a mess at the time. Cameron’s too much of a gentleman to betray Helete’s trust and tell Lance. Right now, Cole refuses to bring that nasty nugget out into the open.” Richard turned to face me. “I might have to for him.”

“What happened to his daughter?”

“His daughter didn’t respond well to her BDSM training. Incidentally, Lance still doesn’t know about it. Not sure he’d approve even if he is this heavily into it. By all accounts, it was pretty harsh what happened to her. Too harsh for nineteen.”

“Where is she now?’

He shrugged. “Seattle, I think.”

Seattle?
Why did that sound familiar?

“What’s his daughter’s name?” I asked.

“Why?”

“Just wondering.”

“Isabella, I think.”

“Arabella?”

He frowned at me. “You know about it then?”

I tried to drag the remnants of the story back from when Cameron had mentioned it. Something about a young girl who he’d talked down off the roof of Pendulum. She’d threatened to jump. A nineteen-year-old who’d crumbled under pressure.

At that age, Pendulum would have been too much for me too, with all that unsupervised play and dark edged sex. Enough kinky fuckery to send any vulnerable girl over the edge.

“Everything okay?” He reached for his shirt.

“Yes, that story sounds familiar.”

“You’ll realize how small our world is, Mia. Guard what you say. Rumors carry faster than viruses.”

I handed him his shirt. “See, Cameron has new clothes for you too.”

“He can’t help himself.”

“Can I get you anything?” I said.

“The truth would be nice.”

Oh no, he wanted to do this now?

“About what?” I strolled over to the nightstand and lifted the strawberry off the plate. Nervously, I licked at the chocolate tip.

He watched me, seemingly amused.

I set the strawberry down. “What did you want to ask me?”

“Do you still feel the same about me?”

“Yes, more than anything.”

“Even after all this time you’ve spent with Cameron?”

“We talked about you all the time.”

“I’m sure you did.”

A flash of memories.

That bed over there.

That night.

Cameron sitting on the edge and tipsily sharing his feelings for me.
Don’t think about that now
, I warned myself,
that’s the past
.

“Will we be sleeping in here?” I said.

“No, the master bedroom.” He moved toward the mirror and buttoned his shirt. “Those photos were very revealing, Mia.”

“Was I naked in any of them?”

“I meant revealing of feelings. You stepped right into that one.”

I pulled back on a cringe, hating that Richard loved studying my every reaction, every blink. “I admire Cameron. He’s taught me a lot.”

“More than me?”

“You’ve taught me so much too. Both of you have. I’m grateful for everything. I want to please you so much.”

“Then stop thinking of him.” He fiddled with his cuffs.

“I fought against going with him. You gave me no choice.”

Richard turned. “Talk me to like that again and I’ll bend you over my knee and spank you in front of everyone.”

“In front of Dr. Finley?” I said. “You wouldn’t.”

“Don’t test me.”

“Sir.”

“Are you wearing panties?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Take them off.”

I knew what Richard was doing. He was acting as a sterner version of himself, competing with Cameron’s reputation. I couldn’t wait for him to return to the kinder, more patient version of himself.

Perhaps some part of him believed this was what I wanted,
needed.
 

“What if Dr. Finley finds out?” I muttered.

“He’s gay.”

“Yes, but he’s very perceptive.”

“He doesn’t have X-ray vision. Take them off.”

I lifted my dress and eased off my panties.

“I thought the director went over with you about not answering back?” he said.

I held onto my panties until his glare became too much and then threw them onto the bed.

His glare was still on me. “Didn’t you go through water punishment to speed up your response times?”

Oh, yes, but that hadn’t gone down too well. I’d ended up kneeing Shay in the groin and getting fucked hard on the ground by Cameron in way of a punishment.

“You’ll obey me in all things, understand?” he said.

It was either that or run over and kick him in the balls like I’d done with Shay, in a well deserved act of rebellion.

Talk about Richard mirroring what he believed of me. He was the one who needed saving.  

“Sir, I deserve any punishment you see fit,” I said, hoping that stare might let up.

Richard gave a crooked smile. “I see why you’re being so feisty now.” He lowered himself to his feet, kneeling before me, and lifted my dress. “Consider this a warning.” He leaned in, wrapping his arms around me, pulling me toward him, digging his fingers into my butt.

He planted several kisses onto my sex, his tongue brushing along my clit, circling, and making it thrum beyond pleasure.

Until I couldn’t stand it any more and I reached down and gripped his hair and held him there.

“Hands behind your back,” he said sternly, resuming his tongue’s possession of me.

Digging my fingers into my palms, clutching them tightly behind my back, I swooned, aching with guilt for betraying the one who didn’t want me any more.

On and on he swirled, taking me higher, bringing me closer. His titillation was soothing, as it reminded me of better times. Taking me back to our home in Malibu, our old life.

Richard pulled back and pushed himself to his feet. “Your punishment is to be left unsated.”

I swallowed hard. “Thank you, sir.”

“Did Cole take you through orgasm training?”

“I’m not sure.” There was that thirty minute climax Cameron performed on my clit back at Chrysalis. Somehow I didn’t think that’s what he meant.

“It’s not exactly something you forget,” he said.

“What does it involve?”

“Bringing you close to orgasm but not letting you come. Usually it lasts a few days. Most subs can’t take more than that.”

“What’s its purpose?”

“To train you to come on order.”

“I’d be honored if you’d take me through that, sir.” I made it convincing.

“Let this count as your first session then,” he said. “Now go down stairs and show Cameron you’re not wearing any panties.”

“What?”

“Don’t ‘
what’
me.”

“I meant why, sir? Don’t you think it would be wise for there to be no more—”

“You’re not the only one getting punished tonight, Mia. Cole’s put me through hell the last few days and now it’s my turn to reciprocate.”  

“Maybe you should just talk with him?”

“You know how Cameron loves to flaunt how proud he is of taming you.”

“Please don’t be angry with me.” I reached out. “Richard, my darling—”

“I’m angry. I have every right to be.”

“I’m your woman, not your property.”

“Would you like me to share with Cameron how he failed to train you?” Richard finished buttoning up his shirt. “How you fall short, Mia.”

“Please don’t.”

“Then obey.”

I went to leave.

“Where are you going?” he said.

“To fulfill your request, sir.”

“Wait there. There’s no point in it if I can’t see his face.”

CHAPTER 23

HAND IN HAND with Richard, we entered the kitchen.

Shay and Cameron stopped their conversation and turned to greet us. Cameron gaped at my dress and he went to speak, but seemed to think better of it.  

“Beautiful,” said Shay.

I felt a blush rise. “Thank you.”

Cameron swapped a glance with Richard. “She looks lovely.” He spun round and reached for a stack of plates. “Mia, please open the wine.”

The aroma in here was amazing and my stomach grumbled in anticipation. I moved farther into the kitchen, slid the bottle of Alto Limay towards me, and set about uncorking it.  

“I’ve got it,” said Richard, taking the wine from me.

Cameron resumed preparing dinner, moving about the kitchen with the confidence of a man who enjoyed entertaining and making it look effortless. Shay rejoined Stephen in the sitting room and from here I could see them hitting it off and sharing a joke. Richard ambled over toward the speaker hub that cradled his iPhone.

As Cameron made gravy on the stove, my thoughts drifted back to when he’d cooked me dinner in his Beverly Hills home. That seemed like a million light years away now, as though my life had been shaken up and where it had landed made no sense--a fracturing of reality.

“Taste.” Cameron held out the wooden spoon. “What do you think? More pepper?”

I sipped gravy from the spoon. “Perfect.”

Here was a man who could afford a chef yet he loved cooking. There was something so appealing about that. So sexy.

So homey.

I again ran through a scenario of how not to go through with Richard’s order. I came up with nothing.

It was time to get this out the way.

A few short steps and I stood right behind Cameron.

He turned and bumped into me. “Sorry.”

A delicate waft of cologne.

“I have to show you something,” I whispered, glancing over at Stephen and Shay, who were admiring one of the black and white prints of London.

“Mia?” said Cameron. “You wanted to show me something?”

Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ burst out of the speakers, her luscious, sultry tones filling the room and providing a mischievous backdrop. Richard was holding the remote and staring over at us.