Into His Keeping (36 page)

“Shhhh, don’t cry, baby.” He gathered her into his chest. “The collar has always been yours.”

The outer door opened and Drifter strode through the sitting room. “Are you guys going to answer me?” he demanded, and then stopped short in the bedroom arch. Holdin on his knees holding Jill seemed something of a shock to the boy.

“It’s not polite to yell in the house,” Jill said calmly as if it were the most obvious explanation.

Holdin released Jill slowly and stood. He immediately reached down and lifted her into his arms. Carrying her across the room, he smiled at Drifter. “You’ve got some things to show your mother?” And proceeded to leave the bedroom. Jill’s head rested on his broad shoulder and she smiled tiredly at her son.

“Yeah.” Drifter stepped back to let them pass.

“Stuff’s in the family room?” Holdin asked as he stepped out the door.

“Yeah.” Drifter followed them, scowling. “Hey, why are you carrying her? Is something wrong? Is she sick again?”

“Nope. Your mom is tired. I get to carry her when she’s tired,” Holdin informed him as he entered the family room.

Charles and Carol, already seated on the couch, looked up beaming when they entered. Holdin put Jill down on the love seat and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Coffee, baby?” he asked.

Jill’s smile was gentle and intimate as she looked into his eyes. “Please. That would be nice.”

“Feeling tired, dear?” Carol asked cheerily. The twinkle in her eye was telling, even if she hadn’t reached over and slipped her hand into Charles’ large paw. Charles grunted and pulled his wife closer to fit her under his arm.

Jill smiled and looked pointedly at the pile of bags dumped on the floor at the end of the couch. “I bet you’re exhausted.” She cocked her chin at the pile. “Looks like you emptied the mall. Weren’t you the two people who promised not to spoil the boy?”

“We lied,” both Carol and Charles said with placid smiles as if there had never been any doubt that they would lie about that.

Holdin returned and put Jill’s coffee cup on the table beside her then lifted her to sit down with Jill tucked under his arm. The love seat was hardly big enough and he mostly had her on his lap. Handing her the coffee, he looked expectantly at Drifter. “So what did these people let you talk them into?”

Drifter was still standing in the doorway watching the four adults. His eyes moving back and forth between the two couples as a dull blush colored his cheeks. He ran a hand down his face and sighed heavily as he now scowled at them with a long-suffering look of persecution on his face. The smile behind that expression was barely concealed.

“Do all y’all people hang on each other all the time?” he wanted to know as he strolled in to lean against the entertainment console. “Coz I’m gonna need a hell of a lot more stuff to distract me if I can’t turn around without being grossed out.”

“Right.” Holdin nodded sagely. “Didn’t work for me at your age. Good luck with that argument.”

Charles shook his head and added, “As I recall, you thought a Corvette was the only thing that would repair your shocked sensibilities after that one time you walked in on us in the kitchen.”

Carol and Drifter gasped. Jill spit coffee in shock.

“Get your mom a paper towel,” Holdin instructed Drifter as he rescued the coffee cup from Jill’s clutches. She was now shaking with laugher and in danger of spilling the rest of it.

Drifter quickly brought several paper towels. “Damn, that’s harsh.” He handed one to Holdin and used the other to dab up the tile floor in front of the love seat. “You walked in on the deed and no one thought you were damaged for life?”

Holdin grinned and patted the coffee off Jill’s hands. “I thought the Corvette was a starting place for negotiations to repair my shredded sensibilities. I’d have settled for a Mustang. Dad said I’d be okay and it wouldn’t hurt for me to learn a thing or two.”

“What!” Carol turned to Charles and smacked his shoulder. “You said that to my baby? Beast! I thought you were going to explain things to him.”

Charles shrugged and drawled. “What was to explain? If he couldn’t figure what was going on, I’d have had to put him down, for God’s sake.”

Drifter took the damp paper towels, crumpled them into a ball and pitched them into the sink, making the distance in a perfect, arcing shot. Then he narrowed his eyes at the couple on the love seat. “Make you a deal,” he said darkly, “you guys stay in your suite and I’ll never open the damn door. I can’t see these things.”

Holdin nodded gravely and said more seriously, “This is how it is, son. Do we need to discuss it?”

Jill bit her lip as she glanced between Holdin and Drifter.

Drifter shoved his hands into his pockets but he didn’t look away from Holdin’s gaze. “Long as she’s happy and you’re the only one bleeding, I’m fine, I guess.”

“Bleeding?” Jill asked in alarm, glancing at Holdin.

Holdin adjusted Jill’s legs over his lap to better hide the pink crescents marking his thighs. “Yeah, that’s the plan.”

Jill’s big eyes stared at the bit of Holden’s thigh she could see. “Oh my God.” She gulped and blushed scarlet.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t embarrass your mother by mentioning it every time she marks me. Seems to wig her out,” Holdin told his son seriously.

“I see. Kinda interesting,” Drifter commented as he eyed the new shade of red his mother had turned and directed the real question to Holdin. “You’d better have the correct plan in mind.”

“All she has to do is say yes,” Holdin confirmed.

“Good,” Drifter acknowledged then dropped into an overstuffed chair as he looked at Jill and grinned again. “Don’t be in a hurry. As I said before, you have options.”

Jill gave up being embarrassed about the blush. It was apparently way too late. However, she wasn’t going to be pressured into blurting something this important out in front of a crowd. “I believe you have some things to show me? Remember, I get to say what’s offensive to adults on a T-shirt. You’re a very poor judge of that. Time to show me every shirt you bought.”

“Yeah, yeah, I didn’t get anything that’s gonna turn your hair green. I was shopping with my grandparents, ya know.” Drifter grimaced but it was obviously playful as he glanced at his grandparents and continued. “Ms. Carol has a fetish for pastels and Mr. Charles is too chicken to tell her what that looks like on a guy.”

“Hey! Who the hell is chicken?” Charles defended himself. “I was letting you fight your own battles, boy. A man has gotta learn how to stand up for himself. Especially in a mall. Things can get ugly in there and ya gotta learn survival skills.”

“Right,” Drifter snorted. “Which skills were you showin’ me? Duck and cover?”

The conversation flowed in dry humor and light combat around the room. It was natural, comfortable. Holdin was almost relaxed when Jill’s hand reached up to his hand resting lightly on her shoulder and threaded her fingers though his. She squeezed gently and leaned back under his arm. Holdin was afraid to breathe. As the discussion heated between Drifter and his grandparents on some item that no one was taking credit for, her face turned up to his.

Holdin looked into the large brown eyes and she smiled. It was the soft, intimate smile that sank into him. Their gazes held for long seconds as the connection between them glowed and burned.

“Have mercy, woman. Say yes,” Holdin commanded in a whisper.

“I refused mercy a long time ago,” she answered softly. “And my answer was yes then too.”

Epilogue

Jill and Holdin stood in the doorway of their Dallas home and watched the limo glide away.

“Damn. He doesn’t even like the chick that much and he’s taking her to prom in a limo,” Holdin snarled in disgust as their son’s ride disappeared. “I would have given my left arm to take you anywhere in a limo.”

“He’s growing up in a different world than ours was,” Jill commented softly.

Four and a half months pregnant was the best time, she’d decided. Since she was short, she was showing already but it wasn’t difficult to move around yet. Her husband and son seemed to think she’d suddenly developed spun glass for limbs and waited on her hand and foot. There was only one problem with that. A very intimate problem.

No one spanked pussy on a glass lady, much less fucked her like the whore she loved being. That part sucked. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t tried. Seducing Holdin was sinfully easy, but of course he was always in control. So they ended up making long, gentle love. Fantastic, tender, amazing sessions where Holdin melted her like chocolate in the summer sun. And still she craved the other side of that coin. Oh yes, even being physically satisfied didn’t take away those naughty cravings.

Tonight they were home alone for once. Jill didn’t want to be a bitch about the candles and bubble bath seduction she was expecting. But damn, what she wouldn’t give for even short session with her fierce Dom.

Turning from the door, she trailed slowly back into the family room. Holdin followed her with his hands in his pockets and seemed pensive about something. She glanced at him curiously, continued walking into the kitchen and went to the fridge for a cool glass of milk. She didn’t dare get the cola she really wanted. Not with the “food warden” right behind her. Holdin monitored her every breath, it seemed. She didn’t mind, unless it meant she couldn’t have a few measly sips of cola. Drifter slipped her a sip out of his straw sometimes. At least she could count on him for a fix.

“I’ll be right back,” Holdin said quietly. He turned and disappeared toward the bedroom.

Jill sighed. Here came the candles and bubble bath. There wouldn’t even be champagne, she pouted morosely to herself.

Holdin reappeared shortly. Jill was sitting in the love seat. She smiled as he entered. Holdin didn’t return the smile. He walked over to her and picked her up.

“What?” Jill asked in surprise as he turned and strode from the room.

“Hush” was all Holdin said as he strode back through the house into their private apartment.

Jill smiled. This was kind of nice, being picked up and taken. Holdin carried her through their sitting room in to the bedroom. There he stopped in the middle of the floor and looked down at her.

“What do you want, baby?” he asked quietly.

Jill regarded his beautiful face and smiled softly. “I don’t need anything you haven’t already given me.”

Holdin’s jaw clenched as he looked down at her. Jill’s smile faded in mild puzzlement at that. He wasn’t smiling. He hadn’t since the door closed on Drifter, she realized.

He set her feet down on the carpet and stepped back. His arms folded across his chest and feet were braced wide as he regarded her grimly. Jill glanced around. There weren’t any candles. Looking back at Holdin made her shiver. His face was harshly stern as he regarded her and seemed to be waiting for something. Heat flickered in the pit of her stomach.

“Tell me what’s in your heart.” Holdin repeated softly.

“I’m, um…love you,” Jill floundered, trying to find what he wanted.

“I’m well aware of that. What else are you?”

Jill shrugged and spread her hands in a helpless gesture to express her confusion. “I don’t know. I don’t understand what you want.”

“Tonight we’re going to take care of your confusion. When I ask you what you are, you will have one answer of which you’re very sure, Jill.”

Jill swallowed and felt a tremble start low in her belly. His snarling tone told her there’d be no bubble bath to go along with the lack of candles. The Holdin who stood before her was someone she hadn’t seen in months. Her dominant.

“Strip. Do it fast. I’m not in the mood to wait,” he snapped. “Maybe you’ll be able to come up with the correct answer when you’re as you should be.”

Jill bit her lip and moved to hurriedly peel off her shirt and jeans. Her bra dropped to the floor next and she was reaching for her panties when he stopped her. “Enough. Leave them,” he barked. “Come.” He gripped her upper arm and marched her toward the door to his closet.

Jill glanced at the door to her closet in confusion. They’d named hers “the bordello” but they hadn’t played in there in months. She’d never stepped into his closet.

Holdin walked her into the room that was just as large as the one Jill used. It was neat and as elaborately appointed but for a man. She looked around searching whatever it was he’d brought her in here for. Holdin walked them to the back wall. She was standing in front of the full-length mirror looking at the reflection they made.

Her body, bare except for the silk panties below a rounded tummy. Her breasts were heavy and her complexion pale next to the tall man in black jeans and T-shirt behind her. Even his hand circling her upper arm appeared dark as he held her in the harsh light before the mirror. Jill blushed and looked down. The image was too embarrassing. Her soft curves were enhanced with her pregnancy and, well…she didn’t want to look.

“Look,” he commanded behind her.

Jill’s eyes jerked up to the mirror. “Much better,” Holdin approved softly but his grim features hadn’t changed. “Your closet has some interesting additions from a bordello that was run by one of the finest madams in Texas,” he drawled silkily in her ear. “However, mine has a few additions from a much less respectable establishment.” Holdin’s foot moved to a small rise in the carpet just to her right. He tapped it lightly and the mirror slid to the side revealing a black curtain in front of her. She couldn’t see into the room beyond it, though she could feel the surprising space.

Holdin let go of her arm. “You go in there of your own free will.” His voice was soft in her ear as he continued. “But if you step in there, Jilly-girl, you will never have a problem remembering you’re my whore.”

Jill shivered as she stood with her nose to a black curtain and heard a promise that could only be taken as an erotic threat. His large hand glazed lightly over her silk-covered bottom as he stood behind her.

“What’s it going to be?” he pressed softly, his lips bent to her ear. “Are you going to run away again, Jilly?”

The air from behind the curtain was slightly chilled. There were several light scents on it that raised goose bumps up her arms. Jill’s body clenched as she felt her nipples tighten and the damp heat between her legs began to burn. She breathed in deeply and recognized just a whiff of recently oiled leather and there was a lemon spice of floor cleaner. Her hands fisted at her sides for a moment. Then she reached up and pulled aside the curtain to step into Holdin’s room.

Directly behind her, as soon as they crossed the threshold, Holdin’s hand closed around the back of her neck, halting her. “Take a good look,” he commanded in her ear. “Because most of your time in here will be spent wearing this.” From a small table beside the door, Holdin picked up a black leather object.

Jill couldn’t tear her eyes away from gazing around the room to look at what was in his hand. But considering what was in the room, she had no doubt it was a hood. There was almost no furniture to speak of. In the center of the room a single, harshly bright light shown down on what looked like an elaborate leather contraption hanging from a series of hooks and roll locks above it.

The single, directed light source plunged the rest of the room into shadows. But she could see that the walls were covered with an artful display of amazing items. There were paddles, crops, spreader bars and an intimidating number of other things she couldn’t even begin to name. There was a rough wooden table that looked as if it’d been a large butcher block at one time. On it rested an assortment of toys and lubricants. Against one wall was a deep utility sink. Beside it a drain in the floor under a showerhead on a hose. Some distance from that on the same wall sat a toilet.

Behind the leather contraption, hanging from the ceiling was a doorframe set into the concrete floor. There was no door in its opening. Just the frame made of thick posts looming in the shadows. Off to the side in front of the sink she could see what looked vaguely like a weight lifter’s bench and there was a strange-looking sawhorse beside it. She got the impression of an easy chair on another wall.

He only gave her a few seconds to gaze around before his hand tightened on her neck and he was walking them to the center of the room. The concrete floor was cold to her bare feet.

“You’d better have used the item I left on the sink for you this afternoon,” he said softly as she came to a halt where he directed. “You’ll be sorry later if you haven’t.”

He was referring to the double-size Fleet enema that had been sitting by her bathroom sink after lunch. Jill opened her mouth to answer but he stopped her. “That wasn’t a question. You will not speak unless asked a direct question,” he continued in harsh command. “Knees.” His hand on her neck pushed her down, her knees connected with the cool concrete. Holdin stood in front of her, the large bulge in his jeans at her nose.

“You will not move unless given permission. And now,” he held up the leather hood and smiled down at her, “we see how this fits.” He swiftly pulled it over her head, jerking it down as the tight leather closed over her to her nose. Her eyes were completely covered. The bottom of the hood was open but pulled around under her chin and buckled in the back into a stiff choker with a metal loop at the front. It cut off her sight and most of her hearing while leaving her mouth available.

Jill shuddered as it closed over her. She’d never worn such a thing. She’d read about them, seen pictures, but the reality of feeling one close over her head was shockingly restricting. She couldn’t see. It was difficult to move her head with the stiff collar around her neck.

“Don’t move,” he directed, and she could faintly hear him moving around. Locked in the darkness, she was straining to hear him. Focused on the sound of his breathing as he took his time doing something.

Abruptly his hands closed over both sides of her head. “Open,” he commanded. The warm head of his cock rested on her lips. Jill’s mouth opened and he pushed into her. Holding her, he went immediately to a harsh rhythm, using her mouth. Then he stopped but didn’t withdraw his cock. “Suck,” he snarled.

Jill’s head moved to slide him in and out on her own but his hands tightened on her. “I said suck it, bitch. If I wanted to fuck your face, I’d do it. Your job is to follow instructions. That’s one you’ve earned for later.” Holdin’s deep voice was speaking softly, a sure indication of restrained emotions that ran fast and hard well below the surface.

“As I’ve said before, when your mouth is full is when you listen best. Now suck dick and listen. You stepped through this door of your own free will. Now you will spend tonight where you belong. At the end of the night, when I ask you what you are, you’ll have no trouble figuring out what to say.

“There are a few lessons you have yet to grasp and I’m tired of hoping you’ll figure them out. So now you get to learn them my way. For one, when you’re commanded to suck, do it as well as you can, not this lazy crap. That’s two you’ve earned for later.”

Jill had been so consumed with what he’d been saying, she’d almost forgotten the cock stretching her mouth. His harsh reminder along with the ominous counting brought her back to the thick, hard rod in her mouth. It pulsed as she drew on it. She didn’t dare move her head so all she could do was nurse on what he gave her.

Kneeling on the hard concrete sucking his cock, she found she was almost dizzy with the wash of emotions. This was her dominant. But not like she’d known him before. Harshly commanding, his strict requirements shot through her needy body with blazing spikes of fear and pleasure.

Holdin watched her cheeks hollow as she pulled on his cock with noisy suckles. His lids were lazy as he gazed at the bare-breasted whore at the end of his dick. He smiled to himself. Grasping her head again, he pressed into her mouth. “Relax your throat. You’ll learn how to take this properly. Breathe through your nose.” He pressed into her relentlessly. Her neck stiffened in refusal.

“That’s three for later,” he told her silkily. “I feel you stiffen in refusal again, I’m going to count it as two instead of one. Take it, bitch. I want my cock down your throat and I will fuck you that way. Try again…ah, that’s it. There.”