Owned By Fate (13 page)

Jonah went still, burying his face against her neck and muttering epithet-filled oaths. She didn’t understand a single word and yet knew exactly what he meant. With Jonah locked inside her, she felt complete for the first time in days. It crashed over her with startling clarity, the cause of her discomfort and anxiousness all week. The realization was accompanied by a warning flitting through her brain.
This reliance is bad. So bad.

“Stop.” Jonah raised his head to penetrate her soul with lust-crazed eyes. “Stop thinking about how we got here. You think I don’t know how crazy this is that I can’t concentrate anymore unless you’re with me? Unless I’m inside your tight little body?” He kissed her angrily. “I’m right there with you, Caroline. Just focus on me and we’ll ride it out.”

Caroline nodded dazedly; her lips moved but no sound emerged until Jonah wrenched her thighs up around his waist and began to move. He slid out and shoved home once, twice, hips pumping methodically, before something inside him snapped and he began to
fuck
her. There really was no other word to describe Jonah pounding into her relentlessly, his hard flesh reaching deeper with each drive. Incoherent moans fell from her lips, urging him to keep going, begging him to take her even harder.

“Do you know what I was going to do when I reached your table, Caroline?” He breathed the question into her ear, words delivered in time with his hips’ bucking movements. She bit her lip and shook her head in response. “I don’t know, either. But I suspect it would have gone something like this.”

Suddenly, Jonah dropped her legs to the ground and pulled out of her. Caroline cried out in protest, reaching for him, but he spun her toward the wall. She only had a quick glimpse of him, agonizingly male and intimidating in the moonlight, then all she could see was her hands braced on the concrete. When his palm connected with her bare bottom, the sting felt glorious. A rush of energy, incredibly potent and sweet, sang through her veins. The combination of power and defenselessness toppled the last of her inhibitions. Using the wall for support, she pushed her ass higher into the air, seeking more punishment from his hand.

“Yes, I think I would have bent you over that table and spanked your tasty, fuckable ass right in front of your goddamn date. What do you think of that?”

Caroline moaned toward the sky. “I love it. I hate it. I don’t know.”

Jonah slapped her flesh one final time before pressing close, forcing her against the wall with his bigger body. His teeth pulled at her ear. “Figure it out,” he rasped before dipping low and entering her from behind in a single upward drive, bringing her up onto her toes. At the same time, his teeth sank into her shoulder, marking her. It hurt. It felt incredible. She needed more. Everything.

Caroline’s lips moved, words spilling out,
begging
words she had no control over. Their bodies moved together in a desperate dance, grinding, straining, lifting, giving, taking. As he drove her higher, closer to some unimaginable place, he growled filth into her ear. Promises she knew couldn’t be kept, praise for her body and how it felt to be inside her. In that moment, she reveled in it. Believed every word he said.

The hand gripping her hip slid down between her legs to pet her clitoris. “Come on, baby. I can still feel you holding back. Give it to me. Give me that part of you reserved only for your master. I fucking want it. And you love to give me what I want.”

Recognizing the truth of his words, Caroline pressed her forehead into the wall. Her mind was preventing her body from letting go. And
God
, she needed to let go. Walking away without having rid herself of the weeklong ache wasn’t a possibility. Not when he was the only one who could relieve her of it. She focused on Jonah, on the feeling of his thick erection filling her so completely, the fingers stroking with such care between her thighs, his muscled abdomen flexing against her bottom with every thrust. She let his scent, his voice, the unnatural pull he had on her take over. Her movements increased in pace and urgency, hips writhing back onto him, inner walls clenching around him until a growl of approval from his throat finally sent her hurtling past the threshold of pleasure and into ecstasy.

“Oh, God.
Jonah
.”

“That’s it, sweetheart.” His movements became frantic, uneven, his rhythm increasing even more as he moved in and out of her, prolonging her climax. “Ah, fuck, that’s it. Milk me while I come. Show me how tight it gets when I satisfy you.”

Jonah went still after one final push, groaning into her hair as shudders wracked his body. It felt unspeakably sexy, feeling him shake against her back and bottom, unable to control himself. Neither could she. Her upper half melted, falling forward onto the wall for support, until Jonah pulled her back against his chest and held her in an unbreakable embrace.

He inhaled deeply, withdrawing from her and gently straightening her dress. “Before you retreat into your head, I’m going to ask you just to let go of your disapproval for an hour, Caroline. Let me take you out of here. Away from whoever the fuck that guy is, touching your hand, looking at you without your glasses on. Just walk with me and don’t think too hard.” He rubbed his lips against her temple. “One hour. Can you do that for me?”

She shouldn’t. Spending time with Jonah was a horrible idea. Even if the idea of talking to him, the simple act of walking with him, excited her beyond reason. This bond was already too great, even though she didn’t understand it. Being in his presence would only make it grow. But something in her chest twisted at his plaintiveness, urged her to accept.

“Yes.”

Chapter Fourteen

Jonah made sure no one lingered in the hallway before letting Caroline exit the stairwell ahead of him. He still couldn’t believe she’d agreed to spend time with him, but he wasn’t about to waste a minute of it questioning her decision. Or reading too much into it. For all he knew, she’d only agreed because her brain had been too scrambled from their mind-blowing sex to do anything but consent. God knew he still hadn’t quite recovered from the perfection of her responses or even his own. From the time he’d seen her sitting upstairs until mere moments ago, he’d been a man controlled by impulse. He’d never been so frantic to possess a woman, and it only grew more undeniable each time they were together.

As she passed, he brushed her hair back over her shoulder so the teeth marks would be visible, but Caroline only glanced up at him with interest, not perceiving his intention. Jonah smiled down at her, not caring if that omission made him a son of a bitch. Their interlude on the deserted patio hadn’t been enough to dissipate his jealousy. It still had a firm grip around his neck, and with his hand riding the small of her back protectively, her petite body displaying signs of his passion for her, it only seemed to increase. When they entered the dining room, the bastard still sat at their table, talking into his cell phone.

Caroline glanced at him in confusion when he led her away from the table, toward the stairs leading down to ground level. “I have to go pay the check. It’s a business meeting.”

“We’ll pay it downstairs.”

“Jonah—”

He leaned down to speak, very precisely, into her ear. “You will not return to another man after I’ve just come inside you, Caroline. I won’t be able to stand it.”

She stared at him for long moments but finally nodded. “He’s an asshole anyway.”

Something ugly curled in his belly at the implication she’d been treated with anything less than respect. “Really.”

When Caroline turned and began to descend the stairs, Jonah saw the man sit straighter in his chair with a frown, noticing her departure and looking less than happy about it.
Too bad, motherfucker.
Then the guy turned and looked at Jonah, understanding dawning on his face. Jonah sent the man a wink, resisting the primal urge to suck the taste of her off his fingers while the other man watched.

Leaving the man gaping after him, he followed Caroline down the stairs and joined her at the bar, where she was signing a credit card receipt. She handed him his hat, which he’d left sitting on the bar beside his half-empty glass of whiskey.

One corner of her mouth quirked up. “Again with the hat?”

“Baby.” He smoothed her lip with the pad of his thumb. “Don’t act like you don’t love the hat.”

Looking cautiously amused, she let him retrieve her coat from the attendant and lead her from the restaurant. They walked along the sidewalk, letting the sounds of the city surround them. Cabs whizzing past, racing from one fare to the next. Groups of friends laughing and stumbling between bars, cigarettes being lit up and stomped out. Wind tunneling through the surrounding skyscrapers, lifting his coat and Caroline’s hair, weaving the myriad sounds together into a patchwork quilt of noise. Neither one of them spoke for several blocks, still getting used to each other’s presence in a public place. He couldn’t deny the fierce surge of satisfaction he felt having her beside him, looking well fucked and gorgeous, dangerous as that enjoyment might be.

Noting the block they were on, Jonah took her hand and led her down a side street. He knew of a quiet underground jazz club where she wouldn’t have to worry about being seen by anyone and would hopefully let her guard drop for a while. Even now, her hand was tense in his, eyes scanning the street, presumably for anyone she knew. Jonah refused to let it bother him. Tomorrow, when he inevitably began to miss her again, he would use it as a reason to convince himself he was better off without her. It might even work for an hour or two.

Caroline didn’t question him as he led her down the dimly lit staircase with a single blue lightbulb hanging over the entrance. Before he opened the door for her, Jonah leaned down and kissed her, just a gentle teasing of the lips that had her swaying toward him.

“After you,” he whispered against her mouth.

Her gaze lit with challenge. As she bypassed him into the small club, she let her breasts press and drag against his chest, eliciting a low groan from his throat. Wishing he’d convinced her to go home with him instead, he let his hand skate over her ass and squeeze the supple flesh as he followed her inside.

Almost immediately inside the door, the bar greeted them on the left, while a stage and a handful of tables were stationed on the right. Couples sat close, paying only fleeting attention to the trio of musicians onstage, the sultry music doing its job in creating an intimate atmosphere. No one paid them the slightest bit of attention as they slipped through the darkness and found a round table. When Caroline moved to pull back her own chair, Jonah shook his head and tugged her down onto his lap instead. A gasp of surprise puffed past her swollen lips, sending arousal slithering through his stomach. He thought she still might protest, but after a moment, she seemed to notice the other customers’ lack of interest and relaxed against him.

“Shouldn’t you be at Serve right now?” Caroline asked softly. Respectful of the performers, Jonah imagined. “It has to be packed tonight.”

“I was there earlier. I couldn’t concentrate.” He began rubbing circles onto her back, pleased as hell when she sighed, relaxing further. “Any idea why that might be?”

She shook her head, causing a wave of hair to fall forward and shield them further from prying eyes. “I couldn’t begin to imagine.”

Jonah let that pass without comment, merely sending her a wink. He ordered a scotch from the waitress and, to his surprise, Caroline asked for the same. Although at this point nothing she did should surprise him. “Should I assume, since you were working on a story tonight, that
Preston’s
has found a way to turn things around without the merger?” He didn’t like seeing the shadow that crossed her face. “What is it?”

For a moment, it looked like she might change the subject. He cursed himself for bringing up the elephant in the room, but it couldn’t be helped. It lay between them like a line in the sand. But when she finally answered him, it wasn’t what he’d been expecting. “My father… He told me this morning he’s retiring…and leaving
me
the magazine.”

Jesus, such responsibility. Not that he and Caroline were too far apart in age, but as fresh as she looked, Jonah had always thought of her as much younger. Still, he didn’t even have to stretch his imagination to picture her commanding a boardroom. Oddly, it just made him want to smile like an idiot. “Why does that make you unhappy?”
And how can I fix it?

Caroline took a deep breath. “This morning, I was just focused on saving us from bankruptcy. This is a whole new level. Even if we manage to pull through…” She trailed off.

“Asher’s idea can save the magazine,” Jonah said carefully, knowing they were getting into uncomfortable territory and wanting to avoid it at all costs.

Her eyes met his, then quickly flitted away. “Yes.”

It went unspoken that she was unwilling to go that route. Her opinion hadn’t changed one iota since the meeting he’d attended.
I can’t fix anything for her. I’m part of the problem.
Jonah ignored the sting in the vicinity of his chest. “So what is your alternative?”

She met his gaze, determination coupled with a touch of excitement shining in her eyes. “I’m going to blow the roof off the biggest story of the year.”

For a moment, Jonah couldn’t breathe. Her confidence and energy practically hummed between them, filling him with a pride he had no right to feel. Or did he? Despite their differences, their connection was a tangible thing, thickening the air around them. He knew she felt it, could see the pulse racing in her neck, her shortness of breath.

“Do you believe me?” Her gaze was locked on his mouth.

“Anyone would be a fool not to.” Jonah let his hand coast up her neck to disappear into the wealth of her hair. When he began massaging the back of her head with methodical fingers, her eyelids drooped on a quiet moan. “You’re going to be a force, Caroline. The magazine will only get bigger and better. You have the ability to accomplish it in your little finger.”

“What if it hurts my relationship with Oliver?” she whispered, laying her head down on his shoulder, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “He’s the oldest…been there longer. It should have been him.”

Jonah understood now. He pulled her closer, as if it were possible with her curled around him. “It might be hard at first, but you’ll make it right somehow. You won’t rest until you do.”

They sat quietly for a while, letting the smooth, smoky sounds of the music drift over them. When Caroline spoke again, her voice was so quiet that he could barely hear her. “Jonah, you should hate me. I kind of wish you would.” She sat up, and Jonah immediately missed her head tucked against his neck. “How can you sit here and pep-talk me when I had the power to help your case with the article and didn’t? When I continue to push you away because of who you are?”

The misery on her face softened the blow of her words. He kissed the frown off her forehead. “Maybe I don’t think your heart is in it.”

“It is,” she insisted. “It has to be.”

“Possibly.” Jonah rubbed their lips together, tugged her top one with his teeth. “But you still want me. If it makes me weak to hope you keep breaking down and coming back, so be it.” He drew her into a kiss before she could respond, sinking his tongue into her mouth to memorize her taste. Knowing they were safe in their dark corner, he cupped her breast, savoring her whimper when he teased her nipple through the fabric. On his lap, she began to circle her bottom, in what he suspected was an unconscious move. Jonah released her mouth but stayed close. “I haven’t spent nearly enough time with my mouth on your breasts, baby. I’m sorry for that.”

“Um…” Her body shuddered on an exhale. “The night is still young?”

Jonah’s soft laugh ended abruptly when Caroline’s teeth skated up the side of his neck. “Ah, sweetheart, you’ll have to stop that for now. We’re underground. Not a deserted patio in sight.”

Caroline pressed shaky fingers to her swollen lips as she pulled back. “You started it.”

“I did,” he agreed, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb.

For a few moments, they made a pretense of watching the musicians, although he suspected they both needed the time to reel in their desire. Caroline sipped her drink, which left shining liquor coating her lips. Jonah had to force himself not to lick away every drop. When the song ended, she turned to him as if an idea had occurred. “Has anything changed with Gabby? The visitation…”

“You remembered her name,” he murmured, mostly to himself. For some strange reason, hearing another person say his daughter’s name out loud made her all the more real. Even his lawyer never referred to Gabby by name, usually calling her “the child” instead. Sometimes Jonah wondered if he was dreaming the entire situation, and he didn’t have a daughter at all. Not unusual, considering his entire acquaintance with her consisted of a single photograph. Caroline simply releasing it into the atmosphere, however, brought Gabby to life.

Now, she looked away uncomfortably. “Of course I did.”

Her reaction told Jonah to keep his overly sentimental thoughts to himself. “No news yet. We’re waiting for Renee, her mother, to agree to a meeting.”

“Is that going to happen?”

Jonah shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said quietly. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask Caroline if she thought he deserved visitation, given his lifestyle. But he didn’t want to hear her answer, was afraid it would condemn him. He suspected her negative opinion would score deeper than anyone else’s had thus far.

“Do you have any family helping you pursue this?”

“No. It’s just me.”

A small sound escaped her, filling the scant space between them. She looked pensive for a moment before staring him in the eye. “You’ll be a great dad, Jonah. I really believe that.”

Before he could manage a response, she leaned back on his shoulder and tucked her head into the crook of his neck. Part of him was grateful she couldn’t see his face after the gift she’d so unexpectedly given him, because he was fairly certain he looked shell-shocked. Was it possible she could be right? Could he be the father he’d never had?

Jonah lost track of the time as they sat there, Caroline’s body intertwined with his, their easy breaths mingling together as the music let them drift, forget about the factors keeping them apart. In the dark, unknown to anyone around them, they weren’t Caroline Preston, the Ivy League graduate, heir to a legendary financial publication, and Jonah Briggs, controversial BDSM club owner.

They were just two people who couldn’t seem to stay away from each other.

At some point, Caroline lifted her head and looked into his eyes. When she spoke, he had to strain to hear. “It’s time for me to go.”

Keeping his features schooled to hide his disappointment, Jonah nodded and pulled out his wallet. His disappointment vexed him momentarily. What the hell had he expected? After paying the small tab and tipping the waitress, he led her out of the club and back up the stairs. As opposed to before when they’d entered the club, there was nothing playful about leaving. Neither one of them spoke as Jonah stood, one foot in the street, to hail down a yellow cab for Caroline. It pulled up alongside them, and he opened the back door, trying to ignore the sense of panic sitting on his lungs. God, he was getting sick to death of parting ways with her, not knowing whether or not he would see her again.

Before she could stoop down to climb into the backseat, Jonah captured her chin in his hand and tilted her face up for a deep, thorough kiss.
Remember how this feels
, he mentally implored her. “Good night, Caroline.”

“’Bye, Jonah.”

This time when Caroline drove away, she didn’t look back.