Under His Rules (Rules of Engagement #1)

Chapter One

To touch without intention is to get stung. Only a firm hand knows how to handle the sting.

Cheryl promised me we’d both get in with the fake I.D.

she’d acquired, that proclaimed we were twenty-two.

The truth was between twenty and twenty-one, but what’s a few months?

As we moved up the line, I checked out the doormen, a couple of huge guys carefully looking over everyone’s ID and turning away as many as they let through.

Don’t panic. I admonished myself. Cheryl would kill me on the way home if we got turned away because of my anxiety issues.

When we were two from the front, I began to seriously lose it.

My breath started coming in short bursts, while beside me, Cheryl’s eyes grew round with shock. Shit, shit, shit! What do I do?

My eyes were glued on the scene a few feet ahead when a gorgeous man from inside the club appeared.

He was speaking with the doormen while his eyes roamed the line-up and landed on me.

My breath caught as his gaze held mine. Holy shit, he’s gorgeous!

Forgetting to breathe, that was my last thought as I crumpled to the ground.

“Maddie! Maddie, wake up,” Cheryl called.

My attempts to answer her were in vain. My body wasn’t responding to what my brain was telling it, which was to listen to my bestie.

Then a much deeper voice spoke, “Here, let me try.” Oh, wow, that voice was a sexy blend of steel velvet, and I involuntarily moaned.

“I think she’s coming around.” Oh, there it was again, the sultry voice that was like a siren's call to my sex, which gushed at the sound of his voice.

“Maddox, you will open your eyes immediately.” That did it.

My eyes flew open, and I gazed into twin grey pools encased by dark thick limbal rings that highlighted his eyes in his tanned face.

I lost myself in those pools and could have stayed there forever.

It was the gorgeous man from the front of the line.

Our eye contact ended rather abruptly when he hoisted me to a sitting position and held a glass of water to my lips and told me to drink all of it.

I did, and then he put the glass down and turned his body as he sat beside me on the couch.

I must be in his office because the thumping of loud band music was coming from somewhere beyond where we were seated.

“Oh, thank god you’re awake. Are you hurt? Can you walk? Should I call for an ambulance?” Cheryl was at me, but my savior would have none of it.

“She will be quite fine. Why don’t you go and enjoy yourself, Cheryl? I will remain with Maddie a while longer to ensure she is well enough to join you.”

Not waiting for another invitation, Cheryl jumped to her feet and swayed her hips sensually, as she sashayed all the way to the door.

“I’ll be at the bar when you’re ready, sweet cheeks.

” She winked, and opened the door. I heard the Madonna cover band coming from somewhere below.

Then Cheryl slammed the door behind her and was gone leaving me with the hot stranger.

My eyes must have shown my panic because the stranger held out his hand. “I’m Langden, Langden Ross. Nice to meet you, Maddox.” Something about the way his velvety voice said my name made the junction of my thighs wet.

Then recognition hit and I gasped in surprise, “You’re the owner.”

“That I am,” he smiled. A full mouth of perfectly straight pearly whites shined back at me and I was momentarily caught up by his movie star looks.

I gulped but didn’t speak, not trusting myself to not sound like a complete idiot.

Langden’s eyes narrowed as he watched me squirm beneath his scrutiny.

“Why are you here, Maddie?”

“Uh, here, as in here, like in your office here? Because I passed out, I gather.” He chuckled, and then his eyes darkened.

“In my club.”

“Oh, well, it’s 80’s night, and I love the eighties, so retro and cool, don’t you think?”

“You’re underage.” It was a statement, not a question, and I wasn’t sure what to say. “So is your friend Cheryl.” I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. I glanced in the direction of the door and wondered at my chances for making a clean escape.

“Don’t bother. You won’t make it. Now, answer my question, naughty girl.” Oh geez, naughty, really? Damn, if his words didn’t make me wet. I was so naughty, I thought and wondered what he did with bad girls. Something fun, I hoped.

“Ah, um, ah, well I yes, I recently turned twenty, and uh so did Cheryl.” His gaze continued to bore into mine, and his look was so intense that I began to squirm.

“Please, I’m sorry, please don’t call the cops.

I didn’t think one year would be such a big deal.

Well, Cheryl said so, and….” I was rambling like an idiot “—I can’t afford the bail, and my parents would freak.

Is there something I can do to make up for my, uh, bad choice? ” His gaze changed to something primal.

“Would they, Maddie, would they freak?” Oh boy, his words and his tone didn’t match the content.

I knew I was way out of my league with this guy, having zero experience with men.

High school was a long time ago and didn’t count in my books because they were just guys, not men, and I’d never experienced full penetration with any of them.

That honor had been given to B.O.B, who never made me feel uncomfortable.

I felt a sheen of sweat break out on my skin and knew I was dancing on the edge of a knife. Langden Ross knew women, you could just tell and I knew I must appear stupid and as inexperienced as I felt.

“Um, yes, sir. My dad especially would be distraught with me as he’s always on me about, uh stuff.” I finished lamely. I knew I sounded immature in Langden’s presence, usually I wasn’t so tongue tied, but my libido was in overdrive.

At the word sir, his eyes darkened further.

Whoops, had I made a mistake? I was pretty sure Langden was one of those men I read about in my steamy romance novels who relished control.

I thought calling him sir would seem respectful, and coupled with an air of submission might be enough for him to let me go.

Langden’s fingers began a lazy pattern on my thigh, his touch was electric on my skin, and the pool of moisture at my junction increased, and I found myself squeezing my thighs together. After all, my skimpy panties would not hide much.

“Does your father spank your naughty behind when you’re bad, Maddie?”

Oh my god, seriously? A slight moan escaped my lips, and I slapped my hand over my mouth. I was humiliated and angry at my body which had betrayed my secret desire. Langden chuckled, then grew dark again.

“Well, don’t keep me waiting, little girl.”

“No, sir,” I cringed, keeping my eyes focused on the ceiling, “He’s threatened many times, but I always manage to get out of any punishment, and now I’m too old for spankings.” That was a truth I’d never spoken out loud before, but also a lie.

I read about women getting spankings by men, and there was no age limit. My novels made it sound so sexy, so erotic. Of course, the idea of being spanked by a man like Langden was a massive turn-on. The thought of a childhood spanking from my father at any age seemed ridiculous.

I was lost in thinking about why I had this urge to know what it was like.

Maybe something was wrong with me? This wasn’t the first time I had questioned my desires and if I was being honest, it was the primary reason I’d not gone all the way with anyone.

I wanted my fantasy, I wanted to explore my desires, and I wasn’t sure that was possible with anyone.

“You are wrong. Little girls are never too old for spankings. Your father has been remiss in your education and guidance. Now I shall have to remedy the situation. After all, we can’t have you running around like a spoiled brat, can we, little girl?”

There it was again, little girl, my belly was flip-flopping with nerves and desire.

“Uh, uh, I guess not?” He chuckled and sat back, pulling me over his lap.

Suddenly my face was only inches from the floor, and I put my hands down to steady myself.

Although it wasn’t necessary. Langden had a firm grip on me, so the chances of a face plant were slim to none.

He parted my legs and placed one of his muscular thighs over mine, securing me firmly on his lap.

I was about to ask a question when his hand came down on my backside.

I screeched at the impact and desperately tried to escape the blows that kept raining down.

I had never experienced anything so painful.

I’d read spanking could be like an aphrodisiac, but this was as far from that as it got.

Searing heat lit up my ass, and I began to plead for it to stop, but Langden’s paddle-like hand continued at a steady pace.

When I thought I couldn’t take anymore, he suddenly stopped.

Oh, thank goodness! I took a few gulping breaths thinking it was time to recover, when he ripped my barely-there panties down.

I screeched as I tried to cover my ass with one of my hands out of sheer humiliation.

Langden took both of mine in one of his and held them on my low back. “I think I’m getting the point across. Don’t you think so, Maddie?”

“You’re mean!” I yelled, refusing to tell him what he wanted to hear. “I…I hate you!” Langden rubbed my backside as I yelled at him. Then I felt a finger run up my seam, and I stiffened.

“You don’t hate me, Maddox. In fact, I would go as far as saying that you are loving what I’m doing to you.

Just feel how wet you are, naughty girl.

” I didn’t answer. I was far too embarrassed because he was right.

The searing heat was building an inferno in my core, making me horny.

His one gentle touch almost sent me over the edge.

“Now that the warm-up is done.”