Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
RUBY
F ive minutes didn’t give her enough time to actually change, so she just threw her jacket on over her corset and grabbed her go-bag from her locker before hurrying back out to the lobby.
Where Beckett was waiting, a smug smile on his stupidly handsome face as he held up his phone to show her the timer counting down the last thirty seconds of her time. “Cutting it close, Ruby Red.”
“You know, you’re being kind of a dick for a guy who wants to get laid tonight.”
Tucking his phone in his pocket, he stepped forward. His fingers wrapped around her ponytail with just enough pressure to let her know she was skating on thin, thin ice. “Keep it up, little girl. While I’d love nothing more than to take you home and have you come all over my face before burying my cock in that hot little cunt of yours, I’ll be just as happy to fuck your red, welted ass instead. How our evening plays out depends entirely on you and your attitude. Understood?”
Message received, loud and clear. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl. Are you riding with me or driving yourself?”
“I’ll drive. I just need the address.”
They took a moment to exchange phone numbers so he could text her his address, after which he walked her out to her car. She was grateful for the escort, and not just because it gave her a warm, fuzzy sort of feeling to be walking to her car with his arm looped around her waist.
Across the street, under the harsh glow of the streetlamps, stood a crowd of people all dressed in identical beige clothing staring at the entrance to Club BDE. When she’d first started at the club a couple months ago, Tara had filled her in on the religious whackjobs who’d been watching the club for a while now. They’d never done anything more than stand and watch, so the cops had been of absolutely no help despite one of the club owners being a retired Charleston PD detective. But they still gave Ruby the heebie-jeebies and Braden was very strict about his employees not entering or leaving the building alone after dark.
“I wish they’d find someone else to hassle,” she muttered as she and Beckett turned the corner to where she’d parked her car. “They freak me out.”
“Same. It’s weird how they all look identical.”
“Right! The clothes, the hair, everything. It’s weird .”
When she slowed to a stop beside her car, Beckett turned, pressing her back against the old sedan. Even in the dark, she could see the intensity in his gaze. “Have you been following Braden’s rules about leaving the club with a buddy after dark?”
“Yes. I have no desire to be abducted by some weird cult or to find myself on the wrong end of Daddy B’s paddle.”
Beckett’s lips twitched, despite the seriousness of the conversation. “You know he really hates that nickname, right?”
“Duh. Why do you think we keep using it?”
“Brat,” he said with a low laugh. “I have a feeling you’re going to have a red-hot bottom more often than not for the foreseeable future.”
“Promise, promises.”
Ducking his head, he captured her lips in a surprisingly soft, sweet kiss. “Drive safe, Ruby Red. I’ll be very cranky if anything happens to you before I get to taste you.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Body humming, she climbed into her car and turned the key in the ignition, praying the damn thing wouldn’t embarrass her in front of Beckett. For once, however, the engine roared to life immediately and she pulled away from the curb.
Where she would normally turn left to head home to her apartment, the GPS on her phone told her to turn right. She sat at the intersection, her heart pounding as she contemplated just going home and sending him a text letting her know she’d changed her mind.
That was the logical thing to do. Go home, drown her disappointment in a pint of chocolate brownie ice cream, and then get herself off with the assistance of one of her many handheld boyfriends. Put a stop to this thing between her and Beckett before one of them—most likely her—inevitably got hurt.
But she was feeling anything but logical just then. And when the light turned green, she turned the wheel to the right.
Toward him.
Beckett
Ruby’s ancient sedan was already in his driveway when he pulled in, and he frowned at the sight of it.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” he said when they both climbed out of their respective vehicles, deliberately keeping his tone casual.
“You didn’t.” Slinging a backpack over her shoulder, she flashed a smile, and he resisted the urge to push her to tell him exactly how long she’d been sitting there.
It was a Daddy’s job to ensure she drove safely. And he wasn’t her Daddy.
Keeping that in mind, he pushed the desire to interrogate her about her driving habits to the back of his mind as he took her hand and guided her into his house.
Beside him, Ruby stayed silent during the trek up to his bedroom. And with every step, he could feel the agitation pumping off her in waves. Maybe it was just nerves, but it didn’t feel like it to him.
So when they stepped into his room he turned, sliding his arms around her waist to pull her close. “Eyes on me, Ruby Red.”
Oh yeah. She was definitely feeling some kind of way about something, though he wasn’t sure what. It was there, burning in the deep brown of her eyes, turning them a molten sort of amber that fascinated him. “What color are you, sweetheart?”
His palm itched to connect with her ass when she rolled her eyes. “You haven’t even touched me, Beckett.”
“Technically, I am touching you right now, but I know what you mean. That doesn’t answer my question, though. What color are you, Ruby?”
“Green.”
There was a bite to the word, setting off alarms in his head. “Really? Then why do you sound so pissed?”
Her nose crinkled. “I’m not mad. I’m just… a little uncomfortable.”
“What can I do to make you more comfortable?”
“Not be rich as fucking Midas.”
Less bite, but a hint of something else in her tone now. Bitterness, maybe? “Does my wealth really bother you that much?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“That’s personal.”
Again, he had to resist the urge to pry. To dig deeper and peel back every single one of her layers until every last inch of her had been exposed to him. “You don’t have to tell me,” he said instead, repeating what he’d told her back at the club. “But if being here is going to upset you, I need to know sooner rather than later. We can go to a hotel if that would make you more comfortable.”
A hint of a smile tugged at her lips. “There’s a Holiday Inn not too far from here.”
It took everything in him not to visibly recoil at her suggestion. “Is that where you want to go?”
“No.” Dropping her bag to the ground, she wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her head back a bit to smile up at him. “The fact that you’d be willing to lower your standards just to make me comfortable is all I needed. I’m green, Sir. I promise.”
Because he could feel the tension leaving her body, he lowered his head, taking her lips in a slow, tender kiss. Little by little she relaxed, until at last she surrendered with a sigh, all but melting into him.
Soft and sweet. Just for him.
“Before we start, what are your hard limits?” he asked, running his fingers down the stiff corset she still wore under her jacket.
“Um, scat and watersports are very firmly off the table. No punching or face slapping.” She opened her mouth, then pressed her lips firmly together again, looking uncertain.
“Remember what I said about honesty, Ruby? It goes double when we’re discussing your limits. If you’re not going to be honest with me, we will end this before it even starts.”
“And you promise you won’t be mad?”
The worry in her voice was like a knife to the chest. “Sweetheart, any Dom who gets mad at you for setting a limit or a boundary has no goddamn business being in the scene.” He made a mental note to ask her later if anyone at BDE had hassled her about her limits so he could pass those names on to Braden. “So no, I will not be mad, no matter what your limits are.”
“It’s just that it’s something pretty common. But I have my reasons.”
Cupping her face in his hands, he locked his gaze with hers. “You don’t ever have to justify your limits to me or anyone else. Understood?”
Relief flashed in her eyes. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl. Now, please finish telling me your limits so I can finally taste you.”
“Blindfolds.” Her bottom lip trembled, just for a moment before she caught herself. “I don’t mind being restrained and stuff, as long as I can see.”
Oh, baby. Who hurt you?
Because there was definitely hurt there. It was in her eyes, those deep pools that told him everything. Hurt, and fear. Not the delicious fear of a subbie who knew she’d messed up and she was going to pay the price. But a more primal sort of fear that made him want to find whoever had put that haunted look in her eyes and rip out their throat with his bare hands.
For now, he settled for gentle reassurance, running the pads of his thumbs over her cheekbones. “Thank you for being honest with me. Is there anything else?”
“I don’t like having my mouth and nose covered. I can handle a little choking but not feeling like I’m being smothered.”
“Do you like choking?”
“Not particularly. It’s not a limit but it’s never really done anything for me, either.”
Sliding a hand down to her throat, he let his fingers rest there. Not cutting off her air, simply holding her, feeling her heartbeat against his palm. “How about this?”
He didn’t need the verbal confirmation. Not with the ways her pupils widened, the black nearly erasing the brown he enjoyed so much as she sucked in a sharp breath. “This is good.”
“You are being such a good girl for me, Ruby Red. Telling me all about your limits.” Dipping his head, he brushed a kiss over her full lips. “Letting me know what you don’t like… and what makes your pussy drip for me.”
Her breath caught and beneath his palm the muscles of her throat moved rapidly as she swallowed. “Thank you, Sir.”
“Do you know what good girls get, Ruby?”
“What, Sir?”
“Whatever they want,” he murmured against her lips. “Pain or pleasure, Ruby? Which one do you want from me tonight?”
“Pleasure, Sir. But, um…” She trailed off, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink.
“Tell me.”
“I want to be fucked hard. I-I like it when it hurts a little.”
“That, I can absolutely do. Turn around.”