20. Chapter Twenty
Maddison
M y shift is long and grueling, my patience wearing thin as Irene nitpicks my every move. I’m antsy the entire time, my body thrumming with anticipation as I remember Jax’s promise. It makes my heart flutter, and my palms sweat, but I hope he makes good on it. I hope he fucks me until my legs turn to jelly, and I no longer possess the ability to walk. When I accidentally knock over a glass figurine and it shatters around my feet, Hazel gives me a curious look. I smile sheepishly before grabbing a broom, pausing when my phone vibrates.
Jax: I’ve been hard all day
Poor baby
“I’ll have to deduct that from your paycheck,” Irene tells me snidely, suddenly appearing at my side. Her lips purse into thin lines, and she looks like she just tasted something sour.
I jump, quickly pocketing my phone and nodding. “Okay.”
“And stay off your phone. I don’t pay you to text your boyfriend.”
I roll my eyes as she spins on her heel, the click-clack over the tile grating on my nerves. I stick my tongue out at her back, my heart skipping a beat when she turns around. Quickly looking away, I mentally cross my fingers and pray she didn’t notice. The last thing I want is another write-up, since I already have one on file for calling out the day Jax refused to let me drive.
“Snow days are not an employee benefit, Miss Raddix. This is very disappointing.”
The broken glass clinks together as I sweep it into the dustpan. Her eyes burn into the back of my head, but I hum a tune under my breath anyway. “Make sure you get all the glass. It’s not a good look for the business if one of our clients get hurt.”
I blow out a breath when the sound of her retreating footsteps reaches my ears. Once all the glass has been swept up, I carry the broom and dustpan over to the nearest trash can. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I glance around.
Jax: You’re going to wear my handprints on your ass tonight baby
I suck in a sharp breath, glancing at the nearest clock and frowning. There are still hours left before my shift is over, my feet are aching, and I want Jax inside me.
“Is everything okay with you today?” Hazel asks, wandering over to me with a perplexed smile. “You seem a little…off.”
My phone buzzes again, making all the blood rush to my head. My hands itch to look at my newest text. “Perfect!” I reply, nearly wincing when my voice comes out all squeaky and high-pitched. “I’m perfectly fine. Everything’s great, actually!”
Hazel gives me a suspicious look, opening her mouth but shutting it again when a middle-aged woman walks up to the counter with an armful of table linens. When I hear the quiet beeps from her register, I pull my phone back out of my pocket.
Jax: You’re going to beg
Jax: Just a little preview of what’s in store for you tonight
*picture attachment*
“Fuck me,” I mutter, my mouth going dry as I zoom in on the picture. My panties are damp as I stare at the two items sitting on the nightstand. The first is a pair of burgundy, leather wrist cuffs. There’s a small, shiny, silver chain linking the two cuffs together. Each cuff has some sort of attachment that I can’t see in the picture, but my imagination runs wild as I picture Jax securing me to the headboard with it. The next item is a round, dark-pink piece of silicone. It appears to have a small opening at the top, and all the air leaves my lungs in a whoosh when I realize what it is.
Jax bought me a vibrator.
A rose toy, to be exact. It’s been going viral on TikTok the last few weeks. The opening is meant to go over my clit, where the thrusting vibrations will suck on it. So many dirty, erotic images flash through my mind that it heats my body from the inside out.
Maybe I should fake a stomach virus so I can go home early? If I pretend to hurl over the trash can—
Jax: Tell me if you want that. If it’s too much, I’ll fuck off
“Excuse me? Miss?” The soft voice interrupts my thoughts, and I reluctantly pocket my cell phone before turning around. The customer— client —is an elderly lady with a timid smile. She wears a long-sleeved, silky gray wrap dress. Her back is a little stooped, her hands wrinkled, and her hair white. But she looks at me with such a kind expression that it washes away any irritation over the interruption.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Do you offer home delivery?” she asks, her weathered hands gesturing towards a simple black coffee table. Her cloudy eyes look away, the corners of her lips dipping into a sad frown. “I used to buy all my stuff from this married couple in town.” She shakes her head like she’s trying to remember them, and something about the way she says “married couple” makes my heart clench.
It makes me wonder…But no, it couldn’t be.
“Such a sweet young couple. Made everything by hand, and it was good quality, too. They had a young daughter. But I can’t remember their names now.” She shrugs, giving me a polite smile. “I don’t think they’re around anymore, so I suppose I can settle for this piece instead. But the man, he used to deliver everything to me. Would someone be able to deliver this?”
The blood drains from my face. I want to leap forward and beg her to remember their names. I want to pry for details and then keep every little tidbit for myself. As the years have passed, fewer and fewer people seem to remember my parents. And with this light-hearted feeling surging through me, I almost lean forward and tell her their names. Just to see if it sparks any recognition.
But I don’t. Maybe some things are better left as mysteries.
“I’m sorry, we don’t offer delivery…” My voice trails off when I spot the crestfallen disappointment on her face, and it makes me want to curse Irene. When I suggested she add a delivery option for clients, she scrunched her face up like I had said something absurd. Then she told me it was a waste of resources and shook her head like she was disappointed. But I feel a surge of sympathy for the woman, and I find that I can’t stand the thought of letting her down.
“You know what? I have an idea.”
She watches as I pull my phone out, her eyes lighting up with hope. Ringing sounds in my ear, and my feet grow restless when he doesn’t pick up right away. I give the woman an encouraging smile.
“Maddie?”
“Jax, I have a favor to ask you.”
He obliges, agreeing to haul the woman’s new coffee table in the back of his truck. The woman’s happiness is contagious as she leaves. I pull my phone out one last time.
Let’s play
I’m a weird mixture of nervous and excited as I pull my car into the driveway that night. The rest of my shift dragged, the customers rude and Irene irritable. The only highlight was Jax’s dirty text messages, my phone continuously buzzing with more wicked promises. Knowing how badly he wants me has kept me on edge all night, pulses of need skittering through my body. Now that I’m home, my stomach is swooping.
As soon as my headlights hit the front of the house, the door opens and Jax saunters out. He wears gray sweatpants with a black hoodie, the outline of his half-erect cock prominent. His eyes smolder with heat and desire, making my pulse thrum in the base of my neck as he seats himself on the rocking chair next to the door. He leans back, widening his legs with that hard gaze boring into me as I approach.
Pausing on the second step of the porch, I’m well aware of the arousal already dampening my panties. His assessing gaze makes every hair on my body stand up. Something about the way his fingers drag a slow, methodical path up and down the length of the wooden armchair makes me shiver.
“Are you ready to repent for your little show of power today, baby?”
He gives me a dark smile, his voice rumbling like subdued thunder. I suck in a ragged breath, my heart leaping into my throat. Heat shoots through every inch of my body, a low hum of arousal making my nipples tighten. His smile widens.
“Someone’s feeling a little put out.” My voice is a raspy whisper.
He leans forward, bracing a forearm on each leg as he surveys me. He looks like a king sitting on his throne, ready to dole out whatever punishment he deems fit. It makes my heart pound erratically, and even though I crave his touch, I also have the insane urge to bolt past him. To make him fight for it. My eyes slide from him to the doorway, silently gauging the distance.
His low chuckle has an ominous quality to it. “You can certainly try.”
“Are you saying you didn’t enjoy yourself?” I challenge.
“I fucking loved every second of your bratty attitude today.” His pupils flare wide with desire, one hand reaching down to adjust himself. “But I’m going to like what comes next even better.”
“And what, exactly, comes next?”
“You’re going to walk your bratty ass upstairs, take off your clothes, and bend over my bed. I want you on display for me.” His words spear straight through me, a rippling heat making me clench my thighs together. My clit aches with a low, steady throb.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so turned on in my life.
“Now, Maddie.”
I arch an eyebrow. “I don’t think I will.”
The corners of his lips twitch.
His eyes light up as I bolt towards the front door. My adrenaline surges as I push my legs forward, my arms reaching for the handle. He calls my name, and the sound of feet thudding on the wooden porch reaches my ears just as he pounces. Two strong arms spin me around, the ground dropping out from underneath me as I’m hoisted up over broad shoulders.
I squeal, my fingers bunching over the fabric of the hoodie as I hang over his back, half-heartedly squirming against his hold. In all honesty, I’m right where I want to be: snug in his trap.
His palm comes down over my ass, the pleasure-pain of the sting making me moan. The responding chuckle is throaty, amused as he practically runs up the stairs. “You shouldn’t have run, baby. It’s like you’re just begging me not to show any mercy.”
The hallway is a blur as he approaches the bedroom, my view changing to plush, light-brown carpet as I’m carried through the doorway.
“Jax!” I squeak as my body goes flying through the air, my back connecting with a soft mattress before bouncing back up. Then his body is pressing into mine, his hips pushing me down. He wastes no time in crushing his mouth against my lips in a possessive, controlling kiss. His tongue flicks at the seams of my lips, and I open for him. My head is cradled in a firm hold, moving me where he wants me while kissing me with that bruising force.
It sets something off inside me, making me desperate for more.
I wrap my legs around his waist, my fingers tugging on his shirt as I fight to pull him impossibly closer. He tugs my bottom lip once before pulling away and pressing his forehead to mine. His panting breaths fan across my cheeks.
“Your safe word is red.”
I blink.
I’ve never needed a safe word before—never done anything remotely kinky.
His hand wraps around my chin, forcing it up. I stare at him.
“Red will make everything stop. Use it anytime, for any reason, and know that it will never be held against you.” The pads of his fingers stroke along my cheek, the gentle caress a heady contrast compared to the rough kiss just a moment ago. He shakes his head, a quick flash of trepidation crossing his features. “Your safety is the most important thing to me. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I hurt you. Do you understand?”
I nod shakily.
“I need the words,” he says firmly.
“I’ll use my safe word if I need it, but I won’t need it because I trust you not to hurt me.”
He smiles softly before giving me a gentle kiss. “That’s right, baby. I would never hurt you. But we’re still going to have a safe word in case you ever feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable.” Another soft press of his lips to mine, his fingers trailing down the slope of my jaw. “What’s your safe word?”
“Red.”
“Good girl.” The praise is a reverent whisper against my lips, making me shiver.
He gives me one last gentle kiss before pulling away with that wicked glint returning to his eyes. It’s the only warning I have before he’s flipping me over onto my belly. Then his hands are yanking at my clothes. Buttons fly across the room as his big fingers tear at them, his waning patience making him clumsy. In the meanwhile, he’s running his hands over my skin. They squeeze my breasts, run down my sides, pull my ass cheeks apart.
Before long, I’m completely naked underneath him.
Even when he’s being rough, there is a purposefully controlled and deliberate air about him. Firm, but never crossing the line into pain. I soak up the feeling of his hands running along my body, my limbs turning to putty for him to mold and use however he sees fit. I gasp when he drags me by the hips to the edge of the bed. When my feet hit the soft carpet with my ass hanging off the mattress, his hands push between my shoulder blades to keep me laying down.
“Thought it was okay to tease me, did you?” His low rumble and gruff tone go straight to my aching clit.
His palm connects with my ass.
“Oh, fuck!” I cry out, the echo of the slap ringing out in the room as a hot sting blossoms across my right butt cheek. And then his palm is coming down across my other cheek. The stinging sensation acts as fuel to a fire, a low heat building in my belly as my clit pounds for attention. By the time his hands come down in two more rapid smacks, my pussy is drenched.
“You should see how fucking sexy your ass looks, baby.”
Smack.
“So pretty and pink now. You’ll be wearing my punishment for days.”
Smack.
“Jesus, your pretty little pussy is dripping wet.”
Smack.
With each smack, my needy cries grow louder. I thrust my smarting ass backwards, my face buried into the comforter as I moan. My legs spread a little further apart, wantonly inviting him to touch me.
I need friction.
“Jax, please.”
He runs his hands over my burning skin, his touch soothing.
When his touch disappears, I hear the sound of clothes hitting the floor.
“Funny,” he muses. “I think I remember saying that.”
“I’m sorry.” I thrust my hips over the bed sheets, seeking any kind of friction but receiving none. I give a frustrated groan when his hands grab my hips to halt my movements.
He chuckles. “I don’t believe you—yet.”
I watch from the corner of my vision as he saunters over to the nightstand. My gaze slides down to his cock, watching it bob with each step. It’s already fully erect, precum glistening at the tip. I lick my lips. I would never say this aloud, but his cock is pretty. I want to feel the weight of it in my palm again.
He opens the drawer, pulling something out before walking back to his previous place behind me. There’s a quiet whirring sound.
I nearly scream at the sudden jolt of white-hot pleasure when he places the rose toy over my clit. The small opening in the silicone toy latches over the sensitive bud, sucking it with a ferocity that makes my eyes water. My lips part as I suck in air, my hips bucking.
I’m a trembling mess beneath him.
Within seconds, I’m on the verge of a climax. My hips thrust backward, pushing back into the toy.
“Jax! Oh, fuck…Oh my God, I’m going to—”
The toy clicks off, my pleasure dropping off so fast I release a frustrated groan and shoot him a pouty look over my shoulder.
He chuckles, climbing on the bed to kneel over my sprawling body. His hands reach under me, cupping my breasts before sliding down my belly then squeezing my hips. Then his cock is nestling between my ass cheeks, slowly grinding. I whimper.
“Do you want to come, baby?”
“Yes!”
“Are you sorry for being a brat today?”
“Yes!” I cry in a pathetic, desperate mewl. My mind empties, any thought or sensation outside the pounding of my aching clit becoming nonexistent.
The toy whirs to life again, and I’m still not prepared for the intense suction. The pleasure returns, quickly building to a fever pitch. Jax murmurs into my ear, telling me how beautiful I am as I writhe underneath him. His hands run over my body, soothing touches that sharply contrast the intense sucking of the toy.
My orgasm is right there. I’m reaching the peak, and crying out his name, and—
The toy switches off again.
“Fuck, Jax!”
Frustration and disappointment pool in my chest, making me want to pound my fists into the bedsheet.
He switches it on again, bringing me to a near climax two more times. Each time I think I’m going to come, he pulls back. It’s an exquisite, sweet type of tortuous pleasure bordering on pain. The heat between my thighs builds to an all-time high, until my want becomes need. I become a blubbering, incoherent mess who’s willing to say anything to get what I want.
“I’m sorry, just…Ohhh, I’m so sorry.”
“I think I’m beginning to believe you.”
“I’ll never do—uggg—again. Just please….please, please.”
Is it possible to want someone so bad that you think you’ll die if you don’t get them? A stray tear slips down my cheek, and his thumb is there to brush it away. I nearly scream in frustration when the toy switches off again, whipping my head around to glare at him. But he grabs my hips, flipping me over onto my back. I stare up at him, my hair fanning out around me while my chest heaves. He leans down, brushing a kiss across my lips.
“You did so good,” he whispers. I whimper. “You deserve your reward now, but I want to see your face and feel it on my cock when you come.”
“Yes, yes….”
He reaches into the nightstand again, this time showing me the leather cuffs from the picture as he holds them up. They dangle off his fingers as he gives me a questioning look. I nod my consent.
His pupils are blown wide, his hand reaching down to give his cock a lazy jerk before leaning forward to wrap the cuffs around my wrists. Then he guides my hands above my head, securing them to the headboard. I tug on the bindings, experimenting. It has very little give, but they are comfortable.
Being at his mercy feels exhilarating.
He spreads my trembling thighs apart, pushing them up and back until I’m nearly bent in half with my legs around my head and my drenched, swollen pussy on display.
“Look at you,” he hums, his hungry gaze drinking me in. I jolt, whimpering as he runs a finger through my slit. “All drenched and swollen for me. And so fucking needy.”
The way he looks at me makes me feel…powerful.
It’s a heady feeling.
He fists his cock, entering me in one hard thrust that has my back arching. The sudden stretch takes my breath away, and I throw my head back on a gasp.
I feel so deliciously full.
A trickle of sweat slides down between my breasts as he places the toy back onto my clit. He turns it on, my lips opening on a silent scream. My eyes nearly roll back in my head.
“Jax, it’s so much.” My thighs shake. “Too much. I don’t know…I don’t, oh God.”
He looks down at me, his eyes-half lidded as he groans. A haze of pleasure washes over his face, and I wonder if he can feel some of the vibrations from inside me. “You can, and you will.”
The white-hot pleasure erupts inside me, the force of it ripping a scream from my throat. My pussy spasms around his cock, my legs convulsing. I’m crying, chanting his name as it wracks through my body. It wrings every bit of pleasure from me, stealing the air from my lungs until I’m a sweaty, trembling, boneless mess beneath him.
“Shit, you feel so good,” he whispers, a low moan pulled from his lips. “You’re squeezing me so tight.” He begins thrusting, chasing his own orgasm. The sound of his skin slapping against mine fills the room, the smell of sex surrounding us. His eyes are glued to my bouncing tits as he thrusts. I lay there, taking every inch of him, too mindless from my own orgasm to do much. Not that he seems to mind.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him how sexy he looks when he’s chasing his own pleasure. I want to whisper praises in his ear and tell him how good he makes me feel.
Those soulful green eyes roll towards the ceiling as he reaches the peak of his own climax, his thrusts becoming erratic and choppy before his lips part on a long-winded groan. And then he’s spilling inside me. His shaking arms give way, collapsing over me with his weight resting on his elbows. His forehead rests on mine, and we stare in each other’s eyes as we pant, some silent message being transmitted between us that I can’t quite decode.
I’m still in a daze when he carefully eases out of me and shifts my legs into a more comfortable position. Releasing the leather cuffs around my wrist, his thumbs gently brush over my skin as he checks for marks. Looking satisfied when he doesn’t find any, he buries his face into the crook of my neck and intertwines his legs with mine. We lay there in each other’s embrace for long, silent minutes as our sweaty bodies cool, our minds in a fuzzy, post-orgasmic bliss.
I feel like I’m floating, and my eyelids are beginning to droop. Just as I’m about to drift off to sleep, Jax breaks the silence.
“I wasn’t…too rough?”
Something warm infuses through the cracks of my heart. I thread my fingers through his hair, softly scrapping my fingernails along his scalp. He shivers. “Not at all.”
He sighs.
This is beginning to feel like a lot more than just fucking. What started as a way to get each other out of our systems is beginning to feel like a lifeline. Like I could tether myself to him through any storm and come out on the other end just fine.
It feels like love.
My heart rate picks up, and I shift underneath him.
I can’t— I am not supposed to —love Jax Parker.
His soft, sleepy voice breaks through the swirling panic. “I love it, by the way. The sign.”
“You saw it?” I ask.
He lifts his head up, giving me a sheepish smile. “Yeah, sorry, were you wanting to show me yourself? I was in the garage looking for something, and it was just kind of sitting out there.” He shrugs, a light pink staining his cheeks.
“Are you sure you like it? If you don’t, it’s okay. I could always make—”
I’m cut off with a soft, tender kiss. When he pulls back, his thumb caresses along my jaw. “Maybe love isn’t the right word.”
My heart plummets. “Oh.”
“I’m so incredibly proud–” He shakes his head before starting over. “No, I’m fucking honored to put that in front of my business.”
Butterflies flutter about in my chest as I soak the words in. A huge grin splits across my face, elation and excitement coursing through me. “Really?”
He nods before giving me a searching look. “I think you should continue making stuff. What you’ve got is real talent. Did it make you happy? Creating something from scratch with your hands like that?”
I stare up at him, blinking rapidly. “Yes, actually. I really, really enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure if I could ever build anything again, but it felt like having a piece of my parents back with me. And I like having a chance to be creative.” It feels good to finally admit the words out loud.
He gives me an understanding smile. “You should keep going then. Make whatever brings you joy. Hell, you could probably sell it for some extra cash.”
A metaphorical lightbulb clicks on over my head, his words leaving my mind buzzing with ideas. I don’t know what to say, but his absolute faith in me has a heavy sensation pressing into the backs of my eyes.
Not knowing how else to thank him, I lean up and brush my lips against his. They are warm and soft, parting slightly so I can slip my tongue inside. I flick my tongue across his with gentle, teasing strokes before sighing into his mouth. It’s a happy, contented sound. When we pull apart, he’s staring down at me with a tender expression that makes my heart skip a beat. His thumb grazes absentmindedly over my collarbone.
“Would you like a bubble bath?”
His big palm slips down between our bodies to cup my pussy, and I hiss. He gives me a knowing smirk, and heat spreads across my cheeks.
“Is your pretty pussy sore from being used too much?” His gaze lands on the flush creeping across my cheeks and down my chest, his proud smirk transforming into a full grin. He shakes his head. “I hope you never stop blushing for me like that.”
My heart stutters.
His smile fades, a light pink staining his cheeks as he averts his eyes. He swallows hard, rubbing the back of his neck. I don’t have it in me to tease him about his own blush, my mind still reeling.
“I could start your bath and then change the bedsheets. Maybe I could join you?” he asks, giving me a hopeful look.
I smile. “Yes, please.”