13. Dameon
Chapter thirteen
Dameon
M y driver pulls up in front of my building, and I exhale loudly into the still air of the car. It’s been a clusterfuck of a day, but the thought of returning to my goddess, patiently waiting on her knees for me, has made it that much more bearable.
Kevin opens my door with his usual greeting. “Evening, sir.”
“Kevin,” I acknowledge with a nod. “How was her day?”
“She spent most of it at the beach. She seemed to enjoy it, sir,” he reports as we stride through the foyer toward my private elevator. I loosen my tie and undo the top button of my shirt.
“Thank you,” I reply, stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the penthouse. “Have a good night.”
“You too, sir.”
The tension eases from my shoulders the closer I get to Hailee. Stepping into the penthouse, I’m greeted by a sight of pure beauty—one that I could easily get used to seeing every day. She kneels before me, naked, assuming the traditional submissive posture of Eden. With her back straight, knees slightly parted, hands resting on her thighs, and head bowed, her white-blonde hair falls gracefully around her face.
“Hi, gorgeous.” My fingers gently trace the soft strands of her hair.
“Good evening, sir. Did you have a good day?” Her voice is strained, off somehow. Instantly, I tense. Something isn’t right. My mind races through a million different scenarios.
What happened? Has someone hurt her? Is she unhappy? Does she want to leave?
I lift her chin with two fingers, searching her face for answers. She manages a smile through watery eyes, and my heart fucking shatters at the sight. My eyes drift down her body, and then I see it.
“What the fuck happened to your skin, Hailee?” I can’t contain my shock at seeing her once flawless tanned skin now beet red.
“It’s nothing, sir. Just a little sunburn.” She tries to laugh it off, but her attempt falls flat with a sniffle. It’s far from just a little sunburn; her skin is inflamed and painfully red. Placing my hand on her shoulder, I feel the heat radiating from her, almost burning my palm. This is first-degree sunburn at the very least.
“Stand, gorgeous,” I command, offering her my hand. As she rises from her knees, I notice the wince that crosses her face. “Let’s go.” I dump my laptop bag in the lounge before leading her upstairs to our bedroom.
“Lie on the bed.”
She complies without a word. I shed my jacket and toss my tie over a nearby chair, roll up my sleeves and enter the bathroom to run a tepid bath. Once it’s filled to the right level, I return to the bedroom and scoop up my kitten, carrying her bridal style to the tub.
Her eyes track my movements like a deer caught in the headlights. I don’t like seeing her docile like this. I want my sassy ball of sunshine back. Carefully I lower her into the cool bath, and she hisses when the water touches her overheated skin. Once she’s comfortably settled, I head downstairs and return with a bottle of water and ibuprofen for the pain. She must be in a world of hurt.
“Drink this,” I instruct, handing her the bottle and the tablets. She takes a sip and swallows them down, handing the bottle back to me.
“Thank you,” she says sheepishly.
“Nope. All of it.” She hesitates for a moment before bringing the bottle back to her lips.
Good girl .
It takes her a few minutes, but she finishes it all before I take the empty bottle from her.
“Now, tell me what happened,” I say, softening my voice. I’ve been barking orders at her since I got home, and she’s responded well without putting up much of a fight. Even though I’m fuming, there’s a time and place for punishment.
“Not much to tell, really. I went for a walk along the beach, and I forgot the sunscreen, that’s all.”
“How long were you in the sun for?”
“Only a couple of hours.”
That’s not very long, but still, she should know better. The Australian sun is brutal, even in early spring.
“I had my hat and sunglasses, though,” she adds.
“Hailee, look at me,” I say firmly. She’s been pointedly avoiding my gaze, studying the bathwater the entire time. She raises her head, and I capture her beautiful green eyes that always make me lose my breath.
“Your body belongs to me for the next twelve months. You will look after my property while under my care. Only I get to mark your beautiful skin as I see fit, not you. Got it?”
“Yes, sir. Are you going to punish me?”
“You bet your ass, I am. As soon as you’re healed, I guarantee that fine ass of yours will be as red as your shoulders when I’m through with it.”
Her lips curl up in a small smile, and she looks away. I know she’s just as excited about the prospect of her punishment as I am.
I strip off my pants and shirt, leaving my boxers, and spread a towel on her side of the bed. Gently I lift her from the bathtub, and she winces from the contact of my arms on her irritated skin. Laying her out on the towel, I roll her onto her stomach and pick up the bottle of aloe vera she was using, smoothing it into her back until it evaporates. Moving onto her front, I rub the gel into her chest and shoulders. At least she remembered a hat, so her beautiful face was saved from being scorched.
“Did you have lunch?” I ask.
She shakes her head. My hand itches to take her over my knee and tan her ass red.
“Breakfast, at least?”
She nods. “I’m sorry, sir. I feel so stupid. This wasn’t how our first official night was supposed to go.” Her chin trembles and she sniffs. She’s in pain and hasn’t eaten since breakfast; no wonder she’s emotional. Rising from the bed, I kiss her forehead, the only spot not red.
“You’re just racking up the punishments on day one, aren’t you? At this rate, you’ll need a cushion to sit down for the rest of the year.” I wink, earning a small laugh from her. I press my lips to her forehead again. “I’ll be back.”
In the kitchen I heat up the dinner Eloise prepared—chicken cordon bleu and sautéed vegetables. Carrying it on a tray, I return to the bedroom and lay it out on the bed. I cut up her chicken and offer her a bite. The aroma of buttery goodness wafts up, making her stomach rumble. Loudly.
“I can feed myself,” she sulks. “I may be burned to a crisp, but I can still use my arms.”
“I know. Open,” I command.
Her lips obediently part as I bring the fork to her mouth. She takes a bite, chewing slowly, and closes her eyes, savoring the flavor before swallowing. The sight of her throat moving and her little sighs of pleasure ignite something primal within me. Feeding her feels unexpectedly intimate, yet erotic at the same time. I never would have imagined it could be such a turn-on. My cock strains against my boxers, the glistening tip peeking out. Hailee’s gaze lingers on it, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips.
“There will be plenty of time for you to taste my cock later… when you’re not in pain,” I reassure her, though it takes every ounce of self-control to will my cock back down.
“Tell me, how did you end up in Sydney?” I shift the conversation to distract myself from the way her lips wrap around the fork.
“It’s a long story, but the short version is that my mother is a complete nightmare. She’s toxic, narcissistic… a horrible human being. I had to get Beth away from her. So, when I turned eighteen, I became her official guardian and we moved as far away as possible, to the other side of the world.”
I wince. “Unfortunately, I’ve come across a few women like your mother myself. It must have been tough for you growing up.”
“It was. But I’ve dealt with it. I go to therapy to work through it and make sure I don’t turn out like her. I’m convinced everyone should see a counselor at least once in their lifetime. There are already enough assholes in the world without adding another one.”
“True that,” I chuckle. “You hail from New York, right? How did you end up with tanned skin and green eyes? You look more European than Big Apple.”
“Yep, born and bred in NYC. I’m assuming my father; it’s a guessing game, really. My dad’s a total mystery; never knew him. Probably some random rich guy that my mom was chasing back then. Mom’s British, which explains my sister’s fair skin and brown eyes. Her dad was one of my mom’s failed marriages.” She shrugs, and silence falls between us. Hailee shifts, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding my gaze.
“Hey, look at me.” I gently lift her chin with my thumb and forefinger to search her eyes. “You’re a good sister, Hailee. A good person. And you’re nothing like your mother.” Her eyes shine bright like fresh blades of grass.
“Thank you,” she murmurs softly.
As I finish feeding her most of her dinner, the color returns to her cheeks, and I sense the ibuprofen is taking effect. A comfortable silence envelops us as I tuck into my own meal. In her presence, I find myself relaxing, the tension of the day melting away. Normally, sipping a top-shelf whiskey while sinking into a warm pussy is my go-to stress reliever, but tonight is different. I don’t feel the urge, or any longing for it. My focus is entirely on Hailee, ensuring her wellbeing. Right here, right now, the chaos of my day fades into the background, replaced by the calmness of being fully absorbed in her presence.