Chapter 16
Alex
I was actually, genuinely fucking nervous.
It had taken a series of incredibly awkward lies to convince my parents that I wouldn't be coming home that night.
Now, I was staring like an idiot at my backpack.
I had no idea what Dr. Carter wanted me to pack or where we were even going, so I just threw in the bare minimum: a toothbrush, a change of clothes, and some joggers.
I didn't even bother with nice underwear.
The woman had devoured me in a sports bra the previous day; I doubted she cared about lace, and given how unpredictable she was, she might not even see it anyway.
“I’m pretty sure she’s going to storm down those stairs if you don’t move your arse,” Mia chuckled, throwing her bag over her shoulder.
My nerves were shot. “She just... she makes me fucking nervous.”
Mia’s smirk widened. “That’s a first for you.” She pulled me into a tight, chest-smothering hug. “You want to do this, right?”
“Yeah,” I said instantly, the certainty cutting through the anxiety. “I fucking do.”
“Then get a grip, Lex. Your spark is half the reason that woman wants you in the first place. Sort your shit out.”
Every step toward the exit made my stomach do violent flips. Come on, Alex. Find a backbone. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and pushed the doors open.
My insides twisted hard the second I spotted her. She was in her usual spot, leaning against her car with the cool, calculated posture of a high-end operative on a covert mission. Mia let out a muffled squeak of excitement, nudged my hip with hers, and bolted toward her boyfriend's car.
I forced my legs forward, plastering on a cheeky, confident grin to mask the erratic pounding in my chest.
She raised an eyebrow as I approached, her warm hands reaching out to frame my face. “How was your shift?”
“Not terrible, actually,” I replied.
She nodded, her thumbs grazing softly over my cheeks before her hands slid down to smooth over my arms. “Let’s go, darling.”
As usual, she took her time hanging up her coat in the back of the car. When she slid into the driver’s seat, I completely lost my breath. She looked menacing in the best way possible: high-waisted black trousers and a wine-red silk shirt, her sleeves rolled up to display those toned forearms.
She caught me immediately. “You’re staring.”
“Yeah. I can’t not.”
“I told you before, Alex, it’s rude.”
“So, if I look away for a few seconds but keep looking back, it’s all good?” I teased, looking at the road, counting to three, and snapping my gaze back to her.
She shook her head, a trace of amusement colouring her face. “You like to push too much.”
As the city lights faded, I realised we were definitely not heading to Heeley Street. I shifted in my seat, watching her profile. “Do you not like it when I push you, Dr. Carter?”
She took a deep, steadying breath as we reached a red light. The crimson glow illuminated the sharp, flawless angles of her face. “Not when I’m driving and have to keep pulling over to teach you a lesson. Do you think you can be good for me until we get to my house, darling?”
My throat went dry, my core throbbing instantly. I managed a nod. “Yeah. I can be good for you.”
“Good girl. I know you can.”
The rest of the drive was agonisingly quiet as we left the university district behind, winding back into her familiar, affluent neighbourhood with its high stone walls and mature trees. She pulled through the automatic gates and parked inside the massive garage I’d come to recognise all too well.
Dr. Carter rested her hands on the steering wheel, her dark eyes locking onto mine with a deep, thrilling focus. “You only have your backpack,” she observed.
“It was the only bag I had.”
“And you have been a good girl for the last ten minutes. Very obedient.” Her lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile that made my heart slam against my ribs. “You deserve a reward, Alex.”
Before I could even catch my breath, she unbuckled her belt, reached across me, and snatched my backpack off the floorboards.
She unzipped it, rummaging through my things with practiced ease before casually tossing my joggers and sleep shirt into the back seat.
My jaw dropped as she pulled out my small toiletries bag, unzipping it just enough to peer inside.
A low, amused "Cute" escaped her lips as she set it on the console.
She reached back into my bag, hauled out my plain cotton knickers and vest top, and threw those into the back, too. Satisfied, she picked up the toiletries bag and slid it back into the main compartment before zipping the nearly empty backpack shut with absolute finality.
“We won’t be needing these,” she stated, her gaze ruthless. “You packed like you were planning on escaping. I’m making sure you stay.”
The sheer, dominant finality of it made my head spin. She was systematically stripping away every ounce of my control.
“Come on, darling. We have a long night ahead of us, and I am done with driving.”
She stepped out of the car, her heels clicking against the concrete as she swept around to open my door. I climbed out, clutching my practically useless backpack. Did she seriously have me pack this just so she could put on a show?
Fuck me. That was a total power move.
I followed her inside, the heavy click of the lock behind us sealing us in.
As she hung her trench coat in the grand built-in wardrobe by the front door, I slipped off my shoes.
She lined her heels up neatly alongside the rest of her footwear before turning her attention to me.
Wordlessly, I handed over my jacket and shoes, taking the brief nod she offered toward the kitchen as my cue.
I moved like a fucking obedient puppy.
Clutching my empty bag, I wandered into the low-lit kitchen and hoisted myself onto a stool at the island. I took a few deep, steadying breaths to quiet my racing heart, but every precise, calculated movement she made felt like a direct assault on my remaining composure.
I didn't even hear her approach before her breath warm against my ear sent a shiver straight down my spine. “Did you know that seminars and lectures are canceled on Monday?” she whispered softly.
“They are?” I started to turn my head to look at her, but her fingers caught my chin, firmly nudging my face back forward.
“They are. Which means we, my darling, have much more time than we anticipated.”
She pressed her body flush against my back, reaching around to undo the top buttons of my shirt—just enough to leave my cleavage fully exposed. The trail of her finger across my bared skin was agonisingly slow.
“You’ve worked a full shift, and it’s late,” she murmured into the side of my neck. “You need sleep. I’ll be here in the morning.”
A groan of pure disappointment slipped out of my throat before I could stop it.
She chuckled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head before lacing her fingers through mine. “Come on.”
She led me up to the guest room. A black silk nightgown was laid out neatly on the mattress.
“For you to sleep in,” she instructed gently. “My room is across the hallway if you need me.”
I nodded, but the frustration inside me finally boiled over. I couldn’t just go to sleep—I needed something from her.
Closing the distance between us before she could react, I caught her completely off guard, grabbing the front of her shirt and dragging her down into a fierce, frantic kiss.
Before she had the chance to reclaim control, my hand darted to the back of her head, unclasping her hair clip and tossing it onto the bed.
Her thick, dark hair tumbled free over her shoulders, and I immediately tangled my fingers into the heavy locks, deepening the bite of the kiss and dragging my tongue across her lower lip until she gave in and opened up for me.
I broke away just enough to murmur against her jaw, “Sit.”
A slow, knowing smirk spread across her lips. She didn't argue. She simply turned and sank onto the edge of the large guest bed.
I scrambled up after her, straddling her lap, my knees digging into the mattress on either side of her strong thighs.
A deep moan escaped me as her hands slid up my outer thighs, firmly cupping my arse to lift and settle me securely against her crotch.
The heat through our clothes was agonisingly perfect.
I dragged my mouth away from hers, burying my face in her neck, biting and sucking hard just behind her ear. I wanted to mark her exactly the way she had marked me. Dr. Carter threw her head back, offering me better access, her breaths hitching.
My fingers fumbled frantically with the silk buttons of her wine-red shirt, desperate for skin-to-skin contact. But just as I cleared the first button, her hand snapped up, clamping tightly around my wrist.
“Enough, Alex.”
The absolute command stopped me dead. I froze, my chest heaving, my eyes glazed over with desperation as I looked down at her.
“But... you said we had time,” I rasped.
Dr. Carter placed her hands on my shoulders, pushing me back just enough to look me in the eye. That triumphant, knowing smirk was back. “We have time, darling. But I also said we were in no rush. If we go past this point now, you won won’t be getting any sleep, and I need you rested.”
The promise—and the threat—vibrated through me. I groaned in total defeat, letting my forehead drop against her shoulder. “That’s cruel.”
She chuckled, a rich sound against my cheek. “I prefer disciplined, Alex. Now, off.”
She gave my hips a gentle nudge, and I slid off her lap, instantly missing her warmth. She stood, smoothing her silk shirt with infuriating ease.
“Change into the nightgown, drink your water, and get some rest,” she instructed, her voice softening. “Good night, Alex. I expect to see you bright and early in the kitchen.”
She turned, pulling the door closed with a quiet click, and left.
I stood there for a full minute, shaking my head in disbelief, before looking down at the silky black nightgown on the bed.