Chapter 27
Restriction
Caden
I wake to persistent buzzing. “Who the fuck set an alarm?”
“You, asshole.” Jack pushes my phone at my chest.
I clear the sleep from my eyes and look at my screen. I scowl at the number. Not an alarm.
“Yeah?” I answer the phone.
“Are you coming down for breakfast?” my mom says in this sweet tone that really means get your ass down here.
“Give me fifteen.” I lurch up on the bed and glance around for Harper, finding nothing but my friends.
“You have ten.” The line disconnects.
“Fuck.” I drop my phone on the bed and stand, stretching. My gaze stops on the couch where Luke and Harper sleep. She’s half under him, and it looks like his cock is buried in her cunt. Fuck, I didn’t know that was an option, but I’m definitely calling dibs one of these nights.
I stumble into the bathroom and take a quick shower to wake up. I’m not quiet when I walk out to find clothes.
“My parents are downstairs.” I announce to anyone listening. “I’ll figure out what they want.”
“Want us to sneak out the back way?” Jack sits up and watches me dress.
“Not yet.” I button my pants and shrug. “This might be their monthly check-in breakfast before taking off again.”
Jack nods. “Whatever you need us to do.”
“Appreciate it.” I bump his fist before walking past the couch. “Is this the new way we claim dibs?”
Luke doesn’t even lift his head. He just grunts and pulls Harper tighter against him.
I stroke my hand over my girl’s cheek, and she smiles with her eyes closed. “Caden.”
Yeah, that right there. That’s reason enough to fucking annihilate any asshole that comes for her. I lean down and brush my lips over hers.
“I’ll bring you back something sweet, little nympho.”
“Mmm.” She snuggles against Luke.
Not sure how she left my arms last night, but it’s probably for the best. I would have fucked her before going down to breakfast if I woke with her curled up against me like that. My parents don’t appreciate tardiness, even if it’s for a really good reason.
I walk out of my bedroom and down to the kitchen. The cook glances up but doesn’t say anything as he goes back to finishing preparations.
When I enter the dining room, my parents cut off mid-sentence and turn to watch me walk in.
“Good morning.” I sink into my chair and fill my cup with coffee. Grabbing a pastry, I lift the lid off my eggs and sausage and set it aside.
“Caden.” My father leans his elbows on the table and temples his fingers in front of his lips. “How’s school?”
“Good as always. Football is good. Friends are good. Everything here is good.” I stab a fork into a sausage link and bite off the end. “Check-in complete?”
My mom glances at my father like she wants him to say more. When he doesn’t, she clears her throat.
“We’ve heard there might be a girl you’re seeing.” Mom doesn’t ask it like a question. I’m sure the staff have reported Harper’s comings and goings to my parents and that she’s been here overnight on multiple occasions.
Along with my friends.
I take another bite of sausage and wait for whatever they want to say. They can just get whatever it is off their chests and leave like they always do.
“You’re young—” Mom cuts herself off and looks at my dad. He doesn’t jump in but continues to look at me. “The parties have always been handled well. But we’re concerned you might be involved in something—” Her lips press together in distaste.
“Are you fucking more than the girl?” My dad leans back in his chair. His green eyes search mine for any signs of weakness.
“You want to know if I’m fucking my friends?” I raise an eyebrow, but don’t let any emotion bleed through. What a fucking joke. “And if I am?”
Mom makes a noise like a little eep. Totally not ladylike. Dad shakes his head.
“Figure this shit out, Caden.” Dad stands. “If you want to be gay, fine, but own it. Don’t make us fucking ask the staff.”
I chuckle low and bite into my pastry. “Are you going to throw me a coming out party?”
“If you’re gay, we’ll support you.” Mom hurries to say. They don’t know me at all.
“My girlfriend might have something to say about me getting dick behind her back.” I sip my coffee and look over the rim at them.
Mom looks so fucking relieved. Dad’s eyes narrow on me.
“Girlfriend?” Dad resumes his seat. “Since when?”
“Beginning of the school year.” I dig into my eggs, figuring why waste a perfectly good meal.
“Why is this the first we’re hearing of it?” The indignation in my father’s voice almost makes me laugh.
“Am I supposed to send you progress reports? What would that include? Positions? Frequency? How many times I get her to come?”
With wide eyes and a flush of color in her cheeks, Mom glances at Dad, but he’s composed.
“If this interferes with your studies—”
“You’ll what?” I shove my plate back from me and stand. “Cut me off? Send me away to boarding school like Ava? How is your daughter? Have you texted her lately to see how she’s adjusting or is that only me who makes sure she’s okay?”
“Sit down, Caden.” My dad’s tone is full of authority.
I shake my head. “Why don’t you do what you do best and leave me alone? I’m good. My life is good, and I’m taken care of. I make sure to eat, sleep, and fuck as much as I need. You’ve raised me well.”
Mom makes that noise at my language. Yeah, I’m not correcting it, and I’m definitely not apologizing for it.
I turn and walk away. They can’t decide when it’s convenient for them to parent me. I’m doing fine on my own.
I stalk back to my room and everyone is up and dressed, waiting on the couch with the TV on low. When I hold out my hand, Harper rises and moves in against me. The rage swirling inside settles at her touch.
“Let’s go. We can find somewhere else to hang out today. They’ll be gone by tonight.” If not in the next hour. Fuck them.
Harper
Somehow the discussion of where we should hang out on a Sunday landed on Eli’s house. This is my first time here. I know he lives down the block from Nico. Apparently, his parents would go out during the day rather than stay in the same house together alone.
Jack figured his dad would want us to play with his little sister and keep us in the living room under a watchful eye. Nico worried his mother would hover and make us snacks. Luke’s is out of the question. So Eli’s it was.
It’s a nice house. Larger than mine. I’m actually excited to see his room and finally figure out what he reads at night. The titles always elude me on the screen.
“I don’t have a game room like Caden or Luke, but we have a rec room and popcorn.” Eli leads us through the house and up a set of stairs to a loft area with a large TV and a plush sectional. “Drinks are in the fridge. We can order pizza for lunch.”
After I changed into a pair of jeans with a cute tight crop top, we stopped through a drive-thru to get coffee and something for breakfast. Caden got me a cinnamon roll.
The guys all sit down, but Eli runs a hand through his hair and heads toward a room. I follow him because it’s his room I want to see.
He opens the door and steps into a dark room, hitting the lights. The walls are a deep, rich burgundy, and the area rug covers most of the dark wood floors. He has a king-sized bed and a desk off to one side. I stop in the doorway and take it all in. It suits him. Moody, dark, a little twisted.
He walks over to his dresser and pulls out a shirt. With one hand, he takes off the shirt he has on. My mouth waters at the sight of his bare chest. I should be immune by now, but damn, these guys are built to make me drool.
He twists a little and gives me a cocky smile. “Come on in, kitten. Make yourself at home.”
I slipped off my shoes at the door downstairs, so I pad across his floor in bare feet.
Unable to resist, I immediately go for the nightstand where his laptop and a stack of paperbacks sit.
I flip through them. Mostly Sci Fi, a few authors I don’t recognize, and at the bottom the historical romance I was reading that first day in class.
Not my copy. I hold it up to him and cock an eyebrow.
He grins. “Research.”
“Did you actually read it?” My cheeks get warm as I set it down. It’s a steamy book.
He comes over to me as he puts his fresh shirt on. When he closes in, I lift my chin to look up at him.
“Every word, kitten.”
“Oh.” It’s not like he needs to learn anything. The guy’s got sex locked down.
“I want you to spend the night with me. Here.” He sits on the bed and props himself up on his hands.
“Wouldn’t your parents have a problem with that?” I step between his spread legs and lower my knee next to his hip.
Eli’s eyes are heated when he smiles, making my heart race. His hand comes up to caress my hip and hooks his finger into the belt loop. “I could sneak you in. They’d never know you were here.”
I give him a doubtful look.
“You’d have to be quiet.”
I laugh. “That’s a trick I haven’t learned yet.”
“Then I’d have to keep your mouth occupied.” He drags me down on top of him and rolls over so he’s above me.
“How would you do that?” My voice is a little breathy.
His evil grin sends shivers down my spine as he lowers his mouth to hover over mine. I whimper when he doesn’t claim my mouth. “Such a needy little kitten.”
“I’m used to a lot of attention.” I arch up into him but he still doesn’t kiss me.
“We might have created a monster.” He dips down to kiss my neck, flooding me with fire. But I still want his lips on mine.
“Then take advantage of your monster and kiss me.” I thread my hands into his hair to try to bring him back to my lips.
His hands capture mine and hold them against the bed next to my head. My heart races at the suddenness of the move.
“Naughty kittens get punished.” He brushes his lips over mine. “Or bound to my bed and not allowed to orgasm.”
“Do I get to decide which?” Because I haven’t found a punishment I didn’t like.
He chuckles darkly before his lips claim mine. His hands press mine into the bed.
“Can I play with you, kitten?” Eli murmurs against my lips. His tone is filled with want and desire.
A thrill shoots through me. “Yes, Eli.”
Releasing me, he stands and walks over to the door. He shuts it quietly and flicks the lock. Anticipation wells inside me like we’re doing something forbidden. The others are right there on the other side.
Eli walks to his nightstand and opens the drawer. Sitting up, I try to see around him, but he just smiles as he blocks my view. He sets some rope on the bed next to me and closes the drawer.
I wet my lips and wait.
When his gaze drops to my collar, he smiles. “Hold out your wrists, kitten.”
I hold them out palm up, but he turns them so my palms face each other. He unwinds the rope and wraps it around each of my wrists, binding them together, but leaving space between them.
His movements are smooth and practiced. I want to ask him if this is what he does with Ashley, but I don’t honestly want to know.
“When I finish, you won’t be able to move your arms.” He continues to wrap them. “I’ll do whatever I want with your hot little body.”
I swallow and nod. The idea of giving up control to him makes my pussy throb. I’m all in at this point.
“Your safe word?”
My arms look like I have two rope sleeves on. It’s tight but not uncomfortable.
“Harper?”
I meet his eyes. “My safe word is arrow. What are you going to do to me, Eli?”
“Whatever I want.” He smiles and tips my chin up. He threads the rope through the ring on my collar and brings the rope back to my arms.
When he pulls, my hands go to my chest, and I can’t move them down. My heart pounds beneath my hands. I have no idea what he intends to do with me.
“Are you comfortable, kitten? Is anything too tight?”
“No.” I wet my suddenly dry lips.
“Sir.” He tips my chin up so our eyes lock. “No, sir.”
“No, sir.”
That little glimmer in his eyes makes me want to call him sir more.
“If you are uncomfortable or need a break to use the facilities, say yellow. If you can’t remember your safe word, you can say red to stop. Just like a traffic light. Got it, kitten?”
“Yes, sir.”
His smile spreads. “If you can’t speak, hum something.”
I try to think of something to hum. “Like I’m a Little Teapot.”
“Yes. Stand up.”
I move to stand and find it hard with my wrists bound, but I finally manage it. Eli grabs my jeans and tugs me toward him. His fingers work on the button and zipper.
“You will remain quiet unless you need to use your safe word or hum.” He pushes my jeans over my hips and slides them down to my knees. “You don’t move unless I tell you to move.”
My breath quickens as Eli grabs the sides of my panties and lowers them with my jeans. I’m wet just from his instructions.
“Are you ready to begin?”
I nod to keep from being punished. The wicked smile that crosses his face makes my pussy pulse with aching need.
“Good girl.” He turns me to face the bed. He works on taking off his clothes behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch his shirt, jeans, and boxers fall to the floor. He’s standing naked behind me, not touching me. Anticipation sizzles through my blood, making me warm all over.
I’m stripped bare from the waist to my knees.
My jeans sag between my calves. I swallow, feeling unprepared for whatever he chooses to do next.
My skin buzzes with the need for his touch.
He grabs the rope in front of me and bends me down until my face is against his bed.
I can’t use my hands at all, so I can’t push up.
That warm outdoor scent floods my senses as I breathe it in on his bedding. He spanks my ass cheek with his hand. I almost let out a startled noise, but I bite it back.
He strokes his hand over the tender flesh. “I love how red your skin turns when we spank you. How wet you get when you feel that sting of pain.”
After smacking my other cheek, he presses his hand against the ache. “Spanking brings on a flood of chemicals to your brain. But it makes your skin sensitive to the touch. Do you like what it does to you, kitten?”
His hand slides over my throbbing skin. I want to whimper for more, but I don’t make a sound. He chuckles.
“You can answer that.” He smacks my ass twice.
“Yes, I like it.” I almost forget. “Sir.”
He rubs his hand over my skin, kneading it. “It doesn’t always have to be a punishment.”
His cock brushes against my entrance, and I push back seeking more.
“Uh-uh, don’t move.” He smacks my thigh, and the sting surprises me into staying still.
I hold my breath as I wait for his next move.
His hand caresses my ass. “I could invite the others in to watch me take you. To see how much you love to be spanked. How much you need it.”
Biting back a moan, I remain still. Having them watch me is intoxicating.
“Or maybe I’ll keep you all to myself until you finally break. I could fuck you until you scream for mercy. Would you like that, kitten?”