Chapter 31
Thirty-One
Outside the waves crashed on the surf, the sound carrying in a salty breeze. It was so great to be somewhere warm in the middle of winter, especially since she was with Rory.
Kate looked up when he entered the enormous kitchen of the South Carolina beach house. She was so happy and relieved to see him.
“Rory, why are you here?” Stacia asked, lifting the pan of shepherd’s pie. “Kate is fine!”
Rory wrapped an arm around his sister’s shoulder and kissed her. “You’re a goddamned pain in the ass, Stash.”
“Hey! If you make me drop this, I’ll kill you!”
Rory rolled his eyes, but let her go.
“Leave us alone,” Stacia said. “We’re having cocktails and girl time.
“I’m not here for you,” he said.
Stacia put the shepherd’s pie in the oven and darted in front of Kate. “Leave her. She finally told us about her first boyfriend. Things were just getting good. He was a lot more likable than you, by the way.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Rory said, waving for Kate to come to him.
She swerved around the other women and slid into Rory’s arms. “I had three lemon drops. Alcohol,” she added.
“Yeah? Are you wasted?”
“I think so. I’m not sure.”
Rory laughed.
“I’m afraid I might…” She bit her lip and mimed unlocking her lips with a key.
He arched a brow.
“I’m afraid I might slip and say something. I said something already… Can you send me to my room?” she whispered. “It’ll be safer.”
Rory turned and, with a grip on her wrist, led her toward the door.
“Do not take her. She said she would frost the cake. Everyone’s got a job,” Stacia said. “Kate, get back here.”
She hesitated.
Rory looked at Kate and narrowed his eyes.
“Sorry!” she whispered, falling into step with him. “I’ll frost it later, Stacia. I have to go.”
“You don’t have to do what he says,” Stacia called.
“Yes, I do,” Kate whispered under her breath. She saw the corners of Rory’s mouth curve up.
In the master bedroom, he let her wrist go and shut the door. She dropped onto the bed, looking at her hands.
“So? What did you tell them?”
“I said my first boyfriend was sweet, which some girls like I guess.”
“That all?”
She shook her head, feeling flushed and not able to meet his eyes. “You can be sweet. You are to me sometimes.”
“And that’s what you told them?”
“No. I should have… They asked if I’d rather have someone mean than sweet. Someone mean like you. I said you’re not mean. You’re rough. There’s a difference, and I should know. I do know. Everyone got quiet and stared at me, so I knew I shouldn’t have said that.”
Rory reached back and locked the door.
“I’m sorry! My thoughts are racing and I should stay quiet, but I can’t!”
Rory sat on the bed. “Get over my lap and lift your skirt, kitten. I’m gonna show you rough.”
She swallowed and got into position.
His hand came down with steady, unmistakable force. It said he owned her and would punish her hard when it suited him.
“Oh God,” she gasped as the layers of pain made her frantic.
When she was breathless and clenching, he stopped and squeezed her flaming cheeks.
She slid onto the floor between his knees and reached for his zipper. He pushed her hands away.
“Please?” she whispered, tears spilling over her lashes. “I want to make it up to you.”
Rory hauled his shirt off and stood. “Get up and get undressed.”
“Yes, Sir.” She jerked to her feet and stripped.
He unzipped his jeans and shoved them and his boxer-briefs off.
“Get on the bed and pull your knees up.”
She obeyed. He studied her pussy, which she knew was wet for him, and then climbed on the bed. He pushed into her, pulling her arms up and over her head, covering her with his weight.
“Oh,” she gasped, loving the feeling of being pinned under him. “I love you.”
“I know,” he said, thrusting deep.
“If you rub that way… You’ll make me come. Oh God. I shouldn’t, but I can’t—” The orgasm rolled over her, too powerful to deny, just like him, just like his dominance.
He fucked her awhile longer, then made her suck him, talking so tough and dirty that it made her cringe while still turning her on.
Afterward, he held her close.
“Are you mad at me for saying too much?” she asked.
“No, but from now on you’re not allowed to drink unless I give you the green light.”
“Ok. That’s fair.”
He smirked. “Even if it wasn’t fair, that’s the law of the land.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry if it’ll make it hard for you.”
“It’s not hard for me, baby. I took a serious look at myself a long time ago and came to terms with what I am. I don’t need protection. They do. And you do. They won’t understand the way we are together, so it’s better if they don’t hear the details. It’ll be easier on them and easier on you.”
“But sometimes it makes me mad at myself that I treat it like a dirty secret! I’m not ashamed that I love you instead of someone quiet and tame!
I don’t want someone like that. I love you.
With my whole heart! And I don’t need anyone to rescue me or feel sorry for me.
If they understood—I’m so lucky. You’re so perfect for me!
They should be jealous. They would be! So jealous! ”
Rory put a hand over her mouth. “Hey.”
“What?” she said against his hand.
“You and that belly full of lemon drops are not wrong. We are lucky.”
He slid his hand away and kissed her.
“Can I tell them?”
“No.”
She sighed. “I just want everyone to know how amazing you are.”
“Amazing in the way I spank your ass? And tie you down? And whip you till you cry? And fuck you in front of the club?”
After several moments, she said, “Lemon drops are strong.”
He laughed. “Go to sleep, kitten.”
“Ok,” she said, closing her eyes. “You are though. You’re amazing to me,” she whispered. “Sometimes I’m afraid I’ll make such a big mistake that you’ll have to let me go. Please don’t.”
His hand gripped her arm, tightening until she let out a little gasp. “You’re scared of the wrong thing, Kate.”
“I am?”
“From the moment I laid eyes on you, I’ve only ever thought one thing.
That’s mine. And everyone that’s ever seen us together gets it.
J from the club. And my family. And your dad.
They sense it. Does anyone ever worry that I’ll let you go?
Of course not. They worry that you need to get away and can’t. ”
“They don’t understand. They don’t really know us.”
“Apparently, they understand me better than you do.”
“That’s not true.”
“You’re so deep in this, you can’t see the big picture.
The reason everyone reacts the same way is because they see how I am.
I watch your every move. I guard you like fucking treasure.
You’re the gold, and I’m the dragon. It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes, baby.
You’re not capable of the things it would take for me to not want you anymore. You’re just not.”
“If I wanted to leave you, would you let me go?”
“You mean if you weren’t playing a game to see if I’d chase you? If you really wanted to be free of me?”
“Yes.”
“The truth? I don’t know. You’d have to fight so hard to convince me it’s what you really wanted. That’d be tough to do. I’d make it almost impossible because I wouldn’t want to believe it.”
“Good. I’m yours and you shouldn’t let me go, no matter what.” She slid her hand into his and intertwined their fingers. “How would you keep me from getting away? Take away my phone?”
“Of course.”
“Lock me up in your house?”
“Sure. Put you in a cage with just your cat ears and a tail. Make you drink milk from a bowl on the floor and only take you out to punish you or fuck you.”
She squirmed against him and licked his neck. “Can we please play this game when we get home?”
“You better hope you never really want to get away, kitten. Because how the fuck do you expect me to give you up when you’re willing to play such good games?”
“I’m not worried,” she said with a smile. “No one who gets to be yours would really want to get away, Rory. You know I don’t. I want you to keep me forever.”
“That’s good, baby, because that is the plan.”