CHAPTER THREE
Jo stared at his text, her pulse going nuts.
You may.
She bit her lip, fighting back a giggle of pure excitement and arousal. She wasn’t sure when exactly she’d gone from being pissed at him for being an asshole to loving the hell out of it.
Her thumb hovered over the phone icon as she calmed her mind and breaths. Don’t think, just do it. She smashed the button and jerked the phone up to her ear, pacing in her bedroom, pulse banging in her ears at the third ring.
“You’ll tell me every detail in your defiant mind about it, and I will weigh the price of this offense and you will surely pay it.”
“Miss Skelton,” he all but accused upon answering.
“Vex,” she said, breathless. “Hi. How are you?”
“The same as before. And you?”
“Oh well...I’m good.”
“Rosavelt?”
“She’s great, she’s...staying with her maw-maw.”
“And Colt?”
“He’s with his Uncle Jake.”
“So, you’re alone.”
Her heart galloped at his testing, low tone.
“Yes.”
“Then you will tell me what I ordered you to earlier.”
Oh God. “W-what exactly...was that?”
“Do not play games with me.”
Dear, dear, God. “I...you want to know what I think about your...condition.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I...like it.”
“And why do you?”
She wet her lips, sitting on her bed while considering what she dared say, remembering he was many, many, miles away. “I like...you taking control. It...feels...” Lord, this was hard.
“Are you teasing me, Miss Skelton?”
His low, hard words jerked her womb. “No, I...I’m just...shy about it,” she gasped, laying back on the bed.
“Tell me how it feels to you.”
“It feels...good.”
“Morally good?”
“No...physically,” she forced out, covering her eyes.
“Tell me precisely how it feels good. How, why, when, and especially where. Begin with the last one.”
God, his tone was pure sex and she realized she was about to have it with him. On the phone. Where did it feel good?
“You’re taking too long.”
“My...privates,” she whispered.
“Such chaste words from my deviant girl.”
His deviant girl! “I’m...trying to be good,” she whispered, his thick breaths feeling somehow hot in her ear.
“And why would you do that?”
“To...please you.”
“You want to please me?”
“Yes,” she breathed, nearly panting.
“And how would you do that?”
She wet her lips. “I would...do whatever you asked.”
“You would, yes,” he assured, bringing her gasp.
“But I wouldn’t ask. Get naked, Miss Skelton. And then you will show me how good you can be.”
“Vex,” she whispered, hurrying to remove her panties.
“What are you wearing?”
Her skin flashed with heat. “A... pink t-shirt and...black panties.”
“Pink and black. Isn’t that the perfect blend for you,” he breathed.
“Are you...naked?”
“Miss Skelton, this is a one-way street. I tell you what to do, and you obey.”
“Yes,” she whispered, his delicious mean words biting right on her clit. “I’m naked.”
“Open your legs.”
Mercy, she was going to faint as she lay back on the bed. “I have.”
“Put your phone on speaker and place it next to your ear.”
She did as instructed, her hands shaking. “I did it.”
“Put your hands behind your back, right above your naughty ass. Because you will not touch what I own. Is that perfectly clear?”
Oh God. She quickly obeyed, horny out of her head. “So clear.”
“I have my cock out, Miss Skelton.”
“Vex,” she whispered, her hips squirming at the roughness in his low voice.
“I already know your delicate little cunt will be too tight for it.”
Her nipples hardened with the blast of her breath from imagining him stretching her.
“You’re being my good girl?”
“So good,” she promised.
“You’ll get my mouth all over your cunt, Miss Skelton.”
“Oh, Vex,” she gasped.
“Yes,” he muttered, his breaths thick in her ear. “You’ll get what I say, how I say, and when I say.”
“I want it,” she swore, lightheaded.
“I won’t be gentle,” he warned in her ear.
“I need to come,” she cried weakly, opening wider and flicking her hips.
“I’ll pound my cock against the very bottom of your cunt. Until you’re screaming and praying I stop. And I won’t,” he swore. “Not until your pretty mind and body are utterly devastated and your cunt has every drop of my hot cum filling it, do you understand me?
“Oh my God, yes, please. I need you so much. Vex, let me come.”
“You are surely not coming, Miss Skelton. And don’t you ever orgasm while I’m not right there with you. Is that so perfectly clear?”
“So clear. I’ll be your good girl,” she panted, desperate. “I’ll do everything you say.”
“You will,” he guaranteed around thick, hot breaths that somehow burned her ear and entire body.
“I want to suck your cock till you fill my naughty mouth.”
“You surely will do that,” he shuddered. “You’ll take every inch. You’ll drink every fucking drop.”
“Oh my God,” she gasped when a deep growl accompanied his seething breaths. “You’re coming,” she whispered, delirious with need. Would he leave her this way? God, she hoped not and yet...did hope. She had no idea she could crave this kind of dominance in a man.
“Get dressed,” he ordered, slightly winded. “Then I want to discuss what happens between us when I return.”
Her stomach tied in knots as she quickly did as ordered, wondering what was coming with them.
She stared at her phone on the bed when dressed. This was going to be something big. Was she ready for that?
She snatched the phone from the bed and put it to her ear. “I’m ready to discuss...us.”
He gave a sexy, primal sound of satisfaction, setting off her desperation again. She couldn’t remember ever needing anything as much as she did him.
“What we do in private will not be linked to those things we do beyond that. You will always be the mother of your children and I will always be your King.”
Oh dear God. Yes. Her King.
“Okay,” she whispered, pushing hair behind her ear as she eased back onto a bed pillow.
“I am not and never will be a replacement for your children’s biological father. I will always be your King and by extension, their greatest and most loyal ally. Their needs, desires, wishes, and welfare will not be my business but yours. You are my business. Your needs, your wishes, your desires, and your welfare are all mine to keep. If your wish, desire, need, or welfare require me to cross over that first line regarding your children, I will. I am your shield and your sword.” She waited in the sudden silence, her blood dancing with a mix of fear and elation. “Ask me your questions.”
Oh hell. She considered all he said, realizing there was something she didn’t like in this arrangement. “I...can I make a suggestion?”
“Of course.”
She scooted back on the bed, crossing her legs. “It occurred to me as you were...defining things that...I...”
“Take your time, my Jolynn.”
Her heart walloped her chest at the tender way he said her actual name. “Uh...” A light laugh escaped her. “Sorry, you distracted me with my own name.”
His single deep chuckle was a damn panty melter. “What occurred to you?” he prompted softly.
“That...I may be ready for a break,” she forced out.
“With?”
“Yes, uh...I hope this doesn’t sound bad on my part. But I may be ready for a break with the kids. The discipline side of things,” she hurried. “I mean I know I have to still discipline but...I wouldn’t mind if...you were to help me, and I supported your lead. I see you’re highly qualified in the way of...humaning and trust you would be better equipped than I’ve been.” She closed her eyes. “I hope this doesn’t sound like I don’t care about my kids—”
“Jolynn,” he cut in. “It in no way sounds like you don’t care about your children. It sounds like you’re weary of doing a job you were not intended to do alone.”
“Yes,” she gushed, agreeing.
“It is a profound honor to see to your children’s training in humaning, as well as having you trust me to do so.”
She smiled and gave a happy laugh. “Humaning, right?”
“It does cover everything.”
“It does.” She nodded, drawing her knees up then straightening them as she wondered. “So...where would you...be?”
“Since I have been given the privilege of humanizing your children, I will be where it is best for me to be in that regard. Very near.”
Very near. “Like...a mile away?”
“Like an attached lodging away. At the home you will pay me to finish building.”
“Oh, I...” She bit her tongue on the habit of declining all help. “I think that would be...perfect.”
“It will,” he assured, his sexy boldness loosening everything inside her better than a shot of whisky. “You will want for nothing. Nor will your children.”
Her children. She wondered something while picking at the pink square patch on her blanket. “Would you ever...possibly want children of your own?”
“If my greatest Desire and eternal Obsession should want a child, and I’m able to give her this, then she will get as many as she cares to have.”
Her smile grew so big it hurt her face. His greatest desire? Eternal obsession? “Alright.” She fanned her face. “Feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven,” she whispered.
“I want to discuss our intimacy,” he said.
“Okay,” she said, swallowing the excitement that brought.
“At no time in the day or night, or even when you sleep, will our sexual life cease to exist. No matter where you are, what you’re doing, who you’re with and why, you are my slave in this. And I will never release you from this prison even after there is no breath in me. This means if I should die before you, then you will live out your remaining days being mine. This is what eternal obsession is. This is my marriage vow to you. And you will give your marriage vow when I ask for it. But before any of this becomes official, I will speak to your parents, that they thoroughly understand the nature of our agreements and then I will do the same with your children and any other individual you wish to inform. But first...I require your irrevocable consent regarding all that I have said. And I will require it again in writing. Not because I do not trust you but because it will be a legal requirement with the Kings.”
****
KAPHAS PACED IN HIScell. His first growth would be exactly twenty-four hours after waking but there was no way for him to know the current time or the exact time he’d been born. He also wasn’t sure what would happen or how it would happen or which memories he’d be gaining. The program would decide that like it did his genetics.
He’d been most excited to see what sort of person he’d become, what he would look like in human form. His brothers were all strong and dashing and he had a part of all of them, even Quantum now!
His anger returned at remembering their treatment of him. What good was being the best soldier or brother if they all hated him?
He sat himself on the floor next to the door, back to wondering about this first growth. Would it hurt? He didn’t feel any fear. He had only a few memories and he figured they were the only ones he needed for this phase.
Again, he thought about his brothers. Technically, he was more like their offspring. And while he remembered Butterfly, he didn”t remember anything other than who she was to them. But he did remember Celeste. She’d been the only one nice to him when he had no body. Why had he kept his memory of Celeste? Maybe when he met her, he’d remember why.
The sound of the outer door shot him to his feet. All his brothers entering together brought his Kevlar coating to the surface of his skin. What were they doing?
“You’re first growth will take place in thirty minutes,” Kult said at the glass.
Thirty minutes. He eyed the rest of his brothers, wishing he could trust them. “And what does that have to do with the lot of you?”
“We don’t know what it will entail,” Quantum said.
“We’re here to assist,” Atlas said.
He eyed him. “Assist what?”
“You,” Kult said. “In this growth.”
He wasn’t understanding. “I don’t need assistance. The program will do all of it.”
“Not that kind of assist,” Sync said. “Emotional support.”
His gaze snapped to Sync, and he laughed. “You shiting me,” he said, pointing at all of them. “You lot”s here to support me feelings?”
“Yeah,” Kult said, surprising him.
He spread his arms. “Free country, mate. Bring that big shoulder in here for me to cry on, yeah?”
“We want you in a room,” Quantum said. “Where we can monitor your vitals and everything else happening. If we know what occurs in this growth sequence, we’ll know what to expect in the next.”
He crossed his arms, angling a look at him. “You want to put me on a table—strapped down I take it—so you can help me. And not kill me.”
“Nobody is killing you,” Kult guaranteed.
He remembered he could detect lies thanks to his step sibling, Fathom. He stared into his brother’s gaze for many seconds. “I sense no lies,” he mused, impressed.
“Surprised you had to read me to know that.”
“Bruv!” he laughed. “You wanted to kill me only a day ago!”
“And now I don’t.”
“And what changed, mate?”
He eyed him. “My mind.”
He laughed at his answer then pointed at him. “I trust you.” He aimed his finger at Harlow. “Don’t trust him. Or him,” he said, pointing at Sync. “Specially not him,” he said at Quantum then eyed Pain. “Got nothing against yous,” he said. “Yet.” He looked at Atlas. “Or you.”
He studied Kult one more time, spotting something familiar in his stare. He couldn’t name what it was, but he remembered what it meant. Safe. “Alright mate,” he said, pointing at him. “You. I’m putting it all on you. You got my trust. But nobody else,” he regretted to say. “No offense,” he offered to the lot of them. “But I only got so much to go around.”
“I’m going to open the door,” Quantum said. “You’ll behave and I won’t have to hurt you.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Kaphas said, grinning at Kult, propping his hands on his waist. “Will be like old times, yeah?”
Kult nodded at Quantum. “Let’s do it.”
“Fifteen minutes till show time,” Harlow said as Kaphas walked out of the cell and followed them through two doors. They ended in a small room with a single bed and walls covered in electronics. He eyed the giant robotic hand protruding from the ceiling.
“Need you on that bed,” Quantum said.
Kaphas hopped onto it, finding Kult’s gaze on him. He stared into it again, double checking the important things were still there.
“We’re going to strap you down for safety,” Quantum said.
Kult came next to the bed, his gray eyes locked on him as Kaphas eased back onto it, watching as him and Pain secured three straps over his body—chest legs, and ankles.
“Seven minutes,” Harlow announced after a bit.
“Get everything ready,” Quantum said. “Start with the multi-function vital signs monitor—hook it up first. Then set up the EEG and EMG sensors. I want real-time brain and muscle activity monitoring.”
“Got it,” Harlow hurried. “Thermal imaging camera is already in place.”
Kaphas angled his head, watching them prepare.
“Calibrate the biochemical analyzer,” Quantum urged. “We need to track his blood chemistry and metabolic markers.”
Kult’s face was suddenly before him and their stares locked.
“Four minutes,” Harlow said.
“Whatever happens,” Kult mumbled, “we’re all here with you. We’re not leaving.”
“Biochemical analyzer is ready,” Harlow called. “Automated defibrillator is prepped and on standby.”
“Secure the mechanical restraints—make sure they’re adjustable for quick release if needed,” Quantum instructed.
Kaphas watched as Harlow checked the restraints.
“Hey,” Kult demanded, turning his face back to his. “Do you understand what I said?”
Kaphas nodded at him.
“Pulse is elevated,” Harlow said. “Little brother’s a tad nervous.”
Little brother? His gaze found Kult’s and held it tight.
“IV infusion system is prepped with necessary fluids,” Atlas said behind him.
“Activate the robotic arm and run diagnostics. We might need it for precise interventions. Feed all data into the central control console.”
“Two minutes till show time.”
Kult took Kaphas’ hand in his and formed a tight grip as the giant robot arm above inserted things into parts of his body. “Bruv,” Kaphas said, getting Kult’s attention. “Not like this’ll kill me, right?”
“Biochemical analyzer is ready to take initial samples,” Harlow announced.
“It’s just pain. You’re no stranger to it,” Kult said. “You remember it, right?”
“Maybe, yeah,” he said, resisting the fear pushing in from all sides now. “I remember what it means but... maybe not what it feels like.”
Kult looked up. “Is the pain management ready?”
“Ready,” Sync called.
“I’m not scared,” he said, his voice shaking. “I’m gonna have a real soldier’s body, just like you, yeah?”
“Better than mine,” Kult assured. “Pain, need you on the other side.”
Kaphas turned as Pain took his other hand in his, gripping tight.
“We’re at the thirty second countdown,” Harlow said.
Kaphas swallowed, staring into Pain’s gaze. “You’re amazing in real life, yeah?” he marveled around his growing panic, eyeing Kult now. “All of you are.”
“Heart rate is elevated,” Sync said. “Administering first dose of pain management.”
Kaphas hissed at the sudden burning in his veins.
“It’s just the pain meds,” Kult said, holding his worried gaze.
“Ten seconds,” Harlow called.
Kult checked, “Pain, you ready?”
“What you gonna do, bruv?” he asked Pain, fighting his panic now.
“I’m gonna try my best to absorb the trauma.”
“You will?” he gasped, jerking his gaze to Kult. “It’s coming, I feel it coming!”
“Heart rate is increasing. Temperature’s spiking,” Sync called.
“Muscle activity is off the charts,” Atlas reported right as everything in his body stretched too quickly, ripping an endless scream from his lungs. All his bones seemed to shatter in his body then rebuild instantly only to shatter and rebuild again till a searing pain stabbed every nerve ending and he thrashed against the restraints.
“More anesthetic!” Kult yelled. “Kaphas, focus on my voice!”
The shattering and rebuilding came in flashes, bombs detonating in every cell till he was gripped in the tight jaws of its unspeakable agony, body stiff.
“His heart rate is crashing. He’s going into cardiac arrest!”
“Get the defibrillator!”
Darkness swam in Kaphas’ mind, fighting to free him from the wreckage killing him.
“Defibrillator charged and ready!”
“CLEAR!”
Inky shadows juked through his mind, chased by light.
Desperate yells cut through his mind in erratic bursts.
“....STAY...”
“...YOU CAN...”
“YOU FUCKING FIGHT!”
A massive jolt hit his chest and slammed air into his lungs.
“HE’S BACK!”
Strong hands gripped both of his as breaths blasted in and out of him. “Kult,” he croaked. “Pain.”
“We got you,” Kult swore, releasing his hand and grabbing his face. “We’re fucking here,” he breathed, pressing his head against his. “You did it.”
“Wow,” a voice said near him. “That is one hell of a 17-year-old physique.”