Daye, Lavender - Bound By Trust (Siren Publishing Allure) Read online

  Chapter 10

  Kerri waited while the security gate began its slow glide across the drive. She was a little early, but couldn’t find anything to occupy her time that wouldn’t make her late. And she didn’t want to be late. It wasn’t that she feared punishment. In fact, she was convinced Hunter would never truly hurt her. She just didn’t want to disappoint him. Her hair rippled around her shoulders at the hard shake of her head, and a sense of shock fried her brain while she drove on autopilot. Her mind was working on a timeline, and it didn’t reflect well on her ordered, logical life thus far. She’d met the man Tuesday, had dinner with him Wednesday, sex with him Thursday, and was now planning to spend the weekend at his beck and call. Not to mention the little trip to the spa.

  Her life had gone from simple and ordered to wild and sex-crazed in less than a week. Kerri wasn’t sure if she should be embarrassed or proud of herself. But she couldn’t stop this roller coaster.

  She didn’t want to stop it.

  Knots twisted in her belly at the sight of Hunter standing in his open garage waiting for her. She pulled into the bay and was standing beside him before the garage door closed.

  “Hey, pretty girl. You look fantastic.” His arms wrapped around her and she melted against the solid planes of his chest. “I wasn’t expecting you for another hour. Did you miss me?”

  Feeling heat suffuse her cheeks, she tipped her head into his chest. “Sorry. I can run some errands if you need me to come back later.”

  “I’m not complaining, just surprised. Did you bring a bag?” Hunter’s fingers closed around her chin and tilted her face to his. Lips, warm and sensual, covered hers before she could answer, taking, sipping from her then nipping at her mouth until she opened to his tongue. Sensation swamped her. When he finally released her, she could only nod.

  Kerri reached for her overnighter in the backseat, but Hunter beat her to it, lifting it with a laugh. “I should have been more specific. All you really need is a toothbrush. I think I’ll keep you naked most of the weekend.”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the house, laughing all the more at what was surely a stunned expression on her face.

  Instead of stopping in the kitchen as she expected, he led her upstairs to an almost empty room. It was obviously supposed to be a bedroom but held only a smallish upholstered chair, a rectangular accent table, and a tall wooden stool. A desk stood in the corner and a door opened into a bathroom. Hunter pulled open another door to reveal a walk-in closet—empty except for a blanket on the top shelf. A handful of hangers were on the pole to the left of the door, bare shelves on the right side.

  “Hang your clothes in here and leave the bag.”

  Kerri glanced around the room one more time before asking, “Am I sleeping in here?”

  His eyes blazed and one corner of his mouth curved. “Sweetheart, when I let you sleep, you’ll be in my bed. Quite possibly tied to the bed. This is just where you’ll keep your clothes for when we go out.”

  “Oh.”

  “Come back downstairs when you’ve put things away. We’ll come back to the house to change before going to the club.” He pivoted and left the room. She didn’t hear him go downstairs, but heard a door open and close in the distance.

  It only took her a few minutes to put away the pieces she’d brought. His words had her nerves jangling. Would he really keep her naked all weekend?

  Downstairs, she fixed herself a glass of water and looked out onto the patio, wondering where Hunter was. A pervasive silence filled the house, not even the tick of a clock breaking the stillness. It was a little creepy.

  And then he was there, stepping past the edge of the pool, cell phone to his ear. Their eyes met. Hunter pocketed the phone and strode across the patio, the beginnings of a smile working at the corner of his mouth. Kerri’s chest warmed, heat bloomed deeper with every step he took in her direction, and her brain rebelled as her body’s response to him overwhelmed common sense. She’d never felt so out of control, yet she’d never been so intrigued by a man in her life.

  Hunter stepped inside and cupped his hand around the nape of her neck, pulling her to him for a quick, wet kiss. “Let’s go. We have a reservation, and I hate to be late.”

  Minutes later, he had her tucked into his car and they were on their way.

  “I have a question.” Kerri kept her eyes on the traffic while she worked out the wording to get it just right. “That first night at the club, the man you met was, um, beating a woman.”

  “That’s a statement, not a question, counselor.”

  The hint of humor in his voice was unnerving, and Kerri blew out a breath in irritation. “It’s a lead. Let me finish.”

  “What I’m asking is, do you do that to women?”

  “Not as a rule, but yes, I have used a whip or paddle on occasion.”

  “Oh. Can I ask why?” She still couldn’t look at him, wanting to shield her emotions until she had a firm grip on them.

  “There’s a fine line between pleasure and pain. Some women find the edge an intensely satisfying place to be, so I indulge them.”

  “Are you planning to do that to me?”

  “Are you asking me to whip you, Kerri?”

  His voice was dark, silken steel, and a tremor filtered through her gut. The image of that woman and her screams, her moans, had been randomly drifting through her brain since Kerri witnessed it.

  “No. I don’t know.”

  She didn’t look, but she could hear the smile in his voice when he asked, “You don’t know? But you’re considering it?”

  “I don’t have a point of reference for any of this, Hunter. I don’t know what I want out of this situation, but I can’t imagine wanting to be beaten by anyone, let alone a lover. Why would a man beat a woman that he loves?”

  The car eased to a stop at a red light, and Hunter reached for Kerri’s chin, turning her to face him. The gesture had become a habit of his, and it was beginning to irritate. It made her feel like a student, but in this she was his student whether she liked the role or not.

  “This isn’t about love, pretty girl. It’s about sex, pleasure, need. Love is an emotion best left to novelists and teenagers.”

  She turned her face to the window as the car moved forward, embarrassed to be lumped into that category. She’d always hoped to fall in love, to be loved unconditionally. Pipe dreams, apparently. Her parents didn’t have that kind of relationship, theirs being more of a business arrangement that provided an heir for their respective families and gave them the freedom to act as they wished as long as there were no scandals.

  “I’m not a child.”

  “I never intimated that you were. You’re a woman, about twenty-four, right?”

  “Close.”

  “Damn. Are you younger or older?”

  For the first time, he sounded worried about her age, and Kerri couldn’t resist the opportunity to make him squirm just a bit. “Twenty-two.”

  “You can’t be that young. You’re in law school for God’s sake.” His brow was down, pressed against the bridge of his nose when he turned to her, his hands in a death grip on the steering wheel.

  Kerri laughed. “No. I’m twenty-six.”

  “Damn it, pretty girl, I’m going to spank your ass red for that little tease, and I’m going to enjoy it.”

  He turned into the parking lot of an exclusive restaurant and Kerri sighed in relief. It was one of her favorites, the place her parents had taken her every year for her birthday when they lived in Dallas. Since they’d relocated to Houston, she’d missed those dinners. They were just a little too pricy for the budget she kept to now that she was on her own. Being a trust fund baby wasn’t as easy as it appeared in the media. At least, in this restaurant, she could be sure she’d keep her clothes on.

  Hunter opened her door and extended a hand to help her out of the car, then jerked her to his chest for a hard kiss. “I’m serious about the spanking. There’s a huge difference between twenty-two and tw
enty-six. I wouldn’t be with you if you were that young and naive.”

  “I’d still be of legal age, and I wasn’t that naïve at twenty-two.” She’d been taking care of herself since she was sixteen, with only a housekeeper to monitor her comings and goings in a house her parents called home base but rarely inhabited.

  Hunter’s hands squeezed her waist. “Kerri, you’re still naïve. You’re an innocent in more ways than you know. And I’m the man who’s going to change the way you see yourself this weekend.” He pressed his mouth to hers and took possession, delving past her lips with his tongue until she trembled against him. The satisfied smile he shot her when he pulled back irritated her independent side, but she couldn’t fault him. Knowing what and who he was played a major role in why she was with him.

  A warm hand settled at the small her back, holding her close enough that her hand brushed his thigh as they walked into the restaurant. Kerri gave Jules a quick wink at his welcoming smile, and he turned immediately to Hunter.

  “Mr. Merritt, welcome to Maison fraiche. Your table is waiting.” Jules led them through the main dining room and into the back corner of the restaurant, to Kerri’s favorite table. The rear of the restaurant faced a private garden filled with flowers and fairy lights. The table he chose for them allowed a perfect view of the lily pond with its fanciful bridge.

  “Thank you,” she whispered as he handed her a menu.

  “May I bring you something to drink?” he asked, and Hunter asked a few questions about the wine list before making a choice.

  Kerri glanced at the menu and set it aside when the wine arrived, along with a glass of water for her. Jules knew she preferred to sip more water than wine with dinner. “Thank you, Jules. You’re so sweet.”

  “Always for you, Miss Leonard,” he replied with a short bow.

  “You’re a regular here?” Hunter asked.

  “Not really. My parents always brought me here for special occasions, and my grandmother and I used to have Sunday brunch here once a month. But that was a while ago.” She fiddled with her silverware, aligning the pieces to keep her eyes to herself, her memories swamping logical thought for a moment.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you by bringing you here. We can go somewhere else if you’d like.” Hunter’s voice soothed, his hand lying across her fingers to stop her movements.

  “No, it’s fine. I love it here, and the memories are all good. I just miss her.” She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Gram would want me here with you. She always said I needed to get out more.”

  “And what about your parents? Have they brought you here lately?” His fingers stroked the back of her hand, warming her skin.

  “No. They moved to Houston a few months ago. But they were never here much, anyway. They have busy social calendars.” She shrugged off the conversation. “Do you…Are you a regular here?”

  “I like the food, but I don’t know about being a regular. What do you recommend?”

  They talked about the menu and decided to let Jules choose for them. When he refused to take the responsibility, they took a sampling of several entrees and shared until Kerri refused to eat anymore.

  Hunter signaled for the check and glanced at his watch. “Perfect. We’ll have plenty of time at the house before our meeting at the club.” He stood and offered his hand, his expression returning to the dominance she’d glimpsed in the car.

  “We have an appointment?” she asked as he put her into the car.

  “Yes. Personal business with the owner, Richard Menton. It will give us a reason to be seen. For you to be seen as my possession.”

  Kerri cringed, her memory of Richard Menton harsh. “Your possession? As in slave?”

  “No. Well, partially. If you belong to me, no other man may touch you without my permission. My reputation will keep you safe.”

  Kerri didn’t like the sound of that, wondering what his reputation might be, but didn’t want to ask. It couldn’t be good if his reputation was keeping her safe. Several violent scenarios flashed through her brain to be discarded, but she still didn’t ask, deciding that ignorance truly could be bliss. Minutes later, they were in his garage and the door was closing behind the car.

  Chapter 11

  “Clothes off, Kerri.”

  They were in the kitchen, the door barely closed behind them, and he was ordering her naked. Maybe his earlier comment was reality? She turned to check his expression, sure her eyes reflected her surprise.

  “Arguments will earn punishments.”

  “I didn’t agree to punishments,” she said, her feet sliding out of her shoes and kicking them to the side of the chair.

  “You wanted to experience my lifestyle.”

  “I agreed to help you with your case,” she countered.

  “Last night, you said you were curious about the club and wanted to understand why people lived in this lifestyle. Obedience and trust are the lessons you’ll learn tonight.”

  “And if I change my mind?” she asked.

  “Just say no and I’ll stop.” Hunter didn’t touch her, but his voice washed across her skin as tenderly as his hands might. “I would never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. I will never hurt you, Kerri.”

  He pulled out a kitchen chair and sat, watching as she removed her skirt and top, laying them on the breakfast table. He waited, watching as she hesitated, but he didn’t speak until her panties and bra joined the skirt and top on the table.

  “Come here.”

  Kerri stepped forward until she stood in front of him, the fabric covering his knees whispering against her bare legs.

  He tugged her hand until she stood at his side. “We’re going to take care of the teasing about your age now.” His hands at her wrists, he said, “Lay across my lap, Kerri. I’m going to spank your ass red for teasing me.”

  She leaned over his lap, her bare breasts brushing across his pant legs, her breath coming in short gasps. Surely this was a tease of his own and he didn’t plan to hurt her.

  “Wrap your fingers around the legs of the chair. Don’t let go.” Hunter’s palm pressed against her shoulder blades until her stomach was fully against his lap and her hands were near the floor. The first slap of his hand against her butt had her jerking almost upright, a shout bouncing off the walls.

  “Hold on to the chair, pretty girl. Every time you move, I’ll add another swat.” The flat of his palm came down again, and she squirmed but didn’t let go of the chair. Pain radiated through her rear, sharp tingles as he alternated sides. The sound of skin against skin mingled with the sting until the pain subsided and a new sensation took its place. Heat worked its way through her body with each connection of his hand to her skin, sending shards of electricity to places she never expected. Wetness gathered in her vagina, waiting for the next sting, the next rub.

  And he was rubbing, she realized. He would spank her a few times, alternating sides, then rub the sting into her skin.

  “Beautiful. Your ass is beautifully red, Kerri.” He lifted her off his lap and moved into the living room. Pressing her over the arm of the couch, Hunter stroked down her back, both hands caressing the pale skin as his lips followed.

  Kerri moaned, sensations pulsing into her brain and wiping away conscious thought. All she could feel was the desire for more.

  A hard slap against her ass had her crying out at the dampness flowing from her pussy. “Please,” she moaned.

  “Please, what, sweetheart? Please stop or please more?”

  Kerri panted, tried to get her brain to function, but couldn’t keep the haze of desire from enveloping her. “I…more . . ., please, more.”

  He stroked her again, slapping against her reddened skin until she was squirming under him. Then she felt him opening her, pressing his hard cock into the wet passage he’d created with his spanking. If this was punishment, she’d take it every day.

  Plunging into her, Hunter leaned over her body, his mouth finding the tender skin where her neck
met her shoulder. His lips sucked, his teeth nipped, and she groaned at his possession.

  “Every man who sees you at the club will know you’ve been thoroughly fucked by me tonight, and that you belong to me.”

  Kerri felt him moving, taking her hard and fast, pounding into her as her orgasm rose to new heights. She screamed as her body shattered around her, clutching at him even as he continued to move within her. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t stop coming.

  Her body continued to grasp at him, pulsing around him as he pushed into her and withdrew over and over. Another climax built, this one even higher than the first, and when she shouted, he pressed deep and stopped, pumping his release into her depths.

  “Beautiful, pretty girl,” he crooned in her ear. “So responsive, every time.”

  Chapter 12

  Hunter handed his keys to the valet, reached for Kerri’s hand and waited. She still sat facing front, her knees together in the short black skirt he’d insisted she wear tonight. He wanted so damned badly to laugh at her discomfort but he held it in, tipping his head in irritation, instead. She was trying to figure out a way to exit the car without flashing the valet, but it wasn’t going to happen.

  “Now, Kerri.”

  Her chin went up, her eyes bright as she took his hand and stepped from the car, a beautiful woman, strong and sure of herself even when pushed out of her comfort zone. He led her to the club’s entrance, noting the change in her breathing as the ambiance of the club surrounded them. Friday nights often brought out the rowdier revelers, and tonight was no exception. They passed a group of three men taking turns with a woman on her knees, and Kerri stumbled against him.

  “Do you want to watch for a minute, pretty girl?” he whispered in her ear. She shook her head but he turned her anyway, holding her close to his side as they watched one of the men step in front of the kneeling submissive and slide his cock into her mouth. Kerri trembled against him. “Last night was about your pleasure, sweetheart,” he breathed into the sleek hair against her ear. “Tonight is all about mine.”