Fever (27 page)

together. There aren’t a lot of women willing to sign on for that. At least, not a woman who’s in it for

the right reasons.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Right reasons?”

“Money,” he said grimly. “When you have as much money as I do, there are many women willing

to put up with anything for what it buys them. That’s not the woman I want in my life or in my bed on a

permanent basis. I want a woman who wants the same things that I do. Me in control. Me taking care

of her. Me acting out my kinks with her. I want her to want
me
. Not my damn money, and I don’t want

her to suffer a relationship she finds abhorrent because the price is right.”

“And those kinks are?”

He pulled back slightly but she caught his shoulders, forcing him to look at her.

“Tell me, Jace. You’re not going to shock me.”

“I like pain,” he said quietly. “Inflicting pain.”

He looked uneasy as he studied her for her reaction and she was careful not to give him one.

Instead, she waited for what he’d say next.

When she didn’t respond, he went on, his shoulders relaxing just a bit, almost as if he’d expected

her to react strongly to his admission.

“I’m not saying I abuse women. God. It makes me sick to even imagine you thinking that about me. I

sound like a hypocrite. I’m violently protective of the women in my care and yet I like to inflict pain.”

“How so?”

She was still speaking calmly and he was studying her hard as if watching for her to get up and run

screaming from the apartment at any time.

“Crops. Paddles. Belts. I like rough sex. I like role-playing. I like bondage. Sometimes I feel like a

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because there are times when I worship the woman I’m with. Savor. Touch,

kiss, make love to. And other times? I want it my way. Any way I want. Tied up, helpless. Ass

reddened by my spanking. Sometimes the sex is all about her and her orgasm. But sometimes it’s all

about mine.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” she said calmly.

“Do you understand that I would be in absolute control over every aspect of our relationship,

Bethany? Do you really get that? That every decision will be made by me. Where we eat, what we

eat, where we go, where you go. When we have sex. When we don’t have sex. What you wear. Who

you talk to. Are you getting it yet? I’m a controlling bastard and that won’t change. Are you really

willing to sign on for something like that?”

“And if I’m not?” she asked, studying him every bit as intently as he studied her.

“Then I’ll accept whatever you can give me,” he said quietly.

She sucked in her breath until she was light-headed.
Oh my God.
After all he’d said. After all he’d

explained. He’d push down all that made him who he was just to have
her
.

Tears stung and she sucked in a deeper breath than before as she blinked them away. It was no use.

They burned until they finally spilled over onto her cheeks. Jace looked panicked, his expression

dissolving into one of self-loathing.

“Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry,” he whispered harshly. “We’ll work it out. I swear, it’ll be

okay.”

She shook her head. “No, you don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand. What’s wrong? Why are you upset? It doesn’t have to be that way. I

was just trying to make you understand
me
.”

She surged forward, taking his mouth with hers. He seemed stunned but didn’t push her away. Their

mouths melted hot, tongues clashing wetly.

“Shut up. Just shut up and kiss me.”

He groaned. “God, baby.”

She ripped at her clothing, suddenly desperate to have nothing between them. She ripped at his

until finally he helped her and their clothes went flying, this way and that, hitting the floor, the back of

the couch and the coffee table.

She kissed him hungrily, her mouth moving hotly over his. She allowed all her desperation into her

kiss, her hands as they roamed over his hard body. His cock was rigid between them, sandwiched

tightly between their bellies. She reached down to grasp it even as she arched over him, wanting him

inside her.

It registered that it was he who was supposed to be in control. He who was supposed to call the

shots. But at this moment she didn’t care. She only knew she wanted him, had to seal this special

connection and make it something more permanent. She had to show him, with more than words, that

she wanted what he could give her. Not just wanted but
needed
.

She fit him to her opening and didn’t hesitate, sliding down and engulfing him in one motion. The

shock of his entry made her gasp and his hands were suddenly at her hips, alleviating the pressure by

lifting upward.

“Baby,
no
, don’t hurt yourself.”

His voice was strained and it was evident just how much he was holding back. Oh hell no. That

wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted it all. Everything he had to give her. And she’d settle for nothing

less.

“You’ll never hurt me,” she whispered. “Not in a way I don’t want, anyway.”

He chuckled lightly and then slid his hands to her ass, cupping as she rose up to take him all over

again. This time he didn’t hold her back and she took all of him, to the balls, her ass coming to rest on

his lap.

“Jesus, you feel so fucking amazing,” he breathed.

“I just want you to sit back and enjoy it,” she murmured.

His eyes glittered as he stared into hers. Then he loosened his hold and leaned back against the

couch, his body going slack.

“I can do that.”

His hands skated up her body to cup her breasts and she moaned as she rose and fell again, taking

him deep. She leaned into him, following him back as she pressed her body to his, trapping his hands

between them.

He was big inside her, large enough that it made movement difficult, but she reveled in the

tightness. Each thrust was sweet agony as he pushed through her swollen pussy. Each time his balls

pushed against her ass, she gasped and closed her eyes. She was so close and they’d only just begun.

“Don’t hold back, baby. I want to watch you come. You’re so fucking beautiful, I hurt just looking

at you.”

“Not without you,” she gasped out.

“Oh, I’m there. I was there the minute that sweet pussy slid down my dick.”

Needing no further encouragement, she quickened her pace, rising up and over him to give her

better leverage. He palmed her breasts and then put his mouth to one nipple, sucking strongly. Then he

dropped his hands back to her ass, squeezing as she shuddered against him.

“I want this ass next.” The words rumbled gruffly from his chest. “Can’t wait to get deep inside it. I

didn’t have your ass that first night. I was too focused on your pussy. Didn’t want anyone else there

but me. But now it’s mine and I want to fuck it.”

“Jace!”

His erotic words splintered over her, pushing her that last little bit toward her release. Her entire

body bowed and then spasmed. She couldn’t even hold herself up. She needn’t have worried. Jace’s

arms came around her, holding her as he took over, pushing himself up and into her, faster, harder

until she was sobbing his name.

He let out a low growl. His grip was punishing. She’d wear bruises later and she didn’t care. This

was what she wanted. His possession.

She shattered. There, in his arms, him powering into her body, she went to pieces. It was nearly

painful. So intense that the room fuzzed around her, her vision going dim.

She dropped her head to his shoulder, panting for breath as her body convulsed and seized. He

powered into her, pushing rapidly, the smack of flesh meeting flesh loud in her ears. Her entire body

shook and still he thrust as if he were trying to plant himself in the deepest recesses of her soul.

Then he cried out. Her name.
Bethany.
It was sweet in her ears, brushing over her skin like the

finest silk. Her name. She belonged to him.

He went limp, gathering her even closer until she couldn’t breathe. She didn’t complain. Didn’t say

a single word as she lay sprawled across his body. He kissed her neck, her ear, and then nuzzled into

her hair. It took her a moment to realize he was whispering endearments. Telling her how beautiful

she was and how overcome he was that she was his, that she accepted what he wanted from her.

She curled her arms around his neck, holding on just as tightly as he held her.

“I want to stay,” she whispered.

He went rigid against her and then he sagged as if relieved. He kissed her again, moving one of his

hands to push the hair from her face. Then he pulled her back so she could meet his gaze. His eyes

were intense. Nearly black as he stared at her.

“You’re staying, Bethany. You’re mine now. I still don’t know if you fully know what you’ve

agreed to but I’m not giving you the opportunity to back out now. You belong to me. I’m not giving

you back.”

She put her hand to his cheek as he’d done to her so many times. Offering comfort and reassurance.

He leaned forward and brushed his mouth across hers. Once, twice, and a third time, as if he couldn’t

pull himself away.

“Why did you cry, baby?”

Just thinking back on all he’d said made her want to cry all over again. At his look of alarm, she

realized she
had
teared up.

“Oh, Jace,” she whispered. “You can’t imagine how much it meant to me that you’d actually be

willing to change who you are, what makes you who you are, because you think it’s what I want. And

that you showed me the heart of you. But you have to understand, I want
you
. All of you. I don’t want

a watered-down version of Jace. I want you. Controlling, dominant, arrogant, caring, loving,

protective . . .” She trailed off, her voice husky with emotion and clouded with tears. “Do you

understand?” she whispered.

He crushed her to him, still firmly embedded in her body. She could feel every heartbeat. He

trembled against her as his hands tangled in her hair. Then he pulled away just enough to lean his

forehead into hers, their mouths precariously close and their gazes hooded, connected.

“Don’t know what I’d do if I hadn’t found you,” he said in a stark voice. “Kills me to even think

about it. Don’t know what I’d do without you. That makes me crazy too.”

“Do you get it, Jace? Really get it? I want you. I want your dominance. I
need
it.”

He stroked his hand down her hair, smoothing the strands, the motion comforting.

“You got me, baby. All of me. I hope to hell you’re prepared for it. But you’re getting it. All of me.

One hundred percent. But you have to promise me something.”

“What?” she whispered.

He kissed her first, a light smooching, warm and breathless. When he pulled his head back, his

eyes were alight with satisfaction and contentment.

“Promise me that if it’s ever too much, if you’re ever overwhelmed, if I ever push too hard or too

fast, that you’ll tell me. You
have
to tell me. I couldn’t live with myself if I knew what I was doing

was scaring you or, God,
hurting
you. I never want to make you feel bad about what we do.”

She kissed him this time, savoring the feel of him, of being in his arms. This was real. He was real.

She was shaken to her very core by the magnitude of what was happening here. He wanted her.
Her.

“I promise,” she whispered against his lips.

chapter twenty-three

Bethany waited, breathless with anticipation. Nervousness. Her stomach was full of butterflies.

Jace would be home any minute. He’d texted her to let her know he was leaving the office. Nothing

else. No instructions. Nothing about their plans for the evening. And in light of their heart-to-heart

discussion the night before, she had a very good idea of how she wanted to be waiting for him when

he arrived.

A signal of her acceptance. Her obedience. Her willingness and desire to submit to him. To forge

ahead in the kind of relationship they both wanted. Not just what Jace wanted. It meant the world to

her—it undid her that he’d been willing to suppress his own wants and needs if she displayed any

hesitation over the parameters of the relationship he’d outlined.

And maybe that was a huge reason why she was so willing to accept without reservations the things

he asked of her. Because he hadn’t demanded. He hadn’t given her an ultimatum. He’d told her how

he wanted things but just as quickly let her know that if she wasn’t able or willing to commit to that

lifestyle that
he’d
be the one to compromise and take whatever it was she felt comfortable offering.

Everything. She would give him everything. She wanted to make him happy because it’s what

would make
her
happy.

She slipped out of her clothing and arranged it in a neat pile in one of the drawers he’d allocated

for her use. He’d made noises about buying furniture for her that would be solely hers. But for now,

using his space was fine. They still maintained separate residences even though more and more of her