KING (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (20 page)

~Chapter Sixteen~

Dalton’s fury has an acrid taste and a smoky scent. He’s so angry
that the interior of the car is sweltering. Sweat beads along my upper lip and along my spine. I swear there are tendrils of smoke-like emotions wafting in the air.

I’m not angry. I should be. I’m not numb after his revelation either. What I am is ho
rny as hell. The thought that Dalton was jealous enough to lie about being with Roman is a relief and a compliment. He wants me that much. God, that makes my dick hard. I want to mark Dalton’s body as my territory so no one will touch him without my permission.

Dalton, on the other hand, isn’t aroused. He’s dick-shriveli
ng murderous. I don’t know if Dalton’s picturing his hands around my neck or Ezra’s. Probably Ezra’s since he was in rare form tonight.

After our little foray broke up, Regina came up to Dalton and apologized
, and then she told us to be careful of Ezra, that we didn’t know him like she does. I get that now. The Ezra who I worshipped as a kid and the one who plays tennis with me is the real Ezra. The one tonight was the fucked up version of his integrated personalities: Master Ez and Ezra. He’s a scary, sick and twisted sonofabitch that likes to scramble your brains. Too bad he’s turning me on like wild fire. I want to screw all the versions of Ezra. Well, not Master Ez. I’m not his type.

The moment the car pulls to the curb, Dalton is out of it like a rocket. It hadn’t even rolled to a complete stop. I shift it into park and follow him. I salute Gunner on my way by. He’s my shadow. I hadn’t realized
I had an escort until I saw him everywhere I went today. Gunner gets out of his Hummer and leans against it, patiently waiting.

But
Dalton’s not patient or waiting. He’s inside the Brownstone and locking it in a heartbeat.
Too bad I have key
I think to myself with a smirk as I unlock the door.

“Just get out!” His shout fills the small space of the foyer.

“I’m not mad at you,” I calmly purr, turning on my charm. I ratchet it up a few notches by employing my dimples. “I’m not going to punish you or yell at you or freeze you out. This isn’t Master/Switch shit. It’s just relationship shit. This is why I’m talking to Ezra. I’m lost. I’ve never been in a relationship- healthy or otherwise. My incestuous marriage doesn’t count.”

“Ezra’s rea
l helpful, alright,” Dalton snidely says, his accent deepening with his anger.

“That man tonight wasn’t
the real Ezra, at least not the one that’s my friend. Ezra usually keeps that part of himself locked up nice and tight.” I walk towards Dalton and he backs away from me. When his back hits the front door I laugh in delight. My cock is pounding. His retreat brings out all my hunter instincts. Dalton is the perfect prey: small, emotionally damaged, and will let me do whatever I want- up to a point.

“Ezra
doesn’t like lies and games unless he’s the one playing them. He’s been my friend my entire life. Ezra’s someone that’s just always been there for me, so he didn’t like you playing me.” I tug on the end of Dalton’s hair, drawing his guilty green gaze. “You lied to me, not the other way around.” My accusation is soft, without bite.

“Fuck you!” Dalton’s mood changes in an instant. His anger backs me up to the center of the foyer. I was talking him down, but something
threw his bitch-switch. “Admit it. You never would have divorced her. I would’ve been your dirty secret.” Dalton punches me a good one in the chest, it actually aches. He’s really pissed: green eyes glowing fury, small chest rapidly rising and falling as he screams, and fists ready to strike.

“I wouldn’
t have divorced her because I love her,” I freely admit, my voice breaking in pain. “I love my kids. I know everyone sees them as my siblings, but they are
mine
! I won’t abandon them like everyone else. My mother sold me and left, and my father killed himself and when that didn’t work, he hid. What kind of piece of shit would I be if I didn’t take care of Niel and Ella? I’d be someone I wouldn’t be proud of and someone you wouldn’t want. Jesus, Dalton, this isn’t about you. Don’t you get that?”

“But it affects me. I’d be your secret. You’d be happily married to a woman, raising your kids, living in your castle, and running your kingdom. Where would I fit into that scenario? You could fuck me or I
’d warm your bed while Regina is in Marc’s. I’m worth more than being your boy toy while you show your elite world your fake life! I’m not a distraction while you pretend to be something you aren’t.”

With e
ach word Dalton utters, he punches my chest. His small fists are angry-red from hurting himself. My chest will bruise because it hurts like a sonofabitch. With rough hands, I fling Dalton’s striking fists away and shove him back against the door.

“That’s not what
I want,” I yell into his face. “I’m not ashamed of what I am. I’m gay!” I shout so loud that the entire block must have heard me. “And I’m trying to embrace it. Obviously! What do you think I’m doing with Ezra? Yeah, he’s creepy hot, but I’m doing it for you- for us! I’m getting a fucking divorce! I’m making peace with my dad. I’m bonding with Marcus. I want us to get the fuck along and live as one big happy family because we’re so interwoven that they are
my
family- every single one of them. I thought you were too,” I pout, and it’s not an act. My heart hurts.

“I don’t know if I can believe you,” Dalton coldly expresses, eyes holding mine in silent challenge.

“Actions speak louder than words and only time will tell. I could give you guarantees, but they’d be empty until we have some history to back them up. This is new for us. It’s new for me. And hell, Dalton, it’s new for you. You were someone else for years. I’ve been stifled for years. Why don’t we just learn ourselves while we learn each other? All I can do is try. That’s all I’m offering, and if it’s not good enough, then good-fucking-bye!” I wave, sneering in disgust, and head for the front door.

“You manipulative ba
stard,” Dalton growls. “You have no intention of leaving. You’re playing me.” He’s offended and livid, and all it does is make me hotter.

Dalton
’s right. If he gives in, I win. I win the man and I win the game. I can’t turn the cunning part off in my brain. I’m not wired that way. I want something, I get it. I’ve never went without and I don’t plan on changing that now.

“Is that a chance you’re willing to take? I could be dead serious.” I arch a brow and wait, my hand on the doorknob. I’d have to physically move Dalton to leave since he’s leaning on the door,
but I can pick up two of him at once- one under each arm. God, he’s tiny.

I wiggle the
knob, pretending to leave, and Dalton hisses at me, “Je vous déteste!” A firm punch to my shoulder has me growling.

“I love you too, baby,” I tease him, but underneath that is barely leashed
aggression. I abhor violence and Dalton keeps striking me.

“I didn’t say I love you,” Dalton
sounds mildly confused. His fingers tentatively find mine over the doorknob.

“My French isn’t that pathetic, dumbass. Hate me all ya want.
Je t’aime encore,” I softly murmur, making Dalton’s eyes water. “I can take your jealousy, but where is all this anger coming from?”

Dalton
falls lax against the door and wipes under his eyes. “I’m being a girl,” he grumbles in self-disgust. “That will guarantee you leaving me. Even your wife is more of a man than I am. I’m… I’m feeling shit I’ve never felt before. Okay?”

I let go of the knob and stand in fron
t of him. I rest my hands on Dalton’s narrow hips, my finger almost meet at the small of his back. I have a strong need to fuck Dalton until he’s boneless, and then feed him until he’s sated.

I expectantly wait, refusing to relinquish my control.
After a few moments, balancing on a knife’s edge, Dalton finally gives in. “I’m a jealous, insecure asshole and I’m coming unhinged. I just want to know I’m important to you. I don’t want to be girly and test you constantly. I’d hate it if you pulled that on me. I can only imagine how much you must want to run away.”

“Dalton, when have I ever run from anything?” My face softens as I gaze down at him. He really is worried I’ll leave him. “You look to history to predict the future. Look at mine,” I demand.

He abruptly says, “My mom.” 

“I’
m not your mom,” I roughly declare.

“Thank God,” Dalton
mocks and rolls his eyes. Those thick inky lashes flutter, distracting me. “The last time I saw her she… she told me she didn’t love me or hate me, that she felt nothing for me. You were there, you heard it all. I don’t need to repeat anything. Tonight… tonight was the first time I’ve seen her since then. I went in FKK to tell her that Itsy was fine without her. That neither one of us needed her. I was going to give her a third of the Fontaine inheritance- her third.”

“What happened?”
I inch forward, and when Dalton doesn’t pull away, I cage him to the door with my body. I can’t stop myself; I run the tip of my nose down his cheek. I brush a soft kiss to his pouting lips. When Dalton responds, I pull away. I don’t want to get lost in Dalton’s addictive scent or his velvety flesh. He needs this time to tell me how he feels.

“She used to be overly affectionate,” he breathlessly murmurs. “It was confusing. She’d coddle me, and then out of the blue, she’d hurt me. Pull me in… distance herself… kiss me… slap me… It was discombobulating. One thing that never changed, I had to obey her. That
’s why she unhinged, I refused to obey her. I want to be my own man.”

“Which was she this time?” I
lean back so that I can read Dalton’s face as he speaks.

“None of those things,” Dalton
whispers, shaking his head in confusion. “She was… normal. She wanted to talk to me, like ask me how I’ve been. Wished me luck at my new job. She asked if I was getting along with my roommate. She even asked about you and me. She wished us luck. Nothing specific- no interrogations, no demands, and nothing she could use against someone. I told her about the inheritance and she told me to keep it.” His eyes grow wide with mystification.

“Wow,” I breathe.

“It worries me. Is she getting ready to hurt herself or something? Your personality doesn’t change overnight. She gave me a hug and a kiss and told me je t’aime.”

“Where’d all that lipstick come from
then?” I purr in a teasing lilt, distracting him from the hurt and confusion. His mom
is
being normal to him because he’s no longer her objective. Those mood swings were a side-effect of the stress the game masters put her under.

Dalton turns a curious shade of crimson. He tries to look away from me, but I bend my neck and get into his line of sight. “What’s this,” I croon, skimming a fingertip along his rosy cheek.
“Why the blush?”

“Sandy,” he whispers.

“OH!” I laugh. “Look who’s being naughty. Lest you forget, you were pissed at me for not standing up and screaming
I’m gay
to anyone who’d listen,” I give Dalton a taste of his own medicine. I roll my eyes and act offended. All total bullshit. He’s so cute when he’s frazzled.

“It’
s not like that,” he groans. Dalton’s hand flies out and hits my chest, barely brushing the front of my shirt. I quickly snatch it up, knowing he didn’t mean anything by it.

“Butterfly kisses,” I smirk. “Keep on hitting me like that and you better jack me off while you do, because all you’re doing is exciting me,” I warn. I step forward and whisper in his ear, “Excite me. Challenge me. Disobey me. Disrespect me.” I nip the flesh of his earlobe after every phrase. “It makes me want to bend you over and show you who is in control.” I press my erection into his belly and rock my hips. “Hit me in real violence and I’ll show you real violence. It won’t be a consensual exchange like you and Syn. It won’t be play. I’m a man, gay or not. Don’t turn me into your bitch, because you won’t like who erupts.”

A wide-eyed, shocked green graze is the only response I get. I suck his tiny earlobe into my mouth, groaning at its taste. Dalton’s body melts into mine as I abandon his ear for moan territory. I bite, suckle, lick, and kiss the long, delicate column of his neck.

“Ugh!” The grunt is yanked from my chest when a small hand grips my dick
over my pants and strokes. I fall on top of him, my heavy weight pinning him to the door.

“You said jerk you off,” Dalton
teases in a voice gone husky from lust. “I hate these pants.”

“Oh, yeah,” I moan against his throat. “Why’s that?”

“They’re always in the way,” he murmurs, fingers pulling my cock out as soon as I’m unzipped. “You should just walk around naked.”

“I would if I could.” I laugh, but end up choking when he
strokes my cockhead. I quickly pull our shirts out of the way. “Not gonna last,” I warn while moaning.

“You never do,” Dalton
purrs, no offense in his tone. “You’re like the Energizer Bunny. I like that,” he growls. Dalton squeezes me hard. “And I like this,” he drawls, running a fingertip through all the precum drooling out the tip of my dick. Sometimes I feel like a sprinkler system, but he never complains.