Make Me: An Erotic BDSM Romance (3 page)

“Still playing with the locals?” Her eyes pass over me briefly before I’m dismissed. Cunt. Wonder if she feels the daggers my eyes are shooting at her. Guess not, since she’s still standing.

“Why are you here, Viv? It’s been what, two years?”

“Yeah, just about. Time enough for me to think. A lot.”

“Good for you.” The flatness of his statement takes any well-wishing out of it. “Why are you here?”

“I want to talk. About my thoughts. About us.”

“I’ve got to work. We don’t have anything to talk about.”

“Don’t you take that tone with me.” She raises her voice, getting the attention of some of the clubgoers. “No one knows you better than me. I know what makes you tick, Gabriel.”

“Fine. Whatever. I don’t need a scene, not that kind. Let’s go to the office. You can have your say there.”

I’m forgotten. Shit. Whatever. Guess I’ll see myself out. So much for our connection.

“Hey.” Caleb’s right there when I come out, watching the door. “Not here yet.”

Right. The cab. We wait next to each other in silence.

“Who is she?” I have to know. Why? Not like we have anything going. I just do.

“Huh?”

“Viv. Who is she?”

He laughs, a rough bark. “This is going to be trouble, isn’t it?”

“No idea what you mean.”

“Right. Vivian’s an ex. The ex, I guess. They were together for almost three years. Committed BDSM relationship with all the trimmings. Like the star couple, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I didn’t need to hear how wonderful they’d been. “What happened.”

“Well, they broke up. She broke up. Something about wanting one thing and him the other. Shocked a lot of people on the scene and broke his heart. He swore off relationships and put on his lone wolf act. He knows his shit, but I haven’t seen him connect with anyone in a scene after that. Well, except maybe you.”

“Me? Like I can compete with her. Sounds like she’s back for more.”

“If you didn’t notice how much he wasn’t into that idea, you weren’t paying attention.”

“Right.”

The cab pulls up and Caleb steps in front to open the door for me. “Don’t sell yourself short. Just sayin’.” The door slams shut.

Right.

I give my address and slump into the seat. For a couple of moments I try to find ways to compare favorably to a tall, beautiful, flame-haired sex goddess who knows his every kink, but I come up empty. Oh well. Tonight was fun, anyway. There are other fish.

“N
ot on the market, huh?” Caleb’s grin is fucking annoying, just as I’m sure he means it to be. “I haven’t seen you that star struck in, well, maybe ever.”

“Oh, back off.” I swig my beer. Who gives a fuck what he thinks, anyway? These after hours beer meetings once the club’s closed are bullshit.

The annoying thing is that he’s right, and I hate it when he’s right. She’s a goddamn angel. Sure, a bratty little angel, but that’s how I like’em. Domming’s no fun with someone who just rolls over and plays dead.

Tiny little thing, but curvy as hell. Curves I want to trace with my fingertips, to squeeze and pinch. Her ass is made for spanking, full and quivering just the right way when my hand hits it. Does she fuck as hard as she plays?

Full of fire too. Like that best. She’s not afraid to talk back, even when not in a scene. Especially when not in a scene. Full time brat. What is it Caleb likes to say? That I need someone to take me down a few pegs. Fuck him. I did like our back and forth, though.

Goddamn, I’m hard as a rock. I was supposed to be done with women, with relationships. They only hurt you, right? That’s my experience, anyway.

“So what did Viv want?”

Caleb has this amazing ability to repeatedly bring up the topics I’d least like to discuss. Every. Fucking. Time.

“What do
you
think?”

“Really? After two years? She thinks you guys have something going?”

“We had three really good years before that. I dunno. I know what I’ve said, but maybe...”

“Shut the fuck up, Gabe, then think about what you’re saying. Think hard. She quit you, man. You wanna go back to that?”

He’s being right again, and it makes me wanna punch him. “No. Fuck it. I’m done with women. Nothin’ but trouble anyway.” I hold up my beer in a toast, but he just looks at me like I’m a moron. “Now what?”

“Alright, I’m telling you this because I’m your friend, right? You get that? I love you, man, but sometimes tough love is necessary. Inevitable.”

I roll my eyes at him. “Melodramatic much?”

“Gabe, stop acting like a moron. Women aren’t always trouble, but Viv is. If it was up to me? That cute girl from today? Much more your type.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Mrs. Matchmaker. You done?”

He gives me that same stare he uses when he’s throwing a thug outta the club. The don’t-fuck-with-me bouncer stare. It pisses me off that I’m the first to look away.

Caleb sips his beer. “Yeah. Now I’m done.”

Maybe he’s right about Dawn. Dunno. Wish I’d remembered to say goodbye tonight. This whole Viv thing... Fuck, how did I let her distract me like that? I don’t know what to do, and I hate that. It’s not my gig. I’m direct, decisive. I do shit, I don’t think about it.

Well, considering I let her just walk out, she’s probably already forgotten about me. I don’t think I’ll get any calls about moving cars, or anything else. Maybe Viv...

Fuck.

W
hat was that?

God, I can’t see. I blink, try to rub the sleep out of my eyes. Peer at the alarm clock. In the darkness of my bedroom, even the faint glow of the blocky digits seems way too bright. 2:34 AM. What the hell am I doing awake?

Something creaks then pops with a crack. Suddenly my eyes are wide open, and my heart’s pounding. Was that my front door? I sit up in bed, holding the sheets close while peering into the darkness. My bedroom door is almost closed, but I don’t dare get up and check it out. Not yet.

Footstep. Another. A soft creak. A beam of light colors my wall for a moment. A flashlight.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Someone’s in my apartment. My chest tightens and I look around my bedroom for a weapon. Something. Anything.

Nothing.

Drawers are opening. Closing. Cabinets. God, I don’t even have anything worth stealing. Take my TV, computer, whatever. Just don’t come in here. Please.

Please.

My whole body’s shivering. It’s difficult to breathe. What do I do? What do I fucking do?

My phone’s on the nightstand. I almost drop it when I pick it up. Gabriel. He’s right around the corner. I hope. I find the Sexiest Dom Alive and hit ‘call’.

It rings. And rings. And rings. “Hi, this is Gabe. I can’t take the phone right now, but if you...”

I dial again. He’s sleeping. He must be. Fuck.

It rings. And rings. Click. “Hello?” Even groggy and cotton-mouthed, his voice is sexy. “Who’s this?”

“Gabriel!” I whisper as loud as I dare. “There’s someone in my apartment.”

“Wha... Dawn?”

“Please, Gabriel. Help me.”

“Shit, alright.” It’s like someone turns on a switch, and he’s in action mode. “On my way. What’s your apartment number?”

“3B. Hurry!”

“Already coming. Did you call 911?”

That would have made sense, wouldn’t it? “No.”

“I’m flattered, babe, but they’re the pros. Call them. I’ll be right there.” He hangs up.

Just then, the door to my room opens. A tall, broad shape fills my opening, then his beam of light paints my bed, blinding me.

I scream.

He’s quick. I taste leather as he cuts my scream short with a gloved hand and gets behind me, holding me tight. He smells of cigarettes. His breath is ragged and uncomfortably close to my ear. His whisper is a quiet growl. “Shut up. Just keep quiet and I won’t slit your throat. Got it?”

I’m nodding as fast as I can. I hear my own whimper but I can’t make it stop. Please don’t kill me. Please, please, please.

He releases my mouth and gets off my bed. My whimpers turn to sobs. I can’t hold them back.

“Just hold tight, and no one’s gettin’ hurt.”

I nod again, covering my mouth with my hand. Shit, I’m gonna hyperventilate. This isn’t happening. I want to pinch myself, but I know this is real. This can’t get any worse.

“And cover yourself up. I ain’t the rapin’ kind, but hangin’ out like that gives a man thoughts, and you don’t want that.” He says it over his shoulder while rummaging through my dresser.

Oh God. My cover’s fallen down, and I’m naked. I tug the comforter up around me, shivering inside it even if it’s warm. I keep my eyes on the burglar, watching his every move.

Another creak from the living room. Gabriel?

The burglar hears it too. “Do you have any roommates?”

I shake my head frantically. “No. No one. Just me.”

“Yeah, yeah, got it.” He lights up the living room with his flashlight. “Guess it was nothin’.”

He’s barely turned when a large, dark shadow launches itself across the room from the doorway. It collides with the burglar and they both go down in a grappling mass of limbs. Grunts. Punches. The flashlight rolls off and I can’t tell which dark shape has the upper hand.

“Ow! Fuck!”

Gabriel!

Deep thuds, curses, growls. They rock the dresser and my lamp crashes to the floor. It’s like having two wild animals next to my bed. I flick on the light, just in time to see Gabriel on top, driving his big fist into the burglar’s face with a roar. Once. Twice. The third time the burglar’s head snaps back and he stops moving.

“Oh God! Is he...”

“Nah, he’s just knocked out. Quick, do you have any rope?” Gabriel’s voice is hoarse and he’s breathing heavy.

Jesus, why does this even embarrass me? I pull several lengths of bondage hemp out from a drawer under my bed. Red, green, black. I’ve got all the colors.

“Nice.” Gabriel takes some lengths of black and with practiced moves immobilizes the burglar. Not his first day at the rodeo, obviously.

He’s only wearing boxers. I’m wearing nothing. Awkward? I don’t even know. God, he looks good, though. His muscles ripple across his back as he winds rope and ties knots. The cops are going to get quite a package in their hands.

The cops! “Shit, I didn’t get time to call 911.”

“Don’t worry about it. I did on the way here. Figured that made more sense, once I woke up.” He thinks of everything.

He’s bleeding! How did I not notice that? An ugly gash runs down the inside of his shoulderblade, oozing blood.

“You’re hurt!” I hop out of bed before he has a chance to reply. There’re some bandages and antiseptic in the bathroom, if I can find them behind all the other crap in the cabinet under the sink, that is. I dig, throwing the other stuff on the floor until I find them. Aha!

By the time I return, Gabriel’s dragged the burglar out to the living room. Legs bound, arms bound behind his back, a blindfold across his eyes, the burglar is ready to be picked up. He wriggles a bit, but gives up quickly, knowing he’s beat. At this point I don’t care about him anymore.

“Turn around.” Bandage in one hand, antiseptic bottle in the other, it’s only now I remember that I’m stark naked.

“What if I don’t want to?” That cocky grin again, as he takes me in, his gaze starting at my toes and sliding up my body until his burning eyes finally meet mine. There’s a hunger there that makes my stomach clench and my nipples tighten.

My face warms, and I feel it trail all the way down to between my breasts. The curse of pale skin is that every little flush shows, and I’m positively glowing. “I... I have to check your wound. On your back. So... so turn around.”

He’s not even listening, is he? His grin curls up on one side, forming a sexy dimple. My gaze wanders and... oh God, he’s huge! Maybe he’s able to hide it when he wears jeans, but the way his silk boxers tent leaves no room to question. I chew my lower lip, considering...

Sirens interrupt... whatever this is. The cops are almost here, and I’m starkers. Enough people have seen me naked today, thank you very much. “Alright, don’t move.”

There’s a bathrobe in the bedroom. Big, pink and fuzzy. It looks horrible, but it’s comfy, warm and covers me up. I throw it on just in time to hear heavy footsteps coming up the stairs at full speed. Two young officers burst into the apartment, hands on their holsters.

“Sir, step back to the wall, please. We got a report of a break-in.”

I hurry in before this gets silly. “Yeah, on the floor there.” I point.

“Okay... who’s he, then.”

“My... neighbor.” Guess that’s correct. “He’s the one who called you.”

It’s obvious they don’t believe the neighbor part one second. What neighbor shows up in just boxers? Not that they care. None of their business. The next half hour is spent giving our info, explaining, signing forms, agreeing to come to the station tomorrow for full statements. When they finally leave, the burglar safely tucked into the squad car, and I’m ready to sleep where I stand.

Gabriel turns to me. “Alright. Grab your stuff and let’s go.”

“Uh... what?”

“My place. Your front door’s broken, and same with the main door downstairs. That’s how I got in so quick. You can’t sleep here, so you’ll sleep at my place.”

It makes sense. God knows I don’t feel like sleeping alone right now, but isn’t this moving a bit quick? “You just want to get in my pants, don’t you.”

“Can’t. You’re not wearing any.” His face is deadpan.

I raise my eyebrow.

“Listen, I’m not putting the moves on you here. Not in the market, remember? I’ve got a spare bedroom.”

“You were looking pretty market-ready before the cops got here.”

“Seriously? I’m trying to imagine the guy that would not get hard with you standing there naked, and I’m coming up empty. Maybe if you’d just kicked him in the balls or something like that.”

“Thanks? I think?”

“I’m not going to do a thing, other than make sure you sleep safely tonight. Doesn’t sound that horrible, does it? Tomorrow we can find you a locksmith to take care of your door. Now get your stuff. You’re not the only one falling asleep here. And I’m cold.”