RequiredSurrender (28 page)

“I don’t see why you feel the need to constantly bring women
in here. It’s distracting,” Dillon grumbled as he shuffled the cards.

“Exactly.” Ted took a seat in his chair and waited for Ruth
to approach. “Down here,” he pointed to the floor and added, “with your back
toward me.”

When she’d done as he told her, he looked over at Dillon.
“Deal and don’t watch then.”

Dillon tossed the cards to each player. “I didn’t say I
didn’t like to watch.”

Ted shook his head over that one. He waited until they’d
played two hands before he picked up his marker and leaned down. “Get your hair
out of the way.” She did. Ruth, he knew, liked things short and simple. No long
commands, no distracting questions. She was a real bare-to-the-bones kind of
sub and as long as he got her off eventually she’d do pretty much anything he
told her to.

“Feel the letters I write and say them out loud as I print
them.”

“Yes Sir.”

Ted finished the first.

“W.”

He didn’t acknowledge she was right other than to move on to
the next letter.

“H.”

He wrote the next one.

“O”

He was just about to write the next letter when he stopped.
“Repeat?”

“O?”

Apparently he wasn’t the only one distracted tonight. “No.
Concentrate.” He traced over the previous mark slowly. His unhurried action
made her shiver.

“A.”

“Very good.”

“C. K.”

He paused. “New word.”

“M. E. Whack me.”

“Right.” Ted playfully spanked one of her bottom cheeks, and
ordered, “Now go around to each of my guys here and present your back to them.
Maybe you’ll get lucky and they’ll do it.”

He picked up his cards and checked the door for the
fifteenth time. Maybe Ethan was right. Maybe he should disappear because once
Ruth finished making the rounds she’d be back to kneeling at his feet, and then
what was he going to do with her? She would expect more playtime from him, but
his heart wasn’t in it. How could it be when his mind was only focusing in one
thing?

Jo.

* * * * *

Jo had nearly a week to make her decision. She wasn’t like
most women who wore their heartache on their sleeves and needed comfort and
company to get by. No, Jo internalized all her sadness by herself for days.
Dreaming up melodramatic plans of how she could win Ted back, but in the end
she put those fanciful dreams of manipulation away and faced the reality. She’d
have to go to him on his terms. There’d be no more letting the defiant battle
rage in her head over how unfair his terms seemed to be to her at times. She
needed to get over the fear of being seen as less of a woman when she truly
accepted all that he wanted of her. Fortunately she’d had the time to figure
out that she was more of a woman in his care and keeping for the short time
they’d spent together, than she was in her whole adult lifetime without him.
The most important concept he’d conveyed to her? The lone ideal that stuck and
gave her courage now was, if she wanted to be given everything, she’d have to
give everything up to him first. She was so ready to do that but…

“You’re sure about this?” Jo asked Lacy as she eyed her
outfit in the full-length mirror. The worn jeans with an elegant white blouse
left untucked was topped off with a white satin halter corset that wrapped
around her torso so tight, coming up under her breasts, that she could barely
breathe. “It makes me look like I’ve got double Ds.”

“I know. Clever little design, isn’t it? Hey, if Ted doesn’t
rip it off you tonight, do you think I can borrow it sometime?”

“Sure because I highly doubt he’s going to do that. He
probably won’t even speak to me.”

“That’s why you have to be bold.”

Jo was just swiping the lip-gloss wand across her bottom lip
and paused to eye her friend in the mirror. “I think your idea of bold is
illegal.”

“You think that would bother guys like them?”

Jo rubbed her lips together and smoothed a hand through her
hair. She critically eyed her appearance. Lacy had done a beautiful job with
her makeup. Her eyes were a dark smoky gray, and the way she’d outlined over
and under the lids gave Jo more of an exotic look than usual.

“I know it wouldn’t bother him. Are you going to wish me
luck?”

Lacy gave her a loose hug. “Don’t want to mess with
perfection. You’re going to do great. I know it.”

“Thanks. Hey, what about you? You promise you’re going to
dump Joe tonight. No more slipping no matter what he asks you to do to him,
okay?”

“You got it, boss.” They walked out to the car and Lacy gave
her a mock salute as she slid in, adding, “Everything’s going to be fine.
You’ll do just great.”

But half an hour later, when Jo stood at the door to the
green room in the club and heard the laughing and whistles, she wasn’t so sure.
It sounded like Ted was in there enjoying himself with some women.

And when the door swung open her heart sank.

Chapter Twenty

Jo walked in. And dressed the way she was, completely
covered with a pair of tight denim low riders, a crisp white blouse cinched by
the sexiest ivory satin under-the-bust corset Ted had ever seen and makeup done
to supermodel perfection, he decided she looked like Colin’s Jessica Rabbit
avatar. And for some reason that really pissed him off.

He gave himself a shake and sprang into action. With one arm
scooped around the naked and kneeling Ruth, he half lifted, half dragged her
with him as he swiveled in his chair and turned his back to both the door and
Jo. She’d come armed—he looked down at Ruth—and now he was as well. Literally.
Maybe his pointed dismissal of her would get her to wise up and move on instead
of trying to challenge him the way he guessed she was going to. Because in his
present mood with fury building, this evening could turn into a nightmare
neither one of them would ever forget.

She didn’t leave as he hoped. Instead she came into the
room. He could tell. The sudden quiet combined with the increasing tension
indicated as much. So, in his mind, he had two options. He could either
confront her head-on and ask her to leave, or he could torture her until she
gave up and left of her own accord. He pulled Ruth more firmly into the V of
his legs. Why the hell was he even entertaining the first option?

“Lean back,” he ordered and when Ruth did as she was told
and pressed her back into his crotch, he frowned. Not from the sudden warmth
emanating from her, but the instant cold front that arrived beside him in the
form of long legs wrapped in well-worn denim and cradled in a pair of
fire-engine-red five-inch stilettos.

Oh hell no, she wasn’t tapping one of those, was she?

He could have looked up, but he didn’t. Instead he reached
down and brushed his hand back and forth across Ruth’s fully erect nipples. He
felt like shit using her this way, but he’d purposely picked her because of her
strict code of no emotional attachment to a scene providing the Dom got her
off. He was planning to get her off big-time tonight, and Jo was going to watch
it if she had the guts to stick around. Maybe he’d—

He snapped back. If she had the guts? Shit.

“You weren’t invited to play, Jo. Get your hands off her.”
He made sure his voice was calm, but the words firm because if she didn’t do
what he said immediately he’d be forced to react.

“Not until she moves away from you.”

Ted had kept his eyes on Jo’s fingers twined in Ruth’s hair,
but when he saw her grip tighten and her intent became clear, he looked up.
“Let go of her.”

There was the briefest flicker of fear in her smoky eyes. A
moment of uncertainty as her common sense no doubt warred with that reckless
side of her nature. When the gleaming sparkle returned he knew which side won.
“When. She. Moves.”

He didn’t want to respond to her on any level other than a
verbal one, but his Dom blood raged in the face of her challenge. The fact that
she was wearing the blouse she’d had on the day in the interrogation room
didn’t help the situation. Images of what he’d done to her played in his mind
and inspired him.

Inspired? That was understating how he felt at the moment,
as the collar and cuffs he hadn’t cut off her got his possessive flags flying.
He’d asked himself more than once why he’d let her leave that night while still
wearing his metal. And every time that smug-ass voice inside answered, “Because
you’re not ready to give her up.”

Damn.

He crossed his arms over his chest and studied her while the
tension in the room increased. Everyone was watching them. Waiting. Hell, even
Ruth was anxious and unsure. Her hand was like a vise at the bottom of his pant
leg. Where was Jo’s fear?

“Take your hand out of her hair. Now.” He glared while he
slowly narrowed his eyes.

After a tense few seconds he actually heard her swallow
before she said, “No.”

It was good to know she was scared shitless. He sighed.
“What’s it going to take for you to realize there’s no place for you here?”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s true. I thought we were doing good together, but you
found the need to lie to me a second time. I don’t abide liars so we’re done.
It’s over. Leave.”

“No.”

He was glad she took her hand off Ruth, but the expression
on her face had him worried. “Jo.”

“I’ll do whatever you want. Anything. Only let me prove to
you I can be trusted. Give me another chance.”

He was sure his eyes gleamed.

“I swear, I’ll do anything.”

Now he knew his look burned. The offer too tempting…because
he still wanted her. Bad.

“Please.”

He stared and for a suspended second there was only the two
of them. No one else. “Anything?”

“Everything.”

That soft whisper stroked him as an idea began to take
shape. He could give it one last shot and demand that piece of her she’d been
holding back. Yeah, and this time she’d have no out unless he gave it. And no
kid gloves either. He’d completely own her body and soul, because if he weren’t
mistaken, she was standing here selling that soul to the devil. A demon who had
the chance to begin this new brand of ownership by stripping her down
emotionally. Pushing her to her limits. Breaking her so she’d never be able to
break him again.

“Go to the wall over there. Right where I can see you. Take
down your pants to your knees. Panties too, if you’re wearing any. I want your
palms flat and legs spread as far as your clothing will allow. Display yourself
for me, while I decide how you should be punished for such bad behavior.”

He let out a silent breath when she obeyed and sucked it
right back in as she did exactly as he told her. Only instead of the usual
frisk position he was expecting with ass bared and displayed, she presented in
a forward position. With her pants and panties down as he’d said, and her arms
braced back with palms flat, she was a sight. But when she flexed her hips
forward, causing the previously obscuring shirt tails to part like a set of
silken drapes and expose her smooth-as-glass mound, his heart rate shot up.

Right there. Right in the center of that delectable flesh
she had a new henna inked. No design this time, just two words.

Ted Basel’s.

Fuck. He silently read his name over three times before he
tore his gaze away and looked up at her.

“That’s a pretty invitation.”

Ted ignored Dillon’s comment and tried to stay calm and
focused. Easy to do if she didn’t taunt him by pivoting, and then devouring him
with a look that flipped all his bad switches and dared him to attack. Battle
from a distance.

Without taking his eyes off her, he curled down and brushed
his hand through Ruth’s hair. Gently straightening the mess Jo had made of it.
When he heard Ruth sigh and felt her relax he knew he had to stop this. Ruth
had no part of anything between them.

“Thank you, Ruth. But unfortunately I’m going to have to
take a pass with you tonight.” When she blinked up at him he smiled. “No
worries, I think Dillon may need a little sub attention.”

When Ruth nodded and went to crawl away his friend didn’t
hesitate. He got up to get supplies from the various baskets on the sexual
condiment counter.

“Hey, Dillon,” Ted called even as he turned to look at Jo
again. “Do me a favor and grab me one with a lube packet too.” He purposely
raked his gaze up and down Jo from head to toe, before he added, “Make that two
things of lube.” He dug in his bag and took out the vibrating bullet, and when
Dillon tossed him the packs he said, “Thanks.”

He stood and stuffed the foils in his back pocket, the
bullet in the front one and collected his magic marker. He’d been right on the
money with the color. It was going to be a perfect match.

“Eyes up, Jo. Stare at the ceiling until I tell you
otherwise.”

“Yes, Master.”

He waited for her gaze to shift, and when it did, he dropped
down on one knee and took his time writing two words beneath his name as
elegantly as the henna penmanship above. “There.” He threw the marker on the
floor and stood.

“Eyes down. All the way down, Jo.” She gasped when he yanked
her by the arms and used his hands and feet to roughly readjust her until she
was turned with nose to drywall, both arms up over her head and her legs spread
as wide as her bunched pants would allow.

“Get your ass out. Sell it to me.”

She pushed back and he said, “More. That’s right.” He leaned
down to whisper, “Are you ready to be a good little whore for me?”

“Yes.”

“Yes?” He smacked her ass, which made her jump.

“Yes, Master.”

“I expect you to take what I’m going to do to you without
complaint. If it proves to be too much for you say your safe word and I’ll let
you leave…for good. Understood?”

“Yes, Master.”

His plan was to purposely draw out her dread. Make her fully
aware of what he had in mind to do and give her ample opportunity to back out.
Really?
If that’s what you’re intending to do why did you bring the bullet with you?
He
pushed that smug voice out of his head and systematically went through the
setup.

Pressing himself against her ass, he let her feel him undo
his zipper. He stretched his fly open, scraping the material across each of her
cheeks. After he collected the foils he lifted his cock out of his pants and
let it bounce on her twice before he tugged on the rubber.

He waited for her to stop shivering then he tore open the
lube packets and drenched himself first before spreading her ass to oil her
there.

“I’m going to bury myself inside you here.” He wedged the
side of his hand in her crease and pushed. “Would you like that?”

Silence.

His heart slammed against his rib cage, and that voice
inside his head prompted.
Bullet.
No, the plan wasn’t to entice her into
doing this with him. The plan was…

Torched, because the bullet was in his hand and that hand
had reached around and descended right between her legs. “Damn, you’re good and
wet already.”

The second he got the vibrator on her, she sank into the
wall with a sigh.

Fuck.

He growled in her ear, “You’re not going to like this. I
promise you.” But to counter this prediction he carefully, expertly circled the
vibrator over her sensitive clit again and again as he crowded her. Just the
way she liked to be crowded.

“I will.”

What kind of sick bastard was he to do this? He should be
scaring her away because he was dangerous in his present state, not luring her
in. “Say it. Say ‘I’ll be your whore’.”

“I’ll be your whore, Master.”

“Keep repeating it and don’t come. I want you dripping with
need. Sweating for release. Prove to me what kind of an excellent whore you are
and maybe I’ll make you mine.”

“I’m your whore, Master.”

“Louder.”

“I want to be your whore, Master.”

As she continued to speak, Ted ignored her mashing up the
phrase and went after her. With one hand between her legs he used his other to
guide his cock between her cheeks. Rubbing and stroking her delicate flesh with
his hardness. Lightly skimming over her opening with each pass until she
shuddered and shuddered some more.

“Don’t come,” he ordered, wanting his words to sound harsh,
but they didn’t. “Relax.”

When she sank deeper against the wall, he angled his cock
head, touching it against her entrance, and waited a ten count before he pushed
to increase pressure until he slid a little ways into her. Immediately her
muscles clenched, trying to keep him out.

“Use your safe word.”

She didn’t.

“Have some caution. You can’t want this.”

She continued chanting those words that now ran one in to
the other. Almost indistinguishable. Clearly she was prepared to go through
with this.
Why wouldn’t she? You’re holding her on the brink of ecstasy, you
evil bastard.

“Shhh, stop talking and relax. Focus and expect that this is
going to hurt. I want you to turn the pain into pleasure and if you can’t do
that, use your safe word, understood?”

“Yes,” she panted, “Master.”

Ted knew he had a captive audience behind them. In between
Jo’s heavy pants he could hear others breathing just as hard. Not that he
blamed them. His cock was aching to slide up inside her so bad he was nearly
drooling at the prospect.
You’re supposed to be reassuring her that she
won’t like this. Punish her another way.

“Don’t fight me. Open yourself up.” He bent and nuzzled his
jaw between her chin and collarbone and she immediately responded.
You cruel
bastard. Don’t seduce her. Scare her away.
“No tension. Relax.”

A minute ticked by while all he did was repetitively bite
the sensitive cord of her neck. Over and over and harder and harder until she
shook and groaned. Creaming the bullet with a fresh wave of silky hot wetness.

“No coming. Push back. Easy,” he breathed in her ear.
“That’s right. God, you’re tight.”

She drew in a breath.

“Relax.”

Jesus, she did. With a sigh she collapsed against the wall
and he followed her. Then with one thrust, he was buried right in deep. Now he
was left drawing in air as her inner muscles clamped around him like a velvet fist.

He shifted the bullet that was so slick it was hard to hold
and taunted her swollen flesh with it. “Pant through it. Deep. Even. That’s a
girl. Three more pushes. You can do it…”

“I—”

“Two.” He ground into her.

“Oh God.”

“Breathe. Push back. All the way back until you feel my
balls crushing against you,” he whispered. “It feels good, doesn’t it?”

She moaned, “I—”

“Only one more, Jo. One more full sweep in…Mmm, this is
nice.” He flexed against her. “Let go. Come for me. Come for me now.”