Surrender (9 page)

“Ms. Harlow. Thank you for meeting with us. Please, have a seat over there so we can get started.”

“I appreciate you taking the time to see me,” she murmured as she made her way to the empty chair. She should lift her head and make eye-contact with each person there, but suddenly her nerves were getting the best of her.

Each member of the board was a doctor, retired doctor, or important member of the community. They had high powered jobs, loads of cash, and Ari and her mother were nothing to them. For the first time she accepted that the outcome may not go the way she needed it to.

“We’ve reviewed your mother’s case and we have a few questions for you.”

Ari glanced up at the stern looking man sitting at the head of the table. The name plate before him announced him as Mr. Coolidge, who was the chairman of the board. If she could get him on her side, things would go a lot more smoothly for her. She’d done her research.

“I’m willing to answer anything, Mr. Coolidge.”

“Our pro-bono budget has been maxed out this month. We have many cases where patients don’t have enough insurance, or certain procedures aren’t covered. We take pride in offering more discounted surgeries than other places, but we do have to set a limit. After all, we are a business, and if everyone had free surgery we would go under. We’ve looked through your application and can see here that you aren’t currently working. How do you expect to contribute to your mother’s medical costs?”

“I was hired for a new job yesterday with Sunstream Electronics. I have an excellent salary and very few expenses right now. I can contribute seventy percent of my earnings each month toward my mother’s care,” she answered proudly.

“That’s a step in the right direction, but still won’t be enough. The daily stay in the hospital adds up quickly. Your mother has already been here for two weeks now and her bill is…” he paused as he flipped through some papers.
“… a little over fifteen thousand. With the surgery she needs, we’re looking at a final bill of well over two-hundred thousand dollars. Even if the hospital managed to contribute funds, you’d be expected to pay well over a hundred thousand of that. Do you have a way of obtaining a loan, or possibly selling some personal property?”

Ari’s throat closed. There was no way a bank would loan her that kind of money. She had nothing to back up the loan, no credit, and barely any work experience. Up until six months ago, she’d only been a college student. A financial institution would have to be crazy to give her the cash.

“I’ve filled out all the forms you gave me. I haven’t heard back from the businesses yet, but expect to at any time,” she squeaked past the tightness in her throat.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Ms. Harlow. This doesn’t look good. If we don’t have a solid plan within the next few days, we’re going to have to discharge your mother.”

“You can’t do that! You can’t just send her away, knowing that she’ll die,” Ari begged.

“As I told you, this is a business, Ms. Harlow. We don’t like denying treatment to anyone, but as I already told you, we can’t afford to offer surgeries to patients who can’t pay for them.”

Ari’s heart was breaking as she struggled with what to say next.

“Do you have another possible way of obtaining the funds – possibly a…
friend
who could loan you the money?”

Ari’s head whipped around as she recognized that voice. Her startled glance clashed with Rafe Palazzo, who was sitting at the far corner of the table. She’d had no idea he was a part of the hospital board. She should’ve known considering how wealthy he was. The man probably had his hand in just about everything in the city.

“I don’t know anyone like that,” she answered.

“Are you sure, Ms. Harlow? You can’t think of anyone who may be willing to help you out, maybe make a
trade
?”

Ari was stunned at his boldness. She knew exactly what he was talking about. She only hoped the other members
were clueless of his game. As her gaze collided with his, she thought about it. Could she really turn down the money for her mother’s surgery? Was her integrity worth more than her mother’s life?

She wanted to tell him that
yes
,
she would do it
. But the words just wouldn’t come out. All she could think about beyond the panic and defeat was her mother telling her to not sacrifice herself. If she did this and her mom found out, she’d never forgive Ari.

She had to breathe
deeply through the blackness wanting to overtake her.

“We’ll meet with you again in a few days, Ms. Harlow to find out if you’ve made any headway in the matter,” Mr. Coolidge said, saving her from having to answer Rafe.

“Thank you,” Ari mumbled as the members of the board began rising from their seats.

Ari sat still, knowing her legs weren’t strong enough to hold her yet. She didn’t meet any of their faces as they filed past her and walked from the room. When she was sure they were all gone, she finally looked up and found herself alone with Rafe. She should have fled with the rest of the board. She didn’t want to be alone with him.

“Well, Ms. Harlow, it seems you have a decision to make,” he said with a confident smile. “Will you be accepting my very generous offer?”

Ari prayed for the floor to open up and swallow her. She’d rather be anywhere but where she was right then.

Arianna tossed in her bed, restless, unable to get comfortable. Her body was burning up, heat
scorching her from the inside out. An ache filled her core – pulsing, swollen, needing something – though she didn’t know what.

“Shh. You’ll enjoy this,” Rafe whispered.

His low soothing tone calmed her, though her body temperature rose a few more degrees.
An erotic sensation lit her senses as she felt his hands on her stomach, his fingers burning her flesh. They glided up the flat plains of her abdomen and outlined the mounds of her naked breasts. Where had her shirt gone?

“Trust me,” he whispered, his mouth caressing her ear while his hands slid underneath her arms, his fingers stroking the sensitive skin as he lifted them higher.
Clasping her wrists together, he swiftly tied a silk scarf to them.

Tight.

Before she had a chance to resist, she was locked firmly to the bed, unable to move her hands, unable to escape his touch. He kissed her wrists with feather soft pressure, his tongue gliding along her beating pulse, then moving down her arms and over the top of her collar bone.

“Do you like this, Ari? Do you want me to stop?”

“No… Please…” she pleaded with him. She wanted more. She opened her eyes, but only saw black and felt the gentle presence of a mask over her eyes, impairing her vision. Instead of fear, it only heightened her pleasure as his hands and mouth continued stroking her body.

His hands cupped her breasts, his slightly callused fingers circling her sensitive peaks, but not touching her where she ached, needed to be touched.

“What do you want, Ari?”

“...You
…”

“
Mmm. And where do you want me?”

“I want your mouth on my… on my nipples,” she cried, embarrassment washing through her, but knowing he wouldn’t touch her unless she begged him. Rewarding her, his thumbs brushed simultaneously across her peaked nipples, making her cry out.

They were painfully hard as he circled the tight buds before pinching them and drawing another cry from her. She needed more. Her legs opened on the bed, her body begging him to touch her where she ached, end the torment she was feeling.

When she was ready to cry out again, she felt the wet slide of his tongue across her nipple at the same time he pinched the other side, making her back arch off the bed from the intense pleasure.

“More!” she cried out, yearning for his touch. She pulled against her restraints, wanting to touch him, needing to pull him closer. She shouldn’t be doing this, but she didn’t care. She ached all over, her body shaking with unfulfilled need that only he could quench.

“Ah, don’t get greedy, Ari, or I’ll have to stop. I’ll just place my hardness in your sweet mouth and relieve myself, leaving you here to suffer,” he threatened as he pulled away from her breasts.

She whimpered in submission, willing to give him anything in that moment just as long as he continued what he was doing.

“Are you going to behave?” he demanded.

“Yes. Yes, I promise,” she gasped as his hand settled on her stomach.

“Good, Ari. That’s what I want to hear. I want your obedience. In turn, I’ll give you great pleasure, and you will satisfy my needs.”

“Yes, Rafe. Please, more,” she agreed with a scratchiness of pure desire in her voice.

His warm breath blew across her wet nipples, making them stiff as they reached up toward his hot mouth. His lips closed over the tight bud and
she felt him suck hard, his tongue swirling around the swollen nipples.

It wasn’t enough.

His hand began moving down her smooth stomach, his fingers dancing across her skin as he reached her thigh. His thumb grazed the pulsing flesh of her pelvic bone, teasing her as he circled her swollen womanhood without touching its center, without relieving the burning ache inside her.

She knew better than to cry out, demand more from him. If he stopped, she’d die. Surely a person couldn’t come to the brink of so much pleasure only to be left tied to the edge. She’d rather perish than feel such a pulsing desire only to be left unfulfilled.

His mouth followed his hand as he kissed her between her breasts, then moved down her torso, slowly circling her belly button, before gently nipping the soft skin of her stomach. It was all so good, every place he touched relieved the ache for a brief moment, before the burning returned even greater than before.

He moved further down, his lips caressing the inside of her thighs, his tongue sliding out to caress the soft skin where her legs met her core.
Just a little bit further…
she begged silently
.

She twisted her body, trying to lead him where she
desired him most. She heard a soft groan escape his lips as she felt his warm breath caress her swollen womanhood. The sound of his pleasure heightened her very own, knowing she turned him on...
he
actually desired
her
. A shocking thrill spiraled down her spine at the thought.

His mouth hovered over her aching heat, torturing her with his proximity, but not bending the last half inch and satisfying her. She tried raising her hips, but couldn’t as his hands were pressing her against the bed, holding her in place, right where he wanted her.

When she was ready to give up, about to go out of her mind, he closed the gap. His hands moved inward and he parted her soft folds, his thumbs caressing her inner heat as his mouth bent down and he sealed his lips over her most sensitive area.

She screamed out in pleasure as he sucked her into his mouth, his tongue quickly rubbing over her swollen mound. When he inserted his fingers deep inside her core at the same time as his tongue swirled over her bud, she exploded with triumph
ant pleasure.

Her body shook against his skilled mouth as he eased her down the crest of her wave. She sagged against the bed as exhaustion overtook her body. Her bones
felt like they were made of liquid, making her unable to move – to even breathe.

She felt the release of his mouth, then the feel of his body moving up her
own – the warmth of his skin searing across hers. She wanted to push him away, tell him she couldn’t take any more, but her hands were still bound. She couldn’t move. She was all his for the taking.

“You don’t think it’s over, do you? Are you a selfish lover, Ari?” Rafe asked as he settled his weight across her body and his teeth bit down on the soft lobe of her ear.

She could feel the tip of his thick shaft pressing against her soft, wet opening. Lacking the energy to form words she simply shook her head. He slowly pushed himself inside her, one inch at a time.

Too big!

He was going to rip her apart. He pushed deeper and she screamed. It hurt. This wasn’t pleasurable. He was too large. They didn’t fit together.

“Please stop. It hurts,” she cried out. He laughed as his lips claimed her mouth, silencing her. He thrust his tongue inside at the same time his arousal pushed fully inside her.

Ari screamed as she sat up in bed, sweat dripping off her brow. She looked around in confusion, then gasped at the ache consuming her.

“It was just a dream. You’re okay, it was just a dream,” she said
out loud. Even her words couldn’t calm her. What was that? Why was she fantasizing about Rafe? She didn’t want him. She didn’t. She had no business having an erotic dream about the man.

It had to be from their meeting earlier that day. She’d felt like a deer in headlights as he waited for her answer. Ari was still shaking from the strength it had taken for her to stand and walk from that room.

When he’d leaned over her, his mouth nearing hers, she’d almost arched her back, moved her body closer to him. She was finding his raw power to be an aphrodisiac. His seduction was hard to resist.