The Beginning of Us (112 page)

I refused to be scared of him anymore. Parker taught me to be strong. He showed me that not all relationships ended up at the hands of an abuser. I would grow. With Parker.

I quickly pulled on gray sweatpants and a black hoodie, wanting to cover as much of me as possible.

I tentatively made my way back out into the hall, the deep rumble of voices sounding through the large kitchen. When my gaze landed on Devin, something inside of me snapped. Images forced their way into my mind. Me beating the shit out of him, laughing down at his broken body like he had done to me so many times before.

“Did she tell you about her past, Parker? Or did you just fuck her right away?” Devin accused, snapping me from my thoughts.

“Whatever happens between Keely and I is none of your damn business,” Parker growled.

Devin laughed.

Both men looked my way as I closed the distance between me and them. I could feel Parker staring at me and although he was a big bad Alpha Dominating male, he needed my help whether he wanted to admit it or not.

“What do you want, Devin?” I asked, my voice small, not as strong as I had hoped.

Devin smirked and leaned against the counter as I made my way up to Parker. “I have a job for you.”

“Not going to happen. I’m done doing that shit,” I said, crossing my arms under my chest.

“Really?” Devin raised an eyebrow. “So is that why you created the firewall for Parker’s company? That’s why you put a virus in the system?”

My mouth opened and closed.

“How the
fuck
did you know about that?” Parker asked, his voice rising.

“I know people.” Devin shrugged nonchalantly.

“What the hell do you want, Devin? Are you just hear to fuck with my head? You trying to get under my skin?” I yelled.

“I’m already under your skin, Keely,” he purred.

I screamed and dove at him when heavy arms wrapped around my waist, holding me back. “I hate you. I hate you for everything. You fucking bastard. You ruined me. You destroyed me. Is that what you want to hear? Does it get you off? Does it make your dick hard?” I couldn’t control the question after question that left my lips as I continued struggling out of Parker’s grip. His hold only tightened but he didn’t quiet me. I only said what he knew needed to be said.

“It only makes my dick hard when you fight me,” Devin growled.

“That’s it!” Parker roared. “Out. Now.” He pushed me behind him and took a step towards Devin.

“Or else what, Parker? You going to have your body guards come beat me up? You never could handle your fights yourself. I always had to fight them for you, you pussy-assed little bitch. Fight me like a real man, fucker.”

My heart pounded against my rib cage as I held onto the back of Parker’s shirt. “Don’t. It’s what he wants. He’s only egging you on,” I said, holding him back.

“Listen to your little whore. How does it feel having my sloppy seconds? Can you taste me, asshole?”

In a quick move, Parker had Devin by the throat against the fridge. He slammed his head so hard against the appliance, it left a dent in the door, but that only made Devin laugh even harder. The sick bastard got off on this shit.

“Parker.” I grabbed his arm, trying to pull him off of Devin.

“You ever call Keely a whore again and I’ll gut you while you sleep. I’ll rip off your dick and piss down your throat, forcing you to taste
me
for the rest of your shitty life.” Parker leaned into Devin, tightening his hold on his throat.

Devin’s face turned red at the rough grip but his smirk only widened. “Do it. I know you want to. Fucking kill me.”

My eyes widened. “Parker, stop. Please. He’s not worth it.”

“You don’t even know Keely and yet you’re all over her. I bet she didn’t even tell you just how committed she was to me,” Devin forced out.

My stomach twisted but I ignored it.

“You never told him.” Devin laughed. “Oh, that’s fucking rich.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Parker spat.

“She really hasn’t told you. Keely, you think just by not saying it, that it never happened?”

My eyes widened, my breath coming out in small bursts of air.
Please don’t tell him. Please
.

“Tell me,” Parker demanded.

Devin chuckled. “That woman you’re protecting, that you’re fucking…she’s my wife.”

FIFTEEN

Parker’s body stiffened, his hold on Devin’s neck loosening. He looked between us, his gaze finally landing on me. “You married him?”

A lump formed in my throat at the pained expression on his face but I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. There was nothing to say.

“And
that
is what I wanted.” Devin pushed Parker back.

“How the fuck did I not know this?” Parker shouted.

“I didn’t tell you everything, my man.” Devin laughed.

“Get out. Get the fuck out of my house. Now.” Parker’s voice was even, his gaze not moving from mine as Devin made his way to the front doors.

“I’ll be seeing you again, my beautiful wife.” Devin turned to Parker and placed a thick manila envelope on the kitchen table. “A parting gift.”

I jumped when the front doors slammed shut.  “Parker?” I whispered.

He took a step towards me. “You married him. That monster. That man who took everything from you. Your dignity. Your self-esteem. Everything.”

Tears welled in my eyes but all I could do was nod. “I was young. Stupid. I…”

“You married him. And you never thought to fucking tell me this?” he yelled, slamming his fist into the fridge door.

A sob escaped my lips. “Please. I wanted to tell you. I tried—”

“When did you try, Keely? You sure gave into the sex pretty quickly.” He closed the distance between us and pushed me up against the wall. “Is that why you submitted to me? What research did you do on me?”

My body shook as he threw question after question at me. “I didn’t do any research. I swear. I’m not the one that’s trying to ruin your company. Please, Parker, you have to believe me,” I pleaded.

“Believe you?” He laughed, his eyes darkening. So cold. So very cold as they bored into me. He cupped my jaw, digging his fingers into my cheeks as he held me against the wall. “You waltzed into my company and my fucking life. You sashayed those sexy as hell hips, practically begging me to fuck you.”

I shook my head. “No. Please no. I had no intentions of getting into your bed. Please, believe me,” I cried.

His hand tightened on my throat when he me spun in his arms. “You’re just like every other woman I’ve fucked. You want one thing and that’s it, but none of
them
were married, Keely. You married him. And then you still fucked me.”

“I tried to divorce him but he wouldn’t sign the papers. I didn’t know how to tell you. I wanted to. I swear I did.” I hiccupped on a sob. “Please, Parker.”

“Oh I believe you. I believe that everything Devin said was fucking true. You were a little girl, wanting attention and the first boy that gave it to you, you spread your legs for.”

“No. I swear. That’s not true.”

He fisted my hair, pulling my head back in a rough move. “No? It’s not? Then tell me, Keely. Tell me what exactly Devin made you do. What the fuck does he have over you?”

“He got me to hack into government offices for him. Banks, security systems, and I was too scared to say no. He threatened my parents’ lives, so I did it. For them.”

“You said that you didn’t know how to do all that shit until after your dad died.”

“I knew enough but learned more after he died. Please believe me.”  The tears rolled down my cheeks and off my chin. I never wanted to hurt him. Not at all.

“Did Devin put you up to this? Did he ask you to destroy my company?”

I shook my head.

“Answer me!” he shouted.

“No,” I cried. “He didn’t. I swear he didn’t.”

Parker released me completely. “Jones will take you home.” His voice was even as he made his way to his room.

“Please talk to me. I’m so sorry,” I cried, running to keep up with him. “Don’t make me leave.” I grabbed his arm but he only shoved out of my grip. “Please.”

“Don’t fucking touch me,” he yelled, pushing me back. “Get your things. Get out. Get out of my fucking house. Get out of my life.”

I grabbed his hand, falling at his feet. “Please. I’m sorry. We can work through this.”

“How, Keely?” he roared.

“I’ll do anything. Please. I…I…”

Parker pulled me to my full height, dragging me to the room.

“Parker.”

“If you know what’s good for you, you will shut the fuck up,” he growled in my ear.

I whimpered.

“You want to test me? You want to submit to me? Falling at my feet thinking that will get you somewhere?” He shoved me face first onto a black leather bench, pulling my wrists taut and attaching cuffs around them. He did the same to my ankles, all limbs pointing and stretched to the floor.

My cries hardened at this side of him that I had never seen. “Parker.” My sweat pants were yanked down to my knees and a heavy swat landed on my rear, causing me to yelp.

“What the hell did I tell you to call me?”

“Sir,” I cried. “Please.”

“Use your safe word, Keely. But I know that you won’t. Because you like what I give you. You like the pain and the anticipation of what will come.” His voice was hard, even, and it broke my heart.

“I’m sorry,” I said over and over again.

“Sorry?” He laughed. “I’ll show you fucking sorry.” His hand landed against my ass in hard, painful swats.

My cries became harder, sobs wracking through my body until my voice became raw.

“Did Devin ever spank you??”

My eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“Did it turn you on?” His finger brushed over my opening. “You’re wet. You love the pain I give you. You want more? You asked me about masochism. You need pain to get out of your head? Is that how you found your safe place when Devin was fucking you?”

I chewed my bottom lip, holding back a whimper as he thrust his thick finger into me. His movements sped up when his other hand continued raining slaps on my rear.

“Come for me. Come against my hand. Let me hear how much you like the pain I give you,” he demanded, his voice firm.

My head thrashed from side to side. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. But my body tightened, pleasure uncoiling deep in my belly. “No.”

“You will come. You’ll come so fucking hard or I won’t stop. Come.
Now
.”

I screamed when the explosion erupted through my core. My skin tingled, bile rising to my throat at him making me come but I deserved it. All of it. Every last single piece of abuse I had ever been given, I had asked for. “Reed,” I whispered.

Parker undid the cuffs and pulled me off the bench, laying me on the large king-sized bed. He didn’t meet my gaze but I noticed the dark look of fear in his eyes. His body shook, no doubt holding back the need to take care of me. “I’m sorry,” he whispered so quietly that I almost didn’t hear him.

“Parker.” I sat up.

He jumped back, looking away. “It’s done. This?” He swallowed, his voice thick. “Is done.”

SIXTEEN

Faster than I wanted to, I packed up my things and made my way out to the limo. My body felt heavy, like all of my limbs were being pulled towards the ground. Nothing could ever get rid of the look of fear in Parker’s eyes as he forced me to submit and then use my safe word. I didn’t know much about this lifestyle but I could only imagine that being told to do something that I didn’t want to do was probably frowned upon. But did I not really want to do it? No. Of course not. I’d be a fool to deny what I felt for him. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. Punish me, yes, but only in a way that would help me grow. Make me stronger. Whole. Mend the pieces of my soul that no longer existed because of Devin.

The lump in my throat burned as I tried to swallow past it.

“Miss Price?” Jones grabbed my bags from my hands before opening the limo door for me.

I slid into the vehicle, ringing my hands in my lap.

“Give him time,” was all he said and then he shut me in.

The silence was deafening. The scent of leather, sex, and man invaded my nostrils. All I could smell was Parker. My chest tightened, the sobs wracking my body even harder as I curled into a ball.

Grabbing my phone, I dialed his number. When his answering machine clicked in, I took a breath. “Parker,” I said, my voice hoarse. “I am so sorry for everything. I never meant to hurt you. I hope in time that you can forgive me and that we can at least be friends—”

“Keely,” Parker growled, when he answered the phone, interrupting the message that I so desperately wanted to leave.

“Parker, I…I was leaving a message.” Duh. He obviously knew that. I braced myself for the yelling, screaming, but none of it came. What came next was worse. So much worse.

“Don’t call me,” he said, his voice firm and even. “Don’t think of me. Forget me.”

Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. “You don’t mean that. It was a mistake, Parker. People make mistakes,” I cried.

“A mistake?” he shouted. “I fucked a man’s wife. I don’t care that he was in fucking jail. I don’t care that you tried to divorce him. You should have told me as soon as we kissed that you were married.” His voice softened. “I could have helped you.”

“Help me?” I laughed. “How?”

“I could have gotten my lawyer involved. Right now, we could be spending the next couple of days together but no, you kept your past life from me.”

“We were separated,” I screamed. “I’m not a charity case, Parker. There’s no way in hell I would ever let you pay your lawyer to get Devin to sign the fucking papers for me.”

“And why the hell not?”

My grip on the phone tightened. “Because it’s what he wanted. He wanted me to do anything to get him to divorce me. He wanted to be paid off. It’s all about the fucking money, Parker. Don’t you get that? Devin Tate is sick in the head.”

“And you gave in. You fucking submitted to him whether you want to admit it or not.”

I shook my head. “No. Not true. You are the only man I’ve given that part of myself to.”