Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“What the fuck?” She muttered the words as if she was too shocked to even try to hold them back.
I gave a commiserating wince and continued revealing every dirty detail. “It wasn’t until after my parents’ death that I was introduced to BDSM. Having control when everything else spun out of reach settled me, and she participated with me. Eagerly. At least I thought so. I found out during our divorce that she’d only played along to garner cropped videos and photos of marks. She threatened to use them as proof of abuse if I didn’t give in to everything she wanted. She threatened to tarnish my father’s name and company by telling everyone I abused her because my father abused my mother. Which is fucking insane because my father worshipped the ground she walked on, and my mother was a strong woman who’d never allow any form of abuse.”
I sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it to calm myself down. I still struggled to accept the way she threatened my family after they’d been so accepting of her. My mother had reservations, but still supported our relationship. I’d been too naïve and in love to listen. And she’d assumed she’d be around to pick up the pieces if she was right. After another deep breath, I wrapped up the long story. “I needed to save my parents’ reputations and ended up agreeing to what I had to, almost losing my company in the process. Which was when Felix stepped in and made his bargain.”
Unable to meet her gaze and try to decipher what she was thinking, I focused on the steady thrum of her pulse at the base of her neck and the soft skin of her waist where my thumbs stroked back and forth.
The silence ticked by for excruciating seconds.
I held my breath, trying to prevent myself from regretting the word vomit I’d just unleashed.
Fuck.
I should have kept it to myself.
Is she going to get ideas now?
Is she going to try to do the same thing?
No. I have a prenup.
And I don’t love her.
The last thought sent my heart sinking into my stomach, making everything worse.
“Wow,” Aspen finally said, halting my mental spiral. “She wasn’t just a bitch. She was an epic fucking cunt.”
All the breath I’d been holding came out in one big laugh that had her laughing with me. She shook in my arms, somehow reviving my cock after that depressing tale. The light, but husky, sound wound around my deep chuckles and tugged my tension free, making me lighter than I’d felt in years.
Slowly, our laughs faded, leaving us smiling at each other.
“Why did you step in today? Especially since you’re never one to judge other women.”
Aspen heaved a sigh. “Even if I hadn’t read the bitch written all over her face, I saw the way you tensed.”
Of all the explanations, I hadn’t expected that one. Other than Grace, Felix, and occasionally Corbin and Rose, no one had stood up for me since my parents died. Remembering the warmth and security when she did, had a lump growing in my throat. Unwilling to acknowledge it, I pushed past it with a joke. “So, you came to save the day. Even though I’m an arrogant asshole.”
“Yeah, but you’re my arrogant asshole. And I take care of what’s mine. I defend what’s mine. Even if this isn’t some love match, we’re partners, and that’s what we do for each other. Which means,” she said, dragging the word out, her face scrunched around a smile. “I’m the only person who gets to be a bitch to you.”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, lowering my voice, focusing on her last sentence, and ignoring the swelling tide of feelings her other words threatened to drown me under. I’d had enough emotional confessions to last me a lifetime. And now the only thing I wanted to feel was her wet heat wrapped around me.
“Mm-hmm.” Her eyes turned to molten gold as she dragged her nails down my chest to my belt.
I slid my hands down to her bare knees before working my way back up and under her skirt. “Does that mean you’re my bitch?”
She reached into my pants, pulling me out. “I can be whatever you want.”
“I want you out of that skirt and on my cock.”
“Yes,” she whimpered.
I pulled her panties aside. “Good girl.”
“Just one thing.” She raised up and held me poised at her entrance. So close to everything I wanted, but so far.
“Anything.”
Her smile turned devious and taunting. “Even though you think of me as your hero, saving you from the big bad bitch,” she said, slipping down an inch with a gasp before continuing. “Make sure you don’t fall in love with me.”
She dropped, sinking me into her to the hilt, ripping a groan from my chest so rough and desperate that I barely registered my own words given back to me. I knew she said them to be playful, but the more she rocked over me, the more I forgot why I said those words in the first place.