Page 26 of Playing with Forever
“Around Christopher?” I snorted and shook my head. “No, just pissed off most of the time. I’m sure I’m just imagining things.”
“But maybe you’re not, so trust your instincts,” he said, his tone gruff. “If your gut is telling you that someone is watching you, then be aware and vigilant of your surroundings. And if anything else strange happens, then you tell me immediately, okay?”
I resisted the urge to salute him. “That sounds like an order,sir.”
His eyes darkened as he stared down at me, gaze narrowed. “Trust me, it is. And one you don’t want to ignore. I also want you to text me when you get home from work from now on.”
I held up a hand to stop him. “Okay, that’s a bit much. You aren’t the boss of me, and I’m not one of your clients.”
Chase’s jaw clenched. “I want to make sure that you’re safe.”
I sighed, not pleased with his over-bearing attitude. “Chase, I thought someone was watching me. And that could be true. It’s nice to know that you don’t think I’m crazy. But it could’ve just been a nosy neighbor watching from their window, and the car thing…they could have been headed to Summerlin, too. There was no direct threat, and I don’t think I need to start reporting my whereabouts to you every day.”
“I’ve seen how quickly these situations can escalate—”
“There is no situation!” I said, raising my voice loud enough that the valet glanced our way. I exhaled a breath and lowered my tone. “Here I was worried I was overreacting but you’ve got that covered.” I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m fine.”
“You might not be,” he said, determination flashing in his eyes. “Consider this an order from your dom.”
My jaw dropped open, and it took me a moment to respond. “Oh, no, you don’t,” I snapped. “You don’t get to use the dom card outside of our playtimes. What’s next, you telling me what I can and can’t eat? Who I can or can’t see in my free time? You don’t control me, mister.” I poked a finger into his very hard, very solid, very unyielding chest. “Let’s get that clear right now. If I’m not in a scene with you, you don’t get to tell me jack shit.”
Chase looked at me for a long moment, a quietness settling over his body. It made him look intimidating, threatening even, and a hot anticipation pooled in the pit of my stomach.
Chase wasn’t some mafia boss and he wasn’t truly dangerous. But right now? I felt like he could be, at least for a scene. And that illicit fantasy playing out in my mind, of him overpowering me, got me embarrassingly wet.
“You think I can’t control you?” he asked, his voice as dark and menacing as his expression. He grabbed my elbow in a firm, unshakeable hold and guided me toward the front doors to the club. “We’ll see about that.”
Oh, shit.I felt like I’d just taken a leap off a cliff without realizing it—but I also suspected I was going to enjoy the fall.
CHAPTER10
Chase
Andrea told me she felt like she was being watched, and suddenly my head was full of worst-case scenarios. One thought circled repeatedly in my mind, over and over:I can’t lose someone else.
The military warned us when we were recruited, I did want to give them credit for that. Not right away, of course. First they sold us on how it would pay for our education, give us valuable skills that would ensure us quality civilian jobs for the rest of our lives, how we’d be heroes, how we would be proud of ourselves, how we could always hold our heads high knowing we had pushed ourselves to limits most people couldn’t even imagine, and conquered.
But later on, towards the end of Navy WARCOM training and right before we were shipped off for our first assignment, that’s when they warned us.You might not all make it. You will lose friends.
I didn’t think anyone could prepare you for just how close you would become with the people who served with you, the others in your unit that were a part of your daily lives. ‘Brotherhood,’ they called it, but that word didn’t really encompass everything that connection entailed. I had a brother and I adored him even if I’d never let the little shit’s head swell by telling him. I’d die for Austin. What I’d had with my WARCOM team… it was something unquantifiable. A bond forged through shared hardships, loyalty, and absolute trust. It was knowing with absolute certainty that the person standing next to you would risk their lives for yours, and you’d do the same without hesitation.
So yes, they had warned us. But I didn’t think it was possible to really prepare someoneenough. Especially not when those same fears spilled over into my civilian life and my job as a security specialist, as a man trained to protect clients who were purposefully targeted.
Andrea’s words made every possible bad scenario flash through my mind, of how things could change on a dime when a possible threat wasn’t taken seriously. The thought of something bad happening to her ramped up my anxiety in ways that shocked me, when I was far more level-headed with the clients I was hired to protect.
I can’t lose someone else. I can’t lose someone else. I can’t lose someone else.The words cycled through my head like a mantra, and she thought she could be a brat about my worry? My genuine concern? She was about to learn otherwise.
Andrea wisely remained quiet as I checked us in and led her up to one of the private rooms I’d secured for the night. Most of the time I tried to get a private room, but with other women, if I ended up playing with them in an open area, I never cared. But with Andrea, I was possessive and territorial…I wasn’t about to let anyone see her like this but me.
“Strip,” I ordered once the door closed behind us, my tone sharp and uncompromising.
As if sensing how tautly wound I was, she didn’t fight back. No snarky remarks. She did as she was told, quickly removing her sexy little dress and then the red, lacy, barely there lingerie she wore beneath. If I was in a better mood I would have stopped her, would have taken the time to appreciate the way those scraps of scarlet fabric looked against her pale complexion, how the sheer panties gave me a teasing glimpse of her pussy and the push up bra framed her perfect breasts.
As soon as she was completely nude, she walked toward the bed. I intercepted her before she could settle herself there, grabbing her arm and leading her to the St. Andrew’s Cross in the room. She gave me a curious glance, but again, she didn’t balk or resist as I quietly and efficiently secured her wrists and ankles against the wooden planks so that she was restrained and standing spread-eagle, locked into position, unable to move. Naked and vulnerable and breathtakingly gorgeous.
I tucked a finger beneath her chin and tipped her head back, forcing her to look at my face and see the displeasure etched there. “You have no idea the control I have over you,” I growled furiously. “But you’re about to find out. You’re going to learn toobey.”
Andrea’s breath came quick and fast, her eyes wide as she stared at me, but not in fear. No, her complexion was already flushed with arousal, her nipples as hard as pebbles, and I had no doubt if I slid my hand between her thighs she’d already be soaked. I ran my fingers down the side of her neck, feeling her tremble.Christ.Just seeing her like this got me so unbelievably hard.
