Curtains (9 page)

"
I will not be treated like that, ever again
,
"
I whispered to her, and to myself.

"
And
I
'
m glad yo
u
'
ve seen the light. Just do
n
'
t let it blind you from seeing the guy who deserves you
,
"
she said, nodding to the bartender to refill her glass.

Maybe I was being an ass by dragging it out, or maybe the Old Fashioned I was drinking was doing a good job of making my situation a little less serious, less devastating. Either way, I was less angry, and for the first time in a week, I felt like I could recover.

And I missed him.

"
Ladies, these drinks are on the gentlemen at the table behind you
.
"
We looked over our shoulders and lifted our glasses in thank you.

"
Thank you
,
"
Molly said flirtatiously in a sing-song tone.

"
Happy New Year
,
"
I said cheerfully.

Minutes later, the four of us were making small talk. I had protested Molly leaving the seat next to me, and was stuck in the position of entertaining Luke, a dark-haired, dark-eyed friend of the gentlemen that Molly had quickly become smitten with. I made polite conversation, but gave no indication whatsoever that I was interested. In truth, I felt guilty and was on edge with the way he was looking at me. I had dressed in a sexy, form fitting, backless dress and worn a curtain of pearls that draped down the center of my back to cover some of my exposed skin. After a week of infomercials and Ben and Jerr
y
'
s, I wanted to feel like a woman again, a decision I was regretting as the man to my left fucked me with his stare.

Nothing about the situation felt innocent and suddenly I needed to talk to Rhys. I pulled my phone from my clutch and saw I had just gotten a text.

R: He could
n
'
t make you come with a detailed map of your clit and an instructional video.

Oh, shit!

I looked over my shoulder and scanned the bar, coming up empty.

I sat stunned as Luke spoke in circles. Pausing when it was my turn to reply, I completely drew a blank.

"
I
'
m sorry. What were you saying
?
"

I could feel his eyes on me, though I could
n
'
t see him. My mother must have told him where to find me. She and I would have to have a long talk about boundaries. She had never interfered before, but I could
n
'
t help but smile about the fact that I knew whose side she was on tonigh
t
—
or i
n
the last week, for that matter; it was
n
'
t mine. Luke trailed his hand down my shoulder and I flinched at the contact. I looked over my shoulder and found Rhys standing close, fury in his stare. He closed his eyes briefly, as if in pain, and walked out of the bar.

"
I
'
m sorry, Luke, but
I
'
m in a committed relationship
.
"
I took a twenty out of my purse and signaled to Molly that I was leaving. She gave me
a
'
please do
n
'
t go loo
k
'
as I stood, waiting for her to join me, but she refused.

"
I expect a call or text in a few hours
,
"
I said to Molly, shrugging into my coat. As I made my way towards the door, I quickly texted him.

V: Where are you?

I walked outside the bar and saw his taillights as he drove out of the parking lot.

What in the hell?

I got into a cab and was at his door within minutes. I turned the knob, and was rewarded. He stood at the foot of his stairs, looking gorgeous in a tailored suit as he gripped the top of a freshly filled tumbler that rested on his thigh, his phone in hand. The house was completely dark except for a small amount of light gracing the stairway from above. I could feel his frustration, and see it in his eyes.

We stared for a full minute before I took a step toward him.

"
Do
n
'
t come any closer
,
"
he warned, eyeing me
.
"
I
'
m angry
.
"

"
Why did you leave
?
"
I asked, ignoring his warning
.
"
Why are you so angry, Rhys
?
"

"
Why
?
"
His laugh did not indicate in any way that anything was funny.

I unbuttoned my jacket, let it fall to the floor as I took another step forward.

"
Do
n
'
t, Violet
,
"
he warned, gripping his drink and tapping it lightly against his thigh, making his ice cubes clink. I stared at his glass, mesmerized by the memory of what those small cubes could do to me. As if he read my mind, he threw his glass against the front door, shattering it along with my confidence.

"
You never do listen do you, Violet
?
"
This time he took a step forward
.
"
You took yourself away from me for another week. I give you space and I find you at a bar, dressed like
that,
sitting next to a man tha
t
'
s not me.
I
'
m angry, Violet, and right now I want to hurt you with my cock. I want to fuck you until it really hurts and if you take another step forward,
I
'
m going to do just that
.
"

I damn near moaned at his words as I pulled my arms out of the sleeves of my dress, baring my breasts to him, letting the remainder of my dress rest on my hips. He refused to look at my peaked flesh as he glared at me. I swallowed hard, pushing the material over my hips slowly and letting it fall to the floor. I pulled the curtain of pearls from my back to the front of me, covering my front half with the silky strands as I took a step forward. He pulled his belt off and held it as his side. I took another step forward as he held up his hand, trying to pin me where I stood.

"
I need you, Rhys. Please do
n
'
t make me beg
.
"

"
What do you need? Me or
my cock,
Violet
?
"
I took another step toward him as he perused my body, lust clear in his eyes.

"
Both
,
"
I admitted, taking yet another step forward
.
"
I do
n
'
t want to fight. I just wan
t
—
"

"
You do
n
'
t know that, either
,
"
he said, gripping the belt tighter.

"
Rhys, I was
n
'
t with him. I wa
s
—
"

"
This is m
e
...
"
he said, pulling me to him by my long necklace and twisting the pearls so they constricted around my neck
,
"
jealous
.
"

I placed my hands on his chest, staring into his cold grey depths, mouth parted and pussy aching to be filled. He turned me to face the front door as he gripped my arms behind my back, securing them just above my elbows with his belt. It was painfully tight and the buckle dug into my skin. He pulled back on the pearls so that I was looking up at the ceiling, arms bound and completely at his mercy. I gasped at the strength in which he was handling me. I braced myself for the slap of his hand or more harsh words, but he stood there, his breathing heavy, his erection brushing against my back.

"
Fuck, please, Rhy
s
..
.
please
.
"
I felt the warmth spread between my legs as my heart pounded. I did
n
'
t care how desperate I sounded. I needed his touch, his cock, his lips, and fingers covering and consuming me.

He turned me around to face him again as I leaned in, bracing myself for his touch
.
He ripped the triangle covering my center away easily as he covered me in his steely gaze
.
Oneswipe of his finger or flick of his tongue would ignite me, set me off. He was so insanely beautiful. No man had ever looked this appealing to me. His shadowed, chiseled features, angry eyes, and full lips had me licking mine in anticipation. His anger aroused me, though I had
n
'
t done a thing to provoke him. He was being possessive and jealous, and I loved every minute of it. It meant he wanted me, that nothing had changed for us physically. Emotionally, we would deal with the rest later. It was raw need driving us together now and I could
n
'
t wait to be filled by him, fucked by him, to be made his. His jaw twitched as he watched me arch my back as he took me in.

"
I need you inside me, Rhys
.
"

He gripped my necklace again, twisting the beads so I felt the pinch on my skin
.
"
I do
n
'
t want to hurt you
,
"
he gritted out. He was on the verge of snapping. I did the only thing I could to provoke him further.

"
Would you rather
I
'
d entertained him? Asked for his cock? Let him continue to touch me
?
"
Thousands of pearls scattered down my body and onto the floor as he ripped them away. He turned me then pushed me onto the stairs, my head pressed painfully to the side of one of the hard wooden steps as my knees pressed against one another, my bare pussy exposed and ass out. He struck me hard with his hand right on my sensitive clit and I screamed out, tears coming to the surface. Another hard slap to my clit left me pulsating as I braced myself for another, my shoulders against the harsh surface of the stairs. He thrust his fingers inside me suddenly and I heard my arousal as he fucked me with them roughly. The unzipping of his pants had his cock at my entrance in seconds and I moaned in anticipation.

"
You want me? This is what you want, Violet? Are you sure? You did
n
'
t seem so certain last week. Tell me what you want
!
"

"
I wan
t
—
"
The words barely passed my lips before he buried his thickness inside me. We both moaned as the sensation overwhelmed us.

"
You want me
?
"
he taunted as he circled his hips, pushing hard as I urged him on with my moans. His fucking was tortuously hard, almost painful, and I pushed my ass back, begging for more.

"
Fucking take it, Violet
,
"
he snapped, his hand coming down over and over again as he blistered my ass and thighs, my arms painfully bound as he gripped them with his and slammed his cock inside me. My knees screamed as the wood scraped away my skin and the weight of him bruised them as he punished me. I came almost instantly as he ripped away at my pussy, his strokes never slowing, never stopping. I heard his harsh exhale as he channeled all his anger into his fucking. He stopped abruptly, pulling me up by my bound arms, sitting down on a step and pulling me onto his length, facing me away from him.

I was rewarded with a deep moan that fueled me
.
"
Remember this, Violet
,
"
he snapped, his hands molding to my hips as he began to move, pulling me down roughly with each thrust. I arched my back, resting my head on his shoulder as he continued to punish me. He was referring to the first night he had taken me, the first time h
e
'
d had me, the night my body became his.