Gabriel's Light (Doms of Chicago) (20 page)

“Rightfully so,” Gabriel replied as he started flipping through
the printout, scanning for the yellow blocks. His lips thinned as he spotted
Caelan’s
address, even
Kalinda’s
and her men’s. Flipping through the next page, he froze when he spotted his own
name.

“Shit. My name is in there.”

Jude nodded, suddenly looking nearly ten years older. “Yeah it
is. Which is why you need to move Sophie and Zhenya. Even if you’re not out in
public, there’s still a chance
Karas
will backtrack
and find this information.”

Chapter Twenty

After checking on Sophie,
Zhenya slowly closed the door to the master bedroom with a soft snick. Thankful
her daughter was finally down for her nap, Zhenya puttered back down the hall.
It
’d been a rough week since Gabriel had laid
out the rules for her. Not that the rules in and of themselves were difficult,
it was just her own inhibitions she was dealing with that were causing her
struggle. Each night she slept next to him, but somehow refrained from asking
for his touch. Nor did he offer it. It was obvious he was serious about her
initiating any change between them. He was driving her nuts. Not only was he
was a perfect helpmate during her daughter’s early morning feedings - he’d get
up, change Sophie, then place her at Zhenya’s breast before slipping from the
room, he also was one of the most considerate men she knew.
Nothing at all like Ossie.

And because he was, she was in knots. Her libido, which had
stirred before in his presence, was now a raging bonfire. She was surrounded by
him everywhere. In his bed, his warmth drew her like a moth to a flame; in his
shower, his body soap called to her; in his kitchen, his cooking filled her
belly.
And the truly scary part is we
haven’t discussed limits.
From her group, she realized the way she’d
entered her relationship with Ossie had not been good. They hadn’t discussed
some the basic fundamentals of their relationship before he’d slipped his ring
on her finger and his collar around her throat. She’d seen him through
rose-colored glasses. If they’d even had a five-minute talk about their wants
and needs, she’d have never married him. Now she was scared she was doing the
same thing with Gabriel. Seeing only what she wanted but wasn’t actually there.
If only she could see what he liked, what he needed, without embarrassing herself
by asking.

She paused in the middle of the hall in front of his playroom.
Her tongue darted out as she studied the closed door. Did she dare?
Indecisiveness warred with her curiosity. He’d been gone for less than an hour,
claiming he had some shopping to do to replenish his pantry, and also a meeting
with Jude. She inched closer to the door. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to peek.
It’s not like he’d ever know,
her inner
vixen whispered in her ear.

But I’d be
breaking one of his rules, I’m not ready to wear his collar.

Who said anything
about him collaring you? Didn’t he promise he’d be so deep inside of you, you’d
never get him out? Isn’t that what you want,
her inner vixen taunted,
to be ridden
hard until you don’t ache anymore?

Gods yes…
She moved to the door but was saved by the ringing of the
telephone. Gabriel had promised to check in on her.
But he’s only been gone thirty minutes.
Turning in the direction of
the ringing intrusion, she gathered the flagging reins of her self-control and
forced herself to take ten steps away from temptation. She picked up the phone
on its fourth ring. “Poulanos residence.” Her voice came out raspier than she
intended, as she rode the edge of frustrated need.

“Zhenya? Is that you?” Olivia’s faint accent came across the
line.

She flushed. “Sorry, frog in my throat. What’s up?” She tried to
force a fake cheerfulness into her voice, not wanting the
Domme
on the other end of the phone to realize how close to the edge she was.

“Well, originally I called to commiserate with a fellow trapped
woman, but somehow I imagine you’re suffering more than I am at our imposed
exile from the real world.”

“Suffering? Nah.” She shook her head, even though the other
woman couldn’t see it. Sinking onto the couch, she cradled the phone between her
ear and shoulder. “Gabriel’s an awesome cook – better than Hark was. Although I
do miss going outside. At least at Hark’s, we’d take Sophie outside on nice
days. It sucks being cooped up.”

“True but you have to stay inside for…”

“…for my own protection. I get it. That’s why I haven’t
disobeyed and bolted for the door.”

“You mean aside from the fact Gabriel has promised punishment if
you do?”

Zhenya chuckled. “I wish. He’s been a gentleman through and
through.”
Well other than our first night
together, when he pushed me over the edge as easily as he makes espresso.

“Sounds like someone’s frustrated. Why don’t you do something
about it?”

She tossed her arm over her eyes. “Because I’m not sure if I
want to be collared again. I mean I jumped into my relationship with Ossie, and
look how it turned out. Me on the run – hiding with Sophie because her
grandfather’s an asshole.”

“Then tell him you’re not ready for a collar,” Olivia replied
tartly. “Besides, who says there has to be a collar involved for you to get
laid?”

“Gabriel?” she whispered, thinking about his last rule. “If I go
into his playroom, he said he’d consider me his submissive.”

A low amused chuckle came across the line. “Really? He actually
said he was going to perform a collaring ceremony on you if you peeked inside
his playroom?”

Sitting up with a frown, she tried to remember exactly how he
worded it. “Well, no…he just said something along the lines of my entering the
room meant I was ready to submit to him.”

“Then there’s your answer, Zhenya. He’s more than likely talking
about
sceneing
with you. Let me fill you in on a
tidbit of information. Just before he hightailed it up to Zion last week, he
stopped by the club looking for a submissive to scene with.”

Jealously started to pool in her stomach like acid at the
thought he’d gone to another for release, but she forced lightness into her
tone. “So he’s a man…”

“A man who happens to want you. He’s ready to come back to the
world of the living. The question here is - are you? How long has it been since
you’ve felt a man’s hands on your body? Or the thrill of submitting to
another’s mastery?”

She answered without thinking. “A week ago…”

“Hmmm, seems like there’s something else here at work. I think
the lady doth protest too much,” Olivia mused.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Zhenya chewed on her
lower lip.

“Ha, well it either has to be Gabriel or Hark, and I don’t see
Hark dominating you. He needs something different…”

Zhenya wrinkled her nose. “
Ewwwww
!
One, he needs a triad to be complete and for another, he’s like an older
brother to me.”

“Then it’s Gabriel and here you are without a collar,” Olivia
murmured, letting her words sink in. The implication her friend was suggesting
finally registered to Zhenya.

“So you’re saying if he was going to collar me he would’ve done
it the first night I was here?”

“Possibly. The point here is why you’re worried he will? Most
submissives
long to feel their Master’s or Mistress’s
collars around their necks.”

Zhenya stood and began to pace. “I…it’s not that simple, Olivia.
I wore a collar for nearly ten years and…”

“And now you’re afraid that’s how it’ll turn out this time? I’m
here to tell you, not every Master is the same, nor is how they consider
collaring a submissive. You may not believe it, but Gabriel didn’t collar Sara
immediately. They were together for several years before he finally put his
mark of ownership on her. He’s not a man to rush into things.”

Hope bubbled up inside of her. “You mean he won’t push me?”

Olivia sighed dramatically. “I wouldn’t say that, Zhenya. All
Doms
push their
submissives
. I’m
just saying in the many times I’ve watched him with a submissive, he always
communicates: checking their levels, making sure he’s giving them what they
need, while he satisfies his own lusts. Let me guess, your husband didn’t take
the time to discuss what you wanted from your relationship?” The disgust in her
voice was apparent.

“Not so much, which is why I’m struggling with this. How do I
know Gabriel won’t do the same thing? He’s been so good to Sophie and me. I’m
afraid it’s coloring my view of him. What if he wants to inflict pain and lots
of it? Or have me tie him up? ”

Olivia actually giggled in her ear. “I highly doubt that. But a
simple way to find out is to open your mouth and ask him what he wants, girl.
Don’t hide behind fear. Or hell, if you don’t have the courage to do that, a
quick tour of his playroom will answer your questions.”

“But he told me his playroom was off limits…” Her mouth dried at
the thought of going in there. But like any child, upon being told she couldn’t
do something, she was tempted to disobey.

“
Pish
, posh. He’s not there, right?
How’s he going to know you went in there?”

Zhenya had to admit Olivia had a point.

“Of course that’s assuming you don’t tell him. Just a second…”
There was a rattle and then the muffled sound of Olivia talking to someone
else. Then she was back. “Sorry, I’ve got to go. Damn vendor screwed up my
liquor order. But think about what I said, Zhenya. Ask him or go check out his
playroom. Get the answers you need.” Then the line went dead in her ear.

Letting the phone drop to the couch she slowly stood - her
decision made.

* * * *

Fumbling with his key in the
lock, Gabriel rushed into the condo. When he hadn
’t
been able to reach Zhenya by phone, he’d ditched the shopping trip to rush
home. The soft music spilling from the kitchen eased his panic.
Damn Jude for getting me all riled up.
Deactivating the alarm, he glanced around. Everything looked the same as it had
when he’d left this morning. Spotting the phone on the couch, he picked it up,
and hit the disconnect button.
Well
that’s one mystery solved.
Now where
the hell is Zhenya?
On the baby monitor he could hear the soft sounds of
Brahms’ Lullaby. Sophie was obviously napping in his bedroom. His heart melted
a little bit at the thought of her. But at the moment, he needed to assure
himself his Zhenya was still safe.

“Zhenya?” he called out, expecting her to come out of the
kitchen. When she didn’t, a quick inspection showed she wasn’t in either there
or his dining room. Tiptoeing down the hall, he wondered idly if she was in the
bedroom sleeping - taking advantage of Sophie’s nap to catch a few
Zs
.
Or better yet in
the shower.
Which of course brought to mind the possibility she was running
her soapy hands over her svelte body. His cock rose to half-mast at the
possibility. If he caught her, he was going to tie her to his bed and devour
every inch of her, including the succulent flesh at the top of her thighs.

Ever since he’d tasted her essence off his own fingers a week
ago, he’d been consumed by the need to sample it directly from the source,
until he’d taken to jerking off in the hall bath while she nursed Sophie. It’d
taken all his control to leave each night, so there wouldn’t be a repeat of
what had happened her first night. Because he knew himself. He wouldn’t be
content to give her an orgasm. He was at the end of his tether. He needed to
bury his aching cock so deep in her, she’d think he was coming out her throat.
He knew his rule about her masturbating was probably cruel, and she was more
than likely taking the edge off while he was gone.
Which meant she’s not technically breaking my rule.
The closed door
at the end of the hall mocked him. With it closed he wouldn’t be able to hear
the shower, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t. The temptation was too great, he
had to find out. He wouldn’t even mind soaking his clothes if meant he’d get to
taste her again.

He was half way down the
hall, when he noticed his playroom was ajar. His cock went from half hard to
full mast in seconds.
Jackpot!
He took a deep
breath in an attempt to control himself as he heard her moving around inside
his playroom.
Now I’ve got you, louloúdi
mou
. Pushing the door open, he slipped into the room. He immediately honed
in on her. She was standing next to the counter examining the dark tote with
silver accents he had carefully displayed with the new items Olivia had brought
to him, along with several of his time-honored favorites: the inexpensive
lotion that smelled absolutely divine, a black scarf, several candles, and more
importantly a silver pinwheel. Everything a hedonistic Master bent on sensation
play could want.

Clenching his fists, as she lifted the bottle of lotion to smell
it, he let her explore, unwilling to interrupt her. Her reaction to each item
he’d placed in his box of goodies would give him invaluable insight upon what
to use on her. The lotion, he knew from his own experience, was a light blend
of fruits and flowers complementing the sensual message oil Olivia had brought
him. Although what had pleased him after he’d tried it on his own arm, was the
reaction Zhenya had when she smelled the scent on him. She’d inhaled deeply and
a dreamy expression had crossed her face. She was a closet sensation lover.

As she opened the bottle and rubbed a drop between her fingers,
he fought to contain his groan. Even from his position by the door, he could
see the sheen of lotion on her fingers, but he remained standing there silently
observing, wondering what she’d select next. When she reached for the oil, he
waited with bated breath. He was
gonna
lose it if she
placed it on her body. He opened to his mouth to warn her, but other than
smelling it, she set it back down in the basket.