His Demands (15 page)

Crack!

Slapping her playfully against the
ass, he reached around and unfastened the loop on her belt. “Yes?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Better.” Broden continued to hold
her hair as he managed to tug the sash from her waist. “I’m going to show you
the woman you long to be, the one you refuse to acknowledge. For the rest of
the week you’re going to begin a journey, one you and I will endeavor together.
Remember, everything we do you have a choice. Do you understand?”

She nodded. What he was saying to
her meant more than he could understand. The words haunting but so very real,
Kaela grunted her answer. She closed her eyes as the soft material was pushed
from her shoulders, the nearly silent whoosh as the terrycloth hit the floor
giving her shivers.

“You’re going to begin something so
amazing you’re going to lose yourself in the intensity,” Broden added, his
voice dipping to a dark baritone. “Is this what you hunger for?”

Licking her very dry lips she nodded
as her hand fluttered to her mouth. “Yes…yes, sir.”

“Mmm…. Good.” Walking them both
inside the room, he exhaled as he bit down on her shoulder. “You crave an
authoritative man and one you can trust without question?”

There was a question but she knew he
didn’t want an answer as much as he needed a statement. “Yes, sir I do.” She
shivered as he pushed her further into his office, both hands cupping her hips.

“What are you willing to give your
man, the Dom who will own you, introduce you to everything you’ve ever craved?”

This wasn’t a defining moment yet
she knew what he was asking her.
Trust.
Kaela
hesitated only a few minutes.
“Everything.”
She held
her arms out, closing her eyes as she tried to envision what he might do to
her. Keenly aware she was naked, her nipples aching, she smiled. “Oh yes,
everything.”

He pushed her against his desk, arching
her back over the top and crushing her mouth. Every action one of a famished man,
he thrust his tongue past her lips and deep into her throat.

Kaela shifted, the pressure of his
heated body allowing her to slide her legs around his waist as she moaned into
the kiss. Her pussy was wet and quivering, her nipples aching and as the kiss
continued, she dug her fingers into his arms.

Broden jutted his hips forward, his
groin thrusting hard against her pussy. He eased her down and broke the kiss,
planting both hands on either side of her. Suddenly his gaze shifted and he
glanced over her shoulder, his eyes opening wide as he broke the kiss.

“What?” she breathed and brushed her
hand up and down the length of his arm. “What’s wrong?” She tried to see what
he was staring at, remaining unblinking and her heart sunk.
The
pictures.
God, he knew she’d been in his office.

Sucking in his breath, he pulled
back from her, disengaging their bodies his face angry and then a blank look
replaced his furious one. “Were you in here before?”

“What?” Her heart was racing. She
could easily tell how much her indiscretion had bothered him.

“I asked you a question, Kaela.” He
took another step back.

“You mean was I in your office?”

“You know exactly what I mean!”

The vehemence of his few words
shocked her. “I…well…”

“Well, were you?” Grabbing both
wrists, he jerked her into a standing position, his eyes flashing rage.

“Oh!” Gasping, she knew she was
shaking visibly. For a few seconds she was terrified of what he was going to
do. She’d never seen him lose control during heated business ventures or bouts
with angry customers. Even all their sparring over the last few months had
never been like this. “Broden, you’re hurting me.”

Blinking rapidly, it took Broden a
full minute to release her. When he did the look on his face was one of horror.
Stumbling backwards, he held out his hand and turned away slightly. “I
apologize.”

“No, no I shouldn’t have come in
here.
I as just looking for you and I didn’t mean to snoop.”
She took a step toward him but could tell he was trying to hold his emotions
in. “I’m sorry.”

“No, my house…my house is yours for
the week. How careless of me to leave something out. I should have told you
where I was going. Um, I have a couple calls to make. Why don’t you go take a
shower and we’ll have some breakfast. I purchased some groceries. I also managed
to purchase a few things for you and I’ll lay them out on the bed. Please take
your time and enjoy a moment of relaxation to yourself.”

His formality and clipped words were
biting enough, but when he turned and faced her, his eyes so full of sadness,
she shivered to her toes. “Okay.” Knowing she’d been dismissed in no uncertain
terms, she walked out of the room without looking back. The minute she was
outside the door she moved against the wall, folding her arms and holding in
her breath. What in the world was the man hiding? Who was the girl and why was
Broden so very haunted at the
very
thought? She closed
her
eyes,
trying to figure out how to get inside the
man she was…she was falling in love with and moaned softly. Then she heard the
most horrifying sound of all.

His anguished
cries.

Kaela stood in the shower, allowing
the water to slide down the length of her body and tried to figure out what to
say or do. There had to be an explanation for his terrified reaction, but he
was such a private man. How was she going to figure out how to broach the
subject again? Maybe she should simply leave the entire situation alone.
Groaning, she palmed the cool tile walls and dropped her head. She so wanted to
get closer to him and he had to know in order for her to be able to submit to
him completely and without reservation they had to be honest with each other.
There couldn’t be any secrets between them. Maybe just being straightforward
about her past and why she couldn’t give in easily would help.

Her own realization she’d thought
about ‘him’ for the first time in years startled her.
Him.
My God.
She allowed the water to
continued
to trickle down over her body until she realized she couldn’t hide from her
demon any longer. She also owed Broden an apology for snooping at minimum.
Hearing a noise, she looked out the frost glass doors and could see his figure,
unmoving. She moved closer to the door, longing to slide it open and invite him
inside, but the understanding about how private he was and what she’d done
prevented her. Still, she palmed the glass and closed her eyes, trying
desperately to find her voice. After a few seconds of remaining quiet she did.

“Broden.
I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” When
Kaela heard nothing for several seconds she finally opened her eyes. He was
still there, his body remaining unmoving. She had to fight not to throw open
the door. Reaching back, she turned off the water and could see he had moved
toward the door. “Wait. Please.”

Broden sighed, the sound an echo of
despair. He turned toward the door.

“No, please. I shouldn’t have
invaded your privacy but I long getting to know you, the man you keep hidden.”
She knew not to open the door. Kaela was certain she’d lost him until he
groaned.

“You don’t know the man and I don’t
think you’d like him if you did.”

“That’s not true. I love so much
about the man I know. I just want you to be able to trust me, show me the
tender side I know you have.”

“Trust?
I know you desperately need to be
able to trust a man in your life, but you don’t want to know any more about
me,” Broden said quietly.

“That’s where you’re wrong. The word
is trust. I trust you implicitly with my body and my heart.”

Growling, Broden waited a minute
before speaking. “That’s exactly what you can’t do, trust me. I’m not just
hiding secrets, Kaela, I’m a monster.”

Monster?
Where in the world had that come
from? “Whatever you think you’re hiding, you must know we all have secrets,
horrible things in our past haunting us, never letting us sleep in peace at
night.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.
I’m one who thought they could hide from the past. I refuse to bring you into
my private pain. You deserve so much better than me.”

“No. Please don’t say that. Just let
me in.” Her frustration growing, she tipped her head back and allowed a slow
breath to escape. “You’re special to me and I refuse to let you go. I refuse to
let you do this to yourself. Do you understand me?”

Tick.
Tock.

Slowly lowering her head, she
slapped her hand against the glass. He’d left the room. Despondent, she opened the
door a crack. Steam filled the room but there was no man waiting to take her.
Grabbing a towel, she scowled as she wrapped the terry around her body.

The second she climbed out of the
shower she smiled and shook her head as she closed the distance to the counter.
The basketful of assorted products from make up to hair spray was certainly a
sweet surprise. Broden wanted her to feel at home. As she eased her hand over
the assorted contents, she realized just how caring the man really was. When
she opened the door to the bedroom, she was so hoping Broden would be waiting
for her. Instead, a myriad of clothing and lingerie was draped across the
unmade bed.

She was taken aback by the beautiful
pieces, silk dresses and lace and satin bustiers, a vivid selection of thongs
and very silky and what she knew very expensive stockings. Each piece was only
in two colors, black and red – very primal. There
was
no doubt they were hand selected to whatever degree he’d managed. Shivering,
Kaela darted a glanced toward the bedroom door. This was perhaps their defining
moment.

Kaela wasn’t certain whether this
was a test, but she suspected whatever demons he was hiding were ready to
consume him, drag his very soul into the depths of Hell. Somehow she had to get
through to him. He was her kindred.

The dress was red and she wore
nothing underneath. She hoped the piece wouldn’t stay on but so long. She would
offer her trust, her body and soul. The concept was daunting, but her instinct
told her he was the man she was ready to give all of herself to. Her nagging
voice remained, but she knew if she didn’t try this she would be lost to the
devil’s chain wrapped around her neck. Maybe then he’d be able to talk with
her, perhaps forgive himself for whatever horrible deeds he was thinking about.

Glancing at her reflection, she
seemed a wide-eyed, like a woman awakening for the first time. Perhaps the
truth was hidden in so many layers neither one of them truly knew or understood
what to do. For the first time in her life she was going to go after exactly
what she wanted. And she wanted Broden, with all her heart and her body. She
was going to submit to him now and…and perhaps forever.
If
he’d have her.

Padding through the house, she knew
he had to be waiting for her in the kitchen. Hearing music, she smiled and
walked quickly. When she walked inside the kitchen she trembled. Fresh flowers
and a table full of food and wine awaited her. And there was no sign of Broden.
She licked her dry lips, a sudden realization coursing through every cell in
her brain. He was running from her, getting away from the intimacy they’d
shared, perhaps what they would share. Why?
The girl?

Her gut told her the girl was the
answer to more than just his odd behavior today. Whoever the lovely woman was,
she was haunting his life, perhaps in death. She had to find Broden and try and
get him to talk about what he was harboring so tightly inside. Sadly, she was
no expert in being able to deal with emotional trauma. She’d shied away from
that after asshole of the year had….

“No, I refuse.” Shivering, she
glanced out the window at the darkening skies, wind whipping through the trees.
The turbulent weather had come on quickly, much like a summer storm. For a few
seconds she was frightened, wishing he’d remained and talked with her. Of
course he couldn’t allow his guard down with her just yet. She’d gone from
sparring with him about everything to becoming his lover in a flash. The sex
didn’t make a relationship or garner full faith. Hopefully he’d come back soon
and they could talk to a point, maybe she could convince him to allow her to
stay.

For so many reasons she knew better.
Broden had ceremoniously dismissed him out of his life. Whatever the reason, he
refused to allow her into his inner sanctum. He was lost to something and now
she was terrified.

Kaela could also see a note placed
where she’d see the red envelope first. She was apprehensive as she walked
toward the table. Snagging the envelope and peeling back the flap, she pulled
out a note.

For a few seconds she read and
re-read the note inside. Then the tears began to fall.

Kaela,

I
wish I could be the man of your dreams, the one who showed you the joys and
conviction in a relationship of domination, but I can’t. I’m damaged in a way
even you can’t fix. I am a broken soul, lost to the past and something I can
never take back. I’ll forever love what we’ve shared but I can no longer
continue this game. I released you from your implied contract. Please feel free
to enjoy my home as I won’t be returning until late tonight.