The Secret (14 page)

“
I have a lot of respect for the institution of marriage,” he nods. “Furthermore, your daughter is a very intelligent woman, Mrs. Ryan. If she thought I didn’t have enough respect for her or our relationship, I have every confidence that she never would have given me a second glance, much less accepted my marriage proposal.”

“Can I be honest with you, Mr. Mitchell?” she asks.

“Of course,” he answers immediately before giving her his signature cocky grin. “And please, call me Chase. After all, we’re practically family.”

“I think your tone is inappropriate for the seriousness of this conversation.”

“And I think comparing your daughter to mashed potatoes is inappropriate.”

The matching
clanks of their forks against the plates in front of them is loud enough to cause a collective jump at the table.

“Would you really like to discuss inappropriate behavior? Because I don’t think you
or
my daughter will fare well, young man.”

“Well, Mrs. Ryan, I’m not ashamed of
anything
I’ve done with your daughter, so you might be surprised.”

“Chase, please stop,” Sophie whispers quietly,
obviously desperate to end this conversation.

“I doubt that,” Grace snips at Chase, completely ignoring her daughter
.

“Yeah,”
Analise snorts from my side, pushing me to my limit. “So do I.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Debbie says from the other end of the table, finally putting an end to the argument.

“I agree,” I say. “If you’ll excuse us,” I glance over at Analise who is silently fuming beside me. “Analise, may I speak with you privately please?”

“Yes,” she says, glaring at Sophie across the table before standing to follow me. “I’m sorry,” she says q
uietly once we begin rounding the corner.

“Quiet,” I snip at her, taking her hand in mine and making my way towards the
guest bathroom at the far end of the house.

Opening the door and holding her grey eyes, I usher her inside and shu
t the door, locking it behind me. When I turn to face her, I can see the regret in her eyes, but she’s still fuming.

“Drake,” she starts, but when I raise my eyebrows, she stops talking.

“Analise,” I shake my head, turning the water on in the sink to muffle the sound of our voices. “I don’t really think you’re in the position to be so informal right now, do you?”

“No, Sir,” she says softly, lowering her eyes.

“Look at me,” I order and her eyes meet mine immediately. “Do you remember when I told you what our relationship would consist of what I told you would remain number one on both sides?”

“Yes, Sir,” she answers quietly.

“Say it.”

“
Respect,” she whispers.

“
Respect,” I nod my agreement. “I told you that you would be expected to respect me by giving me your loyalty, your faithfulness and your honesty at all times, didn’t I?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Do you feel that I’ve kept my side of the agreement by giving you all of these things?”

“
Yes Sir.”

“
Yes, I have yet you’ve been trying my patience all day, Analise. Patience, I might add, that I’ve overextended for
you
. I’ve taken your feelings into consideration. I know this is hard for you because he’s your brother, but Chase is like mine. I’ve not said one disrespectful thing to you through all of this, yet you’ve repeatedly disrespected me by ignoring my warnings. I’ve had enough.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Quiet,” I say. “I’ve done everything I can to help you avoid this, but you’ve left me no choice, Analise,” she looks at me in question. “Do you remember what I told you would happen if you didn’t obey me?”

“Yes sir,” she whispers
nervously.

“What happens when you’re not a good girl,
Analise?”

“I’m punished, Sir.”

“That’s right,” I say. “And have you been a good girl?”

“No Sir.”

“No, you haven’t,” I agree, watching her swallow hard as I begin unfastening my belt and hold her eyes. “On your knees.”

Chase

“I know that everyone is under a lot of stress right now,” Debbie says. “But this is Christmas Eve and we’ve all been very blessed this year. We need to put our grievances aside and enjoy each other, not be at each other’s throats.”

“Debbie, I was talking to Sophia…” Grace starts, but is cut off.

“I don’t care, Grace, this is still my house,” she snaps, giving me a glimpse of where Sophie got her tough streak from. “We all have our differences, but there is a time and a place and my table at Christmas Eve dinner is neither.”

Silence falls over the table for a moment before Sophie’s quiet voice begins.

“Should we wait for Drake and Ana to eat?”

“No,” Jack and I tell her at the same time.

“I agree, Honey,” Debbie says to her sweetly. “I made you your favorite and you know it’s not as good once it’s cold.”

As Sophie’s eyes take in the bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese, she gives Debbie a teary smile.

“Well, that’s just not true at all,” she jokes. “I think you could freeze this stuff into popsicles and it would still be amazing, Aunt Deb.”

“
Thank you, Honey,” she chuckles, piling a large portion onto her plate.

“Debbie?” Grace says from across the table
. “Do you make that the way Frank did?”

“Of course,” she says with a
wink in Sophie’s direction, making her smile. “Sophie wouldn’t love it so much if I didn’t make it like her Daddy.”

“This is your dad’s recipe?” I ask her
with a small smile as she hands the bowl to me.

“Yes,” she says. “You have to try it. It’s
so
good! Isn’t it Jack?”

“It’s pretty amazing,” he nods in agreement
with a small chuckle. “Save me some, Soph.”

“Sorry,” she grins across the table at him. “You snooze you lose.”

“I’ll remember that when you want some of this pie I’ve got stashed over here,” he winks at her, laughing when she feigns offense.

“Unc
le!” she chuckles. “I’ll let you have some, just please don’t take all the pie!”

“That’s
full of cheese and heavy cream, Sophia Paige,” Grace interjects, wiping the smile off my girls face. “If you’re having pie, you may want to make sure you don’t go overboard. Remember, a moment on your lips, a lifetime on your hips.”

What the fuck is wrong with this woman?

“Grace!” Debbie says in shock from across the table.

“What? She wants to get married so badly,” she says in a saccharin sweet tone. “I’m sure she wants to look her best for Prince Charming
here. I’m just trying to help!”

“Okay, I’m done,” I start, angry and determined to make my point no matter how childish it might be.
Taking the bowl from her hand, I pile a massive portion on Sophie’s plate. Honestly, more than even I could eat, but I can’t stop. When I’ve all but emptied the serving bowl on her plate, I set it down with a thud and face my girl.

“Chase…
” she starts, her eyes round from the shock of my reaction, but I can’t hold my tongue anymore.

“
Sophie Ryan, I want you to listen to me. I love your hips. I don’t care if you gain five hundred pounds and I have to shove your ass in a wheel barrow and roll you down the aisle. If you don’t eat every single bite of that macaroni and cheese, so help me God I will call off this wedding
myself
,” I tell her seriously. Taking a bite of my ham, I look at her mother and smirk. “And she’s eating pie, too, Grace. All of it.”

“Dude,” Jack says, trying h
is best to reign in his amusement. “There are five pies over here.”

“Well then I hope you’re hungry, Baby, because you’re eating that pie,” I say
, turning to Grace. “She’s eating all of it,” I tell her around my fork as I take another bite of ham. “Debbie? This ham is so good. Thank you for inviting me to dinner,” I say letting out a long sigh of relief for finally having spoken my mind, childish as it was, as I drain my wine glass. “God, I feel better!”

Ana

The look in Drake’s eyes tells me not to question him. I know he’d never hurt me, but if I’m being honest, I’m nervous.
He’s never punished me before and although I know I’ve more than earned it. This is a turning point in our relationship, one I want desperately if I’m being honest, but even knowing that doesn’t ease my anxiety.

“
Dra-, err… Sir?” I stammer.

“
Analise,” he breathes against my mouth. “Are you going to use your safe word?”

“No… No, Sir. It’s just that…” I try, but he cuts me off.

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes, Sir,” I say immediately.
“Of course.”

“Then there’s nothing else to talk about right now,” he says, loosening his tie as he stares into me with his icy, dominant glare. “That pretty little mouth of yours has done nothing but get you into trouble, has it not?”

“It has, Sir,” I admit, nervous when he pulls the tie from his neck.

“Then do as I say,
Analise. I won’t tell you again,” he warns, his icy blue stare holding me as he points to the space on the linoleum in front of him. “On. Your. Knees.”

Slowly, I k
neel in front of him and I sit back on my feet. I watch as he holds my gaze before silently walking around to face my back. I’m surprised at first when I feel him lower behind me until I realize why he’s removed his tie. Securing my wrists and ankles behind me in seconds, he’s got me hogtied in the middle of Debbie’s guest bathroom faster than a rodeo champ.

Moving to st
and in front of me again, he bends down so that his lips brush my ear and I can hear him clearly over the running water of the sink.

“Do not let anyone hear you,” he
warns, his grip on my chin firm but gentle. “If you do, I will punish you again. Nod if I’m understood.”

Slowly, I nod my head yes.

“You will not be able to use your safe word,” he stares into my eyes. “If you need to stop, lift your left knee. Lift it now to show me you understand.”

With some effort, I lift my knee from the carpet
and he nods.

“Do you have any questions?”

“Why won’t I be able to use my safe word, Sir?”

Running the pad of his thumb over my lower lip, his mouth on my ear
causes a slight tremor of anticipation to run up my spine.

“Because
you owe me an apology and this mouth of yours has been nothing but trouble today, Analise,” he tells me in a low voice. “I think it’s time we put it to good use.”

Standing in front of me, he pushes his pants down and frees himself. Just the sight of him makes my center ache with need.
Gripping the back of my hair roughly, he pulls me up on my knees fully again so my lips are directly in front of him.

“Open,” he orders.

Parting my lips wide for him, he pushes into my mouth and holds my head back, angling my throat so that I can take as much of him as possible. With no other warning, he begins thrusting into my mouth roughly. Unable to stifle a groan, he grips my hair tighter into his fist.

“Be. Quiet.” he commands me.
“Last warning.”

When I comply, he continues his assault on my mouth. Pushing into me deep, he slams the tip of his swollen member against the base of my throat, nearly gagging me with his length. Between his securing me with his tie and his grip on my hair, he controls my movement completely.
He plunges into me hard and fast, not wasting any time in taking what he wants from me. As he begins to pulse in my mouth after minutes of fucking me ruthlessly, my eyes flutter closed in pleasure and he grips my hair harder than ever.

“Open them,” he snaps roughly and immediately, I comply. Only seconds later, he pushed his hips forward a final time, filling my mouth. “Swallow.”

Doing as I’m told, he holds my gaze and pulls himself from my mouth. Adjusting his pants, he kneels in front of me and pushes the hem of my dress up around my hips before telling me to sit. He moves my tiny black thong to the side and runs his fingertips across my folds, letting out a low hum when he discovers how wet I am.

“Ride it,” he says, surprising me as he slips two fingers inside
and begins working me over. Still restrained, I’m able only move slightly. I’m already so turned on by the taste of his release on my lips that I’m able to work myself up in no time. Running his thumb over my clit, I’m panting uncontrollably in no time. As I approach my climax, he bites down on my lobe before whispering huskily into my ear. “Who do you belong to, Analise?”

“You, Sir,” I pan
t, feeling myself climb.

He plunges deeper, sending a bolt of pleasure before
he skims his thumb against my swollen clit, making me buck.

“Who owns you, Baby?”

“You, Sir,” I whimper.

A second thrust
of his fingers followed by another swipe of his thumb has me bucking against him again with a stifled moan.

“Your body?
Your pleasure? It belongs to me.”

“Yes, Sir!”

Another deep thrust of his fingers and I buck against him again, biting down on my lip to quiet the impending orgasm that’s building.

“You
will
do as you’re told from now on.”

“Yes, Sir!
I promise!”

One more thrust, one more swipe across my clit is all I need.

“Remember that, Analise,” he says as he pulls his fingers away from me abruptly and slips them into his mouth, sucking them clean.

Letting out a low whimper, I stare at him with a horrified expression. He ignores my shock as he bends around me and untangles the tie from around my ankles and wrists quickly. When he faces me again, I can’t stop the tears of frustration that are welling up in my eyes.

“You may not touch yourself, you may not come until I’ve given you permission. Do you understand?”

“
Dra-”

“Am I understood?” he cuts me off.

“Yes, Sir,” I finally answer with a stifled sob.

“
Come here,” he whispers, helping me up and replacing my clothing to its original state and handing me a brush from the counter. “Put yourself together so we can go back out. We’ve been gone long enough.”

I do as he says while he watches me from behind where he replaces his tie straightens himself out. When I turn to face him again, he grabs a tissue from the counter and runs it under my eyes gently.

“Don’t cry, Analise,” he says in a softer voice.

“Yes, Sir,” I sniffle, reigning in my emotions as best I can.

“And please don’t make me do this again,” he warns once I’ve dried my tears before shutting the water off in the sink.

“I won’t
,” I promise him.

“Good girl,” he
whispers against my lips as he kisses me gently.

I glance at him as he opens the door, amazed at how put together he looks as he takes my hand in his.

Nobody would ever guess what we’d just done in that bathroom.

“You need to apologize,” he says in a low voice.

“Yes, Sir,” I answer him as we round the corner.

“Good girl,” he says softly as he presses his lips to my temple. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

As the dining room table comes into full view, I’m honestly surprised at the difference a few minutes has made.

Although you could still cut the tension with a knife, Chase is leaning back comfortably in his seat while Jack and Sophie look at him in amusement. Debbie is grinning widely and Grace? Well, she’s wearing her signature scowl.

“God, I feel better,” I hear Chase say to Debbie. Her loud, belly laugh both surprises and pleases me.

“You are more than welcome, Honey,” she beams at him and shakes her head in amusement. “Ah! There they are!” she says when she sees us approaching.

“I’m sorry we were gone so long,” Drake says gracefully as he pulls my chair out for me and waits for me to sit.

“That’s okay, Handsome,” she says, winking at Drake and making him smile. “You kids get everything worked out?”

“Yes ma’am,” I answer, trying my best to not blush or sound as frustrated as I am.

My entire body is aching with need to the point of slight pain. The idea of not knowing how long I’ll need to wait for relief is nearly unbearable.

“Good,” she answers me, seemingly oblivious to my misery. “Well y’all dig in.”

“Yes ma’am,” I say with a small smile.

Looking across and finding Sophie and Chase’s eyes looking back at me.

“
Soph, I’m sorry for what I said…” I start before her plate catches my attention and stopping my words. “Oh! My God!”

Beside me, Jack chokes on his sweet tea and turns his head away from the table, covering his mouth
with his napkin quickly.