This Love's Not for Sale (35 page)

Tucker gripped the Wartenberg wheel in his sweaty palm and steadied his movements. He
glided it over a pebbled nipple and Lilliana swallowed hard and tried to clench her thighs together, but the bindings wouldn’t allow.

“Yes, that… that thing…”

Tucker rolled it over her other breast harder, almost penetrating the delicate skin around her tightened bud.

Lilliana whined loudly and pushed her chest into it, causing the wheel to leave a s
pectacular imprint on her areola.

“My sweet Lilly, you look so
stunning right now. Tell me, I want to know what you’re feeling right now,” Tucker pleaded desperately.

“I feel like I’m floating, up, up… Oh, Tuck, please fuck me.
Take me there. I want you inside of me. Please!” Lilliana implored.

Tucker
dropped the wheel and climbed onto the bed with her and between her legs, and plunged into her. He ripped the blindfold off so he could see her eyes. The fringe of her damp with sweat lashes cast shadows over her cheekbones as she blinked rapidly trying to adjust to the light.

Tucker held onto Lilliana’s head as he stared into her shimmery eyes and whispered with a lethal calmness,
“Can you feel the bond between us growing, Lilly? Can you feel how strong my need for you is? I can feel your need for me, too, pet. It’s suffocating me, tightening around my throat like a noose, and it feels so fucking good to be breathless.”

Tucker’s strained words c
arried throughout the room and Lilliana almost sobbed her agreement. With his palms flat down on the leather and next to Lilliana’s head, he placed his ear next to her mouth to hear her velvety murmuring.

“
Fly, pet, and when you do, say my name loud and clear.”

He pushed and gr
ound into her tight depths, driving her body into the leather. Lilliana’s breathing deepened and halted, and then it came, loud and undeniably clear…

“Tucker!”

Tucker’s mind drifted in and out reality, and after several minutes of frenzied and impassioned thrusting, he got his release, and his body crashed onto the bed next to her. With the last of his energy, he released her from her bindings and pulled her roughly and almost violently onto his chest.

“My pet,” he said softly.

Lilliana’s hot breath touched her ear, “My Sir.”

Tucker and Lilliana had fallen in
to a casual yet intensely sexually heated routine. Three weeks had passed since their private collaring ceremony and all drama seemed to be behind them. Tucker was spending more time at Lilliana’s home and she found her closet overrun with his pricey suits. Lilliana smiled as she eyed the bedroom that was taking on more of a masculine look. Tucker had made his mark, not only in her home, but in her heart. She belonged to him, and every day and night was spent thinking of him and ways of pleasing him. Tucker was kind and gentle, and never took advantage of his reign over Lilliana. When she was disobedient, he guided her to rethink her actions before the heavy hand of the law was used, and Lilliana was grateful for his patience with her.

Suffice it to say, his arrogance had died down, too. Not much, but some. Despite allowing that small part of her submissive nature to come out and play, their
lighthearted banter and sarcasm was still a mainstay in their relationship, and Lilliana never let him get away with being temperamental or too pushy without speaking her mind.

Lilliana had just arrived from work to find freshly picked violets and calico bush neatly placed in a vase on the table with a note, a cream-colored bear dressed in lilac-colored leather bondage gear and handmade leather and lace wrist cuffs. Lilliana’s smile practically lit up the room when she read the note.

Beautifu
l flowers for a beautiful soul, and kinky gifts for my naughty girl. You, my pet, deserve only the best. ~Tuck

Lilliana brought the flowers
to her nose and sank into the kitchen chair and skimmed her fingers over the soft bear’s nose. A small, breathy laugh escaped her lips and without warning, it popped into her head.
Love.
Lilliana’s throat tightened. The word sent currents of fear through her. Lilliana slid a hand down to her stomach and she felt the quivering that the unbidden word had caused.

Lilliana’s head was spinning and she ran to the front door and threw it open, gasp
ing from hyperventilation. Stumbling to the porch, she leaned over the railing. When she had finally calmed down, she laughed at herself. How ridiculous was she being?

Lilliana retrieved Tucker’s car keys and decided to pay him an unplanned visit at his office.
She was looking forward to spending their next few days off together and she was hoping they could start their weekend early. He had called and stated he would be working late, but after her little semi-admission to herself about her true feelings for him, she wanted to see his beautiful smile.

When Lilliana arrived, she was chatted up by Ariel who was eager to
go on another girl’s night out. They had already gotten together twice in two weeks and she was thoroughly enjoying their new friendship. When Lilliana, Dana and Ariel had gone out they found it amusing that Tucker had tried to nonchalantly crash their little party.  More than slightly intoxicated, they had demanded he do a strip tease for them, but he didn’t find their proposition amusing and Lilliana ended up with a sore ass for two days for even suggesting such a thing. Later, feeling guilty, Tucker gave her a private lap dance and her paddling seemed well worth it after the show and thorough fucking he gave her.

Lilliana heard herself laughing out loud at the memory as she made her way to Tucker’s office.

“So I hear you’ve practically moved in with her. I guess you really do always get what you want. What about what Ms. Norris wants?”

Lilliana heard an unfamiliar man’s voice as she approached Tucker’s office.
She looked through the glass to see Darren standing near Tucker’s desk. Why the hell were they discussing her?

“Lilliana wants whatever I tell her to want,” Tucker
snorted with fury in his eyes.

Lilliana’s heart lurched into her throat and she backed up so she was out of sight.

“And what she wants is to give her land over to you?”

“That hasn’t come up.
Yet.
But when it does, I can assure you it will be off the market.”

“That’s what you told everyone weeks ago. Now I hear you’re looking into selling off acres. So what’s the deal, McG?”

Lilliana’s pulse pounded in her ears with what she was bearing witness to. She took a deep breath and held it for fear they would hear her heavy breathing.

“When are you going to learn to mind your own fucking business, Schumacher?” Tucker bellowed.

Darren bent down into Tucker’s face. “That girl needs to know what kind of man you are and that your intentions are
not
honorable.”

Tucker wheeled his chair back and his
face flushed bright red. “You have no idea what my intensions with her are! Now, seriously, back the fuck off!”

“I know how you work and I remember what you told me:
That
nothing
was going to get in my way of you getting that land. I guess you found a way to make it happen, didn’t you?”

Lilliana watched in shocked horror as Tucker stood and poked Darren in the chest. “Listen to
me, I’m only going to say this once: I do whatever it takes to get the job done. If you...”

Lilliana couldn’t hear any more and she bolted down the aisle to the restroom and collapsed on the floor inside a bathroom stall. Bile was rising quickly in her throat and she wretched loudly as she gripped the sides of the toilet. The smell of urine lingering in the stool over
whelmed her and she puked. It was then that the tears came flowing out of her.

No – it couldn’t be true. Tucker was honorable. Tucker cared for her. Tucker loved… Lilliana leaned over and gagged loudly. She couldn’t bring herself to even think the word. No, she was the one who loved him, not the other way around. It was all about her land. It always had been. He weaseled his
way into her panties and heart thinking he could mindfuck her into giving him control of her land just like she had given him control over her body.

Lilliana wailed loudly not caring who heard her. She loved him. She fucking loved him. Lilliana yanked on the choker around her neck knowing full well she couldn’t remove it with
out the damned key that was in Tucker’s possession. Tucker… fuck him! Lilliana stood and pounded her fists against the walls of the stall. How could she be so damned stupid?

Lilliana heard the bathroom door open and she sank onto the toilet and
stifled her sobs. Now what? They were practically living together.

“Lil?
Are you okay?” Ariel whispered outside the door.

“Umm… I’m not feeling well. Just give me a minute, please
,” Lilliana sniffed.

“Sure.”

Lilliana heard the click of heels on the tile floor and the door swing closed. Her throat tightened painfully and her head throbbed with an impending migraine. It was a lie - all of it; everything Tucker had told her and made her feel. Tucker’s hypnotic smile flashed before her eyes and anger swept over her, dark and ugly. It coursed through her veins and her core temperature rose to an unbearable level.

Lilliana
stepped out of the stall and splashed her face with cold water. What she saw looking back in the mirror scared her. Her face was contorted and she suddenly looked years older, and hurt and betrayal lay naked in her eyes. A tear rested on her lower lashes and she swept it away with new purpose.

She could play the lying game, too. She had learned from the best: Adam and Tucker. They had been her mentors in the
cruel, heart consuming and soul ravaging sport. But she wasn’t going down without a fight. She knew what Tucker wanted, deep down: Control and utter and total submission from her. Lilliana smiled wickedly back at her own image and she felt the rumble of nausea in her stomach again from the sickening and evil look on her face. She blinked long and hard, keeping her eyes closed for longer than necessary. This new person in the mirror wasn’t who she was; it wasn’t who she was brought up to be, and wasn’t who she wanted to be, but she was facing a lightless future without Tucker and a hopeless recovery from the heartbreak caused by his lies.

Lilliana stood with her
head downcast as she formulated her plan when the bathroom door opened and Tucker stepped in.

“Are you okay
? Ariel told me you weren’t feeling well.” His voice oozed concern and Lilliana clenched her jaw tightly. Her mind screamed for her to lunge at him and scratch his beautiful, lying eyes out.

With her eyes still closed, she answered. “Everything is fine. I’m just feeling a little ill.”

Tucker’s warm hand rubbed a small circle on her back and his touch made her skin crawl. Bile, thick and hot, rose in her throat again. She cringed and pulled away and dry heaved over the sink.

“Shit, Lilly. Maybe I should make an appointment for you with my doctor.”

Lilliana stood upright and found the courage to face him. With her eyes resting on his chest, still unable to look into his smoldering eyes, she shook her head no. “I just need to go home and rest,” she spoke without emotion.

“That sounds like a good plan. I’ll leave here early and pick up a few thing
s for your, pet.”

Pet.
Lilliana swallowed the acid that was coming up her throat to his term of endearment. Yes, that’s exactly what she was to him - a pet to lead around by a collar and keep at his feet. Someone he could order around and swat on the ass when they didn’t act appropriately. And she was just ignorant enough to have given him all that and more. She had wanted to be that pet for him because she felt he was worthy of her submission and devotion. She had never been more wrong in her life and she hated herself for it.

Tucker reached a finger up to guide her to gaze into his eyes and
she pushed past him. “I’ll see you at home.”

Lilliana walked out the door with her spirits low but her head held high. There was sweet revenge on the menu
that was going to be served up Lilliana Norris style.

***

Lilliana looked a mess and Tucker’s protective side kicked into high gear. He was still seething from his conversation with Darren. He should have just told Darren the truth, that he loved Lilliana, but he had been pushed into a corner and just wanted Darren to get the hell out of his face.

Tucker swept his conversation with Darren aside because Lilliana
needed his attention at that moment. She had been vomiting according to Ariel and he hoped she wasn’t coming down with the flu.  Or perhaps…
no
. It couldn’t be
that
, could it? Tucker’s heart rate spiked at the thought of Lilliana being pregnant. She had told him she was on birth control and he believed her without actually seeing the proof. She wouldn’t lie about something like that, would she? Aubrey’s horrible lies flashed in his mind.

Tucker suddenly didn’t feel so well either. He went back to his office and
rescheduled his last meeting and texted Lilliana.

McG:
4:43 PM: How are you feeling?

Tucker wa
ited longer than expected for Lilliana’s response back. She was usually right on top of his messages, but this time he waited for more than half an hour. She must really be feeling sick or why else would she make him wait when she knew how he felt about that?

Lilliana:
3:07 PM:
Fine.

Tucker frowned. Her answer was a little too curt for his taste.

McG: 3:09 PM: Have you been diligent with your pill?

Lilliana: 3:10 PM: WTF r u asking me? YES. I take my pill just like a good little pet.

A warning voice whispered in Tucker’s head that something was wrong. He knew it wasn’t her time of the month so her moodiness wasn’t due to that.

McG: 3:12 PM: Just asking.

Lilliana: 3:14 PM: Whatever. Even if I was pregnant, which I AM NOT, I wouldn’t expect u to do anything about it.

Tucker flinched at Lilliana’s response and
he speed dialed her number. It rang several times before going to voice mail. Quickly losing his temper, Tucker redialed and Lilliana picked up on the third ring.

“I’m not pregnant so don’t you worry your pretty little head about it,” Lilliana sniped.

“Jesus Christ, what the hell has gotten into you? It was a simple question. I know you’re not feeling well, but, fuck.”

Lilliana’s response came out in a rush of
vehemence. “No, it wasn’t a simple question. It was an accusation.”

Tucker could hear the raw anger in Lilliana’s voice.

Tucker’s own anger burned in his throat. “So what the hell is this about not expecting me to do anything if you were pregnant? Are you serious about that?”

“
Absolutely. I can take care of myself and, if push came to shove, my own child, without any help from you or anyone else.”

Tucker’s shock of Lilliana’s statement yielded to q
uick fury. “Okay, listen to me: I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you, but I don’t deserve that shit. If you were pregnant, I would step up and take responsibility for you and our child. But you already know that, don’t you?”

Cold and flat, Lilliana spoke.
“I think you should stay at your place tonight.”