Unleashed (21 page)

“No, I don’t
want that. If you’re with someone else use protection. I’d prefer if you didn’t with me or Cort.” Ezra pulls me into an embrace and lightly kisses my lips.

“Why
?” My voice warbles.

“We’ll talk about that during the same conversation with the other issues. We should get up and
see what Cort has found out.” He slides from the bed, and my eyes instantly latch onto his arousal. Ezra’s cock stands straight out from his body, bouncing as he walks to the dresser. I stare, entranced, fascinated by the sight. My mouth dries up and my breathing picks up. I clench my thighs together, trying to squash the need that surfaces in me. I whimper when my engorged flesh protests against not having its reward- Ezra.

Ezra
looks up when I whimper. He flashes me an amused smirk, as he strides back to the bed, cock happily bobbing as he walks. “Is this what you want?” He clasps his cock in his fist. “Is your pussy upset that I didn’t finish in it?” He teases me.

Ezra starts slowly working himself by hand
- stroking smoothly up and down from base to tip. When his hand makes the circuit back to the top, he twists his grip. Every time he completes the motion, his spine bows and he throws his head back, biting his pouty bottom lip to stop his moans. I watch, enraptured, as Ezra strokes himself to climax. He’s devastating in his glory.

Ezra
grips the nape of my neck and orders, “open,” and he tightly squeezes his fingertips into my flesh.

I
open my mouth for my reward. Ezra rests the tip of his cock on my bottom lip and spurts scalding liquid between my parted lips onto my tongue. He snuffs out his cries as he holds my eyes and releases into my eager mouth. I quickly swallow all that Ezra releases.

“There, now
, that should satisfy you. My seed is now in your body. It’s just what Dr. Zeitler ordered,” he says with a satisfied smirk. He rubs my tummy and makes an
Mmm… Mmm…
sound at the back of his throat. He leans down, capturing my lips in a slow, sultry kiss.

I lay back on th
e bed, wide-eyed in shock that I just did that. Seriously, where is my moral compass when I need it?

***

I shower up before I go see what the emergency is. My embarrassment requires nothing less. I blush just thinking about entering the living room when it’s full of people who just heard me scream Ezra’s name in climax. I think we need the workmen to come back and soundproof our bedroom. Yeah, I just admitted that I plan on having more sex with the Ezes.

“Where is everyone?” I curl up on the couch
, clutching a pillow to my chest as if it’s my favorite teddy bear.

“We sent Ava with Kayla, Aaron wanted to watch over them,” Cort says as he leans forward in his chair. I don’t like the serious expression on his face-
worry.

“
Why’d you send Ava away?” I look to both of them, noting Ezra’s confusion as well. I guess Cort is the one in the know.

“W
e have to tell Ezra. Tell him from the beginning,” Cortez demands, “and then I will tell you what I know.”

“We promised to not say anything
,” I weakly whine. “Why now?”

“It’s too late, Kat. It’s too
damned late,” Cort whisper screams out clenched teeth, raking his hair with his fingertips.

“I had Marcus look someone up for
us, and they aren’t where they’re supposed to be.” I freeze when it sinks in. Ray- Ray Hunter, the monster, isn’t where he should be. I start shaking so violently my teeth chatter.

“What the fuck is going on? What’s wrong, K
atya?” Ezra looks between his partner and me.

“I got these notes
.” I pull them from my pocket and hand them to Ez. I carry them with me at all times. I didn’t want them to fall into the wrong hands. I wait while Ezra reads them. His face tightens and turns red as fear and fury mix in his blood.

“Yesterday
, while you guys were shopping and getting ready for the party, I went to the park to wait you out.” I audibly swallow. “I was sitting on a bench people-watching and I heard a laugh. A cackle we all know well. I ran home, and I know I was followed. For weeks, every time I leave the building alone, I’m followed. I can feel it right here,” I rub the back of my neck.

“Why didn’t you come to me, Katya?” Ezra asks in a voice
laced with disappointment.

“I…
I didn’t want you to know until we were sure. I didn’t want to worry you. You have so many people you have to worry about. You also have Edge and the club, especially with how the patrons have been behaving. We were going to come to you when we knew for sure.”

“Sure about what?”
Ezra looks at Cort and me with suspicion. He doesn’t like being left in the dark. His usual stance is in the bright light while all us minions hang out in pitch-black darkness.

“Ray Hunter- the Monster,” I state in a voice that sounds like death.

“Are you sure?” Ezra disbelievingly asks.

“
Yes, I asked Marcus to look into it last night. That’s why he was calling. Somehow we all managed to miss the last parole hearing: all of us- me, you, Katya, Aaron, and your mother. That many notices went without answer. Someone who had access to all of us, intercepted that many notices. Now Raymond Hunter is free man, walking the streets with his victims.”

We sit in horrified silence as we digest t
he information that not only that the monster is out to terrorize more victims, but that he has an accomplice- someone close enough to the family to circumvent that many letters.

“What do we do?” My logical nature kicks in. It’s too late to stop it, so how do we keep ourselv
es safe. Breaking down or throwing a tantrum won’t help anything.

“Marc’s already pushing though restraining orders for the entire family. For the foreseeable future
, we go nowhere alone, not even if we’re upset. Do you understand, Kat? No running, no hiding- be reasonable, responsible, an adult.” I wanted to bristle under Cort’s observations, but he’s right, I run when I’m uncomfortable.

“Remember what we discussed last night
? If I get the chance, I’m following through with it, Cortez,” I say with conviction.

“Just don’t do anything stupid
, and I will agree with you. We can live constantly in fear or truly live. Your way is the only way to live our lives in peace.” We share a look and nod at one another.

“What are you guys talking about?” Ezra looks from Cort to me and back.
“Sorry, you’re not a member of the club. You’re our leader. Sometimes your lowly subservients get together and plot against you.” Cort tries for amusing but Ez doesn’t buy it.

“Well,” Ezra leans forward in his chair
, impatiently tapping his fingers on his knee, “We all go in groups. I will check on some added security. But we have to be careful who we trust since someone is helping that fucker,” he growls out.

“Maybe it was the wo
rkmen?” Cort offers.

“Yeah, but they wouldn’t have access
to ShadowHaven to get Diane’s letter,” I add.

‘You’re right…
it’s someone closer than that. Shit!” I watch Ezra shore up his strength until he is a blend of Ezra, Master Ez, and the Boss. It’s simultaneously disturbing and inspiring.

“Katya, you have your last lesson with Dexter tonight. I’ll go with you. Cort, I want you to stay here. Now that this conversation is over
, Ava can come back home. While we are gone, I need you to help move some of Kayla and Aaron’s belongings over here. They can have Aaron’s old room.”

It had only taken
three weeks to completely renovate both apartments into a luxury living space. Four suites were created from the space for Ava, Aaron, a guestroom, and my, Ezra, and Cortez’s area. Each suite includes a bedroom, bath, walk-in-closets, and a sitting room. The open floor plan included the living room, kitchen, and dining room. The rest of the space is the foyer, utility room, an office, a study, a theater, and two additional baths. It is large and spacious, which is needed for such a big group of people. We need our space to get away from each other.

My biggest fear is realized, Ezra is putting us on house arrest. Will I get to leave this bui
lding before Ray is located? No, I don’t think so. 

“I have a few busi
ness related items to deal with,” Ezra exhaustedly sighs. “Cort go get the rest of our family so that we can see that they are alright.” Cortez reaches over and squeezes Ezra’s hand, and then he turns and does the same to mine. Cort hurries off to collect the others. Ezra won’t relax until he can find them at a glance.

“I have to call my parents. I’d tell you to relax, but clearly that isn’t going to happen.
Could you make us all some lunch?” Ezra hesitantly asks.   

“Sure t
hing,” I say. I’d do anything Ezra asks to take the lost look off his face. “Ezra,” I say as I pull him into a hug. “It’s not your fault,” I try to reassure him.

This is why I didn’t show Ezra
the notes in the first place. He would blame himself. He always blames himself. He is the most passive-aggressive person I know. When he’s Master Ez, he is dominating and self-possessed. When he’s Ezra, he’s a martyr. He holds the weight of our world on his shoulders. Cortez wasn’t far off when he said that Ezra’s lowly subservients get together and plot against him- we’re not plotting, we’re protecting him. Sometimes we even protect Ezra from himself.

“Yes, it is,” Ezra
cries into my shoulder. “He’s my father.” I squeeze him so tightly that my fingers turn white from the strain. I kiss him hard and passionately.

“
No! Your way of thinking would mean that your mother is responsible for what happened to you then. If we play the blame game, then Diane is responsible for the guys, me, and ultimately Ava’s birth. No one is to blame but that psychopathic monster Ray Hunter and his cowardly minion.” I vehemently speak, trying to convey to Ezra the truth my words hold.

“You’re right. I know deep down that you’re right, but sometimes the pre
ssure is almost suffocating.” 

“Well, Dr. Zeitler, it’s a good thing you know the mechanic
s of psychology and that you surround yourself with people who’ve been there, done that, and have stock in the t-shirt company.” I feel him grin against my cheek.

“You’re right as always, Katya. How lucky of fate to place you in my path. I just hope the fee
ling is mutual.”

“
We are all lucky to have each other. I will always be there for you, Ezra- you can come to me for anything…anytime… always.” He snorts at the phrase that Kimber, the virtual victim, had said to me when she outted herself as Master Ez.

“Oh God, Katya, I-”
Ezra is cut off by a hyper eleven-year-old tearing into the living room.

“I’m hungry. I didn’t have any breakfast. You guys
are neglecting me,” she pouts.

“Hey, you’re old enough to pour a bowl of cereal,” I say.
I try to hide my annoyance. I wanted- no, I needed to know what Ezra was going to say to me. I stare up into Ezra’s stormy eyes, and he smiles at me, somehow knowing what I’m thinking. He mouths
later
at me.

“Alright, baby girl, it’s just you and me. We have a meal to prepare for the gang. Kitchen,” I point to
the kitchen and laugh as Ava sticks her tongue out at me and drags her feet.

“I’
ll see you in a bit.” I tenderly kiss Ezra on the lips, sipping him down.

We sit down to a delicious meal that Ava, Cortez, and I prepared
, while Ezra made a dozen phone calls, showing off his prowess as the Boss, and the happy couple dragged over a few bags from their apartment. 
 

The conversation was
light as we tried not to scare Kayla and Ava with the monster hidden under the bed. Not only was I nervous from Ray Hunter’s reappearance, along with the knowledge that he has a helper with close access to us, Ezra informed me he wanted to have the talk just before my final examine with Dexter. Today started off fantastic. I wish I was still lying on my stomach between the Ezes, blissed out from the haze of the in-between state of awake and dreamland. Is today a stressful day? Holy fuck it is… I just hope it doesn’t get any worse.

Chapter Sixteen

“You
wanted to talk- so talk,” I grumpily say. We’re in our private room at Restraint. I didn’t want to have the talk before my final lesson with Dexter. I don’t think emotional distress is a good predecessor to learning about the effects of pain on a submissive. But Ezra is determined to hash this out once and for all. I should make me happy to no longer be in the dark, except I’m worried that I will hear more emotionally damaging information than I’m already privy to. There is just too much shit going on to worry about our love life. I think our life-life is more important.

After my repeated bitching, Ezra said that the stress w
ould make us not think clearly when it came to Ray. We needed to be a solid group to take him on and protect ourselves. So there ya have it. I’m sitting on the sofa, gazing longingly at the
Spanks for the Memories
side of our personal dungeon. I would much rather be tied down and lashed than have this conversation.

“I don’t know where
to begin,” Ez mumbles out. It’s strange that I’m the one who is bitchy while Ezra seems meek, considering he’s the master of this domain- interesting.

“You
want to tell me about Adelaide. Why not just start at the beginning,” I calmly mutter, when inside I am a stew of tumultuous emotions. 

“That makes sense,” Ezra
nods his head as he speaks. “When we came back home, I was a mess. It took a few years to feel normal, to feel even within my own mind. Cortez and Divina were getting married and seemed happy about it. I know it’s not a traditional marriage, but at the time, they were trying for normalcy. I was jealous. My um… my lover was happily married to my cousin, and I was left to pick up all the shit my father had splattered. I’d known Adelaide my entire life, and our families wanted us to combine. I decided to try to have what Cort and Divina were living.”

“So
… Adelaide wasn’t Mrs. Right, she was Mrs. Right-Now? Or is Mrs. Right for the family more accurate,” I snidely say, hating that I will never be good enough in the eyes of Ezra’s family. I don’t have a pedigree. “I thought Divina and Cortez weren’t like that.”

“I like that, Mrs. Right-Now
,” Ezra muses. “That’s very apt, Katya. And no, from the outside looking in, they were very normal- happy. In less than a year, Cortez was back with me. He couldn’t meet Divina’s needs and she couldn’t meet his. They’ve been happy for the last six years living the way they are. It was during their first year of marriage that I tried for it as well. Adelaide is the daughter of one of my mother’s business associates. I’ve known of her since I was a child. Our inner-circles are very small and intersect. We dated for six months, and I asked her to marry me. I couldn’t go through with the marriage, and Ade has always known that.”

“
Weren’t you happy with Adelaide?” I scrunch up my face in confusion. It’s been six years. If Ezra wasn’t happy, why prolong it?

“Well, Cortez came back to me. It’s hard to explain our relationship to people. Obviously
, my cousin knew, so Cort had it easy with Divina. But how do you tell your fiancée that you have a male partner, and he is pretty much the love of your life. Oh, and by the way, wife, I’m not gay, but I do love to tie people up and control them. No, Adelaide and I weren’t compatible. By that time, it was too late. Our social circles run differently than mainstream America. An engagement is like a business merger mixed with celebrity gossip. If I broke it off with Adelaide for no true reason, it would ruin her for the future.”

“So for six years, you couldn’t
come up with a good enough reason to bow out? I’m sorry Ezra, but that is a pretty lame excuse.”

“We have not been engaged for over three years. I was lost. I didn’t think I would ever find you. The records were sealed and I couldn’t get Marcus to tell me. I made a promise to find you
, and it was one more thing I was failing at. I was going to marry Adelaide and live a double life, pretend with her and be with Cortez. It still felt empty. Even when it was just Cort and me, something was missing. Then one awful day at a parole hearing our lives changed- I found you. I came home and immediately broke things off with Adelaide. She was given until I convinced you to marry me to find a way to publicly break off our engagement. We actually signed a contract on that, stating that Ade had until I proposed to you to publicly announce that our engagement was broken. I still had to attend public and private functions for appearance sake.”

“Getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren’t you? I didn’t even know your name three years ago. You just expected me to ma
rry you,” I incredulously say.

“I knew it would be work. And don’t forget that I was working you for all three of tho
se years. After I had your name, I told the prosecutor to request that you have counseling and suggest an online victims’ support group. I’d used Dr. Jeannine for information on what you remembered about the attack and Kimber for insight into your personality. I won’t lie- it didn’t take me long to change from wanting to fix what I broke and fulfilling a commitment to falling in love with you. I called you a few times, pretending to be different people so that I could hear your voice. I chatted with you online as different people- no one who you were close to, just impersonal chatting. I viciously stalked you for three years straight.” Ezra laughs without humor, as if realizing for the first time just how insane all that sounded.

“I was obsessed. If there was information to be had, I had to have it. You did throw me
a few curve balls, and it only increased my intrigue. I’d have to say Ava was the hugest surprise. I thought she was your baby sister. I left her alone out of respect, and you were oh-so careful never to mention her to anyone. I found your online resume and mysteriously a job appeared for you.”
Ezra stops talking when I growl at him and glare. My fists latch on to a throw pillow. It is either maim the pillow or bitch-slap Ezra. He laughs at me, and it only makes matters worse.

“Hey, it was an exc
ellent resume. I gave you the job that was perfect for you. Anyway, I told Adelaide that she needed to make an out for herself or I was going to do it. I have you back and I intend to keep you.”

“You are aware that you’re still engaged
, right? I mean, until a few moments ago, I thought you were, too,” I incredulously say.

“I wrongfully assumed that you knew that Adelaide and I were no more. Surely your stunt in my office would have ended our engagement
,” Ezra says in amusement. “Cort kept telling me that you thought otherwise and I didn’t believe him.”

“So wh
at are your plans now?” I ask, trying to contain my interest.

“I spoke with Adelaide
at my birthday party. I gave her a week to publically break it off… or I will.” Ezra sounds confident, and I hear his father calling him hardheaded. This is definitely one of those occasions.

“You do know that Adelaide
tells me at every turn that you two are, in fact, a couple,” I murmur, and Ezra just looks at me in disbelief. I don’t back down. I stare right back into his stormy eyes.

“Seriously?” Ezra
still looks like he doesn’t believe it.

“Wh
y would I lie, Ezra? Honest, Adelaide called me your whore at least three times last night. Once even saying that you share me because you think I’m a whore, too.”

“I don’
t understand. We broke our engagement three years ago when we signed the contract. I will take care of it, I promise. I also want to apologize for any misunderstanding. It is my fault. I would apologize for Ade’s conduct, but she isn’t my responsibility. And I don’t share you because I think you’re a whore. I share you because I love watching your pleasure and satisfaction. As a Dom, meeting your needs is meeting my own. It has everything to do with love. I’m not so selfish to have you go without just to smooth over my injured ego. I know your feelings for me. Just as I know your feelings for Cortez. One does not detract from the other.”

“Okay, just give me a few minute
s to digest all of this. I need to put something into words.” I sit in silence staring at the wall o’ torture. I can feel Ezra’s gaze on my face, but I ignore him. I have to tell him that no matter what he just said, it doesn’t take away from the fact that I saw and heard him profess his unfaltering love for Adelaide. How can I trust what Ezra says when I saw differently with my own eyes? 

“Just so we
’re clear, you do know that you’re a fucked up bastard, right?”

“Clearly,” Ezra
says, extremely amused.

“Good, I’m glad that’s settled. Do you love her?” My voice is s
ofter than I would have liked.

“No, I don’t love Ade
. I don’t know if I really care for her, either. Ade’s personality clashes with mine. I’m indifferent. I wish her no ill will- I just don’t really care,” Ez flatly says.

“I saw,” rumbl
es out my mouth.

“Saw what?”
His eyes pinch in the middle.

“Cortez and I saw,” I have to swallow twice to get down the lump in my throat. My eyes prickle. I do not want to say this. I take a deep breath in and hold it. “The night of your punishment,” I exhale.

For a moment Ezra looks confused. Like the sun rising in the east- comprehension dawns on Ezra. “Shit,” he hisses under his breath.

“
It’s okay, Ezra. I understand. I knew from the very beginning that I’ve been a prize in your game. Since the moment the chase began in the woods, you’ve been chasing me through life. I bring excitement by being unpredictable. I’m the ultimate prey in your predatory hunt. And I know that even now, we are still playing a game. I know it was truth up until you spoke of Adelaide. I understand, Ezra, I really do. I just don’t want to play a game anymore. I don’t want to be your joke.” 

I wring my hands in my lap and look at the floor. I don
’t wipe the tears away that silently streak down my cheeks, hoping not to bring attention to them. “I know that one day the game will be over. That one day you will become bored and end it. I want you to know that I won’t take your daughter from your life. I can’t do that to Ava. It will be difficult for me, though, since you now hold all the keys to my happiness- my job, my home, my friends, even my daughter… Cortez,” my voice hitches on a sob. “I know that was part of the thrill of the game and a large part of being a dominant- controlling every facet of my being. I know I’m not very submissive except with you, and I’ve allowed you to shape my life as you’ve have seen fit. I just want to say that I don’t blame you- I blame myself.” I’m finally honest with Ezra- with myself.

Ezra drops to his knees in front of me
, not cushioning the blow. I flinch at the loud cracking sound. He dips his head into my line of sight. “Where is this coming from?” His voice is hollow. “Why do you think me capable of all that? I thought you knew me. What you just said makes me worse than the monster himself,” Ezra’s voice trembles as he speaks.

“I wish- I wish
I could say I believe you, Ezra,” I breathe. “Actions speak louder than words, and in this case, actions and words. I saw you, Ezra. I really saw you, and I can’t un-see or hear it. I wish I could. I wish I could be ignorant again. It hurts like hell. I’ve held this pain in for months. I want- no, I need for you to stop playing, especially with Ray back on the hunt.”

“I understand your apprehension. I don’t share you freely. I choose who for you, that way it’s for both of us. But seeing me fuck someone else shouldn’t ruin all the faith you have in me.”

“If it were just sex, I could handle it. I have no issue with you and Cort. I think I could even enjoy you with someone of my choosing. But what I saw wasn’t sex- it was making love. You love Adelaide, and I can’t compete with that,” I whisper out, because to speak any louder, I fear my voice would break.