Total pages in book: 767
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
The footsteps were close, and he politely averted his gaze, pretending to study the elaborate vine pattern of the wallpaper.
“Alexander.”
He jerked in surprise. Alena whirled to a stop facing him, the cloak flaring dramatically before settling around her.
“Hello, Alexander.”
“Alena,” he replied slowly.
“Why did you leave?”
He raised a brow. She pressed her lips together, and he watched her throat work as she swallowed. But she didn’t drop her gaze.
Intriguing.
“We are not a good fit,” he said simply.
“Because I had a natural reaction to pain stimulus?” Both her brows rose.
He took a moment to compose himself, to form the complete sentence in his mind before speaking. “That was small, compared to what I typically do to my submissives.”
“I didn’t think that was too much pain. It wasn’t more than I could handle.”
“You flinched.”
“You hit me with a riding crop. Of course I flinched.”
Once more he formed the thought before speaking. “You don’t like intense sensations.”
“Oh, I very much like intense sensations. I just have normal reactions to them.”
She was arguing with him. No one argued with him, especially submissives.
He took a half step, moving into her personal space. “There are other Doms.”
“And other submissives. That’s where you’re going, isn’t it? To find someone who will lie to you and pretend they’re instantly in subspace so—”
“No, I will find a masochist—”
“—you don’t have to do any work.”
His train of thought short circuited, and he had to clamp his teeth together to keep himself quiet until he was able to say precisely, and only, what he wanted to. “Pardon me?”
“Oh, you heard me, Alexander.” She stressed his first name, as if highlighting that she hadn’t called him “Sir.” For the third time.
“Are you submissive?” he asked in irritation. How dare she challenge him. He’d been nothing but polite.
“Yes. Are you a Dom?”
“Watch your tongue.”
“Or what?”
“Do not challenge me.” He bit off the words.
“Because if I did, it would mean you’d have to work?” She made an exaggerated shocked expression. “How dare I not instantly fall at your feet in perfect submission? How dare I feel nervous kneeling half-naked in front of a stranger?” She threw one hand in the air, which caused her robe to part.
There was enough light for him to see into the shadows of her cloak. She’d pulled the corset back up over her breasts. The urge to shove the cloak off and yank the lace down to expose those lovely breasts once more was nearly overpowering.
“How dare I expect you to help me find my submission? How dare I enjoy the idea that you’d keep cropping me even if I flinched or cried? How dare I expect you to understand that I might need—”
Alexander grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back against the wall.
Alena gasped, her eyes widening for a moment, before her gaze drifted down his face, pausing on his lips before sliding down to his neck.
He should kiss her.
No, he should not kiss her. Her paperwork had specifically prohibited any exchange of fluids.
And kissing was for romance, for lovers.
Instead, he released her and braced his hands on the wall. Then lowered his face to hers, bringing his mouth within inches of her glossy lips.
“I am not a kind man,” he whispered.
“I’m not a nice woman.”
“I would hurt you.”
“Why?”
Her word puffed against his lips. He could smell her breath, a clean scent with an overlay of champagne.
“Because I need to.” It was a simple sentence that ran parallel to the truth, but his truth, the reasons he was the way he was, were not things he talked about. “Because you need me to.”
“And pleasure?” she asked.
“I might make the pain pleasure. If you earn it.” He pulled back, far enough that he could examine her expression.
She was breathing hard, but the cloak had fallen closed, hiding her breasts, so he didn’t get a proper view.
Slowly, he reached for the fabric, giving her plenty of time to move out of the way.
She didn’t.
Alexander grabbed one side, shoving it back behind her left shoulder. Half of her scantily clad body was now on display, and he liked the dichotomy of it, so didn’t bother with the other half of the cloak.
He could feel her watching him, and when he glanced up she once more met his gaze.
“You enjoy being forced,” he said, “to accept punishment.”
“Yes, I do. Something about a man who will keep going, keep doing wicked things to me even if I’m crying and begging him not to… That turns me on.”
His cock twitched in response to her words.
She sighed, and if he hadn’t been so close to her he would have missed her next words. “I want to be topped by the quiet man.”
“The quiet man?”
She looked startled, like she hadn’t expected him to hear that, or maybe hadn’t meant to say it. “I was watching you tonight,” she said slowly. “That’s what I called you in my head.”