Fierce Predator, page 11
Sprinting down the street, Zak followed the road toward the ocean. His lungs burned at the fast pace, but he was fit and able to endure, plus the adrenaline pumping through his system kept him on course. He wanted Trinity back and had some serious questions for that young lady. Why did she insist on running every time they connected? Why couldn’t she succumb and reap the rewards of her submission?
By the time he reached the dockside, the questions were ricocheting in his head, demanding answers. He wasn’t at all surprised to see his car waiting by the quay. It was just where he knew it would be—just as Trinity would be. He wasn’t certain if it was his mutation or his heightened reflexes, but he could sense where this was going, where they could go if she’d only relax and surrender. He would command, and she would learn to cede. It was as simple as that. They had come too far to let the visceral energy between them dissipate. He wouldn’t allow it.
Stride slowing, he wandered to the waterside. The low-lying lighting of the pier illuminated a woman’s silhouette. Trinity.
“Don’t come any closer!” she raised one palm as if she could control him, the gesture riling him further. “I mean it, Zak!”
“What the hell is this about?” He tried to control his tone, but his indignation was more than evident.
“How did you find me?”
She sounded shocked he’d tracked her down, which only proved how little she really knew about the man who’d been slamming his balls against her for the last hour. If she ever stuck around long enough, he would reveal more. If the gnawing sensation in his gut proved to be true, Trinity might be the one he could finally open his heart to, but first, they had issues to work through. Her obedience, impertinence, and bad attitude sprang to mind.
“You stole my car!” Ignoring her question, he strode toward her.
“Borrowed,” she corrected, her other hand dangling the outline of keys above the water. “I’m happy to finalize the deal by dropping these into the sea if you can’t behave yourself.”
“You are so gonna pay for this.” He shook his head as he edged closer.
“You think I’m bluffing?” She tilted her head. “Try me, Zak.”
“What is your problem?” His feet halted, anger bubbling at her tone of voice. The woman awoke the animal in him, the predator who plunged deep below the surface and insisted on submission. Insolence like Trinity’s would be recompensed with a hard spanking and some time in his cage. Zak had the perfect one, already erected in his spare room, and Trinity would look fucking amazing forced inside. One way or the other, she was going to learn she couldn’t deal with her problems by running away from them. He would teach her that important lesson.
“How about talking to me rather than fleeing?”
“You didn’t give me much choice,” she hissed. “You got in the fucking shower and left me there, bound to your bed.”
“Looks like I should have done a better job with those knots.” His jaw clenched as he took a step in her direction. “And what have I told you about your language?”
“You don’t have any sway over me.” She snorted, suspending his car keys in the air again. “That power play is sexy when we’re in bed, but don’t get to thinking you can tell me what to do out of it. I’m my own woman, Zak, I—”
Her words were cut short as he flew at her. Faster than any human, Zak moved with lightning speed, snatching his keys away and wrestling her to the ground. He employed enough force to knock her from her feet and pinion her but ensured she wasn’t hurt. Deserted for the evening, the tiny jetty she’d chosen trembled as he pinned her to the wood.
“Zak.” She squeaked his name, her strength of conviction waning at his show of force.
“What was that?”
“Sir.” There was a definite flicker of fear in her gray eyes as she gazed up at him, but her ragged breathing suggested more arousal than terror.
“I’m sorry. I was angry.”
“You were angry?” Zak wanted to laugh at the recrimination. “Why, Trin? Didn’t you enjoy yourself?” His grip relaxed on her soft flesh, but he remained wary. Trinity had slipped away more than once. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
“You know I did.” Her voice was filled with emotion. “I… I’ve never known anything like it.”
“Then, why run?”
“You left me there.” She pulled in a shaky breath, blinking away the imminent tears. “Fettered to your bed as if I was nothing—just some whore you can bind and use.”
Zak’s cock swelled at her scintillating analogy. She had no idea how good that sounded.
“I was taking a quick shower.” He laughed softly. “Then I was coming for you.”
“It seemed disrespectful.”
Christ, she was practically pouting. He couldn’t wait to spank that expression away.
“Why couldn’t we shower together?” she asked plaintively.
“We can.” He suppressed the urge to laugh again. “Any time I choose, but did you forget the rules already, little girl?”
“R-Rules?” Her eyes widened. “What rules?”
“About how to speak to me? About who owns you?” Excitement surged as he reminded her.
While technically true that he hadn’t laid down a particular set of rules, Zak had made his intentions clear. She knew what he expected and how to bring proceedings to a halt any time she chose, though her safeword might not be as useful once he had her caged. It was going to take more than a breathy whimper to release her from his captivity. He would need to see some serious contrition.
“I told you I owned this sweet cunt.” Zak gestured down her body. “You even admitted it yourself.”
“Y-Yes, Sir.” A bloom of heat erupted on her cheeks, visible even in the shadows.
“If I own it, then I decide where it stays, when it showers, and when it gets to leave and come to the waterfront.” His gaze flitted to the dockside, ensuring they were still alone. “I don’t expect to have to chase it across town.”
“I thought you just said those things during sex,” she panted. “I didn’t know you meant them, Sir.”
“I meant them,” he insisted, pushing his bulging erection against her hip. The sweats she’d borrowed from his apartment were way too big, and he couldn’t wait to discard them.
Glancing up again, he caught sight of Top Secret, the yacht Schumacher leased for the men who were in the Guardian project. How wonderfully convenient Trinity had run to the harbor; it afforded him options. His lips curled as a plan burst into his mind.
He’d never had the pleasure of enjoying the yacht’s luxury before, but Schumacher still owed him. The last time the two men had met, the squirming weasel had begged Zak not to hurt him. The cretin had spent the prior hour trying to destroy Mason’s woman, Shiloh, and only Zak’s fast action had obstructed Schumacher’s success.
Zak had relished the honor of paying the worm a visit while Mason soothed Shiloh, and after several rounds of confessions involving Schumacher’s face and his fist, the two had struck a deal—the jerk could go free if he stayed the fuck away from them. Mason, Nash, and the others knew he was out there somewhere, prowling and no doubt keeping an eye on what they did. That was what the Guardian project paid Schumacher to do, but Zak didn’t want to actually see the fucker.
He’d lost all respect for him after he’d found out the remaining gory details of Schumacher’s deeds from Shiloh. Schumacher had done well to avoid a heavier pummeling, and Zak had no qualms about helping himself to the yacht assigned to the program.
“I’m going to show you just how much I meant them.” Jumping lithely to his feet, he yanked her up, holding her against his body.
“Sir?”
An unmistakable tremor of trepidation resonated in her voice, and while he would never truly harm her, Zak was pleased to hear it. He enjoyed a woman with vigor, but Trinity had proven herself untrustworthy. She bolted when she should have accepted his authority and walked away when the going got tough. Not anymore. She wouldn’t be walking anywhere unless he ordered it.
“Let’s take a little trip.”
Reaching for her waist, he hoisted her over his shoulder in an impromptu fireman’s lift. She squawked as she went, the sweatpants falling around her knees, but one swift swat to her bared ass silenced her.
“Quiet,” he warned.
She could make as much noise as she wanted once he had her out at sea, but for now, he didn’t want to risk someone being close by and hearing her performance. There might still be a cop on duty closer to where the unfortunately aborted hijacking had transpired earlier in the evening.
He made it to the Top Secret in a few long strides, boarding with ease. It was unusual for such a swanky vessel to be moored at a small dock like this, but it didn’t surprise Zak. No doubt her position had been deliberate, designed to keep distance between her and the other super yachts. The things that went on here weren’t for general consumption.
Each shark shifter’s fingerprint had been loaded into the security system. No one else, except those who ran the project, could access the yacht, and it had the fortuitous benefit that keys were obsolete on board. Pressing his index finger to the control panel, he smiled as the door to the helm opened, and he carried her inside.
“Where are we, Sir?”
“I. Said. Quiet.” Zak punctuated each word with a fresh slap to her exposed backside, reveling in the whimpers the spanks elicited. It was possible Trinity was finally on the brink of understanding the man she’d encountered that first night at the Rusty Pelican. She could comprehend a lot of what turned him on, but if there was any remaining questions, a few hours on board Top Secret should answer any questions and erase any remaining doubts she might have.
This vessel had been set up with more than just extravagance in mind. While the cabins exhibited all the grandeur one might expect of obscene wealth, Zak had heard about her darker, undisclosed mysteries. He’d seen the plans. He knew she’d been designed to contain enemies as well as entertain friends. Deep in the berths below was a cage with Trinity’s name on it.
Turning, he closed the door to the outside world, ensuring it was locked with one swipe of his finger. There was no way she was slipping away this time. Trinity would need his say-so to leave Top Secret. He carried the squirming woman past the cockpit, heading straight for the private cabins. Once he had her suitably secured, he would ensure they headed miles from shore and could rely on discretion while she learned the rules of his game, but until then, his mission was clear. He would strip the little wildcat, take her right to the edge of ecstasy, then once his needs had been satiated, he would leave her bound and unsatisfied.
It was time Trinity learned she wasn’t the only one who could walk away. He could leave her safe and snug while he slipped into the ocean for a swim, and for her part, Trinity would have no choice but to break the mold and for the first time, do as she was fucking told.
Chapter 17
Trinity
Shit! Shit! Shit! What the hell am I supposed to do now? Zak had made it clear she was in for some kind of retribution, and she would bet it wouldn’t just be another spanking.
The way she saw it, her problem was two-fold. She was on board some mega-yacht with a man who was righteously pissed off and whose security system required his fingerprint. The other, and arguably larger problem—she wasn’t convinced she wanted to leave. There was a part of Zak that was at odds with the SEAL in the tuxedo—a primal predator who considered her his prey. That would be bad enough, but the beast that lurked within him called to something deep and dark that had always lurked in her heart and soul. No doubt about it, Zak Vance turned her on in a way that no other man ever had.
He’d hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her from the dock to the yacht. Had anyone seen him? Once aboard the ship, he’d locked and secured the vessel. Now, he was stalking down the passageway. She found it interesting to think about how Zak moved—he didn’t walk; he stalked or prowled. There was an animalistic grace to the way Zak did everything. There was no wasted movement, just using the power and speed he needed to accomplish his goal. How had he caught up with her?
“Zak?”
Her question was answered by a sharp smack to her butt. I should have seen that coming.
“Sir?”
“Better, but I said quiet. I won’t tell you again—not without adding to the discipline you’re due.”
Okay, that was it. She’d had enough. Doubling her fists, she hammered his lower back. He never broke stride, just punctuated each step with another swat to her ass.
“You’re going to learn not to hit me when you don’t get your way.”
“Put me down,” she snarled.
“I really need to get you a ball gag,” he responded, amused. “Maybe that would teach you to keep your mouth shut. If not shut, then at least muzzled and muffled.”
Finally, he opened the door to one of the staterooms and dropped her on the bed as if she were a sack of potatoes. He didn’t say another word as he stripped the sweatpants off her and jerked the sweatshirt over her head, smiling as her nipples beaded. She thought briefly about trying to float the idea it was cold but knew all that would get her was spanked and accomplish nothing. They both knew her nipples were reacting to his presence and the way he dominated her.
Trinity understood the roles of Dominant and submissive. She’d often taken on the role of a sub in various clubs around the world in order to get consensual, contracted sex—no strings, no recriminations, and no messy breakups—but she’d never considered herself submissive. Until Zak, she had never allowed anyone to truly dominate her. Only in her deepest, darkest fantasies had she imagined there might be a man who could fulfill that need. The dream to find and live that actual life was something she’d abandoned a long time ago.
Her past experiences had led her to believe there were an awful lot of poseurs inside and outside the clubs—guys who wanted all the goodies and none of the responsibilities. Hadn’t Brent taught her that? God, she hadn’t thought of him in years and was pretty damn sure Zak wouldn’t like the idea of his woman thinking about another man when she was lying naked on a bed in front of him.
“Do I even want to know what that little smirk is about?” he asked, unzipping the hoodie and tossing it and the clothes she’d had onto a chair.
“Probably not, Sir.”
“Tell me, anyway.”
“Do you want the truth?”
“Lie to me, and you won’t sit for a week.”
“In that case,” she said, smiling at him, “I was thinking about another man.” Why was it she liked to tug the tiger’s tail?
“You what?” he growled, stopping after unbuttoning the top button on his jeans.
She had to admit he had the most gorgeous ass.
“I wasn’t thinking kind thoughts, Sir. I was comparing him to you, and he came up short… very short,” she teased, looking at the massive bulge pressing against his fly.
“You have a sassy mouth on you,” he said, his tone filled with lust. “On your knees, and hang onto the headboard.”
“Why?”
He flipped her over on her belly and delivered a flurry of five stinging smacks to her still aching backside. She was beginning to think his threat of her not being able to sit down for a week wasn’t much of a threat, and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to sit with any degree of comfort again.
“Because I said so. On your knees, hands on the headboard.” He waited as she pulled herself up and did as he told her to do. “Better. Eyes front,” he growled.
God, he had the sexiest damn voice.
Trinity could hear him moving around behind her and wanted to look so damn bad but decided against it. He was doing something with their clothes, but she couldn’t tell what. Kneeling on the bed behind her, he took first one hand, then the other, and brought them behind her back. He had her wrists bound together in the blink of an eye. Grasping her bound wrists, he tugged, making her move backward before helping her off the bed.
“On your knees, Trin. That blowjob you gave me earlier was nice, but I like you naked and tied up a whole lot better. Blow me, baby.”
He helped her sink to her knees, unzipping the fly of his jeans and releasing his cock. She obediently opened her mouth, and he fed her his cock, pushing to the back of her throat until she gagged. She ought to bite the damn thing off, but it was so fine and had already given her so much pleasure. How much more might she experience if she actually gave herself over to him?
Zak backed off and groaned as she whispered her lips against his flesh. She drew back only as far as he would allow, running her tongue all along his cock and swirling it around its head. Without the use of her hands, she’d have to service him with just her mouth. She didn’t worry about making him come as he seemed to have an infinitesimal recovery time.
She licked the underside of his cock, her tongue finding the deep ‘V’ and giving it some affection. For such a hard, tough man, he had the silkiest skin. It was her turn to moan when he tangled his fingers in her hair, flexing and tugging, lighting up her scalp and reigniting the flame of desire barreling through her system. She ran her tongue down his cock again, sucking lightly.
“Deeper.” His voice had lost some of the anger, replaced with lust and maybe even a bit of longing.
Trinity swallowed as he drove his cock to the back of her throat once more. He wasn’t using her gently, and a part of her was getting off on not only what and how he was doing it but by being able to meet him. She wasn’t a delicate flower he could scare into doing as she was told. He might be dominant, and she might be submissive, but they were equals.
Doggedly, she forced his cock down, reveling in his low groan as his fingers flexed in her hair. Glancing up as he tilted his head back, she saw she was pleasing Zak, which pleased her no end. Her lips closed around him, and she sucked, pulling in hot ribbons of air through her nose.
When Zak moved her head back and forth, forcing her to take him deeper, the fireflies that had been playing in her nether region ignited and took flight. She moaned around his cock, the sound transferring vibration to his staff. Zak’s dick responded by swelling and pulsing, the skin stretched tight. Zak took over, and she didn’t fight him. Slowly, then more quickly, he fucked her mouth.
