Restrained Box Set: Boston Doms Books 1-4, page 23
Elizabeth tensed as he approached the back of her throat. “Press your tongue against me, chérie. As far forward as you can. You won’t choke.”
Amazingly, she didn’t. When her lower lip brushed against the smooth skin of his balls, she almost gasped. He’d filled her completely, but she could still breathe. Elizabeth lost track of time as Alexander coached her through licking, sucking, and tasting him. “Blast it, Elizabeth, you are brilliant,” he groaned when she pressed her tongue against the thick vein on the underside of his cock.
Darkness enveloped her, but Alexander’s ragged voice, his hands in her hair, the scent, and the taste of him rounded out her senses. Her own arousal dripped onto her heels. Unable to move beyond her lips and her tongue, blind, half-senseless with need, she couldn’t think of another place in the world she’d rather be.
“Elizabeth, I can’t deny myself much longer. If you don’t want to take my seed, drop the bell now.”
She did want this. Alexander loved her, and more than that, she trusted him. She could do this. Hoping he’d enjoy the sensation, she hummed, letting the sound travel to the back of her throat as he thrust deeper.
“Oh shite, Elizabeth. I love your mouth.” His words dissolved into hoarse grunts, and he thrust twice more before he jerked against her lips and his seed shot to the back of her throat. She panicked for a moment until she heard his voice. “Swallow, Elizabeth. Now.”
Even without full command of her senses, she could obey him. When his cock stilled, and he withdrew, she wanted to collapse on the floor, but he still had a hold of her hair and dropped down next to her instead to pull her into his arms.
Resting in his embrace, she relished the pounding of his heart under her ear. She’d done this to him, turned him boneless and sated him. She ached to see him, but she felt secure and too spent to move. Until he removed the clamp from her left nipple. She whimpered quietly, shuddering, while he sucked the abused flesh into his mouth and soothed the throbbing ache. The right followed. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn’t care. The pain
was intense, but held in his arms, she was more at peace than she’d ever been.
She didn’t even notice when her thighs were released and he eased the bell from her hands. Or when he laid her on the bed and unbound her ankles.
With a possessive growl, he guided her knees up and her feet flat against the mattress.
“I want your hands on me, Elizabeth,” he murmured. “And I want to look into your eyes when you come.” The blindfold fell away, and she blinked against the brightness of the daylight streaming in from floor-to-ceiling windows. A wall of pure white separated them from the deep blue of the sea.
“Kiss me.”
She draped her arms around his neck, moaning as his tongue swept against hers and danced over her teeth. When he toyed with the swollen nub between her legs, she fought not to thrust her hips against his hand. Her ass couldn’t handle another punishment. Not today. Tomorrow, however… She stifled a laugh under his insistent lips.
“What’s so funny, my lovely sub?” he asked with a smirk. His fingers dipped inside her, and she mewled softly when he found her G-spot and pressed against the sensitive nerves.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to say. Yet.”
“Secrets?” He nipped at her thighs. “No secrets between us. Not now.
Tell me.”
Exasperated, she let out a sigh. “My ass hurts. And…I…”
“You like the feeling?” He cupped one sore butt cheek as he toyed with her clit.
“Oh God. Yes. Please…”
Alexander laughed and rose up on his knees. “My favorite word out of your lovely mouth.” Once he’d sheathed himself, he wrapped her hands around his hips. “You are everything I wanted but never knew I needed, Elizabeth.”
The tears she’d held back tumbled down her cheeks. With every thrust, he swiped his capable fingers over her folds. Her toes curled against the sheets.
This man loved her. He’d saved her life and shown her a part of herself she’d never known existed, but now couldn’t live without.
“You’re mine, Elizabeth. And I want you to come. Now. Come with me.”
The climax that had been building for what felt like hours rushed towards her, starting deep in her belly, reaching for her toes, her fingers, even the top
of her head. Alexander’s eyes darkened with his groans of pleasure, and when he gave a final thrust and shouted her name, she let go.
When she next managed a coherent thought, she found herself in his arms, covered by blankets. He pressed a bottle of water to her lips. They didn’t speak until his phone buzzed on the bedside table. He growled his displeasure, but she twisted out of his arms to grab it for him.
“Yes?” He listened for a minute and shook his head. “We’ll be walking to lunch in an hour.” He hung up and tossed the phone back onto the bed. “I’m glad their timing wasn’t any worse.”
She chuckled and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I wouldn’t have noticed. I don’t remember a thing after I came.”
“You’re good for my ego, chérie. A Dom enjoys hearing that from his sub.”
His sub. Those two little words thrilled her down to her toes. Never in her life would she have imagined that being anyone’s anything could make her so happy. Snuggling closer to him, she closed her eyes. Her mind wandered, bringing her to the top of a tall cliff, staring down at the sea. Her bare toes curled over the edge, sending rocks skittering towards the water. She smiled and let herself fall.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Elizabeth huddled in the front seat while Alexander locked the door, then carefully made his way to the car. He’d had to dig the Mercedes out of its snowy cocoon this morning. They’d barely left the house for three days, and Elizabeth sighed as he sank into the driver’s seat.
“What’s wrong, Elizabeth?” Reaching over to twist a lock of hair around his finger, Alexander scanned her face, concern bringing out the whiskey-colored flecks in his green eyes.
She tried—and probably failed—to keep a bit of the melancholy from her voice. “How do you go back to reality after time here?”
He chuckled, then leaned closer so he could capture her lips in a tender kiss. When he pulled back, he’d sobered. “I’m not going to like leaving you to go to the office tomorrow. Promise me that you’ll stay in the house?”
“For how long?” As he threw the car into reverse, Elizabeth twisted the hem of her old Harvard sweatshirt. The poor fabric had lost its elasticity years ago with all of her fidgeting. Anxiety sucked, and she hated feeling like she couldn’t settle. “At some point, I have to live my life, Alexander.”
As he turned onto the beachfront road and Elizabeth gaped at the deep blue ocean that spread out before her, all the way to the horizon. “Oh my God. It’s so beautiful.”
“Next time, I’ll bring you out to the lighthouse,” he said, a hint of longing in his voice. “I called, but they haven’t dug out from the storm yet.”
Several minutes passed before he answered her question, and Elizabeth spent every one of them chewing on her lip. She couldn’t just hide away in
that big house for the rest of her life. She had to find a job, make an effort to be a better friend, see Toni and Kelsey more often, get back to running, volunteering at the food bank…all the things she’d put off or just ignored Alexander glanced over at her, then at a stoplight, took her hand, but kept his eyes forward. His shoulders held tension, and she squeezed his fingers.
“I’m struggling, Elizabeth. There’s nothing I want more than to keep you safe and protected,” he said quietly. “Right now, that means inside the house. But I know that’s not fair to you. Milos and Carl will be staying on. Ben’s going to drop by this afternoon to update us on the case against CPH.”
“And the…hitman?” Her voice cracked on the last word.
When he spared her another glance, she read the answer in his eyes. “Still out there.”
Elizabeth released his hand as the light turned green, then turned her gaze to the sea. “I won’t let him, them, anyone…take more of my life from me.”
“I know, chérie. I’m going to send Milos for a defensive driving course, and I ordered a town car. William—my head of security—is working his magic to get the doors and windows reinforced.”
Did he really think she was just going to let someone drive her everywhere? “I need to run, Alexander. To go hang out with Toni and Kelsey, go to the movies, out to dinner. With and without you.”
He sighed, and his knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. “I want you to do all of those things. But not at the expense of your safety. Please, Elizabeth. Trust me a little longer.”
Though she wasn’t sure he’d ever be okay with her going out alone again, she nodded. “Okay.”
Relief changed his whole body language, but longing still lingered in his voice. “When we get home, there’s something I need to show you.”
“Care to elaborate? Or do I get to spend the whole ride worried?”
When he looked over at her, the glint in his eyes calmed her nerves. “Do not worry, Elizabeth. This…I hope…you’ll like.”
Elizabeth slept all the way back to Boston. Alexander woke her with a brush of his fingers against her cheek. “We’re home, chérie.”
A yawn split her lips, and she hid behind a hand over her mouth. “Can’t stay awake in the car to save my life unless I’m driving.” She reached for the door handle, but Alexander stopped her.
“Wait for Milos.”
“It’s the middle of the day in front of your house. Do you really think there’s a danger?” Elizabeth looked up and down the street. “There’s no one around.”
Alexander only had a moment to scowl at her before Milos appeared at her door and Thomas showed up to take Alexander’s place behind the wheel.
Once he’d ushered her inside, he passed Samuel their luggage and accepted a small stack of correspondence with a Post-It note on top. His frown only lasted a moment, but Elizabeth’s stomach somersaulted. “I have a few calls to make. Work related—nothing to worry about.”
“Where should I, um, go?” This wasn’t her house. Would Samuel or Donatella be upset if she hung out in the kitchen or parked herself in the upstairs study? Would they even care?
“Anywhere you want.”
River padded up to the both of them mrrping the whole way. She wound around their legs until Elizabeth picked her up and nuzzled her orange-striped fur. “Hello, sweetie.” The cat purred and butted her head against Elizabeth’s chin. “Miss me?”
“She slept on your bed,” Samuel said from the parlor. “On Miss Elizabeth’s pillow.”
“She’s gained weight, too.” Elizabeth raised a brow at Samuel. “All tuna all the time now?”
Alexander’s majordomo stared down at his shoes, but the corners of his lips turned upwards. “Perhaps.”
After a quick kiss, Alexander strode to his office, and Elizabeth stood in the entry hall, River in her arms, unsure what to do.
“Would you like to see the library, Miss Elizabeth?” Samuel asked.
“There’s a library?” At her surprised tone, River meowed and then wriggled out of her arms. “Sure,” she said, though really, she just wanted somewhere she could feel comfortable again.
Samuel held her gaze for a long moment, understanding in his brown eyes. “I’ll give you the nickel tour.”
Curled on the love seat in the upstairs study with a small plate of Donatella’s chocolate chip cookies and a pot of tea, Elizabeth called Kelsey.
“How’s the head?”
Elizabeth brushed her fingers over the still healing wound. “Better. The swelling’s gone. Though my bruises are all a disgusting shade of yellow now.”
“And Maine?” Kelsey’s tone turned teasing.
“I didn’t want to come back. Next summer, you won’t have to twist my arm to join you. Assuming I have a job. Or any way to support myself.”
Her friend’s sigh carried over the line. “Do you really think you’re going to have to worry about that? Lizzie, you’re dating the richest guy in Boston.
No, scratch that. The richest guy in Boston is in love with you.”
Elizabeth wished she could explain how Kelsey’s assertion both thrilled her and terrified her at the same time. Instead, she stared out the window at the snow-covered streets and tried not to panic.
“Earth to Lizzie. Come in, please.”
With a soft shake of her head, Elizabeth returned her attention to her friend. “Sorry. I just…this is all so much. When we came ho—back here, Samuel carried our bags upstairs, Donatella had a plate of cookies waiting, and I’m sitting in a room where the furniture probably costs as much as a small car.”
“So?” Kelsey huffed. “Look, when David was alive, we sort of lived the dream, you know? Townhouse in the South End, trips overseas every year, vacations in Maine or Vermont. We weren’t rich, but we didn’t worry a lot about money. He was a damn good real estate agent.”
“I remember.” Kelsey wasn’t usually this talkative about her late husband.
Sadness tinged Kelsey’s words as she continued. “Now, I live in a tiny apartment that overlooks an alley. I’m happy—more or less. Happier than I’ve been since I l-lost him. And you know what else I am?”
“No.”
“The same person I was when we had money. And the same person I was
when he and I got married and had to live in his parents’ basement for two years because we couldn’t afford anything else.” Kelsey sniffled once, but her voice didn’t crack again. “Living in that big, fancy house with the fancy staff and the fancy address and the fancy furniture? It doesn’t change who you are.”
“But…how do I make sure I don’t end up like I did before?” Elizabeth’s voice dropped to a whisper. “With Darren.”
“By keeping us in your life. Toni and I picked up the pieces when you left him, hon. We know the signs. Hell, we knew them back then, too, but you never opened up to us. And since we were both across the country, there wasn’t a whole lot we could do.” After a long, slow exhale, Kelsey lowered her voice. “You didn’t walk us out the other night. Alexander did.”
“Oh God. What did he say?” Her cheeks flamed, and she dropped her head into her hands, momentarily forgetting about the stitches.
“He gave us his mobile number. Told us to call him anytime, yell at him, berate him, do anything we needed to do if we ever suspected he wasn’t taking care of you or respecting you. He said he knew a little about Darren, and that he might need help not making an ass—or arse—out of himself from time-to-time because he comes on pretty strong. Then told us we were always welcome and invited us for Christmas. Toni sort of gaped the whole ride back to Brookline. Kind of impressive, really. She’s never speechless.”
Hope warmed deep inside. “You’re not worried I’m going to…change?
Being with him?”
Kelsey chuckled. “Your parties are going to be a lot cooler now.
Honestly, I could probably stare at Samuel all day and die a happy woman.
But no, Lizzie. You’re not going to change. You’ve got us. More importantly, you know who you are now.”
Alexander slumped back in his chair. Three hours of phone calls, emails, and video conferences. Samuel had brought him coffee—twice—and now, his hands shook from all the caffeine. As he was about to get up, Nicholas
rang him.
“About bloody time,” Alexander snapped. “Foyle’s been trying to reach you all day. Where have you been?”
“Trying to wade through the end of year reports. Foyle knows where my office is. He could have knocked. Penny’s out sick, and I didn’t request a temp. Figured it’d be better to keep my head down and finalize all of this shite.” Nicholas sounded tired, but more than that, a deep sadness lingered in his voice.
Alexander rubbed the back of his neck and tried to put himself in his brother’s shoes. “Can I help?”
“You’re still in Maine, yeah?”
“Elizabeth and I came home this afternoon.” Another quick scan of his email gave him the only update he truly cared about. “Fuck me. The U.S.
Attorney found the bank account opened in Elizabeth’s name. Six million and change.”
Nicholas whistled. “But nothing on the hitman?”
“No. I don’t know what I’m going to do, Nicholas. She wants to find a job, get back to her life.” Though the two brothers hadn’t always been close, and Alexander made a point not to discuss financial matters with Nicholas, at his lowest, he still turned to his older brother. Even though most of the time Alexander felt like the responsible one.
“Let her.” Nicholas called Alexander’s name to stop the tirade of curses and protests. “She’s not a bird in a gilded cage. From what I’ve seen of her, she’s got a backbone—and a hell of a brain. Get her a driver, a bodyguard, hell, find a safe apartment building, buy the damn thing, and outfit it with the best security system you can find for her. Or just ask Elizabeth to move in with you. But you can’t keep her cosseted behind closed doors just because someone once wanted her dead. If the tosser who tried to kill her was a hired professional, which seems bloody likely, he probably knows by now that he’s not getting paid, and he’ll leave her alone. If not, that’s what the security’s for.”
Grimacing, Alexander pushed to his feet. He needed a hot shower, a meal, and Elizabeth in his arms. “You’re right. She’s too bright a jewel to keep hidden away from the world. I should go talk to her. You’ll be at the board meeting tomorrow?”
“Yeah. If I don’t drown in these reports first.” With a dry laugh, Nicholas hung up.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
A lexander found Elizabeth in the bedroom, sitting cross-legged on the bed with River next to her. She’d found the remote control for the television, and the strains of “White Christmas” filled the room as Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney serenaded one another. She absently stroked the cat’s fur, and tears shone on her cheeks.
