He held onto her throat and squeezed gently, letting his teeth skim her earlobes before he bit down on them, then trailed his lips down her neck to her collarbone.
Star couldn’t move. She wasn’t afraid or paralyzed, but she had been shackled to the bed with red ropes and her body on display for him to see, this man in a mask. A man she thought she recognized, but was sure she didn’t know, all the same.
She gasped as his kiss deepened, and her pussy ached between her legs, wanting him so desperately to touch her and to put her out of her misery. Behind the mask she could see his eyes, the intense blue, and in the darkness it was subtly disguising. He was amused. She could see it all over his face. He bent down so that their lips were almost touching, and he held her there, her barely able to breathe.
“How much do you want this?” he whispered, his lips skimming hers. “How much do you want me?”
Star gasped and tried to speak, but she was so turned on and so overawed that no words would form. She was completely at his mercy. Although she wanted him more than anything she had ever known, she wasn’t able to tell him so.
He flashed her a wicked grin and let his hands trail down the side of her body, right down past her hips and into the tangle of the black silk sheets next to them. He reached inside, and when his hand emerged, he was holding something, something black and hard.
Star widened her eyes and twisted on the spot to try and get a better look, but the way he had tied her to the bed meant it was impossible for her to see without him bringing it up to her face and showing her himself.
“How much do you want it?” he whispered again.
He was playing with her.
Toying with her.
But she liked it.
She liked it very much.
“I want it,” she panted, finally allowing herself to speak.
“And do you agree to give yourself to me fully?” he asked her.
She bit her lip and her pussy throbbed. She would agree to do anything, anything, as long as he put her out of her misery.
“Yes,” she whispered.
He smiled his devilish smile and raised his hand.
Star’s eyes widened and she gasped again when she saw what he was holding. It was a thick black flogger, and he held it high, ready to bring it down.
“Be a good girl,” he whispered, his voice deep and menacing, but so sexy it was making her bones ache.
As his hand came powering down to her she closed her eyes, her heart racing so hard the blood was pounding through her ears. She felt dizzy and disorientated; her mind awash with confusion and lust, and she wanted it so badly she was screaming, ”Yes, yes yes!”
…and suddenly, there was nothing.
Star sat up in bed and clutched her hand over her heart. Her forehead was slick with sweat and her breathing rapid. Her nipples were erect and throbbing through her nightdress while her legs were twisted up together, as if she had tried to keep them closed. It was as if she had tried to stop herself from letting her own hands wander.
“What the hell,” she said as she looked around the room with confusion. Her eyes were barely open, but she could see the light breaking in through the curtains and the surroundings of her new bedroom coming into focus.
There was no man with her. And she wasn’t tied to the bed. It had been a dream.
The most realistic dream she had ever experienced.
She pulled the covers up to her chest and breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm herself down. Her heart was still racing, and she could still feel him as if he had really been there. She bit her lip as her heartrate returned to normal. She let her mind linger on the exquisite details. A man in control; a man in a mask who had taken her and was going to do with her whatever he desired.
She trembled.
It had been so realistic. Though in the dream she hadn’t been sure of who the masked man was, in the clear light of day there was no doubt. The dream had been about Chains.
“Kinky,” she breathed as she rolled onto her side with a big smile on her face. She had never been one to dream about lovers or potential partners, but that had stirred her up in all the right ways.
“But stop it now, Star,” she scolded herself. “You have a rule and you’re not breaking it for some biker with a pretty face. No bad boys, and no outlaws. The world is complicated enough.”
She had a little giggle to herself and at how fertile her imagination was clearly becoming just by having Chains in the picture. She couldn’t believe how her sexuality had awakened. She felt so closed off and dormant for so long. She hadn’t even thought about going on a date with a guy, never mind being tied to a bed by one!
She pushed up on her elbows and looked around the room. She could see the clock on her dressing table said it was almost four in the afternoon. She had slept for pretty much all of the day.
She yawned and stretched and rose to her feet. She pulled the curtains open wide and looked down the street.
She saw it straight away and found herself stepping back to hide slightly, even though there would be no way anyone would be able to see her. But there, clear as day, sitting on the street outside of Chains’s house was his bike.
She was instantly taken back to the ride home and felt her stomach drop. She suddenly felt nervous.
“This is so ridiculous,” she said aloud. “You’re going to have to pull yourself together, or you’re going to make a fool of yourself.”
She shook her head and looked out of the window again, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
Downstairs in the kitchen, she made a big pot of coffee and drank one cup straight without stopping, then filled up her second. She made some toast and slathered on fresh butter and strawberry jam, then curled up on the couch to enjoy the sunlight coming through the massive windows.
After she had left her apartment, she had never looked back. Even though she had only been in her new place around forty-eight hours, she could never imagine going back there. It had been a low point for her, and she had known low. Now she felt as if she was truly back on her feet.
She pressed her hand flat against her stomach as it growled. Even after the toast and coffee, she was still starving.
“That’s because you haven’t eaten in pretty much twenty-four hours,” she laughed to herself. “You’re not in work tonight, so get ready and let’s go to the diner.”
She nodded to herself as if she were accepting her own instructions, then rolled her eyes at the tragedy of it all.
“You really need to get a life, Star,” she laughed. “All you do is talk to yourself.”
She flipped through the rails in her closet and picked out a cute little outfit. After her dream, she was certainly feeling a lot more alive and sultry than she usually did. She settled on a pair of tight skinny jeans and a low-cut tight black t-shirt. She pulled out a pair of low stiletto boots from the bottom of her closet and zipped them onto her feet. She looked and studied herself in the mirror.
One dream about a being tied up and suddenly you’re dressing like a dominatrix, she laughed to herself. Even if she had been the one tied down, something had definitely been awoken in her.
She reached for her purse and slipped in her cellphone and some cash she had earned in tips the previous evening. She debated calling Jill and inviting her down, but there was a part of her that just needed to be on her own. She was strangely looking forward to just perusing the menu, settling in with a drink of something ice-cold and watching the world go by from the diner windows.
The walk to the diner and Tanner’s barely seemed to take any time at all when she wasn’t in a rush. She ambled along and enjoyed the views of the rolling mountains and the beautiful desert colors.
When the glistening silver of the diner’s exterior came into view, she could already see that it was busy inside. There were trucks parked all out the back and plenty of cars in the front parking lot.
“Oh great.” She scowled. “Peak time.”
She looked at her watch and realized it was getting late. People would be arriving from all over to have dinner.
She started to climb the steps and couldn’t help but look down the highway towards Tanner’s. She could barely see it from here, as it was much further down the street past the motel.
She again thought of the night before, and the moment Chains had walked into the club when she had seen him for the first time.
She scolded herself again.
You’ve got to stop thinking about him!
Inside the diner, Joe the owner looked up and smiled at her, giving her a friendly wave. It was a relief for her to not walk in to Arlene’s snarling face. That waitress had worked the diner for so many years, but she was still as miserable as hell. She relaxed as she saw that there were still a few tables scattered around the outside of the room.
“Hey Star.” Joe smiled as he approached the counter. “How you doing?”
She smiled and walked towards him, shrugging her shoulders and patting her belly.
“I’m starving. I need feeding!” she said with a laugh.
Joe grinned and nodded towards a booth in the corner right by the windows.
“Well take a seat and I’ll be right over,” he said as he passed her a menu.
Star wandered over to her booth and climbed along the banquet to sit by the window. She could feel the leery eyes of some of the regular truckers on her, ones who were used to seeing her dance at night at work, and she smiled pleasantly before she ducked down behind her menu to hide.
She scanned down the lists of food and couldn’t make up her mind. She wanted to be naughty and order the most ridiculously fattening thing on the menu, but she also knew that she was going to have to start eating right one of these days. Her eyes settled on the salads and she scrunched up her lip. Some of them had more calories than the sandwiches, but by that point she knew she had decided to have something leafy and green.
Joe started to cross the room towards her and pulled a pencil out from behind his ear, poising it over his notepad.
“So, what can I get you?” he asked.
“The biggest diet Coke you can find me, and a cob salad.”
“Healthy.” Joe winked. “Could I tempt you to ordering a side of fries or onion rings?”
She shook her head no.
She wanted to slap his hand at the offer. All she could think of was the possibility that Chains may walk through the door, and for some reason she didn’t want him to see her eating greasy food. It was as if she were trying to live the best possible version of herself, just in case he happened to walk by.
By the time her drink had arrived, she was already twiddling her thumbs and stealing glances back over her shoulder toward the club. The outer lights had been turned on and it was now shining like a beacon along the highway. She reveled in her nights off, but she was feeling the pull back there, so much so that she was debating finishing up her food when it arrived and heading over there for a drink.
She cast a glance back towards the motel and noticed that that it, too, also seemed to be back open. For the past couple of months, businesses had been closing around Slate Springs and everywhere had been unbelievably and unnaturally quiet. The motel had been the first to go, and it really had a knock-down effect for the rest of the town. She had heard the bikers whispering about trying to conceal a lot of the profitable businesses. She could only guess it was because their Russian problem had been eyeing them up to take over.
Joe returned with her salad and she looked up at him while he flashed her a sympathetic smile.
“I tried to tempt you to the dark side,” he said with a shrug.
Star laughed and admitted defeat. “It’s okay, I’ll thank myself for this when I’m forty and still thin.”
She picked up her knife and fork, casting another glance back at the club with a squint. She couldn’t see any bikes outside, but that wasn’t unusual. The Forsaken Riders would usually use the back lot if they were going to be at Tanner’s for a significant amount of time.
She turned back to the salad in front of her and sighed. Regret was already kicking in. She was suffering from major food envy of the people sitting in the next booth down as they worked on greasy burgers and ketchup-soaked French fries.
As she started to pick at the chicken and avocado, she heard the bell ting behind her and a heavy set of boots crunch along the linoleum floor. Her heart picked up its pace immediately and she felt the tiny hairs on the back of her end stand on end.
She placed the fork down and took a sip of her drink. She wanted so badly to turn around and look… because she just knew.
She bit her lip and heard Joe greeting him at the counter. After this brief exchange, she couldn’t hear anymore. The people at the table behind her were all talking far too loud.
She gritted her teeth and sat back, straining to listen, but getting nothing.
“Yeah, take a seat and I’ll be right over,” Joe called towards her side of the room, and she could hear the heavy boots moving closer. She had to try and stop herself from smiling, but she was also sensing a rising panic.
It is him, she thought. I just know it.
As the figure walked past her booth, she cast her eyes up and saw the surprise in his eyes as he looked down and caught sight of her too.
Chains.
The new blood.
The new neighbor.
The man she had dreamt about and made a fool of herself in front of less than twenty-four hours before.
“Star,” he smiled as he stopped and studied her.
She felt herself blushing furiously. Still, she was determined this time she would not look away.
“Hi,” she said, and her voice came out in a small squeak.
He crossed his big arms over his chest and looked down at her, his muscles on his forearms swelling and heaving out of the bottom of his t-shirt. He looked so good, so much better than she had remembered. It was as if each time she saw his face, he became better looking. She noticed another curve or edge to his features that accented them more.
“Can I join you?” he asked suddenly.
Star’s heart was pounding so hard now she didn’t even know if she had heard him correctly. She nodded her head slowly and waited to see what his reaction would be.
He didn’t say a word, instead sitting down opposite her. She jumped a little when she felt his feet skim against hers. His boots were so big and rough, and hers so small and dainty, it was like the perfect juxtaposition was occurring beneath the table.
She was somewhat gob-smacked, but she tried not to show it. She sipped her drink again and suddenly didn’t feel very hungry.
“Are you not working tonight?” he asked, as he watched her from under his dark, furrowed brow.
“No,” she said with a small smile. “Tonight is one of my much needed nights off.”
He nodded his head slowly and watched her as if he was taking her all in and trying to figure her out.
“Are you settling into town okay?” she asked him, trying to think of something, anything, to stop the conversation from running dry so painfully quick.
“Yes,” he said with a slight nod, “I am.”
His eyes locked in on hers again and it was making her nervous. How did he do this to her? How could he instill such a violent reaction of nerves and lust?
“And what about you?” he asked as he smiled a wry smile. “Have you settled in nicely into our new neighborhood?”
“I have,” she said. “It’s nice and quiet and completely different to where I was before. You have no idea how appreciative I am for you letting me stay in the house. It’s like a palace compared to what I’m used to.”
He waved her comment away as if it was nothing and then his eyes settled on hers again.
He had a vague look of amusement in them, but also one of intrigue and something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on. It bordered on authority, but it was also one of passion.
“Did you get everything sorted with the TV?” he asked. “I was going to offer to come in and help you with it when I dropped you off this morning, but you seemed in a rush to get away.”
His smile flickered, and Star saw something in him that she hadn’t seen before… uncertainty. As if he was uncertain he was making the right move.
“Actually no,” she admitted. “I haven’t.” She shrugged and felt herself blushing again.
“Well then,” he said as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “That settles it. I don’t need to be anywhere tonight, so I’ll come over and give you a hand.”
It wasn’t an offer or a question, it was an order.
Star felt her insides clench and her heart flutter. “Are you sure?”
He leaned forward so he was closer to her and stared at her with those intense eyes.
“I’m very sure,” he said menacingly.
Star’s whole body was tingling. She had never felt so excited in her entire life.
“I’ll leave you to eat in peace,” he said as he tapped at his phone and rose to his feet. “But make sure you’re back home in an hour?” He asked her as if she had a choice in the matter, but she liked knowing that she really didn’t.
“Okay,” she squeaked.
He smiled at her and walked away to the far corner of the diner where he sat at a booth with his back to her. Her heart was racing, and her palms were sweating. Even just a conversation with him made her so confused and aroused it was sending her insane.
He looked back over his shoulder and caught his eye and flashed her a naughty smile.
Am I imaging it, or is he flirting with me? she thought as she spun the straw around in her glass and pushed her plate away.
She wasn’t hungry now. S There was no way in hell she was going to be eating any more of what was in front of her. She rose to her feet and walked back to the counter. She could feel Chains watching her and it was making her both nervous and turned on. She had no clue what was happening to her when she was around him, but it was so different to anything she had experienced before that it was making her dizzy and dumb. She could barely keep her composure.
“Heading off already?” Joe asked as she slammed a twenty down on top of the counter and hurried toward the door.
“Yes,” she called back. “Thanks, Joe.”
She didn’t look back at Chains however much she wanted to. She knew that she had to remain composed.
As she raced back home, all she could think about what how he had looked at her, how she felt when she was in front of him, and of all the things she knew he was capable of deep down. Her dream hadn’t been random; there was something running beneath the surface when it came to Chains. He was dark and dangerous, but he had an edge to him that was raw sexuality and carnal desires.
She shivered.
It had been such a long time since a man had touched her and she had buried her own desires well away, never thinking about or tending to them. But now that Chains had walked into her life, all she could think about was submitting to him and to what she craved.
And what she craved was him. Between her legs. On top of her. Holding her down, and dominating her.
“Yikes,” she whispered as she had to catch her breath. “He really has awoken something very naughty in you.”
She raced home without looking back and when she threw open her front door the first thing she saw was the TV sitting in the corner, still in a tangle of wires.
He was coming for her in less than hour. She had to be prepared, because she had the distinct feeling that he was going to be fixing a lot more than her television when he arrived.