Chapter ELEVEN
CARTER:
I throw my gym bag over my shoulder and adjust my tie with my other hand. It’s still early, and the streets have yet to fill with many people as I walk back to the parking garage. Out of the corner of my eye I catch sight of long, dark hair under a baseball cap. She’s wearing loose sweats that are tapered at the ankle and a zip up hoodie. I’d know her anywhere, even with her unusually casual attire. I’m about ready to go to her, but I stop when a man with a buzz cut, bulging muscles, and tattoos shuts his trunk and walks to her, leaning down to whisper in her ear. She places her hand in his for a moment as a few more intimate words are shared between them and he leaves her on the sidewalk as he gets into his blacked-out Audi and pulls away. All I can do is stand and watch as she waves at him and gets into her car and turns the corner.
What the fuck was that? Is he the reason she won’t commit to me? I didn’t hear a word from her all weekend after our night together, and while it was frustrating, I just figured she needed some time. Apparently, she needed another man. Pissed off, I storm back to the office and throw my bag on my office floor.
I’m surprised to find that Leanne is sitting at her desk at this early hour. She looks up with wide eyes as I hover in the doorway. “When Anika gets in, let her know she’s to come to my office immediately.” I try to school my expression, but Leanne shakes her head.
“Mr. Linwood, Anika just called to say she wouldn’t be in today. She said she’d send you a message shortly. She isn’t feeling well.”
“Bullshit,” I grind out, surprising my secretary. I never lose control.
“Sorry, Leanne. I’ll be in my office if you need me.” she just nods and I shut my door so I can pace without having her think I’m even more insane than I appear today.
For hours, I sit and pace cursing myself for wanting her and getting involved. This is why I don’t do relationships or fall in love. It isn’t worth all the shit, except for this time I can’t shake the feeling that it is. She’s different. She’s fascinating, and all I want to do is unwrap every single layer of her, damaged or otherwise until all that’s left is her is the part of herself she usually hides. I’m falling hard for this girl, even if it is one sided, and I promised I wouldn’t give up. If that means having to compete against someone else to do it, then so be it, because she’s mine.
*****
“I was wondering when you were going to show up. It took you longer than I thought it would,” her low voice says in greeting as she opens her front door to me. The first thing I notice is the purple bruising on either side of her face, and the swelling around her eye.
“What the fuck? Did he do this to you?” I lean down so we’re eye to eye and I can get a better look, and realize it’s a few days old as the other edges are beginning to yellow. I try to touch it but, she swats my hand away violently.
“No, I was cleaning on Saturday and I fell down the stairs while I was carrying a box. I couldn’t catch myself.” She explains, and I do notice that the air is still heavy with the scent of cleaners.
“Christ. Did you go to the hospital?”
“It’s just some bumps and bruises, Carter. I’ll be fine.” She gestures for me to step all the way in, and shuts the door behind me.
“What is he to you?” I ask, back on the subject. She doesn’t even look surprised I know.
“I saw you watching,” she explains, probably seeing my confusion.
“Tell me then, Anika. What is he to you? Your boyfriend, a casual fuck?”
“He’s no one. None of the above. Just an old friend that asked me to build a computer. I was too sore to do anything this weekend, so I told him to meet me this morning,” she’s casual about it.
“It didn’t look that way.”
“Carter, look at me,” she stresses. “I can’t promise you many things, but I can promise you that there is nothing going on there.” I look at her for a second longer, and I see her. I see the open Anika that I love.
I step closer taking her into my arms, and it feels so right. “You’re mine. Only mine.” I say, kissing her lips. Her body molds to mine becoming pliable. “I need to be inside you. You need to learn who you who belong to.” I grab her hair, and she winces at the pain. I almost feel bad, but when she moans, that guilt fades away.
“How’s your ass?” I ask, kissing my way down her neck as she presses herself harder against me.
“Ready for you,” she responds turning away from me and towards her bedroom, and I follow. The room is simple, but beautifully decorated with black walls and floors with thick white trim and wainscoting with a thick white rug with dark gray diamond pattern that looks brand new and a massive white linen upholstered bed with white fluffy bedding. Her bedside tables are antiqued mirrored and everything flows perfectly with the rest of her house. I walk to the side of her bed, and find that she’s still standing in her doorway looking at me with a worried expression.
“Crawl to me, Anika,” I say, and the way she immediately drops to her knees has me nearly coming undone. She stops at my feet and sits on her knees, waiting for my next command.
“You’ve been researching, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
“That makes me happy. Good girl.” I praise and she smiles up at me with her bruised face, and even with it, she’s the most stunning thing I’ve ever seen as she waits for me.
“Undress for me, Anika, but stay on your knees,” I say and she does so immediately, revealing herself to me. “Now take my cock out.”
I watch as she struggles with my belt and zipper, only using one hand. “Anika, let me see your other hand, baby.” She lifts her hand to me without meeting my eyes. It’s swollen, bruised and her knuckles are raw.
“Stairs?” I question.
“Yep. Dislocated a few fingers,” she snaps.
Planting a soft kiss to her battered hand, I say, “You better watch that sassy mouth of yours little, girl or I’m going to punish it.”
“Maybe that’s what I want. I’ve been a bad girl, Carter.” I look up at her ceiling and groan. I love control, but it seems I have none around this woman. I want to own her, but the truth is, she owns me. Body and soul. I help her out and unfasten my pants.
“Then your wish is my command.” I look down to her. “Open your mouth. You’re going to take what I give you, and you’re going to like it. If I get what I want, then I’ll give you what you need.” She opens her mouth, and while she looks incredible on her knees kneeling for me, waiting for my next command, I’ve changed my mind.
“Go get a scarf,” I say and she looks slightly amused as she obeys, returning from the closet with a long scarf in hand and kneels before me once again. My chest swells with pride as I watch her.
“Very good,” I practically purr at her. “Get up on the bed, baby.”
I watch as she lays back amongst the fluffy covers and I crawl in alongside her and begin binding her wrists together. Once her wrists are bound, I have her roll over.
“How bad have you been, Anika?” I ask, pulling my leather belt through the belt loops on my slacks.
“So bad, Carter. I need punishing,” she says seductively and I motion for her to roll over. Most women say things like that trying to be seductive, but the way Anika says it with complete sincerity is at times both unnerving and thrilling.
She rolls over on top of the cool sheets, exposing her backside to me and I can still see the evidence of our fun from the other night. She loved it, there’s no doubt, but I’m left unsettled at the lasting marks of punishment. I’ve never hit a woman that hard before-they’ve certainly never begged for it in the way she did, like she needed it to breathe. I don’t want to mar her beautiful skin, but I want the pleasure in knowing that I can. I’m a sick bastard, there’s no doubt, but I’m a sick bastard that wants this woman happy.
I trail my fingers down the lines of ink on her back wondering where they begin and where I should start translating.
“They’re my sins,” she mumbles so quietly I almost miss it.
“Your sins?” I ask.
“I have them written on my skin because they’re too terrible to say out loud. My mother used to say that the only way to be shown God’s mercy was to confess your sins and wear them openly. I didn’t understand it at the time thinking if God knows all, then why does he need for me to repeat my wrongs that he already knows. It wasn’t until later I learned that the confession wasn’t for God, it was more for me…to admit and own my sin and accept whatever punishment it brings me.” She speaks in quiet remembrance, and suddenly I understand this complicated woman just a little bit more. I don’t know what she’s seen in this life, but I know she carries it with her and it goes much deeper than the ink on her skin.
“Carter.” S,e prompts, suddenly reminding me of the fact she’s waiting on me to do something.
“We don’t have to-” I begin.
“Stop. I want to, no I need to do this right now. So please, let me feel that belt, Carter. Show me how good it can hurt.”
I look down at her, and she gives me a pleading look. For the first time, I don’t want to punish or control, I don’t want to be the one inflicting the pain. I just want to be the one to take it away.
“Please…” she begs softly, and I cave. I give her what she wants as the soft conditioned leather of my belt snaps across the backs of her thighs, pulling a deep moan from her. I hesitate, but she urges me on and I let the belt land again, this time across the still tender flesh of her ass, and she sighs as if I’ve finally given her what she needs. I’m addicted to the control, and I’m addicted to the sounds I’m pulling out of her as her skin blooms under my wrath.
She looks over her shoulder at me with an intense relief, and I give her more as I dip my fingers into her dripping pussy and then into her mouth to lick off. The way her breath brushes across my wet fingertips sends a shiver through me, and I don’t waste a second, pulling her ass up into the air and pushing myself inside. Her warm tight hole pulses around me, and I know she’s already close. I’m willing to bet that this woman could get off on pain alone, and the thought has my balls tightening.
“You’re going to come for me now, Anika,” I say, smacking her firm round ass cheek hard enough to leave a hand print. Immediately she comes with my name on her lips as I find my own release deep inside of her.
Pulling out of her, I unbind her hands and hug her tightly to me as we both catch our breaths. She gives me a smile as her hand trails down my stomach, finding my already stiffening cock.
“I need more, Carter. Please,” she begs, giving me that look again.
Unable to deny her, I roll over, pinning her between my arms and lean forward to pull her pert nipple between my teeth and bite it gently. Once again, we find ourselves lost together, feeding each other our pain in our own ways. It’s beautiful, its raw, and I finally feel a sense of completion wash over me, knowing I’ve found someone who’s sick like me.