“Like fuck!” Parker snapped.
I jumped at his abrupt movement when he rose to his feet. “Parker.” It wasn’t a bad idea. “Sherry would have no idea who I am.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not having you risking yourself for some chick you don’t know. Who the hell knows what she’s capable of?”
“Is she close with Devin?” I asked, ignoring him.
“Keely,” Parker said, glancing down at me, his gaze filling with a dark warning.
I swallowed hard and met Greyson’s stare. “Is she?”
“That I don’t know. But I’m sick of this shit being brought to my clubhouse. We’re trying to be good boys.” He winked at me. “And with these bodies piling up, it’s not helping.”
“Keely is not helping you. Not like that. I don’t want her anywhere near that fucker,” Parker growled, his big body shaking.
“She wouldn’t be. It would just be near his cousin,” Greyson explained.
“I don’t care.” Parker shook his head, brushing a hand over his buzzed hair.
“Parker,” I said softly, rising to my feet.
“No.” He pinched my chin and placed a hard kiss on my mouth. “No,” he whispered. “I can’t almost lose you again. Look at what I’ve already done to you.”
“She’s with Ex. She can’t be—”
“I don’t fucking care!” Parker yelled. He started pacing back and forth, his usually calm demeanor frazzled and out of control to the extreme.
“Reed,” Colin finally said. “Come with me.”
“No,” Parker snapped.
Colin raised an eyebrow. “You challenging me, boy?” Although he didn’t look that much older than Parker, I found myself wondering exactly how old he was. His eyes were dark with wisdom, grey hair showing through the scruff on his strong jaw. Other than that, I wouldn’t have given him a day over forty.
“I can’t,” Parker said, his shoulders drooping.
“You can.” Colin turned to me. “Meet us in a half an hour. We’ll be in the first room in the basement on the right.”
I nodded as he headed down the hall, disappearing from sight, not bothering to wait for Parker to follow him.
“Greyson, your club better do what they are good at,” Parker said, his voice even. “I trust you to protect Keely.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, my man.” Greyson rose to his feet and held out his hand. “I promise you.”
Parker returned the handshake, meeting my gaze. “Good. Because if anything happened to her,” his eyes remained locked with mine, “I will burn this fucking world down to avenge her.”
HE MOMENT I closed the door behind Greyson, I leaned against the hard wood and slid down to the floor. All the breath left me on a whoosh, travelling through my lungs and out my mouth in slow agonizing gasps. Tears burned my eyes and I had to swallow past the hard lump in my throat before it threatened to choke me.
Parker was my all. My everything. But at times like this, I needed Troy. He was my family although we weren’t related in any way. He could keep me strong, help me keep my head on straight.
My body vibrated, my hands shaking to the point of no control. I wanted to kill Devin. I could kill him for the shit he had done already. Guilt twisted at my stomach but I ignored it. I had to. There would be a time that it would come to that. Devin vs. Me. Although it scared the shit out of me, I would make damn sure that I would win. For Troy. For Parker. For me.
A deep bass pounded through the floor, rattling beneath me. I didn’t know what Colin and Parker were doing. Even though Colin had told me to meet them after Greyson had left, a part of me wanted to wallow in my own self-pity. Another side of me wanted to head back to town and tell Troy and Patrick everything. Lately, whatever I told Troy would end up in Patrick’s ear anyways.
“Oh, Troy.” I took deep breaths, hugging my bent knees to my chest. “Please forgive me,” I whispered. If it were him keeping this huge secret from me, it would break my heart. I was going to break his heart.
“Keely.”
My head snapped up at the sound of Parker’s voice.
“What are you doing on the floor, angel?” he asked softly. “You were supposed to come downstairs to meet us.”
I opened my mouth to speak when a sob escaped my lips instead. The next thing I knew, warm arms wrapped around me, cradling me against a hard chest. My cries were muffled by his shirt.
“Shhh…beautiful one,” he whispered, running a hand up and down my back. He lifted me into his arms and took me down to the basement, seating me on a couch. He placed a soft kiss on my lips before releasing me.
Sniffing, I wiped under my eyes and noticed my surroundings. The room was large, the lighting dim. Black mats covered the floor much like the one where I had the rope experience the night before but this one screamed power.
Colin stood off in the corner, holding two long sticks made of wood. His eyes were dark, sad almost as he watched us.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice hoarse.
“Colin was training me. Helping me take out my frustrations on something other than you.” Parker knelt in front of me, leaning his big body between my legs. He cupped my cheek, slowly grazing his fingers to my nape. “This is another side of me that you don’t know.”
“Are you letting me get to know you, my love?” I asked tentatively.
He gave me a small smile. “As much as I need your control, you need my domination. Without those two things, this wouldn’t be possible.”
I nodded. “What are you saying?”
He looked back at Colin over his shoulder before meeting my gaze again. “In no way, shape, or form is submission a sign of weakness. I want you to know that first and foremost. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.” I nodded again. “Of course.”
Parker kissed my forehead. “Colin is my mentor but he also has taught me that I can submit.”
My heart jumped. “W-what?”
He chuckled softly. “Don’t look so surprised, pet.”
“But…you…” I shook my head. “Really?”
“I will always be your Dom but I refuse to try anything on you that I haven’t felt for my own self. And once this shit is over, I would like you to help me train people. Like I used to do before I got caught up in all of this. We can work together. Teach them that submission is exciting. Powerful. And damn controlling just as much as domination.”
“I would love to help you,” I said quickly.
“Good girl.” He rose to his feet and held out his hand. “Now, we will see if you can dominate me.”
“No. I don’t think so.” I refused. There was no way. He was Parker Reed. My Dom. There was no—
“You own the boardroom like it’s a part of you.” Parker pulled me to my feet, gently pushing me to the middle of the room.
“How did you know that?” Anxiety twisted in my gut as memories of that first day I took over Parker’s company threatened to twist in my mind.
“Every room in that building is wired. Even the bathrooms. The storage closets…everything.”
“So you heard how horrible I did?” I cringed, my cheeks heating.
“You were trying too hard at first but then you showed them, didn’t you, Keely?” He moved behind me and leaned down to my ear. “You dominated them like I dominate you.”
A shiver ran down my spine as his breath washed over my skin. “I…I guess I did.”
“Did you enjoy it?” he asked, placing his hands on my shoulders.
I nodded. “Yes. Very much so.”
“Good.” His grip was firm on my hand when he brought us over to a table that was as long, if not longer than Parker himself.
Standing from the other side of the room, I never even noticed the large slab of wood but now, it was hard to miss.
My eyes widened when Parker jumped onto the table and laid down. A part of me was excited. This was it. The time that I could rule over him. Dominate him like he had done so many times to m
e. I also knew that this would be it for a while. Once Hell’s Harlem showed up tomorrow, Parker and I would get no time alone. Not until justice was served. But then a part of me felt uncomfortable attempting to Dominate him like he did me. So I only said the first thing that came to mind. “I should call Agent Cross about—”
Parker growled. “No fucking—”
“Shut up,” Colin snapped, coming up beside me.
I jumped at the deep booming voice in my ear and met Colin’s furious stare. “Sorry. I don’t know why that came out. I just…I don’t feel right…” I glanced around nervously.
“This is not the time. I understand that shit will be going down. We won’t be bringing Devin down tomorrow, though. Things like this take time.” Colin pinched my chin, tilting my head. “This is your time to give Parker what he needs. What you need. Take it. Use it. After tonight, who knows when you’ll get this again?” The corners of his lips tugged. “I don’t think you want to have Parker punishing you in a house full of men, do you, little dove?”
I swallowed hard. “No, Sir.”
“Didn’t think so.” He released me. “Now, here.” He grabbed my hand and slapped a metal object in it.
I could only stare at the long piece of metal with the wheel on the end. The sharp points twinkled in the dim lighting of the room. Parts of me tingled, remembering the way the little object gave me unexpected amounts of pleasure.
“Do you remember what that’s called?” Parker asked me, wrapping his large hand around my wrist.
I shook my head.
“It’s a Wartenberg Wheel. You’ve become quite accustomed to this small instrument haven’t you?”
My body heated. “Yes, Sir,” I breathed.
“I’ll strap him down and then leave. After that you will control him…until you let him free, of course. Understand?” Colin asked, closing my fingers around the handle.
“Yes. I understand.” But I didn’t like it. Not one bit. I didn’t know how this would help us. Would it bring us closer? Definitely. But could I control him completely like he had wanted? I had no doubt in my mind that it wasn’t possible.
I watched as Colin slowly made his way around the table, strapping Parker’s limbs onto the table. Black leather held him bound, the sounds of the buckles clinking into place. My heart jumped after each body part was restrained, desire warming over my skin.
Colin leaned down to Parker’s ear, whispering but not taking his gaze off of mine.
Parker nodded every so often. “Leave us.”
Colin clapped him on the shoulder once and left us alone.
My gaze slid down the length of Parker’s big, strong body being held restrained against the large slab of wood. “Are…” I licked my dry lips. “Are you okay?”
The corners of his lips tugged. “Come here, pet.”
I moved closer to him, keeping a firm grip on the metal object in my hand.
“Undo my pants.”
My eyes widened. “What….here?”
His eyes darkened. “Do it. Now.”
I did as I was told, his breath catching when I pulled out his semi-hard erection. “I’m not sure...” I swallowed hard. “I don’t know what you want me to do.” My fingers wrapped around the base of his length, squeezing slightly. The tip was pink, the veins protruding under my touch.
“Use your imagination, pet. That tool in your hand brings about pleasure and pain. You know that. Remember how it felt on your body and on your swollen clit as I finger fucked your sweet pussy. Embrace it. Let me feel. Show me what you want me to do to you again.” His deep green eyes were dark and stormy, almost black. Lust swirled in the depths of them.
A surge of power washed over me. Big, bad, dominating Parker Reed was strapped down momentarily for my use. He was giving me permission to use him as I saw fit. To give him pleasure. To take from him what I had so willingly gave weeks before. Moving to his feet at the end of the table, I gripped his pants and pulled them down his legs to his ankles.
“Give me a safeword.” His voice was deep, husky, filled with desire.
“Price,” I said automatically. “Your safeword is price.”
He nodded, keeping his eyes locked with mine.
“I want you to watch me.” I licked my dry lips. “Please. I...I need to feel your eyes on me at all times.”
“You have my word.”
A breath of relief left me. I released him and wiped my sweaty palms on my thighs. “Tell me why you agreed to become an assassin.”
He chuckled. “You play dirty.”
I bit back a smile. He had been holding back from me. If I was going to get any sort of answers, now would be the time. I moved down the length of the table and wrapped my hand around his ankle. Pushing the tiny pins of the wheel into the ball of his foot with my other hand, I waited a couple of beats before I continued. “Tell me.”
“I didn’t have a choice,” he said through clenched teeth.
I grazed the wheel up to his toes, pushing the pins into his skin enough to make his breath catch. “You always have a choice. You clearly had to have done something for the CIA to notice you before they would recruit you. What did you do?”
“I told you. They wanted me to bring down Devin.”
“I know, but what made them approach you?” Holding the metal handle, I grazed it over the bone in his ankle.
“I got into some shit. Devin had set me up.”
My eyes remained glued to the instrument in my hand for fear that Parker would stop talking if I looked at him. “What did he make you do?”
“I was with some other guys. We raided a large shipment of weapons and drugs just because Devin no longer felt like selling it. It...”
I met his gaze when his voice trailed off.
Parker’s brows furrowed. “It was a fucking bloodbath. I had no idea it would turn out that way. He told me that we were just going to make sure the shipment got to its rightful owners. Why I didn’t think any different was beyond me. I trusted the guy. But the fucker only cares about himself.” He took a breath. “Shit went down. People died. One of the suppliers was an undercover fed. Threw my ass in jail and that’s how I met Colin.”
I nodded.
“Don’t stop,” he said, nodding in the direction of one of my hands now on his inner thigh.
Not realizing I had moved, I took several deep, cleansing breaths before pinching the sharp pins into the flesh of his hamstring.
“You do know what this means, right?” he asked in that deep Dom voice I had grown to love.
My stomach gave a flip. “What?”
A wicked grin spread on his face. “You will be punished for forcing me to answer questions before I am ready.”
My skin tingled and I walked away from the table completely. I could feel his questioning scrutiny on my back but I ignored him. For now.
“You are doing fine, Keely. Control me like I know you want to. Like I know you crave,” he coaxed.
Grabbing a pair of scissors off a small shelf, I headed back to him and cut open his shirt before he could argue. Splitting it wide, I took a breath and leaned down to his ear, my breath hot against the side of his head. “Seeing you bound and utterly helpless does something to me,” I whispered in his ear, running my hands down his strong shoulders to his hard chest. My voice came out shaky and weak at first but as the seconds ticked by, I became more confident in his desire to have me control him. “You are beautiful in the way you move. Your muscles flex and ripple over your bones like strong waves of destruction.”
His breath came out in short bursts, his eyes dark with a hungry passion. When I let him go, this would be the beginning of the rest of the night. I already knew that. That possessive, domineering man that I loved would rear its head and take full control of me, my mind. My body. “What are you thinking, my love?” I crooned in his ear.
“How much I want to fuck you right now. How I probably won’t be able to after tonight for a long while. Or at least not like this.”
 
; “What else?” I asked, closing my teeth gently around his earlobe.
“How much I love you and don’t deserve you. How I should have been there—”
“Stop,” I demanded and rose to my full height. “Don’t go there.” I placed the Wortenberg wheel down on the table and pulled off my clothes in a quick move. I wanted to be ready for him. I needed this just as much as he did, if not more so.
“Keely.”
“Shut up.” I grabbed the item and gripped his jaw, crashing my lips to his. “Kiss me. That’s all I want you to do right now.” Pushing my tongue between his lips, I moaned as soon as it made contact with his. With my other hand, I brushed my fingers up the length of his now rock-hard cock, igniting a soft growl from the back of his throat.
“Use it,” he demanded.
I released him. Running the sharp pins up his length, I smiled when a hiss escaped his lips. “How does that feel?”
“Harder.” He groaned, tensing beneath me.
My head snapped around. “Are you sure?”
His dark eyes dared me to challenge him so I did as I was told instead.
Pressing the item into him, I rolled it up and down his length. And then I kissed him. Thrusting my tongue into his mouth, I licked back and forth in tune with the movements of my hand.
A deep growl rumbled from his chest, his back bowing off the table.
I deepened the kiss at the same time as I sped up my hand.
“Fuck. Keely.”
In a quick move, I took his length in my mouth, swallowing his essence as he came hard and fast. My name left his lips on a growl while I licked up every inch of him.
When his shaking stopped, I released him with a pop and kissed his stomach.
“You have less than a minute to get me out of these restraints.”
My core clenched and instead of moving fast like he wanted, I took my time. I wasn’t giving in just yet.
“Keely, I am fucking warning you.”
When I got the last leather cuff off, he was on me. I gasped as he pushed me face first into the mat and roughly spread my legs with his knees.
“You enjoyed controlling me?” he snarled in my ear.