A Dominant Man (54 page)

Damian crookedly smiles down at me, and I giggle.

“I love watching you cum. It’s captivating.”

“I love when you make me cum. It’s mind-blowing.”

He bends forward and kisses me gingerly. “We better rejoin everyone before my maddening sisters come searching for us.”

“I don’t appreciate you speaking ill of my friends. Thank you very much.”

“I can’t believe you know them.”

“I’m thrilled. There won’t be any awkward phase of getting to know your family. I feel at home with them.”

He smiles, pleased. “That’s all I could hope for.”

I sit up, and Hunt gingerly assists me to my feet. I plop my breasts back into the snug bodice and adjust my skirt. He brushes his fingers through my hair, fixing the muddled disaster. I tilt my head up to him with my lips puckered, and he plants a chaste, loving peck upon them.

He clutches my hand, and we go rejoin the party. When we’re about to descend the stairs, I hear Aubrey calling up to me. She rushes up to us with Keira not far behind.

“Might we borrow her?” she asks Hunt, grabbing my hand and pulling me back down the hall. I glimpse back at Damian, and he looks daunted. I smirk and shrug my shoulders.

They yank me back into the library and shut the door. Keira heads to the bar, pouring an amber liquid into three ornate crystal whiskey glasses, filling them about half full. She hands one to Aubrey and walks over to me on the couch.

“This’ll put hair on your chest,” she kids.

I courteously take the glass from her out stretched hand and nod. They sit beside me, sandwiching me between them.

“How long have you been official?” Keira asks.

“A week.”

“Hmm. He’s already talking marriage?” Aubrey replies.

“Yeah, I mean he’s mentioned it.”

She looks pleasantly surprised. “Truth be told, we wondered if he would find someone. He never seemed interested in anyone before.”

“Truth be told, I’m surprised by his feelings for me.”

“Why? You’re incredible, Ellie. He’s lucky to have you,” Aubrey praises, patting me on the knee in a paternal way.

“I want to believe you with everything I have.”

“Give it time. You’ll relax and realize you two are right for one another. New relationships can be shaky in the beginning. You’re both trying to find your footing on common ground. You’ll be fine. Are you serious about him, the relationship?” Aubrey inquires.

“I would say pretty serious.”

“Good,” Keira interjects.

“We want to talk to you about him.”

“What about?” I ask, glancing back and forth between them with a quizzical gaze.

“Ian has never brought anyone to meet us,” Aubrey responds, shrugging her shoulders. “In all honesty, he’s very reserved and doesn’t open up much to us, but he’s been through a lot, and we understand. We aren’t sure what happened with our uncle, but we know he was abused. He sacrificed himself to protect us from the bastard.”

“He was a monster,” Keira interrupts.

“But that’s not what we want to discuss. Do you know how our parents died?”

“No.” I shift in my seat, anxious about where this conversation is heading.

“They we’re murdered,” Keira says.

Aubrey continues, “Someone broke into our house, tied them up, and butchered them in the middle of the night. There was blood everywhere…” She rubs the back of her neck, and for a spilt second, I see the resemblance. “Ian discovered their bodies. He walked into their bedroom to find our parents in a gory, horrific scenario…It was his birthday. He never celebrated one after that.”

She takes a moment, staring down at her glass. “It traumatized him as it would anyone. He was never the same. When we came to live with Vivian and Pierce, he was a shell of the boy he once was. We should let him tell you about the details, but we feel you have a right to know the basics of what happened to him. Give you an idea of why he’s the way he is. He’s been through a lot, more than we could ever understand.”

“Murdered?” I murmur and take a big swig of the smooth golden liquid. “My poor Hunt.”

Could this be why he needs control, to participate in our depraved, kinky games? An abusive uncle and butchered parents would explain the need to dominate. Could the scenario of his parent’s demise be the reason he enjoys bondage and controlling his lovers?

“We figured if you knew, when he finally came to you with it, you wouldn’t freak out,” Aubrey clarifies. “Instead, you’ll be prepared for the devastating details and focus on healing him…We think you could be his salvation.”

“Why me?”

“He’s different with you. We’ve never seen him so enamored with anyone. Well, actually, we’ve never seen him with anyone, period. The fact he brought you to meet us proves he’s mad about you, Ellie,” she says, taking a sip from her glass and sinking back into the couch.

“Let’s face it. The boy is whipped,” Keira remarks, flinging her hand in the air and making a snapping noise. I blush, giggling awkwardly at her choice of words, and take another swig of whiskey, finishing off the last bit.

“Refill?” Keira asks, and I hand her my glass. She gets up and refreshes our cups.

“Are you alright? I hope we didn’t scare you off. Don’t leave him…”

“I would never leave your brother cause of his past. I love him, nothing will change the feelings I possess for him.”

“Good,” Bree says, seemingly satisfied. “He needs stability in his life. Someone he can rely on no matter what.”

“Who would do anything for him,” Keira adds, handing back my drink. It’s heartwarming to see how much they care for and protect their big brother.

“I’ve got it under control,” I reassure, using Hunt’s words.

“Thank you. We feel better knowing you’re watching out for him. He may come off strong and sure of himself, but it’s a façade.”

“I’ve noticed,” I reply.

“We should get you back to Damian before he has a conniption,” Keira suggests, and I nod my head in agreement.

We gather our drinks and belongings and head out to the house crammed with partygoers. I scan the crowd as we head down the stairs, searching for Hunt’s beautifully male face, but find only strangers. I decide to float about the party for a bit, and if he didn’t find me, I’d hunt him down.

I place my whiskey glass on a silver tray and exchange it for champagne as a server walks past me. I stroll through the large manor, bumping and weaving my way around rowdy guests. I sip on my bubbly and admire the lavish home. Nothing like the home I remember. Damian must have purchased it for them after he made his vast wealth. I make my way down a long hallway on the first floor, seeking an island of silence in the ocean of noise.

I sluggishly saunter down the dimly lit hall, observing family photos on the walls. I notice many of the photographs are Hunt’s black and whites. As I’m standing and appreciating one of Keira and Aubrey, laughing and hugging one another, I hear a faint noise coming from the end of the hallway. I cautiously walk toward the muffled sound, becoming clearer as I approach the room. It’s the stifled moans of passionate, phenomenal sex.

I turn and walk away, making it about halfway down the hall before I hear Olivia’s impassioned voice cry out, “Oh god, D!”

Her heated wails are returned by the deep, carnal groans of a male as he pounds voraciously into her. My heart stops when he growls out her name.

I halt in my tracks, frozen with fear and trepidation.
It can’t be…He wouldn’t…Would he? Would he fuck her to get back at me for tonight and earlier?
My heart is pounding against my breastplate, jolting me. My head spins from the horrific images twirling in my mind.

I spin around and march toward the room. I don’t hesitate, busting my way through and halting at the sight I find in front of me. I gasp, and they turn to face me. Olivia is straddling Dante, his hands clasped firmly to her thighs.

“I…I…” I turn quickly to bolt, but I slam into a hulking figure, and I stumble backward. He clasps my wrist, keeping me from tumbling back, and brings me into his arms. His eyes never find mine. Instead, they burn into the twisted lovers scrambling out of the bed, staring back with terror and rage, clutching to their crumpled clothes.

He never looks at me, not even when he says, “Gabrielle, go wait for me outside and shut the door on your way out.” I gladly obey and zip out of the room, loudly slamming the door behind me. I collapse on the ground outside. I put my trembling hands over my scarlet face as hot, stinging tears liberally run down my cheeks. All the stress of the last week comes flooding out.

I hear Damian screaming and cursing, his voice is a deafening roar as he rips into them. They yell back with the same anger and aggression. This goes on forever. Time ceases to exist. Damian barks out at them, then nothing, silence. I listen carefully for any noise or movement within the room, but there’s only silence. Minutes pass by like this until the door opens, and Damian takes a large stride out.

I stare up at him, and he kneels down, scooping me up into his sculpted arms. I snuggle my head into his neck, and he places his atop mine. He walks down the shadowy hall and turns into a dark bedroom, setting me on the bed and shutting the door.

I cry quietly, allowing the hot tears to roll down and soak the comforter. I whimper, and Hunt lies down next to me, cradling me into him. He tickles my arms and back, calming me, kissing the crown of my head. He breathes deeply.

“Why do things keep happening to us? Why can’t things go smoothly? I just want to be with you, without constantly having to worry what’s coming next.”

He doesn’t say anything, and I realize how awful he must be feeling. I wrap myself around him and lie my head down onto his chest, listening to his strong, rapid heartbeat.

“Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it?”

“What is there to talk about?” he asks glibly.

I shoot up, staring down at him with red, burning eyes and a befuddled face. “Really? Did we just experience the same thing?”

“Yes.”

“Well? What do you have to say about it?”

“What do you want me to say, Gabrielle?” he sighs out, sounding emotionally beaten down.

“How you’re feeling. What you’re thinking.”

“Our relationship is finished.”

“Who’s?”

“Olivia, Dante, and I, we’re done.”

“What happened in there?”

He shuts his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Elle, enough, please. I’m not in the mood for twenty questions.” He aggressively runs a hand through his hair and lets out a long, harsh breath.

“Fine,” I huff, lying down beside him, and gaze up at the ceiling. “Is this what it’s like for you all the time?”

“No, it isn’t always like this, certainly never in such suffocating waves.”

“So, I’m not the only one overwhelmed by the past few weeks.”

“I am human, Elle. I’m not made of stone.”

“I wonder sometimes.” I kid, smirking over at him, and he smirks back, peeking out at me from under his hand.

“I’m working on it.”

I roll over, resting my head on his chest. “I never asked you to change anything about yourself. I just want you to fight your demons. I want you to be happy, genuinely happy.”

“I am. You make me happy. You make me feel…whole.”

“Ditto, slick.” I nuzzle the side of my face against his hard peck. He softly grazes his fingers along the exposed part of my back.

“Are you ready to join the party? Together?”

“Yes, but I don’t know how much more I can take.”

“Of us?” he inquires, and I detect a slight tremor in his voice.

“No, everyone else. I want to go back to the apartment and immerse myself in you until the sun comes up.”

“Sounds perfect,” he breathes out, wrapping his arm around me, pressing me into his hard body. “It also reminds me. I’m heading back to Seattle tomorrow.”

“For the meeting you cancelled?”

“Yes. I’ll be back tomorrow evening.”

“I’m not going with?”

“No. I plan on heading to the meeting from the airport, catch up with my friend and his new family, and get back to you as quick as I can. I’ll introduce you next time were in Seattle.”

“I’d like that.”

“What did my sisters talk to you about?” he asks unexpectedly.

“You. They were asking me to take care of you.”

“What else?”

I turn my face into his chest, and with a muffled voice, I murmur, “Your parents.” I don’t dare look at him. I can only imagine the look of horror on his face.

He scoops his finger under my chin, coaxing my face to look at his. “What about them, Gabrielle?”

“You know what,” I reply, looking up at him with sadness in my eyes. “Do you really want to talk about it now?”

“Why would they do that?” he inquires, but it’s an aimless question.

“They wanted me to be prepared when you told me. They also said your uncle abused you, and you protected them from him, but they didn’t go into detail. They wanted you to tell me.”