Crime and Punishment 4: Burning Submission (18 page)

She raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Nathan is an empath, remember? Sometimes he can…get impressions or see things when he talks to people.”

She pushed up on her elbow as she turned to face him. “Really?”

“Like I said before…it’s a regular world of X-Men out there.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Now, go shower before I end up pushing you to your back and fucking you again.”

She grinned. “Well, we do have a couple of hours.”

“Jenn!” he yelled in amused exasperation.

Laughing softly, she rolled away and threw the covers off. Just for the hell of it, he leaned over and swatted her ass hard enough to leave a handprint. She yelped and rubbed her behind, mumbling as she left the room, “Damn sadist.”

“I’m not a sadist,” he called after her.

“My ass would disagree.”

He fell back with a chuckle. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d smiled this much. Spending time with her seemed to melt away all his stress and left him happy. His smile faded. He had to find a way to get her free of this situation. Somehow. Then maybe he could think about a future. In the meantime, he would keep his mind in the present and his heart tucked away.

“Yeah…that’s going to be easy,” he murmured sarcastically toward the ceiling.

* * * *

Jennifer found Josh at the kitchen table, setting up his mobile hot spot. He wore jeans this morning with a brick-colored corduroy shirt that was open down the front. He probably wore a T-shirt underneath, but because of the way he was sitting, she couldn’t see what color it was.

Truthfully, it didn’t matter. Josh looked good in almost anything he wore—at least to her anyway.

He glanced up at her before turning back to the prompts on the screen. From what she could see, Josh took his computer security very seriously.

“Morning, sweetheart. There’s coffee if you want it and some cinnamon rolls in the oven,” he said as he typed a password into his computer.

“You’ve been busy this morning,” she replied as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Nothing like a good fuck to get you energized.”

Jennifer flicked the back of his head before turning to open the oven door and drag out the pan of rolls. “That’s just wrong.”

Josh laughed but didn’t disagree.

“Would you like one?” she asked.

“Yeah. Hand me a couple.”

She passed him three on a paper towel along with a couple of napkins, then took some for herself before heading to the table to join him.

“Are you nervous?” he asked, watching her closely.

She lifted a roll and studied it. “A little. I’m still not sure how much I remember about them or if what I remember is even correct.”

“No harm in trying, right?”

She shrugged and took a bite of the sweet roll. The icing melted on her tongue, and she sighed, trying to focus on her food instead of the growing knot of nerves in her stomach. Were they doing the right thing?

“It’s going to be fine, Jenn,” Josh tried to reassure her.

Jennifer frowned. “Are you an empath now?”

Josh’s lips twitched adorably, a sure sign that something sarcastic was about to come out of his very sexy mouth. “No. I’m the plucky sidekick, Big Dick.”

“Oh my God,” Jennifer yelled as she busted out in laughter. Leave it to Josh to pull a smile out of her even when her nerves had her practically shaking.

Josh’s computer beeped, indicating an incoming Skype call. “Hey, Nate. How’s it going?” Josh said in an overly chipper voice.

He pushed the screen back a little so Jennifer could see as well. A very handsome man with dark, shaggy waves, a thick covering of morning stubble along his jaw, and eyes the color of whiskey lifted his middle finger and pushed the reading glasses up the bridge of his nose. Jennifer snickered around her sip of coffee.

“Just fine, Joshy,” Nathan drawled in a deep voice that Jennifer imagined would flow over a woman like warm honey.

Josh and Nathan shared a grin before Nathan turned his attention to her. “Hello, Jennifer. I’m Nathan. Are you ready?”

She swallowed her coffee and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

He stood from his chair and allowed another man to sit down. “Josh, I’m sure you remember Mike Tremer.”

Mike waved, and Josh waved back. “Hey, Mike. Thanks for doing this on such short notice.”

“Not a problem.” Mike pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “I owed the big guy one.”

Josh snorted. “Don’t we all?”

Mike opened his sketch pad and grabbed a pencil. “Okay, Jennifer. Tell me what you remember.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jennifer started with what she could remember: older man, white hair, beard. What she had trouble with were the small details. The shape of his eyes or nose. How big his forehead was.

Nathan squatted down next to Mike’s chair. “Close your eyes, Jennifer.”

Jennifer glanced toward Josh, who nodded in encouragement. Licking her lips nervously, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of Nathan’s voice.

“Are you going to hypnotize me?” she asked.

“No, sweetheart,” Nathan replied in a soothing voice that quickly put her at ease. “I just need you to relax and concentrate.”

She nodded but kept her eyes closed.

“Think back to the first time you saw him. What do you remember?”

“I remember feeling groggy, slightly nauseated He was kind to me. He tried to help me relax. He was angry with someone. He…uh…he had a scar over his left eye, just above his eyebrow. It wasn’t long but jagged. His lips were thin. His beard covered his jaw, so it was hard to tell the shape.”

“What did the beard look like? Was it more stubble like mine, or was it thick? Maybe long?” Nathan asked.

Jennifer frowned as she tried to remember. Shaking her head, she sighed in frustration.

“Don’t get frustrated, Jennifer,” Nathan said softly. “Just keep concentrating.”

Jennifer tried to remember, but images began to blur together, confusing her. She’d been too drugged at the time to remember clearly.

“Do you recall any names?” Nathan asked.

“No. All I ever heard anyone called was doctor.”

Nathan murmured something, and she opened her eyes to see him and the artist going over the sketch, neither paying attention to her anymore. Instead, it was now Nathan giving the instructions. Nathan’s brow creased into a frown as he grabbed the sketch and turned it to face her. She gasped at the man staring back.

“Is this him?” Nathan asked.

She stared in awe at the drawing. “How did you…?”

Nathan set the drawing down and stood. He tapped his finger against the paper. “I think I know this man.”

“What?” Josh and Jennifer exclaimed at the same time.

“He’s a neurologist. Last I heard, he was working on a project for the military that dealt with telekinesis.”

“I was kidnapped by my own government?” she yelled.

Nathan held up a hand. “Not necessarily. If I remember right, that project partnered with a drug corporation. Were you given drugs while they had you?”

Jennifer nodded.

“Do you know what kind?”

“No,” she replied.

“Josh, overnight me a hair sample. I’ll get it tested and see if there’s anything left. If it’s been less than six months, there should be. In the meantime, stay put until I tell you. I’m going to see if I can track this guy down and find out if this project is still in the works.”

“He was only there in the beginning,” she said. “I believe they hid me from him.”

Nathan nodded. “He could be the threat I’m sensing. It’s possible he’s still trying to find you. I’ll know when I find him.”

Josh reached under the table and grabbed Jennifer’s hand, giving it a squeeze. The contact helped to calm her and made her feel safe.

“Keep me informed,” Josh said.

“Will do, and that package you requested should be arriving anytime.”

Jennifer raised an eyebrow. “What package?”

Nathan grinned wickedly. “Have fun.”

Josh snickered as he cut off the connection.

“What package?” she asked again.

Josh stood and walked over to the pot to pour another cup of coffee. “It’s a surprise” was all he said.

Jennifer frowned. “I hate surprises.”

“You’ll like this one,” he said as he walked past her and tapped her nose briefly with the tip of his finger. He stopped and studied her as he ran a finger through her hair, separating a few strands. “I need a strand of hair, sweetheart. Deep breath.” He tugged one out, and she winced. “All done. I’ll get this out to Nathan when the UPS guy delivers my stuff.”

“Okay. So what do we do while we wait?” she asked as she rubbed at the spot where he’d pulled her hair.

“Let’s see if we can get that mantel up this morning and start staining the shelves. Once that’s done, we should be finished with the living room. Oh…” He stopped on his way out of the kitchen and spun to face her. “I want you to work today with nothing on but one of my flannel shirts. I laid out the one I want you to wear at the foot of my bed. You can wear socks to keep your feet warm, but nothing else.”

Her eyes went wide. “But—”

“No buts. Just do it. Now.”

Josh turned, leaving her staring after him in disbelief. Had he really just told her what to do as though he expected her to follow without argument? One side of her mouth lifted as her body began to heat in places that were still sore from the night before.

It was kind of sexy.

“I must be out of my freakin’ mind,” she mumbled.

* * * *

Josh set the mantel against the fireplace, preparing to nail it into position, when the alarm on his phone went off. He glanced out the window and spotted the UPS truck coming up the drive. He smiled slightly, wondering what goodies Nathan had sent for him to use on Jennifer.

Nathan had a pretty good idea of what a sub would like, but he’d never met Jennifer in person. Hopefully, he’d sent a few beginner things. Although Jennifer had enjoyed the towel flogging he’d given her, he wasn’t quite sure yet what she might think of an actual flogging.

Josh stepped out onto the porch and smiled as the UPS man walked up and handed him the box.

“Thank you,” Josh said and then asked him about sending a package as well.

The delivery man had everything Josh needed to pack up the strand of hair and get it back out to Nathan. Once he’d run his credit card through the man’s portable device, Josh turned to head back into the house.

He shut the door and glanced up, spotting Jennifer at the top of the stairs. She wore the flannel shirt he’d laid out. The red in the shirt looked good on her and brought out the pink in her cheeks. He let his gaze wander down her long legs to her feet, which were encased in a pair of white ankle socks.

“Nothing underneath?” he asked as he brought his gaze back to hers.

She quickly opened the shirt, showing him her perky breasts and clean-shaven pussy. “Happy?” she asked in a throaty, aroused voice.

Today was going to be a hell of a lot of fun.

“Absolutely,” he replied. “Now get down here so we can get to work.”

As she came down the stairs, Josh walked into the kitchen to open the package. It was small, about the size of a shoe box. He set it on the kitchen table and grabbed a knife to cut through the tape. Inside he found several toys. A pair of padded cuffs and a long piece of silk. Two nipple clamps, a small butt plug, some lube, and a mini flogger.

Josh smiled as he imagined using the mini flogger on her pussy and driving her insane.

Jennifer rounded the corner into the kitchen and stopped as she spotted him studying the flogger. She raised her eyebrow. “A flyswatter?”

Josh snickered. “No, sweetheart. A pussy swatter.”

“A what?” she asked warily.

He curled his finger. “Come here and I’ll show you.”

“Ah…no?”

He narrowed his eyes. “If the thought of me hitting your pussy with this makes you uncomfortable, you can make this a hard limit.”

“A hard limit?”

“That means it’s off-limits.”

She stared at the flogger and then back at him before slowly moving forward. Her eyes glowed with trepidation, but there was also a spark of lust that made Josh’s balls tighten.

“I think I want to try it,” she whispered.

She stood before him, and he reached out to unbutton the bottom two buttons on the flannel shirt she wore. He then nodded to the table. “Lie on your back.”

She swallowed nervously but did as he requested without comment. Once she was on the table, he opened the lower part of the shirt and slid it up, exposing her pussy to his gaze. Pushing her knees back toward her chest, he forced her to open wide.

He placed her hands on her knees. “Now hold them there.”

Jennifer watched him silently. He liked that she trusted him, but what he loved was the unsure look in her eyes. He enjoyed keeping a woman on her toes, wondering what he might do next. She’d never looked more beautiful.

He smoothed his palm over the inside and back of her thigh. When he leaned down and placed a kiss halfway between her pussy and knee, he felt her shudder.

“That’s what I like to see,” he whispered as he took the mini flogger and swatted softly at her inner thigh.

Jennifer gasped, and then her lips spread into a slow, sensual smile. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“I’m just getting warmed up.”

Her smile faded, and Josh’s spread.

With his hands on the insides of her thighs, he pushed them out, spreading her even wider. Jennifer’s breathing became shallower, and her cheeks turned a very pretty bright pink. Cream coated her pussy lips, making them glisten in the late-morning sunlight that streamed through the kitchen window.

He used the flogger and swatted the inside of her left thigh three times, each hit harder than the last as he slowly moved up toward her pussy. Jennifer moaned and bit her lip. The light fixture above them flickered, and he glanced up. The last thing he wanted was for it to shatter like it had before. With her lying on her back, some of it might get in her eyes.

“Turn the light out,” he said and then moved his gaze to hers.

“I can’t exactly get up, Josh.”

“No,” he replied and pointed to his forehead. “With this.”