Lily and the Beast (Lily and the Beast #1) (4 page)

“Alright, if that’s the way you want it.”

“It is,” I nodded, relieved by his giving up so easily. 

“I’ll be back.”  He left without packing up any of his gear, and I started to wonder if he’d given up at all.  Seconds slipped by, stretching into minutes, and I got antsier with every tick of the clock.  I’d started to wonder if I should go back to my room when I heard Aidan’s voice reverberating through the halls. 

“She what?” he roared, followed by what sounded like something awfully breakable smashing into a million tiny pieces. 
Fuck
. 

Seconds later, the door cracked open and Jeffries poked his head in, looking uncomfortable.  “Your blindfold, if you please,” he prompted, and I quickly tugged it into place, my heart kicking into overdrive as the door slammed open. 

Expecting a tirade, I was surprised when Aidan’s voice sounded so controlled.  It probably had to do with the fact that the doctor was in the room.  “What’s this I’m hearing about you having a change of heart on the birth control issue?” he asked, as though we were discussing the best way to wash a car. 

“I’m already on the pill, I didn’t think anything else was necessary,” I replied, doing my best to stand my ground, even though my calves felt like they might give out at any moment. 

“Will you please excuse us?”  I assumed he meant Jeffries and not me, and a few seconds later, Aidan grabbed me by the elbow and gave me a shake.  “What the hell is this?” he hissed. 

“I don’t want that in my body,” I replied, wincing over the grip. 

“I don’t give a fuck what you want,” he growled, letting go of my arm with a shove that almost made me lose my balance.  “You don’t have a choice.”

“I agreed to let you do what you want with me but…”

“That includes making sure you’re not going to breed.  You wouldn’t be the first one to try and trap me with a baby.”

“Trust me, having a baby with you is the last thing I want,” I retorted, rubbing my elbow absently.

“Good, then I’ll get the doc back in here and you can get it done.”

“But I don’t want…”

This time he grabbed both of my arms, leaning close enough that I felt the force of his breath against my face.  “Get. It. Done.”

~~~

Aidan was in a shitty mood and he knew it.  He never should’ve sent for her.  What did he think they’d do, sit around and have a fucking conversation?  She didn’t want to be there and he’d been gone from polite society for too long to have a clue how to talk to a woman.  Truth be told, he didn’t know what to do with a woman who didn’t gush over gifts of fancy clothes and jewelry.  Okay, so he hadn’t specifically bought them for her, but she didn’t know that, and Felice sure didn’t have a use for them anymore.  It’d never once occurred to him that she wouldn’t like the same things.  What bothered him more, was why he cared at all.  

He should’ve just focused on business – the trouble was, he couldn’t focus.  Not just on business, but anything with her in the house.  Twenty-four hours.  Twenty-four long-ass hours until they could fuck.  True, there were all sorts of other ways he could get his jollies from her until the birth control took effect, but he couldn’t trust himself not to slip, not with her. 

What was it about her?  He’d had countless women on their knees before him, every bit as sexy and appealing as Lily, and he’d never stopped to think about more than which hole to take first.  He should’ve blistered her ass for daring to oppose him in front of the doctor, but instead, he’d practically fled back to his bedroom to keep from tearing her clothes off and fucking her where she stood, safe or not.

Twenty-four hours.  Forty-eight if he wanted to make absolutely sure the implant had taken effect.  Aidan checked the clock with a groan.  For the moment, he headed to the gym to burn off some excess energy.  It was either that or jack off again, and his hands were starting to develop calluses since she’d come into his life.  Twenty-four hours and he’d show her
exactly
what it meant to belong to him.

It took me a long time to fall asleep. 

I kept waiting for the call from Aidan after Jeffries put in the implant, but it never came.  Had I really ticked him off that badly?  The thought made me uneasy, and the idea that I was anxious over him
possibly
being angry troubled me even more.  Was I relieved or disappointed when Aidan didn’t exercise his right to ravish me the second the implant was in my arm?

I finally passed out sometime after two a.m., still wearing my sweater and jeans, all twisted up in the quilt.  Despite my intention to sleep in, I’d forgotten to close the drapes the night before, and the sunlight streaming over my face woke me up a little after eight.  I sent a quick text to my sister, Darlene, asking how Dad’s lungs were holding up, but she either wasn’t awake yet, or avoiding me. 

My arm was sore, but not too bad.  Jeffries had told me the scar would fade so I’d hardly even notice it after a while.  I don’t know how they magically knew I was up and around, but by the time I got out of the shower, my bed was made again, and a tray with piping hot coffee and toast waited for me on the bedside table.  It couldn’t be a surveillance camera, or I would’ve been busted for having my cell phone already. 

Beside the tray sat a long, velvet box atop my laptop.  I slid the box off, eager to get to my baby, plugging it in to charge right away.  I didn’t have access to the Wi-Fi without a password, but I didn’t care.  The first thing I did was start my mellow playlist, the music doing more to soothe my nerves than a team of masseuses.  Now, I could pour myself a cup of coffee and enjoy my morning. 

The next thing I did was check to see if it looked like he’d gone through my files – not that I could actually tell – but I still looked around to see if everything was in place.  A rich, powerful man like Aidan Pierce probably had better things to do than sit around and rifle through the personal laptop of his sex slave.  Still, I decided to password protect some of my more personal files, like the journal I kept. 

Once I was sure it was secure, I poured out my heart about the past couple of days – the awe and fear in coming to such a place, and the uncertainty I felt over my position.  And finally, my thoughts on Aidan himself.  Power obsessed sexual deviant – obviously, but I couldn’t help but think there was more to him.  He’d been trying to relate to me on a human level, even if our conversation had crashed and burned.  That had to count for something. 

Right before lunchtime, I realized I hadn’t bothered to look in the velvet box yet.  More jewelry?  Not that I was complaining, but I hadn’t even dipped into the other stuff beyond playing dress-up.  Inside the box sat a black velvet choker with a tiny blue flower pressed into glass dangling at the throat.  It wasn’t as flashy as the other pieces, it was more the kind of thing you’d pick up at a craft fair, but I loved it.  Slipping it on, I went to check myself out in the mirror.  It was pretty and feminine, and reminded me of a bygone era.  Too bad I couldn’t wear my hair up, it would display the choker pretty well, I thought. 

The rest of the afternoon dragged as I was bit by the restless bug.  Sitting around reading sounded too tame, I couldn’t string two words together on the computer. I even gave the treadmill in the gym a shot, but it wasn’t enough.  Finally, I started reorganizing the books in the library.  It turned into a giant, fucking mess, filling all the available table space in the room, but hell, I had a whole year to sort it out, right? 

But still, the nervous energy didn’t dissipate.  I knew what was coming, there was no putting it off for much longer.  Aidan would have to claim what was his sooner or later, and the wait was driving me crazy. 

I went down for dinner, only to find Mrs. Fisk waiting for me.  “The master has given instructions that you’re to make yourself ready for him.”

Already?  It wasn’t even dark out yet.  “What about dinner?” 

She produced a plate with a half sandwich and a cluster of grapes.  “I’ve made you a snack.  Cook’s been informed that you’ll want something more substantial afterwards.  I mean, later,” she said, leaving me to believe she knew exactly what my night was going to be like and so did the cook.  No wonder most of the servants wouldn’t look me in the eye.  Did the whole house know I was nothing more than Aidan’s fuck-slave?

My mouth went dry.  It took a couple of swallows before I could speak again.  “Just between you and me, Mrs. Fisk, what do you think he’d like me to wear?  I’d rather not start the evening out pissing him off again.”

“I daresay it doesn’t matter much what you wear, dear.  What matters the most is that you’re ready for him.”

Ready.  How could I be ready when I didn’t know what to expect?  “Do you know what he normally does with girls?”

All of the color drained out of her face, as though I’d asked her to take off her clothes and run naked through the halls.  “That’s none of my business, I’m sure.  Go on up to change now, I’m sure he’ll send for you soon.”

Too nervous to care about the missed dinner, I left the snack and hurried back to the room, hemming and hawing over how best to
make myself ready
.  It was hard to plan when I wasn’t sure how much time I had to work with.  If I’d been getting ready for a special date, I might’ve taken a long, scented bath.  But I’d already had a second shower after my half-hearted jog in the gym earlier, so with a quick wash of the face and a coat of lipstick, I was good to go.  The wax job I’d treated myself to before coming there ensured I didn’t need to shave my legs, and he didn’t want my hair up, so a brush through was all that was wanted there. 

I changed into one of the matching bra and panty sets, fire engine red trimmed in black lace with a black blindfold.  Instead of trying to figure out what kind of dress he wanted me to wear, I topped it off with a white satin robe, knotting it tightly around my waist.  The heeled slippers with fluffy white marabou on the toes were a tad big, but I thought I could manage them for such a short distance without breaking my neck.  The choker around my neck completed the look, as I checked myself out in the mirror. 

“Yep, I’d definitely do me,” I nodded, letting out a shaky breath.  I could do this, it was just sex.  All I had to do was pretend he was Michael and I’d be good to go.

Mrs. Fisk’s knock sounded, and my stomach lurched.  Good thing I hadn’t had that dinner.  She made no comment about my casual attire as she led me down to the study, and I took in a steadying breath as I slipped the blindfold into place.  I don’t know if it was my imagination, or if my senses were somehow more attuned with the blindfold on, but I swear, I could feel him in the room this time.  I hardly noticed when Mrs. Fisk left, I was too focused on the creak of the chair when he rose, and his slow steps as he circled around me. 

“Interesting choice,” he said, fingers brushing against the satiny robe at my shoulder. 

“I figured it would be easier.  Oh… was I not supposed to talk?”  My confidence eroded at the thought, but he merely chuckled. 

“You’re fine.”  His hand slid down my arm to gently cup my elbow.  “This way.”  Aidan led me to a hard, upholstered chair, and I gasped as the cool leather came into contact with my nearly naked backside.  It sent a shiver through me that started at the base of my spine and radiated up to spread through my shoulders.  It was go time. 

“Are you cold?”

“No.”  Parts of me were burning hot, but that didn’t stop the goose bumps from popping up when his hand skimmed over the top of my thigh.  Just like that, his hand pulled away, and I heard the sound of pouring liquid.  A cool glass pressed into my hand seconds later.

“Drink this.”

The scent of strong alcohol made my nose tingle as I lifted the glass to my lips, but I couldn’t tell what kind of drink it was.  I wasn’t much for hard alcohol unless it was mixed with something else, but the order in his tone wasn’t one I could argue with.  Holding my breath, I gulped it down, and liquid fire spread through my chest to pool in my belly.  My head swam for a second, losing my point of reference without being able to see.  I clutched at the armrest and the vertigo eased.  Whatever he’d given me to drink, it packed quite a punch.  A tickle gathered in my throat, and I let out a cough or two, but then the worst of it passed and I felt a warm, mellow glow. 

“Better?”  He sounded amused. 

“Yes, thank you,” I croaked, my throat still raw.  His hand closed over my knee, warm and comforting, until it slid higher, fingers stroking lightly.  A current of energy hummed over my skin, my lungs taking in short, shallow breaths as my heart kicked up a notch.  Was it anticipation?  Fear?  Desire?  I could hardly tell from the way it all swirled together, and I clutched at the armrest, afraid it might carry me away if I gave in to it.

“Relax,” he ordered, fingers moving in lazy circles, rising higher.  I thought I did a fair job of it until he dipped in between my thighs and they clamped together.

“I-it’s kind of hard to when you’re touching me there,” I stammered.

“Lily…”  Aidan sounded as though I was on his last nerve, and I forced my thighs apart, trying to ignore the way they shook.  He pushed his fingers up higher under the robe, only a hairsbreadth away from my lacy panties.  “Am I hurting you?”

“Well… no.”  Nothing he did hurt.  It actually felt pretty good, but to my overly sensitized skin, every circle of his fingers had my nerves jangling like a fire alarm. 

Those blunt fingers ran along the length of my cleft, and I couldn’t help the cry of alarm that slipped out even as pleasure shot over me through the thin silk.  I did manage to keep my thighs apart, bracing them against the arms of the chair.  “I think you like it when I touch you,” he rumbled with that lover’s voice, his breath coming faster as he continued to stroke me slowly over the panties.

“That’s not the point.”

“What is the point?”  His fingers hooked under the lacy sides, shoving them aside to reach my slick folds and I cried out again, the rasp of his skin against my swollen flesh almost too much to bear.  “What do you object to?”

It took me a few seconds to remember, I was so distracted by his touch.  It felt good, it felt better than good, that wasn’t the point.  Shit… what was the point again?  “That’s pretty intimate for someone I don’t even know.”

“Do you always know someone thoroughly before you’re intimate with them?”

“Of course, don’t you?”

“No.”  His body shoved my thighs wider apart as he knelt closer, his other hand landing on my upper thigh.  My fuzzy sandals flopped off as my knees popped up in reaction, and my feet came in contact with his strong, muscular thighs.  “In fact, I prefer not to know them at all.  It’s so much more interesting to see how they’ll react.” 

“I couldn’t say, I can’t see a thing,” I reminded him. 

His thumb parted my folds and dipped inside me, trailing my wetness up to do a slow circle around my clit.  My hips almost came off the chair, knees pressing tightly to his sides, and he chuckled, grinding the heel of his hand into my mound.  “Alright then, your turn.”

“My turn?”

“You touch me.”  He backed off and my knees slid together with a slap.  I didn’t know whether to cry out in relief or disappointment at the reprieve. 

I licked my lips, trying to figure out what he wanted.  “You want me to touch you?  Where?”

“Where do you think?”  I could hear the smirk in his voice.

My hands stretched out, but he wasn’t within my reach.  “Ah… but I can’t see anything.”

“You don’t need to be able to see to touch me.”  His hands closed over mine, guiding me up out of the chair and gently forcing me down on my knees on the soft rug.  He settled onto the chair in front of me with a creak of leather, laying my hands atop his thighs.  “Touch me how you think I want to be touched.”

“How I think you want to be touched,” I nodded, taking in a shaky breath.  Not that I had a clue what a guy like Aidan Pierce wanted, but I wasn’t a stranger to touching a man.  It occurred to me that this was the first time I was being allowed to get an idea of what he looked like.  The material under my hands felt like soft denim, not a suit, like I might’ve thought a rich guy would wear.  His thighs were well muscled, he definitely put in some time in the gym instead of moping around the house all day. 

I slid along the tops of his thighs to the waistband of his pants and his hands circled my wrists, halting them there.  Before I could ask what I’d done wrong, he ordered, “Take off the robe.”

Nodding in understanding, I bit back a smile, wishing I could see his reaction when I peeled off the innocent white robe to reveal the red and black lingerie underneath.  His sharp intake of breath as the satin pooled around my knees was enough to send a flush of heat through me, and an instant later, his hand clamped over my breast with a possessive squeeze. 

“I thought I was supposed to be touching you,” I gasped, even as I leaned into him.

“Then touch me, for fuck’s sake,” he growled, pulling me between his legs. 

My arms landed across his chest, and I started there, finding the buttons of his shirt.  He was right, it wasn’t hard to manage without being able to see, and as I skimmed over his hard, muscular body, I could almost feel what he looked like.  Definitely no sign of a paunch, the taut ridges spoke of hours spent in the gym pushing himself to this level of perfection.  The dusting of crisp hair over his chest tickled my palms as I explored his muscled pecs, thumbs brushing over the flat nipples that perked up under my touch.