The C Word (Just a Word Book 1) (5 page)

Brushing my
thumb across her nipple, I close in and kiss her, drawing a whimper from her as
I pull and pinch the firm bud. My other hand slides down her taught body and
traces the line of her sexy underwear. She leans in, encouraging me to explore
further. I run a finger under the lace, slipping my other hand into her hair
behind her neck, holding her lips firmly to mine, so she can’t pull back when I
touch her.

My hand dips
into the soft black lace and traces her seam, she shudders and then freezes
when I touch her clit. Even her breathing pauses for a moment and then a small
sound escapes her, muffled by my lips. I keep stroking and devouring the sounds
she’s making as she builds quickly under my fingers. I know her excitement is
amplified by being tied like this, she’s quickly there, moaning into my mouth
as I keep her lips held fast to mine. Her body jerks with release and the rope
holding her gets its first real test.

That was just
a warm up though. She wasn’t losing control, just responding to stimulation. I
plan to take her to a place she has never been. But first another warm up. I
release her lips and she pants.

“Oh god!” she
gasps. “That was—”

Her words
fail as I sink two fingers into her still convulsing pussy. She grips me tight
and shudders, feeling a fresh wave of aftershock.

“Oh,” she
sighs, then gasps, “oh!” as I start working my fingers inside her slick heat,
brushing her clit with my thumb as I bring her close again with amazing speed.
She is so responsive. She wriggles as I rub her clit harder and tries to back
away when my fingers inside turn on her g-spot with the same vigour.

“Oh, no, no!”
She cries and I immediately pull my hand away. We didn’t discuss a safe word.
She doesn’t need one. She and I both know those ropes are just decoration. With
her strength, even in human form, she could get free if she wanted. A safe word
isn’t necessary. No is enough.

“Did I hurt
you?”

“No,” she
replies breathing hard.

“What then?”

“I was about
to come again.”

“And?” I
frown. I thought that was our prime objective.

“And…” She
shuffles nervously and looks away.

I place a
finger under her chin and lift her face up, so that she meets my eyes. “You can
tell me Rose.”

“Well…two is
usually my limit and I want you inside me,” she looks coy, but she looks me in
the eye.

I laugh. “Two?”

She nods.

“Damn Rose,
who have you had pressing your buttons? Two is just the beginning,” I grin as
she looks disbelieving. I reach for her underwear and slide them down her
thighs a little, the scent of her, almost overwhelming. She flinches as I
stroke my index finger through her folds, but I steady her hip. “Trust me,” I
tell her. “Don’t fight it.”

She nods
slowly, her eyes wide with anticipation, but they fall closed as I resume my
stroking.

She shudders
in release in no time, this time not fighting her bonds, but letting them
support her. She would look amazing fully suspended. Maybe I’ll get to see it
sometime. I shake my head free of the stupid thought. It’s Rose, it can’t
become a regular thing. It’s far too complicated. No, I’ll just have to give
her all the pleasure I can tonight and then send her on her way.

She could use
a change of pace, so kissing my way from her collar bone, downwards, I pause
and pay my full attention to her nipples, taking turns licking, sucking and
occasionally biting one, whilst toying with the other between my fingers. Her
sighs become moans and her body leans in to me, trusting me like I asked.

I bend my
knees and trail my kisses down her quivering stomach. Sliding her underwear
down her legs, I encourage her to step out of them along with the glossy heels
on her feet. She adjusts herself on her tiptoes as I cast them aside. Her scent
has me on fire and I waste no time in tasting her. She cries out as my tongue
sweeps over her engorged clit and her legs begin to tremble. I can hear the
surprise in her tone as she begins another climb into earth shattering
oblivion. When she gives in to number three, her body melts and she merely
whimpers when two of my fingers join my tongue in driving for number four.

The animal
sound that rips from her as she crashes over the edge of four, startles me. I’m
lost in the pleasure of giving pleasure, when I’m reminded that she is an out
and proud wolf and won’t try to hide her beast like I conceal mine. There is no
need for her to with me as far as she is concerned. It just tests me, that’s
all. Hearing her deep, inhuman growl, unashamedly let out, just reminds me of
the control I need to muster to get through this.

She’s
breathing hard and relying on the rope to hold her upright when I come to my
feet.

“You ok?” I
whisper.

Her eyes open
and they are distinctly different. She smiles and nods, her lids half closed in
lust, but I know beneath the surface her wolf is close and I can feel her lust
is far more alert.

“You have
beautiful eyes when she’s close.” I tell her stroking her cheek.

I don’t know
why I went there, but she has.

I don’t
normally address the subject of shifting out loud. It’s a near constant
commentary in my head though, analysing every situation like a risk assessor,
sizing up every shifter I meet, wondering what it’s like for them to live it.

But now she’s
staring at me. Shit.

“Show me
yours.”

I shake my
head.

“You can
trust me Maxi. I don’t want to mark you. I like you, but you aren’t my mate, I
know that.”

“No Rose.”

“It can’t be
good for you to keep it all locked away, I’d go crazy if I did that. Let him
out, shift for me.”

“No Rose!” I
snap.

She presses
her lips together in a hard line.

I grab the
end of the rope and untie it from the bed post, easing her arms down as gently
as my mood change will allow. “I don’t shift,” I grumble, almost to myself. “Get
used to it.” I gather the length of rope in my hands until I reach her wrists.

“I’m sorry,”
she says quietly. “I shouldn’t have asked. Please don’t stop.”

I look up at
the eyes. She thinks I’m done with her? “I’m not stopping.”

“I thought…”

“I’m going to
fuck you now.”

“Oh,” she
says in surprise, then a smile spreads across her face.

I move her
towards the foot of the bed and tell her to kneel on the mattress. Then I
encourage her to set her hands between her legs and pull the rope out behind
her. I help her to lay her front down on the bed, still on her knees, with her
bottom up in the air. Damn, what a view. I run my finger tip through her wetness.

Taking the
length of doubled-up rope, I split it and pull each piece over to the nearest
bed post, tying it off. This pulls her hands in line with her clit and her body
closer to the bed, the rope also cuts beautifully across the backs of her
thighs. Stepping away from her, I strip. I can see her wriggling for comfort
and finding it difficult to settle.

“Touch
yourself,” I tell her. I’ve positioned her hands so that she can. I want to
watch.

She hesitates
for a moment and then her fingers circle her clit. A gentle stroke that won’t
get her anywhere near orgasm.

“Touch
yourself as if I wasn’t here, Rose. Make yourself come.” I stroke my cock,
watching her overcome her inhibitions about touching herself in front of
someone else. She’s doing better, but she’s still holding back.

“I want you
now Maxi,” she pleads.

I step in
behind her, my cock in my hand and I run the tip through her dripping heat. I
shudder. I want to slam into her when she cries out in need.

“Please,” she
pleads, trying to back up onto me. The ropes stop her and I pull back just in
case. “No, no,” she whimpers as I retreat. “I need you to fuck me.”

“I will,” I
promise. “Just as soon as you give yourself an orgasm. I want to watch you.”

She sighs,
but starts to take my request more seriously. Her fingers move with practiced
ease, her breathing is ragged, but there’s nothing like the gasps and moans I’ve
been drawing from her.

“I can’t do
it,” she says in frustration.

“I know it’s
hard when you’ve had four already,” I say softly, closing the space between us
again, “but I want you to do it - then I’ll fuck you, I promise.” I rub my cock
against her lips and she moans. But a growl of frustration escapes when I pull
back again. “You can do it Rose.”

Her muscles
tense in determination, her fingers begin to fly, her breathing hitches and
suddenly my beast is very interested in the offering before him. She’s like a
sacrifice, posed on display and vulnerable. I breathe deeply, pushing him back.
This is my test.

I watch her
tense a few times. She’s completely focused on giving me this, to get what she
needs.

“You can do
it,” I repeat in a whisper.

She groans
and when I see her clench with the first spasm of orgasm, I surge into her. She
cries as she clenches around me and I curse at the feeling. She is still coming
as I begin thrusting.

My God, was
that five? I lost track, I think it was five. I bet I can give her another two,
yeah, seven is a good number. Some say it’s lucky. It’ll be lucky for her. Why
am I fixating on the number of orgasms she’s had, while I’m hammering in to
her? I need to focus on something.

Something
other than my two big problems.

Problem one:
my beast is audible in every grunt, every huff as I exert myself. My vision is
closing
in,
he is baying for control. That, I can just
about handle, it’s problem two that is the biggest issue.

Problem two:
I’m going to come.

I keep going,
but a voice in my head is crying out
but
it’s Rose!
It’s like fucking your best friend’s sister and it feels like
heaven. That’s what’s making me lose it. Really Max? What kind of two pump
chump will she take you for? Focus!

I shake my
head. Trying not to think about her silky, warm, pussy enveloping my cock as it
slides deep inside her…I focus on the challenge, two more orgasms. Preferably
as fast as possible.

“Touch
yourself.” I command, slamming harder into her.

From the
sound she makes, I know she has. I grip her perfect bottom and drive deep,
again and again. My thumb brushes over her arsehole and she explodes around me,
growling and fighting the ropes. I lean forward, pinning her head to the bed
with my hand as she snarls. It’s defensive, but it changes the angle and I’m
done for. She is still coming down from number six, but my cock is now hitting
her g-spot and can deliver a different kind of release.

“One more,” I
growl, hardly recognising my own voice.

She cries out
and I can feel her bearing down, fighting for it.

“Now, Rose,”
I manage as I groan out my release. Shuddering as I empty deep inside her.

Somewhere
outside the chaos in my head I hear her scream and feel a hot rush as a gush of
her juices accompanies number seven.

6

CONTROL ENTHUSIAST

“What the
fuck Maxi?” she growls as soon as I answer.

“Shit, I’m
sorry, I was going to call you I just had stuff on my desk the minute I walked
in.”

“And what
about the two hours I know you were up before then? Hmmm?”

I close my
eyes. I’m a shit…and so busted. “I had, er, company.” I cringe as the words
leave my mouth.

“
Rose
?” she demands incredulously.

I rub my
forehead with the heel of my hand. “Yeah.”

“You fucker!
I was worried about you and you’re off dipping your wick in the pack creeper!”

“Turns out,
she’s not so bad.” I offer quietly.

“Uh huh, was
she choking on your cock when you had this revelation?”

“Oh stop it
Valentina, it was just sex.” And yes, I know I told Rose that with me it’s
never just sex, but at the end of the day, it was just sex.

“Yeah, I’m
sure she’ll see it that way. Maxi you’re an idiot. She’s been trying to nab
you
 
for
years.”

“I was in
control, it was a one-off and she was okay with it.”

She sighs. “Was
the forbidden fruit as juicy as you’d imagined?” Valentina knows I would have
fucked Rose a long time ago if it weren’t for her thirsty approach and the fact
that she is pack.

“Every bit as
juicy and just the distraction I needed.” I grin.

“Well that’s
something then. So how are you feeling this morning?”

“Better. I
was thinking about calling in sick today and heading home for the weekend but I’m
really okay. I’ll head home after work, it’ll be nice to let Mum fuss over me,
it irritates the others.”

“She loves to
fuss over her favourite.”

“Shhhhh! Don’t
say it. Know it, but keep it in your head.” I laugh. The sibling rivalry in my
family is good natured and we are all loved equally. But I am my mother’s
favourite, there is no question.

“Are you
going to talk to your Dad about how things have been lately?” I acknowledge the
mild threat in her tone. She has his number, she wouldn’t be afraid to use it.

“Yeah.”

“Good, he’ll
help you. More than Dick does anyway. So what do you think caused it?”

“I have no
idea, but it’s passed.”

“Do you think
the guy had some sort of weird power?”

“He must
have. It’s nothing I can do, that’s for sure and I was with Rose last night and
it didn’t happen with her, so at least I know I haven’t suddenly sprouted a new
unwanted ability.”

“Yeah, but, I’ve
been thinking about it, if it was just his power, why were you able to read his
thoughts?”

I try not to
think too deeply about this but the same thing had crossed my mind. “I don’t
know.”

“We should
look into it.”

“I’d rather
just forget it; I’m never going to see him again.”

“Okay, well
just keep an eye on it.”

“I will. Listen,
I’ve got to go, I have a ton of paperwork to do.”

“Ok, talk to
you later.”

“Ok, bye.” I
hang up and set my phone down and then I think about Rose. After she left this
morning, I had a real urge to call her and say thanks. She rescued me last
night, gave me a focus and stayed with me when I needed to be distracted and
when we woke this morning it wasn’t at all awkward. She’s cool. I’ve been an
absolute arse to her in the past. She deserves better, she’s actually great
company and I’d like it if we could be friends. I should text her at least.
Opening up a message, I type:

‘Thanks for saving me last night.’

She doesn’t
know what she saved me from, she thinks I was stood up, but she saved me from
myself and my thoughts and that is no mean feat. Putting my phone back on my
desk, I turn back to my spreadsheet. Within a minute or so, it hums against the
wood.
 

‘Thanks for pushing the buttons my date wasn’t man enough to push.’

I grin,
always happy to know I did a fantastic job. I want to say ‘anytime’, but isn’t
that just suggesting we’ll do it again? I’d better not.

I just start
to type a safer reply when that same gripping feeling hits me that I had last
night in the bar. Control almost leaves the building.

Please, not at work
.

I drop my
phone and grip my desk, breathing deep. Snarling, I fight with myself. I can
call him ‘my beast’ all I like, but that is just to distance myself from the
reality. It’s me. All me.

I blow out, I
think it’s passing, whatever it is.

Why now? Why
is it creeping up on me so suddenly like this? Keeping it buried is something
that is natural to me and I can usually feel if there is even the slightest
change in my level of control. This is like an ambush. Maybe it’s trying to
tell me something. Maybe I was a fool to think I could control it forever.

I should not
have come in today, but after my night of distraction with Rose, I felt
stronger.

Idiot.

Taking a deep
breath, I rattle out an email to my father.

Dad,

I shouldn’t have come in today. I’m going to head home to the estate
for the weekend. I’m okay, I’m just having some control issues and I need to
get away to where I feel safe, I’ll work from there. I’ll see you when you get
home.

Notifying my
assistant of my sudden change of plans, I shut down and head for the door,
trying to appear normal.

My father
enters my head, something he rarely does nowadays.
“What’s wrong?”

I sigh. Now I
have to answer him and opening that line of communication is something I prefer
not to do, especially since I have no clue what’s up with my head. It’s not a
safe place for him to be, I was always warned about this and I try, for his
sake, not to open the bond between us. Readying myself to keep it brief, I step
into the lift and press the button for the ground floor.

“I’ll talk to you when you get home, I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“I do worry. I’ll be right behind you. I have one more phone call to
make and I can leave for the weekend.”

The lift
doors slide open.

“There’s no need Dad, honestly, I—”

My thoughts
are cut off, my heart squeezes in my chest and ‘my beast’, who now feels more
like just plain old me than ever before, freaks the fuck out.

It’s my
father’s voice in my head which prevents a catastrophe.

“Son, breathe. I’m coming.”

I try to
breathe, I really do, but as I’m looking into the remarkable green of his eyes
from across the lobby, oxygen evades me. He looks as startled as I feel, but I
still feel hunted. How did he find me? And then there is the more terrifying
question,
why
did he find me?

At least I
know the reason for the sudden loss of control in my office. Just like when I
walked into the bar last night. It seems that when I get in the vicinity of him,
my beast stirs up a frenzy. I know I need to get to the bottom of this, but
right now all I want to do is run.

“Don’t run, Max.”
My father sounds extremely concerned, and then I
see him appear
at
 
the
bottom of the stairs. I wonder why he hasn’t taken the lift,
then I realise, I’m still in the lift, my hands using the frame for support and
stopping the doors from closing. He rushes to my side and I try for appearances
sake to straighten up.

I flinch when
he puts his hand on my shoulder, never tearing my eyes away from T.

“Whats wrong?”

“I don’t know
Dad.” I murmur. But he follows my stare and his eyes land on T. He straightens
and his jaw sets in the way it does when he has to alpha up.

“Wait here,”
he orders. And I wait. For a second, so grateful that I have a strong alpha as
a father so I don’t have to be afraid, someone to lean on when I need to.
Pathetic right? I know he won’t go over there and start something, that’s not
his way. He’s more likely to insist T join him for coffee in the conference
room, than cause a scene.

I can’t hear
what they are saying, which is when I know I’ve really shut down. My hearing is
usually extraordinary. I could also hear it because my father is being loud and
clear through the bond, but I’m choosing not to hear.

Yeah, I’m so
shut down.

This is
crazy. I’m a man. A successful one at that. I can handle this without hiding
behind my daddy. I’m just about to go over there, when I see T nod, glance once
more in my direction and then turn and leave.

“Are you
okay?” my father asks. I’m still watching T’s
back,
I
didn’t see him approach.

I exhale. “Yeah,
I think so. What did he want?”

“He wanted to
open an account. I told him we’re not taking applications at the moment and he
left. We get the occasional human in here Max, what got you so rattled about
that one?”

Human? So he
fooled dad too.

“I met him
last night that’s all, maybe he followed me.” I shake my head, not ready to
tell him all of it. “Or maybe it was just coincidence.” I look at him, his
expression of concern hasn’t changed, but it’s questioning, he can tell I’m
withholding information.
 
Glancing
around, I notice a few of the staff are trying to covertly suss out what’s up
with their quirky, to say the least VP.
 
I turn back to my father and sigh. “Look Dad, I want to discuss this,
but I need to get out of here. Let me go home and get some things together, you
finish your phone calls and I’ll meet you back at the estate.”

He frowns. “If
you’re sure son. I won’t be far behind you, just promise you’ll call me if you
need help.”

I nod.

“I’ll let
your mother know you’re coming, she will be thrilled.”

I smile. She
will be, she never begrudges my choices, but I know she wishes the life I chose
kept me closer to her like her other offspring. “See you at home.”

I dig my
phone out of my pocket and bring up my driver’s number. I think I’ll stand out
in the fresh air and wait for him. As I step into the busy street, I breathe
deep. This might not be some people’s idea of a breath of fresh air, but to me,
it’s home. I feel that slight dread that I feel when I’m headed back to the
estate. It should be the opposite because it’s all meadows and woods, but I
always feel a bit stifled there and here in the city I feel free.

I start to
type a message to come and collect me as I walk away from the door of the bank.
I can still feel the stares of the employees inside. I think the freak show has
performed enough for one day.

“Wait up,” he
calls from behind me and I freeze, squeezing my eyes tight shut.

“What do you
want from me?” I ask when I feel him close in behind me. I don’t turn. I don’t
want to look into those eyes.

“I just want
to know what you’re doing here?”

My head jerks
around in surprise. Damn, now I’m looking right at him. “Me?” I snap, getting
my attention away from the hypnotic green and back to the issue. “You came into
my
bank. What do
you
want?”

“Your bank?”
He looks up at the historic frontage of the building and the decorous name
carved into the centuries old stone. ‘McQueen.’ There is no real clue it’s a
bank. We are not a walk-in branch, hardly the kind of establishment to have a
cash machine in the front. Our services are exclusive. You wouldn’t set foot in
there without a recommendation, or an account. It’s known we are a financial
institution, but what we do and who we do it for is ‘need to know’.

“Yes, my
bank. Why did you come?”

His eyebrows
draw together as if it’s a question he can’t really answer. “I…uh…” he trails
off and then for some inexplicable reason, he turns on his heel and walks away.

Stunned, I
just stand there and watch him leave. I glance down at my phone and the half
written text to my driver and make a snap and possibly extremely unwise
decision. I follow him. At a distance at first, then crossing one or two roads
brings me closer behind him. I watch him stalk along the street, seriously out
of place in this part of town with his frayed jeans skimming the floor around
his battered Converse.

I glance down
at the phone in my hand, long enough to unlock the screen and call Valentina. I
press the phone to my ear and try and keep enough distance as I keep on his
tail.

“That was
fast!” she laughs in greeting.

“It happened
again,” I whisper.

“Maxi?”

“I had
another ‘episode’… because of him.”

“What?” she
asks loudly.