Love and Let Die (Masters and Mercenaries #5)(60)

“Ian!” Her hands curled into the bedspread because his thrusts were so powerful he could push her off the bed if she didn’t hold her own.

Hearing his name seemed to break something in him. He threw an arm around her waist and hoisted her up so her back covered his front, his face in her hair. “Say it again. Tell me who you belong to, sub.”

He forced her knees even wider and f*cked her from behind, his cock never losing the beat.

“You. I belong to you. I belong to Ian.” It was nothing less than the truth. She wanted his cock, his collar, his ring, his future.

“Damn f*cking straight.” He surged into her, one arm around her waist, the other cupping her breast as he shook against her. He held her tight, his cock pumping out his orgasm as he shuddered against her. His cheek moved against hers. She could feel the heat of his mouth on her face, sweet little kisses on her cheek. Just for the briefest of moments she thought he would fuse their mouths together. She turned her face up, wanting that connection again. Even as pleasure thrummed through her body, she needed more of him.

He let go and moved away from her.

Charlie dropped to her stomach, the soft bedding catching her fall as Ian hopped off the bed. He got up, stretching and shaking his head like he was clearing it from something.

She tried to catch her breath. “Ian, what’s wrong?”

She watched him in the mirror, her heart falling. All that passion he’d offered her moments before was gone.

His face was expressionless as he peeled the condom off, tying it neatly. “You need to get to the locker room, shower, and get dressed. We’re meeting Alex and Eve in forty-five minutes. Make sure your sister is ready, too.”

She turned, pushing herself up. “Ian?”

“You need to hurry. I don’t want it to get too late before we head back to my place. Apparently we have to drive by Alex’s new house because the contractors f*cked something up. That’s what he gets for hiring the lowest bidder. I told him, but he never listens to me. So get moving.” He started toward what looked to be a small bathroom.

He was talking like it was perfectly normal to f*ck a girl silly and then complain about his best friend’s hiring practices. He was behaving like absolutely nothing amazing had just happened. Now she was cold again.

She pulled at the robe she’d tossed aside. “Ian, what’s wrong? Shouldn’t we talk about it?”

She tried not to, but her eyes were filling with tears.

“Nothing’s wrong, Charlie, and there’s absolutely nothing to talk about. I’m just done with sex, and I have things I have to do tonight. Unfortunately you’re tied to me right now so you have things to do, too. Where I go, you go, so get a move on.” He walked into the bathroom.

“Why are you being so cold?” It didn’t compute. She couldn’t wrap her mind around it. He’d been so hot just seconds before. She’d been right there with him. Their bodies had been pressed together, and she would have sworn he felt everything she did. He’d held her so tight, like she was the most precious thing in the world and he couldn’t let her go. It had been like those five years between them melted away and they were back together, back when they were just discovering each other.

He stepped back out, his hands on those sculpted hips. “I’m not being cold, Charlie. I’m done. This is how I am after I’m done with sex. I told you you wouldn’t like it. This is how it is now. You said you didn’t care so I took you at your word.”

“I don’t understand.” She pushed her hair back, looking up at him.

“You don’t understand what, baby? That a guy can say and do things he doesn’t really mean when he’s trying to get his dick in you? I kind of thought you were more worldly than that.”

She wasn’t stupid. She knew that. She just didn’t expect it from him. He’d always been her safe place. “So it was just sex.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I think I told you that. I also mentioned that it would be my way, all my way, or we wouldn’t be anything at all. So you can go to the locker room and follow my instructions or we can be done. I’ll shower here. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

She sat there, trying to process the words. She’d been so sure. She’d known that once they’d made love again, he would know. He would know that she was his wife and everything would be fine as long as they were together.

The world was a watery mess, and she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

Her hair was messed up, her body so much bigger than what she saw in her head. It was one of those times when she knew she had to make a decision to be all right with herself, but she just couldn’t when he was staring at her like she was a piece of meat. He’d told her she was hot, f*ckable, but she sure didn’t look that way now. Of course, he’d also admitted that he would lie to get between her legs. Just like other guys.

“I told you how it would be,” he said softly. But the cold look was still in his eyes.

She pulled the robe on, closing it tightly around herself. “Yes, you did.”

He’d been far more honest than she’d been when they first met. And if he was treating her like a piece of meat it was because she’d offered herself up like one. She’d been so desperate to get back to the one place she’d been happy.

What if that had been an illusion?