Owned by Fate (Serve #1)(57)

“Take me to the other bedroom,” she continued. “Give me what I asked for on the first night. Show me, Jonah.”

The last part, her quiet plea, cemented his choice. It humbled him while letting loose a part of him he hadn’t revealed fully to her yet. They’d both known it existed the whole time, spinning darkly under the surface, but he’d been so aware he could scare her off that he’d kept it sealed tight. He had no such worry anymore. This woman was his. In asking him for this, she was trusting him with her body as well as her heart. He wouldn’t abuse that privilege. And God knew he’d enjoy the hell out of it.

The elevator door opened to reveal his entryway. Reluctantly, Jonah pulled away from her sweet curves, took her hand, and led her toward his apartment.

He didn’t pause on his way to the guest bedroom, walking with her beside him every step of the way, her hand steady inside his own. The push and pull between them would change when they entered the bedroom, but having her match his stride felt right outside the bedroom. He wouldn’t question what felt right between them because everything was right.

When he closed the door of the bedroom behind them, there was a noticeable shift in the air. Inside him. Caroline sensed it, too. Her hands went still at her sides, eyes bright and wide as she watched him open his dresser drawer and remove his favorite riding crop, shoving it into the back pocket of his pants. There was a way he usually proceeded at this point, but for the life of him, he couldn’t remember it. Nothing and no one existed before now, before her, and they would create their own way, dammit. Build something perfect and lasting. His intention had been to order Caroline to strip while he readied the restraints above the bed. Instead, he followed his instinct and went toward her, loving the way her swollen lips parted to suck in a breath at his approach.

“The man you love is about to f*ck you into next week, Caroline.” He took the front of her dress in his hands and ripped it down the middle, exposing her knockout body clad only in a shear black bra and panties. She jumped a little but kept her eyes trained on him. Good girl. He hadn’t even needed to instruct her. She’d known. “You’re going to love me even more after this. Every time I push one of your limits, you’ll love me more and more until you feel me inside you when you walk down the street. Until you hear my voice speaking in your ear at work, in the shower. Everywhere.” He unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, groaning at the sight of her straining pink nipples. “You’ve already shattered all my limits, baby. I’m going to make sure you catch up.”

“Jonah.” She gasped when he stooped down and threw her over his shoulder. Without thinking, he brought his hand down on her ass hard, earning him a moan. “Master.”

Satisfaction hitting him in the chest, he continued to the bed and stepped onto the ultra-firm mattress, setting Caroline back onto her feet. Some of her hair fell into her eyes, across her puffy lips. It was all he could do not to forget himself and drag her down onto the mattress. He could see in her eyes that she needed this show of trust and acceptance, though. Maybe even as much as he did, which was amazing in itself, since he needed it so badly it hurt.

The suspended metal bar above them reflected the subdued light of the bedroom. How many times had he pictured her restrained here but never expected to witness it? For the first time in weeks, the conflict in his head quieted in recognition that he had everything he’d ever wanted. She was standing right there in front of him, looking up at him like he dictated the tempo of her pulse. It was time to prove the truth of that.

Jonah nudged her forehead with his own. “Unzip my pants and take out my cock. Do not touch it after that. You may only look.” He reached up and curled his right hand around the cool metal of the suspended bar and bit back a groan when her fingers began to work his fly, nudging his throbbing erection in the process. “You’re going to be on display for me. I’ll f*ck you fully clothed while you writhe around naked, taking what I give you. While you’re attached to this bar, I’m in charge of your next breath. Do you understand, Caroline?”

“Yes, Master.”

Jonah let his fingertips coast down her rising and falling breasts, dipping his fingers teasingly between her legs to find her wet. Perfect. He took hold of each hand in turn and secured them to the bar. The sound of leather sliding through the silver buckles sent power through his body, stiffening the back of his neck, his jaw. He looked over his woman, arms shackled over her head, body stretched to accommodate the bar’s height. My offering. He wondered what she’d say if she knew he’d come to this room and adjusted it to her size a week ago, needing to picture her here, like this. But never expecting it.

She never took her gaze off him, and it held so much trust and anticipation, he had to force himself to focus on his task. “Are you sure you want this, Caroline?”

“Yes,” she said. “I remember my safe word. Just…please.”

Jonah yanked her panties down to her knees and pushed two fingers into her wet *. Her scream was primal, and it echoed inside his head, mating with his own wicked urges. The sound of her hands already pulling on the restraints made him growl. His woman was hungry. Still, he didn’t move his fingers, didn’t thumb her clit like she needed.

“Oh God, oh God. Jonah, please.”

He removed his fingers from inside her, spun her around, and snapped the riding crop against her ass.