Protege(73)

His hand went to the wide neck of her sweater and jerked it down, ripping the hem and yanking the material open. She gasped as her breasts pressed against her bra. Hauling the cups of her bra down, he captured a nipple in his mouth and sucked almost brutally. She arched, her body loosening in his grip as he bent her back over the table.

His hand disappeared under her skirt, shoving her panties aside. Her arousal slicked his fingers as he shoved them inside her. Her body rocked with his as he pumped his digits deep and sucked her breasts.

“I don’t like this mood you’re in,” he hissed, switching to her other nipple. “You’re getting too comfortable with me. Your loose tongue hurls accusations too sharp for your own good, but I’d rather that than this zombie act you’re pulling.”

She wreathed her arms around him and he growled. Quickly, he twisted her so she was belly to table and her ass was lined up with his hips. Flipping up her skirt, he yanked down her panties and slapped her ass.

“Is that what you want? Pain?” He slapped again. “You want me to tell you I felt something while those men touched you, while Lea licked your sweet *—my *.”

She gasped—the first true reaction she’d given him all morning. Another moan slipped out as his hand came down again, a pink handprint rising on her tender flesh. “You want me to tell you how furious I was when I saw your lips wrapped around Ezra’s cock?” Slap. “The murderous rage I contained when you deep-throated Brys?”

Whack. Whack.

His hands trembled as his belt came undone. He grabbed a handful of her hair and jerked her head back. “How listening to you come at another man’s touch made me want to beat the life out of my friends?”

He waited a brief moment, waiting for her to speak, giving her the option to safe-word. Stopping would be a struggle as he was rapidly losing his grip on control—had lost his grip.

The right thing to do was walk away, but he couldn’t, not while knowing someone else had pleasured her last night in a way he’d failed to that morning.

His cock lined up with her *, prepared to ram inside her, but he couldn’t move. Panting, he took the passing moment to reclaim control of his emotions, but he needed her help. “Say something,” he hissed.

Her voice was strained as he held her at a sharp angle. Her face was utter beauty and submission. Her throat worked as she swallowed, a tear sliding slowly past her lashes. “Je t’aime, mon Monsieur.” I love you, my Sir.

His blood ran cold, his breath a solid weight inside him seeping out in a rush. Dazed, he released her hair and staggered back.

Her head drooped between her shoulders as she sagged, her back and shoulders lifting as she breathed jaggedly. Her regard peeked over her arm, those vulnerable eyes staring into him, through him, deep into his soul. There was nowhere to hide.

Her ass bore his handprint. She was easily the most stunning creature he’d ever seen. He wasn’t supposed to care, that was number one. But bigger than that, he was supposed to protect her—even when it came to protecting her from himself. He wasn’t supposed to expose his personal demons to her. This wasn’t personal. It was business.

She had to leave. They’d discerned enough about her. She wasn’t right for him and he didn’t need the confusion. “We need to stop,” he wheezed.

A small V formed in her brow as she slowly turned and faced him. “I liked what you were doing—”

Damn her. “Not that.” He waved his hand, encompassing the house. “This.”

Her expression turned horrified. “What?” she rasped. Her arms slowly closed over her breasts, susceptibility shifting her posture.

He swallowed, ignoring the bulge in his pants and the urge to claim her. “I’ve tried to make it clear, but you won’t listen. This is all this will ever be, Collette. I’m only here to teach you—”

“Oh, shut up, Jude!” she snapped, and he drew back.

“Excuse me?” he roared, shocked by her interruption, tone, and words.

She scoffed. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“I never expected you to be,” he snarled. “Submission’s earned with trust, not fear. It’s gently coaxed, seduced. To fear me would be an insult to the process.”

“To the process,” she muttered, and rolled her eyes. “To you! Because you’re vulnerable too. Why can’t you admit it?”

He scowled. She was way out of line. “Because it’s not true in this case.”

Her mouth tightened as every muscle in her face trembled with tension. “You’re lying. You require nothing but the truth from me, yet I’m supposed to stand here and believe your lies?”

“It’s not a lie. In the case of you and me, I will not allow myself to be vulnerable. This is business, Collette. That’s all it is for me.”

“All right, then,” she said slowly, her voice soft. Her chin quivered and deliberately she exhaled. “If that’s all this is, I’d like to be placed with someone else for the remainder of my apprenticeship. There’s no reason why you have to be the one to provide the experiences needed for the remainder of my time.” Her gaze met his. “Brys seemed interested. Perhaps you could ask him.”

His jaw locked. Brys was an idiot. “Think before you speak.”

“I am. I’ve been thinking about it since last night. I can’t shut off my emotions for this process the way you can. It’s too difficult.”