“I’ve seen a new side of you today,” she said.
“Yeah? Do you like it?”
“I don’t know. I’m use to the brooding, alcohol-driven depressive who stands with me while I cook. This will take a while getting used to.” He chuckled. The sound of his chuckle went through her body making her ni**les harden and her pu**y melt. She had never known so much desire for a man. Since she’d met Paul she had seen several men, been attracted to them, but she had never gone through with it. The moment she met Stephen every other man went out of the window. He held her constant attention and made it hard for any other man to get a look in.
Maybe she should go out to a bar and make sure she wasn’t on some kind of rebound. For some reason, she didn’t think she was.
“Stop thinking so hard.”
She smiled and leaned back in her chair to enjoy the ride. All of her problems would still be there when she thought about it.
****
Stephen didn’t know why he took her to the diner. He had seen her walking down the stairs towards him and knew he wanted to take her some place he’d never taken any other woman. The last time he visited the diner had been the week before his parents passed away. They were two souls in the same pot. He manoeuvred the car round morning traffic. Diane had been a kind woman to him. She was over sixty and still running the place. He took Ursula’s hand, replacing the bad thoughts with the sweet ones from last night.
He knew there would come a time when he would have to tell Ursula the truth about himself, but until he needed to he was going to enjoy their time together. Club Possession had to be kept in utmost secrecy. It was one of the main rules his father had been sure to pass down to him.
They arrived at her apartment thirty minutes later. He parked outside the building and followed her up. When he passed a mirror with the pair of them their reflection made him pause. She looked so much younger than he. He noticed the way he held or touched a part of her body, his hand at the base of her back leading her up. She didn’t protest his touch. The image in the mirror hit him square between the eyes. The possessive way he looked and how he touched her reminded him of the men at his club.
It had to be possible.
He moved with her up the stairs to her room. There was no sign of damage on the outside of the door. He took the key from her, opening the door. They saw Paul gathering his stuff.
“I’m leaving,” Paul said.
“Whatever.” Ursula grabbed Stephen’s hand, leading him through to the bedroom. She opened suitcases. They packed as much as possible. While she gathered her college work he made a quick call to his security team to over look the movement of all her furniture. Paul was cursing as they went back into the main room.
“You’re telling me to leave, but you’re not even living here.” He looked red in the face. Stephen wanted any excuse to hit him. One word out of his mouth and he was taking the f**ker down. Paul stared at him for several moments before storming out.
“Asshole. Come on. I’ve got to get to college by eleven. Would you drop me off?” Ursula asked.
He grabbed her bags then walked down to the car. There was work he needed to attend to.
“I’ll put my clothes away when I get back tonight.”
“Okay. I’ll put them in my room.” He didn’t know if she’d have some kind of order to her clothes.
“You want me to sleep in your room?” she asked.
He turned in his seat, cupping her face in his hands and brushing her lips with his own. When she was breathless he eased back. “You’re mine, Ursula. I want you in my house, in my room, and in my bed.”
“This is too surreal.” She licked her lips. Stephen wanted to taste her. Last night hadn’t been enough for him. He wanted more of her. The need to take her again and again consumed him. These needs had only been getting stronger the longer he knew her.
“Get used to it because I keep what’s mine.”
She didn’t argue. He gave her another fleeting kiss before starting the car. His first destination was the college. Stephen told her, he would be picking her up. She tried to brush him off, but he saw the delight in her eyes.
The next stop was Ravage, James’s exclusive BDSM club. Unlike the secrecy with which Stephen guarded Possession, James made his club visible to the public eye. However, there were parts where the public could go while others were reserved only for the experienced.
One of his security guards opened the door. He showed the guy his identity card then went straight to James’s office. The door was shut. He knocked waiting to be allowed in. James let him in, shaking his hand. Stephen noticed a woman bound to a table in the corner with a ball gag in her mouth.
“One of yours?” he asked.
James shook his head. “A training sub. She came with excellent recommendations. The only problem with Kitty is she likes to talk a little too much. My clientèle don’t like talking subs, if you know what I mean.” James took a seat behind his desk. Shrugging his shoulders, Stephen sat down in the chair in front of the desk.
“I don’t like the demand on Ravage,” James said. “I’ve had over thirty applications in the last week along with this.” He handed over a piece of paper which Stephen took.
He read the note out loud. “Your time for control is over. Ravage and Possession are going down.” He folded the note back then threw it on the desk. “Rather dramatic. When did you get it?” he asked.
“Last night. It was left on the bar. One of the waitresses came to me with the note.” James settled back in his chair. “We’ve got a problem.”
“No, we haven’t. Random notes do not make for a problem.”
“You and I both know why we keep our clubs private. These were the rules set by our fathers and the whole generation chain. Whoever is doing this knows about the clubs. He may even be a member.”
Stephen thought about what the other man said. He knew something was going on by the increase in demand. Never before had he ever considered so many applications before.“Look, have you gone to the police?” James asked.
“You expect me to go to the police with regards to a threat on a club considered to be a myth it is so bloody secretive?” asked Stephen.
It was one of the reasons they employed the same security firm to look into their problems. They were held by a code for the clubs and the members.
“Like you, this will stay inside with me and a few of the workers. Speaking of workers, a couple of mine were roughed up the other night.”