“Are you cold?” Kane looked concerned.

  I pressed tighter against him. “No, I’m actually very warm. Hot, actually. How’s your leg?”

  In the dim light, his face tightened. “It’s a bruise. My fault it’s there.”

  With a finger, I traced a line down his jaw. “But I distracted you at the exact wrong moment.” The hand grew even tighter, roots pulling. The silence told me the truth, so I went on. “I want to make it up to you.”

  The fingers loosened and brushed through my strands. “How?”

  “I want you to do the things that I might not like to me. When you feel well enough, that is. Push me—”

  I couldn’t finish because his lips were crushing mine. “You don’t know what you’re asking,” he said after he’d explored my mouth thoroughly with his tongue.

  “Then tell me. No, show me. Use me. Play with me.” I paused before adding, “Make me feel things I’ve never experienced. Do you want that too?”

  His erection bobbed between us.

  “Dammit, Eliana,” he breathed. “You have no idea.”

  I took the hand that was in my hair and lowered it to my breast. “Then I want you to, whenever you’re ready.”

  His hand stayed there, his thumb brushing over my nipple until it hardened beneath his Beasts t-shirt. “I want...”

  He paused and licked his lips, and I could feel the tightness, the conflict swirling around in him.

  “Tell me, Kane. Tell me what you want.”

  “I don’t want to scare you,” he finally admitted. “I’ve never done those things with someone I care about. I don’t want you to run away.”

  My mouth went dry. What was I getting myself into? Even as worry niggled my brain, a thrill of the unknown passed through me, making me wet.

  “Have you done these things with other women?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’ve thought about doing them with me?”

  “God, yes.”

  “Tell me what you want to do.” My voice was hoarse.

  His fingers tightened on my nipple. “I want to do things to your breasts.”

  I tried to imagine what that might be. “What things?” My heart was beating so loudly I was sure he could feel it beneath his fingers.

  “Mark them.”

  I laughed softly. “You’ve already done that.”

  “No.” His voice was serious. “I haven’t. Not how I want. Not with my teeth, biting and sucking. Using clamps.”

  My insides throbbed, my nipples grew even harder.

  “Do you have clamps here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will I scream?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will Zoe hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  I didn’t care. I wanted him. Wanted this. “Let’s play.”

  Without another word, Kane rolled off the bed and flipped the lights on. “Where’s your phone?”

  I looked at him in confusion, then understood. “My purse. On the dresser.”

  As I watched, he walked over to it, his limp a little less noticeable than before. He’d taken off the ice, but a bandage was still firmly wrapped around his thigh. It was all he wore except for his boxers.

  He pulled out my phone and then grabbed his from where it lay next to his keys. He gathered his laptop and iPad and strode from the room. I didn’t even need to ask him what he was doing. I knew. He was getting rid of electronic devices so our privacy would be secured. The TV was already gone. He’d asked Paul to remove it earlier.

  I was already breathing easier, with the eyes and ears of the devices removed. Then he was back, and my breath grew ragged again. He carried a glass of amber liquid in his hand and a dark look in his eyes I hadn’t seen before. He shut the door. “Take off your clothes.”

  Scrambling from beneath the covers, I stripped while he walked into his enormous closet. He was back a second later with the clamps and something else.

  “Remember your fifty shade book?”

  I nodded.

  “Yellow if you come close to your limits. Red if I need to stop immediately.” His face softened. “And I will.”

  I nodded. “I trust you.”

  “Tell me what you want,” he said, stepping closer to me.

  I was confused. I thought I’d been pretty clear. I wanted him to do whatever he wanted to me.

  “I want to know what you like, not just what you can tolerate.”

  “I like everything you do to me. I like you. Can we start there?”

  He reached for my hand and raised it to his lips, his tongue brushing my knuckles.

  “Yes, it’s a start. You need to know that I don’t consider myself to be a dominant from a pure BDSM perspective. But I like being in control. I like being focused. I like when my partner follows my rules, but only in the bedroom. When it’s what we both want.”

  I nodded. “I want.”

  His pupils dilated, and he leaned down to kiss me, his teeth scraping across my bottom lip until I moaned. “An important aspect of being a good lover is wanting to give your partner as much pleasure as possible. It’s not about satisfying me. It’s about satisfying you. What do you want?”

  I knew he was talking whips and floggers, stuff like that. But what I wanted went so much deeper than all that. “I want you to forgive me for being a distraction. For bringing this horror into your life. For causing you to miss the ball. To lose the game. I want you to do whatever you need to no longer feel angry with me.”

  “You want to be punished?” His voice was low, primal.

  “Yes.”

  In reality, though, I wanted to forgive myself. Punish myself. But I couldn’t. Maybe having his hands on me would help.

  “Lay back. Show me what you like.”

  Resting back on the pillows, I cupped my breasts, then pinched my nipples between my fingers. A jolt of pleasure went through me, and they tightened even more than before. I rolled the hardening flesh, pulling and tugging, pushing past where I normally went when I touched myself. Kane’s eyes darkened as his pupils eclipsed the beautiful green.

  “I want your teeth on me,” I said softly, twisting my nipples even harder. “Your mouth. Tongue.”

  He pushed his boxers down his legs and watching his hard cock pop free proved to be a distraction. He had the most amazing body. “What do you want me to do with my mouth?”

  I refocused on his eyes. “Lick. Suck. Bite.” I cupped the undersides of my breasts, squeezing. “Not just my nipples.” I traced a finger across the bottom. “Here too.”

  I stared after him as he turned and walked to the bathroom. He was back moments later with a stack of towels. Was he expecting blood?

  “Lift your bottom.” Raising up, I did as he asked, and he layered three towels beneath me.

  “What are these for?”

  He smirked. “You’ll see why later.” Then he picked up the clamps he had tossed on the bed. They weren’t shiny metal like I’d imagined them to be.

  “These are rubber. We can work up to metal if you like.”

  His eyes were focused on my breasts as he climbed onto the bed next to me. His lips latched onto my nipple, and I moaned. It was amazing. Wet heat paired with perfect suction, each pull of his mouth sending pleasure straight through to my groin. My back arched, feeding him more, as his teeth scraped over my sensitive flesh.

  When he switched to my other breast, his hand moved too, lower. It didn’t stop until he was cupping my sex.

  “Your pussy’s wet for me.”

  “Yes,” I breathed.

  With his mouth, he sucked hard on my nipple while his fingers parted my folds and brushed over my clit. As he circled the little bundle of nerves, he bit down on my breast.

  “Yes!” I cried out. He didn’t hesitate, he bit me again.

  When he moved his mouth to the other nipple, I saw the marks he’d left behind, and wanted more. His finger dipped lower, sliding into my aching core. A second joined the first, filling me, stretching me, twisting and turning, his knuckles scraping my walls.

  “Oh, God.”

  Biting my breasts, almost chewing now, his fingers moved faster, turning until they found the secret place inside me.

  He bit me again, and I exploded, sending a gush of liquid onto the towel. I didn’t have time to be embarrassed or even care that I’d just peed myself because he was making me do it again.

  His fingers were curled, driving hard, the heel of his hand slapping my clit with each stroke. My body tightened, harder and harder.

  “That’s right, baby. Give it to me.”

  “Yes! Yes!” I slammed my palms on his shoulders, then grabbed hold of him as I ground down against his hand. He bit harder, the undersides of my breasts this time. Pain and pleasure combined, causing me to soar.

  When I opened my eyes, I saw him rolling on a condom. He held up the clamps, his eyes asking more?

  I nodded. I was used up, my breasts aching, but I wanted it, wanted everything.

  When he fastened the first one on, I gasped as it bit into my overly sensitized flesh. Oh, the pain. It spiraled down through me, and I twisted as he added the second. He moved back to admire his work.

  “Spread your legs.”

  I did, and he stretched out between them. Ignoring the wetness of the towels, he pressed his mouth against me.

  I cursed as his tongue danced and dipped, licking up and down every inch of me. I writhed, and each movement jarred the clamps, sending the mix of pain and pleasure straight to where he feasted on my flesh.

  “Kane!” I cried out as his lips and teeth closed around my clit. Moving to his knees, he pushed my legs back and apart, spreading me wide for his mouth. He licked lower and lower, and I froze as his tongue circled my anus. The nerves fired, shooting burning heat up my body. Then his teeth were on my clit again as two fingers slid inside. There was pressure on my anus again, and I flinched but didn’t stop him.

  Something smooth breached the tight muscle, and I wailed. Once it was seated, his fingers moved back inside me, his teeth biting my outer lips.

  Too full. So full. Incredibly full.

  He curled his fingers and pressed against that spot that made everything go white. I made a sound I’d never made before, my fingers digging into his skin.

  I was still coming when he crawled up my body and pushed his cock inside me. My eyelids fluttered when he ordered me to open them. Kane snapped his hips forward, driving deep inside me.

  “Yes!”

  He lifted my legs, placing my ankles on his shoulders and leaned forward. The angle drove him deeper, making me gasp. The sound turned into a wail as he slammed into me again and again. Each thrust rocked my breasts, and the clamps tugged at my now-numb nipples.

  He was so hard, his face so tight, I was sure he’d come soon. He didn’t. Instead, he slowed and steadied his pace, showing no signs of slowing.

  From the impossible angle, I was completely helpless, unable to stop what he was doing to me, even if I wanted to.

  My nipples.

  My full ass.

  His body driving into mine.

  But it was the look in his eyes as he gazed deeply into mine that caused the first tear to fall.

  I love you.

  I wanted to say the words so badly. I’d told Zoe how I felt about him, but the words just swirled inside my brain.

  His hand found mine, and our fingers laced together. Moments later, the fingers of our other hand did the same.

  It was an oddly intimate gesture that contradicted the roughness of what we were doing.

  I was on fire as electricity coursed through my veins, across my nerves. Then I exploded, erupted, coming so hard that I couldn’t breathe, let alone cry out. He didn’t stop. Time lost all meaning as our bodies crashed together. It was only me and him in a bubble of our own making, pleasing each other. Pleasing ourselves.

  “I forgive you,” he said as he slammed into me so hard I saw stars. Then I was coming again, my body convulsing with the intensity. “Please forgive me too.”

  Hilted deep inside me, he removed the clamps, and blood rushed back into my nipples. I screamed as the pins and needles stabbed me as I continued to shake. And as he watched me lose all control, he came too.

  He was still pulsing inside me, his hot breath in my hair, when I realized I had also forgiven myself. And I had no idea how to get whatever he’d stuck in my butt out.

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  Kane

  Even though I was stuck in New York while the guys were in Texas, I found myself smiling on occasion. I caught myself whistling a couple of times too.

  “Uh, Kane. How do I get this thing out of my butt?”

  Every time I thought of Eliana asking me that question the other night, I laughed. She was so freaking adorable, and I didn’t think I’d ever laughed as much with anyone as I had with her.

  While I was laid up, I’d developed a new favorite pastime — seeing how many pairs of Eliana’s panties I could steal.

  So far, I’d managed to confiscate six pair. And I had no plans to give them back.

  Instead of going commando as I’d hoped, she’d told me just this morning that she planned to shop for more. Maybe after she’d pampered some pooch on her appointment schedule and she’d fed her “babies.”

  We’d gotten into the habit of getting up early, and I’d help her prepare their meals. I tried to convince her to let me pay for deli sandwiches, but she insisted on doing it herself.

  “Those men deserve at least one home cooked meal, even if it’s just a sandwich.”

  Being away from her was both good and bad. It let me focus on my strength training and stretching exercises before heading to the stadium for physical therapy. The bruise had blossomed to a good nine inches in diameter, and the muscle cramped when I used it too much.

  I smiled. With Eliana, I’d definitely been using it too much. Two or three times a day too much. My good little girl was becoming a sex fiend.

  Zoe moved out yesterday, and I kind of missed her. Kind of didn’t. It was nice to have the place to ourselves. Dad was true to his word and bought a nice walkup near where their old building burned and offered an apartment to all the victims, rent free for a year to help them get back on their feet. He even hired Whitney, Calvin’s wife, to fully furnish and decorate each one.

  Tick. Tick. Tick.

  The ticking of the antique clock my grandmother gave me when I graduated college was driving me crazy, but not only because of the noise. It was a reminder that I was waiting on someone. Eliana. I wondered when she would be back.

  I was becoming obsessed.

  Pushing up from the sofa, I went back to the weight room for another set of reps. Then I went to my office and opened my email, double-checking that the camera on the computer was covered. I was becoming obsessed by that too.

  Clicking through email, I opened the ones marked for the Steele Global board. Although I didn’t plan to join the company for a few years, it was a good thing to keep up with the “ever changing climate” as my dad called it.

  A new email popped up. It was from Mom, letting me know how Nana’s doctor appointment had gone.

  Hi sweetheart,

  Just letting you know that Nana and I will be in California longer than expected. Her doctor approved her for an experimental treatment that might help shrink the tumor in her brain. I’ll let you know how it goes and when we’ll be back in NY.

  Love you,

  Mom

  P.S. Give Eliana our love.

  I fired back an email, asking her to give Nana my best wishes and love. Damn, I hoped the treatment worked. From what Mom told me one day in private, the doctors thought Nana would start fading soon, as the tumor grew and increased the pressure. As Nana had told me, she would probably make it until Christmas. What Nana hadn’t told me was that she would be normal until Christmas. After that, the tumor would systematically shut her down until she died a few months later.

  I hated the thought. Hated knowing she was going to be in so much pain. It made me sick to think about it.

  My computer pinged again. I clicked the message. The subject read: My favorite.

  Clicking on the source code, I noted the IP address was from Russia, although I doubted it hailed from there. A good hacker could ping their IP around the globe many times. This one just probably landed in Saint Petersburg last.

  With dread sinking its claws in me, I clicked it open.

  I’ve miss you and your antics. Very satisfying to watch. I’ve been taking notes. But since you’ve gone dark, I’ll be forced to enjoy the library I’ve accumulated. Here is a favorite. Give Eliana my best.

  A fan.

  P.S. Send one million dollars to account 871-324-8889-21345-7843 in exactly two hours. Don’t tell me you don’t have access. For every lame excuse you provide, the amount increases by a million. Additional account information is below. Enjoy the show.

  The video was set to a private YouTube account. There was a password for me to unlock it. And yes, it was a video of Eliana and me in the shower, her finger in my ass as she jacked me off.

  I’d been expecting it, but the reality was even harsher than my imagination. What she and I had done with each other was private. And precious. And now it just looked dirty and wrong.

  I thought I hated that the most. Something once beautiful turned ugly.

  Grabbing up my phone, I found the FBI agents’ cards and called Mason. She answered on the first ring. I told her about the email and offered to forward it.

  “No, it’s probably being tracked. Better to do nothing, just print off a copy. We’ll swing by later and take a look.”

  I punched the print button, and my laser printer whirred to life.

  “What do I do? Send the money? Don’t send? What?”

  The agent blew out a long breath. “If you send it, you’ll never get it back. If they want it sent at a precise time, then they’ll be waiting to do an immediate transfer the second it arrives. They’ll transfer it from account to account until it becomes untraceable.”

  “I don’t care about the fucking money, I—”

  “If…” she interrupted my tirade, “they take the money and flee, then you’ll be fine. Game’s over. But, you’re a very rich man. My gut tells me they may be looking to you as a steady income source.”