Escaping to the bathroom Abigail stared into her own reflected eyes. It wasn’t fair. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. Blinking hard she forced back the urge to let her tears fall; there was no way she was going to cry over him. Not again.
The story wasn’t a lie. Abigail’s agent had approached Kirkland and Dunwoody Publishing with her newest book series and though the Editor had loved it, at the meeting to discuss the terms, Gareth had made it clear that major changes were needed. She hadn’t agreed and her agent had offered it elsewhere. Much to her joy, Little Brown Fawn Press had accepted her series.
But that wasn’t the end of her dealing with Gareth. Soon after they’d met accidentally at a coffee shop and sat together. The conversation had flowed easer then she expected and they’d stayed long after their cups were empty.
When they met again at a local D/s club something new sparked. Abigail had been doing research for her new book but what Gareth offered was much more interesting. His offer was simple one month of submission to him. He would train her and show her the joys of serving a master. No amount of research could provide that kind of authenticity.
As a writer it was fascinating but she never knew just how much submitting to him would affect her personally, as a woman. The deep, long denied fulfilment, the joy pleasing him and making him proud brought her, the pleasure when he rewarded her with his mind-blowing sexual prowess.
Gareth taught her how to submit and the joy and freedom within that control. But she’d wanted more. After her month of training and submission to her attentive dom she lay her heart out in front of him, she loved him and was sure that he loved her too. She told him how she felt and told him that she wanted to be in his life, not just as a sub but as his partner, his lover.
She remembered his words so clearly he may as well have been standing in the room repeating them to her.
“Abigail I’m not looking for a relationship. I’ve enjoyed our time and training you and watching you bloom into your true nature has been pleasing. But I need you to leave. I won’t be calling you again and I would appreciate it if you don’t call me.”
The mortification that came with those words still stung and she felt her face flush hotly.
Had she known that Robert was Gareth’s brother she never would have gotten involved. The two were like polar opposites, didn’t even look alike, how could she have known?
The sound of laughter somewhere else in the house broke her out of her brooding.
“What am I so worried about?” she muttered at her reflection. “I haven’t done anything wrong and Gareth and I have been over for a year.”
She remembered her own words: the best revenge is living well.
“Yeah,” she said louder. “And I am living well. I have my career and a man who loves me, actually wants me in his life.” Looking her reflected self in the eye she said, “You don’t need Sir.”
She almost believed it.
~*~*~*~
“Oh babe,” Robert moaned hotly against her ear as he slid slickly inside her.
Her thighs were spread wide and he was holding her arms in place over her head, resting his weight on his elbows and forearms. Abigail loved making love this way. His heavy body pressed her into the mattress and his rock hard cock thrusting long and slow into her soaking pussy. It reminded her of a dark fantasy she used to have as a teenager. She was a maid being taken in the middle of the night by the lusty lord of the house.
They moved together in slow perfect unison, one mind, one body and came together in a wave of molten ecstasy.
Later they chatted quietly as their heartbeats slowed back to normal.
“So that was sort of awkward this afternoon, huh?” Robert attempted.
Abigail shrugged and smiled leaning in to place a kiss on his lips. “A bit, but it’s not like me and your brother had some massive fall out or anything, just a difference of minds and it all worked out alright in the end.”
“Yeah, it will be a funny story we can share over Christmas dinner with...” His words drifted off and he looked awkwardly away. “You know with friends and stuff.”
Her breath caught in her chest and she suddenly felt scared. She hadn’t really thought about the future, apart from being together. Had he? Her chest fluttered and she felt a little giddy at the thought.
They kissed and touched exchanging small words and silly jokes till sleep drifted over her mind. When she woke Robert was snoring softly and the room was dark.
Feeling awake and restless she climbed out of bed and made her way down to the kitchen for a cup of tea. There was some fruit left in the fruit bowl and Emily had told her to help herself to anything if she felt hungry in the night.
Alone in the silence of the dim lamplight she felt totally calm. The kettle hissed softly and the tinkling of spoon in delicate cup and splash of boiling water were homey and familiar. She didn’t feel homesick exactly, more a slight ache for her own familiar space. Living alone so long could do that she supposed.
“Couldn’t sleep?” The voice came so suddenly Abigail whipped around, eyes wide.
Gareth was leaning casually against the bench. His hair was tousled and his wide chest was bare. A pair of loose silk pyjama pants hung off his hips. Looking him up and down Abigail felt her traitorous body respond to his proximity and she didn’t miss the way his gaze moved over her own silk shorts and tank-top.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” she said lamely and offered a shaky smile. “Can I make you a cup?” She held up the box of tea.
He smiled sardonically and shook his head. “You think you’re pretty clever don’t you?”
She blinked. “I do?” What the hell was he talking about?
“Just couldn’t let it go, huh? So you tracked down my brother, wheedled your way into my home, my family.”
Her mouth actually fell open. “Excuse me? You... You’re joking. You must be joking because what you’re implying is insane.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You said it.”
She nearly laughed out loud. “No, you can’t possibly think...” There was no point finishing that sentence. “Could you be any more egotistical? It’s been a year, Gareth.”
He shrugged one muscled shoulder. “And yet here you are.”
“Yes, here I am, with your half-brother with a different last name and looks nothing like you.”
“Quite a coincidence.”
“They do happen; admittedly this one is a little more awkward but still just a coincidence.”
“I don’t like them.”
She laughed under her breath and turned back to her tea. “Feel free to write the Oxford Dictionary and have them remove the word.”
“Funny girl.”
She made a face and took a sip from the delicate cup. The whole conversation was ridiculous and she wasn’t going to take part any longer.
“Still,” he murmured and he was suddenly right behind her. His mouth was by her ear, the heat of his larger body radiating against her back. “Two wealthy men in the space of a year. Some might say you have a kink.”
Her breath hitched but she didn’t respond, instead taking another sip as though he wasn’t there at all.
He chuckled and his hot breath gusted against her nape. His fingers hovered millimetres off the flesh of her bare arm and drifted down to hover over her wrist.
Her skin broke out in goosebumps but she was determined not to react, instead she focused on her breathing. In and out, in and out.
He dipped his mouth till it hovered just above the hot spot on her shoulder; he knew that spot, the spot that made her lower body tingle and heat. He blew hotly against the spot, still not touching her and she sank her teeth into her bottom lip to stop from moaning.
“Impressive,” he murmured. “You remembered you’re training.”
“Yes, sir.” The words were out so suddenly she couldn’t stop them.
His lips brushed the spot and she trembled. It was a reward for her obedience and her body joyed in it even as her mind protested.
“Talk,” he commanded. “Truth.”
“You rejected me,” she whispered. “I won’t lie - it hurt but I moved on and met Robert. I didn’t know you were related.”
“It’s no secret. Have you been under a rock?”
She bristled and blinked back tears of humiliation. “I don’t keep up with tabloid gossip.”
“I believe you.” He pressed a kiss to her throat. Another reward, her pussy tightened in response. “You just have a thing for rich men then?”
“I don’t care about his money, or yours,” she added as an afterthought.
“Are you sure? That pretty necklace you were wearing cost more than you earn in a year.” He ran a single finger around her throat, tracing the line where the necklace had been just hours earlier. “I can buy you diamonds, if you want them.”
Abigail inhaled sharply. What was he saying? “You didn’t want me.” Was the only reply she had.
“I didn’t want a relationship,” he said gently grazing his lips across her sensitive earlobe. “I never said I didn’t want you.”
One hand cupped her braless breast then slid slowly downwards, over her stomach, navel before dipping down into her silk shorts.
“Stop!” She gasped awkwardly. “Please, we can’t. I can’t.”
“You can’t what?”
“I can’t, sir.” At his chuckling breath she knew that wasn’t what he’d meant and flushed.
His long finger slid deftly between the soaking folds of her pussy and found her swollen clit with ease. “You know your colours.” Was all he said before stroking his fingers over her clit, sinking one long finger into her tight heat.
The bastard had shot the ball into her court seconds before taking her past the point of no return. Red meant stop, really stop. But as his fingers worked her body expertly towards climax wild horses wasn’t going to pull that word from her lips. One finger pumped in and out of her soaking pussy while his thumb stroked and circled her clit.
Her legs turned to jelly. Gareth wrapped his free arm around her middle, holding her up. “That’s it, Abigail,” he hissed. “Let it go, cum for me, Abigail.”
He covered her mouth seconds before her orgasm took hold, muffling her cry of release and at the same time adding a new dark level to her pleasure.
Just like that he pulled his hand free, backed away and was gone.
Abigail turned just in time to watch his wide back departing, leaving her standing alone and flushed in the now very empty kitchen.
With shaking hands she turned to tip out the remainder of her now cold tea. When Robert’s voice sounded behind her she jumped a foot with a squeak.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
“Robert,” she gasped. “You scared the hell out of me.” The fact that he used the same greeting as Gareth was disconcerting.
“Sorry,” he looked like he’d just woken up, eyes hooded and hair a dark mess around his handsome face.
He rested his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, then her cheek, then her lips. “You smell nice, all warm and flushed. Come back to bed.”
As gently as she could Abigail pushed him back a step and looked into his face, his eyes smiling, still barely awake. Her chest swelled just looking at him, feeling him so close.
“We have to talk,” she said.
He suddenly looked awake and cautious. “That sounds ominous.”
She led the way back to their room and closed the door. Sitting cross-legged on the bed she told him everything. When she was finished she watched as he sat very still on the armchair he’d chosen. Long minutes passed and the pregnant silence grew heavier with each tick of the clock-hand.
“Say something.” She forced herself to not look away.
“Are you in love with him?” His words were so quiet she almost didn’t hear.
“I think I was. Now I don’t know.”
“What do you know?” The hard tone felt like a slap.
“I know that I love you. I know that I never want to lie to you.”
His jaw clenched and she could see that he was struggling with something deep in his mind.
“Robert...”
He cut her off. “I need you to not talk right now, Abigail.”
She swallowed hard choking back the lump in her throat but didn’t speak again. What was he going to do? Maybe he would just throw her out. Never speak to her again. Just the thought of never being with Robert again was so painful her hand gripped her aching chest. If she wasn’t sure about her feelings before she was sure now. She swiped at a tear sliding down her cheek and sat in silence under Robert’s impassive, closed gaze.
Finally he stood and without a word walked out of the room closing the door with a final click.
And just like that Abigail’s world shattered into millions of pieces. She fell into the pillows her whole body shuddering with wide-mouthed gasping sobs.
After, she felt so drained so completely empty of every emotion and exhausted sleep swept everything away into dreamlessness. When she woke sunlight was streaming through a part in the curtains and she was still alone.
~*~*~*~
“Darling, you look like you barely slept a wink,” Emily greeted her when she came downstairs. “I can never sleep well outside my own bed either.”
Abigail managed a smile and accepted the offered coffee. Emily chatted happily, telling her that Gareth and Robert had gone out early on some kind of brother bonding thing. She clucked and chuckled as she relayed how the two had been speaking to quietly together in a corner of the table then just swept on out of the house without a word.
Abigail’s stomach dropped and her relief at not having to face them turned to grim dread. No doubt Gareth was relaying his thoughts of her being little more than a gold-digger and why shouldn’t Robert believe him? Gareth was his brother after all, Robert had only known Abigail six months.
After breakfast Abigail excused herself to take a walk around the garden. The fresh air was soothing and helped to clear her mind. Nothing was going to be solved while she brooded around this house. Robert and Gareth were everywhere. She could imagine them as boys running around these gardens, climbing and fighting, playing war. For the barest second she imagined her children running and laughing through lanes of rose-beds. Black-haired and dark-eyed.
The pain in her chest was so sharp she actually cried out. “I have to leave.”
Back at the house Abigail packed her bags and called a cab to take her to the train station.
“But darling,” Emily followed at her heels, obviously flustered at Abigail’s sudden need to leave. “Don’t you want to stay to say goodbye to Robert?”
Abigail stopped and turned. Putting down her bag she hugged Emily and felt her heart break a little more when the older woman hugged her right back.
“I enjoyed meeting you and your husband,” Abigail said. “You have a lovely home and made me feel very welcome.” She took Emily’s hand and placed the necklace Robert had given her into Emily’s palm. “Could you give this back to Robert.”
The woman looked down at the delicate necklace and looked back at Abigail wide-eyed. They probably wouldn’t be meeting again. What was left to say? “I’ll look out for your books,” Emily said with a shaky smile and with that Abigail picked up her bag and climbed into the waiting taxi.