Chapter Eighteen

Will paced the second floor of Serve, checking his watch yet again. What was taking Garrett so long? He should have been there fifteen minutes ago, or at the very least called to update Will on the situation. Instead, Will was left wondering what the hell was going on.

It was enough to make him worry he’d made a terrible mistake. Perhaps he should have gone with a more traditional route of asking forgiveness. But there had been little about his and Penelope’s relationship that was traditional, and it didn’t feel right. He needed her to know how important she was to him, and how much he was willing to try in order to make things work with her.

A Hallmark card simply wouldn’t cut it.

A shriek sounded as the elevator doors opened, and he turned in time to see Garrett exit with Penelope over one shoulder, Ridley trotting behind him with a grin on her face.

He glared. “What did you do?”

“She wasn’t inclined to see you.” Garrett slipped her off his shoulder, taking care that she didn’t fall when her feet hit the floor.

She shoved him away and spun to face Will. “What in God’s name is wrong with you?”

“I—”

“Did you suddenly forget how to use a phone?” She made a show of raking him from head to toe with her gaze. “Your legs seem to be in good working order, so it’s not injury keeping you from coming to me yourself.”

“Pen—”

But she wasn’t through. “I am not a dog that you can kick and then summon back to your side. You left me. You chose to change your mind about continuing after the seven days were up. You were the one who couldn’t be concerned with lowly emotions like the rest of us.”

Enough. “Penelope.” He infused enough dominance into his voice to make her pause. Not for long, either, if her deep inhale was any indication. He had to talk fast or she’d get going again. “You’re right.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re right. Everything you’ve said is correct. I’ve been an unforgivable ass.” He took a breath. “But I love you, so I have to ask for your forgiveness. I need your forgiveness.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Five days ago you didn’t love me.”

“Yes, I did. But I was being the coward you accused me of, and lied about it.” He went down on one knee and then the other. “So I’m prepared to pay penance.”

“Penance?”

“Do what you need to do in order to balance the scales between us.” Her eyes went wide as understanding dawned. Did she understand how difficult it was for him to be here, on his knees for her, in front of everyone? She must. If anyone could understand, it was this woman. “I’d do that and more for a chance to start fresh with you.”

She finally seemed to register where they were. She looked around the room, her eyes going even wider. “You’re going to submit. To me.”

“Yes.”

“What about your precious control?”

He looked up into her dark eyes, trying to see something—anything—to indicate her state of mind. For the first time, though, her thoughts were closed to him. “If I have to chose between control and you, I choose you.”

She was silent so long, his knees started to ache from kneeling on the hard floor. Finally, she said, “What are your hard limits?”

He hesitated. As tempting as it was to say she could do anything she wanted to him—as much as he found he needed that—she had to understand that he was taking this with the utmost seriousness. Which meant hard limits. “Anal and group play.”

“Anything else?” When he shook his head, she nodded. “And your safe word?”

“Falcon.”

“Fine. Follow me.”

Confused, it took him a few extra seconds to climb to his feet and trail after her. She strode to the private rooms, picking the same one that they had used less than a week ago with Nolan. The memory burned him like acid, but he didn’t hesitate to follow her inside and wait while she shut the door and turned to consider him. His confusion must have still been plain on his face, because she frowned. “This is between us, Will. I’m not going to humiliate you in front of everyone.” She circled him. “If you’re submitting during this scene—”

“Not just this scene.”

She stopped short. “What?”

“I’m not fool enough to think that a single scene can make things right between us. I’m giving you the same amount of time you gave me—seven days.”

…

If Penelope had any doubts about Will’s seriousness—and the kidnapping would have banished most of them—the time limit he put on this was enough to convince her. The man was a control freak of the highest order and he breathed dominance right along with his oxygen. For him to offer to submit to her for seven full days?

Yes, he was deadly serious.

It made her want to cry and jump for joy, all at the same time. This was a gift, and she wasn’t going to lessen it by saying it was something she’d never wanted. Instead she said, “Strip.”

He obeyed, unbuttoning his shirt and shrugging it off with a detached efficiency that made things low in her stomach pulse. His pants followed, and then there was only him in all his glorious nakedness. She wanted to go to her knees and take him in her mouth until he lost his patience and threw her on the bed to have his wicked way with her.

But that wasn’t what tonight was about.

“The St. Andrew’s cross.”

He moved to it, with her a few steps behind, and positioned himself against it, his legs and arms spread. The sight made her mouth go dry. God, she wanted him with a desire that was beyond anything she’d ever felt before. “I’m not going to tie you. If your hands drop, you will be punished.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

She dug through the chest until she came up with a flogger. It would do for now—because Will wasn’t a masochist and he wasn’t a sub. He was there for penance. It was her duty to give it to him so that they could truly start fresh. She had no intention of taking him up on a full seven days, but she could give him tonight.

She began warming him up, keeping her strikes along his shoulders and ass, notching up the intensity until her shoulder and arm ached with the effort. She went until she could barely lift her arm, until his skin had acquired the deep red welts that she craved seeing, and his muscles shook from the effort to hold still. Only then did she drop the flogger and step back. “On the bed—on your back.”

He stumbled a little but he caught himself before actually falling. Will winced as his welted back met the sheets, but this too was a kind of purging. It felt strange to be back in the driver’s seat, especially with him, but natural at the same time. “Don’t move.”

Her slow undressing was made more than worth it by the desire and agony on his face at not being able to command her nearer. And then she was as naked as he was. She found a condom in the chest and took great pleasure in ripping it open and taking her time rolling it on his cock. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything.

She climbed on top of him and wasted no time adjusting his angle and sinking onto him. God, she’d missed this, missed it so much it hurt. Penelope opened her eyes and leaned forward until their faces were kissably close. “Say it again.”

“I love you. Please forgive me.” He growled as she rolled her hips.

“Again.”

“I love you, pet.” His hands fisted the sheets, fighting to obey her despite every instinct demanding he do otherwise. “Please forgive me.”

She kissed him, long and deep. “I forgive you.” Another kiss. “Do you know what I’d like from you for the next seven days?”

“No, Mistress.”

She nibbled his earlobe. “I want you to fuck me whenever you feel like it. I want you to make me come so often, I lose count. I want to go to dinner and sneak off to the bathroom where you take me against the wall so hard, you have to cover my mouth to keep anyone from hearing me scream. I want to wear your marks on my body.” She never stopped moving, never stopped riding his cock as she whispered in his ear.

His hoarse laugh was music to her ears. “That’s not what I intended.”

“It doesn’t matter what you intended. This is about what I want, remember? And I want you to dominate me.” She set her teeth against his neck, hard enough to hurt. “Starting now.”

He had her on her back with her arms over her head between one breath and the next. Will met her gaze, and the wonder in his eyes hit her right in the chest. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”

He thrust into her. “Say it again.”

“I love you.” He let go of her wrists and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, the words becoming a chant, a promise, a benediction. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”