Becca looked like hell. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was a bright red. Denise should pay for that as well, but first off, he was partially at fault for the circumstances and second, she’d paid dearly all night long. Craig had ended up cuffing her to a chain in the dungeon so that she had to stand on the balls of her feet. Then he’d invited all Doms and subs on the island to watch if they wanted to. Denise loved sensation play but she hated anything that approached pain. So he didn’t need to resort to anything drastic.
From what Kendrick heard, Craig used canes and an extremely stingy flogger off and on for several hours until she was a sweat-soaked ball of crying brat with no marks on her at all. Added to it, Craig had taken several revealing photos that he would release online if she so much as said anything against the contract she’d signed. It wasn’t something Kendrick would have done, but then he wasn’t a sadist. It was one of the reasons he gratefully left discipline in Craig’s hands. From the sound of it, Denise would not be returning any century soon.
But now he had a sub to console and talk to. “Becca,” he said as he crossed the small living room and sat on the sofa as close as he could get. She was backed up to the arm and had her legs between them. He wouldn’t move closer until she gave him the okay. She’d removed her collar and he would never cross that particular line. “It took several hours to unravel what happened last night. I would like to hear how things went down from your side, but first let me tell you mine.”
She kept her eyes on the blanket and he pushed on.
“Denise O’Holloran is a sub I played with five years ago. We played once. And only once.” She glanced up in surprise. “She was never my sub, Becca. In fact, she’s not even a sub. She likes to play at the lifestyle and loves sensation play, but she became fixated on me after we played and is one of those types of people that figures if she wants something, she should have it. Yesterday.” Her attention stayed on him, so he plunged forward, hoping he wouldn’t mess it up. “Part of the whole misunderstanding is mine. We had our contract set so that it expired when you went back to work in Seattle. I had something very important to talk to you about yesterday.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh. “If I’d only told you before you ran into Denise, you never would have believed her. But I wanted to tell you in the right way. So I was waiting for the perfect time. Turns out, there is no such thing.”
She leaned forward slightly. “She’s not your sub?”
“No. Denise has never been my sub, Becca. I promise.”
No relief colored her face as she pulled the blanket around her. “What did you want to tell me?”
There it was. The information he was a chicken shit about. Grow some balls, Finleigh. “Becca, the relationship we’ve built over the five weeks we’ve been together has been unlike any one I’ve ever had. It didn’t take long before I knew I felt more for you than I had for any girl before. But it wasn’t until our scene that one day in the woods that I realized I was in love with you.” Becca gasped and her sad eyes filled with tears. “I should have told you then. But I’ve never been in love, Becca. Ever. It sounds crazy but I didn’t know how to say it. Those three little words are packed with a whole lot of meaning.”
She swallowed and plucked at the blanket. “What do they mean to you?”
The air was filled with what felt like hope, so he took the chance and lifted her onto his lap. She didn’t curl into him, but she didn’t stiffen up and pull away either. “They mean that I want to go to bed with you at night and wake up next to you in the morning. I want you to live on Elan Isle as my girl and my sub. They mean I have no fucking clue what’s going to happen in the future, but for now I want to share my life with you.” He took a deep breath and lifted her chin so that she looked him in the eye. “I love you, Rebecca Hesse. And if you give me the chance, I’d love to take you home.”
A sound that could have either been a sob or a shout left Becca’s lips and she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. Relieved, he kissed her back, holding her close as he nibbled along her delectable lips. When she opened them to give him further access, though, he pulled back. She drew away, obviously confused. “Becca, I need to know how things went from your side. We need to get the air clear so we can move on. Yes?”
She trembled but nodded. “First off,” she said in a soft voice. “I love you, too.” Joy replaced the former ache in his chest and he wanted nothing more than to lay her out on the floor and make love to her. But he waited. “I realized it about the same time you did, but know a lot of Doms don’t like it when a sub falls in love with them. So I didn’t say anything.” She placed her fingers on his shirt and drew little designs with her fingers. “I think my doubts were clouding my mind. I kept thinking I should let you know, but then worried if I did that you would push me away. And I thought if I only had until August with you that I could at least have that.”
He pulled her close, needing to offer her comfort, and this time, she curled up to him and tucked her head under his chin. The previous day unfolded from her point of view and as he listened, he wanted to smack himself. Shit. He’d acted like an utter fool around her. More of the blame for the problem settled at his feet. Craig was going to lord it over him once he found out. He loved being right.
“I’m going to have to have a word with Rob,” he said after she finished. “He never should have removed you from the island.”
“He was just trying to help me,” she said quickly. “And I thought you had another sub.”
“Yes, but he has enough experience he should have at least wanted to ball me out. If that had happened, you wouldn’t have spent the night crying your eyes out and I wouldn’t have spent a sleepless night waiting to come after you.”
She pulled back slightly. “I’m sorry?”
He shook his head in amusement and nuzzled against her nose. “I know there were extenuating circumstances, and I screwed up. But you didn’t give me a chance to explain.”
“I know.” She sat back a little. “I think it was the shock of it. When I first saw her, I ran off and got my head on straight enough to face you. But then I ran into her in your cabin and all the things I thought went straight out the door.” Becca looked him in the eyes again. “I’m sorry, Kendrick. I think we both have a lot to learn about relationships.”
That was true enough. He settled back into her sofa and considered the matter. “Since we both fucked up, it wouldn’t be fair of me to punish you. However, how do you feel about it?”
A small frown made the spot between her eyebrows wrinkle. He’d never noticed that before. It was cute. “Yes, you made a mistake, but your mistake was in waiting to tell me. My mistake was bigger,” she said, her voice growing firmer. Her eyes rose to meet his again. “I’m sure the whole island knows by now.”
“No doubt. Considering they were all invited to watch Craig punish Denise for her part in all this.”
Her eyes widened. “You know, the thought of Craig and punishment in the same sentence is scary.”
He laughed. “I’ve already decided he’s in charge of discipline. He scares subs and Doms alike.”
The corners of her lips twitched and she pulled away. She stood up and slid gracefully to her knees in front of him. Damn she was beautiful. Becca looked up at him and gave him a soft smile. “I want there to be no doubt in anyone’s mind that I’m your girl. I…” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I want you to show everyone that I’m yours. Whether that’s through public discipline or something else, I’m leaving that up to you. Because while I might have had some doubts due to the Denise-debacle, I don’t doubt you, Kendrick. I trust you.”
Pride filled him and he took her hands in his. “Becca, if you come back as my sub, it’s not just until August first.”
“I know.”
He needed to be sure she understood. “You’ll be staying on the island year round, which means you’ll have to give up your job.”
Her smile widened, reaching her eyes. “I know.”
Hope filled his chest but he had to push further, make sure she knew exactly what he meant. He reached forward, threaded his fingers into her soft hair, and looked into her gorgeous eyes. “Full time, day in, day out, you’ll be my girl, my sub, my lover. Can you live with that?”
A beautiful soft laugh left her lips. “Yes.”
That was all he needed to know and he pulled her up and into his arms. Kissing her senseless was the first order of business. Then they would have to clear her apartment. He wasn’t going to allow her out of his sight for a long time.