Reverence Read online

  “Aiden…” My voice lifted as I came in a scream and he gripped my thighs tightly, pinching the skin as he poured into me with a rough, “Nina.”

  Halfway between a shower and the bed, we found ourselves in a tangled mess in the kitchen and I was suddenly face to face with a very hungry and exasperated Aiden. I laughed as he threw a fit over the type of food I kept in my house.

  “There is nothing here!”

  “There is plenty there. I just went shopping,” I said, crossing my arms with a smirk.

  “What the hell is this?” He held up a bag of low-carb wraps and I burst out laughing.

  “It’s bread.”

  “The birds wouldn’t even eat this shit,” he griped, finding a container of raw peanut butter and grabbing a spoon.

  “It’s healthy.”

  “Iphts shbit,” he said through a mouthful of peanut butter, making a face of complete disgust when the taste hit him.

  “Yeah, I should have warned you that’s not exactly sweet.” He glared at me as he downed his water, chasing a mouthful of flax seeds and raw peanuts.

  “I’ll be more than happy to send Carson to get you a happy meal, cry baby,” I taunted, naked aside from his boxer shorts that I rolled around my hips after our last bout of sex.

  “No, it’s fine,” he said, seemingly unsatisfied, his nose wrinkled. He looked gorgeous in his dress pants and bare feet, his hair still covered in product, but thoroughly picked through by my greedy fingers. His skin was perfectly kissed by the sun, his hands battered from his guitar. I wanted him again as I watched his face contort with each new item he studied and tasted. “I’ll just eat this,” he said, pausing to read the label, “carrot and hummus healthy snack pack.”

  “Good for you, a wise choice at three am,” I said shaking my head in mock approval.

  “Listen, I’m all for keeping that beautiful body of yours in shape, but this has got to suck,” he said eating one carrot covered with hummus and tossing the whole thing in the trash.

  “It’s how I do it. It’s to stay small and healthy, Aiden. It’s not just about vanity.”

  “Cook for me, then. Make me something out of all this shit in here and I’ll be the judge if it’s edible.”

  “You want me to cook for you, now, at 3 A.M., half naked in my kitchen?”

  “Why not?” He looked at me expectantly.

  “Unless you walk on water or you just replicated your penis and now are the new King Tut, you are asking too much.”

  He stalked toward me and I chuckled as he sat me on the counter in front of him.

  “My cock is not enough for you?” His voice was low, threatening. I looked into his eyes filled with hunger as he watched my nipples draw tight.

  “I think you know exactly what your cock is to me,” I said, leaning in to kiss him. He pulled away, dodging my kiss.

  “Someone is cranky when he’s hungry.” I leaned in, kissing his chest, tonguing the dark, black pattern that shadowed his pectoral, and trailed my kiss up to his neck. “I love the way your skin tastes.” I saw the bulge in his pants and looked into his eyes.

  “I’ve fucked you six times since we walked through that door, Nina.” I couldn’t read his expression, but I knew it wasn’t good. I backed away, giving us both space to breathe.

  “I don’t know what to say.” I lowered my head. “It’s the way I am.”

  He looked me over carefully. “He conditioned you.”

  “Sorry?” I was completely confused.

  “Your old dom—”

  “Dom?” I laughed and shook my head. “I’ve never had a dom.”

  “Yes you have,” he said, completely convinced. “Look at you, Nina. The minute I step forward with a commanding sentence, a look, a touch, your body responds. You’ve been conditioned, and really well.”

  What…the…fuck?

  “Nina, I leashed you tonight and you didn’t object. Most women would panic or at least question their lover.”

  I sat stunned as he looked at me.

  “It’s second nature to you.”

  Anger rushed through me as I pushed him aside and jumped off the counter then turned to him. “Fuck you and your assumptions.”

  “Nina,” he countered, moving toward me. Putting my hand up, I threw his shirt at him.

  “Aiden, I think it’d be best if you left. I have to work tomorrow. Play time is over.”

  Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

  He stood stunned for a brief moment before gathering his clothes. I pushed his boxers off of me and turned to walk away.

  “I’m sorry, Nina, but it’s the truth.”

  “Goodnight, Aiden.”

  I pulled myself up the stairs and closed my bedroom door, completely baffled. A million sexual scenarios ran through my mind as I recounted my time with Devin.

  And we had done it all.

  I dove into bed, burying my head under the covers. As soon as the chime alerted me Aiden had left, I locked the door from my bedside remote.

  Dom?

  DEVIN

  My wife walked into my office, unimpressed by her invitation. “What is it, Devin? I have an appointment.” I slid the folder in her direction. “I’ll make it quick then, dear.” She looked up at me, annoyed as her eyes drifted over me and then down to address the folder in front of her.

  It was her instant recognition that told me I had her. “It went up for quick sale this morning. I’ve already put in an offer, on your behalf, of course.”

  She fingered the paper with adoration. It was an offer she couldn’t refuse tied up in a nice shiny bow. A plantation she’d dreamt of owning that had never been for sale. She’d often spoke of it and the possibility of owning it when we still shared the same bed.

  “Devin, I don’t quite have enough,” she said, her face paling at the thought of losing.

  “I agree you aren’t quite liquid enough right now, honey. I can remedy that.”

  I pushed different paperwork in front of her, and a check I’d cut over a dozen times already. “If we hurry, I’m sure we can push the sale through before Mrs. Marion gets wind.” I had her attention, I had the perfect bait. If she signed the paperwork and accepted my check, I would regain controlling interest of my company and in return she would own the plantation she’d wanted since she was a child.

  “Of course, if you’re not interested, I could give Mrs. Marion a call.” She glared at me openly as she picked up the pen. “This and nothing else, Devin. You get nothing else.” I rolled my eyes, knowing that getting my company back was half the battle and with her signature, I’d just won. I tried to hide my wolf grin as I sat back in my chair, but failed.

  “This isn’t over, and this means nothing,” she hissed as she stood up and walked out of my office.

  I didn’t bother to reply.

  In the end, I would have the last word.

  NINA

  After hours of tossing and turning over Aiden’s declaration, I decided sleep wasn’t coming and beat Taylor to the office. I opened my email in a sleep-deprived coma, literally inhaling my coffee as I drank it. I didn’t need another man coming in with a blazing cock proclaiming he knew what was best for me. I wanted a playmate and someone who was truly interested in getting to know me. I was hard on Aiden by throwing him out, which I felt guilty for, but at the same time, he needed to know his place and it wasn’t quite at the head of the table. Not yet. I wasn’t sure agreeing to start a relationship was the best idea, either.

  Dom. Dom. Dom!

  Devin had never once had to explain his actions in bed. We’d never used a safe word. He’d never…

  But he had, he’d had me in every way imaginable, and I’d never once stopped him. Because the truth was, I fucking loved it, just as I’d loved being leashed by Aiden and the cruelty of his fucking.

  The whore in me celebrated my luck in finding two men capable of sating my appetite.

  Shut up, whore.

  Aiden was a versatile lover while Devin, though clever wi
th charming words, had never once made love to me.

  Do I embrace this? Naughty Nina.

  I shivered in my seat. I’d spent way too much time thinking it through already, and it was always the same conclusion.

  I was a greedy nymph and when I was hungry, moral conscience didn’t come into play.

  In all the night’s activities, I’d forgotten about the background check and opened the email from Taylor she’d sent sometime during my dinner with Aiden. I read through both files with a fine tooth comb.

  Devin Alexander McIntyre, born October 28, 1979, age 36.

  Thirty-six? FUCK. I fought hard to remember when I’d asked him his age. He’d had a birthday and didn’t tell me. Of course he hadn’t.

  Father, Eric McIntyre, age 63.

  Mother, Genevieve McIntyre, age 61, born in Germany.

  It was a simple summary. No siblings, which gave me a breath of relief. It was a complete timeline of his life and career. He’d been valedictorian of his high school, and a track star. He went onto Brown to double major in business and history, eventually graduating with an MBA. No criminal record. Married Eileen Greer, May 15, 2008. Wow, the happy couple just had an anniversary.

  Fuck them.

  I moved onto Aiden.

  Aiden Elliot McIntyre, born March 26, 1980, age 35.

  Father Elliot McIntyre, deceased, age 34, Suicide.

  Oh no! Pain spread through my chest thinking of my own father and how I wouldn’t have done well without him. I needed to spend time with him. I would make it a priority.

  Poor Aiden.

  Mother, Juliana McIntyre, age 59.

  I read the rest with my mouth hanging open. If Devin was impressive on paper, Aiden was a golden child. He made All-American in football. His achievements were endless. He’d gone to Harvard, graduating with a doctorate in psychiatry and onto graduate school for business communications.

  I stared at my screen, completely useless. Taylor walked in as I blinked rapidly at the screen.

  “Well, I see you got my email,” she piped, handing me a fresh latte.

  “He’s a bar owner,” I said, scanning through the rest of the information.

  She sat across from me, unaffected as she spoke. “Who better to serve you beer than a neighborhood shrink?” I pushed away from my desk and started pacing.

  “We went to school together,” Taylor added. “I remember him.” I cornered my desk, arms crossed.

  “And?”

  “And nothing. I saw him at a few parties, nothing special. I remember he was hot. I never had a conversation with him. My roommate was in love with him, that’s the only reason I took notice.”

  I nodded. “Did she ever date him?”

  “No, she gave up and settled for some grease monkey her second year.”

  I pulled at my lip as I absorbed the fact that I was dating another scholar out of my league. It was no longer a mystery why he was so intuitive, so quick to voice his opinion, so quick to dish out advice.

  So quick to diagnose me as a fiend.

  He was a certified doctor of the fucking mind who had leashed me like a dog last night and fucked me for seven straight hours. I sat down again, banging my head on the desk as Taylor chuckled. I looked up to see her beaming at me.

  “Someone’s happy. What’s your story?” She was practically glowing, and it was anyone’s guess why. Maybe she had finally watched every episode of Jeopardy and had all the correct answers, maybe she had gotten our coffee buy one get one free, or maybe, just maybe she had finally found a man who could do a better job of fucking her than she could.

  “Not as interesting as yours,” she said, dodging my question once again.

  “Taylor, come on.”

  “Well, I will tell you this…” She raised a brow just as there was a knock on my open door. “Excuse me, ladies, the server is down, we are delayed half an hour.”

  Taylor jumped up, her demeanor changing in the blink of an eye as she followed the head of the tech department out the door, barking orders. I chuckled as I watched her follow him to the elevator, handing his ass back to him in a paper sack before he escaped.

  That’s my girl.

  I spent the rest of the day digging in deep, finding the strength to make it through without face planting on my desk. By the time I was finished, my body ached for a bath and my bed, and I couldn’t think of anything I wanted more. Making my way out of the building, I found Carson had the door open for me. I slid in and jumped when I saw Aiden waiting for me in the car.

  I peeked out, giving Carson the evil eye as Aiden yanked me back in before closing the car door.

  “I told him you were expecting me.” I sat, silently staring at him. “Talk to me,” he whispered as I looked out the window.

  “So you can gloat?”

  “I’m not in this to hurt you, Nina.” I turned to look at him and saw him freshly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, holding a bouquet of pale peonies.

  “You seemed to admire them at the restaurant.” He handed them to me and I closed my eyes.

  “I’m sorry.” It was all I could say. I wasn’t ready to admit that he was right. I’d let him violate me so easily last night, no questions asked. That was not normal behavior. He grabbed my hand and held it as I stayed silent. When we approached my house, I turned to him.

  “Where did you go to college?”

  “Harvard.” I nodded, thankful for truth. “You don’t seem surprised, Nina.”

  “I’m not.” I didn’t give him anything else as I climbed over his lap and let down the window, addressing Carson. “You are dismissed for the evening. Have a good night.” I pushed the button without waiting for his reply, or looking for his approval.

  “You researched me,” he whispered as I took my seat across from him.

  “Yes.”

  Instead of being offended, he seemed amused. “And what did you find out?”

  “You’re an Aries,” I muttered dryly as I faced him with a hard look. “You’re an Aries with a golden arm and the IQ of Socrates…Oh, and a shrink…What the fuck, Aiden?”

  “Does this impress you?” He was completely unaffected. “Yes and no. What are you doing? And why haven’t you done more?”

  “More, as in what, waste my life away behind a desk? Work my entire career graying and slaving to other people as a servant? No thanks, I’m not fond of people.” The cabin filled with a tenseness I wasn’t used to when it came to Aiden. He didn’t like being on the defensive, of that I was sure. His face darkened and his lips quirked, as if he had tasted something bad.

  “You are a shrink! I would think people are your thing.” I crossed my arms as he remained completely calm as he sat across from me.

  His voiced was laced with anger as I stumbled with my thoughts. “I won’t apologize for my education. That’s ridiculous. I would have told you things eventually, but you went looking for them. Why are you so upset? Did I ruin your ambition of slumming it with me?”

  “That’s not fair,” I defended. “I was happy you were a bar owner. I was happy I didn’t have to pretend with you. I thought you were living in the real world, but I just dove into your own personal world of make believe.”

  “How so?”

  “You don’t act like a scholar. You don’t present yourself in a way—”

  “That suits society? I know. I’m proud of myself.” His grin was contagious and I couldn’t help but answer it. “I believe the word you’re looking for is humble. I have no reason to list my accomplishments to anyone. I have nothing to prove. Those are things I did for me.” We sat across from each other for long moments as I drank him in. His t-shirt was form fitting and clung to him in all the right places. His jeans fit him well and I couldn’t stop staring at his pronounced Adam’s apple. My lips itched to trace it. It was sexy as fuck. He looked fresh and beautiful and insanely fuckable.

  He hadn’t lost a wink of sleep, either. Asshole.

  This is your drama. Keep cool, Nina.

  “How did y
ou know?”

  “About your sexual preference? I studied it. I actually did my thesis on sexual behavior.” He paused only briefly before he added, “I also practiced it.”

  My eyes shot to his and I saw a fire brewing.

  “Well, contrary to what you might think, I’m exhausted, so you won’t be able to snap your fingers for a snack today.” I moved to get out of the car.

  “If I wanted to fuck you, Nina, I would already be doing it,” he snapped, gripping my wrist.

  There it was again, that instant longing. My chest rose and fell with the command of his voice. Was he doing this on purpose to fuck with me? I was aroused when I was supposed to be offended. I had more questions for him, but decided against asking them to give myself a chance to get my shit together.

  His grip loosened. “I’ll stop chasing you, Nina. If that’s what you want.” Hurt spread through my chest as I looked up at him. I saw sincerity, and a twinge of worry. We’d started this too soon. I wasn’t ready for commitment, and now I knew it. I was still healing from the loss of Devin. I shouldn’t have entertained the situation, but it was too late. He had his hooks in slightly, and I loved the feel of them.

  “I’ll come to you,” I murmured, grabbing the flowers he’d brought me and kissing his lips briefly. He nodded, seeming satisfied, and I got out the car, barely making it through a shower before passing out in my bed. I woke up twelve hours later to a text from Devin.

  DEVIN: We need to talk.

  For fuck’s sake.

  DEVIN

  “Handle this or I’ll do it for you.” The phone went dead in my ear and I rolled my eyes.

  Another day, another threat.

  At least I’d won the majority of the war with Eileen, a situation I would never get myself into again. These days I was less the predator of the rich and unassuming and more of an unwilling puppet.

  I’d let it go too far, especially with Nina.