Page 44 of Absolution

“You need to understand that your wellbeing is everything to me, Ella.”

She was grateful for his desire to protect her. Ella had never had a man in her life who gave a damn, so living with Tucker was an eye-opening shock to her system. It was hard to concentrate on remorse, though, when the insistent tapping dragged her mind constantly back to the gutter.

There, gagged and spanked, she was naked on her knees and ‘his’ entirely. If he genuinely wanted repentance, Tucker would have to mention her sins when she wasn’t brimming with such base needs.

She closed her eyes as the tapping sped up, pushing her hips back an inch to receive its praise, but a sharp smack soon put pay to her self-indulgence.

“Enough!” he snapped, ceasing the appealing drumming. “This is not about your pleasure.”

Her eyes fluttered open at the reprimand, her gaze traveling to him for the first time since he’d ushered her from his lap to the floor.

“Don’t look at me with that expression.” The rebuke had a playful edge to it, but she hung her head regardless, not wanting to displease him any further. “You know why I’m not permitting you an orgasm.”

She nodded in recognition, inadvertently sending another pool of saliva south by her knees.

“Settle down.” The crop appeared in her peripheral vision as he switched it to his right hand and laid it on the couch beside him. “I want to rest for a while.”

That would be nice.

The begrudged thought flitted through her head as she inhaled. Ella would have liked to curl up at his side and relax with him, but she knew that wasn’t what this penance was about. She was there to be useful to him, as atonement for her deception, and she accepted that, even if her knees ached with complaint.

She settled into silence as he picked up his phone and started to read. Her eyes fell closed again as she leaned into acceptance. However long he wanted to use her as a footrest was okay with her. She’d managed to give him the gift heneeded, and she was prepared to take the punishment that followed. The fact that she relished every moment of the subjugation was only a happy coincidence.

Chapter Seventeen

The Peace Before the Storm

Tucker

“Sir?”

Tucker turned at her quiet tone. “Yes, little girl.”

It had been a few hours since he’d pulled her from her knees and held her, reassuring her that all was forgiven, and in that time, they’d hugged each other in hushed contentment. The sense of serenity was like nothing he’d ever known before.

That was the joy and contradiction of life with Ella. She was either whipping up a whirlpool of drama and excitement or manifesting moments like the one they now shared. Either way, one thing had become abundantly apparent.

There was no future without her.

“I have a question.” She sucked her lower lip between her white teeth as she shifted on the seat. Her eyes were large as she gazed at him. “It’s about money.”

“Okay.” Drawing her even closer, he breathed in the sandalwood scent of her hair. Since they’d been staying there together, she’d been using his hair and beauty products, but she managed to make the alluring aroma he enjoyed even better than usual. “Ask away.”

After everything they’d been through together, there was nothing she could ask that could perturb him, and after theunexpected delivery of his nightshade, he wanted no more secrets between them.

No more secrets, ever.

“And it’s about my father.” She pressed her lips together, as though she, too, didn’t want to mention Alexander Bennett. “Sorry to bring him up again.”

“What’s your question, little girl?” He couldn’t wait to take her back to bed. Just feeling her there stretched out beside him was easily the most scintillating experience of his life. “I’m listening.”

“It’s about the money he still owes you.” She sagged as the words left her lips, as though the reminder of the collateral she’d been exchanged for had sucked the energy from her. No doubt, it had.

Tucker loathed how whatever Bennett touched tended to turn to ash. He longed to shield her from his venom.

“Are you still waiting for it?”

Waiting for it?

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