Page 44 of Royal Deception
“The nightclub?”
“Not just any nightclub. An LGBT+ club near Veridex’s headquarters,” Rory confirms. “If they met there, Darren might have drunkenly ranted to Aleksey about his ex and Aleksey could have offered to help him get revenge.”
My stomach does a little flip at the thrill of putting the pieces together. “So Darren gets dumped, gets pissed, and decides to make Mark Veridan’s company pay for it. He reaches out to Aleksey, who’s more than happy to take whatever information he can get.” I exhale, shaking my head. “Damn, I’m good.”
Rory chuckles, folding his arms over his chest. “You’re very good, Clary.”
I flash him a mischievous grin. “Good enough to make you forget about my punishment for disobeying your orders last night?”
His blue eyes darken, his hand coming out to rest lightly on my thigh. I swallow, wondering what he’s about to do to me.
19
RORY
Istare down at Clary, lifting one brow. “Must I remind you that we agreed never to discuss our private business at work?” My tone is low, edged with a note of warning.
Her lips part, guilt flashing in her eyes, and I watch as she catches her breath, a little tremor in her hands as she smooths them over her skirt. She’s nervous, anticipating what’s to come.
Without breaking eye contact, I reach out, trailing my hand down her side—slowly, deliberately—before squeezing her ass in a firm, possessive grip.
She jumps, a soft gasp escaping before she bites her lip. Her cheeks flush, and she quickly drops her gaze. “Sorry, Sir,” she murmurs.
The way she says it sends a sharp pulse of heat through me, but I push it down. Not yet.
I release her just as smoothly, my voice dropping even lower. “You’re not getting out of your punishment, Clary.”
She shivers. I smirk.
Rules exist for a reason. Boundaries keep us from crossing dangerous lines. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy watching her squirm until then.
The next few days are nearly torturous, the two of us dancing around each other while trying not to make any physical contact. I can tell Clary is nervous, the anticipation building as she wonders what her eventual punishment might be.
Finally, the day of our weekly appointment arrives and I watch Clary leave the office in a hurry, smirking to myself as I wait a few minutes before shutting down my laptop.
Now that the mess with the Russians is on the back burner, I’m free to give myself over to Clary for the evening.
I arrive at my apartment just as Clary is starting to get undressed, but I step behind her, wrapping my arms around her. “Not today,” I whisper in her ear. She shivers and turns in my arms, looking up at me with a questioning gaze.
Reaching down, I pluck the collar from its resting place, then fasten it around her neck before leading her to the playroom. She stands in the middle of the room, glancing around as she shifts from foot to foot.
“I’m going to undress you today, Pet,” I inform her. She bites down on her lower lip, watching me intently as I move to unbutton her blouse, taking my time undoing each pearlescent button, then undoing the buttons at her wrists before sliding the garment off her frame. Her breasts seem fuller, rounder than I remember, and I study them for a moment, lost in tracing the outline of her shape.
“Beautiful,” I murmur, kneeling at her feet to take off first one heel, then the other. Once they’re off, I reach up to undo the zipper on her tweed pencil skirt. “Brace yourself, Pet,” I tell her, and she leans forward, placing her hands on my shoulders as she steps out of the skirt.
I sit back on my heels, hands wrapping around her waist as I bury my face in her belly. It’s curvier than I remember. Maybe she’s gained some weight? I don’t mind. I think she looks sexierthan ever, frankly. I love a woman with a little extra weight to her. Stick-thin models aren’t my type.
Breathing in her soft, powdery scent, I pull back and gaze at the stunning creature before me. I plan on worshiping this goddess tonight, giving her somethingextraspecial to make sure she knows how I feel.
Her underwear set makes my mouth water. They’re champagne colored, covered in lace flowers, and the bottoms dip down into a V-shape, just under her navel. I have the urge to tear them off with my teeth.
Instead, I stand up again and lift the bralette above her head, folding it before putting it to the side. I reach out to grasp the waistband of her panties and pause, blinking as I realize that her cheeks are on full display.
Holding back the moan that threatens to erupt, I dig my fingers into the lace and drag them down over her shapely legs slowly, inch by inch.
Finally, she’s naked in front of me, and I lead her to the bathroom where I help her into the tub, starting the water up. I know she’s still waiting, wondering what her punishment might be, but I want her to relax, to take her mind off that for now.
Slowly, I stroke the wet washcloth over her skin in smooth circles, washing her body all over. I take extra time on her breasts and between her thighs until she’s almost squirming, but I pull away at the last moment.
