Page 31 of Disgrace

“You don’t need to be concerned, Daniel. You have been a little distracted yourself since the wedding, and the company is still standing,” I challenge, only mildly affronted at his remark. “If I’m honest, I could do without hand-holding the intern you dumped on me.”

“Ah, Peitra, yes, my apologies. You have to admire her tenacity. I am not one for nepotism, but she was very quick to highlight her business achievements and that she isn’t, in fact, related to me.” He presses the lift button. He shrugs lightly.

“Tenacious is one word. She may not be related to you, but being your wife’s best friend’s cousin meant she got close enough to ask for the placementpersonally. Something no other candidate was ever likely to do.” My irritation is evident but not entirely related to the topic. I re-press the button. Is it stopping at every damn floor on the way here?

“True, but she’s very bright I thought she would help.” Daniel offers and I raise my brow when I face him.

“If it’s help I need, then let me have Colin, your PA, and not some love struck graduate.” He grins at my comment. I may have only met her one time, but I would have to be numb from the neck up to not know her interest was more than business related.

“Don’t tell me a beautiful woman makes you uncomfortable. That’s a first.” Daniel chuckles.

“Beauty I can handle—”

“Jason, if she’s a problem, reassign her to another department. I only put her with you because I will most likely be on paternity leave and, sitting in an empty office, she is not likely to learn much.” He reaches for his phone, which started to buzz. He nods to indicate he is going to take the call.

“She won’t be a problem.” He acknowledges my comment with a silent grin. The lift doors open to the soft ping indicating its arrival. “We will resume this meeting first thing tomorrow.” I drag my hand through my hair and punch the ground floor button aggressively.

“Make it mid-morning, Jason. Don’t rush in if Sam needs you, okay?” The doors close before I can respond but I’m grateful. He doesn’t need to see that it might not be a case of what Sam needs.

It’s late, but on Friday night in central London, it may as well be rush hour. It is taking forever to get across town. I’ve never had a full-time submissive, never committed to more than play sessions, and the crushing pain in my chest makes me realise exactly why. I have let her down, and if she breaks tonight, I will never forgive myself. If that bastard lays a single finger on what I consider mine, the murky waters of the Thames will have one more body to take out with the morning tide. I blast my horn at a group of drunks spilling onto the road, clearly scaring the shit out of at least one. The others I see flipping me off in my rear view mirror. Why is every fucking idiot out tonight? I swear the next time I’ll just mow them down. I slam my brakes as I hit a solid line of stationary taillights.Fuck!

The glow of the lights casts a demonic filter over my reflection. All I can see in my red haze of rage is the vision of my girl. I’m too far gone for her image to calm me. I’m too far gone when it comes to Sam, period. As much as she could belong to anyone, I consider herminebecause she willingly surrenders to me. It’s the most beautiful thing when she submits to me, open, vulnerable, and that trust just fucking blows me away. But, even at that moment, when her life is truly in my hands, she is never completely vulnerable. That has only ever happened when she is reliving her time withhim.She is a remarkable woman, sexy and strong, but the second her memories of the horror she endured at his hands invades her thoughts she is shattered, rendered broken and so fragile I barely recognise her.

Having witnessed this firsthand makes my stomach churn, and I struggle to see how any interaction will not end in disaster. I let out a frustrated howl, slamming the wheel at the impotence of my situation. I’d abandon my car if I thought I could get there on foot any quicker.Wait.I check the map, a mile, maybe two on foot. I swerve my car as close to the curb as I can get, grab my phone from the dash and leap from the car. The driver behind me leans out of his window and screams something. I shrug. It’s an arsehole move to dump and run, but the other cars behind can still get around.

I turn and hit the pavement, strong strides quickly covering the distance I need to get to my beautiful girl.

I round the corner to the square. The club is in the middle of a row of Georgian terrace houses, which are mostly offices; very few are family homes. Some, like the building I own with the club have a private residence at the top, but this is mostly a commercial area of the city. This time of night, parking shouldn’t be a problem, but I notice every bay is filled, so either way, I would be blocking a road with my car. Least of my worries. I am just about to swing around the railing and descend into the basement entrance when I pull myself to an abrupt stop. Very nearly too late, which would’ve sent me, Leon and Sam tumbling down the concrete stairs.

I draw in a deep, steadying breath. I grab her shoulders and my fingers eagerly sweep and investigate her coat covered body. Unsatisfied that I am learning anything, I roughly push the garment from her shoulders. I take another sharp breath but not from the exertion of the run. Fuck, she looks smoking hot. Skin-tight, halter neck, bright red, PVC cat suit shines and teases in the light of the streetlamp. I only pause for a moment then continue to cover every inch of her skin, exposed and undercover, I check for anything amiss. She giggles and jumps when I touch her waist at the side and groans once I thread my fingers into her messy bun. I tug and she arches her neck exposing her delicate throat. She hums out a sweet moan, heavy lids with luscious long lashes frame eyes dark with wanton desire, but I haven’t finished. I release her and cup her cheeks.

“Sam are you…? Did he…? I banned that fucker, you have to know that.” My words are a garbled rush, but I have too many erratic, volatile thoughts to make a coherent sentence.

“You did?” Her voice is just as breathless, but she sounds surprised.

“Of course.” I fix her with an incredulous look. How could she think I wouldn’t? “Sam you…I…” I hesitate, unsure what I want to say with my emotions all over the fucking place and adrenaline coursing through me like cocaine. I opt for something safe. “Are you okay?” I search her face for any sign of trauma although it’s difficult to see past her perfection, her natural glow and fire.

“I’m fine.” She offers a wide smile and my whole body sags with relief.

“You didn’t see him? Is he still in there?” I trace my finger down the side of her cheek, and my chest clenches when she leans into my touch.

“Oh, man you missed the show!” Leon shouts out. His face looks fit to burst with laughter. “Sam was fucking awesome! Not that I had a doubt, but I still have a boner from that whip display.” He crudely grabs his crotch, and Sam winces in my hold. I raise my brow in silent query and wait for an explanation. She scrunches her face and peeks sheepishly through her lashes. She bites her lips nervously, and Leon continues to chuckle. She elbows him in the ribs but he just holds his side at the impact and carries on grinning. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger.” He winks but takes a cautionary step back when Sam scowls.

“Please don’t tell me you used your bullwhip in the main room?” I tip her chin to meet my glare. That would garner a lifetime ban for showboating at best, and a serious health and safety issue at worst. Those things are lethal.

“The area was clear, and he had it coming. I didn’t have a choice. It was him or me, and it was never going to be me, not again.” Her tone is resolute and she tries to step out of my hold. Her brows knit together with anger.

“Did you hurt him?”

She scowls at me this time, and I know she is upset by my response. Her dark eyes flash with sadness.

“Just his ego,” she mutters. “He backed down in front of an audience, something I don’t think he meant to do…and I may have sliced his hand.”

I draw in a deep breath and run my hand through my hair. “Fuck!” I squeeze the back of my neck where an instant knot of tension has formed like iron. She takes advantage of my one handed hold to step further away.

“Well fuck you very much, Jason,” she snaps, eyes glassy, tempering the edge of her hostility with obvious hurt. “Sorry I broke one of your precious rules, but that arsehole had it coming and more.” I pull her roughly back into my hold.

“I don’t give a fuck about that, Sam!” I growl but softly place both of my warm hands on her cheeks, her impossibly soft skin cool from the evening air. “Honestly, I don’t.” My gaze captures hers, and I sense she sees the truth and my concern when she softens in my arms. “You did what you had to do.” My thumb brushes the fat tear that plops onto her cheek. “But you have just publicly humiliated a very dangerous man, andthatI do give a fuck about. Your safety Sam, I give lots of fucks about.” I kiss the tip of her nose.

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