Never A Choice (The Choices Trilogy (Book 1)) (50 page)

“Daniel!” I call out with mock sweetness but the size of the apartment means with no response I soon have to resort to shouting which is more reflective of my mood, I hear movement outside.

“Bethany?” A familiar female voice calls back. Crap! It’s Nancy, what is she doing here on a Saturday? She stops just outside the door and I hold my breath. “Can I get you some breakfast my dear?” My wide eyes are fixed on the handle watching for movement, I quickly reply.

“Oh No Nancy, that’s fine, you’re not usually here at the weekend so I’ll sort myself, actually,” I feign a casualness I am not feeling. “I was just after Daniel, you don’t know where he is do you?”

“Yes dear, he is with his trainer, he said you needed to sleep in, that you needed your rest. Bethany, I hope you don’t mind me saying but it is lovely to see him this way.” Unfortunately, her sweet sentiment is a little lost on me this morning.

“Is it?” I grumble quietly but freeze when I see the handle twist. “Oh Nancy, he is right, in fact I think I will try and catch a bit more sleep.” The handle stops and slowly returns to its rest position. “Maybe you could get Daniel to wake me just as soon as he returns; you don’t know when that will be by any chance?” The tone in my voice can’t help rise with the uncertainty of my predicament.

“Oh I don’t think it will be too much longer, he asked me to fix brunch. It is sweet that you miss him but then you two have been inseparable so it’s not a big surprise, it’s just lovely, anyway, I’ll let him know when I see him.” Her voice disappears. I throw myself heavily into the pillows in exasperation, lifting one of the pillows I squeeze it to my face and scream. I am not going to miss him this morning or whenever he decides to show his face, I am furious. I throw the pillow across the room with more frustration and I look for my bag, I will call him, there is no way I am going to wait here all day like some little slave. My bag is out of reach so I slide the chain to the very edge of the bar, slightly excited that I might be able to slip it over the end and free myself but it just seems to be some continuous bar, damn. I stretch my body full length, pointing my toes frantically trying to grip the folded over handle of my courier satchel with my big toe. Every muscle is protesting at this extreme demand without a warm up but I manage to curl the leather handle over my big toe and hook it securely onto my foot. I pull the bag to me and climb back on the bed, I give a little air punch at my small achievement but my smile disappears as I dial Daniel.

“Good Morning Bethany.” His voice is smooth and deep if a little breathless.

“Arsewipe.” I reply sweetly and he laughs loudly but recovers.

“Now, that is not very polite, shall we try again? Good Morning Bethany.” The command in his voice sends instant shivers across my skin and despite being furious I still feel a deep desire to obey him but I don’t have to be happy about it. I grit my teeth.

“Good Morning Daniel, would you be so kind as to get your arse back here, now?” I may be trying for polite but my jaw is clenched and my tone is clipped.

“Oh Miss Thorne, now you’re not even trying, I might think you actually
want
to be punished for your manners.” I can feel the smile in his voice and I can’t help the heat flame through me at his words.

“Exactly what am I being punished for at this moment Daniel?”

“You’re not.” He sounds surprised by my comment.

“So I am shackled to your bed for my own good?” I can’t hide the sarcasm.

“Mmm I do like the visual I now have of you shackled to my bed.” His voice is pure sin, “but, essentially yes, it is for your own good, you need to rest.”

“For Fu . . .” I cry out but he interrupts.

“You might want to rethink what you are about to say, after all as you say you are shackled to my bed and you have already clocked up one punishment for your impolite greeting, two if I count the sarcastic tone.” His is completely serious and I want that pillow to scream into once more but I refrain from adding to this situation which is out of my control. In the first instance I need him to come home and take these cuffs off, and then I’ll be in a better position to highlight the crazy here, maybe. “Good girl, now I will be back when I am back, if you need anything call Nancy but in the meantime I would suggest more sleep, you’re going to need it.” He ends the call, luckily, because I think calling him a
motherfucker,
which is on the tip of my tongue, might also be considered impolite.

I hear the handle on the door and wake with a start, I am in a panic that it might be Nancy and angry that Daniel was right, I did apparently need more sleep, I sit bolt upright. Daniel enters carrying two wonderfully smelling cups of coffee, my tummy makes an embarrassingly loud effort to be recognised and he laughs.

“Someone’s hungry?” He is fresh from a shower, hair still damp and he smells of citrus and spice but he looks good enough to eat.

“Someone’s starving,” but in this rare instance I am not thinking of him, I am actually starving.

“Why didn’t you get Nancy to get you some breakfast?” His innocent question has me taken back, seriously. I slap my forehead, rattling my cuffs at the same time in an obvious display of why I hadn’t done such a thing.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” I reply with wide incredulous eyes.

“More sarcasm, really Bethany, you think that’s a good idea?” He leans forward and pulls the chains so I am forced to slide closer. “I don’t understand why you couldn’t just ask for some breakfast, it is why I asked Nancy to be here this weekend.” He leans down his lips rest just above mine and I push forward to take a taste but he grins and moves back out of my reach. I let out a frustrated sigh.

“Daniel, I couldn’t let her see me like this? What would she think?” I exhale slowly.

“Sorry do you think I would have a problem with anyone knowing that you belong to me?” He laughs and leans back in to nibble at my neck, his breath is warm and minty. “I won’t dignify that with an answer.” He sucks a little harder at a soft spot in the crook of my neck and my breath catches.

“Ok, but what about how I would feel?” My voice gets softer the more distracted I become and I’m trying to keep my focus.

“Same goes baby.” His brows knit together like I am saying something incomprehensible, “you’re mine end of, I don’t care who knows it, in fact the more people the better.” He smoothly climbs above me pinning me to the bed with the covers, his strong thighs gripping me tightly. “Don’t you want people to know you belong to me?” His eyes are dark and flash with a slight flicker of sadness.

“Look Daniel,” I am trying to be calm but I can feel an inner rage at his stubborn ability not to see that this might be considered a little over the top. “It’s not that I don’t want people to know, but how much they know,” I rattle my chains for emphasis, “this is different, this is private and I am very new to it.” The unpleasant thought that he is not new to this is an unwelcome distraction and I lose my train of thought.

“Hey.” His warm finger traces smoothly along my jaw. “Your right, this is private.” He leans down and covers my mouth with the hottest kiss that has me moaning into him as I try and arch up to meet him as he retreats. “But you know you could’ve just hidden the cuffs under the covers or pillows and asked Nancy to put your breakfast on the side,” his smile is smug at this obvious notion, obvious now, that is.

“Oh, um yes, I could’ve done that.” I return his smile and wiggle against his capture. “So we’re good?”

“Oh yes, I’d say we’re good.” His voice is dripping with lust, his eyes darken and my mouth goes dry.

“So, no punishment?” I smile weakly, ever hopeful and his laugh is rich and sinful.

“Now, what would have you draw that conclusion Miss Thorne?” He pulls the covers down and rolls his t-shirt I am wearing up and tucks it so that I am naked from my breast to my toes.

“Um that Nancy is here?” I try to argue.

“True, but that just means you’ll have to be quiet because you know that I don’t care.” He pauses, his tongue lightly wetting his full lips. “So, can you be quiet Miss Thorne or would you like me to gag you?” His grin is wicked.

“What are you going to do?”

He narrows his eyes and draws his gaze the length of my body sending a scorching heat across my skin. “Anything I fucking want to.” His lip curls slowly to one side with his erotic declaration.

“Crap, you better gag me,” I think I actually start to pant with eagerness. “I couldn’t face Nancy if she hears me scream.” My face is flushed and my heart is racing when his grin morphs and he flashes me his heart stopping smile.

“Yes Ma’am.” He tugs his fringe and I scoff at his mock servitude, like he ever does what anyone tells him.