Chapter 25
The morning comes as a great surprise for Sam, especially when she finds Adrian still in bed, trapped in her clutches. She's well aware of her tendency to latch onto him in her sleep but usually during the weekdays at least, he'd manage to break free at the sound of his alarm and get started on his morning routines. Unlike Sam, Adrian's one of those people-the kind that gets up on the first call of the alarm, sometimes even a few minutes before it goes off-unlike her, who like some teenager gets through four snooze button pressings before begrudgingly getting up. So she has to be a little concerned when someone like that, sleeps in.
"Ade...Ade...you're going to be late," she groggily says sitting up and nudging his bare chest with one hand.
Her breath catches and heart thunders as she watches him unknowingly flex his thick bicep to rub his face with one large hand. His 2 day stubble, ruffled dark strands and tanned skin give him an almost Mediterranean look, but when he blinks those sparkling clear blue eyes at her-he looks unearthly.
A slow grin captures his dusty pink lips and Sam has to try telling her heart to calm down before it goes into cardiac arrest. Even days after waking up to him and she can't believe how sexy one man can look so early in the morning.
So captivated by him, she's taken by shock when one of his hands at her lower back jolts her forwards. With a gasp, she falls onto his chest with palms splayed over his silk hard chest muscles and her own hair forming a curtain either side of their faces.
One of his hands run down to the top of the curve of her glorious ass, as the others cups her cheek. Her cinnamon puppy dog eyes widen as a wide smile takes over her features. She looks beautiful, so beautiful and he's the lucky bastard to have her.
"We've both been so busy and I think we deserve at least one day to ourselves," he says trying to entice her further into the plan by rubbing tiny circles at her ear.
She tisks lightly as a soft giggle escapes her lush lips, "oh dear, Adrian Carter are you suggesting we skive work?"
Adrian pulls her further down and plants gentle chaste kisses at her jaw line.
"I may be..."
"You are a bad influence on me, you know that?" she rhetorically teases, fingers sliding along his chiselled torso and fingers stroking his coarse silky black hair there.
"I never claimed to be virtuous, sweetheart," he growls back with more kisses.
"Okay, okay," laughs Sam pulling back, "let me call the Chief before you start making any big plans."
As he's in the shower, Sam does a few fake coughs before dialling up the Chief.
"Mornin' Chief," she meekly says, "it's Sam."
"Uh-huh. What is it, Torres?" he asks in a bored tone.
"I need today off," she requests.
"Oh really? And why exactly do you 'need' today off, Deputy?"
"Um..I-I need a...personal day?" she unsurely says.
The Chief laughs and she flushes red at being caught out. She goes to reply when Adrian comes out of the bathroom wearing just the a small white towel tied low at his hips. A wicked smile overcomes his features and Sam knows that there is no way she's going into work today come what may.
"Thanks Chief, got to go," she numbly replies ending the call before he can protest or demand her ass into the station. Dropping the phone onto the side, she kneels up onto the bed, mind set on only one thing.
"Come here, sexy," she huskily commands cocking her index finger and flinging off the night shirt from her heated body.
Sam knows as well as he does that this morning's frolicking and bountiful orgasms courtesy of Adrian is because of his guilty conscience from last night, but she takes advantage of it. After all, which straight, red-blooded woman in her right mind would say no to a gorgeous willing man, skilfully pleasuring her with his mouth? However at last, she her neglected stomach made it apparent that they are yet to have breakfast.
Wearing only her plaid night shirt (minus the underwear thanks to a certain feisty mate) she pours the ready-mix pancake batter onto the hot pan.
Large warm palms rest at her hips while she flips the mouth-watering food.
"Sweetheart I really sorry about yesterday," he exhales tracing his lips against the smooth column of her throat.
"Ade, baby, I know. Everyone forgets, it's okay, it was an honest mistake and we both know you were trying to make it up to me this morning. So consider yourself forgiven," she comforts plating up the cooked pancake before pouring another.
Then as an afterthought adds lightly, "but I know you won't do it again, because if you do you'll be sleeping in the hallway...outside the apartment."
Adrian just chuckles, wisely choosing not to argue against the threat, "Sam, I never wanted to worry you-"
"Adrian. I am always going to worry about you. That's what happens you love someone," she states with finality.
His grip tightens slightly at her hips and she has a split second of confusion as to why before suddenly realisation as to just what she's let slip settles on her.
Panic rises inside her but as she scrambles to try find the words to say, he's already backed up a few paces but the physical distance is nothing compared to the psychological one Sam's feeling.
Slowly she spins around, squaring her shoulders and holding her head high; she knows the words and meanings frighten him but she'll be damned if she denies it. It's how she feels and he's just going to have to accept it.
"Adrian...I love you," she firmly announces. God, she'd never thought she'd be declaring something like that so forcefully; perhaps it's because of the many chick-flicks that have brain washed her but Sam had always thought the words would be echoed immediately back at her and she knows in her mind not to expect that from Adrian however her heart still pangs with melancholy.
"Sam...I don't know what you expect me to say," he murmurs in confusion and panic. Of course he likes her and he cares for her but love? Shit. It's like Zara all over again, expect when Zara announced it she immediately retracted it but the words were already out there. Things hadn't been the same. Just like now.
"Nothing, Adrian, I expect nothing," she sighs trying to stop any spite being injected into those words. It's not his fault, she keeps chanting to her heavy heart; it's not his fault if he doesn't feel the same.
"Is this how it's going to be? Are you going to hold it against me that you feel...that way and I don't?" he replies in astonishment. He really hadn't expected her to be one of those women. She knew from the start that he doesn't believe in the concept of loving a stranger like so and yet here she is pushing for a fabricated fake declaration from him.
Sam spins back to face the hob and drops her shoulders in defeat as she lets out a small frustrated groan.
"No, of course not. You're...you're entitled to your own opinions and feelings. I just...I wanted to let you know where I stand, that's all," she stiffly responds. Except that's not all, concludes Adrian. He can sense from her tone that there's more to this and this time with Sam, he's not willing to overlook or just ignore it.
"That's not all but we can talk after breakfast. I still need some time to think."
Breakfast is quiet with Adrian lost in his thoughts and Sam nervously nibbling at the rubber tasting pancake. Well actually, no, the pancake's taste fine even doused in maple syrup but Sam's taste-buds feel too numb to even bother acknowledging the suckle sweet taste.
Finally, Ade can't take it anymore; watching her just push around the piece of food while chewing on her bottom lip is driving him crazy. The clang of his fork dropping onto the ceramic plate catches her attention and her chocolate brown eyes snap up to his in surprise.
"How do you know Sam?" he asks. Confusion clouds her features as she places her own utensils down.
"Know what?"
"How do you know you're in love with me?" he elaborates. What even is love? What is the difference between 'love' and caring very strongly for someone? Where is the line on that? And besides how does she know it's love? Maybe she's just getting used to him, adjusted.
"Because pop songs finally make sense," she dryly smiles trying to inject some humour into the situation. It clearly doesn't work though when Adrian just sits there expectantly. Sighing, Sam grapples for words to try and explain how she feels.
"Because...because you're always on my mind. The first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Being with you makes me...happy. Look I don't-I don't know exactly how to explain it. You just...you mean a lot to me, Ade-"
"Yes but how do you know that it's love and not just...comfortableness? Or familiarity?"
"...When you know...you know. Adrian, you look at it all so analytically but you just can't do that with love. It's pointless because when you feel it, when you know-it's indescribable," taking a pause, she breathes out a sigh and smiles softly at him, "I didn't say 'I love you' to emotionally blackmail you or anything like that. It slipped out and I can't and won't take it back. It doesn't matter to me that you don't feel the same yet because you will one day."
The corners of his lips rise at the sight of her teasing bright grin.
"Oh is that right?"
"Yup," she pops confidently.
"Care to place a wager on that?"
"Sure," she shrugs. It doesn't matter how long it's going to take, she will make him fall in love or rather he will do it himself, unknowingly.
Adrian holds out his arm, inviting her in. Unable to refuse, Sam hops off her stool and slinks towards him, standing between his legs and resting her arms on his wide shoulders.
"What would you like?"
Sam pretends to mull it over, "well I already have one day of you agreeing to be my slave...what else do I want? Hmm....Alright, if I win and you do fall in love with me, we can go anywhere in the world but I want you all to myself for at least a week."
Adrian's smile widens liking her possessiveness. To have her all to himself for a week does sound like a dream. And the things they could do in that week...Oh God, she won't be able to walk straight for another week. One of his hands wrap around her hips as the forefinger of the other hand grazes at the skin above the top button of her shirt.
"And if I win-"
"You won't," she retorts.
"If I do, then..."
"Then?"
He pops open a button whilst gazing at her under his thick lashes, "I want you naked except for a pair of heels and your collar, whenever we're alone."
She can't help but giggle slightly as own hands explore down his bare chest to the tops of his sweat pants.
"Too bad that won't be happening, baby."
He jolts her onto his lap as she gasps loudly in shock.
"Not even once, Princess...for me?" he requests grounding her hips onto his.
Her lips part into a perfect tiny oval as she gasps again quietly and her fingers dig into his shoulders.
"Maybe...maybe if you ask nicely," she teases breathlessly as his hands slip under her shirt and hips grind against the rising tent in his pants.
Ade can't help but laugh at that. Of course, she'd throw his words back at him.
"As I recall Princess, you owe me. A letter of apology in particular actually," he grins, his lips grazing at her neck while his fingers taunt her erect nípples.
"Ah, but what about the dishes?" she retorts knowing a neat freak like him wouldn't allow them to just be left on the countertop. True to his nature, he manages to slowly untangle his limbs from her and allows her to slide off his lap so they can clean up.
Unable to delay things any longer, Sam nervously slips on the collar and strips off the shirt. Tiptoeing into the room, she shuts the door behind her and spins around to find him snapping the rope between his hands. Her libido trembles at the devilish grin he flashes her before cocking his finger.
She sashays towards him, extending the letter but he only points to the bed. As she bends to place it on there, he suddenly grasps her from behind. Her wrists pinned at her lower back with one of his large hands and the other loosely wrapping around her throat. The rough texture of the ropes held in the hand disabling her own arm use brushes at her silk skin, whispering promises of immobilising her soon.
"Nervous, Princess?" he whispers.
"...A little, Master," she replies quietly. At her confession, the hand at her throat slithers down to cup one of her bare breasts. The entirety of the supple flesh is captivated by him and being kneaded so gently that Sam actually craves for his animalistic mauling instead.
Her back arches and hips squirm slightly at the slow heat that's rising inside her.
"Do you trust me?" he breathes, his lips pressed to the rising pulse at her throat.
"Yes, Sir."
"And you know the safe word?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Good, then you know if it's used I will stop."
She confirms that she knows that logically but her beating heart is still apprehensive of assigning her body over to him for whatever harsh ministrations he has planned.
Having heard it, his touch on her skin is dropped suddenly and he spins around to face her. He reaches behind to a clicker like device and from holding a button, Sam hears the machinery working to lower the steel bar above them.
She watches in bewilderment as it hangs just above her head and then directs her confused gaze to her Master.
"Wrists out, pet," he demands coolly, tossing the gadget back onto the bed and uncoiling the rope.
This is it, she knows and with hesitance Sam extends her wrists from behind her towards him in trust.
With the bar being raised back high again, Adrian affords himself the luxury of gazing at his beautiful pet bound and stretched high for his pleasure. Wrists are tied firmly together and with a slight bend at her elbow, her arms are hoisted well above her. Her back is straight, breasts proudly thrust forwards and despite his longing, Adrian allowed her the comfort of having her feet firmly planted on the ground rather than raised onto her tip-toes.
With one last look for the time being at her getting accustomed to the bounds and position, Adrian picks up the letter and moving behind her, he starts to read her work.
It's good. Exactly what he asked for and even though the logic is warped; he has a faint idea as to where she's coming from even if it's wrong.
Taking out the necessary equipment, he first tapes the letter onto the bedpost eye-level to his tied woman.
"Can you read it?" he questions when she confirms that she can he only nods at her in acknowledgment.
Sam's nerves were simmering down when she feels cool tousles of long strips of material sweeping across her behind. Alarm rings within her, along with an odd sense of excitement. The knots in her lower stomach tighten while she feels the material run along her ass again.
"Read it to me," commands her Master and Sam refocuses her attention to her task.
Wetting her lips she announces, "Adrian, I am so sorry. You were-"
Before she can get the next word out a sudden scream as the sharp sting of whip on her bare ass. The momentum causes her to lurch forwards but paired with the restraints and the steadying hand on her hip, she regains balance.
"You are relieved of counting these but I want you to continue through the letter," he instructs.
Goddammit! Sam grits her teeth and blinks to refocus her sight onto the black lettering. Shit, if only she had better handwriting!
"-honest from the very start and yet I-"
And another. She has to pause for a moment and allow the immediate sting to simmer down before continuing.
"-was not. The reason I deceived you is because...I wanted to know what it was like to be...wanted-"
This time the burning lash is welcomed by Sam, who finds that the searing heat challenges the one behind her eyelids and instead gives her something other than her own self-pity to focus on. She deserves this and somewhere in her she knows she needs it. She needs to know that she's earned her redemption and that compulsion alone has her pressing to continue.
As they carry on through the deeply emotional journey, wadding further and further into unexplored territory; Adrian finds his heart clenching with sorrow at each sound lashing on his mate's ever reddening bottom. He hates this. He hates to punish her like this, whipping beyond the point of arousal to teach a lesson but he must. She needs this as much as he does. Though he's forgiven her for her betrayal the surprising amount of pain still remains in him and perhaps after this, it will ease, but Adrian doubts it. More so oppressing than that is not that her secret itself but rather that she kept it from him; that she didn't trust him enough after so much to allow him in and that she felt that it would some kind of deal breaker for him of all people. Him! Who grew up in a world where his name and genetics alone form a predetermined image in people's minds. An image of excellence he's always had to strive to achieve-still strive to achieve. So for Sam to think that he then would look at her purely by her family and genetics, just strengthens that heartless persona she had convinced him wasn't him.
He pauses, hearing her pant to even her breathing. Taking a deep breath himself he reminds himself that he can't hold her previous actions against her any longer. They both need to move on and at the end of this, that'll be it. With that in mind, he evenly demands her to continue if she can, pleased when she picks up where she left off.
Every single cell in her being is ablaze, her ass in particular torching with pain; yet she feeds off that pain. It sharpens her resolve to fulfil her task, to ignore the heaviness of her arms and the weakness of her legs.
One more sentence-two words-and she's done with the letter. Two words...That in mind, Sam pushes herself to gasp out the words.
"Forgive me..."
The strike at the end of that has her arching back as she screams silently at the piercing agony of it.
"Master," she calls in desperation. She needs to see him. Hear his thoughts, know that she hasn't lost him. She needs his comfort, reassurance, touch.
Adrian places the black leather tasselled whip onto the floor before stepping in front of her and cupping her cheek with one hand.
"What is it, pet?" he gently asks, his thumb tracing light circle into her soft skin. Her eyes are bright and glassy with unshed tears. He wonders with hesitance if he's pushed her too far. If she's now scared of him. He would never want that. Disciplined? Yes. Scared? No. Never.
"...Thank you," she hoarsely states with a small grateful smile. It's all that she can manage at the moment. With the adrenaline quickly fading from her systems, her limbs feel like lead and her head like fog.
Her sincerity has Adrian internally breathing a sigh of relief. He hasn't failed her then. Just the opposite in fact. Judging by her cues, this had been exactly what she needed as well, to clear her conscious and assure her he cares even to punish her.
"Good girl. I'm proud of you for continuing through this. It was not pleasant...for either one of us-"
When her eyebrows draw together in confusion, he sighs knowing he must explain.
"I don't want to or enjoy punishing you like this, Princess. I like spanking you-yes, because I know it arouses you but taking you past that into the boundary of pain, doesn't please me. But sometimes, it's necessary, for instance now, do you understand?"
"Yes Sir," she nods swallowing the lump in her throat. Can she love this man anymore?
"Okay then," he replies reaching behind him to grab the console to lower the bar above her.
Sam licks her lower lip, contemplating whether to ask him or not. Deciding that there's no point in not, she exhales and says, "do-do you forgive me...Sir?"
Adrian returns his focus back to her, his jaw setting slightly straighter and his nostrils inflate at his inhale.
Exhaling he states, "yes. I forgave you even before this, pet. But-" he warns sharply, "if you lie to my face repeatedly again, like that...I may not bother with punishment."
The caution causes Sam blood to run cold for a moment. What's worse than imagining another long gruelling round with the whip is the idea of no whip. The thought of no pain, no restraints, no punishment is just too horrific for her to bear. Because it would only mean one thing...that he wouldn't care enough to reprimand.
Observing her eyes filling with horror, Adrian plants a chaste kiss at her lips and assures her calmly, "but I doubt it'd ever come to that."
Unwinding her binds, relief overcomes her body when she can slump into his embrace and allow him to support her weight.
"What would you like me to do now, Master?" she wearily calls only to gain a slight chuckle from him.
Does she really think he's going to fuck her when she's feeling like a deadweight? Not going to happen. Sure he doesn't mind if she's tired but he prefers her fucking him back; her hips jolting in synchronisation to his, her back arching to the Heavens, her fingers digging into his back. A virile, eager Sam is the best kind and he refuses to reduce their explosive sex to something mediocre due to her fatigue.
"Relax," he replies raising her off the floor and settling her across his shoulder. Maybe she's not as tired as he had predicted because even in her state she gives a soft throaty mewl of protest at being picked up. Ignoring it, Adrian rearranges the pillows so that when he lies her face down onto the bed, they keep her ass raised high into the air.
Folding her arms, Sam rests her cheek onto them and lies there in content while Adrian spreads the cooling cream onto her branded ass. Even more comforting that the application of the soothing of the cream on her fiery skin is the large hand doing it. She feels to break out the 'l-word' again but deciding that there's no need for it, she sighs and lets herself sink further into his care.
A short nap later and they both decide to get out of the apartment for lunch. Buying sandwiches and snacks they settle under the shade of a large oak in the local park. Even with the sun blaring down on them and a soft breeze whispering past, there's not many people about; expected with it being a weekday but still surprising.
Breaking into a grin at the unintended privacy, Sam bites into her BLT and gazes up to see Ade staring off into the vast plains of grass in heavy thought.
"Whatcha thinking about?" she asks rubbing the crumbs from her lips and shifting in her position, only to quickly cease as a jolt of pain sparks up from her derrière.
"Next week I'm visiting my family and...I'd like to introduce you to them," he replies, his voice is calm and even however Sam can detect hints of apprehension underlying his tone.
Unable to resist, her lips form a wry smile as she teases him with, "oh? I distinctly remember being told I would not be meeting them under any circumstances."
At his unease, glee flashes through Sam, but it quickly vanquishes when she witnesses the flash of pain strike across Adrian's features.
"Hey, I'm just kidding," she assures him quickly, "I'd love to meet your folks. I mean I guess I do have to thank them for their genetics."
Adrian cracks a grin at that and although he's not sure whether she means it sarcastically or not, he decides it doesn't matter because he can't wait to take away the one card his brothers have been playing for a while now.
It's only when he mentions his family, Sam remembers that she needs to convince him to join her on the weekend to meet her own formidable one. And although there's nothing more she'd like to do than delay the whole affair, she reasons to herself that perhaps doing it now when he's in a good mood and they're in public may be the best time.
So taking a steady inhale, she forms the sentences to relay to him in her mind before exhaling slowly and taking the plunge.
"Speaking of parents," she slowly starts, "I received a call a few days ago-2 actually-but anyway, they want to...meet you too. This weekend."
Sharp, crystal blue orbs bore into her as he quickly deduces, "you don't sound too thrilled about that."
"That because I'm not," she points out in a deadpan tone before continuing on, "look, unlike you, I don't have a great relationship with my family."
Thus her allergy to anything related to them.
"Ah...And I suppose it's due to your...lineage?" he muses before then questioning in confusion, "surely your mother though, appreciates that she had a large part to play in that?"
Sam barks out a cold laugh. Oh dear! The day her mother finally admits her mistakes and faults is the day the zombie apocalypse arrives and Sam becomes the most desired female in the dying world.
"Ha! Sure that'd be nice but for that Mother would have to climb down from the awfully high self-appointed pedestal, she places herself on and face the music. That is definitely not her style. Saving face is more her thing. God you would not believe the lengths she went to when she was pregnant with me."
Curiosity quips up in Adrian and he has to ask, "what sort of lengths?"
"How to explain?" muses Sam to herself before snapping her gaze back to him and exhaling, "I guess I should start from the beginning. I didn't lie to you when I said my father's Colombian. That's one thing I know about him, the other two are that he was a construction worker and his name was Juan Torres. Mother and him had a brief affair when his job was nearly finishing and a few months after he left, Mother met Jared, my stepdad and her mate, which is around when she found out she was pregnant with me. Of course, you don't get much whiter, middle class than Jared and there was no way she could pass me off as his. So...when she started showing, they planned their 'honeymoon' to South America. A few weeks later and they returned with me-their new adopted daughter- and their status as the benevolent Alphas cemented."
That information baffles Adrian but it an way it does explain a few things as well. It explains why Sam despises her family so much-her mother in particular. He can't imagine any mother that would do such a thing-treat their own daughter as a stranger. Plus if the woman really is all about saving face as Sam claims, then it would mean that only Sam experiences a different side to her. A side that perhaps others don't see and in that sense he imagines her childhood must have been a highly confusing and lonely one.
"How about your step-siblings? Surely they inspired some maternal instinct in your mother?"
Sam sucks in a jagged breath of air before confessing, "they did-well as maternal as my mother could be anyway. I suppose with Jared being her mate, I must have been a reminder that she was somehow 'unfaithful' to him and I can only guess, that in her mind it made her feel guilty to treat me the same as his kids," she gives a light shrug, trying to keep the conversation as light yet as truthful as she can, "it wasn't all too bad, though. I mean, I wasn't physically abused or tormented or anything, just...unwelcome. For a long time I was so jealous and envious of my half-siblings for having things that I could only wish for but...sometime during my Sophmore year I realised I had things they don't too. To choose my own partner, to not have to follow the family business but rather pick any career I wanted, to...be able to leave the town and go anywhere I wanted in the world for as long as I wanted without having to ever return at all. So once I decided what I wanted to do, I started saving up and started to live my life how I wanted to."
Adrian can only gape at her with awe. He never realised her true depths until now and upon this revelation he can only consider himself so very lucky to have a woman like her with him. One who despite her nurture is good and does good. Compared to her, he feels like the most selfish bastard on the planet. If his mother and family had put him through half the shit he has the inkling she's been put through, he would no doubt be vengeful and hell-bent of retribution. He would most certainly not be considering their motives and would surely not be strong enough to simply move on.
After listening to all that, there's one question burning in Adrian and he has to ask, "then why return now? Why take your mother up on her offer after all this time?"
"Because it turns out Adrian Carter you are somewhat of a celebrity," she teases, only he doesn't find that so funny. Instead doubt seeps through him as well as disappointment and annoyance. So that's it? She wants to use him as some kind of trophy? A toy that she can present to her neglectful family as a big middle finger in the air? Is that all he is to her?
"So you want to attend in order to...flash me about to your family?" he questions in disgust.
Her expression is one of utter shock, "what, no! The only reason I'm even contemplating going is because if I don't she'll come here and...I don't know. I just don't want her poisoning my life here. I don't want them invading 'my' city and...It's hard to explain-"
"I understand," he sighs in relief.
"Really? I'm fine to go by myself if you don't want to but it's just that...having you there will be..." she struggles to find the right word while her cheeks blush red and she finally settles on, "comforting."
Adrian flashes her one of his rare, broad breathless smiles and drawls out lowly with warmth, "if you need me there I will be, Sam."
Sam nods and leans forwards to grant him a chaste kiss, after whispering a 'thank-you'-something she seems to be doing an awful lot today and something she has no doubt she'll be doing a lot more of in the future.
A/n meh, I'm not too sure about this chapter but it'll have to do.
On other news, the reason for the delay in my update is because of 2 things.
1) I've been celebrating. I got my A-level results and I got accepted into Warwick University for Biochemistry, which was my first choice so I am THRILLED about that. And also terrified of starting fresh, making new friends, not knowing anyone and being so far away from home! Ah, change is so scary!
2) More recently, I've been having some computer problems. It's seemed to be okay now, fingers crossed it'll stay that way.
Thank you for reading and I have no idea when I'll next update, when I get time I suppose. xx