12. Drake

CHAPTER 12

DRAKE

Watching her today has been the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. My girl. She might not officially be mine yet, but she will be. As long as she’ll have me.

I meant what I said. She’s beautiful the way she is. But seeing her get pampered and dolled up…it brings a whole new dimension to that beauty. Plus, the smile that’s been plastered on her face all day is fucking gorgeous.

“Thank you so much,” Lily says softly to the makeup artist.

Amanda was amazing with her. She took her time and patiently showed Lily how to apply mascara and other things that most women her age would already know how to do. It was actually quite sweet to watch because not once did the woman act like she was put out for having to explain the basics.

“All of the stuff you used, ring it up.”

Both women turn to look at me, their eyes the size of saucers. I’m not sure what I said that’s so surprising.

“Drake, no,” Lily finally says.

I move my gaze to hers and raise an eyebrow. “Yes.”

As soon as I say the word, Lily drops her shoulders and gives me a soft smile. She’s learning quickly when I’m not going to budge.

“Ring it up, Amanda. Here’s my credit card,” I tell her, handing it over.

Amanda quickly gets to work, but my eyes are still on Lily. She walks up to me, her head tilted back, and fuck, she’s beautiful.

“Thank you, Sir,” she whispers.

Jesus Christ. She’s trying to kill me. My cock goes rock hard.

“You keep calling me that, and we’re going to make a detour to my house so I can strip you naked and make you scream it while I fuck you.”

She sucks in a breath and brings her hands to my chest like she needs me to steady herself. “Is that… Can we… Um, I think I want to do that.”

Fuck. I wasn’t expecting that. Not at all.

“You want me to fuck you, Lily?”

Her pupils dilate. “Yes. I mean, I might not be good at it, but I feel…” She waves a hand up and down her body, with an emphasis on her pussy.

“You’re turned on, baby?”

Because I sure the hell am. I don’t think I’ve ever been more turned on in my life. It’s like being a teenage boy again.

“I think so? I’m not sure. I’ve never felt this…way before.”

Wait. What?

“You’ve never felt turned on, Lily? Have you ever had an orgasm, baby?”

She shakes her head, her eyes pleading with me, and dammit, I want to call Cage right now and tell him to find her ex and murder him. I also kind of want to thank her asshole ex for being such a bastard because it means I get to provide her with the pleasure he never did.

But mostly, I want to kill him.

“Um, I’ve tried, but it didn’t work. And up until about a week ago, I don’t think I’ve ever been turned on.”

“Here you go. I tucked the receipt in the bag and here’s your card back.”

Lily tenses and I take the bag quickly from Amanda before I pull a hundred-dollar bill from my wallet and hand it to her.

“Thank you for all your help. You were great.” I give Amanda a nod, and without another word, I grab Lily’s hand and practically drag her out of the store, hoping my erection isn’t obvious to everyone we pass.

When we get out into the open air, I find the nearest corner without a million other people nearby, press Lily against the wall, and lean in.

“Here’s what’s going to happen. We’re going to finish what I planned for today. After that, I’m going to feed you. Then, I’m going to give you a choice. I can drop you off at home or bring you back to my house. I’ll tell you this, Lily. If you choose to come to my place, I’m going to dominate you tonight and give you the pleasure you’ve never had. So, think about that when you make the choice. Understand?”

She peers up at me from under her lashes. “Yes, Sir. I already know my answer, though.”

My heart lurches, and I wait, holding my breath until she tells me.

“I want to go to your house.”

Thank God. I would have accepted whichever choice she made, but I like this one so much better.

“But,” she adds, “I can say my safeword at any time?”

Capturing her chin in my hand, I lean down so we’re eye to eye. “You can say your safeword at any time for any reason. You’re the one in full control here, baby.”

Her eyes twinkle, and her shoulders drop. “Thank you. I’m sorry I have so many questions.”

“Never apologize. I want you to ask as many questions as you have. The key to this working out between us is trust and communication. Okay?”

“Okay,” she whispers right before she steps closer and wraps her arms around my waist.

I squeeze her against me and press a kiss on the top of her head. This feels amazing. I could spend every day like this and be the happiest man in the world.

“Ready to go shopping for some colorful clothes?”

She tilts her head back and blinks up at me. “What?”

“You said one day you want to wear more colorful clothes. Today, you’re going to pick some out.”

“Drake, you’ve already done so much. I can’t even fathom how much money you’ve spent. I didn’t expect any of this.”

“I know, baby. That’s why I love doing it. You didn’t expect it. But it’s happening, and I promise, you haven’t even put a dent in my bank account. So, no more arguing because I’m in charge unless you say red. Understood?”

Heat flashes in her dark caramel eyes. “Yes.”

I arch an eyebrow and tilt my head slightly.

“Sir,” she quickly adds.

“Good girl. Let’s go.”

“Do you need anything from your place before we head to my house?”

She glances over at me as she fidgets with her hands. “No. I’m good. I carry extra medication in my purse. I’m just going to send a message to Hannah so she doesn’t worry.”

I stay quiet so she can text her friend. It gives me time to plan for tonight. I hadn’t expected the day to end with her coming home with me, but there’s an undeniable attraction between us. It’s so natural that it sometimes feels like we’ve known each other for years instead of a week.

When I pull into my driveway, Lily lets out a soft gasp.

“This is your house? It’s enormous. You live here alone?”

“Yes, baby. I live here alone. I have a housekeeper who comes on weekdays to clean and cook meals for me, but other than that, it’s just me.”

I park in the garage and press the remote to close it behind us. Lily looks around, wide-eyed and speechless. I’m not sure what kind of living conditions she had in the cult, but I’m guessing they were less than ideal.

As I lead her in through the mudroom, I turn on the lights so she can look around. If I have it my way, she’ll be spending a good amount of time at my house in the near future.

The décor is lacking. My housekeeper has helped me out and hung a few things to make it look like someone lives here, at least, but it’s pretty much a bare canvas for Lily to do whatever she wants.

Shit . Am I seriously thinking about her moving in? What’s wrong with me? This is why Shay couldn’t handle me. I was too over the top. Too much.

“Do you want something to drink? A glass of wine or champagne? I have juice or soda, too.”

She turns toward me, contemplating. “I’ve never had wine. Is it good?”

Every time she tells me she hasn’t tried something, I get a little more pissed off, but I also love that I get to experience so many firsts with her.

“It is. I’ll give you a small glass, and if you don’t like it, we can dump it.”

After I pour some drinks, I motion around the open living room. “Sit and make yourself at home, baby. Let’s relax and talk for a bit.”

She gives me a grateful smile and lowers herself to the couch. I sit next to her and set our drinks on the coffee table.

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to act,” she whispers, fidgeting nervously.

Unable to stop myself, I reach over, pluck her from her spot, and move her onto my lap. She wiggles at first, her ass rubbing against my cock, but she freezes as soon as she feels it.

“You’re supposed to act just like you, Lily. I want you .”

Slowly, I rub my hand up and down her spine. After a few seconds, she starts to relax.

“Ask me questions, baby. I see them swirling in those pretty brown eyes.”

She lets out a soft giggle. “I don’t know if I like how well you can read me.”

I slide my hand up and gently wrap my fist in her hair, giving a soft tug. “I promise you, baby, you’re going to love how well I read you when you’re on the verge of an orgasm and I push you right over the edge.”

A shiver runs through her as she squirms on my lap. “Oh.”

Amused with her simple response, I chuckle and tug her hair again. “Ask your questions, pretty girl.”

“Okay. The information sheets you gave me about BDSM say that some Doms give their subs rules to obey outside of the bedroom and that if they disobey those rules, they could be subject to punishments. Is that the type of Dom that you are?”

“Yes,” I say, and she instantly tenses. “Let me explain, though. I would only give you rules that are meant for your health and safety. For instance, always wearing your seatbelt in a car would be a rule. If I caught you not wearing one, I would probably put you over my knee and spank you, as long as that was an acceptable punishment that we’d agreed on already. I’d never give you rules about things like who you’re friends with or what you watch on TV or how much dessert you want to eat or things like that. Does that make sense?”

She relaxes again and nods. “Yes. Thank you for explaining. I guess I was asking because I had so many rules I had to abide by before, and it always felt like I couldn’t do anything without breaking one of them.”

“They were assholes, baby. Abusive assholes.”

A grin spreads, and her eyes sparkle. “They are assholes, aren’t they? Major assholes. I like that word.”

I chuckle and lower my face to her hair, taking in a whiff of her delicate scent. “Oh, baby girl. You’re so fucking cute.”

“I’ve never cussed before. It’s fun. And it feels good. I wonder why it’s so satisfying?”

“Probably because each time you do it, you know you’re rebelling against them, and it’s freeing for you.”

“It really is. Assholes. Big fucking assholes.” She giggles, and I’m in heaven. My girl. She’s stronger than she appears at first. “Do spankings hurt? It seems like a lot of the people at the club enjoy receiving them.”

“They can hurt. They can also be very erotic and sensual. And sometimes, they give a person an emotional release. It all depends on the person and what their needs are. I enjoy giving sensual spankings, but I will also give discipline spankings if it’s warranted.”

The air around us is thick with sexual tension before she turns to me and says something I never expected.

“I’d like you to spank me. I think it might be something I’d enjoy.”