Chapter 37

-Alison-

Jared narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased at the thought of me emerging as the victor. For the longest time, I had considered myself the loser in this twisted game, but if Jared kept returning, he was unwittingly granting me precisely what I desired. So, I stepped closer to him, gently pressing my hands into his chest, not attempting to push him away, but rather wanting him to feel the force behind the gesture.

"I win," I reiterated. "I win because if you can't let me go, then you will never cease being a part of my life, and I obtain exactly what I have yearned for all this time."

Jared wrapped his hand around my throat, applying pressure, and I placed my hands on his wrist, merely keeping them there as I smiled.

"You want the secret to letting me go? To making it stop?" I taunted, realizing there was only one way it could end.

"How?" he demanded.

"You have to kill me."

His eyes widened, his grip loosening momentarily before tightening painfully.

"You don't think I can?" he challenged.

"You would extinguish the only stable thing in your life, and then what would you have left? Vince will discover the grave soon enough, leaving you alone to be devoured by the wolves, and I can't even be your escape, because I will be in the ground with him," I pointed out.

Jared let out a dark, frustrated snarl, as he came to grips with the realization that he truly was ensnared by our entangled fates. But it only elicited a laugh from me, a gleeful tone, because he couldn't rid himself of me. Not unless he was prepared to eliminate the one thing he could always rely on. He would be utterly alone if he killed me.

His hand tightened even more, and I emitted a choking sound, but I didn't resist him, I didn't attempt to free myself from his grasp. He continued to squeeze, constricting my airway. Yet, just as his eyes filled with fury, something else overcame him, and he suddenly crushed his lips to mine, the impact so forceful it stung a little, but I was rendered speechless by the tight grip around my throat.

"Don't leave me," he pleaded against my lips, his words a whisper that I wasn't sure he intended for me to hear, but I caught them nonetheless.

I reached for him, sliding my fingers through his hair and scratching his neck, pulling him closer to me. His grip was starting to make me feel lightheaded, but just as I thought he might choke me until I passed out, he relented, allowing me to gulp in huge mouthfuls of air.

"Do you hear me, Alison?" he whispered. "You can't leave me. Ever."

This time, I knew he wanted me to hear him, and I smiled against his lips, keeping him pressed against me as his arms enveloped me.

"I won't," I vowed.

"I won't stop hating you."

"And I won't stop loving you," I whispered, hearing the soft gasp that escaped him as I confessed my feelings so openly. "Hate me all you want, but know that I'm there. Wherever you want me or need me, I'm there, Jared, because I do love you."

He didn't let me pull back for long as I spoke, immediately reclaiming my lips with his own, devouring my mouth with his hunger as he began pushing me backward. I met the dining table with my backside, and he lifted me onto it, his hands gripping my thighs firmly and keeping them spread wide to make room for himself in between them.

"Say you're mine."

"I'm yours," I promised.

The deep rumble that escaped him made my insides melt. He had pointed out that I resented how much I wanted him, but I didn't resent it. It was Jared who hated that he wanted me, but he did. He wanted me despite his hatred for me, because I was there. I was there! I shouted internally as he tore open my shirt, trailing kisses down my neck.

I moaned, overwhelmed by the revelation of his feelings, knowing now that he couldn't simply vanish from my life again. He would always return to me. With a sense of urgency, I reached for his shirt, tearing it open, and ran my fingers over his chest, seeking the scars I had left behind, forming my initials.

As I found them, a sense of contentment washed over me, and I made a silent vow to myself that Jared belonged to me as well. Even if I could never possess him entirely, even if he never uttered those three words, it didn't matter. I had staked my claim on him long ago, and nothing could alter the fact that he was mine, regardless of whose ring he wore or with whom he built a family. Our connection was unbreakable, our bond immortalized.

"Jared," I gasped as he nibbled on my neck, leaving yet another mark. I attempted to push him back, but he sucked harder, then bit down firmly, marking me unmistakably as his own. The sensation sent a surge of desire through me, and I reached for his pants.

"You will never belong to anyone else," he growled in my ear.

"I don't want to," I replied breathlessly.

Jared withdrew slightly, gripping my jaw firmly as my hands hesitated on his unbuckled belt, his gaze filled with a possessive intensity.

"I mean it, Alison. If you push me away for someone else, I will kill them," he snarled, pulling me closer until our lips were mere inches apart. "And you know I'm capable of it."

His words sent shivers down my spine, unsure whether the throbbing sensation between my legs was a response to his threat or simply his presence.

"Do you hear me?" he demanded.

"I-I hear you," I managed to respond, my voice trembling.

He drew even closer, his tongue gliding over my bottom lip.

"So if you sleep with your husband one more time, I can promise you that he's going to have an accident very soon."

"Jared, shit," I gasped.

"He doesn't get to play with my doggy," he taunted, using the derogatory nickname that I couldn't stand. I pushed against him, unwilling to tolerate such demeaning language.

"I think you've forgotten our roles here," I snarled.

"Not at all, slut. You're the one who just fully gave yourself to me. You can't backtrack now, or you know what will happen."

Excited? Scared? Nervous? All conflicting emotions swirled within me, impossible to untangle. I knew Jared was entirely capable of killing, and while I desired him despite this, I knew he wasn't joking if things didn't go his way. He would kill Warren. I felt both warmth and coldness simultaneously as Jared made me realize that I had surrendered to him once more. Jared didn't do things halfway. Either I was in or I was not. What had I agreed to?

He moved closer, sinking his teeth into my bottom lip until I whimpered in pain. Just because he said he couldn't let me go didn't mean I could forget that my pain still aroused him. He released me, leaving my lip throbbing in synchrony with my clit.

When Jared pulled back, he revealed a different side of himself. His eyes lacked their usual playful glint. This wasn't Jared toying with me for fun. This was him making it unmistakably clear, not just to others but to me, that there was no escaping him now. I was never going to break free from him. The realization sent my heart racing uncontrollably.

I knew the saying, "be careful what you wish for", but that didn't stop me from reaching for him, drawing him into another kiss. He responded eagerly, leaning over and pressing me down onto the dining table. I hastily unfastened his pants, and he pushed my skirt higher before tearing off my panties and tossing them aside, mingling with the other discarded clothes on the floor.

"Who's your Master?" he taunted me.

"I have no Master," I retorted, meeting his gaze defiantly.

He withdrew slightly, then yanked me over the table, the sound of my skin sliding against the surface echoing loudly. With a swift movement, he flipped me over, pressing me forcefully into the table so that my cheek was flattened against the wood.

"Try again, slut," he commanded, the authority in his voice sending shivers down my spine. I heard the rustling of clothes, then felt the head of his cock gliding over my wetness.

"There is no contract binding me to you anymore," I stated with a smirk, feeling a surge of excitement.

As I attempted to shift back to accommodate him, he withdrew, frustrating me.

"Only good sluts get to be fucked by their Master," he reminded me, his grip tightening on my hair as he bent me back into an uncomfortable position.

"Then I guess I'm not a good slut," I teased, straining to catch a glimpse of his reaction.

His response was immediate. He positioned himself again and thrust into me, eliciting a gasp as I felt the sudden fullness, catching me off guard. He showed no mercy, driving into me relentlessly, each thrust stealing the air from my lungs. Leaning over me, he pressed me harder against the table, his movements becoming more fervent with each passing moment.

"Then you're not coming tonight," he warned, and I groaned in protest. His pace was fast and punishing, his thrusts driving me to the brink of ecstasy. My eyes rolled back in pleasure as he fucked me with such delicious intensity. My clit rubbed against the edge of the table, and I widened my stance even more, eagerly pushing back to meet his every movement. Our synchronized breathing filled the room, accompanied by the creaking of the table and its slight shift across the floor, ending up at a crooked angle.

"Jared," I whispered breathlessly.

"Wrong name," he growled, his thrusts becoming more erratic, losing their rhythm.

"Please," I begged, on the verge of release.

"Say it, slut. Who's your Master, and I'll make you come right now."

I was so close, but I knew I wouldn't reach climax before him if I didn't give him what he desired.

"Yes, you. You're my Master," I panted.

Jared abruptly withdrew, leaving me feeling empty. But then he repositioned me, balancing me on the edge of the table as he dropped to his knees, burying his head between my legs.

"Oh, fuck yes!" I cried out, my fingers tangling in his hair as I pressed him closer to me.

His tongue flicked over my clit a few times, and I was crying out, grinding against his face. He groaned in satisfaction, the vibrations teasing my sensitive skin. He pulled away too soon, eliciting a whimper from me, but the smirk on his lips indicated he enjoyed my frustration.

He lifted me, wrapping my legs around him as he effortlessly carried me upstairs. He discarded my shirt and skirt on the floor before rummaging through the drawer, searching for the collar to see if I had returned it there. But he didn't find it.

"Is it in the closet again?" he inquired.

I shook my head, then pointed to the floor. "Under the bed, in a box with the key."

His eyes filled with mischief as he leaned over the side, pulling out the box. I sighed, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. That collar was thick and tight, a perfect reminder of my place. He pulled back, holding it up, and I rolled my eyes, only for him to grab my jaw again, a warning gleam in his eyes.

"Tell me to collar you," he demanded.

"You can't be serious," I whispered.

"Say it, and this night will be a lot more fun."

"Or I won't be coming at all?"

"Exactly, and your ass will hurt so much you won't be able to sit down."

"I'm not getting out of being collared in either scenario, am I?" I inquired.

"No, but in one of them, you get to explode in pleasure."

"Fine," I conceded. "Collar me."

"Ask nicely."

I looked at him in disbelief as he dangled the collar in front of me. However, I knew what I needed to do to get what I wanted. I pulled him closer, wrapping my legs around him, ensuring there was barely an inch between our lips.

"Collar me, Master, I beg of you. I'm all yours," I panted, pushing up to ghost my lips over his. His entire body shivered underneath my touch, and he acted swiftly, placing the collar around my neck.

I turned a little so he could lock it and I could get my hair out of the way. When it was in place, he didn't hesitate. He surged deep, sliding all the way in. One arm rested beside my head, while one of his hands grasped my hips, tilting me up to him.

"Yes!" I cried out, feeling him hit such a sweet spot that made me writhe.

"You're just going to be my good girl tonight, aren't you?" he whispered, making my eyes flutter closed in pleasure when he spoke to me like that. "Because if you are, I promise to take really good care of you."

I shivered in delight and nodded. "Yes, I will be good," I breathed against his lips.

He didn't have the restraint to hold back, determined to make me climax. He was on edge, a dark sound escaping him as his hips jerked, releasing inside me before he grew lax on top of me. But as we lay on the bed, his hand slipped between us, sliding to my clit to coax a second orgasm from me, keeping true to his promise.