Chapter 7

-Alison-

My mother was easy to spot, her laughter echoing through the party as she put on her usual show. I grabbed a glass of champagne on the way, knowing I would need it.

Sipping it, I approached my mother. "Oh, Alison!" she exclaimed happily, making room for me in her circle of "friends".

"It's been so long, Alison," one of the women pointed out.

"Yes, it has," I replied.

"How are you doing? How's Warren?" another inquired, not shying away from their true curiosity, which undoubtedly revolved around the scandalous images of my husband.

"Everything is wonderful. Warren is great. I'm great," I replied, mustering my best fa?ade, though I felt my mother lightly grip my arm, silently urging me to lie better. "We are, in fact, planning a little trip together soon."

Why did I say that? The last thing I wanted was to be trapped on some island with a husband that I could barely stand being in the same room with anymore.

"Really? Just the two of you?" one of the women remarked.

"Who else?" I countered, redirecting their thoughts.

They exchanged glances, their smiles betraying their inner skepticism, but I swiftly diverted their attention.

"Isn't this party great? My mother always knows how to make my father feel so special," I interjected.

"Oh yes."

"Indeed."

"Best party planner."

They showered my mother with compliments, and she feigned humility as she released my arm. I sighed, taking another sip of champagne to drown out the ongoing conversation. I wished to be anywhere else but there. As I scanned the crowd, my eyes caught a figure that made me do a double-take, wondering if I had truly seen correctly.

"Holy fuck," I whispered as my glass slipped from my grip and splintered against the ground.

"Alison!" my mother scolded, as some of the champagne hit their feet, their heels doing nothing to cover their skin.

Her mother's friends backed away, giving me stern looks, as my mother called for the staff to clean, but I didn't even move. The devil was smiling at me from a distance, dressed in all white, yet the color was just a disguise because there was nothing innocent about Jared.

As a young woman who worked for my mother leaned down and picked up the shards, my mother continued to talk to me, but I heard nothing as Jared walked calmly over to the group where I was standing.

"Alison, are you listening to me?" My mother's voice suddenly penetrated my mind, and I turned to her.

"What?" I responded, distracted.

She gave me a scolding look, crossing her arms as the young woman quickly moved away with the shards of glass.

"Alison," a dark voice greeted, and I turned my head to look at Jared, the smug smile on his lips undeniable. My heart began pounding in my chest, and I felt slightly lightheaded, but maybe that was because the blood that surged through my body was going directly to my pussy, making it weep in joy at the sight of Jared. My traitorous body, everyone, I thought inside myself.

"Do I know you?" my mother cut in, turning to Jared and scrutinizing him from head to toe, probably trying to remember where she had seen him, but Jared had changed so much. Even his clothes were of expensive quality, but even though he dressed like the rest of the party, how the hell had he gotten an invite?

"I don't think we ever had a conversation, Mrs. Brown," he said, turning to my mother. "But we crossed paths many times."

"We did?" she questioned, and I could see she was racking her brain for an answer, yet Jared was playing with her, making her feel uncomfortable for not remembering. She always did her best to know every guest, to ensure her popularity.

I leaned closer to my mother, but Jared gave me a stern look, telling me to remain in place and not give my mother any hints. For a second, I froze, so tuned into being his slave that listening to his commands came naturally, but then I reminded myself I was free. With a defiant glare sent toward him, I leaned into my mother's ear.

"It's Jared. From school," I whispered.

My mother's eyes went wide as she turned to me. It was obvious she was as shocked as I had felt the first time Jared had shown up at my office. As my mother processed what I told her, I turned to Jared, who had a dark smile on his lips and that same sinister promise shining in his eyes, telling me I was going to pay for defying him. It made me shiver with delight, the thought of his punishments merely a turn-on now. I was not his slave anymore, and yet my life was dull because of it.

I crossed my arms, showing my defiance and returning the smile. It made his eyes spark to life as he saw how I pushed back, and I noticed his hands curling into tight fists, as if he wished to grab me and give me the spanking of my life right here in front of all these uptight people. The thought even seemed to stir something within me, but I remained strong, standing my ground.

"Jared…" my mother mused out loud before turning to the tall and broad man in front of her. She even took a small step toward me, as if she needed more distance to take in his glorious form. It was indeed marvelous, perfect to run my tongue along every inch. I scratched my neck, trying to distract myself from the naughty thoughts that began swirling in my mind, and instead, trying to focus on the fact that Jared was here. Here! Why was he here?

"It's been quite a while," she commented.

"It has," Jared agreed.

"You... changed," she laughed awkwardly, likely fearing the power Jared may now wield, the potential damage he could do to her reputation. She was going to lay it on thick, I realized, hoping to dissuade him from seeking retribution.

Jared saw through her fa?ade as well. I could see it in his eyes, no one could escape his wrath. I shook my head lightly at him. Why had he come? To ruin my parents now? Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised they were on his list. But if he thought that was a smart plan, he was mistaken. It was one thing to go after the smaller fish, his high school bullies, but my parents were not easy targets. Why would he suddenly want to come and ruin their party? Had he not already gotten what he wanted?

"And who is Jared?" one of my mother's friends asked, turning to Jared and extending her hand to introduce herself, clearly enamored with him.

Jared took it, giving her one of his charming smirks, which made her gaze linger on him, up and down, suggesting that if he asked her to bend over one of the beds in the guest rooms, she would. The sight angered me, and I clenched my hands into fists, witnessing the lingering stares and the prolonged handshake before they pulled away.

"One of Alison's old high school friends," my mother jumped in, grabbing Jared's arm and turning him more toward the crowd. "Brilliant boy. So great."

I rolled my eyes, knowing my mother had never complimented Jared in her life until now, and when Jared glanced at me, I could see the shock on his face as well.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, he and Alison were good friends," my mother lied before turning to me. "So silly of you not to let me know you had invited him or that he was back in town."

"You were out traveling?" another of the older women asked, hoping to catch Jared's attention as well.

"For a little while," Jared replied.

"Alison should have informed me, and I would have personally come to greet you," my mother playfully scolded.

I ground my teeth, resenting her for shifting the blame onto me for not giving her a heads-up about Jared, though I was equally taken aback by his sudden appearance. The women encircled him, nearly shoving me out of the crowd, which irked me greatly. They bombarded us with questions, even going so far as to inquire if Jared and I had dated.

"Oh no, Jared had no interest in Alison. She, on the other hand, was very much infatuated with the boy," my mother informed them, eliciting chuckles at my expense.

I let out a shocked squeal, unable to fathom how my mother was throwing me under the bus while absolving herself of any blame. Jared glanced at me, his smug smile widening, but I glared at him, my rage taking over. Unable to stay still any longer, I pushed through the crowd, confronting Jared and brushing my mother's hands away from his arm, taking control myself.

"Now, now, Jared has just arrived. He should go say hello to Father, shouldn't he?" I interjected, surprising my mother momentarily with my interruption, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled again.

"Of course," she replied.

I guided Jared away. He didn't resist as I led him into the house, intending to usher him out, but when he realized our destination, he planted his feet firmly and stopped me. I turned to him, shooting him a glare and attempting to pull on his arm by shifting my weight backward.

"You're leaving!" I snarled at him, but he only chuckled.

"But I haven't congratulated your father yet, or praised how he used his hard-earned money to silence his daughter's crimes," he taunted.

"Is this why you're here?" I snapped, placing my hands on my hips and stepping closer to him. "To taunt my parents next? To remind me you still wield power over me? I served my time! I did your bidding. Why won't you just leave me alone?"

Jared stepped closer, one hand resting on my waist, its touch still enough to make me melt. The tension escalated, the world fading away as he drew me to him.

"Because we are never done, Alison," he whispered in a sinister tone. "You think just because you aren't collared anymore, you aren't bound to me? You think I will ever tire of tormenting you? No, your hell has only just begun."

"You promised!" I snarled softly, pressing myself closer to him. "You promised me it was just for a month!"

"Did I?"

"Jared, I'm tired of your games," I growled at him, seizing his jacket and pulling him toward me until there were only inches between us. The gesture was intended to convey aggression, yet it was not anger that seemed to emanate from either of us, but rather a potent mix of pent-up desire.

"You love them, Alison. You're addicted to the games between us," he taunted.

"No, I am home now. I am trying to clean it all up and make things right again."

"Make things right?" he scoffed. "Did your mother not just humiliate you in front of her friends? Did she not attempt to push you aside to save face?"

"I don't see her often. It's just one party."

"Until the next one comes along."

"She isn't important anymore. I have my own life. So why can't you just stay out of it?" I hissed quietly, ensuring no one else would overhear.

"Because a month was never enough."

"Oh? So this is how it will be now? You'll show up suddenly, eager to assert dominance at every opportunity?"

He grinned. "Why not? I hold the power between us, and you took so much from me. Why shouldn't I continue our games? Raise the stakes a little?"

"Because…" I trailed off, my mind flooded with memories of the last day I belonged to him, the day I confessed something I had spent my whole life denying because such feelings were deemed unwelcome. It had driven him away then. Perhaps it would drive him away now. I slid one of my hands up to his neck, tangling my fingers in his short hair, feeling his grip on my waist tighten almost to the point of snapping. "Because I want you."

His eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting such a confession. But I had already admitted my weakness. From the moment our torment began, I was fated to be the loser between us. I was the one consumed by obsession, unable to let go, perpetually craving him. He was off-limits, yet the most forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest.

"I want you to come back. Ever since you left me shattered on my bed… No, ever since you took me so roughly on that bed, I've yearned for you. I craved you even before you knew what it felt like to be inside me. Every time I hurt you, I wanted you. I longed to drag you into dark corners, to hike your hands up that school skirt and show you what it's like to have a girl's attention."

I seized his free hand, guiding it down my body. "I hurt you because I couldn't have you, but I didn't want anyone else to have you either. I marked your body so everyone would know that only I could touch you. But my true desires, my true needs, were to have you in my bed, in those dark corners. Hell, even in the classrooms. I wanted you to take me wherever you could. Just imagine, Jared. Think about how forbidden it would have been. No one would understand my obsession with you, but we wouldn"t care. It would just make the sex dirtier, better," I said.

His breathing had changed, envisioning a world where we had both been different, a world where we hadn"t hated each other but where our desires ruled us.

"But I wasn't brave enough back then," I whispered, my lips barely grazing his. "So play your games, give me what I want. Fuck me right here at this party, show me who is in charge… Master."

Jared's demeanor suddenly shifted, his eyes ablaze with fiery anger as he abruptly pulled away. I smiled up at him, expecting to have scared him off, but to my astonishment, he seized my arm and steered me into a narrow hallway leading to the kitchen. Pressing me against the window, he concealed us partially behind a curtain, although anyone approaching from the kitchen would see us plainly.

"What are you doing?" I gasped.

Jared grinned wickedly before reaching down and tugging up my dress. Panic surged through me—I couldn't bear the thought of being exposed at my parents' party. The humiliation would be unbearable.

"Jared! Wait!" I pleaded in a hushed tone, struggling against his grip. But he pivoted me and pressed me against the window, my face pressed against the cool glass as he continued to lift my dress. I wished I could deny that this was what I wanted, but I couldn't. As he pushed me against the window, a dark desire surged through me, coursing through my veins. When his fingers slid along the edge of my thong, teasing my clit, I whimpered involuntarily.

"You know, I intended to treat you well tonight," he taunted into my ear. "I planned to take you somewhere private and savor your desperate pussy, which you just admitted has been longing for my touch since we were young. But I can't have my slave thinking she holds any power over me."

Releasing my underwear, he delivered a sharp slap to my bare ass cheek, eliciting a gasp from me, the glass growing foggy from my labored breaths.

"P-Please, not here," I pleaded softly, though every fiber of my being yearned for exactly this.

"Didn't you say you wanted this?" he teased, the rustling of his clothes audible as he undid his pants, pulling them down. "Didn't you ask me to play my games? To fuck you right here at this party?"

"Not out in the open!" I hissed desperately.

Jared pulled my underwear to the side, and I squirmed against him, torn between two conflicting voices within me—one warning of the repercussions if we were caught, and the other craving Jared wherever I could have him.

"Jared, someone will see," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"Good. Let them witness that the great Alison isn't as perfect as she seems, craving someone like me," he retorted.

"Jared… Oh God!" I cried out as he thrust into me forcefully, filling me in one powerful motion. There was nothing gentle about his approach. He pressed me harder against the window, each thrust pushing my body against the surface of it, leaving me fully exposed. No one was around on this side at the moment, the crowd gathered elsewhere, but they could appear at any moment.

I was on edge, realizing the risk we were taking. All I could think about was how screwed I was as Jared panted into my ear, his cock sliding in and out of me, evoking memories of the intense pleasure he used to give me when we were together. It felt so wrong, yet undeniably intoxicating—a forbidden indulgence unlike any other.