“No games.” He lifts his hands like that does anything to show his perceived innocence.
Oh, there will be. He’ll just be a player rather than an orchestrator.
“Just business. If you want to ante up, bring your wallet. Otherwise, just let my guys see who they're going to make a deal with. A show of good faith.”
I consider it another moment longer. “Where and when?”
34
Amber
“It's just me, little doll.” Cal's soft voice calls to me through the void in my mind, and something about the way he says it assures me that this isn't the first time he's called to me.
I blink, letting him come into focus before me, his dark eyes intent on mine, his mouth set into a look of concern.
“There you are.” He says, and something about it makes me proud. There's an affection in his voice that I can't be sure is really there, but it makes me feel somehow safe.
Looking past him, I see that we're alone again... in his bedroom.
I don’t remember anything about coming home.
When I closed my eyes last, I was in the basement, waiting for him to come.
“Cal.” My voice cracks, assuring me it's been unused for far too long.
“I've got you, little doll.” He says softly, wrapping me in his arms.
He smells good... clean, like he’s just showered.
And I gather he has… orwehave.
I can smell the sweet apples of my shampoo, and when I raise a hand to my head, the strands are damp.
“Did... did we do it?” I hesitate, seeing no blood on either of us, no signs of any struggle. I certainly don'tfeellike I've been fucked.
I have a vague idea of what happened when I was lying there in the basement, but it wasn't exactly what I'd expected to happen. It's all so hazy.
My eyes were closed the whole time, so I'm sure that limited my perception of it all, but I can piece enough things together to shape a narrative.
I know that the man who Katrina was afraid of touched me, climbed overtop of me, and used my body for his pleasure. It's all stuff that I consented to when I planned it with Cal so that we could get what we wanted from him. But I don't think any of it went the way we had talked about it.
Cal shakes his head. “We opened the floodgate, but we haven't crossed over yet to the point of no return. I didn't let him use you. I... couldn't.”
“But…” I shake my head, trying to understand why he deviated from the plan. “We agreed?”
“We did.” He nods. “But I couldn't stand there and watch someone else where I'm supposed to be.” His eyes burn with something I can't name. It's dangerous and gorgeous, and it makes something in my stomach tighten.
“I told you, it's just sex. It's transactional.”
“Maybe.” He licks his lips. “But you're not just my toy anymore. I don't want to watch you let other men fuck you the way that I do.”
That's probably not supposed to sound like a declaration of his feelings for me, but it doesn't sound like a man who's just biding his time until he decides he's grown bored of me, either.
“You told me you'd kill them when they fucked me.”
“I will.” He agrees, his fingers flexing against my cheek. “I'll kill anyone who dares touch what's mine without my permission.”
“And if Iwantto fuck someone?” I ask quietly, waiting to see how he reacts to that.
