Page 17 of Need

ChapterTen

Sharon

The next morning,Jonathan was gone by the time I awoke. I barely remembered him getting out of bed, too exhausted from the night’s activities. Even after he fucked my mouth by the balcony windows, he didn’t leave me wanting.

He’d helped me to the bathroom and showered with me. He made sure I was alright. He had been rough but I didn’t want to disappoint him. I wanted him to find his footing without having to worry too much about me. I wanted to help exorcise the demons of his past, of the humiliation he’d felt with someone else. I was no replacement for her, but I was a start.

In the bedroom, Jonathan held my wrists down as he fucked me on the bed, and the memory made my pussy clench. I’d bear his bruises for the next few days, something I could easily hide with wide hammered gold bracelets. I remembered how his hands felt on my body, hitting me on the breasts, my thighs, my cunt. At times, he was like a man possessed, a man making up for lost time and I loved every minute of his becoming. I wanted more, so muchmore.

My phone rang then and I didn’t need to glance at the display to see who it was. I answered on the secondring.

“You’re awake,” Jonathan said. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice. Had he even slept? “How are you feeling?”

“Happy.”

“I’m glad to hearthat.”

“You didn’t say goodbye,” I said, running my fingers on his pillow.

“If I did, I wouldn’t have made my flight,” he said. “Besides, I didn’t want to wake you. Next time I’ll be gentler.”

“You don’t need to be,” I said, pausing. “Aren’t you tired?”

I heard him chuckle. “Notyet.”

“How long’s your flight?”

“About twelve hours, but I plan on sleeping the moment I hangup.”

I wondered if he knew I was still in the apartment. I hated having to rush out, doing my walk of shame so early in the morning. “I’ll be out of the apartment soon. I just need to take a shower and get dressed.”

“There’s no rush. Take your time,” Jonathan said, pausing as I heard someone say something to him in the background, something about a glass of scotch. I heard ice tinkling in a glass. He thanked her before returning to his call. “I left you something on the dining table. But I need you to wait until I hang up before you openit.”

“What if I were to get out of bed right now and check itout?”

“Then I’ll be very displeased with you, Sharon. And not in a good way,” he said in a low, stern voice.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I’ll wait until you hangup.”

“We’re not in a scene right now. You can call me Jonathan.”

“I’m sorry, Jonathan,” I said, remembering his rules. We’d have to go over them again–and more formally next time, not when he was fucking my brains out. “Oh, before you go, I want to thank you for everything. I had a wonderful time. A really wonderfultime.”

“I did, too.” He was quiet for a few moments. “Sharon, no matter what happens, I want you to remember you’re not alone. I’ll do everything I can to make sure that you’re safe. Do you understandthat?”

I wanted so much to believe him, just like I believed every man who claimed to protect me. “Yes, I understand.”

A voice came on the speaker in the background, something about the cruising altitude. “As soon as I hang up, go and check out your surprise. I hope you’ll like it,” Jonathansaid.

“Surprise? Why didn’t you say so?” This time, I flung off the covers and swung my legs off the bed. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Actually, I felt more like a blissfully happy woman proudly bearing the signs of her submission to her newSir.

Jonathan laughed. “Go then. I’ll talk to yousoon.”

I found his surprise on the dining table, an envelope resting against a vase of white long-stemmed roses. It contained a handwritten note, a black credit card, and akey.

Sharon,

I know you’re still looking for apartments but this place is for you to use if you want. It’s your call. Everything’s taken care of. I’ll be back in a month and until then, text or call me if you need anything. You can tell me anything. You can trust me and I’ll do everything I can to take care of you. I want you to feel safe. When I’m in town, know my rules, and for the times I’m not, be discreet. That’s all I ask. Begood.

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