Knight

Chapter Eleven The Real You

“Tight, Anya.”

After his soft words sounded against the skin of my neck, my limbs around Knight squeezed and I stared at the ceiling of his bedroom, nose stinging, heart beating hard.

It was Sunday morning and Knight just made love to me.

Made.

Love.

To.

Me.

Not bossy, not dirty, not an exercise in control. I got to touch, taste, lick, do what I wanted to do and so did he (as usual). It was slow, lazy, gentle.

And beautiful.

Honestly, I didn’t know he had that in him. He told me he could do normal, gentle. But after a week of what we’d had, I didn’t really think about it. I expected since I was giving it to him the way he liked, he’d take advantage of it.

And he did.

But he woke up in a different mood that morning and gave it to me sweet, letting me give it back. I loved it and from what I could tell, he did too.

This meant I had it all from Knight, at least in bed. Scary, crazy, hot. Adventurous. Consuming. Excruciating. Exciting. Unexpected. Slow. Lazy. Gentle. Sweet.

Never in my life, any aspect of it, had I had it all or even expected to.

Now, I did and to say it moved me was an understatement.

Knight quit nuzzling my neck with his nose and lips and his head came up.

My eyes went to his.

His looked into mine a quarter of a second and he whispered, “Baby, what?”

“You want a surprise?” I whispered back, not about to tell him what. Not then. Maybe later.

Hopefully it would be later after it stayed good in a way I knew it always would be.

He held my eyes for long moments and I knew he did it coming to a decision.

Then he came to it.

“Yeah,” he answered, thankfully and it had to be said thoughtfully letting it slide.

“I called my Sunday clients, all of them. Moved them. Now my Sundays are free.”

His eyes went hooded and, seriously, that was a good look.

“So you’re mine all day,” he said softly.

“Every Sunday,” I replied just as softly.

One side of his lips curved up and he kept talking softly when he said, “Thank you, baby.”

He wanted that. Me. All day Sunday.

God.

“You’re welcome, honey.”

His hand came up and his fingertips trailed along the apple of my cheek as he muttered, “Fuck, my baby’s sweet.”

So was my Daddy.

“I have another surprise,” I announced and his eyes went from his fingers now at my temple to mine.

“Yeah?”

“Anya Gage’s World Famous Toasted Almond Pancakes with Almond Infused Maple Syrup. I brought all the stuff over last night.”

That got me a full grin. “World famous?”

I grinned back. “Totally.”

His eyes went to my mouth, his pupils dilated then they came back to mine.

“My shirt, no underwear while you make them.”

Back to bossy.

My womb convulsed.

“Okay, Daddy,” I whispered and his hips between mine pressed in.

“Fuck, how did this happen?” he muttered like he was talking to himself, his eyes moving over my face.

“What?”

He looked back into my eyes. “You’re perfect, baby.”

I blinked.

Then I whispered, “Knight –”

“No, Anya, no fucked up shit outta that sweet mouth. I’m not gonna listen to it and I’ll work my balls off, I don’t care if it takes decades, to make you stop even thinkin’ it. Instead, you gotta know that every second I spend with you it becomes more and more clear you were made for me. A gift I don’t deserve, didn’t earn but I’m not giving it back.”

My nose started stinging again and I demanded quietly, “Stop it.”

“Not gonna do that, Anya. Not ever. Not until you get it, baby.”

“Girls, we’re like this,” I explained quickly in an effort to move us off this topic. “Except for girls like Sandrine who, from her Dad on up, had men spoiling her rotten and convincing her she’s precious, which, as you know, causes its own issues, we spend hours convincing ourselves we’re faulty. Even Vivica, who’s totally awesome and mostly knows that, she’s also totally ambitious and driven to be perfect and create the perfect life. You just have to roll with it.”

“Bullshit,” he replied instantly and I blinked.

“Pardon?”

“Sandrine’s Dad knew what he was doin’. It’s Sandrine now who’s fucking up. You got a girl who’s worth it, you’re her Dad or you’re her Daddy, you spoil her rotten. You let her know she’s precious, not convince her of that shit, because it’s not about convincing. It’s about understanding it’s just fuckin’ true.”

Now I was blinking for a different reason. Rapidly.

“Seriously, Knight, stop it,” I whispered.

“Deep breathe. Control those tears. And I’ll let it go after I say this. We haven’t had the time to get into what Nick did to you and how you believed it so easily. Your aunt, she was negligent, which has the power to create wounds, and on top of that she was a cunt, which scores those wounds deep. You’re right, everyone should work to make a better life for themselves however they gotta do it. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t hope and expect good things to come their way. Random and unexpected. Regularly or infrequently. It doesn’t matter, good things happen just like bad. And it’s fucked up not to think you’ll get your share of those, babe. And even more fucked up that, when you do, you feel you don’t deserve them or they’re jacked in some way that reflects on you. Nick is an asshole but that doesn’t mean he isn’t smart. The way he’s smart is he’s observant. He notices shit. It’s a trait that could be put to good use and sometimes, he’s in the mood, he can use it that way. He’s also got a deep, fuckin’ mean streak and that’s what he works at. He saw you, he read you, he was pissed you were walkin’ to him from my bed when he wants you in his and he cut you, went straight in for the kill usin’ exactly what he knew would make you bleed. What you gotta get is, that’s his shit. You gotta turn that shit back on him and see he’s actin’ on spite. And he’s doin’ it because he wants the gift of you, cannot have it and it pisses him off. So what he did was a jacked up, nasty, twisted compliment. And you should have just smiled to yourself, crawled in my bed and waited for me to come home and show you the real you.”

My voice was throaty when I warned, “If you want me not to cry, Knight, you seriously need to shut up.”

He studied me. Then he smiled at me.

Then he said quietly, “For now, I’ll give you that, baby. Now get your ass outta my bed and make me pancakes.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

He dipped his head and brushed his lips against mine. Then he slid his tongue across my lower lip and my arms and legs automatically gave him a squeeze. Then my tongue slid out and reciprocated the gesture.

Then he growled, slanted his head and kissed me.

Only after that did I get out of bed and I felt his eyes on me while I shrugged on his midnight blue, tailored, slim fit shirt. I continued to feel his eyes while I buttoned the buttons from mid-breast to navel. I continued to feel his eyes while I walked to the bathroom to clean up (by the by, we dispensed with condoms because I was on the pill, this I shared with Knight prior to him giving it to me the second time), brush my teeth and wash my face. And I continued to feel his eyes as I walked out of the bathroom, grinned at him as he lounged on his side in bed, head in his hand, as I walked to the door and even as I wandered down his hall.

And I loved every second of it.

That day was going to be a golden day, I could feel it.

And I knew this because I was standing at Knight’s restaurant quality range, smelling his cologne coming from his shirt, my pancakes bubbling on the griddle and they were perfect. I had to admit, there were days (not the golden kind) when even my World Famous Toasted Almond Pancakes could go south.

Today was not one of those days.

I heard the murmur of Knight’s voice coming toward me and I knew he was on the phone. As it got closer and closer, I twisted my neck and watched him appear in the living room-kitchen area and I smiled a secret smile that didn’t curve my lips but curved deep inside me.

Faded jeans. Bare feet. Beat up Motörhead tee.

Yummy. I had Jeans and Heavy Metal Tee Knight Sunday.

Totally a golden day.

He spoke into the phone at his ear as he walked but his eyes were on me.

I gave him a smile and turned back to the pancakes.

“Yeah.” I heard him say. Then, “No. Not likin’ that.”

Then I felt him come up behind me.

“Right,” he said into the phone.

Then I felt his hand at my belly, his front warm against my back.

I grinned at the pancakes as I flipped them.

“No, we’ll do it tomorrow,” he told whoever he was talking to.

My legs trembled when his hand found the opening to his shirt and I felt it, skin against skin at my belly.

Another secret inside smile.

“He wants to be there, he’s there. But Kurt’s on stand-by,” Knight stated and my belly dropped as my eyes went unfocused when his hand slid down and in, cupping me.

“Hang on,” I said into the phone and at my ear he whispered, “Open your legs a little, baby.”

My hand came out, wrapped around the edge of the marble countertop by the stove, feeling the cool, hard stone and I did as Knight told me to do.

I felt him press into my back as he leaned deeper to get better access, his middle finger slid tight over my clit then it glided inside.

I sucked in an audible breath.

“Back,” I heard him mutter into the phone. “Right. Set it up. We’ll talk tomorrow. I got Anya all day, keep everyone off me. Yeah?” Pause then, “Later.”

I saw his phone hit the counter, felt his lips come to my ear as his free arm slid around my midriff but I was holding on and deep breathing.

“Those look good, babe,” he whispered in my ear.

“Yeah,” I breathed.

I felt his chuckle against my skin and I shivered.

Then he asked, “Now do you get my rule of no underwear?”

Oh, I got it all right. I got it so much I was considering throwing all my underwear in the trash.

“Yeah,” I breathed again.

He explained it anyway as his finger inside me did a lazy circle. “Instant access, I want even a hint of the thrill of you.”

My legs trembled and I held the counter tighter.

“Jesus, can fuckin’ feel you gettin’ wet.”

I pressed my lips together.

“You always ready for me?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Yes?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

His lips moved to the skin of my neck as his finger slid out, over my clit and he whispered, “That’s my baby.”

I bit my lip.

His hand flattened, coming up and gliding across my belly so he was just holding me.

“Hungry, Anya, so pull it together, babe, and concentrate on pancakes.”

“Right,” I whispered and Knight held me as I took in a couple of shaky breaths and pulled it together. As if he sensed it, once my concentration returned and I had my legs firm under me, he kissed my neck and let me go.

He moved to the coffee. I lifted the griddle from the burner and moved to the plates set on placemats that I’d already put out.

I scooped out pancakes as Knight asked, “You got coffee?”

“Yeah, honey.”

“Need it warmed?”

I looked at him and grinned. “I’m good. Breakfast is ready.”

His face got soft and he took his mug to the bar. I put the griddle on the burner, made sure everything was off and joined him there.

Buttering and syruping commenced.

It wasn’t until I was swallowing my third bite that I got the courage to go for it.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” he muttered through pancakes and I looked at him.

I was on the stool next to him, my legs crossed. His legs were splayed wide and he didn’t have to tell me he liked my World Famous Toasted Almond Pancakes because the bites he was taking were huge.

“You like the pancakes?” I asked and his eyes slid to me.

“Uh… yeah.” Then he forked more into his mouth.

I giggled.

He chewed, swallowed and his brows went up. “That’s what you wanted to ask?”

I shook my head.

Then I blurted, “You have a cane?”

His head tipped slightly to the side and he asked, “What?”

“You, um… the other night, you said I needed a, uh… strap or cane. So, um… do you have one? Of, uh… either of those.”

He studied me and then a slow, lazy, wicked smile spread across his face.

My toes curled.

“Doin’ your homework?” he asked quietly.

“Just curious,” I somewhat lied.

He kept smiling his wicked smile as he answered, “Both, baby. No whips, no paddles, no crops. You want me to branch out, we’ll go shopping.”

I blinked.

“Shopping?”

“Shopping.”

Oh my.

Knight kept explaining. “Strap, the edges are smooth. You’ll feel the sting, Anya, but no marks. And just to ease that curiosity, you fuck up a little, you get my hand. More, you get the strap. Huge, you get the cane.”

I tried not to squirm on my stool and failed but congratulated myself anyway because it was just a little squirm.

Knight, however, didn’t miss it and I knew this when his arm came out, his hand hooked around the back of my neck and he pulled me to him twisting me and leaning in until our faces were close.

“You know, but I’ll tell you anyway, I’m fuckin’ thrilled you liked takin’ that so much, babe. But that shit doesn’t happen unless you earn it. You wanna experiment, after pancakes, I’ll get inspired. But I tan your ass when you jack up and only then. You like it, you earn it. And I’ll tell you this too even though I already told you, you want that game, I’ll be fuckin’ thrilled to play it with you. But that’s how it is. We got our safe word, we’re good to play the game whenever you want. And if you don’t get this, I’m controlling, that’s what this is about. But baby, you enter that game, that’s your way to control me. You with me?”

Controlling Knight.

I liked that.

I nodded.

“Don’t be nervous or shy about this shit, Anya. I’ll take you as far as you wanna go as long as I’m comfortable with it. You do not sit on anything you’re uncomfortable with either. I go too far, you say the safe word. You do not hesitate and I’ll stand down immediately. No repercussions, baby, and I won’t be disappointed. I promise. We have only what we got right now, I’m way good. And it goes the other way, you like something and want more, you also tell me. And I’ll give it to you. Yeah?”

I nodded.

His eyes held mine.

Then he asked gently, “Now, while I’m eatin’ pancakes, am I looking for inspiration?”

I nodded again.

He grinned again, slow, lazy and wicked.

My legs started trembling.

“Eat,” he whispered then he let me go.

I pulled in a steadying breath and turned my attention to my pancakes.

I got two bites in before my purse sitting close to Knight’s place setting rang. He reached out, dragged it across the countertop to him, dug in and pulled out the phone.

He looked at the display, looked at me and offered it to me, muttering, “Sandrine.”

I took it from him, swallowed, took the call and put the phone to my ear.

“Hey, honey.”

“Anya?”

At her trembling, terrified voice, my back shot straight before I froze.

“Sandrine, where are you? What’s the matter?” I asked and I felt Knight come alert beside me.

“Oh God… Anya,” she whispered, the words broken then she burst into tears.

My eyes shot to Knight who was studying me, face blank, eyes watchful and working but I spoke into the phone.

“Sandrine, honey, talk to me. What’s going on? Where –?”

Then my phone wasn’t at my ear. It was in Knight’s hand at his.

“Sandrine. This is Knight. Pull it together. Two minutes. Are you in trouble?” Pause while I stared at him, eyes glued to his impassive face. “Right. You know where you are?” Another pause while I started shivering. Knight looked to me, lifted his other hand, snapped his fingers once then pointed to his phone. “He still there?” Knight asked as I jumped off the stool and rushed toward his phone.

Oh God.

Oh God.

“This needs to be straight, Sandrine, so give it to me straight. He force you to do it or did you just do it?”

Oh God!

Oh God!

I grabbed Knight’s phone and raced back to him.

“Good, Sandrine. Straight is good. Hang tight. You remember the guy who gave you the ride last weekend?” I held his phone out to him, he took it and I stood close, listening hard. “Good. Either him or me will be there soon. We’re both coming. We’ll deal with the guy and we’ll get you out of there. Hang tight. Don’t do anything stupid. Avoid this guy while you’re waiting if you can. Are you with me?” Another pause then, “Good. You gonna hang tight?” He waited. I waited. Then, “Good, Sandrine. Someone’s coming. I’m letting you go now. Okay?” Pause then, “Be there soon.”

He beeped my phone off and handed it to me but immediately started beeping buttons on his.

“I know you’re freaked, babe, but I gotta get Kurt in play,” he muttered.

“Okay,” I whispered.

I could even hear the fear in my voice so I knew why his eyes sliced to me. I also knew why his hand lifted and curled, firm, warm and tight around the side of my neck as he lifted his phone to his ear.

“Kurt? Yeah, Knight. Got a situation. Need you in play.” He gave an address and a succinct rundown of the situation that gave me nothing then, “I’ll either be there when you get there or I’ll meet you there. Don’t wait to go in. She’s expecting one or both of us. You’re there first, get her out and get her here. Whoever’s out last deals with the guy. Guess? Piss-ant but be smart. Yeah?” He was silent then, “Later.”

He hit a button and looked at me.

I pulled in breath.

Knight gave it to me.

“It’s not as bad as you think but it’s fucked. She went out last night, got shitfaced, hooked up. From his address, dude’s got money. She went home with him. He offered her something that was mood-enhancing, she was not enthusiastic but she was determined so she took it. He gave her too much. Trip was bad. She doesn’t remember much. She’s still fucked up, probably high, definitely drunk. But she’s not enough of both not to realize she’s freaked. He isn’t letting her leave. Don’t know why, could just be she’s tripping bad and drunk and he’s concerned so he’s not letting her go, could be he’s an asshole. But I’ll find out and deal with it. One or both of you and Vivica got access to her place?”

“Both,” I whispered.

“Activate Vivica. Clothes, underwear, whatever the fuck bitches need. Get her ass there to get it and here for when I get Sandrine back. I don’t know what she took so I don’t know what we got on our hands. It could still get bumpy. You got that?”

I nodded.

“I gotta go,” he told me.

I nodded again.

He leaned in quick to give me an even quicker kiss then he took off.

I sucked in breath as I lifted my phone to call Vivica.

Then I thought that day was turning out not so golden.

Then I thought, Sandrine, she’s gonna be the death of me.

“Shit, fuck, stupid Sandrine. We get her sorted, I’m gonna kick her skinny, white ass.”

This was Vivica, pacing the landing between the kitchen and the sunken living room, ranting.

“Viv,” I whispered and she stopped and cut her eyes to me.

“Good news is, never been here. Sandrine said this crib was sweet. She didn’t say it was sah-fuckin’-weet. Bad news is, you got a heart of pure gold. You’re gonna be all Momma’s gonna make it better when you should do that ‘til it’s better then you need to back me up with, you do this again, Momma’s gonna kick your skinny, white ass.”

I pressed my lips together.

My phone in my hand rang.

I jumped, looked at it, saw the call was from Knight, took it and put it to my ear.

“Sweetheart,” I whispered.

“Babe, got her. Head’s up, she is fucked up. We’re ten minutes out. When we get there, you’re on duty. You get Vivica?”

“Viv’s here.”

“Good. Shower first. The one in the front hall.”

“Okay but, should we take her to the hospital?”

“Bad high mixed with booze but if she was gonna stop breathing, she would have done it hours ago.”

“What did she take?”

“Better question, what didn’t she take? Smoked meth. Got wired, he freaked, gave her shit to bring her down. She went down, gave her shit to take her back up. Motherfucker’s got money so he’s also got a pharmacy and not all the legal kind. All that on top of her being absolutely hammered.”

I sucked in breath.

Knight kept talking.

“Kurt’s dealing with him.”

Oh boy.

Knight went on, “Towels in the hall bathroom are clean. She’s probably gonna crash soon. That’s gonna happen in the TV room so sort that. And a bowl. Fuck knows, she might still puke though the dude she was with said she’s been doin’ a lotta that but he didn’t need to tell me since I smelled it at his place. That’s likely why she’s still breathing. If she has to do it again, I just fuckin’ hope she waits until she’s outta my ride.”

I did too. Aston Martins and drunk/high vomiting did not go together.

Or any vomiting.

God, Sandrine.

“Okay, honey,” I said softly.

“Be there soon. Later.”

“Later.”

I disconnected and my eyes went to Viv.

“They’re close. We’re up,” I told her.

“Have I said today I love him?” she replied.

I smiled, it was freaked, it was happy, it was hopeful.

“No,” I whispered then sighed, “but yeah.”

Then I put the phone on the counter and hustled to the hall bathroom.

I left a fuming, eyes to a movie Vivica and the now sleeping Sandrine in the TV room and walked down the hall to find Knight.

As I was going, Kurt crossed the mouth of the hall.

His eyes came to me, his chin went up, he grunted, “Yo,” but he didn’t break stride and thus disappeared.

As I got to the end of the hall I stopped and looked to the left to the front door to see it closing. Then I looked to the right and saw Knight outside smoking.

I walked there.

He was hips against the railing watching me even before I made it to the door.

Once I stepped through and closed it behind me, I said, “She’s sleeping.”

“Good. She wakes up, she’ll feel like fuck but you still do not hesitate to rip that bitch a new fuckin’ asshole.”

I stopped two feet away and pressed my lips together.

“You stopped too soon,” he informed me and I moved the rest of the way.

He instantly wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me so I was resting most of my weight on him. I lifted my hands and placed them light on his chest.

“I’m so sorry, Knight. She ruined our golden Sunday,” I said quietly.

“Yeah, she did and I’m pissed about that. I’m pissed about the state I found her in. I’m pissed I had to deal with that shit. I’m pissed I had to fuck up Kurt’s Sunday off callin’ him in. I’m pissed your posse is here not havin’ a nice dinner and some wine but dealin’ with that shit. And I’m pissed they’re here at all because I have you all day, you wanted me to get inspired and I was lookin’ forward to that.” His arm gave me a squeeze. “But the gig is, Anya, you should be pissed about all this too and a fuckuva lot more than me. This bitch is your bitch and she doesn’t get smart fast, this budding tendency toward creating bad scenes that are gettin’ worse is gonna get outta hand.”

He was so right.

So I agreed quietly, “Yeah.”

“Your other bitch looks fit to be tied and hangin’ on from lettin’ loose by the skin of her teeth. You should be too,” he told me.

“That’s what Viv says.”

“She’s right and so am I.”

I pressed my lips together.

Knight watched, took a drag from his cigarette, blew out the smoke in a thin, pissed off stream then he crushed it out on the ashtray on the railing. Then both his arms curved around me.

“Right,” he started. “Kurt got the full story and the fuck of this is, this guy last night, he’s loaded. Serious as shit. And somethin’ else, he’s had his eye on Sandrine a while. And not to fuck her up and play with her in ways she doesn’t want. The stupid fuck actually liked her. He thought it was him needin’ to prove somethin’ to her. Partier. Player. Big man. High roller. Show her he’s got connections. He’s cool. Hip to the fuckin’ scene. Do not know how this dude makes his money but he has fuck all confidence. He’s never even smoked meth. Why the motherfucker had it is beyond me. Those two smokin’ meth when neither of them knew what the fuck they were doin’ is so fuckin’ ridiculous I can’t even begin to describe it. To have meth at all is jacked. That is not my problem. My problem is, I got a woman who’s got a girl who’s got her head jammed so far up her ass, she cannot fuckin’ see. This guy was her ticket. And instead of just bein’ classy and beautiful and sweet, she put herself out there when this guy only wanted the classy, beautiful and sweet and to lay the world at her feet so she’d take his cock and, probably, take it long enough to get his ring on her finger, make babies and spoil her until she died. Now, he’s got puke all over his house, he’s had a visit from Kurt and me that was extreme and if she was even together enough to give him her number, he’s probably erasing it from his phonebook right now if he hasn’t already. So that’s my problem, Anya, because you and Vivica don’t pull her head outta her ass, this is gonna stay your problem, and through you mine, for a long time. And I’ll give you this one head’s up, a man fucks with her which means through her you experience a crash and burn, and I’m talkin’ he date rapes her or we’re takin’ a trip to the hospital for any fuckin’ reason, by association, she gets my services. And that means, the guy who did it is breathin’ through a tube and that’s only if I’m in a good enough mood to leave him breathing.”

I held my breath and held his eyes.

Knight kept talking.

“I am not kidding. I’m also not exaggerating. So save me that hassle and pull her head outta her ass.”

“Okay, Knight.”

He stared at me.

Then, softer but still firm, he told me, “I had a man who saw and heard the entire fuckin’ thing that went down with Nick. She put your ass out there, Anya, and I know it. I wasn’t at the club that night, my man wasn’t close, I do not like to think where Nick woulda taken that with you. You say Vivica is protective, you are too and what you did to pull Sandrine outta that shit proves it. You made the wrong decision then, baby. Don’t make the wrong decision today. In this situation, your protection needs to run the way Vivica’s does. Don’t buckle and be sweet. Don’t swing your ass out there. Don’t swing mine out there. Don’t swing Vivica’s out there. You get me?”

I nodded.

He pulled in a sharp breath through his nose then his eyes drifted over my shoulder.

I watched him get lost in thought then I slid my hands down his chest so I could wrap my arms around him. His chin dipped down and his eyes caught mine.

“Told you about my Dad,” he stated apropos of nothing. “Didn’t tell you he isn’t my Dad. He’s my stepdad. I have no fuckin’ clue who my Dad is because my mother was a prostitute before she met him.”

I blinked and my body went solid.

Oh my God.

“Oh, Knight. Honey,” I whispered.

His hand slid up and curled around the back of my neck but his eyes never left mine.

“She was fucked up. All I ever knew until Carl came into our lives and sorted her shit out. Nick’s his. He never made me feel I wasn’t. He adopted me legally, gave me his name. I was a little kid but I remember all that shit before Carl. Makes no sense, don’t know how she did it but even fucked up, she was a good Mom. She loved me, took care of me the best she could. They obviously never talk about it and I sure as fuck never asked but my guess, he was a john, he was a regular and he fell in love with a street walker. Got her off the street. Got her clean. Gave her a good life. It’s jacked but it worked.”

“I’m pleased you’re sharing with me, sweetheart,” I told him softly and cautiously. “I wanna know about you. But I’m wondering why you’re sharing this now.”

“Why is because she had a good life, good parents, good schooling. She went off the rails doin’ stupid shit for men. It got messier and messier until her whole life was mess. I don’t know my grandparents, neither does Nick. They got shot of her and she made them do it in a way where they never looked back. Even for grandchildren. I am not clairvoyant. But I learned really fuckin’ early a lotta bad shit can happen to women. A lot of it. And, you might think I’m wrong but I’m not, a lot of that happens because they do stupid shit and they’re weak. Your girl is weak and not because her Dad thinks she’s beautiful and precious and told her so. Because she just is. It’s time she sorts herself out before, one way or another, she’s beyond anyone saving and protecting.”

“Viv and I’ll talk to her,” I promised.

“Do it until you’re blue in the face and break through. You don’t, I’m gonna keep an eye on this and the time comes you need to scrape her off to protect yourself, I’ll be leanin’ on you to do that. She’s your girl and that’ll be your decision. But I won’t let up. Get me?”

“Get you,” I whispered.

His arms gave me a squeeze.

“Right,” he muttered. “Now, I’m gonna make you and Vivica lunch. Is there anything she doesn’t eat?”

God, God, God, this was a good, kind man even if he calmly talked about making people breathe through a tube.

“Anything green and healthy on the weekends. She keeps to a strict, twelve hundred calorie, heavy on the veggies diet Mondays through Fridays so she can do whatever she wants on the weekend. So, don’t make salad. Viv won’t eat it.”

I watched his lips twitch then he murmured, “I think I like this bitch.”

“She’s a submissive.”

Oh God! Did I blurt that out?

I watched Knight do a slow blink.

Yep, I blurted that out.

I pressed deep and gave him a squeeze of my arms. “Don’t tell her I told you,” I begged on a whisper. “I don’t even know why I told you.”

“She out that before or after you told her I own you?” he asked, totally clued in.

Oh boy.

“After.”

He grinned. “Built-in advisor. Lucky for you, babe.”

I rolled my eyes.

I felt his body shake with his chuckle as his arms gave me a squeeze.

When I rolled them back he asked, “She owned?”

I shook my head and whispered like Viv, who was space and walls away, could hear if I didn’t, “Looking.”

“Won’t look long,” he muttered.

“She made it sound like it wasn’t easy to find the right one.”

His eyes held mine and he replied, “It fucking isn’t.”

Oh.

My.

His eyes got lazy, his head dipped, he kissed me lightly then he pulled back.

“Lunch,” he declared. “No salad.”

Yes, a good, kind man.

“Thanks, honey,” I whispered.

“You’re welcome, babe,” he whispered back, I got another squeeze, he let me go and we walked in together.

Knight went to the kitchen.

I went to Vivica and Sandrine.

“Roll, baby.”

My body sated, my wrists tied to the slats of the headboard with soft, strong, black silk scarves, I rolled to my belly which meant I rolled close to Knight whose front was now pressed to my side.

It was much later, Viv had taken Sandrine home and it was finally just us.

“Pull yourself up, cock your elbows out. It’ll be more comfortable,” Knight said softly, his hand coming to rest on the small of my back.

Apparently, he wasn’t going to untie me. And he’d just done me while I was tied to his bed and I’d come hard.

Twice.

But still, knowing that Knight wasn’t going to untie me, I quivered.

I wrapped my hands around the scarf and shifted up, cocking my elbows out and found he was right.

“Rest your head on the pillow, keep your eyes to me,” he ordered gently and I lay my head down and kept my eyes to his beauty.

His face dipped close to mine.

Then he went on softly, “Spread for Daddy.”

I licked my lips as I quivered again, this time stronger, and I opened my legs.

“Wider, baby.”

Oh God.

Another quiver.

I spread wider.

His hand slid down to my behind and his fingers dug in.

His voice was firm when he ordered, “Anya, wider.”

I went as far as I could, my left leg having to push through his heavy ones and he hooked one around.

“That’s it,” he said softly, his hand now stroking my bottom then it was just his fingertips trailing light along the skin of my ass and the small of my back.

He pulled back and settled in with an elbow in the pillow, head in his hand, eyes and fingertips on me.

Then he asked conversationally, “Tell me, you get through to your girl?”

I didn’t expect this, to be tied to the bed, naked, spread open and then have a chat.

God, weird.

And hot.

“She felt like shit but she totally freaked when I laid it out. She expected that from Viv. Not from me. It freaked Viv out too but Viv rolled with me and we tag teamed her.”

His fingers kept at me, lazy.

“You think she took it in?”

“I don’t know,” I answered quietly. “There was a lot of crying and excuses. She was embarrassed. We went over the Nick situation. I told her what you told me about the guy being into her and her losing her chance at that. She was upset at that news and Vivica was pretty harsh. So I hope so.”

“Good,” he muttered, his eyes wandered to my behind as his fingers kept drifting.

I stayed still. Knight watched his hand move. This lasted a long time. Long enough for it to go from hot and sweet to hot and torture.

Then Knight whispered, “Love my baby’s ass.”

I loved it that he loved my ass.

His eyes came back to mine.

“And she gave me Sundays.”

I smiled up at him, it was lazy and my eyes were hooded because I was getting way turned on but I did it.

“What should I give her back?” he asked.

Another quiver.

I had a thousand ideas but I bet he had more and his were better.

I didn’t say that.

Instead I pointed out, “You’ve already been super generous to me, Knight. I just moved some clients. It’s not a big deal.”

His head tipped into his hand. “It is to me.”

“Okay,” I whispered. “But I also owe you for stepping up for Sandrine.”

One side of his mouth went up and he agreed, “Yeah, you do.”

I grinned back but I used my whole mouth.

Suddenly, he leaned into me, his face to mine, his fingers slipped in a barely there touch between my legs and my hips jumped.

“So what’re you gonna give me?” he asked.

“What do you want?” I whispered.

“To know what you’ll give me.”

“Whatever you want,” I replied immediately and his fingers came back up in a barely there touch. Then they did it again, there but not there. I could feel the hint, the promise but they weren’t really touching.

I squirmed.

“Whatever I want?” he asked.

“Yes,” I breathed.

“Whatever I want,” he murmured as if turning this concept over in his mind.

“Yes,” I repeated on a breath and squirmed again as his fingers kept giving without giving.

“Still, baby,” he warned and it took effort but I stilled.

His fingers moved giving everything and nothing.

I closed my eyes.

His hand went away.

“You know I don’t like your eyes closed, Anya.”

I opened them.

His hand came back.

“You wanna know what I want?” he asked.

“Yes,” I panted.

“I wanna know how long you can take this before you lose control.”

Oh God.

“About two more seconds,” I whispered.

“That would be disappointing,” he replied.

God!

“You gonna try to hold on?”

“Yes,” I breathed as his fingers kept at it.

“Good girl, holding on for Daddy.”

God, just those words nearly made me lose control.

He watched my face, held my eyes as his fingers played. I held on. He kept doing it. I kept holding on.

I was holding tight with both hands to the end of the scarf tied around my wrists and panting, my legs and bottom tight and quivering and he whispered, “Fuck me, magnificent. How much more can you take, baby?”

“Keep giving it to me and we’ll see,” I gasped.

“Fuck, magnificent,” he growled.

Then he kept giving it to me without giving it to me.

Finally, to keep control, my head went back an inch and my teeth sunk into my lip.

“Okay, Anya, you’re done,” he decided, his finger grazed my clit, my neck arched, my hips bucked and I came instantly.

When I was coming down, his fingers were slipping through and his lips were at my ear.

“Saturated,” he growled. “Roll to your back, you know how I like it. Offer that pussy to me. Daddy’s gonna lick you clean.”

He pulled away and I didn’t hesitate. I rolled to my back, lifted my knees high and spread my legs wide.

Then my Daddy licked me clean and made me come again doing it.

Then he fucked me hard and he made me come doing that too.

Then he didn’t untie me after he turned out the lights and settled tight to my side. He made me fall asleep with his hand cupping me, two fingers inside.

I slept like a baby.

Not a single dream.