Lily and the Beast 2 (12 page)

“Aidan, my heart belongs to you, and my body whenever we’re in the bedroom.  But out here, in real life, you have to treat me like a normal human being.”  That didn’t sound so unreasonable to me, but his jaw tightened. 

“That’s not what you agreed to.”

“I thought we were past this.  I thought we had something more.”

“That’s what I require.  I told you, Lily, I need to control others, at all times.  If you don’t like it, you don’t have to come back with me.”

My jaw dropped, was he giving me an ultimatum?  Let him own me or that was it?  “
Peaches
then,” I said, using my safeword.  “I’m at my hard limit, Aidan.  If I’m not more than a contract to you… If you can’t treat me the way I deserve, then…”

“Then what?”

I took a deep breath.  “Then this is over.”

“Fine.”

“Fine,” I repeated, even though inside I was crushed.  Was it so easy for him to say goodbye?  Maybe he never had felt real love for me at all.  “Goodbye, Aidan.”

Aidan turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the outer door with a crash. 

For the first time in my life, I was on my own, and I liked it. 

Well, not completely on my own.  I moved in with Nurse Jillian, once she declared my father fit to survive, and we were getting along pretty well.  I just couldn’t handle living with my family anymore, not unless I wanted to end up serving thirty years to life for multiple homicide.  My father was still treating me like the assmunch he was, pushing his guilt off on me, and I was done paying for his mistakes.  I was done with him completely.  And Cassie and Darlene weren’t much better – alternately sympathetic and catty, insinuating that I didn’t know how to hold on to a man, even one contractually obligated to keep me around. 

Michael tried calling me a million times after he sobered up and recovered from the ass whooping Aidan had given him.  His voicemails got increasingly frantic, so I replied by text, saying he was forgiven, but I never took any of his calls.  Eventually, he stopped trying.

I got a job waiting tables at a fancy French restaurant only one subway train away, and the tips had me living pretty comfortably with my meager expenses.  I’d even enrolled in some online college classes – only part time, and it’d take me three times as long to complete my degree, but at least I was moving forward again.  Keeping so busy I didn’t have much time to stop and think about
him
.

And that’s a total and utter lie, because there wasn’t a time when I didn’t think about Aidan.  At first, I kept thinking I’d run into him accidentally on purpose, you know?  Where he’s unable to keep away from me but pretending like it’s a total coincidence?  But that never happened.  And then I’d see a broad pair of shoulders down the street, and run like an idiot to catch up and spin him around – only to find it was some other guy and have to explain that I was raised in a town where we didn’t understand the concept of personal space. 

After a while, it started to sink it.  It was really over.  Aidan wasn’t about to leave his fancy mansion to come after me, and I’d probably never see him again. 

~~~

“I want it all gone, every last stitch.  I’m starting over completely from scratch.”  Aidan gave the order, expecting to enjoy the way they scurried to follow his wishes, but the truth was – he didn’t enjoy
anything
anymore. 

He didn’t need her, he didn’t need anybody.  His lifestyle was proof enough of that.  Or at least, it had been before she’d turned it all upside down.  So now he was helping it along, tearing down the old to make way for the new.  The entire playroom was being gutted, down to the window treatments and the rugs.  New furniture, new toys, definitely new costumes, new everything. 

“What shall I do with these, ah… items, sir?”  Mrs. Fisk asked, doing her best not to look in the box of leather and frilly lace she carried.

“I don’t fucking know.  Toss them out with the trash, burn them…  Hell, you can keep them for all I care, just get them out of my sight.”

“Yes, sir,” she murmured, her face flushed at the mere suggestion that she’d keep any of it. 

The first time he’d brought another woman up to his playroom after getting back from the city, it’d been no good.  Or the second.  Or the third.  She wasn’t pretty or delicate enough to suit him, not eager to please, too eager to please…  None of them had sparked an ounce of interest, and his dick had been even less interested.

So Aidan was bound and determined to chase the memory of Lily out of his head and his heart.  He needed a clean start where there was no trace of her left. 

Finally, the room was finished.  Ultra modern, like his office, painted a muted gray.  All sleek lines, bold geometric patterns and hard edges.  The bed was low to the ground, the squared off posts painted a flat black.  The old mahogany wardrobes had been replaced by slick, built-in cabinets mounted on either side of the flat screen TV, and a new array of sex toys lay in custom inserts in the drawers below. 

And finally, Aidan agreed to see another sub – this one blonde and almost obscenely buxom, as physically different from Lily as he could find.

“Kneel.”

She sank to her knees without hesitation, her face completely blank beneath the blindfold.  She wore a bra and panty set made of shiny, red, patent leather and nothing else, her long, blonde hair hanging straight down her back without curl or wave.  Aidan didn’t know what her name was, and he didn’t care.  It was back to business as usual. 

“You will not speak unless spoken to, do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.”  He couldn’t quite bring himself to say
good girl
, she’d done as requested and nothing more.  He felt no personal satisfaction for making her do so.  She was too well trained.  Maybe he could get her to slip up?  What the fuck was wrong with him?  Shouldn’t he want her well trained?

“Take off that bra, let me see your tits.” 

Again, no hesitation.  She immediately reached back and unclasped it, her tits swinging free and perky.  Maybe too perky to be real, and he reached out to grab one, giving it an experimental squeeze.  Was that saline?  Her lips parted, but she didn’t make a sound at being
manhandled
, as Lily called it.  Shit, how had she crept back into his head?  He let go of the tit in disgust, going to the sidebar to pour himself another scotch.  At the rate he’d been going through the liquor cabinet, he’d have to send Sterling down to pick up another crate of the good stuff. 

“Get on the bed,” he ordered.  “Arms behind your back, hands clasped.”  She complied, not making a peep as he cuffed her wrists together. 

“Bend over, face down, ass in the air.”

This was better, he didn’t have to look at her, he just had to fuck her.  Her breathing had picked up a notch, tits swinging as she rocked in place, ever so slightly.  She was turned on in anticipation of what was coming, and he hadn’t even touched her. 

“You like that, don’t you?  You want me to fuck you?”  His cock twitched once, starting to take interest in the situation.  Fuck yeah, he was back in the game!

“Yes, sir.”

“How do you want me to fuck you?”

“Anywhere you wish, sir.” 

Not quite the answer he was looking for.  “How about your ass?  Do you want me to fuck you in the ass?”

“Yes, sir.  You can put it anywhere.”

He grabbed a hold of her ass cheeks and spread them, exposing her moist slit and the stretched pucker of her ass.  She’d definitely been used there before.  Any interest his cock had shown was immediately dampened by the thought that he was only the latest in a long line of guys who’d used this one. 

In disgust, he unhooked her wrists and climbed off the bed.  “Go ahead and get dressed after I leave.”

“Did I do something wrong?”  She showed the first hint of emotion as her face scrunched up in confusion. 

“Yeah, you’re not her.”

Fuck. 

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck. 

What the fuck was he supposed to do, now that she’d ruined him for all other women?

“Do you want to go out later?  Some of us are going to catch a movie and then maybe some late night greasy food.”  Jillian’s expression was hopeful, but I shook my head, just like I had the last three times she’d invited me out for something fun.

“No, I have to work.”

“I know, but maybe you could catch up with us afterwards?”  Her enthusiasm didn’t dim, not even when I shook my head again.

“No thanks.  There’s some big private party booked for tonight, so who knows how late it’s going to run.”  A private party meant a special menu and customers who were entitled and even more prissy than usual.  It meant the waitstaff were expected to be extra sharp and fast, and unfortunately, it also meant way less tips with only one party to cater to.  Pretty much, it was shaping up to be a sucky night on all counts. 

“Aw, Lily,” she frowned, plopping down on the couch.  “When’s the last time you went out and had any fun?”

“Ah, let me see.  I think it was a Tuesday… I think the boys had just come back from the war,” I pretended to consider. 

“I’m serious.”

“So am I, Jillian.  So am I,” I said gravely, dodging her well meaning guilt trip to go get ready for work. 

There was already a flurry of activity going on when I got to the restaurant.  Most of the tables had been removed from the room, and a large round table had been set up in the center.  There was a profusion of candles – enough that I started to worry we’d get a visit from the fire marshal, but our maître d’, Jose Luis (who called himself Jacques to paying customers), didn’t seem to be too worried about it. 

“Hurry up, Lily.  You’re cutting it kind of close,” he hissed as I punched in on the time clock. 

“Keep your shirt on, I just have to change my shoes and I’ll be ready to roll.”

“Good, cause you’re the only one out on the floor tonight.”

Aw, man
.  That meant I’d be fetching and carrying double time.  “What happened to Ross?  Isn’t he supposed to be starting right now too?”

“The whale asked for only females to wait on his party tonight.”  He always called the big spenders – whales.  I think it was because he secretly wanted to run one of those giant casinos in Vegas.   

“So what about Marcie or Kendra?  Why can’t they help out?”

“Would you quit your bitching and get out there before the party starts to arrive?”

“Fine,” I sighed, tugging off my rain boots to shove them into my locker next to my purse.  At least I wouldn’t have to share the tip with anyone but the busboys.  With an eighteen percent gratuity automatically charged, I might actually do okay.  That put me in a much more chipper mood as I stepped into the kitchen to find out what was on the menu for the night.  It was times like this when a good memory came in handy, as the seven course tasting menu was a lot to remember. 

I went out onto the floor to make sure the final preparations were done, noticing that there were only five place settings at the big round table.  So much fuss for only five people?  God, the rich were stupid with their money.  Everything looked ready, down to the stunning floral centerpiece and the intricately folded napkins, and the silverware gleamed without a single hard water spot.  Nothing to do but take a breath and wait for showtime – until Jose Luis waved me over to talk about a change in the wine list.  Great, as if I didn’t have enough to remember, now I had to deal with memorizing another set of useless facts about the substitute vintage. 

I was still running the lines about the meal to myself when I approached the table, my gaze lighting on a box that hadn’t been there before.  Looking around, I tried to see if anyone had an explanation, but I was alone in the dining room.  Leaning closer, I noticed it had my name on it.  Not just my first name, but the whole thing, Lily Gray, in elegant cursive.  What the hell?

“Hey, Jose Luis?” I called out, expecting him to materialize out of thin air like he always did when there was a customer complaint, but he was nowhere to be found.  “Hello?”  Who’d put the box on the table?  Maybe it was Jose Luis’ way of telling me I was doing a good job?  Then again, the prissy, glorified waiter never seemed to toot anybody’s horn but his own, and I doubted he’d take the chance of spoiling the dinner arrangement to say good job to anyone.

Figuring I’d better get it out of there before the customers started to arrive, I picked up the small, flat box, curiosity getting the better of me when it felt as light as air.  Was there even anything inside?  There still was no sign of the dinner party, so I set the box on one of the empty corner booths and took a quick peek inside. 

On a bed of black tissue paper sat a red satin blindfold, a folded piece of paper lying on top of it.  With trembling fingers, I picked up the paper, swiftly scanning the note, which read –
Sit at the table, put this on and wait for me
.  I sucked in a breath, my eyes darting up to look around the room, but I was still the only one in there.  Was Aidan here?  Or was this some kind of a joke?  If I sat down at the table and waited there like a weirdo with a blindfold on, I could lose my job.  But what if it was really him?  What if he was waiting for me to obey him this last time?

The possibility had me moving across the dining room, fingers lightly stroking the satiny fabric in my hand.  “Aidan?” I called out softly, but it was absolutely silent, not even the usual din from the kitchen reaching my ears.  I had the feeling I was being watched, even though I couldn’t see a single soul, and I knew Aidan wouldn’t put in an appearance until he was good and ready.  He wanted to control me, and God help me, I wanted it too. 

The scrape of the chair against the hardwood floor seemed loud as I pulled it away from the table.  I was taking a huge risk, but it seemed well worth it if it meant I could see (or not see) Aidan again.  Obediently, I sat at the table in my clean waiter’s apron, and pulled the mask down over my eyes. 

Music started up through the PA system, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad one.  Either it meant that Aidan approved and was proceeding with the next step of his plan, or Jose Luis was anticipating the first guest’s arrival at any moment.  My breath came faster as I strained to hear the sound of footfalls through the classical music filtering into the room. 

“Hands clasped behind your back.”  The order came low and intimate by my ear and all the hairs stood up on the back of my neck.  Holy fucking Jesus, it was him!  I didn’t even think twice about what my work must be thinking about this, my hands moved to find each other behind my back without hesitation. 

“Good girl,” he approved, and I heard the scrape of the chair next to me as he took his seat. 

“Permission to speak?” I said softly, not sure what the rules were anymore.

“We’re not in a scene, Lily,” he replied, gently tugging the mask off, and I risked opening my eyes, not sure if I was allowed to look at him or not.  Aidan sat in the chair beside me, looking down at the red satin in his hands.  I’d expected him to be in the same old jeans and a button up shirt I always saw him in, kind of scruffy and rough.  But he looked positively elegant in a tailored, three-piece suit of soft, dove gray with a crisp white shirt and a red tie.  His beard was short and well trimmed, his long, blonde hair smooth and gathered back in a ponytail. 

I couldn’t help but stare at him, he was beautiful.

Aidan looked up, his piercing blue eyes taking my breath away.  It hurt to look away, but I did it, wanting to make him happy.  His blunt fingers reached for my chin, bringing my gaze back up to his face.  “No more blindfolds, no more darkness.  I can learn to live in the light again if that’s what it takes to be with you.”

“Do you really mean that?”  It seemed almost too good to be true.  Then again, here he was in a public place, for the second time, all because he missed me. 

“If that’s what you want.”  Self doubt crinkled his brow as he fought to hold my gaze.  “Do you… do you still want me, Lily?”

I wanted to throw my arms around his neck and scream –
yes, a thousand times, yes!
– but I had to think beyond that instant gratification.  It wasn’t that simple, and we both knew it.  “It’s not about what I want, it’s about what you’re able to give.  I understand that you have the need to control me, and I’m honestly okay with that in certain settings.  But what about the rest of it?  What if I don’t want you controlling every single aspect of my life?  I can’t live my life with someone who won’t respect
my
needs as well as his own.”

Aidan nodded slowly, looking down at the blindfold in his hands before he tossed it onto the table.  “I can respect your needs.  I’m not saying it’ll be easy, and I can’t promise I won’t fuck up, but I promise I’ll try.  Is that good enough for you to consider taking me back, Lily?”

I closed my eyes, needing a moment away from that tortured gaze before I gave him my answer.  When I opened them again, he was staring at me the exact same way – I don’t even think he’d taken a breath.  “God, it’s a good thing you’re so sexy, ’cause you don’t seem to catch on very quick.  That’s all I’ve
ever
wanted.” 

Aidan stared at me for long seconds, gradually giving way to a long blink, and then crushed me to him in a fierce hug.  His hands sank into my hair, pulling the elastic free to let it fall around my shoulders.  I smiled into his chest at the action, feeling both owned and incredibly free by the possessive gesture.  His mouth met mine in the next instant, desperate to make up for lost time, and I almost forgot where we were as I kissed him back with all those weeks of pent up longing and frustration. 

We were both breathing hot and heavy when we finally broke the kiss, and I enjoyed the look of hunger in his eyes as he pulled back to smile at me.  That smile said there were all kinds of delights waiting for me once we got somewhere more private, and I was definitely up for it. 

“Do you want to get out of here?” I whispered, thinking I’d much rather make a meal of him than the fancy French foods they served there. 

He cocked a single brow.  “Don’t you want to stay and sample what the chef has prepared?” 

“I’d rather eat you up,” I grinned and he met my smile with one of his own.

“All good things come to those who wait, Lily.”

The man was all about control, even self control, apparently.  Maybe it was time for me to try and make him lose it?  “Next you’re going to tell me that absence makes the heart grow fonder.  Well, I can tell you, my heart’s pretty fond right now, and the rest of me can’t wait to get you naked either.”

He chuckled, the sound making my pussy clench in anticipation.  I was still learning what his smile meant, but there was no mistaking the intent in that rich laugh.  “Food first.  Stamina, remember?  I wouldn’t want you to pass out in the middle of it,” he smiled. 

“That wasn’t why I passed out, as I recall.  It was because you fucked me into oblivion.”

“Such a dirty mouth on you tonight.  I’m going to enjoy making it dirtier.”  His tone was calm though, as he shook out the intricately folded napkin and laid it across the bulge in his lap.  I wanted to slip my hand under it and make that cock the tent pole I knew it could be.

“Yeah well, that’s what you get for disappearing on me for weeks at a time.  I haven’t had any satisfaction since that night under the stairs.” 

“No?  Not even with mechanical assistance?” he asked mildly, but I could tell he was pleased by my admission.

“No, you trained me all too well.  There’s just no substitute for the real thing.  I’m not even sure I can get off anymore without you there beside me.”

“You and me both, peaches,” he muttered, taking a deep drink of the water glass before him.  “So, what do we have to do get a drink around here?” he called out louder, clapping his hands together.  Ross hurried out a half second later, a bottle of wine in one hand and a cloth napkin in the other.  He gave me a quick wink as he poured Aidan a small amount, waiting for his approval before he filled both of our glasses.

“So, this whole dinner party was a total sham to get me back?” I asked, after Ross moved away.  It must’ve cost him a small fortune to buy out the entire restaurant for the night when all he’d had to do was show up at my apartment with an apology and that smile.

“Not completely.  We
are
going to have dinner.”

“This big table, just for us?”

Aidan looked down and away.  “No, not exactly.”

“If you’ll come right this way, your table is ready,” Jose Luis said, giving his best impression of a fancy French accent.  I looked up to see my sisters standing by the host station, my father moving slower from the direction of the coat room. 

“Why’d you have to go and invite them?” I whined, my fantastic mood instantly ruined.  Shit, I was hoping to talk him into just a couple of courses before I could attack him in the car I was sure he had waiting outside.  Now I had to deal with my shitty family?

“Because I know family is important to you,” he replied, taking a deep drink of his wine.

“It was once.”  I hadn’t spoken to any of them since I’d moved out of their apartment, and that suited me fine.

Aidan caught hold of my chin, gently turning it in his direction.  “Hey, I know what it’s like to be mad at your asshole of a father.  I also know what it’s like to lose him.  Maybe give him another chance,” he shrugged before his smile turned into a smirk.  “Or, show them how happy you are, I hear that’s the best revenge of all.”