Ultimate Surrender: The Surrender Series, Book 2 (17 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Natalie

The next morning, on Sunday after a couple early hours in bed, they were talking about things Campbell still had questions about and he asked for more info about Braden.

“I’m really not certain how much more I can tell you, Campbell. I haven’t spoken to him in years.”

“When’s the last time you talked to him?”

“The last time I saw him we actually didn’t say two words to each other.”

“What?”

“He was having a huge argument with my father.”

“About?”

“Don’t know. Was behind closed doors. I’m sure it was about how much money he wanted to keep quiet.”

“You said the last time you saw him. But if the meeting was behind closed doors, then…”

“He stormed out, tucking something in the inside pocket of his coat. His hush money. He looked at me with pity. I’ll never forget it. Never. But he didn’t say a word. He looked at my father, my mother, and me one last time and then left. That was it.”

“Hasn’t contacted you since? Nothing? Truly?”

“Not a word. And it’s not like he couldn’t track me down through my parents if he really wanted to. I’m unlisted in the phone book but he has to know where I work.” She put a plate of buttered toast on the table to go with their poached eggs. After grabbing jelly and another knife from the drawer, she took it with her to the table and sat down.

“Why do you say that?”

“My father didn’t go completely ballistic when I originally told him my thoughts on buying the clinic. At first he seemed to consider it and told me to put a presentation together for the board of directors of Grant Enterprises. I thought he was actually entertaining the notion for a bit but now I think he was doing nothing but stalling so he could get his lawyers in place to block all of my inheritance.”

Campbell’s jaw went tight as he ripped off a piece of toast with his teeth. “How does that equate to Braden?”

“He was one of the board members.”

His fork tinged on the plate when he dropped it. “You’re shitting me.”

“Afraid not.”

“And he’s still on the board now?”

“He’s the president on the board now. How you like them apples?”

“Of all the incredibly shitting things to do in the world, that one is so far up the list of Hershey squirts I have no idea what could possibly be higher.”

“Uhh. Eww.”

“Sorry. I distracted you but oh my fucking God what a dick move. What did Braden have to do with the proposal?”

“I freaked out hardcore the day I was supposed to give it. Threw up before the meeting. Awful. I’d never been so nervous, but then he wasn’t there when I gave the presentation. Thought it was going well. Of course they turned me down completely, but there were enough packets from the presentation for each of the members. His would have been waiting for him in his inbox the next morning. He must have gotten one. It had the clinic address in it.”

He thought for a minute while he ate but he didn’t say anything.

“I’ve had no interaction with him since right after I found out I was pregnant. Why would he want to hurt me now?”

“I have three very valid reasons.”

“I’m ready.”

He counted them off on his fingers. “He’s delusional. Psychotic. Or maybe just a good ole homegrown sociopath.”

“I’m not discounting that at all. Crazy is crazy, but…”

“But?” he prompted.

“His only focus before was money. Straight-up greed. Do I think ‘asshole’ needs to be prominently featured on his tombstone? Absolutely. But that’s still just greed.” She shrugged. “He was a very steadfast man even back then. Straight and narrow all the way. Can’t imagine that changing.”

“Maybe it hasn’t,” he offered.

“But there have been no demands of money. Not ever. Not even a penny asked for. Just threats and things to hurt my reputation and that of the clinic. Nothing more.”

“Nothing more. As if your life is worth nothing.”

Natalie took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’s worth a lot. Just not a lot of money since my inheritance will probably be tied up until my grandchildren are elderly.”

“Hmm. Good point. Odd though.”

“What is?” Her heart hammered in her chest but she tried to act normal. But when he touched her, even a simple gesture as running his thumb across her knuckles, her knees literally went weak. The way he affected her, she should have been running for the hills, but she just couldn’t.

“What’s happening, how you’re being targeted, certain words being used, it’s personal. Anybody else you know of that could have it out for you?”

“I wouldn’t know who. And say Braden is the guy. What have I ever done to him? Everything that went down before was definitely a one-way street, and it certainly wasn’t in his direction.”

“No one from the clinic who sticks out in your mind as enough of a crazy that would do something like this?”

“I’ve had my fair share of crazies in there. Pissed-off boyfriends, fathers, pimps.”

“Pimps. You’re serious.”

“Some working girls use the excuse of getting pregnant to get out of that lifestyle. Pimps normally don’t take that very well. So they’ll show up there looking for them if they get wind they’re under our care.”

“I’ve apparently heard it all now.”

She shrugged. “Normally whatever altercation happens we can get them out of the clinic pretty quick. Sure we’ve had to call the cops several times, file police reports.”

“Anyone ever been hurt?”

“Scratches and some bruises have been it.”

He growled and she looked up at him. “You say it like it’s no big thing. Someone laying their hands on you with the intention of harming you. It’s a big thing. A huge big thing.”

For a minute she was so stunned by his vehemence on the topic she didn’t know what to say. “I don’t think I’ve ever had someone care so much about me. You know what I mean.” She said a heck of a lot more than she meant to and tried to cover it up at the end.

He pegged her with those baby blues and held her gaze. “Two things I need you to hear and hear well. Ready?”

Deep breath. “I have no idea.”

“Honest. I’ll take that answer. Number one. No one, and I mean no one will lay their hands on you while you are in my keeping. No. One. I will protect you with nothing short of my life while you are in my care. I am the only one who will be touching your body.”

“Are you…are you somehow asking me to go steady with you?”

“By going steady do you mean the only person who will kiss, fuck, lick, mark, hold, and take you?”

“Uhh…that’s a very impressive list.”

“Is that a yes?” His smile. Totally a weapon she couldn’t look away from.

“That’s a yes. And do I get to make the same request?”

“Why, do you want to fuck me?” He made a horrified look, which broke the tension in the room.

She laughed and shook her head. “Not knocking it for other people but seriously not my thing.”

“Good, ’cause I would have hated to let you down so hard. My door does not swing that way.”

His words were humorous but he’d completely avoided the real question she asked and wondered if he thought she wouldn’t notice.

“In answer to your question. I will give you the flip side of that request. Only I will kiss, fuck, lick, mark, hold, and take you. Only I will dominate you. No one else. That what you were looking for, Natalie?”

Nibbling her bottom lip seemed like a safe diversionary tactic. Especially when his eyes went to that spot and stayed there until she was ready to answer. “Yes, Sir. That’s what I was looking for. I’m not looking to be in a harem. Unless it’s a harem of one.”

“Exclusivity between us. No other partners for dating or sex or BDSM activities. Agreed?”

She nodded and actually felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. “Agreed.” Watching him for a second, she thought of something else. “You said two things. I’m assuming exclusivity was the first thing. What was the second?”

“If you ever in the time during or after we’re together describe me as steadfast, I will put you over my knee and spank you until that word falls out of your mouth and out of your vocabulary.”

With a snort, she shrugged. “Didn’t do anything for you, huh?”

“That description is in the negative numbers on what that did for me. So awful.”

Natalie laughed and started cleaning up dishes. When she turned around, Campbell was staring at a fixed point on the ceiling.

“What’s going through that head of yours?”

“Did you file police reports of all the incidents that happened at the clinic?”

She rolled her eyes and opened the pantry to throw out their napkins. “Of course I did, I’m not—oh gawd.” He was there beside her, leaning close, one eyebrow up.

“You know what that eye roll gets you. I’m beginning to think you’re doing it intentionally.” He palmed the flesh of one of her ass cheeks and a tingle shimmered across the flesh beneath his hand.

“It’s not. I mean I’m not doing it intentionally. I mean I am, because you say something that is obtuse and I don’t think I should have to answer it, but no I’m not trying to get a rise out of you. I don’t think.”

Gently, he guided her to an open portion of the counter and bent her over onto her chest. As he pulled her panties down to her thighs and lifted her t-shirt onto her back, she’d never felt more exposed or delicious.

Laying her cheek on the cold surface of the counter, she tried to cool herself off. He ignited something inside her with a mere glance in her direction. When he touched her, a single finger to her flesh, she melted. She sucked in a deep breath, and her nipples beaded as he brushed his knuckles across the lips of her pussy.

“So wet? Already? One might think you like being manhandled a bit, Miss Grant.”

“Never had before.” Even to her own ears she sounded more than a little flummoxed by the admission.

“Never? You’ve never gotten kinky after your first time?” His teeth grazed the upturned curve of her rear and she groaned.

I was with Braden right after that
. She decided not to offer up that piece of info for more discussion. “Read about it. Dreamt about it. Masturbated to the thought but…” She rubbed her lips together, not really knowing what else she was going to say. The slide of his finger inside her seemed to turn her brain to mush.

“But?” he prompted when she didn’t continue.

“Not at the moment thanks.”

“Oh really?” He licked the end of his finger and smoothed it around the pucker of her ass, making her gasp. “I seem to remember someone liking it quite a bit yesterday.”

“Campbell—”

A phone rang and it took Natalie a couple seconds to realize it wasn’t happening in her ears.

And it rang again.

He slipped his finger inside her rear until she groaned and then he withdrew. “Totally saved by the bell.” He walked around the island and over somewhere in the kitchen where the phone was still going off.

She didn’t know where because she couldn’t move. Delicious excitement swirled inside her, and stopping in the middle just seemed so wrong.

“Hello. Oh, hey, Angela. Nope she’s here. Hold on a second and I’ll get her for you.” He stepped close and kissed Natalie’s cheek. “It’s Angela. She’d like to talk to you.” He unballed one of her fists and put the phone in it so all she had to do was prop it against her ear. “And don’t mind me, I’ll just be keeping myself busy while you have a girl chat.”

Stopping? He wasn’t stopping? He wasn’t going to leave her hanging in the middle somewhere between lost and bliss?

He hit his knees behind her, putting his mouth at exactly the right height for—

“Hello,” she breathed into the phone as he stretched her pussy open and licked her from her clit to her asshole.

“Hey, it’s Angie. Everything okay? You normally answer on the first ring.”

“Fine.” The word came out a bit shorter than she wanted it to, but she had to cut it off before she moaned into the microphone. Campbell’s tongue slid across the pulsing knot of her clit and she curled her toes against the floor to try to get closer.

“Oh, good. Hate to think anything else has happened in the last few hours. You need a break from all the drama.”

“Mmhmm.” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus. “Baby Wyatt okay? You?” That made sense. Being concerned for her godson was totally a thing.

“He misses you and so do I, which is why I was calling. Do you and Campbell want to come over for dinner tonight? I was gonna make pork chop bake and fried eggplant and French bread. We could make an evening of it.” Angela laughed. “As long as we can start at around five o’clock ’cause I’m gonna be snoring by eight.”

“That’s perfect,” Natalie moaned as Campbell slipped two fingers in her pussy and then rolled his wet thumb across her clit. “I mean that sounds perfect. Perfect.” She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the phone super hard to keep from coming. “What time?” she asked through gritted teeth. An orgasm barreled ever closer, making her breath catch in her chest as she tried to inhale.

“Natalie? What are you doing?”

“Uhh…dishes?” she panted. Not exactly a lie.

“Oh my gawd. You’re having sex.”

“Not exactly.”

“Epic. I can’t wait for you to get here and I expect details, girl. Details. I want them. Five o’clock. Be here. Or earlier. Hurry up!”

Natalie gritted her teeth together to keep from coming and sort of lost control of holding the phone. It clattered on the counter and Campbell laughed. Picking it up with one hand, he never stopped the slow and steady massage on her clit. Or the way he slid his wet digits into her sex, and back out and back in.

So deep.

So.

Deep.

“Natalie’s brain is now occupied. What time do we need to be over?”

She heard him talking, speaking English even, but she couldn’t get past the need to come to actually hear the words he uttered.

There was a beep.

The phone clanked on the counter next to her somewhere but she didn’t see it. She squeezed her eyes tightly, as her abdomen contracted every couple seconds. She couldn’t stay still. The pleasure was too much.

The need too great.

“Ready to come for me, beautiful?”

Beautiful
.