Make Me, Sir

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Don’t lie to me again, Gabrielle.”

She’d have to lie to him her entire time here. She had a moment to get her expression under control before he set her back, holding her for a second to ensure she could stand. She kept her gaze lowered so he wouldn’t read the guilt in her eyes. Let him think her embarrassed or ready to cry or whatever.

After removing the paper from under one rope, he set it on the bar. He unwound everything quickly, making the throbbing in her breasts increase again. When she tried to touch them, he brushed her hands aside, and smiling slightly, he massaged them, ignoring her moan of pain, giving her a level look when she clasped his wrists to make him stop.

She let her arms fall to her sides, although her hands fisted. Pain mingled with pleasure as each brush of his fingers on her nipples sent need shooting to her clit. She bit her lip, feeling the heat rising within her. When she chanced a peek at him, he was studying her-her face, her hands, her shoulders. A slight smile curved his lips.

“So, Gabrielle.” His thumbs circled her distended, very sensitive nipples, somehow making her clit throb as well. “What did you learn from this lesson?”

That I’ve never known I could be so turned on. No. Bad answer.

She glanced at the writing on the paper he’d tucked under the ropes: ENJOY THE PRETTY BREASTS. ENJOY THEM LONGER IF SHE ISN’T RESPECTFUL. MASTER MARCUS. No wonder the doms had manhandled her. I’ve learned how really mean you can be didn’t seem like a good answer either. “Not to demand clothing.”

His mouth thinned slightly. “Try again.”

“Not to demand anything and to show respect, Sir.” Thank God the place had emptied. Even Agent Dickhead had left. He’d wait in the parking lot to trail her discretely to her apartment, undoubtedly hoping the kidnapper would act during his watch.

“That’s right.” His lips curved up. “Give me a kiss and thank me for your lesson in manners.”

Gee, boss, thanks for torturing me?

His hands closed around her arms, and he pulled her forward.

She winced when her nipples mashed against his suit-thank God the material wasn’t rough, she thought, before his lips closed over hers. Velvety and firm. Competent and gentle.

And then he took her deeper, so hard and fast her head spun. His grip on her arm kept her in place; his other hand cupped her jaw as he plundered, finishing off his lesson of just who was in charge.

Chapter Four

The lion’s deep-throated roar sent a chill down Gabi’s spine. Holy hell, she hadn’t been here in a while, and she’d forgotten what they sounded like up so close. The sweat under her arms wasn’t totally from the heat. A voice in her head scrambled around like a mouse, screaming, Run run run! He’ll chomp me down in one bite. She hauled in a breath, smelling the ammonia of cat urine mixed with the tropical flowers and the moist morning air. After checking the lush undergrowth and moss-covered trees for any stalking felines, she hurried to catch up to her group.

While the mix of men and women listened attentively to the guide, Gabi trailed behind, not paying attention. After all, she’d taken Big Cat Rescue tours before. Today she just wanted to enjoy the cats and not think about last night.

One out of two wasn’t bad.

In the next cage, a panther relaxed on a thick tree limb and regarded the group with a poise that reminded Gabi of Master Marcus. And that was the problem. Instead of taking her mind off Marcus, the tawny-colored cats kept reminding her of him. Sleek and smooth and self-confident. Marcus even had the same stalking gait and measuring gaze.

In contrast she felt like a dog. A round cocker-spaniel puppy tripping over her fat, fluffy feet. Licking everything in sight. She grinned, remembering how she’d licked Master Sam’s orange-flavored cock.

Yeah, she was doing a fine job of thinking of something else. With a resigned sigh, she stretched, trying to get her body to wake up. She’d gotten back last night hours past her usual bedtime.

And today she felt just plain tired…and sore too. Even her silkiest bra rubbed painfully on her sensitive, swollen nipples. One more thing to remind her of that damned dom…and how his touch had been so sure and a little rough.

She’d dreamed about him.

Why couldn’t Z have given her to a different dom? One who wasn’t so cold…and then so warm. One minute Marcus had instructed her as if she hadn’t left grade school, and the next he’d kiss her… His lips had been firm, and he’d held her as if he had a right to take what he wanted. She closed her eyes as a full-fledged hot flash turned the air to a sauna’s temperature.

Dammit. This was not the time to get excited over a guy. As a decoy, she’d fully expected to get swatted or be embarrassed for misbehaving, even to get groped and have sex with people she didn’t know, but she’d never conceived of wanting someone. Of course Marcus was gorgeous, yet she’d never found all that chiseled handsome stuff so hot before. But Mr. Stuffy Lawyer somehow turned her on just by looking at her.

Maybe due to her lack of recent activity. After Andrew, she’d lost interest in dating, since when she’d broken up with him, she’d realized she’d once again picked a man her parents would approve of. You’d think she’d learn. That kind of man liked her in the beginning, then started getting more and more critical. She never lived up to their expectations-never lived up to her parents’ expectations either. She’d never be perfect.

Marcus is…and dammit, I don’t like perfect people. Well, it didn’t matter. After another night or so of her insolence, Marcus would hate the sight of her.

That just made her feel even more miserable.

Behind her, from the parking area, the peacocks screamed, recalling her to reality. A bad reality. Grumpily, she trailed after the group, scuffing her sneakers on the dirt path. In a nearby pen, a panther chirped, the sound an octave lower than her cats’ voices.

Her poor kitties. When she’d moved into the cheap apartment the FBI had obtained for her, her two boys had sulked, displeased at leaving all their well-marked furniture behind. She understood totally. This job made her feel like an animal in a zoo-stuck in a tiny, ugly enclosure under all sorts of rules, with someone watching all the time. It was probably why she’d thought of visiting here this morning, to sympathize with the other trapped beasties.

She shared another bond with the big cats here. They knew all about hunting.

Despite the scorching sun, Gabi shivered. I’m prey. Hopefully the kidnapper had taken the bait and was stalking Gabi right now. If not, or if he didn’t try for the other decoys, the investigation would stall until he made a move-undoubtedly in some other city. Part of her wanted to be his chosen one, the hapless victim who'd lure him into a cage of FBI agents. Another part, scared shitless, begged to go home and curl up with her cats.

How many women had he ripped from their lives and sold? Kouros said the guy could have been doing this for a while. She felt her fingers rubbing the scar on her face and pulled her hand away. I don’t want to be his target. But she had no better way to help her friend. What would happen to Kim-to all the other women-if he wasn’t caught? Stay the course, Gabi.

The tour had stopped as the guide talked about a tiger rescued from a zoo. While they watched, an attendant threw a watermelon into a pond. Gabi giggled as the huge cat sprang down a slope and launched himself after it. Water sprayed everywhere.

As she walked to the parking lot, still grinning, she turned her cell phone back on. Two missed calls from Rhodes. Before she’d made it to her car, he called again. Oh joy.

“Hello,” she said.

“You aren’t cutting it, Renard…” He continued on in full Dickhead mode. She hadn’t done a good job or been noticeable enough… “Two other women made more of a splash than you did last night, Renard. A blonde and a little brunette. Better looking than you too, so tell me why the kidnapper would choose you if he could grab one of