Redemption: Part Five (The Vault Book 5) Read online

  “Are you very busy?”

  “I’m never too busy for you,” he promises, pushing the silk up my hips and watching me settle onto his lap as he leans back lazily in his chair.

  My hands rest against his broad chest, the warmth of his skin just below the fabric soothing the last of the nerves nestled low in my belly. He reaches for his glass with one hand, his free palm falling low on my waist before he slips it beneath the fabric of my dress and begins caressing my skin. I meet his eyes as he watches me over the brim of his glass and the tinge of possessiveness that never leaves is smoldering now, taking me captive as he watches me expectantly.

  “What are you waiting for, kitten?” he husks, his tongue slipping out to lick the excess scotch from his lips as his eyes roam over my heaving chest, slowly moving back to find my heavy gaze locked on his. The palm resting on my ass slips around my front and tugs at my panties, pushing them to the side before it slips back around my waist. “Don’t be shy, darling. Take what you need.” I begin to lower my hand toward my panties but slow my movements when he gives me a light smack on my ass. “Hands where I can see them, princess. Your pleasure is for me .”

  I stare back at him blankly before finally, my cheeks begin to heat, and the corners of his lips quirk up slightly on either side. My fingers grip his shirt tighter and I begin to rock, the soft wool of his Brioni suit creating delicious friction as it rubs between my thighs. He releases a low sigh of approval, his attention remaining locked on me as he continues sipping from his scotch, his fingertips beginning to move gently against my waist. He drains his glass and sets it to the side, relaxing further into his chair and smirking as my palms shift higher on his chest, gripping his shoulders in desperation as I rock faster, growing needy and wet against his thigh.

  “You’re making a mess, little one,” he whispers, his hot breath washing over my skin as I bite hard on my lower lip, silently begging for his touch. “Does that feel good, baby? Do you like rubbing you wet little cunt all over me?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I pant, my voice coming out breathy and broken.

  “Hmm,” he hums, gently tugging at my zipper and lowering it just enough to reveal my breasts. “Good girl. Lean back. Let me look at you.”

  I tighten my grip on one shoulder and lean back slightly on the other, resting it on his knee, savoring on his possessive gaze as it roams over my skin. He keeps one hand low on my waist, the other sliding up to graze my nipple before he finds my eyes, trained on him, and gives it a sharp smack. I stifle a whimper and savor in his gentle touch as he soothes the sting left behind, intently watching me as his hazel eyes begin to shimmer with adoration.

  By the time his palm slips low between my thighs, I’m a heaving mess. He sinks his fingers into my panties as he grips my neck in the other, pulling me closer and holding me in place against his lips.

  “Fuck my fingers, Bella,” he orders, his lips moving gently over my jaw as his eyes bore into mine. “Show Daddy how you like it.”

  My jaw goes slack as he slides his fingers inside me and my hips begin moving instinctually, desperate for more of him, all of him. By the time he’s filled me with three of them, I can feel my hips beginning to buck slightly. His hot breath washes over my skin, his skilled fingers pumping into me pulling a loud whimper from my chest.

  “Oh, my God,” I cry out, louder than intended.

  “Shh. Be quiet,” he reprimands me, slipping out to give me a sharp smack before sliding back in. “Just for Papa.”

  “Yes, Sir,” I mewl, my eyes fluttering as they hold his.

  His grip tightens on my throat, driving me closer as my hands leave him, one gripping his wrist as he strokes my neck with his thumb, the other clenching the arm of his chair.

  “There she is,” he croons, pulling my mouth to his and teasing my lips with his tongue. “Come for me, baby girl.”

  I come hard and fast, his lower lip slipping between his teeth as he releases a low growl of approval making my orgasm come in waves.

  “That’s it,” he groans, pressing his lips to my chin, his tongue sliding up my skin until he finds my mouth and kisses me deeply.

  He takes command of my lips until I begin to come down and when he pulls away and settles me into his chest, I’m panting. His hands move over my skin, stroking me as I catch my breath, resting my forehead against his chest while he tends to me. Finally, when my breathing has steadied, his lips move to my hair and he pulls me closer.

  “All better, angel?”

  “Yes,” I confess, kissing his jaw before nuzzling into him, savoring in the feel of his palm covering my ass as he licks his fingers clean with a low hum. “Much.”

  “Good baby,” he husks, pressing his lips to my forehead before he releases my hand, placing it between his legs. When I begin gently stroking him over the fabric, he pulls my lips to his for a gentle peck. “That’s my girl.”

  We sit like that for a long while, both of us content with being wrapped in each other’s embrace. My eyes are growing heavy with the need for sleep, but the need to keep stay close to him wins out as I stifle a yawn against his chest.

  “You’re falling asleep, pumpkin,” he whispers, pressing his lips to my hair. “I need to put you to bed.”

  “I’m okay,” I reply low, savoring in the vibration of his low groan as I move my palm lower over the outline of his shaft. I glance toward his monitor and find the spreadsheet he’d been working on when I came in. At the bottom of the screen, there are multiple tabs open, showing me he’d been in the middle of something that looks important. “I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

  “Not at all,” he shakes his head, leaning back in the chair, the movement settling me further into his chest. “I was just looking over a few things for my appointments for tomorrow.”

  “Anything good?” I ask, making him smirk.

  “Nope,” he admits, chuckling with me. “Just same old boring stuff.”

  “Can’t get out of it, huh?” I ask, tracing his zipper as he shakes his head.

  “I wish,” he sighs. “I love my work, but I’d much rather stay home and spend the day with you.”

  “That’s sweet,” I smile, pressing my lips to his jaw, grinning wider when he turns to take my kiss. “Although, you’re probably better off tomorrow.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because my mother is getting plenty of rest tonight,” I smirk. “She’ll be all revved up and ready for her official interrogation by morning.”

  “Yeah?” he asks, his amusement not lost on me as I nod. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to keep you up past your bedtime tonight so you’re too worn out to care.”

  “Hmm…” I hum, savoring in the thought before my chest falls in resignation a moment later. “That would be fantastic,” I admit, leaning my head against him. “If only…”

  “If only what?”

  “If only it were possible.”

  “Why isn’t it?” he asks. “Do you have a hot date in the morning?”

  “Obviously not,” I roll my eyes. “But if she finds me in your bed, my mother’s going to shit a fucking brick.”

  “Language!” he admonishes me, swatting my ass and stilling my movements. “Your mouth has been out of control today, Isabella.”

  “It slipped,” I whisper, tensing up slightly at the sting despite the thrill that coincides with it. “Every time I’m around Claire and Luca, they curse like sailors and it rubs off on me.”

  “Well, accident or not, you’re about one slip away from me washing that filthy little mouth of yours out with soap and taking you over my knee,” he promises, nothing in his features leading me to believe he’s exaggerating. “Your family being here doesn’t mean you can misbehave and there won’t be consequences. Don’t make me tell you again, pumpkin.”

  “I’m sorry. I won’t,” I vow, shaki
ng my head as I sit up, my eyes hold his with apology. “But what I was saying is true. If you think me staying under a roof with you before marriage warranted that charming little discussion was insane, you don’t want to even imagine what would happen if she found out I was sleeping with you every night.”

  “Well, I guess we’ll just have to worry about that in the morning, won’t we?”

  “What?” I ask, my eyes widening as he shuts his computer off before lifting me in his arms. “Baby, we can’t…”

  “We can, and we are,” he cuts me off, pressing his lips to my cheek and returning me to my feet. “My house, my property, my rules, princess. Get your shoes.”

  “Adam…”

  “Now, Bella,” he commands gently. “Don’t make me get onto you right before bed, baby.”

  “I’m really not trying to be difficult. I just know how this is going to end.”

  “If you don’t stop arguing with me and start behaving, I’m pretty sure I do, too, sweetheart,” he challenges. “You’ll have a red ass and I’ll still take what I want. Now, come. Bedroom. Now.”

  I meet his eyes and in them, I find no sign of relenting on his part. I swallow hard, knowing what must happen and release a long, low sigh of resignation.

  “Adam, I need you to look at me and listen.”

  “I always listen to you, Bella,” he promises, facing me.

  “Look, I know you want me in your bed and that’s where I want to be, too, but-”

  “Isabella…”

  “If my parents find out I’m calling you Daddy while you fuck me eight ways to Sunday, they won’t give two shits whose house we’re in or that I’m a grown woman capable of making my own decisions. They’ll have me on the first flight out of here and headed straight toward the Vatican to beg the Pope himself for eternal forgiveness,” I blurt in a hushed panic. “That woman may seem nice, but don’t let her fool you. She’ll make me join a convent to atone for my sins, Adam. Is that what you want? Is it? Do you want me to be forced into that life?” I demand. “Well, I can’t be a nun, baby. I just can’t, so if that means you have to punish me, then so be it. I promised to do anything I could to make you happy, but I know what kind of a day that will mean for me tomorrow and I’d rather you tear my ass up tonight than deal with that,” I admit, releasing a deep breath. “I’m sorry for my mouth tonight and my blatant disobedience. I know it’s unacceptable, but this is one rule I have no choice but to break.”

  I stare back up at him, his hazel eyes unwavering as I chew on my lip and swallow the lump building in my throat at the thought of putting both of us through another punishment. When he says nothing, his jaw squaring, I resign to my fate and reach on my toes to kiss his cheek before turning away and bending slightly over the edge of his desk. Raising the hem of my dress to my waist, I grip the edge of the mahogany and brace myself. For a long moment, I hear nothing, but eventually, the silence in his office is replaced with the sound of his footsteps coming up behind me, his hand falling over the back of my hair and gently twisting into the strands at the nape of my neck.

  “Are you sure this is what you want, darling?” he asks, his voice just above a rasp.

  “I’m sure this is the best compromise I can give you,” I admit, hating the fact that I can’t please us both and ignore my crazy parents.

  “Alright, princess,” he whispers. “As you wish.”

  His palm slides over the globe of my ass, kneading me there and making my insides twist with need. His grip on my hair tightens just slightly as he roughly yanks at my panties, shoving them down my thighs.

  My body is already trembling, a combination between arousal and nervous anticipation coursing through me as I feel his feet come to a stop beside mine. He brushes against my waist and I can feel his cock throbbing against me, making me heady with want. He hears my breathing begin to falter and his grip on my hair tightens, quieting me instantly.

  “You’ve been such a good girl today,” he says low, his hand swirling over my ass, kneading at my skin once more. “It’s a real shame I have to punish you when all I’ve craved is your pleasure.”

  “I’m sorry, Daddy,” I manage, my voice just above a whisper.

  “I know, angel,” he hums, bending forward to kiss my hair before pressing me more firmly against the desk.

  His arm raises, and my eyes clench shut for a moment before I remember myself and open them once more, pulling a hum of approval from his chest. When he begins to lower his palm, I release a long, low breath and steady myself, ready for the sting, but surprised when he stops a half inch away and meets me with a feather-light tap instead. My eyebrows quirk together for a moment and the gentle sound of his deep chuckle fills the room, making me release another sigh.

  “I’m not going to punish you, Bella,” he whispers, pressing his lips to my shoulder before leaning over my still exposed frame. “I am going to hold you down and fuck you on this desk before I put you to bed,” he promises. “But I won’t punish you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, darling. Really,” he sighs, his grip on my hair relaxing just slightly as he returns to a stand behind me, still hovering close. “I’m not ever going to interfere with your family. That’s part of the deal. I didn’t realize I was asking something that would put you in such a difficult position, but you talked to me about it, so you have no reason to be punished.”

  “I’m sorry,” I offer. “I hate this just as much as you do.”

  “I know,” he croons, his palm moving lower between my legs, the low groan leaving his lips making mine part with a desperate whimper. “Shh… it’s okay, baby. I’m going to take care of you. Stay just like this and I’ll make it all better, princess.”

  “Yes, Sir,” I breathe, my chest panting harder as I hear the rustle of his pants behind me.

  He pushes into me a moment later, his fingers hooking into my mouth both muffling my low mewls of pleasure and sending me sailing to the edge faster than usual. He’s everywhere, somehow caging me in and setting me free all at once, his sweet words mixed with delicious filth all I need to soar as he fills me a half hour later.

  When he lifts me into his arms and wraps my legs around my waist, he holds my spent frame close as he carries me to my bedroom. He takes his time in dressing me for bed, our eyes whispering secrets our lips refuse to speak. Once I’m settled, he kisses me long and hard enough to hold me over until morning, though we both know it could never be enough.

  As he holds my eyes in the doorway, I’m already drifting off to sleep, praying for dreams of him. I feel my eyes slowly drift shut as he whispers his love for me and know deep within the pits of my soul that I’ve lied to my mother.

  I couldn’t care less what his reasons might be for asking.

  I’d marry Adam Avery in a minute.

  ADAM

  As the latch on her bedroom door catches, I finally release the low sigh I’ve had sitting in my chest. I glance around the now empty living room, hating the sting that still comes with its familiarity as I shut off the lighting until it’s pitch black, save for the low glow of the city seeping in through the glass wall that faces the terrace.

  I come to a stop at the bar, pouring myself a drink before I relax against the cool leather stool, the slow burn of the amber liquor making its way down my throat the only thing distracting me from my gaze upon her door.

  I’m lost in my thoughts, completely captivated by images of Bella, slices of the evening seeping in only to be washed away by more memories of her. While the drama that’s come from falling for her, calling her mine, seems unending, the time I’ve shared with her seems to have flown by us both in a breath. What began with such hesitance, such uncertainty has transformed into something I now can’t see myself living even a moment without. She’s become the center of my universe.

  She’s the center of everything.
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br />   I wasn’t sure about us in the beginning, but now? Now, I’m not sure I’ll ever be so certain about anything else again.

  I swallow hard passed the emotion that thoughts of her bring and drain my glass, before I make the lonely trek back to my bedroom. It’s the first night in weeks I’ll be spending on my own. Although she’s just across the way, sleeping soundly in her bedroom, I can’t help but be reminded of the loneliness I hadn’t realized I’d been harboring for so long before her.

  It’s just for a couple of nights, I remind myself as I step inside the dark space. This is what she needs.

  After a quick shower, I slide beneath my comforter, hating the extra space that lies between me and the night sky seeping in from the windows on her side of the bed. I lie alone in the dark for a long while, grateful to have found someone so worthy of the inner turmoil I’m experiencing for the first time in my life when the low chime of my phone pulls my heavy lids open.

  I reach for it, smiling when I see her name pop up on the screen.

  Invisibility or telepathy? XO Bella

  Invisibility. I’d use it to sneak back into your bedroom. -Adam

  You’re sweet. You made me blush. XO Bella

  Show me -Adam

  A moment passes before my phone flashes once more, an image of her smile filling my screen. Her dark hair falls all around her on the pillow, the pink teddy bear I’d sent with her flowers the day before tucked gently inside the crook of her elbow. I swallow hard at the emotion filling my chest and quickly save it with the others before typing out my response.

  That’s my girl. Which would you choose? -Adam

  Same. I’d use it to take us far away from all of this. XO Bella

  Her words make my chest clench.

  Me, too, little one. I promise this will be behind us soon enough. -Adam

  I’m envious of your confidence. I wish I felt as certain of things. XO Bella

  I’m certain only of you. That’s enough for me. -Adam

  It takes her a moment to reply and I don’t have to see her to know she’s releasing a sigh, trying her best to hold back the same emotion as I am. The thought of that makes me ache to touch her, desperate to feel her skin resting flush against mine. I’m forcing myself to stay put when my phone chimes once more, pulling my attention back to my dark bedroom.