Regaining Command Read online

  She glared at him. “So?"

  His smile was wicked, feral, and fire raged along her skin. “I like to give it."

  It hurt her neck, but she tried to pull away from him. “If you knew that, then why all the games? Why not just fuck me like I wanted you to?"

  A flicker of emotion shifted in his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. “Maybe I wanted to build the anticipation."

  "Maybe you're full of bullshit."

  His eyebrows rose. “You're going to be punished for that mouth of yours."

  "That mouth of mine is talented,” she taunted him. “But I can't do anything tied up."

  He released her hair abruptly, stepped back from her and chose a wicked looking flogger. “No, you can't."

  Uncertainty killed her mood. Perhaps Donny wasn't as tightly wrapped as her fantasy Donny had always been. The real thing was much more frightening.

  And much more arousing.

  As she shifted to see if there was a way to escape, he circled her body and studied every inch of her. She gasped when he ran the firm handle of the flogger down her spine and nudged her ass crack. When she tried to turn her head to see his expression, he smacked her soft flesh hard enough to make her yelp. He followed the blow with an erotic stroke of his fingers over her heated skin.

  "Don't look at me,” he ordered his voice low and hard.

  "I like to look at you.” She wasn't going to do what he told her to. That wasn't who she was, and he'd better figure that out now.

  Another strike of his hand to her ass, and she inhaled with a hiss. “You're going to do exactly what I say."

  He strode to a table in the shadowed corner of the room and got something. She strained to see what he was doing. He held the item behind his back and stood behind her.

  A rustle and the room went dark as he blindfolded her. He jerked it tight around her head and she bit her lip. All she could do now is hear, smell and feel. Donny had focused her senses to only the sensations of pain. The sound of a whip, the smell of leather and sweat and the feel of the lash on her skin would be intensified.

  Wet, she tried to clamp her legs together and ease the ache there. Another slap on her backside, this one harder and with more sting. “Don't move."

  His hands were on her ankles and the familiar buttery soft sensation of leather slid around her leg. He tightened a restraint around each ankle, her legs apart and cool air brushed the curls around her clit. Again, the handle of the flogger stroked her skin as he slid it over her thigh, her stomach and her breasts. She moaned when he moved it over her clit, but didn't stay. “Are you going to fuck me with that thing or just play all day?” she quipped and earned a stinging blow to her upper thigh from his hand.

  "That mouth of yours,” he murmured.

  "What's wrong with it?"

  His hand clamped around the back of her neck, and his lips slammed into hers. The breath went out of her as he swept his tongue inside, and his mouth slanted over hers again and again.

  She whimpered as he bit her lower lip and growled a sound deep in his throat. “Your games are dangerous,” he snarled.

  His warmth was gone, and his voice sounded behind her. “Let's see if I can make you scream instead of demand."

  She was about to make some cute remark about how she would scream her demand that he fuck her when he laid those wicked strands from the flogger across her ass.

  Pain combined with the heat of pleasure ripped along her nerves. He struck her again. Hard. She didn't scream in pain. She groaned as her pussy pulsed and throbbed. In a wicked rhythm, he kept her on edge and flogged her back, her ass, the back of her legs. Deep in a place she'd never been before, the pain and intense pleasure built until it broke away from her, and she did scream. As she convulsed in an orgasm and trembled, he increased the strokes from the flogger.

  Her juices flowed down her leg, and his hand stroked its trail as he wiped the cum from her skin. He hummed a long murmur of approval as he palmed her mound and she jerked in response. “You taste so good. So sweet.” His honeyed tones washed over her. “You should see the beautiful marks on you. God, you make me so hot, I want to come all over you."

  "Then do it!"

  "That mouth again.” He didn't sound offended. He sounded aroused and hot. “The one thing that makes that mouth stop talking is when your pussy is vibrating with an orgasm. You weren't talking when your cum slid down your leg.” He moved away from her, and she heard him shifting something on the table. “I have something for you."

  Cool, hard, and vibrating, that “something” was in her ass now. He slid it in and cupped her ass, his cock pressed against her clit and his teeth on her neck. He held in the item and the rim around her tight hole throbbed with need. She wanted him to fuck her—in the ass, in the pussy, anywhere—but she wanted it now.

  He was right though. The sensation of the vibrator in her butt kept her mouth quiet. She ached everywhere. His mouth was hot on her skin as he caught one of her nipples in his mouth and sucked it so hard pinpricks of pain spread from its tip all the way to her core. Her hips sought to capture his huge penis inside her slit to relieve the need, the hunger that clawed at her.

  As he evaded her efforts, he punished her with his teeth and thrust two fingers of his free hand inside her slick channel. She didn't come. She exploded. Her walls contracted so hard her whole body clenched. The vibrations in her ass kept the pulsating convulsions going as Donny pumped three, then four fingers inside her.

  Then, his lips collided with hers in a bruising, angry kiss full of violence and need. She yanked on the restraints on her wrists and hands, desperate to clutch, grab, touch him the way he touched her.

  As he continued to thrust his tongue in her mouth, one hand removed the vibrator from her ass. He broke the kiss and she felt his firm touch on her ankles as he flicked the restraints off. He left a trail of bites all the way up her body until he claimed her mouth again and stole her breath away. She barely noticed when the ties around her wrists were loosened and she collapsed in his arms.

  Still blindfolded, all she knew was he bent her over a smooth, leather surface and rubbed his hands over her ass. She wanted to cry with frustration. “Fuck me!” she screamed.

  His hand connected with her flesh with a strike that made her whole body jump. The full force of his strength had been behind that one. And she loved it. “Do it, Donny,” she goaded him. “Fuck me. Beat me. Do. It."

  The next slap of his hand on her ass shoved her face into the leather. Two fingers thrust inside her wet pussy as his other hand struck her ass one blow after another. She shattered and tried to buck back into his hand and pull away.

  He removed his fingers, and his hands grasped her hips so he could slam his cock in her pulsating channel. She squeezed him as she continued to convulse and her body spun out of control. His hands left her hips and gripped her hands to yank them back towards him. He threaded his fingers through hers and continued to slide in and out of her pussy.

  But it wasn't enough.

  She whimpered. She wanted to see him. She wanted to see that violent, passionate intent in his eyes when he made her come. She wanted to see his face when he came inside her.

  He seemed to know it. He growled and dropped her hands only long enough to flip her over and rip the blindfold off her head. She gasped as she gazed into his face.

  Need.

  The features of his face were tight, hard, determined, but they shouted one thing.

  Need.

  He grabbed her ankles and shoved them up by his ears as he towered over her and thrust his penis inside her slit. Deeper and deeper, his huge cock punished her and she arched to meet it. His hands were everywhere, her breasts, her hair, her ass, but her gaze never left his face.

  He was beautiful.

  Desire carved his body into a taut work of art, and the sight of him fucking her sent her senses spinning. He stared into her face as he built the tension between them. Then, he leaned forward, her legs stretched over his shoulders,
his cock deep inside. His hands braced on either side of her head and his stare held hers like a challenge, like an understanding.

  The action created a fresh release from her pussy that bathed his dick in her cream. She reveled in the way his eyes drifted shut from the feel of it. When they opened, his thrusts increased in speed and his fingers found her nipples. “Come for me. Again. Again,” he chanted, and went faster and faster.

  In a heartbeat, she was there, spinning, exploding, falling. She screamed his name over and over as it seemed the climax would never end. She'd thought that was the ultimate sensation, the perfect convulsion.

  Then, he came inside her.

  She couldn't even scream. She'd stopped breathing. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she choked out a cry as her whole body clenched and trembled.

  When she was able to focus again, he was nose to nose with her, his intense gaze still on her face. “You are so beautiful when you come, Elise. You have no idea.” He sounded stunned.

  "I wanted to see your face when you came, but—"

  His touch was tender, gentle, sweet. He stroked her cheek and tears stung her eyelids.

  "Warning: Security Code has been breached. Warning: Security Code has been breached."

  Donny straightened and hauled Elise to her feet. “Authorization?” His tone was clipped as he handed Elise her coveralls and started to dress.

  "Authorization Dr. Carl Meiner."

  "Shit!” Elise closed her eyes and ran a frantic hand through her hair. “That's one of my bosses."

  "Computer, shut down program. Authorization Pasquel.” Donny held Elise's hand and squeezed it. She was grateful to him. The last thing she needed was her boss to discover her in some weird dungeon.

  The walls returned to a natural green background and she got her coveralls buttoned just as the doors whooshed open. Dr. Carl Meiner strode through the door with five soldiers armed and ready behind him. “Adonis Pasquel?” The man narrowed his eyes on Donny and Elise.

  Dr. Meiner was handsome in a cerebral sort of way. Once, when they'd first arrived on Asberek and everyone was unaware of S.E.X. and its affects on the human anatomy, the man had hit on her. But both of them knew Carl didn't lean that way. And Elise wasn't fucking someone who played for the other team. Well, unless they played for both teams like Jonah.

  Carl Meiner only played for one team.

  "I'm Pasquel.” Donny stepped forward and his body shielded Elise.

  "Elise, step away from him.” Meiner didn't glance at her but kept his eyes on the Tribunal soldier. She frowned as she noticed all five of the accompanying soldiers had their weapons trained on Donny.

  "What's going on, Carl?” she demanded.

  "Do as I say.” Carl glared at her. She stared at him with widened eyes. What was wrong with him?

  It was Donny that saved the situation. He stepped to one side and put distance between himself and Elise. Immediately, the soldier closed in. “You're under arrest for the murder of Trista Locke."

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Five

  "I was with him all night.” Elise leaned forward in the hard chair Dr. Meiner provided for her in the interrogation room. “There's no way Donny Pasquel could have killed that woman."

  Dr. Meiner's blue eyes were serious. “I think we'd better go over every minute of yesterday. You were with the Dormrelian ambassador all day?"

  She nodded. “Yes. Until about four, and then Paul Lestrano was my guard for four hours. At eight, I decided I wanted to ... go out.” She hesitated to say she went out to get laid to this man.

  "And Donny Pasquel was where at this point?” Dr. Meiner's eyebrows rose.

  Her lips tightened before she answered. “I understand he went to one of the VFRs here in the Causeway."

  "And you're sure?"

  "Check the security tapes.” Frustration bubbled beneath the surface.

  "Security tapes can be altered."

  She stared at him. “That's insane."

  "I saw the bodies. You didn't. We're not dealing with someone who is sane, Dr. Fleming.” His gaze dropped to a file in front of him. “Considering Donny Pasquel has a history of violence puts him at the top of the list."

  Her eyes narrowed. “He was under the influence of Alien injections when he committed those crimes. Earth Central exonerated him."

  "Your loyalty is commendable but misplaced.” The man's voice was condescending.

  "Your suspicion is ridiculous,” she snapped. “You must have other evidence besides Donny's past."

  His gaze met hers, and her heart plummeted into her shoes. He did have something else. She closed her eyes. He couldn't have done it. It just wasn't in him. But she had no solid proof that he didn't do it. A Tribunal could easily alter security tapes, and Donny would have the expertise to do just that.

  She shook her head. He wouldn't have done it. Her eyes opened, and she glared at Dr. Meiner. “Your theory is he killed this woman in place of me? Well, he's had every opportunity to kill me and he hasn't. What is his motive for murdering this woman?"

  "I don't need motive. I just need evidence."

  "Then why am I here?” She clenched her fists in her lap.

  "To prove there was a period of time you were not with him. There were four hours you didn't know where he was."

  Tears choked her throat. She'd just given Dr. Meiner all he needed to convict Donny.

  A deep breath and a moment helped to calm her. “Where is Dr. Carstairs? She's in charge of this facility. Why are you asking the questions?"

  His gaze sharpened, and he frowned. Elise thought he wasn't going to answer her but he finally spoke. “Dr. Carstairs has been removed until this matter has been cleared up."

  "That's crazy.” Elise slapped an open hand on the table. “Why?"

  "Because the codes used to run the VFR were Tribunal codes. That means Paul Lestrano, as a former Tribunal, is also suspect."

  Elise was stunned. Tribunal codes? That meant another rogue Tribunal soldier.

  If Donny didn't do it.

  "You all have lost your minds,” was all she could think to say and crossed her arms over her chest. “I'm not saying another word."

  Dr. Meiner seemed to lose patience and tossed a stack of digital photographs in front of her. “Fine. Don't say anything. Just look. That could have been you."

  The pictures were gruesome. She'd heard about the Gershon murders six months earlier, but she hadn't seen them. She'd noted Donny's expression when he'd seen these crime photos, but he hadn't let her see them. Blood was everywhere—on the walls, on the floor, on the victim's face. Her limbs were ripped from their sockets where skin hung like listless strands from the body.

  Elise's stomach turned, and she wanted to throw up.

  Instead, she lifted her gaze and glared at her questioner. “Donny has been guarding me. I repeat, why not kill me in my room? Why her? Dr. Carstairs believed it was mistaken identity. Donny would not have made that mistake.” She shoved the photos back towards him. “You're making a huge error."

  "Better safe than sorry.” Dr. Meiner didn't seem too concerned. “I'm only holding Pasquel and Lestrano until the General arrives from The Zenith. This is a military matter."

  "Can I go then?” she demanded as he stood and headed for the doors.

  "For now.” He opened the door and indicated that she go through it first.

  How could she help Donny?

  And was she sure he hadn't done it?

  * * * *

  Donny sat on the floor of the holding cell with his head bowed. He should have known it would come to this. They wouldn't tell him anything. He requested Paul Lestrano to come and see him. They refused. He asked to see Dr. Carstairs. They refused.

  What did he expect? He was responsible for almost destroying The Zenith when the colonists first came to Asberek. He was responsible for the murder of four women. Did he think they wouldn't believe he'd done it?

  With Jenia in charge, he was sure he'd get a fa
ir shake. But something was wrong, and Jenia wasn't running things here. Dr. Carl Meiner was in charge, and Donny was stuck with it.

  He'd clammed up and refused to say anything. Meiner and his men hadn't seemed surprised. They left him in his cell, and he'd been there for at least eight hours.

  He wondered what happened to Elise. Did she believe he murdered that woman? How could she? She'd been with him the whole time. A bitter tang coated his throat. Would she tell them that? Or would she hang him out to dry?

  Why shouldn't she? He fucked her, but he wasn't gentle. She enjoyed it, but maybe she regretted it now. Women were a mystery to him. He'd tried to stay away from Elise because he knew she was a forever kind of person. She wasn't looking for a quick fuck, but he couldn't resist her.

  He groaned.

  By the time the door opened an hour later, he was convinced Elise had betrayed him to save herself, and he'd been a fool. But she stood in the doorway with Jenia behind her. “Let's go. Hurry. Before he gets back."

  He scowled at her. “Why bother?"

  Jenia glanced over her shoulder and glared at him. “Because they arrested Paul too. Get up,” she snapped.

  He crept out the door and followed the women down the corridor until they came to another room. Elise fiddled with the console, and he raised his eyebrows. “How do you happen to have access to the Holding Cells?"

  "I don't. But I do have access to Carl's passwords. He doesn't know it, but it's the only way I can stay one step ahead of him.” She frowned at the buttons, and kept clicking until the door opened.

  Paul Lestrano sprang from the corner of his cell and grabbed Jenia. “Did they hurt you? I'll kill them."

  Donny growled in approval. That's right. If they had done anything to Elise—what was he thinking? Paul and Jenia were a couple, connected, lovers. Elise was none of those. But the thought of any of Carl's men touching her made him see red.

  "No, they didn't hurt me. They scared me.” Jenia laid her palm on Paul's cheek and he leaned into it. “Dr. Meiner threatened me with legal action if I didn't step down. I was clearly ‘biased'."