I tried to breathe through my nose and out my mouth as if meditating. When that didn’t work, I counted in my head.Worked on chiropractic adjustments mentally. Sometimes, I stayed in my original position, and other times I endured the painful pulling to relieve the strain on my body.
How long it lasted, I don’t know. I refused to look at the clock. Another thing I refused to do was beg or call out my safe word. Tears were rolling down my cheeks, which I didn’t realize until Reign’s lips caressed mine and he spoke with a throb in his voice.
“Jaanu, you did so good, baby. God, so good. Hold still, and I’ll get you loose.”
He swiftly undid the rope attached to my hair and then the restraints on my wrists. When I sat up, I groaned. My body was stiff, and my muscles spasmed. I thought about standing, but knew it wasn’t possible yet.
That was when Reign swept me off the chair and carried me cradled in his arms to our bedroom. He kissed my hair and murmured the entire way.
“Just try to relax. Your muscles will be fine soon.”
In the bedroom, he detoured past the bed and went to the bathroom, where he ran water into the sunken tub. He sat on the edge, holding me as he tested it. When he was satisfied with the temperature, Reign placed me in the water. The warmth felt so incredible.
Reign got the towels situated for us, then slid into the tub behind me. I was brought back to rest against him. His hands massaged my shoulders, neck, arms, and as far as he could reach on my legs. I floated and let my body go with it. After about ten minutes, by my guess, he spoke.
“How do you feel? Does it hurt too much?”
I thought about it, then answered.
“The hot water is helping. Yes, I was achy and throbbing, but it eased a lot. I’ll be fine.”
“What did you think of your first predicament?”
“I wanted to punch you for making it so hard to remain still,” I confessed, and he chuckled.
“But the pain was so mixed that while it hurt, sometimes I wanted it to continue to do that. I loved making you proud of me and happy. So my reward is this relaxing bath with you,” I remarked.
“I’m glad you liked it. I hope you’ll be willing to play like that again, but if you don’t, that’s fine. As for your reward, no, the bath isn’t it. This part is aftercare. Your reward is how slowly I’m going to make love to you and the number of orgasms you get before I’m finished.”
My eyes widened, and I cranked my neck to look at him. There was desire smoldering in his eyes. I maneuvered my body so that I straddled his thighs, facing him.
“What are you waiting for? I’m ready for my reward,” I purred.
He hadn’t lied. By the time he worked five orgasms out of me to his one, I was floating in space. I was asleep, I think, before my head touched my pillow.
Sinner: Chapter 19
Somehow, Rowan made bail, according to Aven Lloyd, my personal lawyer. He’d found a way to put up his new car as collateral. The idiot had paid a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for it. He was out until his trial, which was three months or more away. He was working to find a lawyer so he wouldn’t have to use the public defender. Maybe he’d have to sell a ton more of his stuff to raise the retainer.
The other legal battle hanging over us was due in court next week. There had been a problem, and the judge had rescheduled it. Iker reported that his people had spotted Sam a few more times, but he never approached Anastasia, so there wasn’t anything we could do.
As for the Shah family, Kathlyn resolved to wait until after the hearing with the judge before meeting with Savar. She’d told her daughter and me what she planned to tell him: after close to thirty-eight years of marriage, she was filing for a divorce.
A major factor in her decision was that he kept finding ways around her blocks, ignoring her boundaries and not respecting her wishes. He used other people’s phones or burner phones to call, leave messages, or text. He did the same with emails, too.
His communications were never pleading or filled with promises that he’d change. They were full of demands, threats,and allegations about how she was a terrible wife and mother. He even had his other kids weighing in.
Kathlyn was upset, but she admitted that her love for her husband had been smothered out years ago. She’d stayed because she felt, at her age, it was ridiculous to leave.
Anastasia and I had talked about it alone. That was when she brought up the attention Iker and Poe had paid to her mom. She didn’t want them to get any ideas about consoling the divorcée. Like my woman, her mom wasn’t one to jump into a man’s bed. In fact, she’d only ever been with Savar as far as Anastasia knew. Kathlyn wasn’t into flings.
I assured Anastasia that I’d tell them both that, and if anyone, those two or others, tried to play fast and loose with my mother-in-law, I’d set them straight with my fists. My friendship with Iker wouldn’t deter me.
One good piece of news was that, after I explained what was going on with my credit, Mr. O'Brien agreed to wait until my issue with Rowan was resolved. He knew I was good for it. However, I assured him that I was working to get the money to him sooner. The truth was, Anastasia and I were anxious to start the renovations.
I explained this to Mikhail and Hoss as we sat at lunch. They’d stopped by my office and asked me to have it with them. It had been a long time since we’d done it, so I said yes. I needed time with my male friends.
“So let me get this straight. Your brother forges your name to take out a loan. He blew it. Thinks that you shouldn’t press charges and needs someone to bail him out. Oh, and you get penalized for having to freeze your accounts and other shit. It’s putting into jeopardy your purchase of the building you live in and the expansion of your penthouse,” Hoss rattled off. Mikhail sat there deep in concentration.
