Brokered Submission Read Free Page A

over-fast.
    “I trust your financial acumen, Zoë. I’m willing to invest six million of my own money into this venture of yours. In exchange, you will spend the next forty-eight hours as my sexual slave. You will be confined to my basement dungeon, and you will be subject to my every sensual whim and erotic torture.”
    His hand moved over her arm to her shoulder, his fingers lightly grazing her throat. I live it, he had said. Zoë became aware her mouth had fallen open, but she couldn’t even muster the muscle control to close it. She just stared at him as he continued, “I can see it in your eyes and your body language. You want what I’m offering.”
    His hand moved again, this time his fingers curling lightly around her throat. An involuntary shudder racked her body, and another moan escaped her lips. Christ, who was this man? “And I, in turn,” Dylan continued, “want you, but only on my terms.” He removed his hand and sat back on his stool, his eyes still locked on hers. Her hand fluttered to her bare throat, which felt oddly bereft of his touch. “I will never harm you when you are in my charge. I firmly believe in the concept of safe , sane and consensual as it applies to the BDSM lifestyle, no matter how intense our involvement might become.”
    Dylan turned back to the bar to pick up his beer bottle. Zoë slumped a little, as if she were a marionette and he’d just released her strings. He took a long drink while she struggled desperately to compose herself. She was at once flustered and on fire—something hot and wild had ignited inside her with his words. She had no idea how to put it out, or if she even wanted to. Was he seriously asking her for a weekend of kinky sex in exchange for an investment of such magnitude?
    He leaned closer, so close his lips nearly brushed hers as he whispered, “I can promise you this, Zoë, this will be an experience you will never forget. And one you won’t regret, no matter what else happens, or doesn’t happen, between us.”
    Zoë’s heart was hammering in her chest, and she found it hard to catch her breath. Her eyes fluttered shut in anticipation of his kiss.
    But no kiss came.
    She opened her eyes to find him regarding her with an amused, sardonic smile. “So,” he said. “Do we have a deal?”
     

Chapter 2
     
    Zoë’s mouth worked for a moment, but no words came. He could see the struggle, the resistance and the desire at war within her. Though she couldn’t possibly know the full extent of what she was going to agree to, he was nearly certain she would say yes. And not because of the promise of the cash infusion she would need to save her deal, or at least not solely because of that. He could sense the yearning, the need to find out what it was he was offering, and those feelings outweighed her natural trepidation.
    After what seemed a long time, but he knew was in reality only a few seconds, Zoë nodded. “Yes. Okay. All right, I’ll do it.” She lifted her chin. “But I need proof first. I need to see that you have access to those kinds of funds, and I need to know the money will be there on Tuesday.”
    Dylan nodded, slipping his hand into his pocket to keep from shooting a triumphant fist into the air. He swallowed for the same reason—to buy himself a little time so he didn’t burst out with something stupid like, “All-fucking-right!” Instead, keeping his voice calm, he said soberly, “Fair enough. Let’s go over to my office, and I’ll get things set up.”
    He paid the bar tab, and they stepped out together into the warm summer evening. As they walked the three city blocks to his office building, Zoë told him more about the details and structure of her deal. As she talked, she became increasingly animated and excited, and Dylan understood just how important it was for her not only to close the deal, but to prove to the world and, probably most importantly, to herself, that she had what it took to make it in high finance.
    “I