“It is. But I’m here for you. Always. We’ll get together soon enough for that drink. I have a whole shitload of other stuff to tell you.”
“Yeah. All right. Take care of yourself, Joe.”
“You too, buddy.” I ended the call and turned to Melanie.
“Go downstairs. Now.”
Chapter Thirty–Nine
Melanie
I arched my eyebrows at Jonah. “Are you sure you’re ready for this right now?”
He regarded me sternly, his dark eyes afire. “Don’t question me. I said get downstairs. Now.”
I wanted to please him. More than anything I did. But right now I was still consumed with worry over him, plus I wanted to check in with Ruby. I had left her at Rodney Cates’s house after she assured me she would be fine. She was armed and a trained police officer, but still, I was a bit worried. I hadn’t been able to stick around to hear what Rodney was going to tell her. It had been more important for me to go to Jonah.
I opened my mouth to argue with Jonah again, but his eyes told me he was not about to take no for an answer.
I was determined to please him, and I knew he would never harm me. So I would do as he asked. He needed me, and I would be there for him.
I turned toward the door to the basement.
His deep, dark voice invaded my thoughts. “Be naked when I get down there. Kneeling by the bed.”
Without looking back at him, I nodded and continued toward the door.
I walked down the stairs slowly and flipped on the light switch in the rec room. Again, slowly, I walked toward the closed door to the dungeon and opened it.
“Oh!”
Lavender buds were spread over the bed, and a plant sat on the table next to the bed. I inhaled the fragrant scent. He had done this for me after our last encounter, to make the room better for me. My God, I loved him so much.
A lavender pillar candle sat on the table next to the bed. Two tapers sat next to it.
My nipples tightened. Was he planning to use the candles on me? The idea of warm wax dribbling over my nipples…
Would it be too hot?
Or would it be warm and sensual?
I secretly hoped it would be a combination of both.
I removed my clothes, remembering his order, and set them on a settee at the foot of the bed. I hid my beige cotton panties under my jeans. He’d told me never to wear them in this room. I hadn’t meant to disobey, but I hadn’t exactly had the chance to go shopping for new underwear either. He’d said he’d make sure I had plenty of new stuff, but then he had disappeared.
Once naked, I knelt at the side of the bed. I didn’t know how long it would take Jonah to come down, but he was clearly in a mood to take control. It made perfect sense. He had just been in a situation where he had no control. Now he needed to exert it.
And I would let him.
I didn’t turn when I felt his footsteps jar the floor. He’d told me to kneel, and I would do so until otherwise instructed.
“Do you like the lavender, Melanie?”
I still did not turn. “I love it. Thank you, Jonah.”
His fingers tangled in my hair. “You’re welcome.”
Still, I did not turn.