Submit and Surrender

chapter 14


The day only got crazier from there.

It had only been about an hour, give or take, but Adra had spent that entire time in a constant state of oh-my-f*cking-God need, and that meant it had been an eternity.

The actors had needed less and less coaching as the shoot progressed, and Derrick had a late call time today so he wasn’t around to try to get her attention, which meant that not too many people bothered her while she was walking around like a woman in heat wondering where Ford was. Which was good, because he’d turned the bullet on twice already.

The first time she’d had to steady herself against the wall.

The second time she’d gripped the sides of a chair and closed her eyes.

Both times, he’d left her hanging.

What the hell was the range on that thing?

Her nipples were at the point of pain. There was no way at all to hide it; every man she passed had to tear his eyes away, and some of the women, too.

She was so past caring.

All she cared about was an orgasm. All she cared about was when Ford would finally relent, and f*ck her. For one blissful, torturous hour, he’d made her life incredibly simple.

Which might explain why she was so off her guard when Lola showed up.

Well, waddled up.

Adra smiled and tried to force her brain to switch gears. “You look great, you know.”

“I feel like a whale. It didn’t hit me until this week, and suddenly, boom: whale. I have no idea what’s going on.”

“Your due date is what’s going on,” Adra said.

Lola looked at her. Adra couldn’t help it.

“Hey, don’t you cry!” Lola said. “I’m the one who’s pregnant! And holy crap, do I want to be done being pregnant. I just want the baby already.”

“I know,” Adra said. “I’m just…how soon?”

Lola took a deep breath. “Twenty-two days,” she said. “What? Why are you smiling like a lunatic?”

“I’m just really happy,” Adra said. Seeing Roman and Lola start a family, seeing them in love—it was almost as good as seeing Charlie happy. Adra knew it didn’t necessarily make sense that she didn’t believe in happy endings for herself while she believed vehemently in those happy endings for her friends, but she was ok with being a woman of contradictions. Mostly she felt very lucky.

“C’mon, you goofball,” Lola said gently. “There’s some sort of entertainment TV show here, and they want to do an interview with you, and I figured…”

“Oh God, seriously?” Adra said, suddenly alarmed. “Which one?”

“The Daily Tattle,” Lola said. “Someone named Brooke Kenner?”

Adra made a face. “Yeah, I know her. Or know of her. Which is enough.”

“Yeah, she’s definitely going to ask about the rumors about you and Derrick,” Lola said. “Roman and I thought that, given all the bad publicity, we need to put a fun, warm face on Volare, you know? It’s better to jump out in front and try to take control of it at this point. And I’d do it by myself, but they won’t do it without you.”

“Of course they won’t,” Adra sighed. “You know they’re going to edit it ruthlessly, right?”

“Yeah, but they underestimate us,” Lola grinned. “But you really don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, kiddo. I’m serious.”

“I know you are, but you’re right that we kind of need it,” Adra said. “Besides, I can do these in my sleep. I mean, probably. I coach clients through it all the time, so it’s gotta be the same thing, right?”

“Huh,” Lola said, sounding slightly less than confident. “Well, you look great. New moisturizer?”

Adra felt herself start to blush. There was definitely only one thing responsible for her recent glow.

“Sure,” Adra said.

Lola laughed and looked at Adra sideways. “Yeah, how are those new living arrangements working out?”

Oh, goddammit. Of course Lola knew about her and Ford. Or at least knew that there was something to know. Adra was staying with the man for crying out loud, and they hadn’t been fighting at all, and instead there’d just been lots of smoldery looks and long stares…

Of course Lola knew something.

But the idea of having to explain to Lola what she couldn’t even explain to herself made Adra’s insides twist together in unholy knots. Still, she also hated lying to a friend.

“Um, it’s great,” Adra said.

Smooth.

Lola laughed again. “I’ll bet it is.”

“Hush.”

“Well, you let me know if things get complicated,” Lola said. “I know you can’t go back to your place until this all blows over, but you always have a home where we are. And people willing to listen. You know, friend things.”

“If things get complicated?” Adra whispered. The idea of ‘complications’ was, of course, terrifying. That was what she was trying to avoid entirely. That was the whole point!

Don’t think about it.

Lola just smirked all the way to where Brooke Kenner had set up her little interview area. Adra decided to pretend ‘complications’ were just things that happened to other people, and focused on the evidence of just how good the simple stuff was—she felt the bullet every time she took a step. By the time they got to the interview area, she was already fighting back thoughts of Ford.

The lights were already set up, and Brooke was going over her notes, perched near the couch they’d all share. She looked up and smiled about as wide as a human being could smile and waved them over.

“Ladies, thank you so much!” Brooke said, ushering them onto the couch. “I am so excited to do this interview!”

I bet, Adra thought to herself as she sat down.


And then she stopped thinking for a little bit as the remote-controlled silver bullet pressed firmly into her g-spot.

And then she thought about how it had gotten inside of her.

And about what Ford might do to her later.

And she was right back where she started, barely capable of finishing a thought, squirming in her seat. Only this time someone was powdering her face for camera while Brooke Kenner tried to chat them up.

“Adra?”

It was Lola’s voice. Adra tried to snap out of it, but to no avail. She had to cross her legs on this couch, and that meant…

Oh God.

“Adra, you ok?”

“Yup,” Adra said, shaking her head. “Sorry, just lost in thought for a second.”

“You ready?” Lola asked.

“What are we supposed to do again?” Adra whispered while Brooke talked to a production assistant.

“Make us not look like some sort of den of iniquity,” Lola said. She paused. “Well, not the bad kind, anyway.”

“Right,” Adra muttered. “The good kind of den. Got it.”

And she actually might have been able to handle it.

Might have.

The interview started off soft, the way they were supposed to, warming both her and Lola up. And Lola, as always, was formidable, taking charge of the interview almost immediately, representing Volare. And Adra followed along perfectly at first.

At first.

But then, somewhere around Lola’s third witty remark and Brooke’s surprised laughter, the bullet started to vibrate.

Adra’s eyes half-closed and her mouth opened. Jesus Christ. Could he see her? Did Ford know what he was doing to her right now? She couldn’t move, except she had to. She couldn’t…if she didn’t let it out…

Oh f*ck.

And just before she thought she might lose it, it stopped.

Adra’s eyes came back into focus on a skeptical-looking Brooke Kenner. She hoped to God her brain would start working again soon, too.

“Adra, you’ve been working so closely with the actors on this project,” Brooke said. Adra didn’t like the emphasis, but at least she already knew where this question was going: the rumors that she was having an affair with Derrick Duvall.

Normally, thinking about those rumors made her vaguely sick. Now? She wasn’t able to keep her attention on it long enough to care. Every fiber of her being was focused on the bullet inside her, and what it might do next.

Adra licked her lips, and tried to ignore the wet pressure between her thighs.

“That’s right,” she said. “I’m one of the consultants they’ve brought on.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ve heard there are rumors swirling around,” Brooke said, leaning in and smiling, like they were old friends. “This is such a hot project, and everybody wants in, and you’re one of the only people that’s read the script! What can you tell us about the rumors that the movie involves the ‘other woman?’”

Adra took a deep breath, and forced her brain to go into gear. This was sneaky. Making it seem like the question was about the movie, when everyone and their mother would know what this was really about.

Focus, Adra. Take control.

“Oh, that’s false,” Adra said. “I mean, there’s no cheating in the script I read, and I’m grateful for that, because I don’t know how comfortable I would have been in that situation. I’m sure you’ve heard the other rumors, Brooke?”

Brooke stumbled. Then she smiled, raised an eyebrow, and said, “Well…”

“Those rumors in the press are so mean-spirited, and they make me so sad,” Adra said, realizing how true that was for the first time. “I mean, Derrick and Ellen are committed to each other, and I hate to hear anyone disparaging their relationship. Derrick and I were involved ages ago—”

Lola laughed. “Hey, don’t date us. I’m still twenty-nine and holding.”

Adra elbowed her friend, getting a giggle out of Lola. She was grateful for the levity. It made Adra seem less defensive, which was probably Lola’s intent. That woman knew how to work a camera.

“Anyway, back in the ice age,” Adra said, “We found out we were just wrong for each other, you know? And Derrick and Ellen are so right,” Adra went on, telling herself it wasn’t actually a lie. Maybe they were? Ellen definitely put up with Derrick, and he’d protected her, so far. “I love seeing my friends happy and in love. I love seeing them end up with the person they’re supposed to be with. It just…it fills me with joy.”

That part, at least, was true.

Lola squeezed Adra’s hand. And Adra thought about how, in real life, even though she really wasn’t the other woman, they were still sneaking around. It wasn’t real. But Ford had had a wife, an actual wife, once…

Jesus, where did that come from?

“So who are you with, Adra?” Brooke said, coming in for the kill. “Inquiring minds…”

Adra opened her mouth to answer—and the bullet turned on.

She nearly yelped out loud.

Instead she dug her fingers into the couch, pressed her lips together, and tried desperately to remain still.

They were all staring at her.

Ford…

God, she wouldn’t care if he showed up right then and there—that would be an answer to that question, wouldn’t it? If he showed up right now, she’d do whatever he wanted…

“We keep our personal lives personal here at Volare,” Lola said, stepping in. “We’re not going to disclose anyone’s personal business unless they consent to it. House rule.”

“Oh, that’s no fun,” Brooke laughed.

“Depends on whether you’re a member or not,” Lola said, smiling.

And the bullet finally stopped.

Adra exhaled suddenly and took a long, deep breath. She had to leave. She had to go, right f*cking now, and find Ford. She had to.

“Are we all done?” she asked, breathlessly.

“Um, yeah, I think—”

“Thanks,” she said, and got up to go find the man who held her in the literal palm of his hand.