The Training (Book 3: The Submissive Trilogy) Read online

  TARA SUE ME

  THE

  TRAINING

  Copyright © 2013 Tara Sue Me

  The right of Tara Sue Me to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  First Published in this Ebook edition in 2013 by HEADLINE ETERNAL

  An imprint of HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by arrangement with New American Library, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC. A Penguin Random House Company.

  Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

  eISBN 978 1 4722 0811 8

  cover photograph © Rayjunk/Shutterstock

  HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  An Hachette UK Company

  338 Euston Road

  London NW1 3BH

  www.eternalromancebooks.co.uk

  www.headline.co.uk

  www.hachette.co.uk

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Author

  Praise for Tara Sue Me

  By Tara Sue Me

  About the Book

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Epilogue

  Sneak peek of Tara’s new series, Partners In Play

  Find out more about Headline Eternal

  Tara Sue Me wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. It would be twenty years before she picked up her pen to write the second.

  After completing several traditional romances, she decided to try her hand at something spicier and started work on The Submissive. What began as a writing exercise quickly took on a life of its own, and sequels The Dominant and The Training soon followed. Originally published online, the trilogy was a huge hit with readers around the world. Each of the books has now been read and reread more than a million times.

  Tara kept her identity and her writing life secret, not even telling her husband what she was working on. To this day, only a handful of people know the truth (though she has told her husband). They live together in the southeastern United States with their two children.

  Praise for Tara Sue Me:

  ‘A sexy and inviting kick-off to a new erotic trilogy, The Submissive should not be missed’ Romance Reviews Today

  ‘I HIGHLY recommend The Submissive by Tara Sue Me. It’s so worth it. This book crackles with sexual lightning right from the beginning . . . The Submissive has exceeded all my expectations. It has heart and the characters are majorly flawed in a beautiful way. They aren’t perfect, but they may be perfect together. Step into Tara Sue Me’s world of dominance and submission. It’s erotic, thrilling, and will leave you panting for more’ Martini Reviews

  ‘By the end of the first chapter I was hooked on the story and relationship of Abigail and Nathaniel . . . The book is told in first person so we only get Abby’s perspective of the relationship, but it’s one that I found real and compelling . . . This is one of those books that I will read and re-read’ The Book Reading Gals

  ‘For those Fifty Shades fans pining for a little more spice on their e-reader . . . the Guardian recommends Tara Sue Me’s Submissive Trilogy, starring handsome CEO Nathaniel West, a man on the prowl for a new submissive, and the librarian Abby, who is yearning for something more’ Los Angeles Times

  ‘Unbelievably fantastic! . . . Nathaniel is something special, and he has that . . . something “more” that makes him who he is and makes me love him more than all the others. Beneath the cold and detached surface there is a sweet and loving man, and I adored how Abby managed to crack his armour a tiny bit at a time . . . I can’t wait to continue this beautiful story’ Mind Reader

  ‘A blazing hot BDSM story between a billionaire and someone who’s admired him from afar. I really enjoyed this smoking tale and recommend it to erotic romance readers . . . I learned a lot about BDSM via Abby and Nathaniel’s relationship. I started to understand how things worked . . . I look forward to more books by Tara Sue Me. The sex between Abby and Nathaniel will have readers burning up’ Night Owl Reviews

  ‘Tara Sue Me’s The Submissive was a story unlike anything I’d ever read, and it completely captivated me . . . It’s an emotional, compelling story about two people who work to make their relationship exactly what they need it to be, and how they’re BOTH stronger for it’ Books Make Me Happy

  By Tara Sue Me

  In The Submissive Trilogy

  The Submissive

  The Dominant

  The Training

  In The Partners In Play Series

  Seduced By Fire

  THE TRAINING

  Book Three in The Submissive Trilogy

  It started with a hidden desire.

  Millionaire CEO Nathaniel West has always played by his own strict set of rules, ones he expects everyone to follow – especially the women he’s dominated in his bedroom. But his newest lover is breaking down all his boundaries and rewriting his rule book.

  Abby King never imagined that she would capture the heart of Nathaniel West, one of New York City’s most eligible bachelors – and its most desirable dominant. What began as a weekend arrangement of pleasure has become a passionate romance with a man who knows every inch of her body and her soul – yet remains an enigmatic lover. Though he is tender and caring, his painful past remains a wall between them.

  Abby knows the only way to truly earn his trust is to submit to him fully and let go of all of her lingering inhibitions. Because to lead Nathaniel on a path to greater intimacy, she must first let him deeper into her world than anyone has ever gone before. . .

  Now, in the enticing conclusion to Tara Sue Me’s Submissive Trilogy, the submissive and her dominant explore just how long they can make the pleasure last. . .

  To Cyndy, Danielle, and Kathy.

  So much of this story wouldn’t be what it is without you.

  Thank you will never be enough.

  Acknowledgments

  First and foremost, many thanks to my husband, Mr. Sue Me. I’m not sure what he expected when he married me seventeen years ago (we were five when we got married, just in case you were wondering), but I have a strong suspicion it wasn’t what he got. Thank you for your support. I know it hasn’t always been easy, but you’ve been by my side through it all. Or at least you were when I finally confessed what I like to
write . . .

  Hugs, kisses, and love forever to my two children. My most fervent hope is that you aren’t scarred for life by all the takeout, paper plates, and, “Yes, Mommy is editing. Yes, again.”

  Much love and thanks to Danielle and Cyndy. The story wouldn’t have been the same without you (the blindfold was all you, Danielle, and it was perfect!). Without you, I hate to think of what it would have been.

  Thank you, Ccchellesss, for the envelopes.

  To Amy, who never gave up and to Gereurd for carrying on.

  My deepest thanks, respect, and awe for everyone at Penguin for being the most amazing group of people to work with.

  Jhanteigh, I’ll never forget getting your e-mail in the car and pulling into the nearest parking lot so I could read it. I’m forever grateful you saw something in me (and I’ll never pass a Burger King without smiling).

  Claire, you’re an anchor in this crazy world. Thank you for your patience, guidance, and direction.

  To everyone who has in any way, shape, or form supported me, I wish my memory was good enough to remember you all. There is a piece of you in everything I do.

  And to Ms. K, once again, there are no words. Thank you for being a true friend. I am blessed to have you in my life, and you’re stuck with me forever.

  Chapter One

  —ABBY—

  The drive back to Nathaniel’s house took longer than it should have. Or maybe it just felt like it took longer. Maybe it was nerves.

  I tipped my head in thought.

  Maybe not nerves exactly. Maybe anticipation.

  Anticipation that after weeks of talking, weeks of waiting, and weeks of planning, we were finally here.

  Finally back.

  I lifted my hand and touched the collar—Nathaniel’s collar. My fingertips danced over the familiar lines and traced along the diamonds. I moved my head from side to side, reacquainting myself with the collar’s feel.

  There were no words to describe how I felt wearing Nathaniel’s collar again. The closest I could come was to compare it to a puzzle. A puzzle with the last piece finally in place. Yes, for the last few weeks, Nathaniel and I had been living as lovers, but we both felt incomplete. His recollaring of me—his reclaiming of me—had been what was missing. It sounded odd even to me, but I finally felt like I was his again.

  The hired car eventually reached Nathaniel’s house and pulled into his long drive. Lights flickered from the windows. He had set the timer, anticipating my arrival in the dark. Such a small gesture, but a touching one. One that showed, like much he did, how he kept me firmly at the forefront of his mind.

  I jingled my keys as I walked up the drive to his front door. My keys. To his house. He’d given me a set of keys a week ago. I didn’t live with him, but I spent a fair amount of time at his house. He said it only made sense for me to be able to let myself in or to lock up when I left.

  Apollo, Nathaniel’s golden retriever, rushed me when I opened the door. I rubbed his head and let him outside for a few minutes. I didn’t keep him out for too long—I wasn’t sure if Nathaniel would arrive home early, but if he did, I wanted to be in place. I wanted this weekend to be perfect.

  “Stay,” I told Apollo after stopping in the kitchen to refill his water bowl. Apollo obeyed all of Nathaniel’s orders, but thankfully, he listened to me this time. Normally, he would follow me up the stairs, and tonight that would be odd.

  I quickly left the kitchen and made my way upstairs to my old room. The room that would be mine on weekends.

  I undressed, placing my clothes in a neat pile on the edge of the twin bed. On this, Nathaniel and I had been in agreement. I would share his bed Sunday through Thursday nights, anytime I stayed over, but on Friday and Saturday nights, I would sleep in the room he reserved for his submissives.

  Now that we had a more traditional relationship during the week, we both wanted to make sure we remained in the proper mind-set on weekends. That mind-set would be easier to maintain for both of us if we slept separately. For both of us, yes, but perhaps more so for Nathaniel. He rarely shared a bed with his submissives, and having a romantic relationship with one was completely new to him.

  I stepped naked into the playroom. Nathaniel had led me around the room last weekend—explaining, discussing, and showing me things I’d never seen and several items I’d never heard of.

  At its core, it was an unassuming room—hardwood floors, deep, dark brown paint, handsome cherry armoires, even a long table carved of rich wood. However, the chains and shackles, the padded leather bench and table, and the wooden whipping bench gave away the room’s purpose.

  A lone pillow waited for me below the hanging chains. I dropped to my knees on it, situating myself into the position Nathaniel explained I was to be in whenever I waited for him in the playroom—butt resting on my heels, back straight, right hand on top of my left in my lap, fingers not intertwined, and head down.

  I got into position and waited.

  Time inched forward.

  I finally heard him enter through the front door.

  “Apollo,” he called, and while I knew he spoke Apollo’s name so he could take him outside again, another reason was to alert me who it was that entered the house. To give me time to prepare myself. Perhaps for him to listen for footsteps from overhead. Footsteps that would tell him I wasn’t prepared for his arrival. I felt proud he would hear nothing.

  I closed my eyes. It wouldn’t be long now. I imagined what Nathaniel was doing—taking Apollo outside, feeding him maybe. Would he undress downstairs? In his bedroom? Or would he enter the playroom wearing his suit and tie?

  Doesn’t matter, I told myself. Whatever Nathaniel has planned will be perfect.

  I strained my ears—he was walking up the stairs now. Alone. No dog followed.

  Somehow, the atmosphere of the room changed when he walked in. The air became charged, and the space between us nearly hummed. In that moment, I understood—I was his, yes. I had been correct with that assumption. But even more so, even more important, perhaps, he was mine.

  My heart raced.

  “Very nice, Abigail,” he said, and walked to stand in front of me. His feet were bare. I noted he had changed out of his suit and into a pair of black jeans.

  I closed my eyes again. Cleared my mind. Focused inwardly. Forced myself to remain still under his scrutiny.

  He walked to the table, and I heard a drawer open. For a minute, I tried to remember everything in the drawers, but I stopped myself and once again forced my mind to quiet itself.

  He came back to stand at my side. Something firm and leather trailed down my spine.

  Riding crop.

  “Perfect posture,” he said as the crop ran up my spine. “I expect you to be in this position whenever I tell you to enter this room.”

  I felt relieved he was satisfied with my posture. I wanted so much to please him tonight. To show him I was ready for this. That we were ready. He had been so worried.

  Of course, not a bit of worry or doubt could be discerned now. Not in his voice. Not in his stance. His demeanor in the playroom was utter and complete control and confidence.

  He dragged the riding crop down my stomach and then back up. Teasing.

  Damn. I loved the riding crop.

  I kept my head down even though I wanted to see his face. To meet his eyes. But I knew the best gift I could give him was my absolute trust and obedience, so I kept my head down with my eyes focused on the floor.

  “Stand up.”

  I rose slowly to my feet, knowing I stood directly under the chains. Normally, he kept them up for storage, but they were lowered tonight.

  “Friday night through Sunday afternoon, your body is mine,” he said. “As we agreed, the kitchen table and library are still yours. There, and only there, are you to speak your mind. Respectfully, of course.”

  Both of his hands traced across my shoulders, down my arms. One hand slipped between my breasts and dropped to where I was wet and aching.

/>   “This,” he said, rubbing my outer lips, “is your responsibility. I want you waxed bare as often as possible. If I decide you have neglected this responsibility, you will be punished.”

  And again, we had agreed to this.

  “In addition, it is your responsibility to ensure your waxer does an acceptable job. I will allow no excuses. Is that understood?”

  I didn’t say anything.

  “You may answer,” he said. I heard the smile in his voice.

  “Yes, Master.”

  He slipped a finger between my folds and I felt his breath in my ear. “I like you bare.” His finger swirled around my clit. “Slick and smooth. Nothing between your pussy and whatever I decide to do to it.”

  Fuck.

  Then he moved behind me and cupped my ass. “Have you been using your plug?”

  I waited.

  “You may answer.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  His finger made its way back to the front of me, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning.

  “I won’t ask you that again,” he said. “From now on, it is your responsibility to prepare your body to accept my cock in any manner I decide to give it to you.” He ran a finger around the rim of my ear. “If I want to fuck your ear, I expect your ear to be ready.” He hooked his finger in my ear and pulled. I kept my head down. “Do you understand? Answer me.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  He lifted my arms above my head, buckling first one wrist and then the other to the chains at my side. “Do you remember this?” he asked, his warm breath tickling my hair. “From our first weekend?”

  Again, I said nothing.

  “Very nice, Abigail,” he said. “Just so there’s no misunderstanding, for the rest of the evening, or until I tell you differently, you may not speak or vocalize in any way. There are two exceptions—the first being the use of your safe words. You are to use them at any point you feel the need. No repercussions or consequences will ever follow the use of your safe words. Second, when I ask if you are okay, I expect an immediate and honest answer.”