Command Read online

  Table of Contents

  Legal Page

  Title Page

  Watch the Video

  Book Description

  Author Autograph

  Dedication

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  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

  Epilogue

  Author Interview

  New Excerpt

  About the Author

  Publisher Page

  A Totally Bound Publication

  Command

  ISBN # 978-1-78430-426-3

  ©Copyright Sierra Cartwright 2015

  Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright January 2015

  Edited by Rebecca Douglas

  Totally Bound Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

  Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

  The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

  Published in 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

  Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

  Warning:

  This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Burning and a Sexometer of 2.

  Bonds

  COMMAND

  Sierra Cartwright

  Watch the Video

  Of COMMAND

  Book three in the Bonds series

  With all she has to offer, she’s his to command…

  Aria DeWitt is a runaway bride. Only months away from her wedding, she panicked, returning her engagement ring and donating her gorgeous gown to charity.

  She’s less than pleased when she’s reassigned to a new work project and sent to work with Grant Kingston in the middle of nowhere. She knows of his reputation as a recluse and genius, but she isn’t prepared for how handsome, powerful and deliciously Dominant he is or how he ignites something inside her that no man ever has.

  Grant isn’t happy when his cherished solitude and creativity are shattered by Aria’s unwanted and unwelcome arrival. That is until he glimpses her carefully concealed vulnerability. Aria’s confidence and responsiveness intrigue him, ensnaring him in a way he’d never believed possible, chipping away the ice that shrouds his heart.

  As he interacts with her, he realizes why she ran from marriage. She’s never met someone strong and complex enough to hold her interest. And suddenly, he’s determined to be that man.

  Dedication

  For Sierra’s Super Stars. You are simply the best! And for Shayna whose name should always be in lights! Especially for January Apted whose tireless support is so very much appreciated.

  For Miss Whit and Angie who are always there. Cathy with the constant and daily inspiration and vision. For ELF who had the guts to say, “Wanna know how you can be better?” And for BAB, who’s always the biggest cheerleader and greatest friend.

  For bloggers everywhere—your passion for books inspires me.

  Team Totally Bound, you challenge me and astound me. For Rebecca who endures more than an editor should have to—here’s to YOUR happily ever after.

  To my husband—FAAD

  And most especially YOU, yes, YOU, who picked up this book and love the written word as much as I do.

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Star Trek: CBS Studios

  Sexual Healing: Marvin Gaye and Odell Brown

  So What: Miles Davis

  I Want Your Sex: George Michael

  Chapter One

  “How’s your love life?”

  “My…?” Aria Dewitt sat back in her chair and stared at her boss and friend, Julien Bonds. In the time she’d known him, he’d asked some ridiculous questions. But this had to be the most audacious. “What the hell has my love life got to do with anything? And it’s none of your business. It’s illegal to ask.”

  “Is it? This isn’t a job interview.”

  “Details.”

  “Sue me.” He picked up a bright red, organic apple from his desk and tossed it into the air. Without looking, he caught it in one hand. “But first, give me the details.”

  Aria felt as if she’d stepped into an alternate reality. Which wasn’t all that unusual when walking into Julien’s office. “There are no details.”

  “Ha! I knew it sucked.”

  “It doesn’t suck,” she protested.

  “Yeah, it does.”

  Because he was right, she exhaled instead of arguing. “Has anyone ever told you you’re an asshat?”

  “All day. Every day.” He grinned.

  She looked at him. Unable to discern anything in the steadiness of his gaze, she asked, “Why did you really call me here?”

  “It’s time we had a talk.” Julien’s tone was flat.

  She gripped the bottom of her chair. She knew how to react to his exuberance as well as his frustration. But she knew that when he lacked emotion, he often had bad news.

  Desperately she raced through snippets of recent events, trying to think of where she’d screwed up. She came up with nothing. Her focus was as intense as it had ever been. She was logging more than sixty hours a week at the office. Her phone was always on, and she made sure she was available on nights and weekends. She met all her deadlines while managing to push a group of creatives toward ever-higher levels of technical genius.

  “I’m sending you to Los Alamos to work with Grant.” Julien remained unmoving, letting the implications of his statement ricochet in her brain.

  “Grant Kingston?” she asked, despite knowing there wasn’t any other Grant in her boss’s inner circle. Julien was reputed to be one of the most creative, brilliant people on the planet. Until this moment, she’d shared that opinion. “That’s worse than working with you.”

  “I’m not sure whether to feel insulted or flattered.”

  “Neither. Both.”

  “He’s stalled. And I need him to take a more active role at Bonds. That’s where you come in.”

  Julien’s suggestion was, at best, ludicrous. “This is a joke, right?”

  “I think it’s a spectacular idea,” he assured her. “One of many I’ve had today. And when you come back to California, you’re going to thank me for the opportunity.”

  For a few seconds—an absolute eternity for Aria—she was rendered speechless. “I’ve heard he lives in a cave.”

  “It’s a very nice cave.” His words were light, but he didn’t smile. “And it’s more like a…house built into a mountain. Not actually a cave, really.”

  Dread slithered through her stomach. He was serious.

  Six years ago, Jul
ien had contacted her for the first time. He’d said he’d been following her career. At twenty-four, barely out of college, she’d joined an Internet retailer that was in danger of becoming obsolete. She’d worked her way up the corporate ranks, and her vision for same-day delivery of products had helped them to raise the funding needed to increase their business and compete on a global level.

  When she’d received the text message inviting her to a clandestine after-hours meeting at 1, Bonds Street in Cupertino, she’d refused.

  But Julien Bonds was not easily dissuaded when he wanted something.

  For a year, he’d relentlessly pursued her.

  Finally, Aria had become disenchanted with her company’s egotistical CEO. Evidently Julien had heard about the falling out. The next time he’d approached her, she’d agreed to meet with him.

  When he’d sent his jet to shuttle her from Los Angeles to northern California, she’d been star-struck.

  Everyone in the industry had heard rumors about Julien’s astounding headquarters, but the first view of his round building at night had made her mouth drop. Even though it was after eight p.m., lights had blazed from almost every window. The campus had been teeming with activity.

  The moment she’d stepped inside the architectural wonder, she’d understood him perfectly. To him, creativity wasn’t just a concept, it was a demand—an expectation—and she’d instinctively responded to that consuming challenge.

  He’d promised her that, as Director of Global Strategy at Bonds, she’d have autonomy, a ridiculously large salary, unbelievable benefits and her own staff. In return, she’d have objectives, and they would be damn difficult to meet. The job would come with stress, long hours and a demanding boss.

  And that was where she operated best—at the intersection of impossible and imperative.

  As she’d listened to him, she’d realized he’d studied her like he did any problem, figuring out her talents and what she needed in terms of money and challenge before he’d made an offer.

  Aria had accepted on the spot.

  During the ensuing years, she and Julien had spent significant time together. They had shared numerous successes and a couple of not-so glorious product debuts overseas. Over time, she’d come to think of him as more than a boss. He was also a friend and confidante.

  “I don’t understand.” She shook her head. “Did I screw up?” Why the hell else was she being banished from the inner circle to… Jesus H. She didn’t even know where the cave was. “It’s in this country, isn’t it? In the bowels of a mountain somewhere.”

  “New Mexico,” he supplied helpfully. “Yes, that’s in the United States. Near Colorado—and Arizona, I think. Gorgeous this time of the year.”

  “You’d have said that no matter what time of the year it was.”

  “True. But just picture it, a layer of snow will make it refreshing and…pure.”

  “Snow? Snow?” She struggled to hold onto her temper. “Come on, Julien. We live in California. I don’t do cold.”

  “Didn’t,” he countered. “You do now. Temporarily.” He tossed the apple in the air again. “The change will be good for you. It will allow you to see product development, understand more of what’s involved in getting something to market. Think of it as cross-training.”

  “With someone I’ve never met.”

  “He’s a friend of mine. We went to college together.”

  “Is that supposed to be a recommendation?”

  He opened his mouth, but then closed it again. He contemplated the apple before responding. “You have a point.”

  She narrowed her eyes as she realized he hadn’t answered her question about screwing up. And he’d asked about her love life. “This is about Simon, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” The word was sharp, its trajectory exact.

  Aria wrapped her arms around herself. God. She knew that the fiasco with her former fiancé was going to continue to haunt her.

  “But it’s not about punishment, Aria. You didn’t screw up. I’m doing this for you. Everyone needs an occasional change of focus. You work too hard. Hell, I work too hard. It fucks up relationships, interferes with free time, makes us forget we’re human. A break, even an enforced one, clears the mind, helps reset the focus. You’ll come back with even more to give.”

  “I don’t need that.”

  “Don’t want it,” he corrected.

  “Don’t want it,” she agreed.

  To the whole world and to her, it had seemed an ideal match. Simon had been smart, attractive, successful. How the hell could she not want to marry him?

  She’d ignored the fact that they really had nothing in common and didn’t like to do the same things. Sex was okay, but there’d been no real affection there. They both traveled a lot for work and they were often on different continents and in vastly differing time zones.

  As the months had gone on, she’d begun to realize that she’d originally been caught up in the fantasy that they could have a relationship like some of the power couples she knew. But even after he’d put a ring on her finger, their phone calls had rarely lasted longer than a minute. A few had clocked in at less than twelve seconds. Mostly they’d communicated via text or email.

  The wedding dress she’d hung in the closet at her apartment seemed to mock her. Friends and family told her the jitters were normal. But jitters had morphed into the fear that if she got married, it would be a big mistake.

  She’d finally gathered the courage to sit down with Simon and confess her misgivings. And it turned out, he wasn’t as devastated as she’d feared he would be.

  He’d admitted he was mostly going through the motions, too. Get a career, get married. He loved her, but he wasn’t crazy about her. He’d agreed that they both deserved better.

  The news had relieved her, but she’d been sad, as well. No matter what she’d thought, at least on some level, she’d been a failure. If not because she’d ended the engagement, then from accepting the ring in the first place.

  Though they’d issued a joint statement canceling the wedding, it had been too late to stop the invitations from going out. A well-respected online business magazine had made the announcement top-of-the-page news. It had been accompanied by a picture of her smiling, arms folded. The headline had asked, Fit to lead? The accompanying article had questioned her decision-making and ability to stick with something for the long term.

  When she and Simon had both refused to comment, the enterprising reporter had called Julien for a comment. He’d said he had total confidence in her. She’d appreciated his loyalty, and she would do anything to repay it.

  “I’m not giving you a choice in this,” Julien said, interrupting her thoughts.

  “Are you asking me to resign?”

  “No.” He tossed the apple and captured it. Repeatedly. Annoyingly.

  “Firing me?”

  He tossed the apple again.

  She scowled, temper unraveling in the least ladylike way possible. “Transferring me?”

  “No.”

  “Okay. Asking me to take a leave of absence?”

  “All those would be worse for Bonds in general.”

  As always, he’d keep the company in mind. But what about her sanity? “I’m confused.” She reached to absently twirl her engagement ring. Then, realizing it wasn’t there, she laced her fingers, trying to keep them still. It didn’t work.

  “Don’t read anything into this. Have I ever lied to you?”

  “No. More like the opposite.” Julien Bonds was honest to the point of bluntness.

  “It’s a temporary reassignment. Nothing more.”

  That didn’t help dim the thrum of her agitation.

  “Grant’s overextended, not at his best.”

  “Trying to twist the theory of relativity will do that to a man,” she said dryly.

  “It’s the Laws of Physics. I think. But close enough.”

  Finally irritated into action, she reached out, snatched his apple then slammed it on the
pristine surface of his desk. The thunk satisfied…and it would leave a mark.

  “That was my dinner.”

  “Put it in a smoothie.”

  “If it had been grapes, we could have made it into wine.”

  “This is my fucking life we’re talking about, Julien—boss or no boss. Give me the courtesy of being serious for five minutes.”

  He curled both hands around the apple and drew the fruit toward him. Then he met her gaze. “You’re going to Los Alamos. You’re going to spend time with Grant. And you need to snap yourself out of your funk. I think the challenge will be good for you.”

  “Are you my psychologist now?” Frustration made her edgy.

  “Grant needs to refocus, too. Bonds needs him. I need him.”

  “Wait a minute.” All of a sudden, the genius’s strategy became clear, the colors vivid. “You’re sending me to do something you haven’t been able to do.”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” he hedged.

  “Well?”

  “Inspire!” He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. You’ll inspire him. Be a muse of sorts.”

  “Julien, please…”

  “Svetlana will be ready for you tomorrow morning at eight. Meet her at the airport.”

  Aria set her chin. “And if I refuse?”

  “You won’t.”

  “Are you threatening my job?” Fear left her momentarily immobilized. For the past four years, she’d given everything she had to Bonds. If she was forced out, what the hell would she do? Where would she go? She’d never contemplated a future without her job.

  “Stop,” he warned. “Whatever the fuck you’re thinking, get rid of it. I need you reenergized. You and Grant are two of my best people. It’s time for you to work together.”

  “And my regular responsibilities?”