Siren Enslaved

“I am always careful.”

  His hands tightened on his knees, and Jackson’s eyes studied him carefully as though deciding how to continue. “I wasn’t talking about physically. She isn’t some submissive who knows the score. The subs you’ve taken up until now know that eventually you’ll pass them off to someone else. They know that you will give them what they need as a submissive, but not much else.”

  Julian felt his eyebrows draw together. What was that supposed to mean? “If you are accusing me of something, I would rather you stated it plainly.”

  “You are so touchy about this. That’s what I mean. You look at Dani and you see a submissive in need of training. I know that you’ll give her everything she needs as a sub, but she needs other things. She needs you to see her as a woman, too.”

  The whole conversation was making him uncomfortable. “Of course I see her as a woman.”

  Jackson sighed, disappointment plain on his face. “I’m talking about something beyond tits and a heart-shaped ass. She needs more than an affectionate Dom. That woman needs a lover. She needs someone who won’t dismiss her because she acts out, and she will act out. It’s inevitable in a real relationship. People get mad at each other. People in love really get mad at each other.”

  Julian looked at the woman in question. She was lovely and obviously in need, but he couldn’t see himself ever getting mad at her. Disappointed, yes, but he rarely got angry. Anger meant a loss of control, and he would never do that. Though he wanted Danielle, he wasn’t willing to upset his oldest friend over her. He felt his jaw tighten. “If it bothers you, then by all means, make different arrangements for her. I wouldn’t want to offend you in your own home.”

  Jackson sat back, and he had the terrible feeling that he’d done exactly what he’d sworn he didn’t want to do. “I wasn’t telling you to leave her alone. Forget I said anything. I had Benita move your things to the guesthouse. We converted the upstairs of the guesthouse to a playroom last year after Abby’s mom got remarried. You should be perfectly comfortable there. There’s a stash of new toys in the closet.”

  Julian sat back, unsure of what to do. This was why he didn’t have many friends. He didn’t know how to act around them. It had been easier when Jackson was his employee. And yet, he found himself unable to cut the tie. “I didn’t mean to be difficult. I just don’t understand. Why don’t you tell me plainly what you think I should do?”

  Jackson’s face relaxed. “You really don’t understand, do you? Here’s what I want you to do, I want you to keep an open mind. I want you to go into this relationship with Dani with no thought to when it’s going to end.”

  That should be perfectly clear. “Well, it will end when she no longer needs me.”

  “And what if she always needs you?”

  Julian had absolutely no answer for that.

  * * * *

  Dani felt her hands tremble as Julian opened the door to the guesthouse. She stared at the broad plane of his back, encased in an expensive-looking dress shirt. She longed to run her hands across those shoulders, to feel the muscles beneath his tanned skin, but she held back.

  What was she doing?

  He turned as the door swung open, gallantly inviting her to go first. She hesitated. If she walked in that house with him, she was agreeing to have sex. She doubted it would be regular, normal sex after that speech he’d given her. It would be super kinky, monkey sex. Was she ready for that?

  His hand touched her hair, smoothing it back. “It’s all right, little one. You don’t have to do this. I won’t throw you out because you don’t want to have sex with me. You can spend the night in the main house, and we’ll figure out what would be best for you in the morning.”

  How did he do that? One minute he scared the crap out of her, and the next she wanted to melt against him. A sudden vision of Finn crossed her mind. Finn was the only man she’d ever really loved. She remembered the one time she’d kissed him. He’d been so embarrassed he’d walked away from her. When he’d come back, he’d acted like nothing had happened.

  It had been the only time she’d tried to be aggressive. It had been a miserable failure, and she wasn’t good at it in the first place. It felt wrong. Unnatural. Yet, when Jimbo was aggressive, she’d wanted to get it over with. Kneeling over Julian Lodge’s lap this afternoon had been the most sensual experience of her life. She was scared, but she wanted to see where this path led.

  “I know what I want.”

  His finger traced the line of her jaw. “Brave sub. Did Abigail explain what you needed to know? We can talk for a while if you want.”

  She swallowed. Abby had explained a lot. She’d fully explained what a safe word was and why Dani needed one. Abby had explained about the playroom/dungeon and some of the things Julian would probably want. It had been a bit awkward in the beginning, but Abby had been patient. By the time Sam had joined them, she’d put Dani at ease. She’d also assured Dani that Julian would honor her safe word. Abby wasn’t Julian’s biggest fan, but she claimed he was good to his…subs. He was the Dom, and she was the submissive. “I think I understand.”

  “Very good.” He gestured for her to enter.

  Dani glanced around the nicely decorated space. The Barnes-Fleetwood guesthouse was way nicer than the house Dani had grown up in. She found herself in a living area. It didn’t look anything like a dungeon. There was a comfy-looking sofa and love seat. She could see there was a kitchen and a small dining area. Off to the side were the stairs that led to what Jack had called the playroom. She was interested in seeing what was in that playroom. Abby had gone over some of the things in there, but she wanted to see them with her own eyes.

  “Should I go upstairs?” She wasn’t quite sure what to do.

  “I think we should begin down here.” He didn’t seem at all uncomfortable. He walked straight to the couch and lowered himself onto it. He’d unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt, and Dani couldn’t help but look at the smooth skin he’d uncovered. He looked like a man who didn’t mind hitting the gym─a lot. He patted his lap. “Sit with me.”

  It wasn’t a suggestion. His voice had gone deeper than normal. She sank onto his lap. One arm anchored her at the waist while the other found her neck and drew her head down onto his shoulder. She could smell his masculine scent. Sandalwood. She breathed it in.

  “See, this is nice.”

  She felt his low rumble all along her skin. He nuzzled her neck, causing her to shiver, but not from the cold. This was very nice indeed. His hands moved soothingly across her curves. He did everything with a seductive deliberation that had her hormones simmering.

  “Let’s set our ground rules for the evening.”

  “Rules?” She thought he would just take her. She was surprised he hadn’t already. She could feel the thick line of his erection against the cheeks of her ass, yet he seemed content to cuddle against her.

  “Oh, yes, there will be rules. I think we’ll take it easy tonight. I’ll ease you into high protocol. For tonight, you may speak without express permission. I want you to be able to ask questions if you’re afraid.” His hand trailed along her leg. “Do you understand what a Dom is?”

  “Apparently someone who doesn’t want me to speak.”

  His hand came down on her ass in a short, sharp arc. “No sarcasm allowed. I don’t take well to Sams.”

  His slap hadn’t really hurt, but it left a lingering warmth. She squirmed a bit. “Sam?”

  “Smart-ass masochist. Samuel Fleetwood was aptly named. It fits him to a T, but this is lingo we use for a submissive who talks back.”

  She shook her head. She knew what a masochist was. It wasn’t a good thing to be. “I’m not a masochist.”

  His hand fondled her breast. “Yes, you are. Maybe only a bit, or you wouldn’t be here. You liked your spanking. Don’t try to lie to me. Lying to me means punishment. Rule number one. Rule number two is stop thinking like a tourist. I can see the way your brain is working. With me, there is no right or wrong
. There is only what feels good and what doesn’t work. That’s what we’ll discover. The only way we can do that is if you’re honest with me and with yourself. Now, answer me honestly. Did you enjoy your spanking?”

  “Yes.” It actually felt good to not lie. It felt good to admit it. She’d spent so long denying herself that there was a sort of freedom in admitting she was a bit of a freak.

  His hand tightened on her nipple. It was through her shirt and bra, but she felt the warning in it. “What do you call me?”

  That pinch on her nipple sent a flare of heat that fired into her pussy. “Sir.”

  He lessened the pressure but kept his hand on her breast. “Excellent, Danielle. For now, I am Sir. If we choose to move on, perhaps sign a contract for the duration of your training, you will call me Master, but for the time being, Sir will do. Now, take off your clothes and let me inspect you.”

  She immediately pulled back. The thought of standing in front of him naked made her stomach roll. She wasn’t exactly a hard-bodied girl. She was short and curvy and could stand to lose ten, maybe fifteen pounds. Certainly not the fifty Val thought she needed to lose, but she could lose some. Her boobs were too big. They sagged a little. She had cellulite on her ass.

  “Is there a problem, Danielle?” His calm voice held an edge of impatience.

  She swallowed. “I thought we would turn off the lights maybe.”

  “No, we won’t turn off the lights. Nor will I rip your clothes off your body. You will make the choice every submissive makes every time her Dom gives a command. You choose to obey and continue the session, or end the session with your safe word.”

  She chewed on her bottom lip, indecision banging through her head. “It would make it a lot easier if you would do the rip-my-clothes-off thing.”

  He chuckled, his chest moving against hers. “I’m sure it would. If you have any rape fantasies you would like to explore, I would be more than willing to play with you, but that is for later. For now, you will either obey me or use your safe word.”

  She scrambled off his lap. Several scenarios played in her head. He could take one look at her without her clothes and run screaming from the room. He could laugh and tell her it was all a joke. Or, he could really, really want her.

  How the hell would she know if she never took the chance? It suddenly struck her that she’d had it easy all these years. Yes, she’d had to give up what seemed like a promising future to help out at home. That was awful, but what about the last couple of years? What about after Val got through school? She’d gotten used to not trying. She’d gotten used to being able to blame her crappy life on circumstances. She’d gotten used to thinking that staying in this town and marrying someone she didn’t love was simply something that had happened to her. But it wasn’t. It was a choice she’d made. And so was this.

  Her hands went to the bottom of her shirt. If he laughed, that was on him. She couldn’t live her life making choices based on the worst-case scenarios, not if she ever wanted anything good to happen to her. She pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it aside. Without stopping, she undid the clasp on her bra and let it fall to the floor. Her nipples puckered. Her breasts felt heavy on her chest. When she looked up, Julian had a faint smile on his lips. His normally chilly eyes suddenly seemed warm.

  “I think you’re beautiful, Danielle. I also admire your courage. It took a lot for you to do that. Your breasts are lovely. Now, I’d like to see the rest of you. Take off your jeans and turn around slowly. Then I want you to sit down on the love seat and spread your legs.”

  Really? That was all he wanted? Dani took a deep breath. She wasn’t backing out now. She unbuckled her belt and shoved the jeans over her hips, painfully aware of how clumsy the act of undressing could be. She wasn’t moving gracefully. She was more robotic than anything else, but she managed it. She was forever grateful for the shower she’d been able to take. At least she was clean, and her legs were shaved. Because she had been about to go on her honeymoon, she’d decided to go a little crazy and shave her pussy. What would Julian think of that?

  The air was cool on her skin. There was no way she could hide the fact that her nipples were standing at attention. She felt awkward as she placed herself on the leather sofa. With a long breath, she let her legs fall open.

  Julian sighed. His hand came out in an elegant sweep that told Dani she wasn’t open enough.

  She let her feet find the coffee table in front of her, spreading her legs wide. Julian nodded and then went silent as he looked at her. He studied her carefully, as though she was a piece of fine art he was interested in collecting. As his stare moved from her breasts to the V of her legs, Dani felt her skin flush.

  “Touch yourself, Danielle.”

  Her hands were on her knees. “Where?”

  Even as she asked the question, she figured out the answer for herself. She moved her right hand over the smooth flesh of her pussy. It felt different, softer than before, without the harshness of pubic hair. She decided immediately that even if this didn’t work, she would keep up the landscaping. She slipped a finger across her clit and between the lips of her pussy. She was already so wet.

  “That’s right. Enjoy it. It should feel good. I’m going to do the same. Don’t stop fingering yourself, but don’t come or we shall have some punishment.”

  She felt a sudden rush of cream coat her fingers as he shrugged off his shirt. He stood up, revealing a broad, well-muscled chest and abs that Dani thought only happened on sports stars. She stared at the indentions at his hips. Her finger swirled around and around in her pussy, imagining it was Julian touching her there. What would it feel like? Would he be rough with her? Or smooth as silk?

  His hands unbuttoned his slacks and slipped them off. She had a brief glimpse of cream-colored boxers before she felt her mouth drop open.

  He calmly folded his clothes, but Dani was watching his cock. She’d never thought of a penis as being a beautiful thing, but she’d never really had a chance to look at one before. Julian’s cock was thick with a purplish head. She could almost feel her hand stroking him. She wondered if she could get her hand around that glorious monster. He was hard as a rock, but the skin would be so soft.

  He strode forward and placed himself between her spread legs. If he was bothered by the fact that he was completely naked, he didn’t show it. He stared down at her pussy. “Give me your hand.”

  Dani lifted her hand to his. He grasped her wrist and brought her fingers to his lips. He sucked her cream-coated fingers into his mouth. Dani shivered at the sensation of his tongue swirling around and around her fingers. His gray eyes were dark with desire as he knelt down in front of her spread legs.

  “You taste delicious, little one.”

  She closed her eyes briefly, imagining his mouth on her pussy.

  “Come here and taste yourself.” His hand cupped the back of her neck and pulled her forward. He pressed his lips against hers the same way he had earlier in the day. She softened instinctively beneath him, opening her mouth, letting him in. He controlled the kiss. His tongue moved into her mouth with silky grace. She tasted her own tangy essence. One hand tangled in her hair, holding her still for his kiss. The other wandered across her flesh. She felt a painful longing deep in her cunt. She wanted him to take her, to shove that hard part of him into the softest piece of her. She wanted to be beneath him.

  He slanted over and over her mouth. His hand cupped her breast, pinching at her nipples before slipping lower. Dani moaned against his mouth. When his fingers were almost at her clit, she shifted to make him move faster. Some shimmering experience was right there, and she couldn’t wait for it.

  Julian pulled away abruptly, leaving her awkward and unsatisfied.

  “No.” He stood quickly. “You are not in control of this. I did not give you permission to come.”

  He stepped away and went back to the couch. Dani felt tears well in her eyes. What had happened? One minute she was close to her first honest-to-god man-give
n orgasm, and the next she was sitting alone and naked.

  “Should I get dressed?” The quicker she got out of there, the better.

  “If you like. Just say your safe word, and we’ll be done.”

  He sounded so cold. It was like there hadn’t been a bit of heat between them. The connection she’d felt between them had been severed, and now she wondered if there had really been one in the first place. His cock was still standing straight up, but there was no passion on his face. He was obviously an experienced lover. He could more than likely give her the orgasm of a lifetime, but was that what she needed?

  She forced herself to smile even as she felt tears roll down her cheeks. She knew it probably summed up her existence quite neatly—smile through it all because she wouldn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. “Hippopotamus. I’m sorry I couldn’t…I didn’t understand. I still don’t. I appreciate you helping me out, though.”

  She pushed herself off the couch. It was leather, so she winced as she peeled herself up. So awkward. That summed up her life, too. It was time to get her clothes and call Finn and figure out what to do. He would be mad, but he would stick by her. Dani reached for her panties.

  Julian had gotten up when she did. He stood there unmoving, his face still. His pants were on top of hers. She picked them up and held them out to him.

  “Do you want these?”

  “No.” He sounded as though he couldn’t believe his answer.

  “No? Do you want me to get you something else?” It seemed odd to leave him standing there naked. Beautiful and remote. There was still some part of her desperate to reach him.

  He stared at her, his eyes stony. “Did I frighten you? I didn’t mean to.”

  She shook her head, well aware that she still wasn’t wearing much. “No, it wasn’t that. I just changed my mind. I’m not cut out for this.”

  “But you are. You are very submissive.”

  She pulled the shirt over her head, his every word making her more certain of her decision. “See, you keep calling me that. Maybe I am submissive. Maybe I’m a sub, as you say, but I’m Dani, too. You talk about contracts, and I don’t know what you mean. You talk about training me. I want to know what your childhood was like. I want to know what TV shows you watch and what makes you laugh. I’m completely fascinated by you, and you want to train me. I might be submissive, but I know when I’m wanted, and I’m merely convenient for you. I wanted this to be different. I’ve been convenient all my life. I want to be special. I won’t ever be that to you, Mr. Lodge.” She pulled her jeans on and shoved the bra into her pocket with shaky hands. She would probably regret this for the rest of her life. “I’ll go back to the main house and call a friend to come get me. Thanks again.”