Anger flared up inside me and I tightened my arms around her. I hated knowing that she'd spent the first thirteen years of her life being abused in ways that I didn't want to imagine. The problem was, it didn't matter whether or not I wanted to think about the past or not. Images were already seared into my brain. She'd told me only a fraction of what she'd suffered and it had been worse than anything I could've dreamed up. I wasn't a naïve person, far from it, but I never would have thought someone could do such awful things to a child. Especially the child’s mother. I supposed it was more the difference between concept and reality. Knowing it on an intellectual level was one thing. Loving someone who'd actually had those things done to her was quite another.
Love.
I smiled as my fingers lazily trailed up and down her spine. I'd thought I'd been in love with Lara Roache, so much so that I'd been ready to marry her. When I'd found her in bed with another woman, I'd been devastated, heart-broken. I knew now, though, that what I'd felt for Lara had been only a fraction of true love. Losing Lara had made me swear off relationships, determined that I wouldn't put my heart out there until I found someone I thought was worth the risk.
Then I'd fallen in love with Jenna Lang, this strong, vulnerable, amazing woman. I wasn't entirely sure how it had happened. I wasn’t looking for love. In fact, I'd been close to giving up. Not just on love, but on everything. I'd had family, friends, a thriving business doing what I loved, and no-strings-attached sex with gorgeous women...and it hadn't been enough.
I kissed the top of Jenna's head. I knew she sometimes felt like I'd rescued her, helped her heal from her past, but she had no idea that she'd saved me just as much. I might not have been subjected to the horrors of her past, but I'd essentially stopped living and I hadn't even known it until I'd met her.
I'd heard all the clichés, but I'd never truly understood any of them until Jenna had come into my life. It had been like I'd been asleep all my life until I saw her. Like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky. Seeing in color instead of black and white. Like the freshest breath of air. Water for a dying man. Every cliché I'd ever heard.
My chest ached with the strength of emotion coursing through me. It hadn't just hit me fast, it had hit me hard. After Lara, I'd tried telling myself that I'd be careful the next time I met someone I might care about, but I'd had no choice in the matter. I'd fallen for Jenna so quickly that it had almost frightened me, and it had been torture holding back when all I'd wanted to do nearly from that first moment was kiss her until neither of us could breathe. I'd seen how fragile she was beneath that tough exterior and hadn't wanted to scare her off with the depth of what I felt.
Even so, I knew people thought we were moving too fast. I'd only known her for four months and I'd already asked her to move in with me. What I hadn't told anyone was that, if I'd had my way, I would've kept her with me after what happened with Christophe. I'd known before then that I'd loved her, but that had made it clear to me how much.
When I thought about how close I'd come to letting her get hurt, to losing her, I couldn't breathe. I’d never have forgiven myself if Christophe had harmed her. I didn't even want to think about something worse than an assault.
I wrapped my body more securely around her, loving that she trusted me enough to let me hold her while she slept. I was so grateful that she'd agreed to move in with me. I needed her to be there, needed to know that she was safe. And I needed her here for me. She made me a better man, a stronger man.
I didn't know what I'd do if I lost her, but it wouldn't be good. I wasn't sure I could survive it. Or if I'd want to. In a short time, she'd become my life, and I could never go back to the way I'd been.
Chapter 1
Four Months Earlier
She'd been watching me for two months, peeking up at me through lowered lashes as other men led her past me. I'd been frequenting The Den for a few weeks, choosing whichever free Subs caught my attention, when she'd appeared. She was small, barely five feet tall, and if she weighed a hundred pounds, I'd have been shocked.
While I didn't exactly have a type when it came to physical appearance – all hair colors, eye colors and skin tones welcome – I did generally prefer women who were at least average height and had some curves or muscles. Women like her, ones who were so petite, I always felt like I had to hold back or run the risk of breaking them. And while I was a Dom and enjoyed some S&M play, I wasn't into causing real pain.
Tonight, she'd apparently decided she wasn't going to take no for an answer. I'd taken a seat at my usual table and ordered a drink, then I'd seen her. Like a good Sub, she'd had her head down and hadn't looked anyone in the eye, but instead of staying at the fringes, waiting for a Dom to approach her, she came straight towards me.
Her long, strawberry blonde hair was done up with pins, leaving just a few strands free to frame a youthful face. I knew that no one in The Den was under twenty-one, but she barely looked old enough to be out of high school. What she was wearing, however, was far from high school dress code.
The skirt was leather but barely enough material to be considered a skirt. I suspected that if she'd sat down, I'd know if she was wearing panties. Her top was a corset that ended above her belly button and pushed her small breasts up enough to give her the illusion of cleavage. Her heels were dangerously high and her legs bare. The only accessory she wore was a leather collar around her neck.
Her name was Sarah, though I suspected it probably wasn't her real name. That was fine; I hadn't told her mine at all. I'd laid all that out before we'd left The Den. No last names. No follow-up. When we were finished, I'd have a cab take her home. She wasn't to come back to the house or try to find me. If we met at the club and decided to play together again, that was fine, but we weren't a couple and we would never be one. If I ever fell in love again, it wouldn’t be with someone I met at a bdsm club.
Sarah made a noise, drawing my attention back to her. The sound was muffled by the ball gag I'd strapped on a couple minutes ago. I didn't intend to keep it in very long since I enjoyed hearing the sounds and noises that came with good sex, but I'd wanted to truss Sarah up a bit first. I didn't always have partners who wanted to be bound and gagged.
She was spread-eagle on the bed, still clothed, though her skirt was rucked up enough to confirm my previous suspicions that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. I was also pretty sure she had her clit pierced, which made me wonder if her nipples were pierced too. While I wasn't sure I'd want to date someone with those body parts pierced, they did have their uses during bdsm play.
I pulled my shirt over my head and ran my fingers through my dark hair to smooth it down. I needed a haircut. It was starting to get that slightly wild look that most people didn't consider very professional. As Rylan Archer, CEO of Archer Enterprises, I did have a public face to maintain. I rolled my eyes as I thought of the magazine that had called a couple weeks ago. They didn't just want me to be rich and smart, apparently I was hot too, and that made me one of business' most eligible bachelors. I wasn't stupid. I knew I was good-looking. Eyes that were a unique shade of blue-violet, tall, in shape...I'd been fending off advances from would-be girlfriends even before I became a billionaire.
I tossed my shirt onto the floor and then removed my pants. I kept my black boxer-briefs on though. I wouldn't be getting completely naked until she was stripped and begging to be fucked.
I climbed onto the bed and began to undo the corset. I loved the front-fastening ones for situations such as this. It made it a lot easier to get to what I wanted. I took my time, undoing each lace tie from the bottom up, exposing tanned skin inch by inch. I skimmed my fingers across her stomach and felt her catch her breath, or at least as much as she could.
I looked up at her. “Are your nipples pierced?”
She nodded.
“If you can stay still while I play with them, I'll take out the ball gag. Then I'll make you come.” I nipped at her stomach and she jerked. “But if you can't, I'll take out the
gag and replace it with my cock.”
She nodded in understanding, eyes practically glowing with lust.
I let the two sides of the corset fall apart, exposing small but perky breasts. Her nipples were small as well, the color of milk chocolate. Through each one was a gold hoop, thicker than regular nipple rings, enough so that I suspected they'd been specially made.
I flicked one with a finger and Sarah didn't move. “Good girl.” I poked the tip of my finger into the hoop. “Did you have these made?” She nodded. “Let me guess, strong enough to put weights on?” She nodded again, cheeks flushing.
I might not have been into the whole weighting thing, but hey, as long as it was consensual, who was I to judge what got someone off. I grasped the hoop between my thumb and forefinger and slowly twisted it. I heard the muffled moan, but she didn't move. I watched her carefully for any sign of stopping. She'd set a couple hard limits, but unless she used her safe word – apples – or snapped her fingers, she was up for pretty much anything.
I leaned down and flicked my tongue against the hoop, then circled her nipple, watching it harden into a tight little point. I covered her other breast with my hand, squeezing as I took her nipple and some of her breast into my mouth. I sucked hard on the sensitive flesh, sliding my lips closed until only her nipple remained in my mouth. She was making all sorts of noises, but she didn't move. Damn, she had some serious self-control. My tongue played with the cool metal, warming it. When I took the hoop between my teeth and tugged, every muscle in her body tensed.
I released her and looked up. Her expression was strained, but she wasn't indicating that she'd had too much, so I switched breasts, repeating with my mouth what I'd done once before. My fingers quickly found her free nipple, rolling and tugging at it before moving to the ring. I felt the tension in her body, heard the muffled whimpers. I was impressed by her control as I used teeth and tongue and fingers to twist and pull until her nipples were swollen and red.
I sat back on my knees and admired my handiwork. Sarah's hands were clenched into fists and her breath came in sharp pants. Her muscles trembled with the effort of keeping herself from moving, but she'd managed it.
“Good girl,” I said as I leaned up to take the ball gag out of her mouth. Her teeth had left marks on the rubber.
“Thank you, Sir,” she gasped, then worked to control her breathing. I watched her force air into her nose and out of her sexy mouth.
“Now, to give you your reward.” I flicked one of her nipple rings. “You can come whenever you want, and be as loud as you want, but you're still not allowed to move.”
She swallowed hard, but didn't argue. It was clear she'd been well-trained, which was just how I liked them. I didn't want a novice. I didn't have the time to put into training someone. I rarely saw the same woman more than once. The more experienced she was in the lifestyle, the better. It was all about the now.
I reached between her legs, my hand disappearing under the tiny bit of skirt that covered her. She moaned as my fingers slipped between her slick folds. She was soaked. I slid a finger inside her as I brushed my thumb over her clit. It was pierced, the metal hot from her body. Her pussy clamped down on me and my cock hardened at the thought of being inside her soon. Not yet though. I fully intended to have fun with her before I came.
I pressed my thumb harder against her clit as I worked a second finger inside her. She swore and her thigh muscles began to quiver. She was close and I fully intended to make her move. I wanted to feel her mouth around my cock.
I shifted, twisting my arm so that I could curl my fingers inside her, pressing against her g-spot. Her body jerked and she keened as she came. I looked up at her, watching her face contort as she pulled against her restraints. Her skin darkened as she flushed and she bit her bottom lip, muscles clenching, then relaxing. I kept up steady pressure on both her clit and that spot inside her until her moans of pleasure turned into whimpers. Only then did I remove my hand from between her legs, but not before giving the metal bar in her clit a final flick. Her entire body shuddered and another whimper fell from her mouth.
I held my hand up to her and she opened her mouth obediently. As she sucked my fingers clean, each pull went straight to my cock. She was thorough, tasting every little bit of my skin until I pulled my fingers out.
I climbed off of the bed and went to one of the chests of drawers. I had lots of different types of toys. Whips, crops, floggers of all sizes and shapes were in the drawer I opened. I considered a flogger, imagining for a moment the way pink stripes would look on her skin, then picked up a crop instead.
Sarah's eyes darkened when she saw it, but it was the kind of change that came with lust rather than fear. I walked over to the bed and ran the tip of the crop from her belly button up to the slight dip between her breasts.
“I'm going to give you a choice.” I traced her lips with the crop. “As punishment for moving, you can either have the crop or my cock.”
Her eyes flicked down to where my cock was curving up towards my stomach through the material of my boxers. I wasn't huge, but I wasn't small either. A bit over average in length and width. Sarah licked her lips and I knew what she wanted.
“Before you decide, I'll expect you to take all of it.” I pushed my boxers down my hips and wrapped my fist around my swollen shaft, stroking it a couple of times to make sure she got a good look at what I had to offer. “Every last inch.”
“And if I can't?” Her voice was low, with just a hint of an accent. Some sort of European, I believed. She hadn't spoken much and her moans were international.
“If you can't, or you change your mind, then you get the crop, but only half of what I was going to give.”
The glint in her eyes told me she would do what I wanted her to do. “I'll try, Sir. I'll try to take your dick.”
“Good girl.” I set the crop down on the bed and climbed up, moving so that I was straddling her chest.
I put one hand on the wall above the bed to steady myself and used the other to cradle her head and help support her neck. The head of my cock slipped between her lips and I slowly moved forward. I wanted her to change her mind so I could use the crop, but I wasn't going to shove forward and hurt her. Being a Dom meant understanding that fine line.
“That's it,” I said as I made a couple shallow thrusts, enjoying the heat of her mouth and the pressure of her lips. There was no way she'd be able to take all of me. Even if she could take me into her throat, her mouth wouldn't open wide enough to get to the base. She was just too small.
I leaned forward, giving her another inch, then drew back, fucking her mouth in a slow in and out. I pushed further with each thrust, going a bit deeper each time. When I was at the back of her throat, I glanced at her hands. She didn't snap her fingers so I kept going. My cock was throbbing now, eager to be fully encased in the soft, wet heat of her mouth. She didn't gag as I slipped into her throat, but I could see her lips straining around me, her mouth open wide. When she had only an inch more to go, I heard her fingers snap. Her signal to stop.
Immediately, I slid out of her mouth. She gasped for air for a few seconds and I waited to see what she had to say. I didn't think she was completely calling off, but I wasn't going to do anything else until I knew for certain.
“Crop.” Her voice was rough, but the word was clear. As clear as the desire in her eyes.
I nodded and got off the bed. I waited until she was breathing normally and her eyes had stopped watering, then picked up the crop. I had no doubt she'd known she couldn't take it, but had wanted to try just so she could get both the cock and the crop.
“Five hits,” I said. “On each tit.”
She shivered, her smile communicating her anticipation.
“And five on your pussy.”
Her eyes widened, and her hips lifted, but she didn't protest. If anything, the desire in her eyes increased.
“Am I allowed to come, Sir?” she asked.
I considered telling her no, but I'd n
ever really been into orgasm denial with my one-time flings. I'd done a bit of that with Lara, but it wasn't anything I wanted to get into with someone I didn't know well enough to read their body. It was a fine art, knowing when a woman was going to come and being able to stop at the right time.
“Whenever you want,” I said. “And as many times as you can.” I held up the crop. “But after I'm done, I'm going to fuck you until I come.”
“Thank you, Sir.” She curled her fingers into fists and I knew she was preparing herself for what was to come.
I didn't use a crop very often, and rarely on the more sensitive parts of the anatomy, but there were some who enjoyed it, and Sarah's smile said she was definitely one of them. I flicked my wrist and heard the crack against her breast, followed immediately by the soft pained sound she made. A small red patch appeared on her skin.
I alternated between her breasts for the first six blows, then landed the first one on her nipple. She cried out, body twisting instinctively. The first one on the other nipple received a similar response. I made the last one on each harder than the others and she wailed. I was suddenly very glad I hadn't taken her to a hotel. I doubted neighboring rooms would've appreciated this as fully as I did.
Sarah took great gulping breaths, each one making her breasts jiggle. Her eyes were wide as she watched me pull her skirt up around her waist, completely exposing her bare pussy. Her skin glistened and I could see the tip of her clit peeking out, just a hint of the silver bar with it. Perfect. I hadn't wanted to spread her folds and hit her clit directly, but there was enough of it visible for me to know it'd get some punishment.
I kept the first two blows low enough that her pink lips caught all of it. Still a shock, I was sure, but not as much as what was coming. The third was higher, but not as hard, giving her a few seconds to prepare herself for what was happening next. The fourth hit her directly and her entire body jerked hard enough that I was glad I'd chosen soft restraints rather than handcuffs. Her body tensed and her face contorted into the beautiful mask of orgasm. She screamed and her body twisted again. I made the last one count, landing perfectly, even as she continued to ride out her climax.