17. Sophie
17
Sophie
E arth-shattering.
Mind-bending.
Life-altering.
That’s what sex was with Maverick.
As he cleaned me up with a warm washcloth, I wondered how I’d gone this long without being fucked like that.
My body was still sensitive from how rough he’d been with me, and yet, somehow I knew we barely touched the surface of what he was capable of.
I wanted more.
He’d threatened to punish me.
What did that mean?
I was itching to find out.
Which is how, when he flipped me onto my back and crawled over me, I pushed up on my elbows to kiss him hard. He let out a surprised moan against my mouth before pulling back, his breath ragged and hot against my cheek, but instead of speaking, he dragged his thumb along my lower lip, pressing just enough to make my lungs constrict.
He tilted my chin up, his voice low and taunting. “Didn’t expect that from you, did I? Needy girl.”
“When can we do it again?” I sounded whiny and desperate, but I didn’t care. I wanted to feel full of him again, wanted those intense orgasms to take over my entire existence. Never in my life had a man talked so filthily to me or dared to go near my asshole without permission. I liked that more than I’d anticipated…
He chuckled and half dragged me up the bed to cuddle. His room was bathed in soft lamplight. I rested my head on his chest, breathing in his scent. “Did I hurt you?”
“In a good way, I promise. You have big dick energy, but you have a big dick to match it. It was a good kind of pain.”
“You really know how to inflate a man’s ego,” he teased.
“You really know how to make a woman come.” Which was true. I saw stars. Literal stars. Pretty sure my soul left my body on that last one.
“Why do you sound surprised?”
I laughed. “It’s not because of you. I usually can’t finish from penetration alone.” Usually being the operative word there, because I’d managed to the last time I slept with Dean, but then I’d been fantasizing about the very man lying beside me.
“Hm.” He paused, contemplating. “So, you’ve never used a safe word before.”
I squirmed, thinking about the safe word I’d offered him. “No. I thought… well, what I thought was rough, really wasn’t. And I know you’ve barely scratched the surface with me. But I… I’m curious. I want more.”
A sound of approval rumbled in his chest. “More, huh? Think you’re ready to be punished for all the times you’ve defied me?”
I scoffed. “You make it sound like I’m in for a world of hurt.” He gave me a knowing look, which made me clear my throat. “Wait… how many times?”
Maverick rolled those dark blue eyes of his that made me weak in the knees. “Let’s see… encroaching on my territory in the middle of the night, snapping at me in the bar, making fun of my name, mocking me with sir God knows how many times, holding a knife to my throat, crashing my date, telling me to shut up, not wearing panties to a public place. I’m sure the list could go on. As it stands, you’re at eight counts.”
Oh. “Are you… what will you do?”
He exhaled slowly, running his tongue along his bottom lip before tipping his head toward me, like he was deciding whether to devour me or let me squirm a little longer. My stomach bottomed out, heat pooling low, my pussy clenching around nothing at the unbearable anticipation. I was far from done with him tonight and was grateful when he moved to sit at the edge of the bed, patting the spot next to him.
I eagerly crawled on all fours to him. Once I reached his side, he pulled me across his lap and pressed my face into the mattress with one hand while the other gently caressed my ass cheeks.
I knew right away what my punishment would be.
“Eight strikes for eight counts of disobedience. Do you understand?” I nodded into the duvet. “That’s my good girl.”
Dios mio.
His praise struck me right in the ovaries, and I nearly combusted on the spot. “What’s your safe word, Sophie?”
“Mercy,” I whispered.
“That’s right.”
And then he moved. One arm pinned me down securely before I could take my next breath.
The first smack against my ass made me yelp—stunned me into stillness. He rubbed my behind momentarily before striking again in a different spot, this one bringing tears unbidden to my eyes. The third one made the tears fall, but by the fourth, I’d surrendered to the sensation and just let myself feel. Strike five left me writhing against him as I awaited the rest. The sixth had me contemplating what was so wrong with me that I liked it so much. The final two strikes had my pussy pulsing and so ready for Maverick to claim me again.
He rubbed a gentle hand over my still-stinging flesh, then turned us so I was on my back and he was between my knees, wiping away my tears. I pushed his hands away, not wanting the emotional intimacy of him acting like he cared, and reached to grab his cock.
“Sophie—”
“Just fuck me, Maverick,” I growled.
He conceded, putting a condom on and pushing inside me. That feeling of fullness was back, but without his finger in my ass like earlier. And fuck, part of me wished he would do it again.
Instead, he grabbed my bra and yanked it down so my breasts spilled out. Pressing open-mouthed kisses to my chest while he maintained his pace, he tugged on my piercings. The sweet pain made me cry out.
Feeling him all over me like this, so much of his skin touching mine, feeling that magical mouth on other areas, had me climbing toward my release. Already so worked up from my spanking, I realized he was going easy on me. Providing comfort after the first time he punished me.
I was okay with that.
Because I got a feeling Maverick didn’t do this for just anyone.
He grabbed my leg and draped it over his shoulder, changing the angle to hit me deeper. The sight of him, naked and sculpted like Adonis himself… he was every bit the dark prince he painted himself as.
His name tumbled from my lips as I fell apart again, rejoicing in every moment of this orgasm as much as the others. I didn’t care that tears continued to fall. I wasn’t in pain, not really. No, I was very much savoring the sting across my ass from where he’d spanked me. Loved how tightly he gripped my hips and nipped at my tits with his teeth. I was certain I would have bruises and marks from him tomorrow, and my muscles would be sore from these new positions.
And even though I barely knew the man, even though he owed me nothing , he was still more honest with me than anyone in my life had ever been. It was such a fucking turn on; it made me want this man in ways I shouldn’t. Made me loyal to his cause.
When I caught my breath and opened my eyes, I realized that the idea of being punished sounded so… demeaning. Yet, all I felt was peace.
When his gaze met mine as we came together, I had never felt more powerful.
***
Maverick nuzzled my neck as I stroked his dark locks back from his forehead. He curled into my side, lazily tracing circles across my stomach.
I’d gotten up to use the bathroom moments after we finished our second round, smiling giddily at my reflection once the door was closed. Flushed cheeks and bright eyes and wild hair—I looked satisfied.
Now we were just resting on his bed, silence wrapped around us.
I felt comfortable. Sated.
Grinning to myself, I murmured, “You’re a good snuggler.”
He stilled, immediately making me wonder if I’d overstepped.
Shit. What was I thinking, opening my mouth? He was a dangerous man and probably didn’t want to be called a snuggler.
He was definitely a fuck-’em-and-chuck-’em type.
When he immediately pulled away, it just confirmed my thoughts. “I’m not the cuddling type, Soph. It just…” he frowned. “Felt right, I guess. But I’m not going to promise it to you every time we fuck.”
The high I’d been riding dissipated in an instant when embarrassment hit me like a splash of cold water. A lump formed in my throat. I felt humiliated. Of cou r se, he didn’t want me getting attached. Of course , we would only ever fuck and nothing more. Not like I expected anything more, because I really didn’t.
But he didn’t have to be so cut and dry while I lay naked except my stockings and my ass still burned with his handprints.
Needing space, I cleared my throat and sat up, instantly missing his warmth. I tucked my hair—now damp with sweat and wavy instead of its usually straight hairstyle—behind my ears and said, “I wouldn’t expect it.” There was no emotion in my voice, because truthfully, I was tired of feeling anything resembling hope or happiness. Being angry at the world was within my comfort zone. Maybe I’d get a reprieve here and there.
Which is what Dean served as to me.
And hanging out with Callie and Liam, too.
Even sex now.
They were all distractions at the end of the day.
And this? I had to remind myself what it really was. At no point could I allow myself to catch feelings for Maverick Mercer. No matter how incredible the sex was.
This will only ever be us acting on the sexual chemistry between us.
“Hey. Where’d you go?” Maverick propped his chin on his hand.
I gave him a tight smile. “Nowhere that matters.” I tried to put an inkling of lightheartedness into my voice but failed monumentally. Bitterness was bleeding through. Climbing off the bed, I started gathering my clothes.
“Where are you going?”
“It’s getting late, Mav,” I said softly. “And I know what this is.”
“Yeah? So, what is it?”
I paused my task and turned to face him. “It’s a hookup. I won’t overstay my welcome.”
Maverick laughed in disbelief and threw his legs over the side of the bed. “Come here.”
I bristled. “I really shouldn’t—”
“I said come here. ” His tone shifted to that more demanding one, the one that worked itself into the pit of my stomach and reminded me that my backside was sore. That I would certainly be punished again if I didn’t listen to him.
I came to a stop in front of him, and his hands immediately took hold of my hips. The way he was staring at me was nearly enough to bring me to my knees. So reverently. Like I held the stars in my hands.
It was a dangerous look—it could give a girl hope if she wasn’t careful.
“Sophie,” he said gently. “First of all, don’t tell me you really think this is just a hookup. You feel this is something else, too. Right? I can’t be the only one?”
Oh God.
My chin dipped in acknowledgment.
“Great. Second, you’re fucking crazy if you think I’d let you leave with your ass still bright red. It’s a great color on you, don’t get me wrong, but you’re not racing out of there like a bat out of hell before I can give you proper after care. And third, you’re not going across state lines at this hour. You’re staying here.”
The lump in my throat dissolved. So he wasn’t pushing me away.
“Besides, you need to talk about what made you cry when I spanked you.”
That made me exhale sharply. “No, I don’t.”
Maverick pulled me closer and moved his hands over my ass, slipping his fingers into the garter to slide it over my hips, my stockings following.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you more comfortable,” he answered simply, lifting each foot one at a time to slip them off, before rising. He towered over me, more so now that my heels were off. Stepping around me, he opened a dresser drawer and pulled a plain black shirt out. “Arms up.” I obeyed, and he slipped the soft material over my head and guided me back to the bed. “Lie down on your stomach. And don’t argue,” he added when he saw me open my mouth.
Fighting the urge to grumble, I did as he asked and rested my cheek on my forearm. Maverick disappeared into his adjoining en-suite and emerged moments later with a bottle of lotion. He left me no time to wonder as he lifted the back of the shirt and began gently messaging my tender backside.
My eyes fluttered closed at the gentle act, appreciating all he was doing for me. He was taking a sledgehammer to my expectations and crumbling my walls faster than I’d have liked.
He was right. He was the kind of scary that would mess with my head.