Chapter 10
Everly
As I make my way down the hall, my skin prickles, not just from the chill, but from the lingering heat—Xavier’s heat. The air still vibrates with the aftermath of... everything. My thighs ache, a dull throb that resonates with a deeper, unfamiliar longing.
He cleaned me. The warm towel had a strange tenderness I didn’t expect. His touch, usually commanding, had been gentle. Almost hesitant.
The sensation of his hands, rough yet careful, stays with me. He hadn’t just dominated; he’d explored. He saw me, really saw me, in a way no one ever had.
Reaching my door, I hesitate. I take a last look down the hall, at the door to the dungeon. Xavier is in there, still cleaning things up. My chest tightens remembering his gaze—that smoldering green, the possessiveness, and something more. A flicker of vulnerability.
I push my door open with a subtle whoosh, and the dim glow of my room wraps around me. But the silence is ruined the moment I step inside. Sable is sitting on the edge of my bed, one leg crossed over the other, her arms folded across her chest. She looks like she’s waiting for a show.
“Well, well, well,” she drawls with that sharp sarcasm I’ve come to associate with her. “Back from your little date with Xavier? Spill the deets.”
I freeze, the towel Xavier used to wipe the sweat from my skin still clutched in my hand. My cheeks flush, and I quickly cross the room and tuck the towel into the drawer of my nightstand.
“What are you doing in here?”
Sable shrugs, her red hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. “Just curious. You know how it is down here. Everyone wants to know what the new girl is like in the sack—or out of it, as it were. Xavier’s usually not one to let anyone else in on his private fun, so how about I get the info from you?”
I swallow hard, my throat tight. “You don’t get to ask that. You don’t get to know.”
Sable’s eyebrows shoot up, and she leans back, clearly taken aback. “Oh, really? So now you’re the golden girl? A little too much of that sweet charity work gone to your head?”
I straighten my spine, lifting my chin. “You’ve made it clear you don’t like me, and honestly, I don’t care.”
Sable snorts, standing up. “Oh, this is rich. The saint of charity work has suddenly got a backbone.”
“I'm not a saint,” I say. “I'm respecting myself. Whatever I have going on with Xavier is between me and him. It's not hot gossip for a combative sourpuss like you.”
Sable’s face darkens. I can't tell if that's pain in her eyes. Or regret? But it’s gone as quickly as it appeared. She looks away with a scoff, standing up and heading for the door.
“Fine. But don’t come crying to me when you realize the truth.”
I don’t say anything as she leaves. Let her think what she wants. Xavier’s towel is still in my drawer, a reminder of how he’d gently wiped away the evidence of our connection. It’s something small, something that feels like a start. And for now, that’s enough.
I throw off my clothes and crawl into bed, the mattress dipping under my weight. As I lie there, the exhaustion from everything I’ve gone through today finally hits me. Sleep is a warm, welcoming blanket, and I sink into it without a second thought.
* * *
The next summons comes the following night, two hours after we finish dinner. There's a soft tap at my door, followed by someone’s voice, low and hushed.
“Xavier requests your presence in the dungeon, Everly.”
What? How often do the others get called down there without any warning? A twinge of something hot and unfamiliar—jealousy?—coils in my gut. I push it down, burying it under the still-present thrum of arousal from yesterday. I haven’t... finished. Not once since I’ve been here.
But maybe tonight?
Feeling more excited than I'd like to admit, I open my room door. The doll who passed along the message is already gone. Another weird detail, but I shrug and go down the hall, making the familiar walk.
The dungeon door swings open, revealing Xavier. He stands beside the heavy steel door, his arms crossed over his chest. He’s wearing a black silk robe, tied loosely at the waist, and the sight of his bare chest immediately takes my mind to last night.
But I don't have long to let the memory wash over me.
Lila stands beside him, a smirk playing on her lips. She’s wearing a strappy black leather harness with a black mesh top beneath, her full breasts proudly on display. A thong disappears beneath the low-slung leather skirt that hugs her hips. The diamond studs in her nipples glint at me.
I have to tear my eyes away from her.
“Tonight, we explore new territory, Everly,” Xavier says, his voice a low rumble. “Lila will be joining us.”
My breath catches in my throat. I glance at Lila, her emerald green eyes fixed on me, a knowing glint in their depths.
“This session,” Xavier continues, stepping closer, his hand gently tracing the line of my jaw, “is about trust. About pushing your boundaries. Are you ready?”
Rule number five. Trust Xavier. Trust him to manage my experiences. Trust him to set the boundaries. But is this what he was talking about? This isn’t about exploring my limits; it’s about violating them. Lila being here is like a deliberate jab, a challenge. I don’t want to share him with her.
Wait, what?
A cold dread settles in my stomach. Why does that bother me? This is a contract, a business arrangement. He’s not mine, never will be. But the thought of him with Lila... Anger claws at me. It’s a feeling so potent that it surprises me. I’m supposed to be above such petty emotions. My life’s been devoted to helping others, not this possessive, irrational surge of jealousy.
Lila’s eyes are still on me, and it feels like she can read my thoughts.
“Ready, Everly?” Xavier asks again.
I swallow, my throat suddenly dry. The heat in my belly shifts, becoming a confusing mix of excitement and apprehension. This isn't part of the training. He’s testing me, pushing me. I want to tell him, to scream that this isn't what I agreed to, but the words don't come. The prickle of defiance that rose, the tiny rebellious spark against the suffocating weight of his power, is quickly extinguished. I know what happens when rules get broken around here—Sable showed me that.
I have no leverage. No choice.
“Yes, Sir,” I answer. The words feel like grit on my tongue. I try to swallow the bitter taste of resentment.
Xavier’s smile isn’t kind. It’s predatory. He gestures toward a plush velvet chaise lounge in the center of the room just as Lila steps closer, her body radiating an arrogance I suddenly find infuriating. She circles me slowly, her eyes raking over my form, and I feel a blush creep up my neck. I didn't expect this, so I'm only wearing a tank top and loose pajama pants. Then she touches me, lightly but insistently, tracing a path down my arm.
“Relax, darling,” she purrs. “This’ll be interesting.”
What she says stings more than her touch. Interesting for whom? I wonder, but I bite back the retort. This isn’t a game I can win.
I nod and look away from her as she leads me to the center of the room and gestures for me to lie down. As I comply, my body suddenly feels heavy, my limbs leaden. The cool velvet accepts me at once.
Xavier kneels beside me, his eyes holding mine as he runs his hand over my thigh.
"You're doing well, Everly. Trusting me even when it's difficult." His voice is a soothing murmur, and I find myself relaxing into the cushions, my breath steadying.
He shows me a length of soft rope, and I can tell he's judging my reaction. I don't react. I don't know what message he's trying to pass along. Patiently, he puts my arms behind my back and begins to secure my forearms together. The rope is a gentle caress, its fibers smooth—until he gives a sharp tug, pulling it tight. The rope bites into my flesh, and I'm aware of how open my chest feels now that I can't cover up even if I wanted to.
"You're so responsive," he whispers, his breath warm on my neck. "I can see your mind working, processing every touch." His fingers trail down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps. "I see the expressions you make when you look at the other dolls."
My eyes widen at his words, my pulse quickening. I try to keep my face neutral, but I can't hide the flush creeping up my chest. What's this all of a sudden?
"Wh-what expressions?" I murmur.
Xavier chuckles softly. I feel him deftly working the rope, twisting it and pulling it behind my back before he loops it around my upper arm, one then the other.
"Sable's strength, her defiance. Winter's grace, her quiet determination. And Lila..." He leans closer, his lips hovering above my ear. "Lila's fire, her untamed spirit. You can't help but be drawn to them, can you?"
I shake my head slowly, but my mind jumps to the dinner party, when everyone was dressed up—or dressed down, rather. I swallow hard.
"I..." I begin.
Xavier has already moved on to my legs now that I can't budge my arms an inch. His palms spread across my thighs, smoothing down and up, down and up slowly.
“You have such beautiful legs,” he murmurs, his voice a low growl. “Just needs a little rope to keep them in the right position.”
Before I can figure out what position he's trying to get me in, he shimmies my pajama pants down, exposing my legs to the cool air of the dungeon—and my floral-print panties. I suck in a sharp breath in embarrassment, my eyes flicking over to Lila, who is looking between my legs with… hunger. Xavier doesn't seem to notice what he's done to me, or if he does, he ignores it. He reaches for another length of rope on the floor, this one thicker, rougher.
He bends my leg so that my calf kisses the back of my thigh and uses the rope to secure my limb in that position. I can't help the small noise that escapes my throat as the rough fiber scrapes my skin. I close my eyes, not wanting to see myself in such a humiliating position. By the time he gets started on securing my other leg in the same way, I'm starting to tremble.
“Shh, you’re doing well,” he soothes, his fingers gentle as they brush a stray lock of hair from my face. “Just relax and feel.”
I can’t relax. My body is taut as a bowstring, every nerve ending screaming for release. I feel exposed, vulnerable, and it only gets worse as he keeps going. Now he's taking a thinner, shorter rope and using it to attach the bindings on my upper arm to the bindings around my lower limb, left matched with left, right matched with right. When the rope is as taut as I feel, my legs are propped open, unable to close, and my arms are bound tightly behind my back. The position is uncomfortable, my muscles protesting. Xavier looks down at me as he stands and admires his work.
“You’re so beautiful like this, Everly,” he murmurs, his hand roaming over my chest, over the curve of my breasts. “So open, so willing.”
I want to protest that I’m not willing, that this isn’t what I agreed to, but the words die in my throat as his fingers close around my nipple, giving it a gentle tug. A bolt of pleasure shoots straight between my legs, and I have to bite my lip to suppress a moan.
“That’s it, let go,” he says, his voice a low purr. “Feel how your body responds. There’s no shame in it.”
I can’t help but feel shame. This is so far beyond anything I’ve ever experienced, so far beyond what I’d imagined. I’m tied up like some sort of gift, presented for his pleasure, and I can’t deny that I want to know what comes next, even as a part of me rebels against it.
“Lila,” he says, his voice suddenly hard, “the flogger.”
My eyes fly open, my heart pounding. I hadn’t realized I’d closed them. Lila moves into my field of vision. She’s holding a flogger, the tails hanging limply.
“Sir?” she asks coyly.
“Five strokes,” he says, his eyes fixed on me. “Hard enough to sting, but not to mark.”
My breath catches in my throat. Why is Lila the one to do it? Lila steps closer, and the first stroke falls.
It’s a sharp crack, and I feel the bite of the tails against my skin, a searing line of fire across my chest. I cry out, the sound torn from my throat, and I can’t help the way my body jerks, straining against the ropes.
“Hold still,” Xavier commands. “You can take it.”
The second stroke falls, and I bite my lip to keep from crying out again. The pain is intense, but it’s quickly followed by a rush of pleasure, a wave of heat that spreads through my body. I’m aware of every inch of my skin, every place where the rope touches me.
“Good girl,” he says, his voice softening. “You’re doing so well.”
The next three strokes fall in quick succession, a blur of pain and pleasure that leaves me breathless, my body trembling. I’m dimly aware of Lila’s eyes on me, of Xavier’s hand on my thigh, but I can’t focus on anything except the feeling.
It’s too much—and not nearly enough.
“That's it, Everly,” Xavier says, his voice hoarse. “You're so beautiful like this.”
I want to respond, to tell him how I’m feeling, but I can’t find the words. My body is on fire, every nerve ending alight, and I’m dimly aware that I’m dripping wet, my core throbbing with need. Is it because I'm spread open so widely?
“Now,” he says, his voice hard again, “the crop.”
This time I gasp. The crop. I’ve seen it hanging up, the thin cruel-looking instrument, and I know it’s going to hurt. Am I being punished? Why am I being made to endure this?
And why the fuck does Lila have to be the one to see me like this?
Lila moves again, the flogger discarded, and now she’s holding the crop, the leather handle dark against her pale skin.
“Five strokes,” Xavier says, his eyes fixed on me. “Harder this time. I want to see marks.”
My breath comes in short gasps as Lila raises the crop, her eyes locked on mine. I can see the concentration on her face, the way she’s focusing, and I know this is going to hurt like hell.
The first stroke falls, a sharp crack that makes me cry out. It’s a searing shock of pain, and I can feel the burn, the way the skin is already angry and raised.
“Hold still,” Xavier barks. “You can take more.”
Each strike lands squarely on my skin. The first two land on my clothed breasts, the leather biting through the thin cotton of my tank top. I gasp, sharp intakes of breath that catch in my throat alongside strangled whimpers. My nipples are already sensitive from the flogger, but now this new sensation sends jolts of agony through me.
Then the crop finds its mark on my inner thighs—bare thin skin. The pain is intense, a searing fire that makes me arch my back, my hips bucking involuntarily against the ropes. Tears stream down my face, blurring my vision. My breath is coming in a ragged rhythm that mirrors the frantic beat of my heart. But I can’t do anything to stop it. My muscles are bunching, every fiber screaming in protest. The pain is utterly terrifying—and exquisite.
It's awakening an ache, deeper than I've ever felt.
“Yes,” Xavier says, his voice hoarse. “Absolutely lovely, look at you.”
I can’t respond, can’t do anything but feel, my body alive with sensation. I vaguely register Lila retreating, Xavier approaching, his hands on me, wiping away my tears, but my awareness remains consumed by the vibrant hum within my body, each nerve ending thrumming with life. A persistent, pulsing rhythm reverberates through me, refusing to subside.
"Funny thing about pain. It's got you feeling more open now, right? More… honest?"
His words confuse me, and I let it show on my face, too spent to even ask him what he means. I look up at him, head heavy.
“I’ve noticed the way you look at the other dolls,” Xavier murmurs, his voice close to my ear. “The curiosity in your eyes. The unspoken questions.”
Questions?
I try to think through what he's saying, but my whole body is throbbing, distracting me. The ropes feel like they've gotten tighter. After getting the flogger and the riding crop, it's like I can't put up a fight anymore.
I can't run from myself or my thoughts. I'm more vulnerable than I realized.
Tired of the knowing look he's giving me, I close my eyes and drop my head heavily to my chest. But the sound of scissors snaps my eyes back open.
“You’re learning, Everly,” he whispers, his voice a low caress. “You’re learning to trust.”
Trust? Trust him? Trust them? I was forced into this position, literally!
“There’s so much more to discover,” he continues, his eyes glinting with something I can’t quite decipher. He leans in closer, his breath warm on my skin. “So much more to explore.”
Cold steel presses lightly against my skin, making me jerk away. Xavier gives me a warning look and continues cutting into my tank top. I whimper and squirm as he bares my breasts. A movement calls my attention—it's Lila licking her lips.
“You've been so good tonight,” Xavier whispers, cupping my breasts. Fuck, his hands are so warm. I let out a shuddering breath.
“As a reward," he continues, "how about we indulge your curiosities?”
Then he's gone, standing up and removing his hand. My body leans after him, seeking him, but he pushes me back into the cushions. My ruined tank top flutters at my sides, tickling me.
“Lila,” he murmurs, looking at Lila with a strange mixture of pleasure and hunger in his eyes. “Satisfy her curiosity.”
Lila doesn't waste time taking Xavier's place. He steps away, giving us space, and then it's just me and her. Her hand brushes against my cheek, soft and delicate. Feminine.
“Tell me, Everly,” Lila purrs. “What do you want?”
I can’t speak. Do I want this? Do I want her?
Another touch, this time on my breast. Lila’s fingers circle my nipple, teasing, tormenting. A moan passes my lips, a sound I barely recognize.
Lila’s touch becomes more insistent, her fingers pinching my nipple, pulling, twisting. The pleasure is sharp, almost painful. I arch my back, my body straining against the ropes.
“Tell me,” Lila whispers again, her lips brushing against my ear. “Tell me what you want.”
A soft whimper escapes my lips. I want... I want...
Suddenly, her mouth is on my other breast, her tongue swirling around my nipple, drawing it into a tight bud. The sensation sends a jolt of electricity through me. It’s different from Xavier’s touch. Softer, yet somehow more intimate.
Her hand slides down my stomach, dipping lower. I gasp, my body trembling with anticipation.
“Do you want me to touch you there, Everly?” she whispers, her voice a husky murmur against my skin. “Do you want me to taste you?”
I can’t answer. The words are trapped in my throat, choked by a mixture of shame and desire.
I can't help but lean into her touch, my body seeking more. The ropes dig into my skin while pleasure builds inside me. I'm aware of the burn on my chest, the sting of the crop, but it only adds to the intensity of the moment.
"I-I want," I whisper, my voice hoarse and raw. "I want..."
Lila. Fuck, I want Lila.
I can't finish the sentence, but Lila seems to understand. Her hand slides lower, her fingers dipping beneath the waistband of my panties. I gasp as she glides over my soaked cunt.
"You're so wet," she murmurs, her breath hot against my nipple. "So ready for me."
I can't deny it. My body is on fire. I want her to touch me, to take me to the edge and push me over. I want to feel her mouth on me, tasting me, driving me wild.
Lila's fingers slip over my clit, circling. I arch my back, my hips bucking involuntarily against the ropes.
"Please," I beg, my voice a strangled whisper. "Please touch me. Don't stop touching me."
With a soft laugh, Lila finally pulls back and grants my wish. She pushes my panties to the side, baring me to her hungry gaze. Her tongue teases me, tracing slow circles around my clit. I moan, my body trembling as she tastes me, lapping at my juices like a starving woman. Her fingers slide inside me, curling just right, and I cry out, my back arching as a bolt of pleasure shoots through me.
"That's it, Everly," Xavier encourages, his voice hoarse. "Let go. Give in to the pleasure."
Lila's mouth is relentless, her tongue flicking and teasing, driving me closer and closer to the edge. I start to lose track of Xavier's presence, of his eyes on me—all I can focus on is the building sensation coiling tight within me.
"Come for me, Everly," Lila whispers, her mouth never leaving its task. "Let me feel you come."
I suck in a hungry breath at the request. And I don't hear Xavier object.
My body explodes in a rush of pleasure so intense it leaves me breathless. I cry out, my voice echoing off the walls of the dungeon as wave after wave of pleasure washes over me. It's like nothing I've ever experienced, a release so powerful it leaves me shaking. And Lila doesn't stop, riding it out with me, lapping at me and moaning with shared pleasure.
Fuck, it's too much.
But just as I finish that thought, Xavier is there, untying the ropes, setting me free. I'm gasping for breath, feeling so weak as he works. I can barely hold myself up. When the rope slackens, I fall into his arms, my body still trembling, and he holds me close, his hands gentle on my back.
"You did so well, Everly," he murmurs, his voice soft and full of praise. "So beautifully done."
I focus only on his words, not what Lila's doing or what I must look like. No, I burrow into Xavier, my hands clinging to his powerful frame. I feel light, as if I could float away, but Xavier's arms around me ground me, keeping me tethered to the earth. The pain and pleasure of the evening blend together, leaving me with a sense of satisfaction I've never known before.
I did it. I faced my fears, my desires, and I didn't break.
And in this moment, all I want is to stay right here, in Xavier's arms.