Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
He fetched her dress and held it while she wriggled into it. “You make an excellent ladies’ maid,” she said.
“When the woman in question is you, the pleasure is entirely mine. But keep in mind, you won’t have it on for long.”
While she slipped on her shoes, he tidied the room and sanitized the equipment before gathering her undergarments.
“You could put those in your pocket,” she said when he opened the door. Silk, satin, and lace dangled from his grip.
“I could.”
But he didn’t.
Which meant everyone in the club would guess he’d had her naked.
Upstairs, on the main level, they garnered a couple of curious glances.
Long-time members knew she was a Domme, so seeing her with Damien must have been a shock.
No one was more surprised than Catrina herself at the turn of events.
When she’d checked in earlier and asked for a white wristband, the house sub at the door had called Gregorio over. He’d clarified she knew the meaning of what she was doing.
“This is better than any fireworks on the Fourth of July,” Gregorio had said before personally fastening the white strip into place.
Then she’d gone to the basement to stand at the bar, wondering what Damien’s reaction would be when he eventually spotted her.
Would he be happy? Pissed that she’d ghosted him?
Her musing had been interrupted when a Dom she often conversed with had joined her. As if it were an ordinary exchange, he’d started to chat.
When he’d finally noticed her wristband, he’d momentarily fallen silent before nodding tightly and inviting her to scene.
This evening, she’d planned to submit, but only to one man.
And if what Damien had said earlier was correct, she’d saved herself and the Dom from a very unpleasant scene with the owner.
Because of the exchange, she’d moved from the bar to a table where she’d be less approachable.
“We’ll continue up to my quarters,” Damien said.
“Oh?” Like many people, she’d wondered about the off-limits parts of the Den. There were bathrooms upstairs that were available to guests, but a sealed door prevented entrance to the rest of the second story, which also meant his private area was inaccessible to guests.
Gregorio was leaning against the balustrade, and he pushed away when he saw them approach.
“The production company could use you as a model,” Gregorio said to her. “Your height shows the spindle off to its fullest effect.”
“How long did you fucking watch?” Damien asked, voice tight.
“The whole time.”
“And by that you mean?”
“Thirty seconds. No longer. Just enough to be sure everything was okay.” He held up his hands. “Promise.”
She’d be the first to admit she didn’t know Damien all that well, but his behavior seemed unusual.
“We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Gregorio nodded.
“Milady? Shall we?”
She started up the stairs, and he was right behind her.
Not much longer, he’d pressed his finger to a keypad that opened a door.
Moments later, she was inside an office area, and they were sealed in silence…such a shocking departure from the thumping noise of the club’s music.
In front of her was a vast open space. Off to her right was a wall of windows, complete with a set of French doors that presumably led to a deck.
An enormous desk loomed in front of her. “Yours?”
“It is.”
Like she expected, there was no mess. The surface was bare, except for an empty brandy snifter.
He rounded to the far side of the desk to deposit her undergarments on a chair. Then he put the blasted gag on top.
She shuddered. “I hadn’t realized you’d brought it.”
“It was more than an idle threat, and the reminder is visible.”
As well as effective.
Do you forget anything?
He opened a drawer and pulled out a remote control which he aimed at the wall behind her.
She turned, surprised to see dozens of images, each showing a different place on the property. Guests were exiting vehicles, checking in at the front desk, milling in front of the hearth, heading down the stairs or onto the back patio. “Command central?” she asked. “Unless you have serious voyeuristic tendencies?”
“As of tonight, I’d rather participate than watch.” He pushed a button, and the pictures vanished.
To her left, there were two cubicles, each separated by a thick sheet of glass that was etched with a mountainscape of an eagle soaring above a peak.
“Your choice,” Damien said. “They were both prepared for you.”
She chose her words with care. “You expect me to work here?” With you nearby?
“There’s someplace you’d rather be?”
“Anywhere.” When he’d said that Gregorio had been instructed to ready an office for her, this hadn’t been what she was expecting. She’d thought there’d be walls between them, doors…distance. “I’ll never get anything done if you’re so close.”
“I’ll shackle your foot to the desk.”
Catrina wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m not sure whether or not you’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” She’d played with him in private, been to his secluded house in the Denver area, yet nothing had felt more intimate than this.
“Would you like to see the third floor?”
Your domain.
A place she’d heard nothing—not even whispers—about.
He gave her the code to open an opaque glass door that led to another set of stairs.
When she arrived in his private suite, she paused.
The space was breathtaking with its soaring windows and ceilings and glossy hardwood floors that were covered with numerous throw rugs. A couple of tables were strategically placed, and a chair sat near a leather couch. Both faced the television atop the gas-burning fireplace.
To the back of the apartment was a small kitchen, complete with coffeemaker, refrigerator, sink, stove, and microwave oven.
“I feel like I’m at an exclusive hotel.”
“That was my designer’s intent. I don’t always want to go downstairs for my coffee, and when I’m up here, I prefer my own deck for my first cup.”
Catrina might never want to leave. “You’re not a morning person?” It astounded her how little she knew him, and how much she was about to learn.
“I prefer some quiet time before I engage with others. Let me finish showing you around.”
The luxury continued.
Not surprisingly, he had a well-equipped gym as well as a small study lined with books and a cozy-looking leather chair.
His bedroom had an enormous walk-in closet—unlike anything she’d ever seen. In addition to multiple built-in dressers, it contained numerous shelves and lots of rods.
A quick glance revealed how fastidious he was.
Dozens of pairs of black slacks hung next to dress shirts and suit coats. An entire selection of ties was arranged in an acrylic drawer, apparently grouped by color. His shoes were tucked into individual cubbies.
A ridiculous number of belts hung from a rack, and the idea of the leather connecting with her bare butt made her back out of the closet.
“Everything okay?” His lips quirked.
Once again she wondered if he were a mind reader. “Fine.”
“Plenty of room for your belongings when you come to stay.”
Why do you keep me on edge like this?
Shoving aside his question, she took in the main room.
A king-size bed faced a window, and two nightstands had artistic antler lamps on their surface. His spa-like bathroom was tiled, with double sinks, a soaker tub, and a shower big enough for two.
“I want you to be comfortable here. Ask for anything you need.” He met her gaze. “Except privacy.”
“Do you spend all your time coming up with words to terrify me?”
“Of course not.”
He backed her up until a wall stopped her.
“No?” she asked.
“I also think about the dozens of ways I’d like to fuck you.”
Her pulse turned thready.
He took a step away. “There’s a box of condoms and a bottle of lube in a basket in the linen closet. Fetch them.”
He left her behind in the bathroom.
For a few seconds, she remained rooted in place before she shook her head to clear it.
Did he finally mean for them to have sex?
Since she was ready to crawl out of her mind, she sincerely hoped so.
Because everything was so perfectly organized, she found the items exactly where he’d said they were.
Taking breaths to calm herself, she walked back into the bedroom, but he wasn’t there.
Following the soft strands of light jazz, she walked into the living area.
“Very good. Now place them on the mantel.”
He’d turned on the fireplace and dimmed the overhead lighting, bathing the room in a soft glow.
Lord of all he surveyed, Damien was seated in the chair, an ankle propped on his knee.
As she followed his orders, he never took his gaze from her.
Had anyone ever paid this much attention to her?
When she played with her subs, she gave each her entire focus, but she truly didn’t spend hours thinking everything through, the way he clearly did.
As she slid the belongings where he indicated, she realized there were no personal effects in sight, no pictures, no knickknacks. Had there been any in his office? And she didn’t recall any in his bedroom.
Clearly he’d left everything the way the designer had arranged it. Catrina struggled to resist the sudden urge to clutter things up, shake him up as much as he unsettled her.
“It’s really different up here,” she observed as she faced him. Secluded, and except for the music, eerily quiet, with no sounds from the outdoors reaching her.
“I like my privacy. And I want you to have the freedom to scream all you want.”
Her breath nearly strangled her. “You do enjoy challenging me.”
“It’s time someone did.”
And they were barely getting started.
“Come here, Catrina.” He stood and extended his hand, a gesture that looked like an invitation, but she recognized as a command.
On unsteady legs, she complied, stopping a couple of feet in front of him. He took her shoulders and drew her even closer, closer than was comfortable for her.
He released one of her shoulders and moved his hand to her face where he tipped back her chin. “Your next lesson begins now?”
Her tongue seemed too big for her mouth. “And the subject?”
“Concentrating, fully, on pleasing your Dom. We’ll start with you getting naked, we’ll continue with you undressing me.”
Catrina had watched his scene-setting demonstration that evening at the Den.
Now she recognized he’d merely offered a glimpse at the weapons in his arsenal. His tone seduced her. The way he touched her sent her pulse reeling. Even the music added to the atmosphere, seducing her.
It was the way he used his tone and words, however, that stirred her imagination in a way that could have been an art form.
Though they hadn’t been sexual, she was already dazed.
“Proceed,” he said, releasing her.
Locking her knees so she could remain upright, she took a step back.
As she had earlier, she removed her dress. He nodded toward the nearby couch, and she draped the material over the back.
“Keep your wristband on. I like what it symbolizes. Oh, and leave the heels on for now.”
“Such a male, Damien,” she observed.
“Turns out I’m an ass man. Much as I loved seeing you displayed on the spindle, I’d like to put you over it the other way, just for my edification.” He sat. “Start with my shoes.”
It was one thing for a man to kiss her feet, it was another to be at his.
She considered crouching, but that would give him a glimpse of her pussy. So that left kneeling as her only option. “Too bad you’re not wearing boots. I could straddle your leg to get them off.”
“I’ll wear a pair tomorrow.”
Bastard probably would, too.
She knelt and untied his laces before removing his shoes and socks.
He stood. “I’m at your mercy, Milady.”
Since she was on her knees, it made sense to also remove his belt.
Which would be so much easier if his dick weren’t engorged.
But that she had that effect on him thrilled her.
After fumbling with the buckle for several seconds, she finally managed to get it undone.
“Wish it had taken you a little longer.”
She looked up at him.
His grin was equal parts diabolical and pleased.
She tugged the leather free and rolled it up before placing it on top of one of his shoes.
For a moment she considered removing his pants. But when he lifted his hips, her mouth would be mere inches from his cock.
Ignoring the way his lips twitched at her internal debate, she stood.
Leaning in, she removed his pricey sweater.
Lord have mercy.
She’d thought he’d looked imposing while fully dressed in his own-the-world business attire. Now, he was devastating.
Clothing only made him appear civilized.
His glorious body was honed to perfection.
Unable to help herself, she took in his impossibly broad chest and chiseled biceps. His six-pack abs were well-defined, absolutely taut without an ounce of excess flesh.
Judging by the definition in his thighs and calves, he didn’t concentrate all his workout efforts on just his upper body.
She’d never seen a man so gloriously rugged. “Damn,” she whispered before she could stop herself.
“Glad you approve.”
To distract herself, she tossed his sweater near her dress, pretending not to notice his wince.
“That deserves a spanking.”
Yes, please.“I’ll be more careful in future.” A lie. Total and complete. Did he see through it? See what she suddenly needed from him? “Will you stand, Damien?”
While he did, she kept her gaze on his chest. Anywhere but on his very-obvious bulge.
She unfastened his trousers and allowed them to fall down. Thank God, he had on underwear, even if the fabric was tented. “Boxers, Damien?”
“I like my balls loose,” he said. “But wool can chafe. I can wear something else if you prefer?”
“No,” her response was instant.
“What do you like about them?”
“The way I can reach my hand inside the front.” Like she did with her boys. Though he was nothing like the men she ordinarily played with.
“Do it.”
“I…” She was accustomed to being in charge, giving or withholding pleasure. From her years of experience, she was comfortable handling a cock, stroking it, tying a leash around it, even placing it into a cage.
But this…
She wasn’t sure how to proceed.
“Be my good sub.”
Trying to ignore the fact she was shaking, Catrina closed her hand around him.
“Talk to me.”
He’d been so approving of her. How could she be any different? “Silky.” Gently, she slid her hand back and forth. Then, as he responded, she tightened her grip a little. “I love how thick it is.” Thick? Enormous.
And no doubt he intended to dominate her with it.
A few strokes later, he clamped his hand around her wrist. “That’s enough.”
She was accustomed to making that decision. Most times, it was a couple of seconds before he spilled.
“I’m in charge.”
With an exhalation, she looked up and met his deep, beautiful eyes.
“I know this is unique for you. Maybe even a challenge.”
As he’d said, he was in charge. “It is.”
“Remove my boxers.”
With a tight nod, she did as he said.
“Remain as you are,” he instructed, leaning down to place the undergarment with the rest of the clothing.
“Play with your nipples,” he instructed.
“They’re already sensitive from your clamps.”
“All the better.”
Aware of his heated scrutiny, she rolled the tips between her forefingers and thumbs.
“Harder. I want you fully aroused.”
Lowering her gaze, she squeezed and tugged.
“That’s better.” He took hold of a handful of her hair, and she whimpered a little. “I want you to look at me. See my reaction, how much I cherish your obedience.”
Compelled, she had no choice.
“Now play with your pussy. But don’t come.”
Often, she’d do that while masturbating one of her subs. So the self-consciousness she experienced while standing in front of Damien stunned her.
“Should I repeat myself?” Growled menace wove through his question.
“No!” Immediately, she fingered herself, sliding back and forth between her pussy lips.
Fire flared in his eyes, driving her on. “Slick already?”
“Very,” she confessed.
In the absence of any other instruction, his hand still fisted in her hair, she continued on, getting damper and damper.
“Now finger-fuck yourself.”
No one had ever made these kinds of demands, and she loved it.
With a small moan, she dipped inside.
“I can smell your heat.”
“Yes.”Impossibly, she who didn’t believe herself capable of multiple orgasms was already on the verge of another rocking climax.
Her whimpers became moans.
All embarrassment disappeared as need built. “Damien.”
“That’s my sub,” he whispered encouragingly. “Play with that gorgeous pussy.”
As the edge neared, she moved faster and faster, jerking her hips, trying to get better angles, more pressure.
She stopped caring how tight he held on to her, and she closed her eyes. So close…
“That’s enough.”
Enough? No. Not even…
“Catrina, stop!” he snapped, clamping her wrist.
Blinking, she froze.
“I expect instant obedience.”
“But—”
He pulled her fingers from her pussy. “Lick them.” He raised her hand to her mouth.
On the verge of frustrated tears, she made an exaggerated show of sticking out her tongue to clean off the tangy dampness.
“Sexy,” he said. “I like the added sound effects. Been watching some of Master Niles’ videos?”
When she was done, she dropped her hand to her side.
“As I mentioned earlier, I know this is a unique experience for you. You’re not a person who lives and breathes submission. You generally make decisions, decide how scenes progress, I’m being more patient than I normally would.” He pulled her head back a fraction of an inch. “Don’t think that I’m not noticing your lack of immediate compliance.” After releasing his grip, he continued in a gentler tone, “Magic happens when you get out of your own head, like you did when we played downstairs. You know it. I know. Our arrangement is only two weeks. Yield, Milady.”
She didn’t respond.
It was one thing to strategically prevent her sub’s orgasm. Yet it was completely different to be on the receiving end, experiencing sharp pins-and-needles sensations between her legs at his horrible denial.
Desperate to alleviate some of the stress, Catrina pressed her thighs together.
“That won’t help.”
As always, he was right. In fact, her efforts seemed to make her neediness worse.
“I’ll always ensure you’re taken care of. Your satisfaction is mine.”
At this moment, with frustration crashing into her, she figured he never intended to let her come again.
“But because you’re trying to circumvent my decisions, you’re going to be punished.”
She gasped.
“Place your hands at the small of your back.”
Questioningly, she scowled at him.
“Would you like them secured in place so that you’re not tempted to disobey me?”
What the hell did he have in mind?
“You may want to take me up on that. Because I promise you, Catrina, I’m going to make the next ten minutes some of the most miserable of your life. Ones you’ll never forget…”