Chapter 20
Jules
It’s only business. It’s only business. This is all just business.
I repeat those words over and over again as I stand in the media building in a long robe, watching as Oak moves around checking cameras.
They’re all here today. Cash is at the computers, making sure that everything is set up for the live feed.
There will be no edits today, so I’ll be wearing a half cat mask that leaves my mouth still accessible.
Sawyer is sitting beside him, explaining how best to do the lighting despite his inability to see.
Beneath my robe, I’m wearing something sheer, just as Oak requested.
It’s a piece of lingerie I’ve often worn, one of my favorites.
I try not to think about the reason why I chose it, that it makes me feel confident, that it’s the set I know I look the best in.
Sheer black mesh covers my breasts and stomach, but not much else.
The bodysuit sports a tiny thong that’s easy to move aside and is stretchy so everything is easily accessed.
I feel powerful, and confident, and like I’m losing my mind.
I shouldn’t be trying to impress him. I shouldn’t be wanting to throw him off his game.
I shouldn’t be trying to prove to them or myself that it’s not quite just business like we keep reminding ourselves.
Fuck. Fuck.
“We’ll be ready in five minutes,” Oak says, interrupting my thoughts.
“This is my landmark style scene, all about power play and body worship. If at any point you’re uneasy, you’ll have the ability to stop things, but keep in mind we’re live.
So, if we pause, we tell the cameras we’re taking a short break.
” His eyes flick to me where I’m standing with my arms crossed.
“Not that you need to worry about that if you’re uncomfortable.
We’ll handle all that. You just worry about removing yourself from the situation. ”
“Very thoughtful,” I reply, looking away from him. “Where will you have me?”
“The bed,” he answers. “But to start, I’ll have you stand beside it and lift you into the bed. The subs like that.”
“They like watching you throw around your partner? Surprising,” I say sarcastically. Of course they like seeing him lift women and tossing them around. It’s hot. Especially when the men are built like Oak is. “I’m ready when you are.”
He nods toward my robe. “Feel free to take up position. We’ll start as soon as Cash has the chat feed up for us to read from.” He pauses. “Are you okay with bondage?”
I nod. “Whatever the scene needs. You know my limitations in the contract.”
“Okay.” He goes to turn away, but I reach for my robe and he pauses, though he makes it look like he’s only studying the set up rather than paying attention to me.
When I open the robe and toss it away, he can’t help but flick his gaze over to me and then away, his hands clenching hard enough to pop his fingers.
Triumph fills me, but I quell it quickly. I shouldn’t want him to be unnerved by my outfit. I shouldn’t want him to be thrown off kilter by what I’m wearing. But fuck, do I. The large stoic man doesn’t give much away, but when he does, he’s intense, and I want that intensity directed at me.
I move over to the bed and stand, waiting, ready. I try my best to calm my racing heart, reminding myself that this is only business and that I’m being paid to be here. There are no emotions here. Not mine. Definitely not theirs. I shouldn’t imagine feelings where there are none.
“Thirty seconds,” Cash announces, and then his eyes land on me and hold.
Unlike Oak, he doesn’t look away. He just watches, his eyes heated as he takes me in.
When he holds up his hand to count down from five, he still doesn’t look away, and my body grows flush.
Not as flush as it does when the cameras go live and Oak strides with slow purposeful steps into the frame before me.
In his hands, he holds a length of silk rope.
“Good evening, Velvet Rodeo. Tonight, it’s all about giving me control. You know the drill. Show me what good girls and boys you are.”
The chat is immediately flooded with “Yes, Daddy” and “You can have whatever you want, Daddy” in front of us. I can’t help but smirk at the way he pulls their strings, at the half smirk he rewards them with.
“Very good,” he rumbles. “Tonight, I’ll be joining with Vanta Vyxxxen for this scene. I expect y’all to treat her like I do.” He turns toward me, his eyes flashing. “I expect you to respect the goddess.”
More “Yes, Daddy” trails down the screen.
Oak turns toward me, and I suddenly tense.
I remind myself this is just business again, but when Oak looks at me like that, I realize I’m in real trouble.
I should have worn something else. I shouldn’t have done something so small to provoke him.
I’ve clearly done that. But he’s the one that told me this is all just business. He should be better than me.
When he starts stalking toward me, my core tightens. Fuck. I’m going to pay for this outfit. I’m going to pay for letting emotion into these scenes. I just know it.
He strides toward me, and then behind me, circling until he’s at my back. When his hands reach around me and wrap around my neck, tilting my head back, I let him.
“That’s a very good girl,” he purrs in my ear, his warm breath tickling my hair. “You’re going to give me everything tonight. Every piece of you. Every orgasm. Every shard of your black heart.”
“We’ll see about that,” I reply, knowing this is a game we’re playing for the cameras. My character isn’t one to bend or break. Vanta is all about maintaining control even when it looks like she doesn’t have it. If Oak thinks he can take every bit of me, then he doesn’t really know me.
He chuckles against my neck. “Yes,” he murmurs. “We will.”
I’m lifted into the air so suddenly, I have no way to prepare for it.
One moment, I’m standing with his hand around my neck, his warmth pressed to my back, the next, I’m thrown over his shoulder like the hay bales he tosses around.
His other hand comes over and smooths over my ass as he walks toward the cameras.
“Just look at this perfection,” he tells the camera. “Tell her how perfect she is.”
The chat floods with “Mommy” now and compliments about my physical features, but I only care about what Oak is saying, about what he’s doing.
I only care about the way Cash watches in between working on the cameras.
I only care about the way Sawyer tilts his head, his eyes on the floor as he listens.
Oak turns back and strides toward the bed, walking as if it’s nothing to carry me. Hell, for him, it probably is nothing. I’ve never felt so safe in someone’s arms before, so stable. When we reach the bed and he tosses me onto it, I stare up at him with narrowed eyes.
“Control doesn’t come easily,” I remind him. “We’ll see who is in charge.”
He smirks at me. Bracing himself on his knuckles on the edge of the bed, he leans forward. “Strap one wrist into the restraint.”
“And if I don’t?” I challenge.
“Then you’ll be punished,” he replies. “And I’ll let the chat decide what that punishment will be.”
I lean back on my elbows, watching him, but I very purposely don’t reach for the restraint. That’s what he wants. He wants this to be a tug-o-war. That’s what the subs definitely want. Anything less would be too easy and not earned.
He swipes out so fast, it’s impressive. His hand wraps around my wrist firmly and jerks it up, strapping the wrist in before I can so much as protest. He never hurts me. Every touch is gentle and direct. Every motion is purposeful.
I reach up to the wrist restraint to remove it, only to find it locked. I raise my brow as he holds up the key very conveniently dangling around his neck. The pearl necklace still hangs there, never removed despite the scene. Not for the first time, I wonder why he wears it.
“You play dirty,” I chastise. “That means I can play dirty, too.”
“Please do,” he murmurs. “I look forward to how well you can throw me off my game, Mistress.”
And then he jerks my other wrist up. I’m ready for him this time and manage to slip my hand free, but in my desperation to keep my wrist free, he manages to lock one of my ankles to another restraint. The loud click makes me pause and I look down.
He grins. “It’s time for the chat to vote on your punishment.”
The chat lights up with requests, one after the other, money being thrown forward as they try to outbid each other.
“Blades369 thinks I should spank you,” Oak reads out loud. “But TerryWithAnEye thinks I should force my cock down your throat.” His eyes flash. “What will I choose?”
“You’re awfully brave thinking about bringing your cock anywhere near my teeth,” I say, smiling.
His head tilts down at the challenge in my voice and I know I’ve made him pick. I can’t help but lick my lips and it only seems to make him vibrate with barely restrained desire. I arch my back, forcing my breasts more fully up, and his eyes drop to them, hungry, eager.
“Come closer,” I goad, making it clear that I’m still in control despite being half restrained.
He reaches up to his shirt collar before he’s conscious of doing it. He seems to realize that he’s listening to me a moment later and his hand pauses after popping free one button. He smirks when he realizes and drops his hand.
“I think we’ll get to that here in a moment.
But first, I’m going to show you what real discipline is.
” He grabs my free ankle and flips me over onto my stomach.
A second later, I hear the sound of his belt being pulled free.
I move to lift up, but his hand on the small of my back keeps me pinned to the mattress.
“Count,” he grunts. “Just like you made me.”
The belt comes down on my ass and I jerk, gasping into the sheets. But I don’t count. I don’t dare say the number out loud.
“One,” Oak says for me. “But it doesn’t count until you say it.”