Chapter 16 #2
And she did. Thwap, thwap, pause, and repeating.
Each sequence built upon the last, warmth blooming across her skin.
The suede kissed the curve of her ass and moved lower, across her thighs.
Never rushed, never careless. He coaxed her deeper into sensation, until her muscles loosened and her mind quieted, and all she could hear was the steady rise and fall of the flogger, and Alec’s breath syncing with hers.
Thwap, thwap, pause.
A little firmer.
Thwap, thwap, pause.
As much as the restraints allowed, her body arched into it, seeking more.
A low moan escaped her throat.
“That’s it, baby,” he praised, softly. “Surrender to me.”
The flogger moved like an extension of his hand—brushing, striking, sometimes drumming light in patterns that made her grip the bench. Desire pooled, her skin warm and alive. She no longer knew which strike would land next or where, only that he guided her and owned every inch of the moment.
“Alec… sir,” she breathed, the blindfold making everything sharper.
“Almost there. Hang on for me.”
Another kiss of suede. And another.
Shaking as she struggled to contain the passion soaring and threatening to break free.
The next pause was longer. She heard something clatter on the floor. Her skin tingled; she waited hot and wanting.
His hands smoothed over her tender cheeks as he stepped up behind her.
“You’re perfect,” he said quietly. “Open, trusting, trembling.”
He entered her from behind in one long thrust. She cried out, nearly shattering. He glided in again, and again, until she couldn’t hold off any longer. Release broke over her. It wasn’t just physical—everything melted away in his hands until it was only them. Only now.
She floated, seeming weightless as her senses reawakened—the sounds, the cool air on her damp skin, the restraints keeping her in place, and Alec still inside her. His hands gripped her hips as he thrust, his control evaporating by rapid degrees.
He groaned—a low, rough sound pulled from deep in his chest. “You feel incredible,” he rasped. “So tight around me. Jesus, baby.”
His hips snapped forward again. She felt the tension coil in him, the way his breathing sharpened against her shoulder.
“Come for me again,” he murmured, as his arm slid around her and his fingers found her clit, moving in circles that made her gasp.
Her body reacted before her mind caught up, a shiver racing through her spine.
“That’s it,” he breathed. “Give it to me.”
She clenched around him, and the sound he made—ragged and broken—told her he was gone.
His pace faltered, each thrust more demanding, the slap of skin on skin drowned out by the hum of the room and her own soft cries. His hand slid up her back, fisting in her hair.
“My sweet, Em,” he growled, burying himself, hips locked to hers. His release tore through him, his body shuddering against her as he let go.
He stilled, breath rough and uneven, his forehead resting between her shoulder blades.
When he eased out, it was with a long, satisfied sigh. He kissed her shoulder, whispering, “You undo me every damn time,” before pushing to his feet.
Moving around the bench, he released the cuffs, massaging her wrists, shoulders, hips then rubbed her where the straps had circled her thighs.
“You did so well,” he murmured. “I’m proud of you.”
She couldn’t speak. Her throat was tight, her body loose, her heart full.
He wrapped her in a soft blanket then lifted her and carried her from the room. Still drifting in the glow of release, she melted against him, head on his shoulder, uncaring where he took her so long as he didn’t let her go.
“Still with me, baby?”
She lifted her head and looked around. “Did I fall asleep?”
“You were floating.” He pressed a bottle of water into her hand. “Drink,” he ordered. “All of it.”
She sipped, curled in his lap. The lounge was quiet now, the crowd mostly gone. The world returned in slow pieces. She heard hushed conversation. Devil and Cari sat across from them, huddled close.
Leland and Mateo approached next. They’d been monitoring the play tonight. Each man collapsed into a chair, a bottle of beer in hand, crossing their feet on the table in front of them with a sigh.
Alec nudged the bottle of water to her lips. “Finish it, Em. Hydration is important after a scene.”
She obeyed, the plastic crinkling when she drained the last of it.
Rhys arrived last, no sign of Gaby, and headed straight for the bar.
“I’m gonna grab a beer,” Alec told her. “Do you want anything? Pretzels? Chocolate? You haven’t eaten in a while.”
“We keep a stash of chocolate ice cream behind the bar. It helps me even out after a scene,” Cari said from across the way.
“Is that a hint, sprite?” Devil asked.
“Do you mind?” she asked, smiling up at him.
“Of course not,” he said, shifting her from his lap then rose. “I’ll go with you,” he said to Alec.
She watched the two handsome doms—both tall and muscular, one light, one dark—walk away.
“Are you doing okay, Emily?” Cari asked, leaning forward.
The question caught her off guard. Had she seen her and Alec together? “I… uh…”
“I know what you’re going through,” she said, concern and empathy in her eyes. “I ran from them for three years.”
Emily frowned, not sure who “them” was. “I don’t understand.”
“I guess you haven’t heard. I thought everyone knew.” As if unmoored, she glanced toward the bar, for Dev—her anchor. “My last name… it’s Denali. Vincenzo Denali is my uncle.”
Emily’s lips parted in shock.
“My father was the old boss,” Cari continued.
“I don’t know how much he was involved—I pray that he wasn’t—it’s unthinkable.
Vinny definitely was. He held me prisoner at one of the warehouses.
” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “They had frightened young women in cages. If Dev and his men hadn’t gotten there in time—”
“I didn’t know about the family connection.”
She nodded. “It’s deeply personal for us. I want nothing more than to see it shut down.” Cari’s gaze met hers. “But I’m worried for you. I’d like to help—”
“You’re not getting involved in this,” Devil’s voice cut in, low and firm. “You’ve done more than enough.”
Standing beside him, Alec shot him a look. “It’s not a good feeling, is it?” he asked, his gaze steady. “Watching someone you care about walk into danger.”
Devil’s jaw tightened, a flush climbing into his cheeks. “I wouldn’t allow it if I didn’t think it was necessary—and if I didn’t believe we could keep her safe.” He looked at Cari, his expression unflinching. “And one civilian undercover is more than enough on any mission.”
“I wasn’t volunteering,” Cari said lightly. “Just lending an ear.”
Dev grunted, set his beer and her bowl of ice cream on the table, then drew his bride-to-be into his side.
Alec matched his movement, pulling Emily into his lap again.
From his couch, Leland asked, “You ready for tomorrow, Em?”
She nodded. “It’s a posh affair at a private residence, according to Regina’s sous chef. I don’t get the address ahead of time. I have to ride in the catering van.”
Alec tensed behind her—subtle but unmistakable.
“Making it the perfect opportunity for buyers to look at the merchandise,” Mateo pointed out.
“Please don’t call them that,” Cari said, burrowing closer to Dev. “I’ll never forget those dog cages. Some of them had bloody blankets.”
Emily didn’t speak. She just leaned into Alec’s warmth, clinging to the hope that Nick Devlin and his team of badasses were as good as they believed themselves to be.