Chapter 3
Her alarm always went off half an hour before her Master’s, and automatically she got out of bed without hesitation because she didn’t have time to deny the wake-up call, even though her body protested being dragged to consciousness.
Ella stretched, then reached over and smiled, seeing Zee sleeping on his side, like he’s reaching for her still.
Naked, Ella padded into their bathroom, splashed water on her face.
Without thinking about it, she grabbed the wide, plastic, bowl-shaped measuring cup from under the sink.
Ella exhaled as she squatted, getting this first task checked off.
This too, belonged to her Master.
Her first pee of the morning, always measured and recorded because she craved this level of submission and Zee thrived on this control.
He looked through the record at the end of the week and praised her or ordered her to drink more water the next week.
It was an act that fueled her submission and she didn’t even think about it too much as she set the bowl on the counter, took the clipboard that hung on the inside of the bathroom door and recorded the amount.
This was part of how she lived every day.
Then she emptied the bowl into the toilet, flushed, washed her hands and put the clipboard back on the door and made her way down the hallway to the vast living room.
Picking up the remote for her sound system, she chose violins in B minor and strode over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and opened the vertical wooden blinds by pressing a button.
It was almost eleven and her body ached from the night before.
She started the coffee for Zee, flicked on the kettle for her tea, and set out plates on the sunlit breakfast nook at the back of the kitchen.
Humming along, Ella took down a mixing bowl, cracked eggs into it and gave them a quick whisk.
The kettle bubbled, and she poured herself tea before making her way down the hallway to the French doors leading to the indoor saltwater pool.
She flipped on the lights in the pool room and took her time checking the temperature of the room.
These tasks she performed by rote—small acts of submission, her devotion to her Master—enforcing the dynamic between them.
Each ritual was a reminder that she was seen, cherished and loved.
Once everything was ready, she went back upstairs.
Zee lay stretched out on his back, a sly smile curling at the edges of his lips, still half asleep. Glancing at the clock, she saw she had five minutes to spare.
The rule was simple though her stomach twists when she thought about it.
She had to finish the morning tasks by the time Zee’s alarm went off, and then she would properly wake him up.
If not—her stomach clenched with a mix of embarrassment and arousal, her eyes flicking to the silver bowl on the nightstand.
.. there were consequences to breaking protocol, to not obeying the rules.
“You either take my cum warm or you eat it cold, but you will service me every morning before my alarm goes off.”
Zee had implemented this routine after their daughters had moved out, though they always had a morning routine of some kind.
And what did she get out of these many protocols, this dynamic that she’d been living for over twenty years? Too much to name, but at the core of it?
Submission.
If Zee wasn’t dominant, wasn’t her Master, she’d be left with nowhere to give her submission to, and that was as much a part of her as her red hair and filled her soul as much as playing classical music did.
Having someone to pour her submission into gave her a deep sense of self.
A sense of being seen.
Loved for what she was and what she meant to him.
Zee saw her, cared for her and showed her he loved her, every day.
“Good morning, my love,” Zee murmured, his voice thick with sleep. He moved over, making room for Ella to come in on his side.
“Good morning, Master,” Ella replied, climbing onto the bed.
Zee pulled her close, turned her face toward his. His lips slanted against hers, kissing her with a fierce intensity that made her toes curl.
He broke off the kiss, playfully shoved her down, and her hands slid along his wall of abs, and muscled legs, still toned and firm despite the grey hair in his goatee.
Ella gripped the base of his hard cock, Zee threw off the blankets, spreading his legs wider, and Ella glided her hand up and down his shaft, taking the tip into her mouth, she rolled her tongue over the head, tasting the saltiness of the pre-cum.
Above her, Zee moaned as she flicked her tongue down the underside of his cock, then lapped from the tip to the base, stroking every part of his cock with her tongue before taking the whole length into her mouth, relaxing her jaw and sucking.
Ella pulled his cock into her throat, sucking hard as Zee thrust deep down her throat.
His expression drawn tight, his muscles rippling with his efforts.
She swallowed on his length, his cock gliding against the bump on her throat. He pulled her hair; she sucked even deeper, gagging around him, but she didn’t dare come off his cock.
Her pussy throbbed as her Master pulled her hair in time to her long sucks.
Her eyes watered with the effort, and she coughed and sputtered, but she kept swallowing. Zee’s legs closed around her, drumming on her back.
“Good girl. That’s the proper way to wake up your Master in the morning.”
His words made her whimper, swallow harder, suck faster, taking everything he’d give her. She let out a whimper as his legs tensed and he gripped her hair tighter.
“Swallow every fucking drop, girl!”
That was her only warning as hot cum shot down her throat.
She swallowed furiously, making sure not to lose a single drop.
And she stayed as she was, with her mouth around his softening penis, until he pulled back, warmth in his eyes.
“Come here.”
He released her, pulling his cock out of her mouth, dragging her up to him, pressing his thumbs against her breasts, sending an electric wave of arousal in between her legs.
His hand cupped the back of her neck.
“Show me.“
Ella opened her mouth.
The pleased smile on Zee’s face, the warmth in his blue eyes held her still, love shining through the quiet authority that always undid her.
“Swallow.”
She did as she was told, swallowed his cum, and as she did, Zee lifted a glass of water from the nightstand to her lips. She grabbed the glass gratefully and sipped.
He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead, making her let out a throaty purr.
“That’s my good girl. Guess I have to leave this bed?”
She wiggled her ass against him. “Or you could do other things?”
“You would like that?” Zee asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“Yes, Master.”
“What would you like me to do exactly?” Zee grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled gently.
“I want you to give me an orgasm.”
Her cheeks flamed, still uncomfortable asking for what she wanted, despite all the training throughout all these years but the way his eyes gleamed with desire sent her nipples tightening to hard points.
“You want me to eat that beautiful pussy of yours until you’re screaming my name?” Zee ran the back of his knuckles across her chest, over the plane of her stomach and lightly across her mound.
She sucked in a breath, her muscles tightening with anticipation.
“Yes, Master. That sounds like a great idea.”
“I would love to, dear heart, but I have a meeting in an hour with Frank. I’ve got to get my swim in. It’ll have to be later.” Zee dropped a quick kiss on her brow.
Even though Ella knew this wasn’t the time, she couldn’t help swallowing down her disappointment, but she hid it by taking a sip of water.
“I know, Master.” Ella trampled down the insane wash of jealousy that slithered through her.
Frank, Zee’s boss, was seeing him more than she was these days.
“I could order you to wear a vibe all day,” Zee said with a smirk.
“Yes, you could.” Ella’s pulse jumped at the threat, but in her head, she hoped Zee would pass on that.
Getting through her day was actually easier if she didn’t have the distraction of being kept on edge.
When they first started D/s, she wanted to do all the kinky things, all the time, but as they settled into the relationship, the newness wore off, and the reality of following orders, even when it wasn’t convenient became a cornerstone.
“No, I want to make you wait, that way you’ll look forward to me coming home.” Zee dropped her hair and kissed her tenderly.
“I always look forward to your coming home, Sir.“
Zee chuckled, dropped one more quick kiss on her mouth before he stepped out of the room on the way to his morning swim.
Ella got up from the bed and went to her closet.
She chose a black bra and panty set, then grabbed a pair of billowy pants because the sun was beckoning her to go into the garden and she finished the outfit with a comfortable T-shirt. Some days Zee liked to pick her clothes, but mostly he saved that for their nights at Club Bandit.
Ella cleaned the kitchen and then read a chapter in her book before checking her email and going over the new orders for corsets.
When Zee emerged from the shower, she was just hanging up with one of her fabric suppliers before getting up to finish making breakfast.
“Smells good,” Zee said, coming into the kitchen.
His hair was still wet, but he was freshly showered from his swim, and he pressed his hips against her ass, sending a fresh wave of need through her.
She moaned, her cheeks hot. Zee laughed and helped her plate the food and carry it to the table.
Zee set the plates on the table and pointed to the cushion on the floor beside his chair.
Ella sunk down, her breath gasping, a flash of arousal heating her blood.
Zee fed her the first bite of food before eating himself, and she leaned her head on his thigh, soaking in this time together before he had to leave. A chime rang, and Zee grabbed the iPad.
“I wonder who that is?” Zee brought up the video call. “Hi Annie, one moment.”
Ella’s cheeks spread in a smile as Zee tugged Ella up beside him to answer the call.