Chapter 16
The most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on knelt at my feet. The reverent way she worshipped my cock had me reeling. Her head lay softly against my thigh, eyes closed, her lips swollen and red. The warmth of her breath was everything. I’d never felt more alive than I did right then.
I reached down and wound my hand in her hair at the base. With a gentle tug, I pulled her from her position on the floor onto my lap. Her eyes betrayed her uncertainty, and I lightly pressed my lips against hers. I didn’t give a fuck if I could taste myself on her tongue or not.
The only thing I wanted her to know was that she had me completely undone. A low moan escaped from her throat, and I deepened the kiss. Plunging my tongue into her mouth, I wanted to claim this woman as mine. Where the thought came from, I had no idea, but it was there, nonetheless.
Pulling away from the kiss, I shifted and carried her to the bedroom and lowered her onto the center of the bed, careful with every movement. The mattress gave slightly under her weight. With deliberate intent, I gathered her wrists and raised them above her head, arranging them.
The vision of them secured to the headboard in the playroom and her legs secured similarly had my cock roaring back to life.
Since I wanted to fuck her again and any proper type of bindings would need to be tabled, I kept those thoughts in my head.
But we would absolutely be having a deeper conversation.
Maybe as soon as tomorrow, because I wasn’t letting this woman out of my sight. I was getting way ahead of myself. Part of me understood that, but at the same time, fuck if it didn’t feel right. Like my entire life had been waiting for her to walk into it.
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked, my voice husky with desire.
“Anything,” she answered, her eyes expectant.
“Tell me immediately if I do anything you don’t like.”
She moaned as my hands slid down her body and rested on the sides of her breasts. Moving them down her waist to her hips, I whispered, “So fucking soft.”
I slipped my fingers under the edges of her knickers.
“I’m pretty sure the other day I told how I feel about these.
” I bunched the material in my fist, relishing the dampness of them and knowing my hand was going to smell like her.
“When wearing a dress. I should punish you, but for tonight I’ll let it slide.
” I dragged them down, peeling them from her body.
Unable to restrain myself, I brought the pretty lace fabric up to my nose and inhaled deeply. A shudder went through me. Fuck, this was going to be amazing. I was lost in all the dirty things I wanted to do to her, that I missed the subtle shift.
Once I sensed the change, my head whipped back to the woman laying before me. Soft fingers twitched before she moved them to cover the mark on her pussy. Her body language screamed the quiet part out loud.
Her gaze dropped, and her bottom lip trembled. This wasn’t a modesty issue. It was more nuanced than that. This was shame. A familiar fury ignited in my chest. That damn bastard. I reached for her gently, brushing her hands away and guiding her wrists back above her head.
“Tori, there is no hiding,” I murmured, my voice low, more breath than sound. “Not with me.”
It was one thing to mutually agree to being branded, but there was no way in hell she even had the power to consent. He’d never given her the option. I knew without even having to ask.
My hand rested against her hip, fingers drifting lower until they found the edge of the mark. A slow exhale left me as I followed its shape with the tip of my finger. Her breath hitched, but I didn’t pull away.
She needed to know that this didn’t change how I saw her. Didn’t lessen her in any way in my eyes. It declared her strength and gave evidence of the fact that she was a survivor. She endured the worst, and I wanted to ease her mind in any way I could. An idea struck. I grinned down at her.
“What’s your pain tolerance level?” I murmured, brushing my thumb over the skin beside the mark.
“Very high, Sir. But only because I’ve learned how to disappear inside my head and tune it out. Are you going to hurt me, now?” she whimpered.
I chuckled. “No, silly. But now that I know you disassociate when experiencing pain, I feel like a bigger ass. I was asking because once you’re free and ready, we can have this modified.”
“Mod-modified?” she asked in wonder.
“Yes,” I said, brushing a knuckle near the edge of the mark. “A tattoo might be your best option. I’m not sure it could be removed cleanly. Not with how it was done. But a cover up could reclaim it. Make it yours. Would you like that?”
Her eyes flickered, unfocused. “I don’t know,” she whispered, gaze drifting like she was trying to see something that wasn’t there.
She looked lost—haunted.
I gently gathered her wrists once more and stretched her arms back into position. “Hold them there,” I said, voice low. “Or I’ll tie them in place.”
Her head bobbed, and her cheeks turned red. I was testing her in small ways, mindful of her pulse and other telltale signs of fear. Thus far, she radiated anticipation.
I had no plans to hurt her, just wanted to take my time. To bury my face between her legs and feast on her slutty pussy that glistened in the light of our room. Make her come over and over until she couldn’t think. After all, that is what she said she wanted from me earlier.
I positioned her legs open. She lay bare to me in a classic X formation, and I licked my lips.
“Well, start thinking about it. I know someone who is excellent at drawing. Technically, I know two, so that means you have options.”
“Options? That’s a word I don’t hear often. I think I like that thought,” she murmured sweetly.
“Good to know. Speaking of options, my hands or yours?”
“Easy. Yours,” she said, blushing. “I like the way you touch me.”
Grinning, I took my shirt off and climbed onto the bed between her outstretched legs. “You said you wanted to play earlier, do you still?”
“Yes, Sir,” she responded obediently.
“Good, I’m going to give you some direction, and you’re going to be my good girl and follow them,” I said, and she moaned. Having sensed she longed to be praised, I would give it to her in abundance. “You like that idea, huh?”
“Yes, Sir. I want to be a good girl for you,” she whispered.
“That pleases me more than you can know. Now, promise you’ll listen and follow my commands precisely. Remember, you can stop at any time by using your safeword. Shall we begin?”
“Please,” she begged.
“We’ll start with me running my hands all over your body. Your job is to keep your position while I play. If you move, you’ll be warned. After three warnings, you’ll be punished. I’ll start here.”
My fingers brushed over the delicate arch of her foot, and she startled, toes curling as a soft jolt rippled through her. A twitch. A gasp. A half-second of vulnerability. Satisfaction stirred low in my chest, and a slow grin tugged at the corner of my mouth.
“Warning number one,” I murmured as I repositioned her.
I once more began repeating the movement. This time she remained still, although she giggled. I loved the sound and the way the action made her face light up. Moving to her ankles, I slowly danced my fingertips up her legs. She sucked in a deep breath as I lingered over her thighs.
“I’ll just skim over this,” I murmured as I barely touched her slit. “You have such a pretty pussy.”
“Then why skim it?” she asked seductively.
“Because I can see how wet you are, and I want you dripping. The longer I play, the wetter you’ll be.”
Up her stomach, my finger traced patterns until I reached her full breasts. I teased her by tracing the rounded globes and then down her ribs to her waist. The motion made her squirm, a sharp jerk following the tickling sensation.
“That’s two,” I warned.
“Not fair, you keep tickling me. How am I not supposed to—” she moaned as I brushed my fingers over her nipples.
“I’m completely fascinated with these,” I crooned as I kneaded the soft flesh.
I traced her areolas, teasing the nipples before rolling them between my thumbs and fingers. The movement elicited several loud moans as the adorable girl squirmed beneath me. Her hips bucked involuntarily.
“I thought you wanted to be a good girl for me. That was your final warning,” I teased, pinching her right nipple hard to make her stop moving beneath me.
“Ahh,” she squeaked and stopped moving. “I promise I’m usually very good about being still. It’s hard with you though.” Her chest heaved.
“And why is it hard with me?”
Hesitation filled her hazel eyes as she bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know. You make me feel…feel safe.” The word safe came out in a whisper.
My lips fell to hers in a chaste kiss. She shivered, and I realized I needed more. Her bottom lip fell open, and I snatched it between my teeth and nipped at it before deepening the kiss.
Pulling back, she whispered, “Can I share a secret with you?” Her hand was warm against my chest.
“I’d love that.”
Her brows knitted, and she nibbled her bottom lip again, distracting me. I noted it almost on instinct. It was a nervous habit of hers. So cute.
“I can’t decide what I like more. Your hands on me or your lips. I love it when you kiss me. It’s so different, passionate and…ss—”
“You’d better not call my kisses safe,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
A giggle once more erupted from her throat. “I was going to say sensual, erotic, even. I didn’t know kissing could feel like that. I’ve read about it before, but never experienced it.” Her voice trailed off, and she looked away.
Pulling her gaze back to mine, I stared down at her, allowing a few seconds to pass as her words settled into my soul. “That’s a fucking shame because you deserve to be kissed like that every single day.”
“Would you kiss me again, please?” she breathed.
“It would be my pleasure.”