Oh God, she was in such trouble. And at the moment she didn’t even care. She just wanted him to keep touching her. He moved his hand down between her legs.
“Stay very still,” he whispered.
A small shiver ran over her, causing her to inhale sharply as he ran his fingers through her slick folds, gathering up moisture. He tapped her clit lightly, fast then slow.
“Tara?” he whispered in her ear.
She wiggled slightly, hissing as he slapped her thigh. “No moving.”
“I can’t help it,” she cried.
“You can.”
Huh, easy for him to say.
“I’m waiting for an answer.”
There was no hint of impatience in his tone. He just calmly continued to play with her pussy. He moved his fingers away from her clit and she whimpered a protest.
“Scoot forward then lean back against the sofa. That’s it, tilt your hips up. Now hands behind your head. Good girl.”
Her head spun at the rush of pleasure she felt. Alex pushed two fingers deep inside her, using his thumb to toy with her clit.
“Ohh,” she cried, trying desperately hard to remain still. Her pussy clenched down on his fingers. She was so close to coming.
“Don’t come without permission,” he warned her.
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a sadistic bastard?”
Alex chuckled. “Tell me and I’ll let you come.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“My favorite kind.”
Tara gritted her teeth, but she knew she couldn’t last forever. Why put herself through the torture?
“I took the bus,” she told him.
“At night. You know you’re not allowed to take public transportation at night.”
“I don’t like the word
allowed
. Please may I come, Sir?”
“I don’t think you deserve to.”
“You said if I told you then you’d let me come.”
“So I did. All right, you may come.”
Had she been in her right mind she might have heard the dark note in his voice, but she was swimming in an ocean of arousal.
As she shuddered with pleasure, Alex arranged her so she was lying over his lap. He raised the bottom of her t-shirt up over her ass. She still didn’t realize what was happening, not until the first heavy smack landed on her ass.
“Oww, what was that for?” Her orgasm had been rudely interrupted by that spank. She attempted to climb off his lap, but he held her there firmly, her stomach pressed against his thighs.
“Tell me why you aren’t allowed to ride public transportation at night.”
Crap…crap…crap.
“Because you think it’s dangerous.”
“I worry about you, Tara. Walking around on your own at night is dangerous.”
“This neighborhood is really safe. You worry too much.”
“You don’t worry enough.”
“I’ve been taking public transportation for years. Nothing bad has ever happened to me.”
“You were mugged the other night,” he said with disbelief.
“I wasn’t on the bus then.”
“But you were walking to the bus stop. This stops now, understand me? I gave you this rule for your own safety and you disobeyed me. Part of the reason I jumped down your throat before was because I was worried about you. While I was waiting for you, I was imagining you hurt, alone, afraid. Another half an hour and I would have started calling the hospitals. I can’t have that, Tara. You will follow the rules for your safety.”
He smacked his hand down on her ass. There was no play involved. Immediately her ass stung. There wasn’t an inch he didn’t cover. By the sixth smack her eyes were stinging along with her butt. Tears started dripping down her face and she kicked her feet, unable to help herself. There was nothing sexy or sensual about this spanking.
Tara soon lost count of the spanks. All the pain and worry from the last few weeks bubbled up and burst out of her in a huge sob. She tried to hold back but she couldn’t. Sobs shuddered through, rocking her body.
Immediately, Alex stopped and pulled her up, settling her on his lap and holding her tight. Tara buried her face into his chest and simply let go. She cried until it was hard to breathe. She was choked up, each breath more difficult than the last.
“Tara, calm down. Calm down, baby. Breathe in then out. That’s it. Just breathe, sweetheart.”
Tara drew in one deep breath then another. Oh hell, had she really just broken down like that?
How embarrassing.
Wiping her cheeks, she tried to gain some composure, certain her face was as red as her ass.
“I’m sorry.” She attempted to climb off his lap, but Alex held her tight.
“Stay still,” he ordered. “Why didn’t you use your safe word?”
Tara shook her head. “It wasn’t the spanking. Well, it was. I just…I don’t know…”
He turned her, arranging her so she straddled him. Tara kept her gaze on her lap.
“Look at me.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Tara,” he said warningly.
She raised her gaze up to his.
“What is going on?”
“It’s just been a crazy couple of weeks, you know?” Make that months, years. She was so tired. Tired of being so strong, of trying to do everything herself. When was the last time she’d allowed someone to help her? Alex was the first person she’d truly leaned on in years.
It would be so easy just to let go and tell him everything. But they didn’t have that sort of relationship. No emotional entanglements. She was sure he didn’t want to hear about her cold father and having to raise her younger brother. Alex shared very little of himself and he’d never asked her about her past so she figured he wasn’t all that interested.
After all, they weren’t dating. Just fucking.
“Yeah, I guess it has. The mugging, losing your job, getting evicted. Hell, that’s enough to make anyone cry.”
“And there’s the break-in as well.”
He grew stiff beneath her. “What break-in?”
Whoops.
“Oh, umm, I meant to tell you before. My apartment was broken into.”
“What? When? Why didn’t the manager tell me?”
“Why would he…oh, not here,” she explained. “My old apartment.”
“Explain.” His voice was clipped.
“The other day I arrived home to find my apartment had been broken into.”
“When was this exactly?”
“Umm, the same day I was evicted.”
“What did they take?”
Tara gazed up at him to find his eyes had grown cold; his face could have been carved from a slab of marble.
“Tara?” His voice was calm, controlled. She wasn’t fooled. He expected answers. Immediately.
“Nothing,” she said quickly. “That’s what is weird. There is nothing at my place to take. You’ve seen it.”
“Why am I only hearing about this now?”
“I was going to tell you, but the right moment never came up.”
“Then you make a moment,” he told her. “Wait, this happened the day after you were mugged?”
“Yeah. It must have been the mugger because they used a key. It was a really bad week.”
“How did they get your address?”
“I think I probably had a bill or something in my handbag, it was full of junk.”
“Did you call the police?”
“Derrick did.”
“Derrick was there? Why would you call Derrick instead of me?”
“I didn’t call Derrick. The alarm company did.”
“Why would the alarm company call Derrick?” he asked.
“Because he put in the alarm.”
“Derrick? Derrick put in that alarm? Why?”
“He took me home from the club one night and was concerned about where I lived. He insisted on putting the alarm in.”
Alex frowned.
“When was this?”
She sighed. “Does it matter? It was just before he met Jacey. He was just being a good friend.”
“You should have called me the minute you realized what had happened. You could have been in danger and you didn’t even do me the courtesy of a phone call. I am your Dom, how am I supposed to protect you if you don’t tell me what is going on?”
Uh oh. His voice had gone all soft. Not good. Not good at all. But what did he expect? They didn’t have a real relationship.
“I wasn’t in any danger. They were long gone by the time I got there.”
“Doesn’t matter. Someone broke into your apartment. Thank God you’re no longer living there. You should have called me. You needed me and I wasn’t there.”
She tilted her head on one side, studying him. “But I didn’t need you.”
Alex flinched and she felt a stab of guilt. It wasn’t entirely true. While she could handle things herself, she had needed him. She’d needed someone to tell her that everything would be okay, to hold her tight and be there for her when she had a nightmare.
“Alex, you wanted a relationship with no emotional entanglements and that’s what I’m trying to give you. I didn’t need your help the other day so I didn’t call you. You were working; I didn’t want to bother you. I handled it.”
“With Derrick.”
“He’s a friend.”
“And I’m not.”
Tara sat, fatigue pulling at her. “I like you, Alex.” More than she should. “But you made it very clear what you wanted from me. Sex and submission. You want fun. Dealing with the mess those bastards left wasn’t fun. I didn’t need my Dom there.”
I needed a boyfriend.
“Not good enough. Obviously I did not make myself clear after the mugging. While we have a contract, you will tell me the minute anything like this happens again. If you are in trouble, if you are in danger, if you hurt yourself, your first call will be to me, understand?”
She could tell there was no budging him. “I understand.”
“I’ll write it into the damn contract in the morning and send you a copy.”
“Sure.” She gave him a fake smile. “I look forward to it.”
“Into the bedroom. Now.”
***
“Please let me come, Sir. Please.”
Alex lifted his mouth away from her pussy. He studied her for a long moment.
Her beautiful body was covered in a light sheen of sweat. He’d tied her ankles and wrists to the bed so she was spread-eagled, completely at his mercy. He’d been torturing her with pleasure for the last forty minutes, taking her up to the peak of orgasm then backing off.
Her cries had turned to yells, her begging to curses. While he was angry that she hadn’t called him, most of his anger was self-directed. This was his fault. He’d made it very clear to her that he didn’t want to get emotionally involved.
If only it were that simple to turn his emotions off.
He couldn’t be cold and removed when it came to Tara. He thought about her constantly, wanted her with an ache that never seemed to disappear. When he’d arrived at the apartment tonight to find she wasn’t here he’d been frantic. The thought of anything happening to her…of someone hurting her…it made him feel ill.
She needed to learn to that he took his role as her Dom seriously. Obviously, he needed to keep a closer eye on her. Trouble just seemed to follow her around.
“No, don’t come yet,” he told her.
He returned to her pussy, licking and sucking until loud whimpers of need were torn from her lips. Reaching up, he pinched and tugged both of her nipples, delighting in her groans.
Abruptly, he moved, untying her quickly. He sat on the side of the bed.
“Straddle me,” he ordered gruffly. “Face away from me.”
“Alex? Are you okay?”
Christ, he needed to get his act together. He turned around and gathered her close. “I will be.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Shh,” he told her. “So am I. I’m sorry you didn’t realize you could call me for anything. That was my fault.” He kissed her. “Straddle me.”
She placed her legs on either side of his. He widened his legs.
“Bend down and rest your hands on the floor.”
She bent forward and damn her naked ass was a sight to behold.
Alex parted the folds of her pussy, then wrapped a hand around his cock, guiding it into her pussy.
“Ohh,” she cried as he filled her.
Alex gritted his teeth, barely able to hold onto his control. He felt like a damn teenager. He clasped her around the hips, moving her back and forth on his cock. His breathing grew short and labored.
Tara clenched around him and he knew she was close.
He hit her on the ass. Smack!
“Ow!” she cried out.
“No coming yet,” he ordered. He raised her up slowly, then slammed into her.
“I can’t take any more,” she told him.
“You can,” he countered, smacking his hand down onto her ass again. “No more holding things back from me, understand?”
Smack! Smack!
“This is just a taste of what you’ll get if it happens again. I’ll keep you tied to this bed for days, torturing and spanking you in turns, understand?”
“Yes, Sir. I’m sorry.” There was a desperate note in her voice and he decided that he’d made his point.
“You may come,” he said as he slammed into her once more.
Tara clenched around him almost immediately as she found her release. Her pussy pulsing around him sent him over into deep bliss.
Chapter Nine
Tara blew her nose as she peered through the peephole in her door. She quickly unlocked it when she saw Alex standing there. She opened the door, staring at him as he looked at her in concern. He was carrying two plastic bags in his hand.
“Didn’t you get my message?” she asked with a sniffle. She’d left a message on his cell phone that she was ill and couldn’t see him tonight.
“I did,” he said, coming in and closing the door behind him. She locked it then followed him into the living area. “You sounded awful on the phone and you look even worse in person.”
“Well, thanks,” she said dryly.
“Sit.” He pointed at the sofa.
She sat.
“Alex, what are you doing here? I’m not exactly in the mood and you could catch my cold…” she trailed off as he turned and glared at her fiercely.
“Do you honestly think I’m here for sex?” His voice was low, cold and for a long moment she couldn’t reply.
“Umm, no? Sorry?” she managed to squeak out.
He nodded. He started pulling things out of the bags. Cough syrup, cold medicine, a carton of chicken soup.
“I stopped at the drug store and got you a few things and some soup for you to eat. I’ll get out of your way now.”
He actually sounded hurt. Tara quickly grabbed his hand.
“Alex, I’m sorry. Really, I am. I’m not feeling well, I’m grumpy, and I took it out on you. Please forgive me.”
He walked away and she thought he was leaving. But instead he moved into the bedroom and returned with a blanket.
“Put your feet up,” he told her.
She swung her legs around and he arranged the blanket over her.
“I’ll get you some water for that medicine and then you can have the soup and go to bed, young lady.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied.
After she’d taken the medicine and had enough of the soup to satisfy Alex, she snuggled back on the couch.
“Alex?” she said.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Thank you. I can’t remember the last time someone brought me soup when I was sick.”
“You’re welcome,” he told her, placing his hand over her forehead. “You feel a bit warm.”
“I’m fine,” she said with a yawn, her eyes closing.
Suddenly, she found herself airborne and she clutched at his shoulders.
“What?” she said, looking around in fright.
“You fell asleep and you’ll be a lot more comfortable in your bed.”
“Oh. Will you stay with me tonight?” she asked as he placed her on the bed.
He stepped back, looking down at her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She tried to hide her disappointment. She didn’t want to appear clingy. “You’re right, you might catch my cold.”
“Not because of that,” he told her. “I want you to get a good rest and you’ll probably manage that better on your own.”
“I sleep better when you’re beside me.” Shit. Where had that come from? He was probably going to run a mile now.
Tara kept her eyes closed, not wanting to see his reaction.
“All right, I’ll stay. I’ll just grab a shower. Do you need anything?”
“I’m good.”
Tara drifted until she felt him climb into bed beside her. He drew her in against his chest and she snuggled in deep.
“Good night, baby,” he whispered.
She instantly fell asleep.
***
Tara stepped out of the dressing room at Club Decadence and looked around her nervously. This was the first time she’d been here with Alex as his sub. The only person she’d even told about her involvement with Alex was Tilly. She was the only one who knew about their contract.
She frowned, wondering where he had gone to. He’d told her he would meet her here.
“Tara!”
Tara looked over to see Issac leaving the male change rooms. He was a small-built man with a large personality. Tonight he was wearing a black leather thong and nothing else.
“Issac, looking hot!” she said with a grin, fanning herself.
He held open his arms and she jumped into them. He squeezed her tight.
“Man, I have missed you, poppet.”
She smiled up at him. “Right back at ya. Why’d you have to go away for so long?”
“Work. It sucked. But I’m back now. I—”
“If you’ve finished pawing my sub I’d appreciate you taking your hands off her,” a cold voice interjected from behind Issac.
Issac turned but kept one arm around her and his body protectively in front of hers. He might be a sub but that didn’t make him a pushover.
“Excuse me?” Issac asked. “
Pawing
her?”
Alex glared at the other man. “Let. Go. Of. Her. Now.”
Oh crap
.
Tara tried to loosen herself from Issac’s hold but he wasn’t letting go. They’d been friends a long time and he was protective of her in a big brother sort of way. His wife would beat his ass if it were anything else. But Alex didn’t know that and he was furious. His gaze was ice cold as it raked over the two of them.
“Issac, it’s okay, you can let me go.”
“Is there a problem here?”
Oh great, that’s all they needed, Issac’s wife and Domme, Mia, stepped between Issac and Alex.
“Yes, there is a problem. Your sub will not let go of mine.”
Mia raised her eyebrows. “I wasn’t aware Tara was your sub, Alex.”
“Well, now you do and you can order your husband to let go of her.”
“Alex, you’re acting like an idiot,” Tara said, looking around her in embarrassment. People had just started to realize something was going on and were staring at them in interest.
He turned that glare on her.
She dropped her gaze. “Sorry, Sir. Issac and I are old friends. He’s been away on business and we haven’t seen each other in a while.”
“And that’s a reason for him to be all over you?”
Tara glanced up at him. He still looked cold.
“Let me go,” she whispered to Issac. He glared at Alex for a long moment.
“I’m not sure I want to,” Issac said stubbornly.
“Please.”
Issac glanced down at her then nodded. He kissed the top of her head. “You’re sure about this?”
“I am.”
“Call me.” He slipped away from her. Mia took his hand and led him away but not before giving Alex a cold look.
“Follow me,” Alex commanded, turning away.
Tara felt like giving him a kick in the backside, but she reined in that impulse. There were people watching, after all. Maybe later…
Suddenly she realized he was half way across the room and she was still standing there. Whoops. She hurried to catch up with him. He stopped in a quiet area of the room that had a sofa and two armchairs. It was meant for aftercare.
He frowned at her. “When I tell you to follow me, I mean immediately.”
“Sorry, Sir.”
He sat in a chair. “Kneel here.” He pointed at the floor.
Tara knelt, keeping her gaze down. They just sat there for a long moment. Finally, she glanced up at him. “Sir?”
Alex glanced down at her. The tightness had disappeared from around his eyes. He held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her up and onto his lap.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Issac is just my friend. There is nothing more between us.”
He blinked. Finally, his shoulders relaxed. “I’m sorry. I reacted without thinking when I saw you in his arms. I apologize for my behavior.”
He sighed and looked over at where an older female sub was tied to the St Andrews cross. Her Dom was flogging her lightly.
“I overreacted. The two of you just looked so happy to see each other.”
“You were jealous?”
He glanced down at her, running his finger down her face. “I suppose I was. I don’t like other men touching my sub.”
She couldn’t help the surge of pleasure at those words. Still, she couldn’t let him think that what had just happened was acceptable.
“I have male friends. Doesn’t mean I’m attracted to them or I’m going to sleep with them. I can’t stop being friends with them just because you don’t like it.”
He sat there for a long moment, thinking.
“You’re right. This is my issue and I have to work through it. Just do me a favor?”
“Okay,” she said hesitantly.
“If you’re going to have male friends over to your apartment, alone, tell me beforehand. I don’t think I would handle it very well if I came home to find a man with you.”
That sounded fair enough. Tara nodded. “I promise, Sir.”
He kissed her gently then pointed at the ground in front of him. “On your knees. I have something for you.”
Tara raised her eyebrows. Alex grinned and shook his head. “Not
that
, dirty girl.”
Tara knelt on the ground, moving between his legs as he opened them. She placed her hands on her thighs, palms up, and straightened her back.
Alex reached into his pocket and drew out a small bag. Out of it he pulled a silver necklace.
“I saw this necklace the other day and thought it would be the perfect collar for you. I wanted to wait until tonight to give it to you.”
He’d brought her a collar?
“When we are at the club I want you to wear this.”
“And other times as well?”
“I’d like that,” he told her as he placed it around her neck. She leaned forward so he could do it up at the back. Sitting back, she fingered the simple design. It was something she might have chosen herself.
“Thank you, Sir.”
“You’re welcome.” He cupped her cheek.
She glanced at his cock pressing against his pants. “Can I show my appreciation?”
“Yes.”
Tara tapped her finger against her cheek. “Now I wonder how could I do that?”
Alex snorted. “Suck me off, brat.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Tara unzipped his pants, he wasn’t wearing underwear. She pulled out his thick, erect cock. She loved his cock—sucking it, licking it and especially getting him off.
Tara drew just the tip of him into her mouth, using her tongue to tease the head. She wrapped both hands around the base of his shaft, one above the other and lapped at him like he was her favorite flavor of ice cream.
Alex groaned and she looked up to see him staring down at her, his gaze full of need. She removed one hand then took more of him into her mouth. She sucked strongly. Back and forth, she took him into her mouth then drew herself back.
“That feels so good, baby. Take more.”
Cupping his balls in her hand, she took as much of his cock into her mouth as she could manage.
“Soon, baby.” His breathing came harder, faster and she knew he was close.
“Now!”
Tara deep-throated him as he came with a loud groan, his whole body shuddering. She sucked on him until he drew her gently off him. Alex tucked himself back into his pants then stood and held out his hand. He pulled her up before hugging her tight.
“Thank you, sweet. My bag is behind the bar. Go and get it then meet me back here. Grab a couple of bottles of water as well.”
Tara moved quickly over to the bar and waited for James to finish up an order.
“Hey, Tara.”
She glanced over with a smile as Tilly leaned against the bar beside her.
“Tilly, I didn’t realize you were working tonight.” Tilly didn’t usually work Fridays.
“Carin called in sick.”
Tara rolled her eyes. Carin called in sick a lot. She was a pain in the ass and Tara didn’t know why Roarke had taken her on.
Tilly hid a yawn behind her hand. “You okay?”
“Fine. Why?”
“Looked like Alex was pretty angry at you and Issac before.”
Tara sighed. “A misunderstanding. We’re fine. Everything is fine.”
Tilly sent her a look of disbelief, but James came over then and interrupted them, saving Tara from further explanation. He handed over Alex’s bag plus two bottles of water. Tara quickly moved back to where Alex waited, she didn’t need Tilly questioning her further.
Alex was talking to one of the younger Doms when she returned. As soon as he finished, he turned to her with a smile.
“Come, sweet.” He took hold of her hand and led her to the St Andrew’s cross. It seemed the older couple had finished with it.
“Strip.”
Tara quickly pulled off her short skirt and halter top. The top had a built-in bra so she hadn’t worried about wearing underwear.
“Step up to the cross, facing away from me.”
She moved into position, raising her arms so Alex could secure her wrists with the leather cuffs that were attached to the upper half of the cross.
“Spread your legs.” He placed cuffs around her ankles, securing them to the bottom of the cross. She was spread-eagled, completely exposed and at his mercy.
A blindfold rested over her eyes and she shivered.
“Okay, sweet?” he whispered in her ear.
“Yes, Sir,” she replied. The blindfold just added to the experience. It made everything seem more intimate, like there was only the two of them there.
“I’m going to start with the light flogger. We’ll go nice and slow.”
He worked the flogger over her back. Tara relaxed to the point where she thought she could almost fall asleep. Then he stopped and ran his hands over her back down her bottom. He squeezed gently and she shuddered as the small amount of pain sent sparks of need through her blood.
Reaching around, he pinched each of her nipples a few times until they were hard, throbbing peaks.
“I’m going to untie you,” he told her. “I’ll help you turn around before I refasten the cuffs.”
He untied her then helped her around before restraining her once more. This time, though, she was facing outwards. She strained to hear what he was doing, but he gave her no hint.
Suddenly, Alex engulfed one nipple in the warmth of his mouth before he pulled it gently with his teeth. Then something cool pressed against her nipple before it was pinched sharply.
Ow. Nipple clamp.
She breathed through the pain. Slowly it morphed into a throbbing pleasure. Then he did the same to the other nipple.
“Good girl,” he whispered. “You look so beautiful, tied up and completely at my mercy.”
He tugged on each clamp and Tara groaned as both pain and pleasure slammed through her. She took a few deep breaths as he cupped her pussy.