Cherished (Club Indigo Book 4)

by Karen Nappa

  As she came up to the bar, the music switched to Ed Sheeran's Shape of You. Derek greeted her with a beaming smile and a gesture to the open space beside him. Sonja didn't break stride as she walked into his arms and he swept her into simple samba moves. As she fell into step and followed his lead with ease, he enhanced the moves and made their dance more elaborate. When the song ended, their smiles lit up the room, and those around them broke into spontaneous applause.

  Sonja giggled. "I don't think anybody has ever danced here before." She studied him from under her eyelashes. "You really can move, Sir!"

  He pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you, baby. I love to dance, and I'm glad to see you do, too. When did you learn? It's not that common anymore."

  "Col—um, a-a neighbor taught me when I was a teenager. He was taking lessons and didn't have a partner. I don't get a chance to dance as often as I'd like anymore." Sonja was a bit shocked she'd almost blurted out his name to Derek. She hadn't ever told anyone about that time in her life.

  "I'm glad you already know how. It's something I look forward to exploring with you."

  Before she knew what she was doing, she nodded her agreement. It would be nice to go dancing with a skilled partner. She let him guide her back to the bar, where Bob was polishing glasses.

  "Good evening, Bob," Derek said. "Can we have two orange juices?"

  Bob looked over to Sonja before giving Derek a questioning look and asked, "In a glass, this time?"

  Sonja opened her mouth to tell him off, but Derek gripped her by the nape of her neck and gave her a stern look. "Am I your Dom?"

  "Yes, Sir." Is that my voice?

  "Who decides?"

  Sonja felt her knees go weak and her nipples tighten at his display of dominance. She loved it when he took control, and it turned her on like nothing else. "You do, Sir."

  He gave her a long, hot kiss, and when he released her, she sagged against him. His chest reverberated against her ear from his chuckle, but she didn't care. She wanted to have their drinks so they could play. Oh, how I want a scene with him!

  She missed what he said to Bob, but when he pressed a cold glass of orange juice in her hand, she realized he wouldn't push her into age play—yet.

  She guzzled down her drink without tasting it and belatedly scolded herself that it wasn't exactly ladylike behavior.

  "Do you want another one?" Derek asked.

  "No, thank you, Sir. I—" Sonja didn't know what to say.

  "Is someone anxious to play?" His knowing smile made her happy that white people had a hard time knowing when she blushed.

  "How do you do that?" she wanted to know.

  "What?"

  "You always seem to know what I think or want."

  "I pay attention to body language," He placed his palm against her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb. He looked at her tenderly. "And you, baby, have the most expressive face I've ever seen. There isn't much you can hide from me."

  Sonja scowled at the ground. "I wish I had a poker face when I'm working, but you're right; I don't hide my emotions very well."

  He exercised more pressure to tip her head back and made eye contact. "I agree that in business, it can be a disadvantage, but never hide your feelings from me, baby girl. I can't take care of your needs if you do."

  She stared up at him without saying a word and then jumped when Bob said, "I don't think I've ever seen her speechless, Derek. That's quite an accomplishment."

  Sonja looked between Bob and Derek, still silent. Her eyes locked with Derek's mesmerizing, intense stare.

  Bob continued. "She's gotten into a lot of trouble over the years with her sass. Most of the Doms here would love to see her like this."

  Derek didn't lift his gaze from her as he answered Bob, "I happen to like her smart mouth as long as she isn't disrespectful." His answer could have been addressed to her as well. He likes me and my smart mouth.

  Derek finished his drink. He was delighted with Sonja. Dancing with her had been fun—she'd followed him easily, even after he'd advanced into more complicated steps. Her face showed eager anticipation for things to come. He wanted to push her farther tonight.

  "Sonja, it's been almost a month since we met, and I've kept our play light. Do you trust me enough to push your boundaries a bit tonight?"

  Big brown eyes blinked up at him in surprise. "Which boundaries, Sir?"

  Her use of the honorific told him she hadn't realized he'd started their negotiation on equal terms, and he gave her a soft smile. "Derek will be fine for now, Sonja. I want to discuss what I would like to do with you, and remember, your safeword always works, even if you've consented to the scene in advance."

  She bobbed her head up and down slowly.

  "How comfortable are you with having sex here at the club?"

  Sonja chewed on her bottom lip. "I think I'm ready to have sex with you." He could drown in those eyes of hers. "Not sure about it being at the club, though." Another nibble on her lip and another lost puppy look. Fuck, she's cute!

  "You want to come home with me again tonight?"

  "Actually, I was thinking about inviting you over to my place." She looked down at her clasped hands, and he fought the urge to tip up her face. Negotiation, Kiriakis, do not dominate her!

  She swallowed and continued. "See, I have a cat, and he doesn't like to be alone." Her face turned up again, and she looked a bit worried now. "Do you like cats? You know, some people don't. I mean, for all I know, you're a dog person? Or you don't like pets; do you like animals? I—"

  "Sonja, slow down, and give me a chance to answer your questions." Derek put some dominance in his tone. She was working herself up into a frenzy, and it could ruin their night. "If you're comfortable having me in your house, I'd be delighted to come home with you tonight. I like cats and dogs and most other animals, although I'm not a fan of reptiles."

  "Oh, okay," she managed to say.

  "So, with that worry out of the way, is it safe for me to assume you're open to having sex, just not at the club?"

  "I think so. I'm not against it here, but just not the first time," Sonja replied. Not only the first time with him, but my first sex in years!

  "Fair enough," he said. "Sonja, when I go home with you, having sex isn't mandatory. I can stay, with or without it, or you can tell me to leave any time you want."

  She nodded. "Okay."

  "When we talked the first time, you told me anal is a soft limit. Why's that?"

  "I don't enjoy being punished, Derek."

  That was a strange answer. "I wasn't talking about punishment but anal play and sex. I happen to like it a lot, and I'm interested in finding out if it's something you would enjoy."

  The horror on her face was evident. "Enjoy?" she exclaimed.

  He frowned. "What's your experience with it, Sonja?"

  "Um, it's usually the way Captain Connor punished me."

  "Explain." He hoped he kept his voice level. What had the sadist done?

  Sonja wiggled on her stool and looked uncomfortable. "Well, when I was bratty or topping from the bottom, you know, he would punish me."

  He made a noncommittal sound to encourage her to continue.

  "Well, whips and such are a hard limit, and humiliation and butt plugs are a soft limit, so that's what I usually got."

  She looked up at him, and he cocked his head.

  "It involves cat ears, a big butt plug with a tail, and corner time, Sir." She was back to her submissive mindset, and he didn't correct her this time. He did, however, have difficulties holding back his laughter. Damn, Connor was a superb sadist. He was impressed with his insights into Sonja's mind. It was the perfect way to punish her, and Derek was certain that Sonja tried to be on her best behavior around the Scotsman. He was a worthy enforcer for the club.

  "Do you trust me enough to show you the enjoyment of anal play and a light flogging tonight, baby?"

  He picked up her hand and could feel a tremor run through her. He hoped it was mor
e anticipation than fear, but he had to tread carefully. His heart told him to take her upstairs, but his mind realized they should stay downstairs with an audience who could help if anything were needed.

  "Yes, Sir," she said with a steady voice that contrasted with her trembling body.

  To be sure, he asked, "What are your safewords, baby?"

  She repeated them without hesitation. "Good," Derek answered, "don't hesitate to use them if you need to."

  He helped her from the barstool and walked over to the St. Andrew's cross in the main playroom. Sonja's step faltered when she realized where they were heading, and he paused to study her reaction. "I want the other dominants to witness our scene for your safety and comfort, but if you would rather, we can do this upstairs and have more privacy?"

  "Why do you keep asking me these questions? You're the Dom," she snapped.

  "That was rude, baby girl," Derek said in an even tone, wondering which side of her would win out. He liked the contradiction in her—strong, independent businesswoman who didn't take shit from anyone and soft, compliant submissive who wanted to please.

  The second part was in control at the moment, and she lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Sir." Like the time at his place, she made eye contact right after and continued. "I have to make decisions all day, and part of what I like about the lifestyle is that I don't have to when I'm here."

  "Apology accepted, and thank you for your honesty," he said. "I'll be happy to take over control, but I will always ask questions regarding your comfort and preferences."

  "I know," she whispered and then almost floored him by adding, "I'm sorry, Daddy."

  As Derek led her the last two steps to the cross, he ordered her to strip as he struggled to regain his composure. He watched as she revealed her body to his gaze and admired the smooth, dark skin as it came into view. She took her time, maybe out of shyness, or possibly to tease him. Probably the first, as she didn't seem comfortable with being on display in the main room. Why had she called him Daddy just now? He was sure there was a third facet to her personality—a playful little begging to be let out. Until now, he hadn't been sure he could coax that side out. He watched her more closely, and their eyes met. He narrowed his. There was a challenge in there. He studied the tilt of her head. I'll be damned. The little brat is topping from the bottom again!

  Without a word, he walked her over to the spider web instead of the cross. He'd noticed she had trouble with her shoulders sometimes and the angle from the St. Andrew's cross would become uncomfortable after a while. He suspected he would have her bound for quite some time tonight. He wanted to set ground rules for their relationship.

  Derek unclipped the wrists cuffs from his belt and fastened them on her, testing the fit.

  "Baby girl, although I like to hear you call me Daddy, I only want you to say it when you really mean it. It's not a word you can use to control me or the scene." He tipped her head back and stared down at her. Her face crumpled, and her eyes darted everywhere but his face. "Look at me," he ordered. She did, and he looked deep into her eyes. Like her body, he wanted the rest of her bare, too. No evasion, no hiding!

  She swallowed hard, and her eyes turned softer. Better!

  He stepped back and ordered, "Turn around and bend ninety degrees at the waist. Hold on to the web for support."

  She did as he ordered and shimmied a little bit back, giving her generous backside an alluring wiggle, and he landed a couple of playful swats on her ass.

  "Oh," was all the sound she made, and she spread her legs a bit farther apart for balance. Perfect!

  Derek pulled the bottle of lube from his pocket and started to rim her asshole. Sonja clenched her buttocks, and he leaned in closer. "Don't fight it, baby, let me in."

  "It's hard, Sir," she whined.

  "What is?" he asked.

  "This—you—letting you push a finger inside me. It—it's gross."

  "Baby girl, nothing about you or what we do is gross, believe me." His other hand snaked around to her front and fondled her breasts. In this position, they were dangling down, and he could feel their pleasant weight in his hand. He plumped the flesh and stroked first one and then the other nipple. Sonja moaned, and his finger slipped inside her back passage to his second knuckle. She attempted to stand, but with his upper body leaning over her, she couldn't.

  "What color?" he asked. Sonja took her time to answer him, and he didn't move.

  "Green, Sir."

  "Tell me if we get to yellow." He pulled out his finger and squirted more lube on her asshole. She shuddered, but when he entered her again, she didn't protest. As he stretched and teased her ass, his other hand played with her pussy until he could feel her muscles quiver and could see her toes curl. He stepped back and took time to clean his hands and prepare the toy.

  When he returned to her, she was still holding her position, and he complimented her on it. "You look lovely like this, waiting for my plug. I bought this one especially for you, and I hope you will wear it for a couple of hours every day from now on, so you can get used to it. It's a small training plug made of silicon, so you don't have to worry about triggering metal detectors. We'll gradually increase the size, so you'll be able to enjoy anal when you're ready for it."

  A sound somewhere between a laugh and a derisive snort came from her, and Derek smiled. He returned his attention to her clit, bringing her close to orgasm. "Do you want to come, baby?"

  "Yes, please," she whined.

  He swirled his finger around and over her clit and ordered, "Come for me!" He pushed the plug home, just before her muscles started to contract against his hand.

  He held her shaking body against him as she came down from her climax, and he murmured endearments in her ear. At first, she snuggled against him, trying to catch her breath. After a while, she started to stir and shift her feet.

  "Back with me?" he asked.

  "Yes, Sir," she answered. "I can't believe I came with a plug in my ass."

  He chuckled. "How does it feel?"

  "Not as bad as I remembered. I-I came pretty hard, and to be honest, I think it added to the sensations."

  "Good," he said, and he turned her around so she faced him. "Then, we can continue." He brought her hands to her sides and clipped the cuffs to the web.

  "How are the shoulders? Not too much strain?"

  She shook her head. "They're all right, but thank you for asking."

  He grinned. "Baby, I only want you to suffer what I put you through and not from being careless with your body. Suffering should enhance your experience, like with a delayed orgasm, or push you past your expectations and heighten your self-esteem."

  He let her ponder that statement while he made quick work of attaching ankle cuffs and clipping them to the frame as well.

  He righted himself and cursed at how his hard-on distracted him. He needed all his faculties for this next phase. With the butt plug, he had been touching her all the time, but to wield the flogger, he would be putting distance between them. He looked around and caught Chris' gaze. The big blond man was the DM tonight. Without prompting, Chris moved closer, and Derek was once again grateful for the wealth of lifestyle experience that surrounded him at Club Indigo.

  "Problems?" Chris asked.

  "Not really, but I could do with an extra pair of eyes for the next part." Derek glanced over to Sonja, who looked relaxed and was waiting patiently for the moment. "I want to give her a sensual flogging but with a tad more pain than she would usually enjoy."

  Chris nodded. "It's about time someone pushed her boundaries. No other dominant has reached her like you have. She's submissive, no doubt about that, but something is holding her back."

  Derek grunted his agreement. "She is. I think she's a special kind of sub, who needs a stern but loving hand. Let's see if I can push her with orgasms and pain."

  Chris clapped him on the back. "I'll watch and be on hand to assist."

  Derek nodded his thanks, his total focus back on the bound submissive
in front of him. He untied the flogger from his belt and shook out the strands, her eyes fixed on the suede tresses. Derek ran the flogger through his hand and landed it lightly on her right breast. Using a simple figure-eight pattern, he then moved the strands over both. He realized her beautiful dark skin had a downside to it—markings were more difficult to spot and he needed to be aware of how hard he was landing the strokes. He could turn that to his advantage, since the other way to tell how hard the falls were hitting her was the heat level of her skin. Checking on her was one more excuse to touch her. He dropped the flogger and ran his hands over her breasts. They were nicely warmed up. He looked at her face, no sign of distress but also not the soft gaze of deeper submission.

  "How are you doing, sub?" he asked.

  "Um, okay, Sir."

  "On a scale from one to ten for how much you can take, how would you rate this?"

  "A two, I think." She chewed her bottom lip.

  "You think?" He raised an eyebrow. Didn't she know her own body?

  "Well, if zero is no pain and ten is intolerable," she answered with an uncertain gaze in her eyes.

  "Let me rephrase; on a scale you'd still enjoy, but a ten is reaching your endurance," he amended.

  "Oh, in that case, about five."

  He nodded. It was about what he'd guessed and what he hoped she would say. "Can I rely on you use yellow when I reach about nine, baby?" He had no intention of reaching that level of intensity, but he thought it was a good way to keep her on her toes and remind her that she had safewords.

  "Yes, Sir." She smiled up at him.

  Derek picked up the flogger and started again. His vision tunneled until the world consisted only of him and her as he increased the force and the speed of his hits. Sonja began to pant. Her head was thrown back against the web, her eyes closed, and her mouth wide open. He sensed he was getting near her limits, but no safeword fell from her mouth.

  He dropped the flogger again and pressed his body into hers. Her head fell against his chest, and he saw Chris step into his peripheral vision.

  "She's had enough," Derek said to the other man, and Chris nodded.