by Mandy Harbin
“That depends,” he hedged. When he’d said he might consider requests, he’d meant when a sub wanted him to do something specific. He got the feeling she was talking more about a limit.
“I-I’m not very experienced when it comes to men. I think I’d feel more comfortable—and therefore more open to this experience—if I knew going into this that…um…you’d be the only one touching me sexually. I mean, if it comes to something like that.”
His dick twitched at the thought of touching her intimately, but if he did that, it’d defeat the whole purpose of letting other Doms conduct the scenes. He couldn’t even think about the fire scene yet.
“I can’t promise you that, pet, but if anything happens you don’t want, you just have to say so, and it’ll stop.”
“But if we stop, then we won’t go forward to the next scene.”
Mason studied her. For a woman who really wanted to try, she seemed awfully concerned about the consequences of stopping. Maybe she was having a harder time since he wouldn’t be the one topping her tonight. He’d try to be more understanding of her hesitation because he couldn’t help with that. No matter how hard this was for her, it was damn near torture for him. “That’s correct.”
Shelby nodded without saying anything else.
It was settled then.
“Stand up.”
Her gaze flew to his, and he waited patiently for her to comply. She slowly rose.
“Strip.” He saw her throat working as she swallowed, the rest of her frozen in place. “Shelby?” At this point, the discussion was over, and she was to do what she was ordered. Or stop.
She nodded infinitesimally and began to work the buttons of her blouse. One by one, she pushed them free, the pale lace of her bra peeking through until completely exposed. God, she was fucking exquisite.
Her shirt fell to the floor, and he allowed his gaze to focus on her luscious mounds before following the path of her hands to her belt. He spread his own legs to allow room for his growing cock. He wouldn’t fight his body’s reaction to her, nor would he hide it from her. She needed to understand what kind of effect her obedience had on a man like him if she was going to continue with this life after their time together.
She pushed her jeans with her panties down her legs and off her body before reaching for the clasp of her bra. Within seconds, she was completely naked before him.
“You’re a very beautiful woman, Shelby. You’re making it very difficult for me to let go of control tonight.” She opened her mouth, and he shook his head. “You do not have permission to speak unless you are asked a question or want to stop the scene.”
She shut her mouth and watched him. He nodded his approval.
“Just remember, pet, if you give yourself over to the pleasure, you may finally discover what you’ve longed for.”
The door opened before he could say anything else, and her head whipped around to look. Rafe stood in the doorway, tall and as brooding as ever. It was no wonder that some of the subs shied away from him, but nowhere near as many as those who avoided Jedrek.
“Ready?” Rafe asked as he walked in and shut the door.
Shelby fisted her hands quickly before releasing them. Mason wanted to comfort her, but this was her battle. He had his own to wage tonight.
“Yes, Rafe.”
“Come here, Shelby,” Rafe said as he walked to the spanking bench.
Shelby looked at Mason, and he nodded at her. The fact that she deferred to him first made his growing dick rock hard. She was acting as if she was his sub. If only she understood what that did to a Dom. She walked toward Rafe. Mason stood and followed alongside her as if she was his to protect.
“I am Master Rafe. You can call me Master.”
“Sir,” Mason corrected suddenly. He knew he was overstepping because all four of Scene’s business partners were called Master by any sub at the club. He didn’t care. Mason was her only Master.
Rafe raised an eyebrow at him. “I see.” Yeah, he just bet the other man was reading between the lines. Mason was asserting his leadership in the room, and Rafe would have to fall in line. This was new territory for them, but Rafe was a smart man. “Did you discuss the rules about safe words and stopping?”
“We’ve discussed everything. It’s her wish that you not touch her in a sexual manner.”
Rafe nodded at Mason and then turned to Shelby. “Sir will be fine. Please lay across the bench.”
Shelby gave Mason one last glance before stepping over to do as she’d been told. She elegantly draped herself across the spanking horse, which left her ass canted upward for optimal access. Rafe walked up to her and bent. Without another word, he began strapping her to the piece of furniture in a quick, efficient manner. He knew his way around this piece of equipment so well he could work it in the dead of night without a hint of light. Once her arms and legs were secured, he stood once again and nodded at his handiwork.
“Your safe word is red, but you’re permitted to use more conventional words to stop the scene. I would advise against using any of the sort unless you are absolutely sure you want the scene to stop for good because I do not take those commands lightly. If you are not sure or just think you need a breather, you may use the word yellow. I’ll pause and decide if we’re going to continue. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Very good.”
Rafe walked over to the wall and selected a paddle. Mason braced himself. Once he let Rafe start, there’d be no going back.
Shelby heard the sound of wood on metal right before heavy footfalls echoed in the room.
He was coming toward her.
This was so not what she’d planned. Jesus Christ, if her daddy knew his hard-earned classic restoration money was used to send her to college to learn five different languages so that her ass would be up in the air to be spanked, he’d have offered to do this shit for free. Well, minus the tied up naked part.
It’d taken her all week—all week—to work up just a semblance of a nerve to go through with this assignment, the meeting this afternoon sealing the deal. Mason could be a criminal. But he was also sexy. She’d be lying if that hadn’t made it any easier to accept her fate. She’d decided she had a job to do and was going to do it regardless. As for the attraction she felt, she’d ignore it and focus on her job.
And then the prick changed the rules.
She’d been ready to flee when Mason announced this new little twist, but she also realized she didn’t have a choice but to follow through. What the hell? Was this common practice? She didn’t know if she should feel like a cheap piece of meat being so carelessly handed off to another man, or if she should feel honored that Mason was trying to make the best out of this experience for her by selecting specialized Doms for the individual scenes. The jury would probably stay out on that for a while. She kept her head down and waited, wondering when it was going to start. Having another man in the room would seriously hinder any questioning she tried—
Shelby suddenly flinched when a palm caressed her buttocks. Shit, don’t freak out! She took a calming breath. Yeah, that so didn’t work.
“You may scream.”
That was the only warning she got before something hard landed on her rear. She gasped and looked up. She immediately found Mason watching her, his arms crossed over his chest, a look that rivaled anger etched on his face. She didn’t understand why he was mad, but she’d seen him mad once before and this wasn’t exactly the same. She didn’t know him well enough to understand what emotion he was feeling.
Oddly enough, staring into his eyes seemed to help whatever she was feeling. Somehow, he grounded her without saying or doing anything.
When the next blow came, she squeaked a little sound, but was unable to catch her breath before Rafe smacked her again. Then again and again. Oh God, he wasn’t stopping. He kept striking her with something, the force making her breasts sway over the bench and her ass bloom in heat. It was too much too soon. She shut her eyes and dropp
ed her head as the torrent of blows carried on.
“Look at me!” Mason ordered. Her head shot up, tears edging out of the corners of her eyes. She didn’t know if she could keep doing this. This hurt. Who the hell got any pleasure from this?
The look he gave her brooked no argument, though. She stared at him while Rafe tortured her backside. The evil man pummeled both cheeks and the tops of her thighs with unrelenting finesse.
The heat in Mason’s gaze startled her a little. He looked incredibly powerful and protective watching her. Undeniably sexy. And with the next blow, something in her changed, heated. She tried to squirm at the burn coming from within. What was happening? Was she getting turned on by this? Another hit, then another. Mason’s gaze blazed. Oh God, she was getting turned on.
That wasn’t right.
She didn’t like this. She wasn’t supposed to enjoy being beaten.
But she was. She didn’t know why, but she liked it. God help her, she did.
When Rafe sped up, she finally screamed, releasing her anger and confusion in one long screech of relief. She sobbed in a breath when she stopped and noticed Mason had knelt before her. She hadn’t shut her eyes, but she hadn’t noticed him moving either.
“She’s wet,” Rafe said.
Shelby was too emotionally naked to be embarrassed by how turned on she’d gotten. Being strapped in this position left her exposed. Her legs were shaking. Oh yeah, she was wet. She ached to be touched. If she wasn’t so turned on, she’d go from questioning it to being pissed about it, but right now all was lost to her except the need she felt.
“Move on,” Mason said through gritted teeth.
Rafe grunted, and then Shelby heard him walk away. Was he leaving? Were they done? She didn’t know how she felt about that. Something inside her screamed she wasn’t ready to stop, but she didn’t dare voice that.
Another soft sound in the background lit her ears and then Rafe’s heavy, booted steps came toward her again.
She screamed when something long and thin stung her just below her bottom. He rapped it over and over along her upper thighs and lower cheeks while she wailed. The pain burned past the point of tolerance and soared into something numbing, almost pleasurable. What was happening to her? Her core flooded with need, and she unsuccessfully tried to wiggle her bottom. The restraints stopped her from moving an inch, but she wanted, needed him to touch her. Touch her where she needed it most.
“Oh God,” she moaned. So confused. So turned on. So desperate to feel.
“She’s ready, Mason,” Rafe said, and then Shelby heard him walking away again.
Mason looked at her. The indecision warring in his eyes would’ve confused her even more if she cared to think about it at the moment. What did he have to be confused about? He wasn’t the one aching for release.
“Pet,” he whispered as he stroked her sweat-soaked hair. “You are doing wonderfully. Tell me what you need. I have to hear it.”
“I-I.” She didn’t know what she needed, but she was burning for it.
“You can stop at any time, sweetness, and not be punished. We can stop now and resume next week with the following scene, or we can continue right now with this one. I’m giving you the choice. If we move on, I’m going to take what I want. Do you understand me?” The look in his eyes burned with desire so strong that her knees would’ve given out if she’d been standing.
Her body shook. She could stop now and be free to come back next week or she could continue on and satisfy the aching void that had suddenly filled her, consumed her. Rafe’s loud boots announced he’d returned to stand behind her, but he waited for her to reply.
There was only one answer. She knew logically she should fight it, but she didn’t want to. It was the only answer to give.
“Please don’t stop,” she whispered while looking into Mason’s eyes. Then something new landed so hard on her bottom that the air locked in her lungs.
Chapter Four
Mason had to fight every urge in his body to take the flogger away from Rafe and fuck Shelby right here on the bench. She was the strongest submissive he’d witnessed in a long while, and his dick was so hard it could drive nails. But it wasn’t only sexual desire for the woman that he felt. It’d been three years since a sub made it this far with Rafe, and a sense of pride also washed over him that it was Shelby who’d accomplished that feat.
Squatting in front of her forced her not to look away from him, but it also made it terribly uncomfortable for his erection, which was trapped in his leathers. He’d tolerated it as long as he could, but now that she’d given the go-ahead not to stop, he wasn’t going to protect her from her effects any longer. He unzipped his pants and pulled out his cock. She looked down as he wrapped one hand around it, so he took his other hand and pulled her head back up by her hair. Just because he couldn’t take her didn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy the display of her.
“You’re so amazing, Shelby,” he breathed.
She whimpered, and he knew she was just as turned on as he was. He smelled her arousal, her glistening inner thigh taunting him with what he couldn’t have.
Then Rafe altered the angle of the next blow, lightly tapping her. She screamed and bucked.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God. Please!”
Rafe had let the crop land gently on her pussy, and Mason knew how fast that’d throw a woman over the edge. He wasn’t ready for her to come. Not yet. And she hadn’t wanted another man touching her. Granted, it wasn’t Rafe’s hand, but for Mason it was too much. He wasn’t ready to give that power to another man. She was his possession, no one else’s.
“No,” Mason growled as he stood slightly and leaned over Shelby’s back to snatch the crop from Rafe, but his dick brushed against the side of Shelby’s head in the process, and something warm encased it.
Mason groaned, tossed the crop across the floor, and grabbed Shelby’s hair with both hands to pull her heavenly mouth off his cock.
“Baby, you don’t have to do that.” He should chastise her for doing something without being told, but Jesus, he didn’t want her to stop. He had to force himself to be reasonable.
“Please, Master.”
Oh shit. She needed, and he’d give it to her. He was powerless to stop, his own aching body demanding nothing less.
He looked at Rafe. “You’re done here.” Mason didn’t watch Rafe leave. Instead, he turned his gaze to Shelby, whose pleading eyes trapped him. The sound of the door opening and closing was the only indication his business partner had complied.
Mason moaned as he leaned forward, knowing he wouldn’t be able to end this until he’d become an expert of every inch of her body. She opened without having to be prompted, and he sunk into her wet heat.
“Ahh, baby. That feels so good.” He held her head still while he slowly fucked her mouth. She tried sucking, taking control, but he fisted his hands tighter in warning without ever stopping. This woman might be bringing him to his knees, but he’d always be in control of their sex.
She moaned around his dick and tried wiggling on the bench. He released one of his hands from her hair and massaged the bright red marks on her ass. She whimpered and tried sucking him faster. He clenched her hair to halt her and slid a finger between her ass cheeks. He kept moving until he was partially bent over her and his finger was poised at her entrance. When he gently traced her opening, her whole body began to shake. She was so close. Mason grabbed her hair and fucked her mouth forcefully while he stabbed two fingers inside her. She squealed around his cock, but he didn’t stop. He kept thrusting into her in both places.
“You can’t come yet.”
She groaned loudly and he removed his fingers because she was too close to chance it. He grabbed her hair and held her still on his dick. “Suck it.”
She sucked him hard, and he was about to blow. He needed this so he could continue. His aching dick was a distraction he didn’t need right now.
“You’re gonna make me come down your throat,
baby. Do you want it?”
She nodded while she continued to suck, and then he began to thrust into her mouth again. The combination of her sucking and him hammering into her mouth set him off. He roared out his release and kept coming as if he hadn’t felt this ecstasy in months. Truth was, he might not have gotten off with a sexual partner in months, but he’d never felt anything like this before.
With the last of the twitches subsiding, he pulled out and moved behind her, not wanting to wait another second to taste her. He dropped to his knees and licked one of the trails of her natural juices up the inside of her thigh. God, she tasted so sweet, and her scent was driving him wild. His dick was trying to get hard again already. At this rate, it would succeed with that feat, breaking any previous recovery time his body had needed.
“Please, please, please,” his impatient little sub chanted.
“Pet, I didn’t give you permission to speak.”
She huffed out a moan as her head dropped, but he really didn’t have it in him to make her wait. He wanted to give her exactly what she’d craved. Mason inhaled deeply, drawing her essence into every part of his body, before he lowered and licked her slowly from clit to ass. She gasped and he did it again. Harder. Faster.
And then he was devouring her. He sucked on her supple folds, drove into her crease, stabbed into her opening, and made her experience a torment other than the one Rafe had dealt her. The spanking might’ve heightened her awareness of pain, but squeezing her ass while Mason consumed her would push her over the brink.
It took her a while, the torment of pain and pleasure, drawing her orgasm from deep within her core. It’d be strong when she reached it. He knew it with every fiber of his being. When her body tightened and her cries bounced off the walls in the room, his erection was back with a vengeance.
He couldn’t stop what was happening now. The line had been crossed. Line? He’d been a fool to think there could be one of those with this woman.