The Bold and the Dominant

by Shayla Black

  mouth over her pussy again, the torture-by-tongue igniting a fever of hitched breaths and ecstasy poised right on the precipice… Abruptly, he pulled away once more, his lazy fingers replacing his tongue.

  She writhed, her legs twisting as she moaned long and low. “Please…”

  “Not yet,” Hammer murmured as he toyed with her nipple, then shot Liam a knowing smirk.

  What now? She dug her nails into Hammer’s hands, arching, trying to cling to sanity.

  “Why don’t you think you’re worthy of us, Raine?” Hammer demanded.

  “What?” How the hell was she supposed to answer that?

  Liam pinched her clit. “You heard us. We’re waiting.”

  Raine’s hips shot off the bed. She knew their game, and it sucked. They wouldn’t relent until she talked, so she squeezed her eyes shut and dragged in deep breaths that did absolutely nothing to calm the raging fire inside her.

  “I’m not the type either of you are attracted to.”

  “Type? What do you think we like?” Hammer demanded.

  Plastic Barbies whose IQs are smaller than their ring size. “Come on. Marlie was beautiful, but Gwyneth leaves her in the dust. They’re both gorgeous, blonde, and—”

  “Void of a heart or soul,” Liam interrupted.

  Hammer crossed his arms over his chest. “So you measure your self-worth by comparing your physical appearance to women who mean absolutely nothing to us?”

  Apparently, this answer interested Liam since he paused his torture again.

  Frustration set in. “They were clearly easy to ogle and fu… Um, screw.”

  That made Hammer scowl. “And even easier to forget. Damn it, Raine. I’ve been in love with you for six fucking years.”

  It would have been nice if you’d told me, instead of turning me away and making me feel ugly.

  “And I fell hard and fast for you in a way I never had. But …” Liam shrugged, then quirked a brow toward Hammer. “That complicated everything.”

  Macen sent him an ironic smile. “Complicated or not, I’m still glad.”

  “I’m glad, too.” She bit her lip and turned to Hammer. “How I’ve felt about you is no secret. But you surrounded yourself with Marlies for years. I wasn’t ever going to be tall or blonde or look like I’d spent hours at the salon. My mom left when I was young, so what I knew about makeup could fit in a thimble. I couldn’t compete. I didn’t know how to try.”

  She closed her eyes. God, she hated dredging up this icky shit. It made her sound weak and feel wretchedly inferior.

  “Your honesty was very nice, precious,” Hammer praised, letting go of her wrists.

  No, it was embarrassing and sucked big monkey balls.

  “Open your eyes,” Hammer insisted. “No hiding.”

  Raine weighed the pros and cons of complying. But she couldn’t not face them forever. And if she wanted that orgasm Liam dangled like a sweet carrot, she would have to fall in line.

  She opened her eyes and stared at the crown moldings. They really were lovely and… Why was Hammer removing his belt? She’d barely wondered before Liam’s warm breath wafted over her aching pussy. Then it almost didn’t matter.

  “We’re proud of you, love.” Liam sent her a satisfied smile, then lowered his lips to her clit again and sucked gently.

  Raine melted against his mouth. Finally… Had she told them what they wanted to hear? It seemed so, and she thanked her lucky stars they intended to put her out of her misery.

  She stretched, luxuriating in the rise of bliss again, needing and squirming and trying to catch her breath.

  When she grabbed for Liam’s hair, Hammer gripped her hands and pulled them above her head again. Her eyes flew open wide as she craned her neck in time to see him wrap the belt around her wrists like makeshift cuffs.

  “If you need rope, mate, it’s in the nightstand,” Liam murmured against her weeping folds.

  “Good man.” Then Hammer drilled her with a command. “Don’t move.”

  Raine held her breath, not even daring to shake her head. Oh, she loved bondage, and they both knew it. That persistent ache behind her clit ramped up again, and she shot him an imploring stare, even as Liam opened his mouth against her and ate at her hungrily once more.

  Macen returned in moments with a length of silky white rope. He tied it to the end of his belt, then secured the length to the bedframe and stepped back to admire his handiwork with a self-satisfied smile.

  As if she wasn’t in total sensual distress, Hammer settled onto the bed next to her and smoothed his fingers through her hair. She raised her head, silently asking for a kiss.

  He skimmed a slow gaze over her face and shook his head. “What else led you to think you weren’t as attractive as Marlie or Gwyneth?”

  “Macen…” she whimpered. Stop talking. Let me come.

  At her whine, Liam released her clit and pinned her with a warning glare. “Answer him.”

  She gave them both a long-suffering sigh. They weren’t going to budge until she talked. “It’s probably stupid…but none of the Doms at Shadows ever seemed interested in me. I know their opinions shouldn’t matter. It’s just…I always figured I must be unattractive since no one even wanted to play with me.”

  Hammer’s expression clouded with guilt. “I’m to blame for that. When you first arrived, I declared myself your protector. Everyone respected the fact that an underage girl was off limits. When you turned eighteen…” He grimaced. “I got hit up three times during your party alone. I’m still approached regularly. I refuse everyone. It’s not you.”

  His words hit like a slugger’s bat to her psyche. Her jaw dropped. “I had no idea.”

  “I concealed the information for a couple of reasons. You needed someone to watch over you, and I didn’t want you mixed up with some player who might screw with your head or bruise your tender heart.”

  Like Zac, who’d taken her virginity.

  Macen could be an ass, but he was a natural-born defender. In a way, his protectiveness was touching.

  He looked uncomfortable. “And…I didn’t think I could stand to watch anyone else touch you. I was selfish, and I’m sorry if hoarding you made you question your worth.”

  Liam grinned, rubbing his fingers around her clit again in aimless circles. “Raine, I took you under my wing because you needed it. And because I couldn’t resist you. You’re lovely.”

  Their attention now made her feel lovely. She smiled—and maybe even glowed a little.

  “Thank you for being honest,” she murmured to Hammer, then turned to Liam. “And for being so kind.”

  “Let us show you how beautiful we think you are,” Liam murmured before laying siege to her pussy once more—sucking and licking while penetrating her empty sex with nimble fingers.

  Raine cried out in delight and curled her hands around the taut leather belt, holding tight as she endured his stunning assault.

  Then Hammer added to her torment, bending to her and laving her nipple. She let out a long moan as he sucked deep and feasted on her heavy breast.

  The teasing game they’d played—taking her to the brink of release only to deny her—had stripped her of restraint. Pleasure pelted her from every direction at once. She couldn’t contain or control it. Raine simply hung on for the shuddering breakneck ride.

  Liam scraped his teeth over her throbbing clit. With an agonized groan, she fought the rising desire because they hadn’t given her permission to come. Hammer continued the double assault, devouring her lips, her neck, her breasts like a hungry wolf. Together, they forced her headlong toward oblivion. Thrashing between them, Raine moaned and pleaded as they ripped every ounce of pleasure from her.

  Aware of Hammer leaning over her, she whispered in hoarse desperation, “Please…Sirs. Please.”

  He paused, and she glimpsed pride in his smile—along with a bit of sadistic joy. “You’ve earned this one. Come hard. Give Liam your pleasure.”

  Before he’d even finished spe
aking, the rush of blood and desire burst into a writhing euphoria that sent her soaring. As her sex clenched, a guttural scream tore from her throat. Liam suckled her clit and rubbed at her most sensitive spots with his clever fingers. He drew her pleasure out with precision. It was nothing less than exquisite torture. Cries of rapture tore from her throat as she called their names.

  “Fuck,” Hammer cursed as he cupped her face. “You make me want you so damn bad. I’m going to pack your pussy full, precious.”

  Even as Liam stroked his tongue gently over her throbbing bud, drawing a lingering sweetness from the climax and easing her down, Hammer’s vow ratcheted her back up again. Shock waves pinged through her body.

  Liam eased back from her cunt and rose. “I’m going to do the same to your ass, love. We’re going to fill you so completely, you won’t know where you end and we begin.”

  Oh, pretty please with sugar on top…

  “You better be ready to dig your nails into my shoulders and scream. And we’ll do everything we promised…” Hammer smiled. “As soon as you show us that you won’t hide behind the defenses in your psyche anymore.”

  Show them how? “I’m working on my trust issues.”

  “And the best way to do that is to submit.” Liam climbed onto the bed beside her.

  “Isn’t that what I’ve been doing?”

  “When you’re in the mood,” Hammer poked. “We all know that when Liam had you collared, you only gave him pieces of yourself and only on your terms.”

  It was true. She hadn’t given Liam all of her soul. He may have forgiven her, but she still struggled to forgive herself.

  Hammer skimmed a knuckle across her cheek.

  Liam stroked her abdomen, her thigh. “If your focus is on submitting to us, you won’t be so quick to scurry behind your walls again because it will hurt to shut us out. You’ll have a void only we can fill.”

  “You know I want to please you.” Raine licked her lips nervously. She didn’t know exactly where he meant to take the conversation, but she had some worrisome ideas.

  Liam gave her a devilish grin. “How soon we fill those your aching voids is up to you.”

  Hammer leaned onto his side to check her hands. Once he’d massaged her fingers and wrists, he settled beside her again with a satisfied nod. “All you have to do is tell us five things you love about yourself.”

  “Five things that…” Was he serious? “Right now? I’m naked and bound to the bed and you want to play armchair—”

  “Hit a nerve, did we, love?” Liam arched his brows before his expression turned downright insistent. “Name them. Now.”

  She’d rather be waterboarded. “My self-opinion doesn’t have anything to do with us.”

  “Wrong.” Hammer shook his head. “The way you perceive yourself affects you so it affects our relationship.”

  “You’re filtering again, Raine,” Liam pointed out. “You’re deciding that your self-image isn’t important. That’s not your choice to make. You’re not allowed to close off parts of yourself and only give us what’s comfortable.”

  “Step outside your comfort zone,” Hammer instructed. “For the last time, Raine. Tell us five things you love about yourself.”

  “I love working in the dungeon and cook—”

  “Stop.” Hammer narrowed his eyes in warning. “Not the things you enjoy. You seem fixated by what Marlie and Gwyneth look like. Tell me five of your own physical attributes you appreciate.”

  Couldn’t they pour hot oil over her? It would burn just the same. Dreaming up a handful of characteristics she liked about herself could take all night. But she was naked, cuffed, and at their mercy. She had nowhere to hide.

  She sucked in a deep breath. “I like my boobs.”

  “Like or love?” Liam asked.

  For herself, she didn’t care much, but… “I love them.”

  “Why?” Liam quizzed.

  “Because they bring you and Hammer pleasure.”

  “That they do.” Liam chuckled. “Same goes for the rest of you.”

  “This isn’t about us,” Hammer pointed out “We want to know what you love about yourself.”

  Um… “The color of my eyes.”

  “So do we. Keep going,” Liam encouraged.

  “My legs.”

  “Tell us why,” Hammer urged.

  “I like their shape, though I’ve always wished they were longer.”

  “You’re perfect just the way you are,” Hammer assured. “You always have been.”

  Raine paused, running through a litany of additional possibilities. She didn’t like her hair much. It was so dark brown, almost black. And it wasn’t as thick as she’d like. Her smile? A million other women had one similar. She could grow nice fingernails, but men didn’t care much about stuff like that. Her skin had always been so fair, and she wished she could carry at least a little tan, but she just burned. Her nose and her cheeks had always seemed simply average. Her chin was a bit too square, her mouth a hint too wide. Apparently, she’d pretty much exhausted the list at three.

  She darted a nervous glance between Hammer and Liam, then shrugged. “That’s all I can think of.”

  Without a word, Hammer untied the rope and released his belt, freeing her wrists. He rubbed her hands, working the blood back into her fingertips.

  “Kneel on the floor,” Hammer ordered.

  She wanted to ask why but bit her tongue. Neither of them looked thrilled that she’d come up short. Did they mean to punish her?

  After scooting off the bed, she sank to her knees and spread her thighs, resting her hands atop them. Let’s get this over with.

  “Since you’re having trouble thinking of more than three aspects of your appearance you love, let’s try another angle. Hammer and I gave you some affirmations at the lodge, Raine,” Liam reminded. “Recite them to us now.”

  She blanched and issued an inward scream. “I’d rather list more things I love about myself. I’m reasonably smart. I can be funny—”

  “You had your chance. The affirmations, if you please,” Liam insisted.

  Ugh. Raine had memorized every damn word but loathed having to spit them out again. “They make me feel awkward and uncomfortable.”

  Actually, they made her itch. Liam and Hammer knew that.

  “Because you don’t believe them yet. Say them enough, and you will.” Hammer shot her an expectant smile.

  Might as well get this over with… Raine resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I will open myself up and share not only my needs but my emotions.”

  “Every need—from tampons to kisses,” Hammer reiterated.

  “Especially your fears, joys, accomplishments, and worries,” Liam added.

  I know. I know. I’m trying to figure out how…

  “I will be totally honest at all times without fear of embarrassment or reprisal. Nor will I hold back for fear of hurting someone’s feelings.”

  “You know we expect total honesty. Without fail,” Liam emphasized.

  “Is that clear?” Hammer asked in that damn hard-assed Dom voice that turned her on.

  “Yes, Sirs.” Raine swallowed tightly. They’d already dealt with that mantra a bunch at the lodge.

  “Next one,” Liam prodded, gesticulating with his finger.

  She sighed. “No one has control over any aspect of my life