by Brynley Bush
“Ladies, if you would please step onto the platforms and stand with your backs to the poles, hands behind you.”
“What’s going on?” Rose asks nervously.
Ignoring her, Logan continues. “Doms, you will find a length of chain with a padlock and a key near where your submissive is standing. Please chain your submissives securely to the post and then lock the chain with the padlock.”
I step forward and pick up the chain before turning to Ava. Starting with her feet, I begin wrapping the chain around her.
“What is this for?” she asks uneasily.
“I have no idea. But it’s televised, so they can’t let us die, right?” I say with wink. She smiles back wanly.
I continue wrapping the chain around her, enjoying her little intake of breath as I rub the chain across her nipples before wrapping it tightly above and below her breasts.
“Whatever fucked-up plan the writers have come up with this time, you just have to trust I’ll take care of you, Avalon. You got that?” I say firmly as I lock the padlock.
She nods. “Okay.”
Once all the submissives are chained to their poles, Logan gives us the rules for the second challenge. The Doms are to complete an obstacle course that involves climbing up a cargo net to the top of a tall pole, traveling across a high-ropes course, zip-lining across the lake, and then dropping into it before swimming the remaining distance to the pier where the submissives are. We then have to sort through the keys, which all look identical, to find the one that will unlock our submissive. To add to the challenge, we’re only allowed to take one key at a time.
“One more thing,” Logan adds. “For each minute that you take, your submissive will be lowered one inch into the water.”
Hell! Who thinks up this crap? I glance over at Ava. She looks uneasy but not panicked.
“I’ll get you out in time,” I assure her.
“I know,” she says with a small smile.
The whistle blows, and we take off. The thought of Ava scared or suffering because of me spurs me to push myself harder than I’ve ever pushed before, and I power through the obstacle course. The irony of the situation isn’t lost on me, but dammit, if anyone’s going to hurt her or put fear in those endless green eyes, it’s going to be me.
Emmett and I are the first ones to the pier with Michael close behind us. We’d outpaced Luke and Caleb once we were in the lake, as neither seems to be a strong swimmer. I don’t know what happened to Jake.
By the time I reach the pier, the girls are all up to their necks in the water, and I grab a key and jump in next to Ava.
“Go get Rose,” she says urgently.
“What? Why?” I say, trying the key in the padlock. It doesn’t unlock.
“She’s terrified of drowning. Just go. Please, Roman!” She’s begging. “I’m fine. I can hold my breath. Please!”
“Jeez, Ava, you’re killing me,” I groan, but I can’t deny my sweet, bighearted submissive who will sacrifice herself for her friends.
I glance over at Rose. Ava wasn’t kidding; she’s wild-eyed and hyperventilating. And Jake is unfortunately way behind us.
“Okay. Hang on. I’ll be right back for you.”
I swim over to Rose and fit the key into her padlock. “Look at me, Rose,” I command her in my most authoritative voice. Scared brown eyes meet mine. “Breathe.” She takes a breath.
“Good girl. I’ll have you out of here before the water hits your nose,” I assure her calmly. “You just keep breathing in and out, okay?” She nods, and I pull myself out of the water and race back to the pile of keys. Emmett has freed Rebecca, so I have it narrowed down to four now, and I grab another key and jump back into the water with Rose. I can’t look at Ava, or I’ll lose my focus. I have to trust her now and her assertion that she can handle this.
This key doesn’t work either, and I quietly assure Rose she’s doing great and tell her to keep breathing before hauling myself out of the water and back to the keys. Michael has found the key to unlock Carly, so I pray the odds will be in my favor this time as I jump back in. The water is up to Rose’s bottom lip, which is starting to quiver.
Thank God! The key fits, and I unlock the padlock, unwinding the chain as quickly as I can. As soon as she’s free, I grab her hands and place them on the side of the pier. “I have to get Ava. Can you hold on here?”
She nods vigorously. Luke and Caleb have just arrived, and we each grab a key. My key doesn’t fit, and I watch helplessly as Ava is lowered another inch, the water covering her nose. I’m getting exhausted from hauling myself in and out of the water, but I’m fueled by a fear that grips my heart and squeezes it like a vise, and I’m back on the pier in seconds. Luckily, there are only two keys left—mine and Luke’s—and we wordlessly trade keys and vault back into the water to rescue our submissives.
I try to focus on keeping calm as I unlock the padlock and efficiently unwrap the chain I’d had so much fun wrapping around Ava. As soon as she’s free, I haul her into my arms and swim with her back to the platform. Although she’s gasping for air, she appears to be okay, but that doesn’t stop me from grabbing her face between my hands and making damn sure of it.
“I’m fine,” she assures me breathlessly. “Thank you for saving Rose.” She presses a tiny kiss to my lips. I growl and suck her bottom lip into my mouth, savoring the taste of her. Jake has made it back and is on the pier with Rose, and he reaches down to help Ava out of the water. I hand her up to him and then climb out.
“Thanks, Roman,” Jake says. “I got my foot caught in the net and twisted my ankle, which put me way behind. There’s no way I would have gotten to Rose in time.” He claps me on the back. “You ever need anything, and I mean anything, you just say the word.”
After we’ve dried off and had a chance to catch our breath, Logan announces the third and final challenge.
“The last challenge pits the two members of one team, which will again be drawn at random, against each other in head-to-head combat,” he says, but his delivery lacks his usual dash of gleeful satisfaction. He takes a deep breath. “This is a single elimination challenge. We’ve set up a series of floating bamboo walkways in the lake. The two Doms will face off and try to knock their opponent into the water however they can, including physically engaging their opponent. If you both go in at the same time, it doesn’t count and you start over. The first Dom knocked into the water is automatically eliminated from the games.” There’s a murmur of shock among the contestants. “If neither Dom is knocked into the water before the ten minutes is up, you’re both granted immunity and automatically move to the next round. To keep it interesting, a series of what sounds like a gunshot has been recorded. Every time you hear the gunshot, you have to move to a different log. Rachel, can you please do the honors?”
Rachel pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to Logan. He reads it and then looks at me, and I can see the unspoken apology in his eyes. “The team that will compete in this challenge is Roman and Emmett.”
One of us is going home today.
The other four Doms and all the submissives, along with the crew, assemble on the shore as Emmett and I swim out to the pylons set up just off the shore. We position ourselves at opposite ends of the half-dozen floating walkways that are each no wider than a balance beam, and wait for Logan’s whistle.
As soon as it blows, we size each other up, formulating our strategy. I’m not sure what mine is, but I know I’m not going home. Not when I’ve finally started to put a chink in Ava’s armor. There’s quite possibly a loophole for the losing Dom, but if not, this is the chance I’ve been waiting for; with Emmett off the show, I’ll have no one to compete with for Ava’s loyalty.
For the first few minutes, we prowl around each other, both looking for the opportunity to take the offensive as we jump from one beam to another when a shot sounds. We eventually find ourselves face-to-face on the same log, and I know I can’t hesitate. I attack, trying to kick his feet out from under him.
He’s quick and dances backward out of my reach. I make a grab for him, and he dodges me, only to catch me off guard a few seconds later, making me lose my balance. I teeter on the beam for what seems like forever before regaining my footing.
A gunshot sounds, and we’re both forced to retreat to separate beams. A few gunshots later and we’re head-to-head on the same bamboo beam again. We go for each other at the same time, and our hands lock on the other’s shoulders as we fight to push the other one off the log. I’m gaining ground, and I finally have the chance I’ve been waiting for. I have Emmett backed to the edge of the beam; one more push, and he’ll go overboard.
An unbidden image of Ava jumping in front of an oncoming train flashes in my mind, and in a moment of clarity, I realize I can’t do it. Emmett’s strong arms that are fighting against me are the same arms that grabbed Ava and held her, giving her strength long after that critical moment at the subway station. He’s her rock, the steadying force in her life. She needs him here more than I need him gone.
His eyes meet mine in surprise as I shift my weight back, steadying him. Of course I’ve given him the upper hand, and I have no doubt he’ll use it to his advantage. I brace myself, trying to plant myself as firmly as possible on the beam. He grabs my arm, and then his eyes meet mine and his grip loosens.
“Fuck!” he swears in disgust. “Don’t hurt her and make me sorry I didn’t throw you in when I had the chance.”
The gunshot sounds, and we both jump onto different beams. By unspoken agreement, we hop from beam to beam, never landing on the same one again until the whistle blows and we’re both given immunity, moving on to the next round.
We stop to have dinner and a few beers, and it’s almost dark by the time we’re on the bus headed back to the Helix. Ava snuggles into my side, and I wrap my arm around her, relishing the feel of her soft, yielding body next to mine.
She trails her fingers absentmindedly over my stomach, and I pull her closer. “You could have gotten Emmett out.” It’s a statement, not a question.
“I could have,” I agree.
“And won the challenge and the incentive.”
“What incentive?” I ask, feigning ignorance for the sheer pleasure of hearing her say it.
“The, um, pet play with me,” she says, her cheeks turning crimson.
“Well, that was a sacrifice,” I concede with a grin. I don’t mention I plan to talk her into giving it to me anyway.
“I like it when you smile like that,” she says.
“Like what?”
“When your smile reaches your eyes and makes the corners crinkle. That’s how I know you’re really happy.”
I tighten my grip on her.
She lays her head against my chest. Her next words are so soft I almost don’t hear them. “You know, Emmett’s not the only one who’s saved me.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ava
The next morning at breakfast, we find out that, not surprisingly, Rose and Jake have been voted off. I’m so sad to see them go, but Rose promises to keep in touch, and she, Tessa, and I agree to plan a girls’ getaway as soon as the show is over. Logan also announces that we’ll be leaving this afternoon for a few days away from the hotel. The women will be traveling to Sonoma for a winery tour, relaxation, and girl bonding while the men are headed to San Francisco for some sort of Dom event—with the couples reuniting for a group event at Logan’s club, the Dominion, on Saturday night before returning to Las Vegas on Sunday morning.
Although part of me, the newly discovered oversexed part of me, will miss being with Roman, a bigger part of me needs some space from him to regroup and get my emotions in check. He’d somehow sliced me open the other night, and I’d shared more with him than I’d intended to, more than I’ve ever shared with anyone besides Emmett. Then Roman had had the opportunity to eliminate Emmett—his biggest competition—and he didn’t take it because of me. He’s somehow started to tear down the walls that have protected me for so long, and I’m slightly uncomfortable with the knowledge since I know from experience that being vulnerable means getting hurt. I need to put things in perspective, and the only way that can happen is if I’m away from him and his commanding presence that demands things I don’t want to give.
I sigh as I zip my suitcase, thinking about the past few days of training. Roman has been a demanding master, pushing me to the edge of my limits but never beyond them, and with each kiss, each punishment, each orgasm he exacts from me, I fall deeper into this forbidden abyss. I could use some one-on-one with Tessa, who’s a real submissive, to figure out why the hell I respond the way I do to him. It’s wrong that I get off on being dominated and controlled and even hurt by Roman, although with him the sting of pain never comes without the reward of indescribable pleasure.
“I’ll miss you,” he says, his voice a low rumble as he crosses the room to me. He lifts my chin, and his lips meet mine sweetly, his tongue sweeping into my mouth possessively as I melt into him.
“I’ll miss you too,” I say breathlessly.
What is he doing to me?
We walk down to the lobby together, and under the porte cochere he grabs my hand, pulling me against his chest in a bone-crushing hug, his face buried in my hair. I inhale the rugged masculine scent of him and hug him back, holding on to him like he’s a lifeboat in a stormy sea. He lets me go and tilts my face up so I’m looking into his steely eyes.
“Don’t forget who owns you,” he growls. “And your orgasms.”
He’s so freaking arrogant and high-handed!
“You’ll never own me, Roman Castile,” I say impishly as I turn to walk to the waiting limousine, the teasing tone of my voice belying my true feelings. Unfortunately, he’s starting to own far too much of me. “But I’ll try to save at least one orgasm for you.”
I’m still laughing at the look on his face as the limousine pulls away.
By the time our flight lands in Santa Rosa, it’s dinnertime, and we stop at a quaint restaurant called the Girl and the Fig and enjoy delicious food and wine with a French flair on the restaurant’s beautiful outdoor garden patio. There’s an almost celebratory air as we eat and talk and laugh, and I think all of us are somewhat giddy at being able to finally let our hair down and relax a little away from the Helix, the games, and even the Doms themselves, although the ever-present camera crew is still there in the background. Logan has accompanied the Doms to San Francisco, and his wife, Rachel, has come with us. By the time dinner is over, she feels like a friend. Even Rebecca has been almost fun to be with.
After dinner, feeling pleasantly full and slightly buzzed from too much wine, we’re delivered to our accommodations for the night, a boutique hotel that looks like an elegant house with beautifully landscaped grounds and luxuriously furnished rooms. We’ve been assigned roommates, and somehow I got stuck with Rebecca. She’s polite but cool as we’re shown to our room—a cabana suite with its own private patio featuring a fountain and outdoor rain shower—and she immediately disappears into the oversize bathroom to take advantage of the jetted tub, making it clear she’s not interested in spending any time with me.
That’s more than fine with me, and although I’m exhausted, too many thoughts are running through my mind for me to sleep, so I go looking for Tessa. I find her in the hot tub that’s nestled in a nook of the gardens, surrounded by lush, flowering shrubs.
“Come on in,” she says by way of welcome. “The water’s divine.” She lifts a glass of wine. “And the wine is even better. I brought the whole bottle. You should share it with me so I’m actually functioning for the winery tour tomorrow.”
“Okay,” I say with a smile. “I’ll run back and get my swimsuit.”
“Jeez, Ava,” she says with a laugh. “Just get in naked. No one’s going to see you except me, and God knows we’ve already spent enough time together naked.”
I look at her dubiously, but I’ve grown a little less modest by necessity since I’ve been on the show, and I really don’t
want to go back to the icy atmosphere of my room and risk having to talk to Rebecca.
“Okay,” I say finally, deciding to throw caution to the wind as I quickly take my clothes off and slide into the enveloping warmth of the bubbles.
“You’re surprisingly shy about being naked for a submissive.” She takes a sip of her wine as she hands the bottle over to me. “I’m not judging. Just observing. Roman knows it too. Be careful. Doms like to find your weakness and use it against you,” she adds darkly.
I sigh, leaning my head back against the tub as I close my eyes. “Why do we let them? Why do we not only allow them to use their power over us, but we actually crave it? Why do we get off on giving ourselves over willingly to their ruthlessness and mercy?”
The confusion that has been building since that first clench of arousal the night of the auction comes pouring out in a tumble of words.
I open my eyes to find Tessa staring at me curiously. “I asked myself all those things when I first started going to the club in Chicago. I’m an educated, kick-ass professional. I’m an attorney, for heaven’s sake. I’m not supposed to like submitting to a man.”
My eyebrows shoot up in surprise at her revelation, but I totally get it. The idea of a strong, intelligent woman wanting to give up control to a man defies logic.
“But I love giving a man—the right man—the authority to make me submit,” she continues thoughtfully. “It’s how I’m wired, and I’ve come to terms with that. For me, it’s like being on a roller coaster. It’s exciting and scary, and the anticipation as you wait to get on, knowing you can’t get off until the ride is over, is heady. Then you get on and go over the first hill and there’s that rush of adrenaline, and your stomach drops and you love it and hate it because it’s exhilarating and thrilling but it’s also terrifying. But it doesn’t really matter, because there’s nothing you can do but go along for the ride.” She shrugs. “It’s what makes me feel alive, that ability to dance along the edge of danger but know I’m still safe. And protected.”