“Sapphire,” I breathed. His smile widened.
“Good girl. Now you’re going to watch as I flog you.”
15
alexander
I took great satisfaction in the way Krystina’s eyes widened in surprise over what was to come. I also saw a twinge of fear in them as well. As twisted as it was, my cock grew harder because of it. I didn’t try to rationalize the thought, or even worry about the possibility of her being afraid. I was too focused on her body, all strung up, and that glorious ass that was just waiting to be marked. I ran a hand over the smooth curves, appreciating its beauty.
Almost unwillingly, I stepped away to move to the dresser. With the press of a few buttons, music filled the quiet room. However, the melody wasn’t what I wanted. It was too soft, too calming. After a quick scroll through the playlists, I settled on a Breaking Benjamin song from the “Control” playlist. It was a dark tune. Cold. Yet, it was intense and penetrating, suitable for my current state of mind.
Picking up the flogger, I turned back to her and ran my fingers through the deep chestnut curls that cascaded down her back. I walked around her, appreciating the view in front of me, as well as her reflection in the mirror.
“Christ, you’re fucking beautiful tied up like this,” I murmured. She was the picture-perfect image of absolute submission. I absently wondered why I had taken so long to tie her up this way. A twinge of guilt hit me as an unwelcomed memory tugged at my subconscious, reminding me why I stayed away from using the cross. It was because I didn’t trust myself. Having her tied up, helpless to my every whim, was dangerous.
I shook my head.
No. Krystina will be different. She has to be.
I loved her too much to hurt her. Yet, as I ran the length of the flogger through my fingers, I hesitated. Krystina’s shoulders rose and fell, her breaths deep and even. She knew what was coming and was preparing herself for the first blow.
I touched her again and ran my palm over her waist, across the curve of her hip and down her thigh. She was a flawless hourglass. My hand paused momentarily near the top of her thigh-high stockings, torn over whether I should remove them to expose her creamy flesh or leave them in place. When my eyes rested on those fuck-me shoes, blood began to pulse in my ears.
I ran the leather through my fingers again, examining the texture. I smacked the whip against my palm, testing it, and the devil inside me came to life. I wanted to rule her. To own her. My desire to see her flesh a beautiful shade of red was overwhelming. With the flogger in hand, I raised my arm and delivered the first lash.
SNAP!
The sound of leather on her skin was like music to my ears. Krystina didn’t even flinch, all too familiar with the feeling that the first jolt brought to the senses. Her head lolled back as she relished the sensation.
“Eyes on the mirror, angel,” I reminded her. She promptly obeyed, her obedience an aphrodisiac that made me want to fuck her into oblivion. I brought the flogger to her skin again, not bothering with my usual care to make sure I struck in a different place. My need to mark her was too fierce, my dominance taking control. Slowly, lash after lash, I peppered her skin until it was glowing pink.
With every one of her moans, my dick hardened to the point of pain. She was mine, and she was at the mercy of everything I had to give. I eventually lost all track of time and the number of lashings I doled out. If I had been thinking clearly when we began, I would have told her to count them herself. It was no matter. The skin on her backside was already heavily marked, having received enough blows that they would still be visible come morning. I paused and rubbed a hand over her reddened ass. I imagined fucking that ass until I exploded and my seed poured down the lengths of her firm thighs.
I looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were glazed as she struggled to maintain focus, enthralled in the pleasure and pain that I gave her. Endorphins would eventually kick in, but she wasn’t quite there yet.
Just a little more, angel. I promise it will be worth it.
I channeled my promise to her with a soft caress to her swollen clit. It was hard with need and I itched to sink my cock into her, craving the restriction of her tight walls. I went to my knees and swiped my tongue over her vulva, the soft touch a dramatic contrast to the whipping she had been receiving. I groaned as I licked through her silk and breathed in her scent. Digging my fingers into her hips, I plunged my tongue in and out. I licked inside her, fucking her, feeling her spasm around my tongue.
“Ah!” she cried out, breaking her obedient silence as she tugged on her restraints.
I pulled my head away and stood up. Wrapping a hand around her mass of curls, I formed a ponytail. I jerked her head close to my lips and looked at her reflection. Her mouth was open and slack. I yanked harder on the strands of her hair and whispered a warning into her ear.
“Be quiet.”
Turning the flogger over in my palm, I squeezed it until my knuckles turned white. Sweat began to bead on my neck and back as I probed the handle against her entrance. I watched her in the mirror as she fought her heavy-lidded eyes, absorbing the feeling. She was so worked up, her body responsive to even the slightest of touch. I quickly pulled the handle away, not wanting her to come just yet. Her orgasm would be mine, but not until I was buried balls deep in her heat.
With a flick of my wrist, I brought the leather straps around to strike one of her nipples. I aimed again, this time snapping it against the other one. I watched as they hardened and puckered, all while Krystina quietly whimpered her desire.
“Does this feel good?”
She nodded and I lavished more whips, one by one, inch by inch, down her body until I came to her sweet spot. I tormented her with gentle flicks at first, but I needed more. I wanted her to feel the same fire that surged through my veins.
Lose control on me, Alex.
My palms shook with adrenaline as I recalled her words. I ached to slap her, the need to take exactly what she offered burning hot. I wanted to take her. To claim her. To break her. I craved it with every fiber of my being. My breathing became more erratic and I felt my mind begin to slip away, a monster taking control of the restrained man underneath.
With one swift motion, I snapped the leather hard over her clitoris. She cried out, her words unintelligible. I didn’t chastise her for speaking this time. I wanted her pain. I wanted her screams and desperate pleas. I needed them. My compassion and restraint slipped away as I hit her fiery nub again. Then again, denying her any sort of reprieve between lashings.
“Alex! I can’t…I can’t,” she choked.
“You can and you will.”
I spoke with more authority than I ever had with her before, the devil inside me now completely unleashed. She was nearing her limit, but I wasn’t finished with her yet. I wielded back, striking her across both cheeks hard, her screams fueling me with unexplainable euphoria. I needed to see the pink blaze that spread over her skin turn to a deep red. Pausing, I ran the leather down the length of her spine. She stiffened under it, her body tensing in protest.
“No…please,” she whispered.
I took in her reflection again. Her eyes were glossy and her body hung limply from the cross, almost haggard. Her gaze met mine in the mirror. It was like she was fighting off a sex-induced coma, but not necessarily in a good way. Pain was written plainly on her face. But worse – desperation stared back at me.
My clouded vision cleared, and I staggered a few steps back. I knew that look. I had seen it the last time I had a woman tied to a cross. It wasn’t here, at my penthouse, as I had never used the custom features of my bed before meeting Krystina. I was at Club O.
If I focused hard enough, I’d still be able to hear the pulsing rhythm of the club music as I ascended the steps to the private suites. I squeezed my eyes closed tight, trying to block out the memories from that night. It hadn’t ended well. I had completely lost control. I couldn’t even recall the woman’s name, but perhaps I had never asked. I only knew
that I ignored her pleas for me to stop, and I never heard the safe word that she’d sworn she used. I had crossed a line, one that I vowed to never cross again.
It was a long time ago, but not so long that I could forget the lesson I learned. Tonight, Krystina’s expression was like a ghost from the past. Never before had I worked her over like I just did. The flogger fell from my hand and hit the floor with a thud as the realization hit me.
She had been ready to use her safeword.
“Forgive me,” I whispered in a voice so low that she couldn’t hear.
I hurried to remove her cuffs, first her wrists and then her ankles. I spun her to face me, crushing her weakened body to my chest as I placed a palm on her cheek. I wanted to kiss every inch of her beautiful body and make the pain, the pain I caused her, go away. I tilted her head up to look at me.
“I’m so sorry, angel.”
I stared into the depths of her expressive eyes, desperately trying to get a read on what she was thinking.
“Why are you sorry?” she asked. Her voice sounded sluggish, but she seemed genuinely confused. It caught me completely off guard. I had expected her to sound despondent, or perhaps even angry. Either emotion would be deserved.
“There’s a line between pain and pleasure. I crossed it and pushed you too far. I showed no discipline. I never should have –,” I stopped as she brought a single finger to my lips to silence me.
“Did I use my safeword?”
“No, but…” I shook my head. I didn’t think she did, but I had been so lost in the moment that it was possible I didn’t hear it. Just like the last time. The high I got from inflicting pain was an inherited sickness from my father. I knew I was like him the moment I broke the rules with the unnamed woman at Club O. Tonight I confirmed it. Only this time, I had hurt the woman I loved.
“But nothing,” she insisted.
“Angel, you told me no. That should have been enough to make me stop.”
She shook her head.
“You’re the one who taught me the importance of a safeword. You said the word no could be misunderstood.”
“Don’t make excuses for me, Krystina. I know what I did,” I spat out bitterly, feeling ashamed.
“Listen to me. When I said no tonight, I meant no more flogging because I needed release, Alex. Nothing more. Call me twisted, but I was incredibly turned on. However, I will say that you did test my limits,” she admitted. Her mouth tilted up in a wry smile as she reached around to rub her backside. “We probably won’t be able to do that again anytime soon. I might need a few days.”
And then she let out a quiet laugh. Like it was funny.
She’s joking? How can she possibly be so flippant right now?
“Krystina, no. I…” I trailed off, unable to find words to describe how much of a bastard I was.
“Alex, what’s really the matter?”
“What’s the matter?” I repeated incredulously. “You should be livid and lashing out at me. I know what I did. The marks on your back are proof. I’m a monster and you deserve better.”
“Stop this right now!” she exclaimed forcefully, catching me by surprise. She wasn’t quite shouting, but I winced nonetheless. “You can’t keep insisting that I know everything about you, but then try to convince me that you’re not good for me. I know you, dammit! I know what’s in your heart, but it’s like you’re trying to convince you and me both that you are something you’re not.”
“No, it’s just that I don’t want you to forget where I came from. I know what’s inside me, just waiting to come out. I can mask it, but it’s always there, Krystina.”
“You’re not your father, Alex.”
“His blood runs through my veins. I can’t change that, nor can I forget it.”
“No. You are different. I gave you permission to lose control, yet you didn’t.” She paused and tilted her head to the side contemplatively. “Or, perhaps in your mind, you did. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, Alex. You have always read the reactions of my body and today was no different.”
I searched her face as a million emotions flooded through me. Her eyes were so expressive. If I looked hard enough, I could see into the depths of her soul. She was a warrior, wild and strong, and so beautiful that it hurt to look at her. She didn’t put up with any bullshit, yet having such a strong woman willingly submit her body to me made me hard. She was perfect and, at times, I wondered if she were real or if she really was an angel sent to save me.
The gravity of my actions, of what I did to her, was a crushing weight to my chest. I didn’t deserve her patience and understanding. Her strength and determination was something to be revered.
I’m such a fucking asshole.
I couldn’t erase what I did, but I needed to do something – anything to ease my guilt.
“Lay on the bed. I’m going to rub some cooling gel on your back.”
She shook her head back and forth again.
“I don’t need you to do that. My back is fine. A little raw, but fine.”
Her devotion to me was unnerving. She made me feel like I was worthy of it, even when I wasn’t.
“Let me make this up to you, angel. What do you need?”
She looked up and slid her hands over my cheeks to cup my face between her palms. Her fingertips, so soft and smooth, moved over my skin until her thumb rested on my bottom lip. I leaned into her gentle touch.
“I need you to let go of your control, Alex. For real this time,” she said softly. “Let me make love to you.”
16
krystina
Taking Alexander’s hand, I led him around to the side of the bed. With a gentle nudge, I coaxed him to sit on the edge. Leaning down, I skimmed my lips lightly over his.
“It’s your turn to trust me,” I whispered.
Slowly, I returned to a standing position. Walking over to the dresser, I turned off the dark tunes Alexander had been playing. I wanted to create a different atmosphere and take him to another place, one free of the demons that plagued him throughout the day and during the black hours of the night. But most importantly, I needed him to see that he didn’t hurt me. I was familiar with that haunted look in his eyes. He had been recalling some memory. Whatever it was didn’t matter and his guilt was completely unfounded in my opinion.
After switching to the “Persuasion” playlist, I selected a song by Glades, and lit a few candles. I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing the dreamy and melodic vocals wash over me. I needed to erase the dark energy from the room and replace it with something beautiful. It wasn’t for me, but for Alexander.
Not wanting to be worried about balancing in my stilettos, I slipped the shoes off my feet and tossed them in the corner. When I turned back to Alexander, he was still seated on the bed, watching me with interest. Shadows danced over his features from the flickering candlelight. My breath caught in my throat, my adoration for this enigma of a man suddenly overwhelming me.
Stepping towards him, I bent to give him a slow and lazy kiss. Lowering to my knees, I took his thick and virile cock into my hand. His breath hissed between his teeth as I closed my lips around the lush head, flicking my tongue around leisurely before taking him further into my mouth. He was hot and silky soft. His taste ignited my senses and I greedily sucked, worshiping his manhood.
Alexander fisted his hands through my hair, encouraging me to take more. I lowered my head further until I felt him hit the back of my throat. Tightening my lips, I pulled back to swirl my tongue around his broad head, before lowering down to suck him in long, drawing pulls.
“Yes. Take it deep,” he groaned and arched upward.
My sex tightened from his pleasure as I moved over him, his thick veins throbbing against my tongue. I worked him over until his grip on my hair tightened. His thighs bunched as his shaft swelled deep in my throat. His breathing became ragged and I knew he was close.
I pulled back, not wanting him to come just yet. I wanted to feel him inside me when he did. I look
ed up at him. Our gazes locked, the raw hunger in his eyes mirroring my own. Slick with anticipation, I stood and moved to straddle his hips. I positioned the tip of him to my entrance and lowered onto the scorching heat of his erection with painstaking restraint. He pierced me, stretching me inch by divine inch, until he was entrenched in the recess of my core. I absorbed the pleasure and disregarded the pain that always came when he was rooted so deep.
“Oh, god,” I moaned. I needed this. I needed him.
“You’re perfect, Krystina.” He slid a finger down my cheek and over my collarbone. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Shhh. Don’t say things like that.”
With my hands braced on his shoulders, I began to move in a slow and steady rhythm, showing him with my body how much I was irrevocably his. He caught my face in his hands, brought my head down, and kissed me hard. I moaned against his lips, the intensity of his kiss sending shockwaves through my system as I continued to ride him. He broke away, his breathing ragged as his hands flexed over my hips.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I want to give you everything you need. I never want you to feel afraid, but only safe and cherished.”
The intensity of his words nearly leveled me and my heart ached from the love I felt for him. Emotion clogged in my throat and it suddenly felt like he wasn’t close enough. I needed more of him.
“More,” I breathed, wanting every sensation that only Alexander could make me feel.
He pushed up, and I tightened around him. His motions were determined, matching me thrust after thrust. I gripped at his shoulders, feeling his rippled muscles bunch beneath my palms. We moved together and a fine mist of sweat began to cover our skin. I kissed him again, our breaths mingling as we rose to new heights. Our hands roamed in tender caresses of exploration. I thought I had the lines of Alexander’s body memorized, but in that moment, it was as if we were new lovers discovering each other’s bodies for the first time.
Set In Stone (The Stone Series Book 3) Page 12