Salvaged by Love (Thalia Book 3) (The Thalia Series)

by Jennifer Bene

  “I’m going to kick you while I’m fully conscious in a second.” She bit her cheek so she wouldn’t smile at him, but he didn’t fall for it. His grin just widened and he slid his arms around her back.

  “I don’t think you will, pet.”

  “Why not?” She leaned back against his arms so she could see his face clearly. Sea green eyes sparkling with mischief, his blond hair still tousled like he’d been in the wind, and a grin that spoke volumes. He was up to something.

  “Two reasons. First, I ran by the shop and got the ingredients for your favorite dinner. Second, I was able to move the evening with my parents so that you wouldn’t miss the play with Analiese. I have been a very good boyfriend today.” He leaned down and hovered his mouth in front of hers, and she relented and kissed him. He intensified it, bending her back so he could control the kiss and a soft moan slipped out of her. Then he stood them back up and his grin returned, “Are you sure you don’t want me to make it up to you?”

  Thalia rolled her eyes and reached between them to stroke his cock through his pants, the groan he made filled her with satisfaction. When his eyes returned to hers they were dark green, and his hands tightened on her hips. She felt her mouth curve in a slow smile, “Are you sure you don’t want me to let you make it up to me?”

  “Vixen.” He growled as she stroked him, biting his lip until a rumble came from his chest. “That’s it, dinner is going to wait.” James grabbed her and lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around him to hold on, laughing loudly. A second later she was against the wall of the office, his hardness rubbing against her as he took her mouth. Thalia pushed her hands into his hair, holding him against her as she rolled her hips, moaning softly.

  “What will you do to make it up to me?” She gasped out the words as his mouth ran down her neck before halting by the tank top.

  “Anything you want, baby.” He smiled and tugged the top over her head, and she smiled back, foolhardy bravery filling her for a moment.

  “I want the belt.” She watched as his face fell and he leaned his head against hers, breathing out a sigh against her shoulder.

  “Thalia...”

  “Please? Pretty please?” She shifted on his hips, cradling his face to make him look at her again as she begged. “James, please?”

  “I don’t think -” His eyes flashed pain, and guilt ate at her. In the last two months they had played with almost everything... except the belt. The only implement Marcus had used with her. But she was not going to drop it this time. Ailsa’s reminder that morning to address the issues, and not ignore them, was too fresh.

  “Can we just try? I want it. I want you to use it. You.” Thalia bit her lip, and she watched indecision move over his face. She didn’t want to say Marcus’ name. She didn’t want to bring up the fact that every time she saw a belt she thought of him. She needed to blur that connection, to mix it up. Just like she’d destroyed the power that the word chair had on her psyche, she had to take this back. And she had always liked the belt when James used it. She didn’t want it to be some dark, mystical object in their playroom and in their closet. Filling her with uneasy tension and nightmarish memories.

  “Now?” His voice ached, but she nodded and he let her slide out of his arms and she dropped onto her knees.

  “Now. Please, Master?” Thalia made her voice quiet as he looked down at her, and then he took a breath and shifted. The indecision disappeared from his face like it hadn’t been there, and a serious expression took it over.

  “Thalia. You have to be certain. This could go -” so wrong. His eyes finished the sentence and she sighed and threw out the only alternative she had planned.

  “I was going to ask Kalen.” She spoke softly and watched his jaw tighten. He hated that idea even more. Thalia continued gently, “But I want it to be you. I just - I need to do it, James.”

  He closed his eyes for a second and lifted his face towards the ceiling like he was thinking. A deep breath rose and fell in his chest before he looked back down at her, “If you feel even the tiniest fraction of panic, you will safe word. I know you can handle pain, Thalia. That is not my main concern. Panic. Fear. Any of it, the smallest feeling, and you will safe word. I cannot have you afraid of me, so promise me. Promise me you will stop everything if you’re afraid.” As he spoke his hand slid over her cheek until his fingers cradled the back of her neck, keeping her gaze so she could see how serious he was.

  She nodded quickly before he could take it back, “Yes, Master. I swear, I promise.”

  “Okay. Alright. Come with me, then.” He leaned down and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet before leading her to the door of the playroom. “Strip. I’ll be right back.”

  She was out of the rest of her clothes and kneeling inside the door in a moment. James took longer, a lot longer, and she was beginning to worry he had changed his mind when she heard the tinkling sound of metal approaching. Her heart stuttered at the sound and she swallowed, taking a deep breath. He was in those soft black pants he loved and he crouched in front of her and laid out a ridiculous array of belts. Brown, black, shiny, matte, soft, and stiff. So many varieties. Razor-winged butterflies filled her on the inside as she looked up at him. He wouldn’t meet her eyes, she didn’t think he could, and for once she knew what he was asking before he spoke.

  “Choose one.” James’ voice was stiff as he stood and walked away from her. He knew. He wanted her to choose the one closest to the one from her nightmares so she could work through it with him. He understood why she was asking. He understood what memory would be with them in this room, and he was still going to help her. Thalia forced a breath to push back the tears that burned the edges of her eyes and spread the belts out in front of her. Every time the metal fixtures moved the tension inside her increased. Finally, she saw one that was close enough, about the right width, a dull black. She folded it over in her hands and the sight of it struck home, her stomach tightening.

  Yeah, it was close.

  “Master?” She spoke softly, and he turned.

  “Bring it to me.”

  Thalia moved to him and held it out, and his thumb traced the leather when he took it from her. With a careful movement he laid it on the table against the wall before turning back to her. She’d expected him to get it over with, to have her bent over the spanking bench, but instead he slid his hands to the back of her head and kissed her gently. Tenuous at first, and he walked her backwards away from the table as his lips plied hers softly. The barest nip of his teeth over her lip, his warm hands holding her to his mouth, had her relaxing and she found her hands landing at his waist to hold onto him.

  It was the kind of I love you said with actions instead of words.

  She backed into the wall and he opened her mouth under his, deepening their kiss. One of his hands trailed slowly down her side, no sudden movements, and she was infinitely grateful to be wet from their make-out session in the office. When his fingers traced her pussy she moaned in encouragement, her hips pressing forward. He didn’t deny her, sliding his touch through her wetness, gathering it, before rubbing in tight circles over her clit. She dropped her head back against the wall and his mouth moved down her offered neck. “Oh God...” she breathed on a moan.

  James moved his kisses down her body, licking and nipping at her skin until he thrust two fingers inside her and his mouth covered her clit in a warm shock of pleasure. He lifted her thigh up, pressing it to the wall next to her and she balanced, lifting onto the toes of her other foot with panting moans. Her hands were in his hair, holding on as he pushed her higher, out of the stress of what she’d asked for and into bliss. It was a torturously slow climb, his fingers moving inside her to the rhythmic beat of his tongue’s movements, and then he drew harder on her clit and she moaned louder. It encouraged him, and his touches grew bolder, her moans increasing until she was shivering, heat rushing inside her to pool between her legs.

  “Please, please, may I come?” It came out as a rapid plea, a
nd ended on a gasping moan. He thrust his fingers harder inside her and pressed a kiss to her thigh.

  “Yes, pet. Come for me. You don’t need permission tonight.” His words told her that this was all about her, the realization washed over her, but when his mouth returned to the bundle of nerves her pussy quickly became the focus of her entire world. She was so close, but she needed more than gentle touches, more than soft kisses. He was being so careful with her. Too careful.

  She moaned and tightened her hand in his hair sharply. He growled against her pussy, but she did it again, harder. Pressing his buttons. Pushing her thigh onto his shoulder he grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from his hair, pinning it to her thigh so he could return to licking her. She gasped and tugged at the grip on her wrist, and he tightened it on reflex. His thrusts inside her sharpened and she arched her back against the wall, pressing herself harder against his mouth. His teeth trailed over her clit and she cried out. Sparks crackled inside her and he curved his fingers, making her come hard against his mouth in a rush of heat that left her shaking as he drew out her orgasm. He continued with deviously gentle licks over her clit until she was whimpering and trying to close her thighs, to pull back from the edge he held her to with each movement of his tongue. “Ah! Master, please!”

  With her plea he finally let her go and stood, his eyes were dark, bottle glass green and intently focused on hers, his jaw tight with barely restrained power. The look left her breathless, and when she reached to wipe the wetness from his chin he caught her wrist and pressed it to the wall beside her. “Thalia. On tonight, of all bloody nights, are you trying to top from the bottom?” His voice was low and serious as he leaned forward.

  “No, Master.” She shook her head and his lips twitched up.

  “I think you are, pet. If you want something - just say it. Tell me what you want.” He gathered her wrists above her head and pinned them gently while the rest of his body stayed back from her. She wanted to argue with him, to deny it, but she’d played his responses on purpose. It was true.

  “You don’t need to treat me like I’m fragile,” she whispered. The high of her orgasm still simmered under her skin, her breathing still shallow. He tightened his grip on her wrists.

  “I know you’re not fragile, pet.” James’ words were solemn as he leaned forward to kiss her softly, and she could taste herself on his lips. Then he had a hand in her hair, tightening his grip as he pulled her off the wall, and she gasped when he pushed her firmly to her knees. He towered over her when he moved in front of her, his voice a low rumble. “You were going to ask Kalen for this?”

  His change of topic made her head spin, his voice cold and clear, with no hint of how he felt about her suggested alternative. She licked her lips and spoke, “Yes, Master.”

  “Why?” He walked around her, and she hated not being able to see him, to see his expression when he spoke.

  “I -” she bit her lip, trying to find the right words, “I didn’t want to ask for something you didn’t want to do.”

  His hand slid into her hair again, tightening until it ached and electric pleasure buzzed down her spine. She moaned and squirmed, the wetness of her orgasm coating the insides of her thighs. His mouth was by her ear when he spoke again, “Do you really think there is anything I would deny you, pet?”

  “No, Master.” The words rang true inside her. James would move heaven and earth for her. He practically had. There had never been a thing she’d asked for that he’d denied her. Not the small things like a coffee maker, or breakfast for dinner, or to watch a sappy romcom on a Saturday. And, more importantly, not the big things either. She’d wanted the Williams brothers’ business destroyed - he’d done it. She had wanted to teach yoga - he had supported her to get certified and then bought her a fucking studio. And when she’d disappeared? He had hired a team of mercenaries without a second thought, and thrown everything into finding her. What man in the world had done things like that, what man did everything for the woman he loved?

  “Tell me you want it.” His voice rumbled against her ear, and she forced a breath. After everything he’d done for her, after all they’d been through, now he was offering to do this. Even though she knew it would be as hard for him as it would be for her. Emotion threatened to choke her but she swallowed it, clearing her head before she answered.

  “I want the belt, Master.” She spoke and his grip tightened on her hair until she whimpered, a pulse of need aching between her thighs.

  “Get up.” He pulled her up and she moved with him until she was by the gymnastics horse in the center of the room. Then he let go of her and returned to the table. The metallic scrape of the belt across the surface made the butterflies swarm inside her, beating at her insides, making her heart race. James stretched out the belt in his hands, his head angled down to look at the leather, blond hair brushing his forehead. Her eyes were glued to it as he folded it over, and then he suddenly lifted his gaze to hers.

  Thalia silently hoped her expression was neutral, because it would be a lie to say she wasn’t reacting to the belt. Her mind threatened to flood her with memories, to slam her back into that small room, onto that horrible bed. She shifted her eyes to James’ and focused on him instead of the belt. That mask of control was over him from head to toe, a cold pool when her brain was overheating under the onslaught of her memories. When she stared into his eyes, her heart rate finally started to slow. It was James. His strong jaw line, the finest shadow of facial hair, his broad shoulders, his firm chest, and that delicious V between his hips – all of it reminded her of where she was. Of who she was with. And the feeling was safety, and security, and immeasurable love.

  “Say it again, Thalia.” James’ hand tightened on the fixture of the belt, the leather sliding over his palm as he dropped it to his side and stepped closer to her.

  “I need the belt, Master, and I need it to hurt.” She barely finished speaking before he was kissing her hard. She felt the brush of the leather on her shoulder as he held her face to his.

  “I love you.” He whispered against her mouth, and the wave of emotion inside her almost broke free.

  “I love you too. This is a gift, James, what you’re doing for me, and I love you. Thank you.” She spoke softly and he rested his forehead against hers for a moment, nodding and taking a slow breath. They stood there, connected physically and in ways that had no description. For a moment all they did was listen to each other breathe, and her mind went blissfully calm. Then, with a quick intake of air, James leaned up and pressed a firm kiss to her hair and she saw the control slide back over him. He stepped back from her, the muscles of his arms tensing and relaxing, his eyes devouring her.

  “Is that how you address me in this room, pet?” Low and dark. His voice sent a shiver through her and her pussy responded with a flood of wetness that filled the room with the smell of her arousal.

  “No, Master. I’m sorry, Master.” Thalia dropped her eyes and said the words calmly, and she heard him huff out a laugh.

  “Hands on the horse. Bend over and spread your legs, pet.” He commanded and she obeyed; the soft texture of the surface caressing her palms as she shifted. James was next to her as he traced the leather belt down her spine, letting her adjust to its presence against her skin. “Why are you here tonight, pet?”

  “I asked you to use the belt, Master.”

  “Are you being punished?” His voice was clear and serious. He wanted to draw the lines before he started.

  Thalia shook her head, her hair hanging in her face. “No, Master. This is my choice. You’re doing this for me.”

  “Correct. This means that there is no number, I have no expectation for what you will take. When you have had enough, you will use your safe word. Do you understand?” James pulled her head back by her hair so he could see her eyes, and it increased the pleasurable tension coiling inside her. It helped to push back the fact that it was a belt in his other hand.

  “I understand, Master. I will safe word.” It
was not an option. James would use the belt until she was done, until she’d had enough. Thalia bit her lip when he released her hair and her head dropped forward again. His muffled steps moved behind her and the sound of the metal on the belt made her dig her nails into the horse.

  That sound was straight out of her nightmares. The warning before the strike.

  “Don’t forget to breathe.” The words came out in that direct, cool tone of his Dom voice, and then the belt landed hard across her ass. She cried out as the sound cracked through the room. The second lash was echoed by an assault of memories, which were more painful than the sting of her flesh. Thalia gritted her teeth and swallowed the next cry. These weren’t warm up lashes, they had power behind them, and she knew that had been a conscious decision. Marcus had never given her warm ups either, and she needed the catharsis of submitting, willingly, to the belt. To James. Her Dom, her boyfriend, her Master, her lover.

  The lashes came in a constant stream, like lightning strikes under the storm clouds of her memory. Her body answered with the thunder of pain that spread across her ass and thighs, hot tears streaking her cheeks, but she needed more. He’d told her to tell him what she wanted. “Harder, please...”