“Yes, Sir.” She drew in deep breaths, no longer pretending to be nervous or focused. She was hyperaware of everything going on.
Annoying her, Master Richard took his time. Master Nathaniel’s grip was unyielding. All Alani wanted now was to be released from her bondage so she could go home for the night. Master Nathaniel’s scrutiny unsettled her in ways she’d never experienced.
Willing the scene to be over, she arched her back even more. Long, long seconds later, the Dom behind her let the flogger fall.
She yelped. Where the hell had that strength been until now? That had hurt.
His fingers trembling, Master Richard traced the straps of her garters.
Wiggling and moving now seemed obscene with the way Master Nathaniel was looking at her.
“Are you ready for your last one?” Master Richard asked.
He isn’t done yet? “Yes, Sir.”
After moving away and stretching the time from seconds into at least a minute, he gave her the final one. She squeezed her eyes shut against the sting. When she opened them again, Master Nathaniel was still regarding her, his jaw set, nothing revealed in the enigmatic depths of his rich green eyes.
“Thank Master Richard for flogging you,” Master Nathaniel told her.
“Thank you, Sir,” she managed.
As suddenly as he’d grabbed her, Master Nathaniel released her. Without another word, he strode away.
She watched him out of the corner of her eye until she lost sight of him. Then she released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“You were a good girl,” Master Richard said as he unfastened her right ankle.
“I’m sure I’ll have trouble sitting for the next few days, Sir,” she fibbed. She had to admit, for Master Richard, it had been a robust flogging.
“Let that be a lesson to you.”
“It was. I’ll try to be a better girl.” Although with him, she never knew what her supposed infraction was. Other Doms dreamed up elaborate stories and encouraged her to misbehave so they had something to punish.
He took far too long unfastening her left ankle. No doubt he enjoyed being crouched between her legs. This evening, that bothered her, though she couldn’t explain why.
Moments later, her wrists were free.
His grip gentle, he turned her around to face him. He held her for several seconds, making sure she was able to stand. On the three-inch stilettos, after being tied to a cross, that was sometimes more difficult than it seemed.
“Steady, love?”
“Yes, thanks.” She smiled, trying to appear graceful, then knelt and directed her gaze toward the floor. “I enjoyed the scene, Sir.” She hoped he was savvy enough to heed her wordless signal that the scene was over, whether or not he had time remaining.
“You were most excellent, wench. Behave yourself until I see you again.”
“I will try, Sir.” She glanced up to see him hook the flogger onto his belt loop.
Without another word, he headed toward the bar.
She exhaled.
As she stood and smoothed her skirt back into place, she glanced around, looking for Master Nathaniel.
When she didn’t see him, she considered her options. Deciding she would rather avoid him than risk seeing him, she snatched up her discarded blouse, shrugged into it, fastened the buttons then started toward the locker room for a quick break.
Before she could reach the foyer, a firm hand landed on her shoulder, stopping her in place. Startled, she turned and looked up at Master Braxton, one of the club’s other owners and her direct boss.
“Alani. My office. Five minutes.”
Master Braxton kept his voice low. No one around them would have heard him, but she did. She’d caught the sharpness in his normally well-modulated tone. The worst was the firm set of his jaw.
Damn that Master Nathaniel. Rat. Fink. Bastard.
It didn’t matter to anyone that she’d tried to get into the scene with Master Richard or that he’d been satisfied with her performance. The owners would only see her failings.
“Did you understand my order?” he asked when she didn’t reply right away.
“Sorry. Yes, Sir. I did. I’ll be in your office in five minutes.”
He nodded then turned and strolled toward the front of the club where his office was located. No doubt he needed time to pull her personnel file and write her up.
“Damn it.” With her hands shaking and her mouth dry, she hurried into the ladies’ dressing room.
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About the Author
Sierra Cartwright was born in Manchester, England and raised in Colorado. Moving to the United States was nothing like her young imagination had concocted. She expected to see cowboys everywhere, and a covered wagon or two would have been really nice!
Now she writes novels as untamed as the Rockies, while spending a fair amount of time in Texas…where, it turns out, the Texas Rangers law officers don't ride horses to roundup the bad guys, or have six-shooters strapped to their sexy thighs as she expected. And she’s yet to see a poster that says Wanted: Dead or Alive. (Can you tell she has a vivid imagination?)
Sierra wrote her first book at age nine, a fanfic episode of Star Trek when she was fifteen, and she completed her first romance novel at nineteen. She actually kissed William Shatner (Captain Kirk) on the cheek once, and she says that’s her biggest claim to fame.
Her adventure through the turmoil of trust has taught her that love is the greatest gift. Like her image of the Old West, her writing is untamed, and nothing is off-limits.
She invites you to take a walk on the wild side…but only if you dare.
Email: [email protected]
Sierra loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.totallybound.com.
Also by Sierra Cartwright
Mastered: With this Collar
Mastered: On His Terms
Mastered: Over the Line
Mastered: In His Cuffs
Mastered: For the Sub
Mastered: In the Den
Bonds: Crave
Bonds: Claim
Bonds: Command
The Donovan Dynasty: Bind
The Donovan Dynasty: Brand
The Donovan Dynasty: Boss
Master Class: Initiation
Impulse: Shockwave
Her Two Doms
Bound and Determined
This Time
Fed Up
Signed, Sealed and Delivered
Homecoming: Unbound Surrender
Night of the Senses: Voyeur
Subspace: Three-Way Tie
Bound Brits: S&M 101
Bound to the Billionaire: Bared to Him
Halloween Heart Throbs: Walk on the Wild Side
Clandestine Classics: Jane Eyre
Enticement (Master Class Book 2) Page 18