Tygers 5: Sweet Redemption

by Melinda Barron

  “Did they call you? About me?”

  “No. I was in Albuquerque for a collaring and I asked about you. They said you’d become a hermit. I came up here to crack your shell.”

  Warmth suffused her body and she smiled tentatively. “Thanks, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “I think it’s a great idea. So point me toward the kitchen. Then, we’ll eat and talk.”

  Helena thought this was one of those times she should say not just no, but hell no. Her traitorous body was already reacting to the man standing in front of her. Her nipples tingled and her clit throbbed. She should tell him to leave, before she ended up doing something she would regret. After all, she didn’t know this Dom any more than she’d known Guest.

  But she knew that wasn’t really true. When she’d been rescued from Guest at M’s Playhouse, TK had been gentle and caring, wanting nothing more than to make sure she was all right.

  “Helena? The kitchen?” Even now his voice was kind, yet insistent. She knew that he would leave if she asked, though he would put up a fight first.

  She paused for a moment more, her mind wavering, then pointed to the right. “It’s in there. I’ll go and get dressed.”

  “I’d rather see you undressed, but I’ll settle for dressed, for now.” Her nipples tightened at the sound of his voice and she turned away from him, afraid that even through the robe he would notice.

  In the bedroom, she exchanged her robe for a bra and T-shirt. The smell of bacon frying reached her nose and she sniffed in appreciation. She knew she hadn’t been eating too well since she’d been here, and the idea of bacon and eggs with bagels was very appealing.

  She found TK at the stove, looking as if he owned the place.

  “Wanna eat outside? It’s really nice this morning.” He kept his face turned to the stove.

  “Sure.”

  “Then set us up out there.”

  Helena did as he asked, putting a full coffee carafe, cups, and condiments on the table along with plates and silverware. A few deer wandered by just as TK carried out a platter of food.

  By the time she sat down, he had already loaded his plate, and her own, with food.

  “I can’t eat this much.”

  “Try. You look pretty skinny.” She took a bite of bagel, then spread the portion that was left with cream cheese, rolling her eyes in pleasure at the first bite.

  “Delicious. It’s been a long time.”

  “Too long, obviously. Why are you hiding out up here?” He continued to eat and drink, but his gaze focused on her.

  “I’m just…vacationing.”

  “For four weeks? By yourself? Sounds more to me like you’re feeling sorry for yourself and hiding from the world.”

  Helena was shocked that he’d assessed the situation so perfectly. Still, it hurt to have it thrown in her face.

  She pushed her plate away. “How dare you? You don’t even know me.”

  “Sure I do; I’ve seen people like you. Putting yourselves in situations that are bad, and then getting mad when something terrible happens.”

  Tears formed in her eyes. “Are you saying it’s my fault, that Guest did nothing wrong?”

  “No, that’s not what I’m saying. Guest is an asshole who doesn’t deserve to breathe. What I’m saying is you know, deep down, that you put yourself in that situation, and now you’re punishing yourself for it. You need to stop doing that, Helena. It’s not going to change things. Deal with it and move on.”

  TK had finished eating all the food on his plate. He took another bagel and slathered it with cream cheese, biting off a huge portion.

  “I don’t believe you. Making it out to be my fault.”

  “I don’t have to do that, Helena. You’re doing it all by yourself. Admit it.”

  She turned her head away from him, the threatening tears now falling freely.

  “Cry all you want, but you know it’s true. You need to forgive yourself and go forward. You can’t change what happened, but you can learn from it, and not allow it to happen again.”

  When she didn’t answer, he continued to talk. “How many times have you questioned your judgment since this happened?”

  “All the time.”

  “Tell me how long you’d known Guest before you basically gave yourself up to his control.”

  “A few days. He was so nice, at first, and he gave me what I like.”

  “And what’s that?” TK’s voice was soft now.

  “Pain.” She managed to grin at him, then wiped at her tears. “I’m a nasty little girl.”

  “I like that idea.” He put his hand over hers and gently caressed her with his thumb. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Tell me why you went with him.”

  “No.”

  “Helena, tell me. Did you feel some sort of bond with him, or was it just physical? Were you attracted to him, or attracted to the danger that he presented? Think about it for a few minuets, and then tell me.”

  “You’re not my Dom.” She tried to put strength behind her voice. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

  “You’re right; I’m not. But I am concerned, even though I’ve known you for such a little amount of time. Your family and friends are worried too.”

  “They might be concerned, but you blame me. You just said so.”

  “No, that’s not what I said. What I said was you used bad judgment. You treat BDSM like it’s a game, and it’s not. Just like with anything in life, there are good points and bad points. Guest is the latter, and when you treat it like a game, you get burned by people like him who take advantage of people like you; people who have lost sight of what BDSM is all about, or who didn’t know in the first place. People who forget there are rules to be followed.”

  Helena turned her attention to the deer, which stood near the woods, watching them. She moved to the edge of the deck, staring at the trees. The silence dragged on, and she refused to look at him.

  “You never did answer my question. Why did you go with him?”

  “Because I thought it would be fun. I knew he played harder than some people, and I liked that.”

  “Is that why you’re blaming yourself?”

  “Yes. I should have seen him for what he was.”

  He came and stood next to her.

  “You know, I’m sure every person who’s ever been duped by a con man says the same thing. I should have known better.”

  “I’m sure you’re right. But you’re also right when you say I should have never put myself in that situation.”

  TK rubbed his hands together to dislodge any crumbs that were left. Then he went back to the table and picked up his coffee cup.

  “Ugh. Cold.” He threw the brew over the deck and poured a new cup. “You know what I think you need, Helena? I think you need to be retaught what BDSM means, and why you’re in it. Because if it’s just for the pain, you can get that without BDSM. The lifestyle is so much more than that.”

  “I suppose you’re willing to reeducate me?”

  “I am. But you’d have to come to Florida with me. I have a business to run, you know.”

  Helena watched the deer, which had decided they were bored with the humans and were now ambling off into the woods.

  “I don’t know. Truthfully, I don’t know you any better than I knew Guest.”

  “I’d be upset by that remark if you weren’t right. What you do know is that I’m an experienced Dom who owns my own club and is respected in the community -- or at least I hope you know that. Ask your friend Ty to call other club owners. I’m sure we know a lot of the same people. They’ll give me good references.”

  “I could do that.” She clasped her hands in front of her, her stomach somersaulting inside her body.

  “I’ll tell you what, I’ll go into town and look around. You’ll have the afternoon to make phone calls and get some information. I’ll be back by six. That gives you about seven hours to make a decision. And I promise you that if you come with me and you wa
nt to go home at any time, then you can. You have my word.”

  Chapter Two

  Ty was only too happy to help Helena find out more about TK. By four that afternoon, he’d called back to say he’d contacted six people he thought would know the club owner, and five of them did. All five said he was an upstanding Dom who could be trusted in every way.

  “And I know these people, Helena. I trust their word. If they’ve lied to me, I’ll see they pay for it, mark my words.”

  He proceeded to tell her everything he’d learned. TK Holing was thirty-four years old, and had inherited M’s Playhouse from a man named Richard Johnston, who had passed away three years before. TK was the sole owner, and, according to Ty, was well-off even before working with the Playhouse. His parents were writers, who coauthored mystery novels under the name Lola Stevens. He’d played college football, but had never gone pro because of a knee injury. He’d been married once and was divorced, with no children.

  She’d thanked Ty for his report and for his sincerity, and by five she’d made her decision. Part of what TK had said made sense. She wasn’t to blame for what had happened, but she had exercised poor judgment. And, if she could learn from examining herself and figuring out why she practiced BDSM, then nothing but good could come from it. Right now, all she was doing was sitting around feeling sorry for herself. It was time for the pity party to stop and the reeducation to begin.

  By the time TK arrived at six, she’d already packed most of her things. Not that she’d brought that much with her. She was happier than she’d been in weeks and was actually excited about going to Florida, although she was extremely nervous about submitting to TK, despite what Ty had told her. She hadn’t been with anyone since Guest, and she hoped she didn’t freak out at the first contact with the striking man.

  She opened the door before he knocked and ushered him inside. “Did you get bored in town?”

  “Well, there’s not much there, true. But I found some things to do, and I took a ride in the mountains. Absolutely gorgeous.” He turned to her. “So, what’s the verdict?”

  “Ty says you’re good to go.”

  “And what do you say?” He took a step toward her and she was reminded of the difference in their sizes. He was a good foot and a half taller than she was, and that thought alone made her nerves jump. She fought down her panic, realizing that she needed this before she turned into a hermit for life.

  “Yes. I’ll go with you.”

  “You’ll submit to me? Submit to my teachings, both physical and mental?”

  “Yes.” She felt as if she’d spit the word out, and she knew he’d noticed.

  “You don’t sound so sure.”

  “I’m just nervous. It’s been so long, and well, it was so bad.”

  He stroked her cheek. “Then we need to calm you down. How about an orgasm?”

  Helena shivered as he continued to caress her. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

  “I’m not talking about fucking you just yet. But I can watch while you give yourself one, under my command. Do you have toys here?”

  She thought about lying to him, but he probably already knew the truth. After all, she’d already told him she was a nasty little girl. “Yes.”

  “What do you have?” The provocative lilt in his voice made her chuckle.

  “I’ve got a vibrator.”

  “And?”

  “Um, some clamps.”

  “Clamps for what?”

  A feeling she’d thought long gone crept into Helena’s stomach, and she actually blushed. She hadn’t been embarrassed to talk in front of a Dom in years.

  “Tell me.”

  “My nipples.”

  “And what else?”

  “My clit.”

  “I like to hear that.” He gently stroked her shoulders. “Are you pierced?”

  “Yes.”

  “Show me.” He walked around her and sat down on the couch, crossing one leg over the other and stretching his arms out on the back of the sofa.

  “Show you the toys?” She turned to him.

  “Not yet. Take off your clothes. I want to see your piercings, first.”

  Helena wasn’t embarrassed about her body. She was short and had overly large breasts, true; however, her other curves matched, and nobody had ever complained. She took her clothes off quickly, then stood with her hands at her side.

  “Come closer.” She moved to within five feet of him, stopping when he held up his hand. “Good. Now, hands behind your back, legs spread, shoulders back, eyes down.”

  She did as he asked, the temperature in her body rising. Her already hard nipples began to tingle again, and her clit throbbed under the weight of the ball at the end of her hood piercing.

  “Very nice. Massage your breasts for me.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “You can call me Milord.”

  “Yes, Milord.” The warmth inside her spread, yet the panic was still there. Despite the thorough report from Ty, she barely knew this man. What if he turned out to be like Guest?

  “TK, I…” An image of Guest passed before her eyes, and his voice echoed in her ears. “Bitch, you’ll do what I say.” “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  “Shush, it’s all right. Just stay calm.” He stayed in the same position, his body relaxed.

  “I don’t know if I can do this.” She hugged her arms around herself, shielding her body from his sight. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  “I won’t touch you tonight. We’ll masturbate together. Two very intimate acts performed as one. You can do it. Go and get the vibrator, and just the vibrator. We’ll save the rest for another time.”

  The fact that he hadn’t moved toward her, or raised his voice, calmed her somewhat.

  “You’re going to be all right, Helena. Go and get the vibrator, and a few towels.”

  “Yes, Milord.” She hurried from the room. In the bedroom, she put her head against the wall, trying to calm her breathing. He wasn’t asking for sex, which made her feel better. But she still felt vulnerable opening herself up to TK. He was the first man to see her naked since Guest, and part of her kept expecting him to fly off the handle and hit her.

  Stop being a baby, Helena! She straightened up, took her vibrator out of her already packed suitcase, and then went to the bathroom to retrieve some towels. When she came out, TK sat in exactly the same position, his body relaxed.

  “Sit down at the end, facing me. Spread your legs and put one on the back of the couch.”

  She laughed softly. “My legs aren’t long enough to do that.”

  “Then lie down flatter. It’ll give me a good view of your pussy. Spread a towel under you first so we don’t leave a wet spot on your friend’s couch.”

  “There’s no telling what all this couch has seen. Diego’s quite the Dom himself.”

  His chuckle was deep, and when she was in position, the chuckle turned into a deep murmur of approval.

  “Very nice. And you’ve kept yourself shaved like a good sub. Spread your lips so I can see your clit.”

  Cool air tickled her wet folds as she followed his instructions.

  “What a plump little offering. I like it. I’m going to have to get you a slave ring, though. Fit it tight around your clit.”

  Helena bucked her hips as he examined her, her fingers straying to her clit.

  “Not yet. I’m still looking.” She squirmed under his appraisal. The minutes seemed to drag on. When he finally told her to turn on the vibrator, she touched it to her clit.

  “I didn’t say to start; I just said to turn it on. Take it away.”

  “TK.”

  “Excuse me?” He used the same moderated tone of voice as he had earlier.

  “I mean, Milord.”

  “Better. You know, Helena, it just occurred to me that, since you’re a pain slut, I’m going to have to be creative in my disciplines. Withholding spankings, or thinking of something I know you don’t like. Just a little FYI for you to chew on f
or when you forget titles, or don’t behave.

  “You may masturbate now, but you can’t come until after I have, and since I haven’t started, you’d better pace yourself.”

  She touched the vibrator against her clit, the little nub jumping under the pressure. If she’d been alone, she would have come immediately. She lifted it from her clit, then pressed it down again.

  “I can’t wait.”

  “You can and you will. I like watching you. Talk to me. Tell me how it feels.”

  “Good.” She moved it down her folds, pausing at her entrance.

  “You can do better than that. Really talk to me, or stop now, without an orgasm. Tell me all the nasty things you want me to do to you.”

  She pushed the vibrator inside, moving it back and forth. Images of submitting to TK flittered through her mind, setting her nerve endings on fire. Mixed in with those images, though, were horrible things she’d done on demand from Guest.

  “I…Milord. I can’t.”

  Helena pulled the vibrator out from her pussy, moving her fingers to turn it off.

  “No, keep going.” He stood and unzipped his jeans. “You play and I’ll talk.”

  He took out his cock and stroked it. Helena’s eyes widened. His cock was long and thick and he grasped it in his fist and pumped it several times.

  “You like that?”

  “Yes, Milord.” She put the vibrator back on her clit, her eyes fastened on his cock. All images of Guest fled as she licked her lips in anticipation of tasting TK, of feeling him slide between her lips.

  “You can have it, but not tonight. Later, much later, I’m going to fuck that sweet mouth, that delicious pussy, and stick my hard dick up your tight ass.”

  His words sent shock waves through her body. “I wanna come. Please.”

  “Not yet. I’m not done. You know what else I’m going to do?”

  “What?” She tossed her head from side to side, trying to concentrate on anything but the orgasm that threatened to burst forth at any second.

  “I’m going to make you tell me every naughty thing you’ve ever done, and then we’ll recreate it, TK fashion. I’m going to wipe all those bad memories away and replace them with me, with my lips, with my hands, with my dick.”