by Maren Smith
Her throat contracted with a mixture of fear and arousal as she met his hard gaze.
“Keep me from what is mine again, and you will be fiercely punished,” he warned, cupping her mound with his free hand. His voice was thicker and deeper now, nearly unrecognizable with its guttural twang.
Before she could catch her breath, he entered her with three fingers, breaking past her barrier with abandon, giving no heed to the fact that she wasn’t ready for him. Her gasp of pain seemed to excite him. Beady eyes darkened and dilated. His fingers plunged in and out of her tight hole, fast and hard. Her throat dried, and her breathing grew labored.
Her tongue darted between her lips, wetting the chapped skin, and he took the opportunity, his mouth closing over hers in a kiss that was all-consuming. He shoved his body against hers until there was no space between them and the hard, cold stone of the wall abraded her bare skin.
Her hands stayed tight against the wall. She feared touching him, she had never seen him like this and had no idea how he would react if she dared to disobey. She was, as he said, no longer her own woman, but his. The blatant ownership hit her hard and heavy, filling her with sensations she had never felt. When he teased her clit with the tip of his thumb, she cried out, slapping an open hand against his broad chest.
She knew immediately that it was a mistake. Her heart was beating out of her chest while she waited to see what he would do. Was he going to keep his word and punish her? What did that even mean?
She didn’t have to wait long to find out.
He caught her around the base of her throat with one large hand, adding just enough pressure to restrict her breathing, but not choke her.
Panic rose in her chest, but she held back the urge to fight, reminding herself that this was still her Nick.
Leaning close to her ear, he whispered thickly, “You’re going to pay now, brat,” as his free hand snaked around to the back of her neck, grabbing a large handful of her honey brown locks. He used her hair as a lever, pulling her away from the wall. His right hand remained tight against her throat as he threw her onto the bed.
“I ought to spank that tight little ass of yours,” he growled, as he advanced, covering her body with his own. “But there’s no time, so I think I’ll just fuck you good and hard instead.”
Her head bobbed up and down in response, and he stilled her with a light smack across her left cheek. His fingertips barely connected enough to sting, though the action itself was enough to shock her into compliance.
“I’m going to take you hard, brat, and make you mine in such a way that you won’t be able to forget for the remainder of the mission who it is you answer to.”
While she was still trying to process his threat, his hands left her hair and throat, moving to the waistband of his pants where they quickly moved to unhook his belt, a gesture that claimed her breath with much more force than his hand on her neck had.
He had said he wasn’t going to spank her, but he wasn’t just unhooking his belt to undo his pants. He was slowly and methodically pulling it from each and every loop with a loud and sharp snap.
Finally, he held it in his grasp.
She couldn’t look away as he folded it over and pulled the stiff leather end through the metal buckle once again, pulling until he had a small loop attached to a long strip of leather.
“Hands above your head,” he commanded, in such a way that had her obeying instantly and without thought.
Her rapid breaths slowed and stilled as he carefully pulled her hands together and slid the loop over the both of them, tightening it until there was no give.
“Do not move,” he instructed, using that voice again.
She didn’t dare disobey. Lying there, half on and half off the bed, with her arms extended above her head, and her wrists tightly bound, she remained as still as possible.
Finally, he unhooked the button of his jeans. Her eyes followed the trail of his zipper as it descended its track, exposing a pair of tight, black boxer briefs.
His dark eyes raked over her body as he swiftly pulled the tight jeans off of his body, kicking them into a pile on the floor.
When his hands hooked into the waistband of his briefs, her mouth opened into an ‘o’ of protest.
Catching her eye, he shook his head, packing enough warning into the simple gesture that her mouth snapped shut of its own volition.
A single push of the cotton fabric and his erection sprang free, hard and angry.
He took two steps toward her, and she began to tremble. This was it. He was going to fuck her now, whether she liked it or not.
“Terri. Terri! Earth to T!” Nick’s voice changed, dropping to its normal range. Instead of rough and grumbly it was smooth like butter. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion as he waved a hand in front of her face and then lightly grabbed her shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. “Terri! Are you okay?”
She shook her head in confusion. Why was he asking if she was okay all of a sudden? He hadn’t cared a moment ago. He was about to practically rape her, for God’s sake.
Wait, this is real life.
She came to, pulling herself from her fog in time to see the large, luxury bus pull up along the sidewalk in front of them and roll to a stop.
With a deep, shaky breath, she leaned heavily into Nick’s embrace as she struggled to separate fantasy from reality. One foot in front of the other, she reminded herself, as they formed a line to board the bus.
Nick gave her a squeeze and smiled, offering her his hand. “Ready to go, little sub?”
She rolled her eyes and smiled but took his offered hand and let him guide her onto the bus after everyone else was boarded. Champ sniffed each person as the trio made their way to the very back where their luggage was being loaded. He got a few sideways looks from the men, but most of the women cooed at him. As part of their cover he wore a vest that read ‘Therapy Dog’ and she wore a set of hearing aids. They weren’t only for show though. One could be used as a small listening device and the other was a recorder. She had been warned about their importance and expense and threatened with desk duty should anything happen to them.
Nick assessed the situation and gave her the clear with a nod. Relieved, she sank onto the backseat, calming when Champ settled into the space near her feet, sitting up on his haunches and fully alert. She rested her hand atop his head, and he gave a low whimper. Poor dog. He could feel her distress. Good thing dogs didn’t understand everything. It was especially good that he was trained to sniff out bombs and guns, not sexual arousal.
‘Cause oh God, was she aroused. Her intense trip into fantasy land had left her panties soaked with the juices of her sex. So much for staying focused on the job. They hadn’t even made it to the fuck fortress yet, and she had transformed into some kind of desperate, hungry, nymphomaniac, wannabe sex kitten. And she apparently had some dark and fucked-up fantasies. Nick could never find out. He was about as innocent and all-American as they came. If he knew about the fucked-up thoughts she was having, it would just be another item to add to the never-ending list of reasons they would never work.
The doors of the bus closed, and she forced herself to turn her attention to the front of the bus where the driver was speaking into a handheld intercom as he welcomed them all with a friendly wave. “Allow me to be the first to welcome you to the Castle. We have a short trip to the front entrance where you will find the admission tables. Please take a moment to make sure you have all the necessary paperwork.”
Terri glanced at Nick questioningly, and he nodded. Opening the folder again, she pulled out the paperwork Nick had filled out for her. Skipping over the first few pages of basic information like name and date of birth, she went straight for the kink stuff. They were pretending to be married so as to easily blend in with the other guests, but what exactly was that supposed to entail? Would they have to do things in public? Would she have to get naked in front of people? Her body tensed and Nick grabbed her hand.
“Relax, you wi
ll be fine. I promise. You need to trust me.”
Trust. She could do trust, especially with Nick. He had never let her down in the past; he wouldn’t start now. The mission was too important. Lives were at stake.
Reading the packet did not ease her mind so she closed the folder once more, making a silent promise to herself that she would study it in their room later. The bus bumped along the gravel drive, and she strained her eyes to catch glimpses of the buildings through the trees, but not much could be seen from the road. The trees led into beautiful meadows and fields full of wheat.
The bus came to a stop in front of a gigantic, medieval, stone-block structure. The pamphlet boasted about it being a fifteenth-century Scottish castle rebuilt brick by brick, but no amount of description or even pictures could have prepared her for the overwhelming feelings it instilled. It was truly stunning. The massive stone castle dominated the area and the air sparked with excited energy as the guests filed out and headed for the registration tables. Costumed men flitted around the back of the bus retrieving the luggage.
“Ready?” Nick asked, giving her an encouraging nudge, toward the crowd.
Terri shook her head and groaned. “No, but we can’t turn back now.”
Trying her best to ignore the lump of dread forming in the pit of her stomach, and the fantasies still occupying her brain, she turned to Champ. “How ‘bout you, boy? You ready for this big job?”
He panted and wagged his tail, giving the leash a tiny tug to get her moving. At least one of them was excited about it.
“Guess it’s time.” Her feet felt as if they were full of lead as she began to file off the bus, with Champ in front of her and Nick close behind her.
“That’s my girl,” Nick cooed in her ear. She could feel him smirking.
“Keep that shit up and I swear I am going to kick you right in the jewels.”
Chapter 3
The tables were set up by last name and Terri had to look to Nick for help. They were supposed to be married, but she didn’t know what last name he had chosen.
His jaw clenched and he pointed to the name on the top of the file folder. O’Connor. Only a few letters off from her real name. He was making this as easy as possible on her and all she’d done was complain. She hung her head in guilt and followed behind him as he headed to the table marked ‘M-O’ where a dark-haired woman in her mid-to-late twenties was waiting with a welcoming smile.
“Welcome to the Castle, Mr.…”
“O’Connor,” Nick answered smoothly, removing a few papers from the folder and handing them over.
“Nice to meet you, sir. I hope you and your wife enjoy your vacation. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to ask. Any of the Castle staff will be able to assist you.” She thumbed through the paperwork and glanced down at Champ. “He’s beautiful.” She smiled at Champ, and he let out a friendly bark.
“He’s a ladies’ man,” Nick joked with ease. “I made sure his health records and license were in there as well.”
The woman nodded. “There is a note right here on your folder. Everything is in order and you three are set to go.”
Terri watched their easy exchange and noticed the girl hadn’t even given her a second look. Was that normal behavior? Was she going to be ignored the whole time they were here? It could be good for the mission if she could move around unnoticed, but it still irked her. She felt overlooked every day at work; she didn’t need it here, also. She was already pissed about having to spend her weekend at this overpriced fuck fortress.
“Go ahead and take a seat, orientation will start in just a few moments,” the woman said, waving them off so she could assist the next couple in line.
Terri snagged the folder from Nick’s hand and turned toward the building. Not far from the front entrance steps was a single step dais with a podium surrounded by simple folding chairs. Hugging the envelope to her chest, she abandoned Nick and walked Champ to the back row. Nick caught up and hooked her elbow.
“Slow down, T. I know you’re nervous and you are not the only one, but you need to stay close to me. Subs don’t go gallivanting around without their Doms in a place like this. It raises questions.”
She was really tired of being told what subs did and didn’t do all the time, especially since they hadn’t been here five minutes. And what was with Nick, anyway? His entire demeanor had changed the moment the captain had handed them the assignment packet.
Her eyes narrowed, and she pegged her partner with a scrutinizing glare. “First of all, Nicholas, might I remind you that I am not a sub; I am a cop and a damn good one at that. And second of all, how do you know what subs do and don’t do at a place like this?”
“I just do.” Nick’s voice was firm and his face a mask that gave away nothing. “Now call me Nathan and cut the crap or you’re going to ruin this mission before it begins.”
His harsh words stung, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the yucky feelings she had about this place. And she wasn’t one to fake being happy when she wasn’t.
“I’m going to get tired of being babysat all the time.” She pouted.
“Tough,” Nick scoffed, softening a little. “It’s for the mission and to keep up appearances. We have to do our best to blend in, you know that. Now, stop your whining and complaining. Save it for the privacy of our own room, okay?”
Feeling chastised, she nodded and sank onto one of the hard-folding chairs. Nick sat beside her, plucking the small manila envelope from her grasp, and dumping the contents into his hand. “This is yours.” He handed her a yellow bracelet and put white and yellow bracelets on himself.
“What do these mean?” she asked, waiting for the simple piece of rubber to reveal its nefarious purpose.
“Put it on,” Nick instructed. All his softness was gone. Terri had mixed feelings about the firm tone and gruff instruction, but she knew he was right. Even if she didn’t like it, this was a job, and her attitude would put them at risk if she didn’t get with the program. “Yellow is the domestics program and white is for the Dominants.”
“I still can’t believe I have to pretend to be a fucking maid,” she grumbled as she slipped the bracelet on and instantly felt the loss of herself. She stared down at her wrist with disdain. She did not want to be here. This would forever go down in her personal history as the worst assignment ever.
“Well, believe it and get over it. You don’t have to like it, but you better at least pretend because if I have to discipline you, I will.”
Her stomach flipped, and her eyes narrowed as she scowled at him. “You wouldn’t dare. That’s not part of the deal, Nick.”
He jerked his body toward hers and took her chin between his finger and thumb, forcing her to look at him as he spoke. “Listen to me, Terri, and listen good, because this is the last time I am going to explain this to you.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded as best she could with her chin trapped. If he was any other man on the planet she would have flipped him onto his back and broken those two possessive fingers and one more for good measure.
“You need to change your attitude about this place and focus. This is our job. I’m doing my part, and you need to do yours. Period, end of story. If you do that, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. If you don’t, I will help motivate you by any means possible. Got it?”
At that moment, the massive doors to the Castle opened and a tall, regal looking woman approached the podium. She had a confident air about her, and when she spoke, the crowd fell silent.
“Good morning,” she addressed them, clasping her hands over her stomach, her cool voice carrying easily across the open courtyard. “I am Mrs. Hardwick, both Mistress and head housekeeper here at the Castle. I hope you’ve all had a pleasant trip thus far. I know you’re eager to get started, but there are some rules that must be gone over before we separate Dominants from submissives and your fantasy adventures are allowed to begin.
“First an
d foremost, this is a consensual establishment. That means consent must be given at all times, by all submissives each and every time play is enacted, for each and every aspect of play enacted, every single second of every single day, even when that play focuses on the illusion of non-consent. No means no, ladies and gentlemen, even here. To break this rule means, at a minimum, you will be expelled from the premises. At most, you’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of local jurisdiction. Every room, elevator, stairwell, darkly-lit corridor, and dungeon cell has cameras and voice-activated microphones and is never more than two minutes away from a rapid-response security team. Unfortunately, since ‘no’ only rarely ever means ‘stop’ in a BDSM crowd, even when you’re tied over a wooden horse with a ginger plug and bullwhip making very short work of your resolve not to scream, the Castle operates under a universal safeword: onion.
“You can say onion or onions, it doesn’t matter. The immediate result is going to be the activation of every camera in the room. The microphones will switch on and one of the guards on duty will demand an immediate cessation of play. Security will be deployed, and they will not be stopped or waylaid until they reach the submissive in question. For that reason, I always recommend that you arrange a mediary word that you or your play partner can use to slow or stop the intensity of your play without bringing the entire Castle guard charging down upon you.” The crowd tittered nervously at the threat, and Mrs. Hardwick continued without pause.
“But, Mrs. Hardwick, you ask. What if we’re gagged? How will we be able to use the safeword then? You can’t. Which is why gags are never permitted anywhere on the premises except under a very special set of circumstances. The Dominant will need to apply for permission, the submissive will need to give her consent, and her consent must be witnessed by the Master of the Castle. The play will then occur in a specific area of the Castle, and believe me when I tell you, you may be the only two people in the room, but you will never be alone when gags are in play. You will be observed from the moment you enter, until the moment you leave. Cameras randomly monitor all areas of the Castle at all hours of the day and night. Anyone caught using a gag outside of these set parameters will be automatically charged with breaking the rule of consent and immediate action will be taken to protect the submissive.