Provoked

by Riley Murphy

  She did more than that when she turned and softly face-planted against his chest, inhaling a deep breath. After she released it he heard her whisper to herself, “Hmm…he smells so good.”

  For once, Neil didn’t know what to do with a woman. He should have eased her away from him and told her to go to the cuffs, but she smelled good too. She felt even better pressed up against him and when she tilted her head back and looked up? A shot of adrenaline rocketed through him. She was one of those women. The kind that spoke to a man with her eyes. And what was that glimmering aqua gaze conveying to him at the moment?

  Fuck me. Take me. Make me. Break me, until I’m even more in lust with you.

  Chapter Seven

  Neil blew out a steadying breath and did what he should have done from the start. He gently pushed her away and said, “You know better than to pull this kind of shit on me. Stop topping from the bottom and go to the corner. We have one more vanilla trial to get through, and then you’re all mine to school.”

  He was more than a little surprised she didn’t argue or deny his accusation. Everything he’d learned about her told him she was the quintessential brat. With that in mind, he watched her slow and unsteady gait as she went to the far side of the room and had to wonder if her sub frenzy-like demeanor was a ploy of some kind to soften him up. Recalling how she’d invited trouble by playing for pay with that photographer and his wife made all his goodwill vanish. Max had said she was special. That she did things, and now he knew what that Dom was referring to.

  His already narrowed eyes narrowed even further when he saw what occupied her now. “Catherine? What are you doing?” he asked, as he made his way to her.

  “I’m putting on the cuffs.” She twisted to look at him. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

  He didn’t answer until he had undone the mess she’d made of his dual buckled restraints. He was also counting to ten because any sub, even a novice one, would know better than to touch a Dom’s equipment without being asked to. “I’m wondering why you’re trying to goad me.”

  “I didn’t mean to. You’re very good with those.”

  He fastened the last buckle, but still held onto it, looking down. There was no guile, no tease, or taunt in her expression, just the truth. As if she thought she’d paid him a compliment…which she hadn’t. “I should think so.” He let go and stepped back. “What game are you playing, little girl?”

  She dropped her gaze before replying, “Haunted Scrooge.”

  That made him smile. “I’m glad we’re on the same page. So.” He hooked a finger under her chin and pulled up. Such a solemn little tiger. Obviously being naked and forced to stretch on tip-toe while locked in his cuffs was a humbling position for her. “Now that we’ve dealt with two of the vanilla ghosts of your past, I think you’re ready to face the last one. Consider it an exorcism. I want you to close your eyes and think about my kind of holy trinity.”

  After she closed her eyes, she said, “Okay. Ready.”

  “A belt, a ball gag, and a set of vibrating nipple clamps.”

  Her brows furrowed and she licked her lips, but she still didn’t open her eyes. “Nice. No holy ghost?”

  Blinking at her sheer audacity, he dropped his hand. She wanted nice? He may as well give it to her. “Ass plug.”

  “Neil…sir? Where are you going?”

  He sent a quick check over his shoulder as he went to collect the items, and shook his head. “Turn back around and face the wall. I didn’t give you permission to move.”

  “I forgot. Sorry. But where are you going? Are you coming back?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “It’s dark over here.”

  Not for long. He was almost grateful for the reminder, as he tracked down a couple of the battery operated lanterns. He liked their light as they gave off a soft flattering glow and could be strategically placed around a sub in a scene. Far better than overhead lighting or God forbid candles.

  “It’s cold too.”

  That would be taken care of in a matter of minutes once he turned up the heat. The kind that his already pre-set thermostat had nothing to do with.

  “Sir?”

  He grabbed a towel and decided since she’d addressed him properly, he’d answer her. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

  “Great. Okay. Don’t we have to talk about limits? What about a safe word?”

  “Catherine.” She gave a small jerk when he came up behind her and breathed these words into her hair. “We aren’t exploring limits at the moment. We have one more ghost to expel and it isn’t holy, it’s more vanilla; then, if you like, we can have that talk. Keep in mind that I already know all about your limits and your cute little safe word, so you can rest easy about that. Do you know what this is?”

  He held up the fully lubed slim plug in front of her expecting her to follow his lead and simply tell him, but she didn’t.

  “Yes, sir. It’s definitely one of the items on my hard limits list.”

  He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the back of her head. “I’m going to ask you again. Why are you trying to bait me?”

  “I’m not. At least not on purpose.”

  “I studied your risks sheet. It tells a different story. According to your answers the item in question is not one of your hard limits. It wasn’t even identified as one of your soft ones.”

  “I filled that out a long time ago.”

  “You updated it less than two months ago.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “People change, you know. They have things that happen to them that break them a little and the things they could tolerate before aren’t tolerable now. If the people around them cared enough to listen they’d get that.”

  Neil shifted, rubbing his jaw across the top of her head and down one side, stopping next to her ear. “I listen, but since you’re wanting to make a point here, I’ll address it. We are all born broken and cracked. It’s those imperfections that make us different. Did you make a mistake and someone close to you didn’t forgive you for it? Is that it?”

  “No. Wh-what are you doing?”

  “I’m giving you the chance to speak, before the option is taken from you.”

  “No, that’s not what I meant.” She let out a soft groan and tried to move away. “Back there.”

  “This.” He pressed the plug closer. “Have you changed so much that you want to use your safe word over this, Catherine?”

  “N-no.”

  Neil waited until she settled before he pressed the plug more intimately against her puckered skin. He took his time preparing her there. It had been years since he’d had to seduce a sub to want something like this. Normally his direct attention alone had them ready and waiting for whatever he planned to do next. Not her. She made him work before her muscles eased and accepted half of the toy inside her. The fact that he had to strictly force her in this, with an “I’m taking no prisoners” attitude, was also new. What a fucking rush…for both of them he decided, hearing her husky little gasp.

  “Oh…”

  “Deep breath, tiger.” He pressed and pushed until the slender toy was fully seated. “You doing okay?”

  “Yes.”

  But was she? While one hand had guided the plug into her, his other was curled around her rib cage, resting just under her breast, against the steady beat of her heart. The pounding felt like a good kind of panic. A reaction he’d created and elicited from her. If he wasn’t careful he’d follow the draw of wanting to do more to her before he should. This was a lesson, and no time for play. But damn, he wanted to. It was almost as if someone had told her what he needed and she was acting the part. He’d be terribly disappointed if he found out there was any truth to that in her current behavior.

  Walking around to stand in front of her, he took the ball gag out of his back pocket and held it up. “Do you have anything you want to say? Something to confess perhaps, before I fasten this on you?”


  “No, I’m ready.”

  She was so sincere he had to fight the urge to haul her up for a hug. “Such a little soldier. We’re not going to war. Not yet. Open your mouth.”

  He moved in close, continuing to speak in hushed tones. For some reason, maybe because she’d asked him about it earlier, he wanted her to know how much he loved this particular item. “Do you know why this ball is a favorite of mine?” He lifted her chin and said, “No, don’t answer. It was a rhetorical question.”

  He almost groaned at the tentative way she nodded and then leaned forward to offer her open mouth to him. The silky heat of her saliva wetting his skin as he pushed the ball into her got him hard. His cock ached to be enjoying that welcoming warmth instead of his leather.

  “It goes behind your teeth, honey. It’s not a bit. Very good.” He positioned the ball the way he wanted it and then brought the two straps around either side of her head and fastened it at the back before pulling away to view his handiwork. “This is what I love. The leather ball fills a place inside you I want to spend time in. It forces these lips,” he gave the orb one last caress and then outlined the stretched ‘O’ her mouth made, “to stay open. I like my women open. But even that can’t compare to this.” He gripped the hair on either side of her head that was pushed up in a messy bow from where he’d fastened the leather straps. “It’s as if there are two hands holding your head, gripping your hair to force you to remain looking at me. I love that best, because that’s what I want to do. I want to put my hands in your hair and tug it until you move the way I want you to. Until you’re forced and focused in on what I want you to see.”

  He noted that her eyes were glazing over again. Were mere words affecting her, or was it her favorite toy—according to her profile, the plug? “I know you don’t like these.” He dug in his front pocket and pulled out the set of bubblegum pink nipple clamps to show her. He didn’t care much for the color, but out of the three battery-operated sets he’d purchased from his supplier, these worked best. They had a good bite on them and they vibrated more steadily than the other two.

  “I read in your information that your breasts are very sensitive. Unfortunately, this is the tradeoff for giving you something you love; the plug. I know you’re used to being spanked with one inserted, so I wanted you to feel right at home, but…” He moved one of the plastic clamps in a circle around her right breast until her nipple spiked. Then he clipped it on her and smiled before he slid the switch, making it vibrate. “That’s all you’re going to get in way of familiar comfort. You don’t like the belt either, that’s why I think you chose it that afternoon with Eric. You’re acting out for some reason and I intend to find out why. Tonight.”

  He mimicked the same circle on her other breast, although he needn’t have bothered as her left nipple was hard and ready for the clamp before he started. As he fit it on her he gauged her reaction. He was expecting a wince or a moan as the clamps did have some weight to them. But taking a moment to study her, he frowned. Her eyes had gone shiny, and instead of the pleading they were supposed to be doing, her gaze was sultry and languid.

  Her being comfortably turned on wasn’t part of the plan. Maybe he shouldn’t have caved when he gave her something to enjoy. Although, now that he thought about it, she seemed to enjoy the installation of the nipple pinchers more than she had the insertion of the plug. Was she playing him?

  “Widen your stance as far as you can.” He went to get the belt and when he returned she was doing a damn fine job. “Very good. Ass out a little more.” He helped her adjust before he doubled up the belt and tapped the loop over the full surface of her ass cheeks a few times. It was going to hurt whether he did this or not. Truth was, he wanted it to, but not so badly that she’d hate him for it. That thought unsettled him. He liked the little spitfire. It would be a shame if she wound up hating him.

  The belt is nothing compared to what comes next.

  He better get used to the hate. Dragging the edge of the loop down her back from shoulder to hip, he spoke calmly, “Three strikes. You’re getting as good as you gave. If you’re smart you’ll relax into the strapping when it comes. Tensing up will only make it hurt more. Are you ready?”

  He brought the loop down to the underside of one of her bottom cheeks and lifted. Making the one cheek crush into the other, knowing full well what the action was doing to that plug while he watched and gauged her mood. Surely she wasn’t languid and turned on anymore? He was just admiring the nice arch of her back that displayed her bottom beautifully, when he saw it. Not a shake, but a tremble. A little shiver of ecstasy if he wasn’t mistaken. Why? She didn’t like belts.

  You’re very intimidating and the thought of you touching me like that makes me…restless.

  Was this why she was being so contrary tonight? Was she aching to be dominated by a man who was genuinely aching to do it?

  He let one part of the belt drop so that it hung straight down and then positioned himself. The sight of her stretched up naked, shivering, and waiting for his discipline filled him with a sense of rightness he hadn’t felt in a long time. It wasn’t ego, it was more than that. Deeper.

  Without a word he pulled back and let the belt connect with her bottom.

  One slap of the strap and she remained firmly planted. A second slap, slightly harder, and she fell forward. He went to reach out to her and then stopped himself. Catherine needed a firm hand and someone to guide her who wasn’t going to bend or break when she did. With that in mind he ordered, “Back into position.”

  She didn’t even try to readjust. She stayed right where she was and slowly danced on her tip-toes. Not in an “oh this burns like hell” kind of way, her movement was similar to someone who was dancing in place. The way she moved was sexy and inviting at the same time.

  “Catherine.” He dropped his arm and walked around, coming in front of her. “I told you to…” The minute he saw her he lost his train of thought and all he could do was stare. She was flying a world away from where they stood. Her eyes, God, those eyes did more than speak when she was like this. He’d had subs slip so deeply their very being screamed fuck me. He was used to that, but this was different. Just like when she’d told her story there was an infinite softness in the silent plea. Her gaze was making love…to him.

  His mouth went dry and his heart hammered in his chest. She was fucking begging him, pleading with him to do more with what? The belt? She wasn’t into pain, was she?

  He looped the strap again and raised her chin with it. “You look like you want something from me. Is this what you want, tiger?” He tapped the leather lightly against her jaw and she didn’t even blink. That’s when he noticed the gooseflesh that rode her skin. She was flying alright.

  He scowled. Catherine was an experienced sub, according to her risks sheet and from what Max had told him about her. Hell, even his own guys who knew nothing about the lifestyle could attest to that fact about her. So why was she sinking so fast into subspace? Once again instinct told him he was looking at sub-frenzy here, but that couldn’t be right.

  You, she’d said earlier. Maybe he was the game-changer. There was only one way to find out. Carefully he turned off each clamp. Without breaking eye contact he moved to take off the left one and sucked in a breath. Instead of shirking away as he expected, she arched forward into his touch.

  That’s when he stopped thinking. And when he stopped keeping her at arm’s length by being the distant and unemotional Dom. For her he needed to be close emotionally and totally in tune with what her body was telling him. Oh, she’d still get her punishment, but he’d toss the textbook “an eye for eye” method aside and use his own unique skills to heighten the experience.

  With the clamps off he let the rough side of the strap ride over her tortured breasts. So firmly on the occasional pass that she moaned. This was the other reason he loved the ball. Even though she was enjoying this rough play, she sounded like she was suffering.

  “You like a firm hand.” He
pulled the belt straight down from the spot between her fully engorged breasts to her center. Following its descent he stopped right at the apex of her legs. “Let’s see how much.” Parting her beautiful folds, he let the leather slip between them. She was soaked and when the scent of her filled the air between them he tore his gaze from her glistening flesh and looked up. “I want to own this.” He crushed the leather into the swollen bundle of nerve endings slick with her desire, and then curled down to whisper next to her ear, “When I’m done with you, you’re going to want that too.”

  This time there’d be nothing to remind her of home, because for the next while his place was going to be her only sanctuary. He gave her one soft spank with the leather against her clit and then shifted to take hold of her hips, drawing her forward and pulling her up so that her pussy rode the bulge of his cock through his pants.

  “Easy. I didn’t say you could do that. Stay still while I—”

  She groaned and dropped her head forward, nuzzling her nose against his shirt.

  There was no need for him to explain further, as she got the gist. He hugged her close, dislodging the plug, and dropped it onto the nearby towel. Then he took hold of the leather tie on the left side of her head and anchored his fist around it, pulling back so she was forced to look up at him. “There, now we’ll do this my way.” She groaned when he pushed the loop of the belt between her legs and pulsed it into her in a steady rhythmic motion. “Let’s see how many times I can make you come before your legs are too shaky to support you. When you’re fighting to stand then we’ll finish with your punishment. No, don’t close your eyes.” He reined her in closer with the leather tie and held her brilliant stare, coming down until they were nose to nose. “I want to see the color your eyes turn when you fall apart in my arms. Are they a lighter blue, or a deeper green? Will they sell me promises you’ll have to keep? Will they beg me to push you to the edge of reason? Will they cry for me? We’ll see, won’t we?”