“I’m sorry about yesterday.”
The relief Aaron felt at Sasha’s words was damn near crushing. He still didn’t understand everything, and he wouldn’t until she felt comfortable opening herself up completely to him. The fact that she was even at his favorite bar had to be a good sign.
Except for the fact that when he’d seen her, she’d looked fucking terrified. God, he’d never seen that expression on her face and never wanted to again. He’d stormed over there, ready to plant himself between her and the object of her fear. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said he could kill that man. It had taken more willpower than he’d realized he possessed to keep from knocking out that guy.
Now that he had her in his arms, he was finding it very hard to let her go. Thankfully, she didn’t seem too eager to push him away. That both made him happy at her progress with him and a little irritated that she could so easily leave him alone in bed without another thought if she was so comfortable with him here.
But she’d just apologized. Hell, he didn’t know what was going on in that sexy little head of hers, and that was the damn problem.
Deciding to be the one to let go first, he nudged her back to her stool and took the one vacated by that douche lucky enough to still be breathing air.
“Why did you go?” he asked softly. When the bartender approached, Aaron glanced up and gave a negative shake of his head. He didn’t want to be interrupted, and he knew Matt would leave him alone until Aaron called him back for his order.
“I-I’m not sure.”
He watched as she darted her gaze around, avoiding him. He knew then that she was lying to him.
He did not tolerate that.
“Sasha,” he said in the tone he knew had subs scrambling to right their wrongs. Her head snapped up. “I don’t like being lied to. Now answer my question. Truthfully.”
Her eyes squinted. “I don’t like being bossed around.”
“You haven’t seen bossy. Yet.”
She gritted her teeth. “Look, I know you’re like, a Dom or something, but I don’t like being controlled. I said I was sorry. Can we just leave it at that?”
He hadn’t expected her to bring up the lifestyle, but now that she had, he had every intention of laying it all out there for her.
When he took her hand into his, she didn’t pull away. She probably thought he was letting it go and accepting her apology. Hell, he’d accepted her actions yesterday as he watched her sneak out. But that wasn’t what he wanted to talk about now that she’d broached the BDSM topic. He wanted to make sure she understood his involvement in it. “Yes, I am a Dom. I like having control in the bedroom. I had a slave once, but I didn’t like it.”
She blanched the moment the word slave left his lips and tried easing her hand away from his, but he held fast. He didn’t want her to fear him, and her instinct just now had been borne out of that emotion.
“What you don’t understand is the community is not black and white. There are so many shades of gray from all the different variations one could combine. It’s not one way or the other. Just because someone is into BDSM doesn’t mean they want it all. Yes, it’s about kink, but it’s about finding what works for you.”
“And what works for you?” she asked, anger tinting her words.
He tried tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, but the short piece flopped back into place. He smiled as he watched it, and then looked at her. “Just what I said. I like control. I like topping women. Submission is a gift. In actuality, it’s the sub that holds all the cards. They are the ones that give the control, and at any time they can take it away.”
She shook her head, and he knew it was because she couldn’t wrap her thoughts around what he’d said.
He looked around his favorite bar, making a decision he knew could ruin any chance at happiness with Sasha, but if they were going to move forward, it was something he needed to do.
“Since you like this hangout, let me show you my other one.”
Her eyes popped. “What?”
“I’m a member of a BDSM club called Boundaries. I’d like to take you there.”
When she started shaking her head, he slipped his hands onto her cheeks and held it still, his gaze boring into hers.
“I want you to see it. I think you need to.” When she stared at him, he sighed, shutting his eyes. “Please, baby.”
He heard her small gasp and then felt her nod her agreement. When he looked up at her, she still looked a little panicked, but there was something else there, too.
Curiosity.
And that, he could work with.
Chapter 9
This was a den of iniquity if Sasha ever saw one. Women were scantily clad … if they were dressed at all … with the exception of a few wearing leather that were with a group of men similarly dressed, all chatting and drinking.
And one woman held what looked like a leash that led to a collar on a man on his hands and knees, crawling around like some kind of dog.
Another man—she guessed—was dressed up in some bear outfit. She only guessed it was a man because he’d pushed a woman—she knew it was a woman, even though she was dressed as a cat, because her girly bits were on display—to her knees and she was sucking him off.
What. The. Fuck?
She’d seen some freaky shit in her life, but—
Okay, no she hadn’t. Not until now. This went far beyond anything she’d seen before. She’d entered the sex fiend Twilight Zone … or better yet, the Hotel Coitus California. Where people came anytime they wanted. Literally.
“There is no judgment here,” Aaron murmured beside her.
She looked at him. “I’d have to know how to process all of this before I even attempted any pretense of judgment.”
He cocked one eyebrow as he watched her. “This is a safe place for people to enjoy doing what they love. You don’t have to agree with everybody’s choices. You just have to respect them.”
Yeah, all right. She could understand that. She guessed. She’d opened her mouth to say something to that effect when she heard a woman beside them.
“Master Aaron. I didn’t know you would be here tonight.”
Master Aaron? Master Aaron?
“Gabriella.” Aaron nodded stiffly at her.
“I want to thank you again— ”
“I’m busy right now, Gabriella,” he said coldly. “Be a good pet and leave me to it.”
Pet? Holy shit.
The woman swallowed. “Yes, Sir.” She stepped away. Sasha had to force her gasp down when the woman turned. She had red marks all along her back.
She looked at Aaron, who was watching her very closely.
“Why does she have…” Sasha pointed to the retreating woman’s marred back.
Aaron grabbed her hand and pulled it down. She knew it was rude to point, but it didn’t seem manners were the order of business around her. “Because she’s into pain. It’s her kink. Like I said, there’s no judgment here.”
She felt the blood fall out of her face. “So that woman likes to get beat the hell up and then what? Fucked?”
“That’s a very condescending way to phrase it, but yes.”
“Why would anybody— ”
He cupped her face. “I don’t want to talk about her or anybody else walking around. I want to talk about you.” He moved closer to her and whispered, “And me. That’s all.”
Okay, so it wasn’t her business what other people were into. She could understand that. And he was right. She needed to know what all Aaron was into. “And what about you?”
His face softened, his hand stroking her cheek. “Come with me.”
He took her hand and led her away. They went down a hall, and he opened a door to the right. He pulled her in as he turned on the light. She took in the room, which seemed nonthreatening enough.
Then she heard the click of the lock. She turned, gasping.
“I just don’t want any interruptions.”
“And why is that?�
�� What did he have planned? Was he planning on turning her into some slave for him? She liked this man. A whole hell of a lot in fact, but she wasn’t willing to be his doormat. She’d never allow a man to control her like that again.
“Relax,” he said softly. “I just want to spend some time alone with you. We can talk. For now.”
“For now?” she squeaked.
He chuckled. “Jesus, woman, I’m not going to attack you. I just want to help you understand this side of my life. That’s all.”
She laughed nervously as she sat on the edge of the bed. “What’s there to understand?” She shrugged. “You already told me you like the control.”
He stepped slowly toward her and took a seat on the bed just a few inches away. “True, but I think you’re missing the biggest issue of all.”
“Really? What’s that?”
“Trust.”
She blinked. “I don’t understand.”
He smiled crookedly at her. “I know. That’s why I want to help you make sense of it.” He took a deep breath. “For me, topping a woman is about bringing her pleasure. I only get it if she does. You have to be able to let go completely to get lost in the sensation, and the only way you can do that is if you trust your partner. No matter how temporary that partnership is.”
“So having control turns you on?” Her heart began to race, and she forced herself not to look at his crotch to see if he was reaching the state in question already.
“Very much so.” His voice dropped lower, and her stomach clenched at how sexy he sounded.
Could she give up control? To him? Just in the bedroom?
Was she totally mental just thinking about it? She had to be out of her mind.
“I don’t think I could ever do something like that.”
“Have you ever tried it?”
How should she answer that? She wanted to hide the truth, but she knew she couldn’t keep hiding from it. There was only one way to respond. “Not willingly, no.”
Something flashed in his eyes before it was quickly banked. “You’ve been forced to do things you didn’t want to do?”
She licked her lips and whispered, “Yes.”
He shut his eyes as his body flinched. She glanced down at him and couldn’t help noticing his hands were now fisted at his sides. When he opened his eyes again, his jaw worked before any words came out. “Your ex.”
It wasn’t a question.
She nodded anyway.
He seemed to be battling something, and she suddenly felt wary being alone with him. She looked around the room, gaze settling on the door. Her response seemed to trigger a decision in him because he gripped her face and gently turned her focus back to him.
“I want you to trust me.”
She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he moved closer and his mouth claimed hers in a hot, slow kiss. She melted beside him, and the moment she became boneless, he hoisted her up and onto his lap, never breaking their sensual kiss.
He kissed down her neck, murmuring, “God, I’ve missed you. Been going crazy not being near you.”
His confession relaxed her even more. He hadn’t been indifferent to her leaving him after their night of lovemaking.
When had it become making love and not fucking?
The answer astounded her. It had never been fucking for her, and the way he worshiped her body that night and as he caressed her now, it had never just been that for him, either.
He eased her onto her back as he continued loving her with his mouth. He peppered kisses along one of her arms as he raised them above her head. The position was one of submission, she knew that much. And it definitely turned him on because when she didn’t pull her hands away, he slammed his mouth down on hers in a borderline frantic kiss.
She was lost in this man as his sensual assault blocked all reason. His cock, nestled between her legs, rubbed her clit as if it needed no direction to find its target. She was swarmed by sensations so strong, she reeled.
Then she felt something soft around her wrist as Aaron fumbled over her head.
Her eyes flew open as she jerked.
And was stopped within just a few inches of her movement.
She was trapped.
He’d tied her to the bed somehow. His hands caressed her face, and she started shaking her head. Hell, she now trembling all over.
“Relax, baby. This is about trust.”
“I don’t think I can do this, Aaron.”
“I won’t tie your legs. Just your arms. You have the control here, remember that. If at any time you want to stop, I want you to use what we call a safe word. Just say ‘red’ and I’ll stop.”
“Red,” she said quickly. She wanted to stop right now.
He chuckled, but she knew he wasn’t doing it out of spite. “Sweetheart, I think we should try this. If you don’t want to, we can stop right now. It’s completely your choice. But I think we both need to do this.” He kissed her neck and her eyes rolled back at how soft the touch was. “I just want you to let go and feel. Feel me loving you, baby. Can you do that for me?”
Oh god, she was insane for even considering this, but her head nodded of its own volition.
“Good girl,” he whispered against her.
He kissed his way down her chest, tugging her top down. She’d worn a tank top with an unbuttoned shirt to work today. The tank wasn’t too low cut, but it was stretchy. It and her bra had both been pushed out of the way so that her breasts were now exposed and pushed out toward him.
He immediately took advantage, swooping and sucking one nipple as his fingers played and tweaked the other.
Just feel. Feel. Feel. Feel. It had become her mantra. She wasn’t sure if repeating those words over and over to herself would make her believe this little game would work, but she had to try. For him.
For her.
“You are so beautiful, Sasha. Do you know that?”
She whimpered, her body blindly seeking his as she lifted off the bed.
When he switched to her other nipple, he began working on the button and zipper of her pants. His hand slipped inside her panties and she moaned as a finger found her wet center.
“God, baby, I want you so bad. I want to feast on you for hours, but I don’t think you’re ready for that. Not yet.”
He lifted and yanked her pants down to mid thigh. Then he grabbed her sides and flipped her over. She gasped, trying to look over her shoulder.
“I have to have you now. We can explore more of your boundaries later.”
She heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper and seconds later, he came over her, thrusting into her in one powerful move. She sucked air into her shocked lungs as Aaron gasped out, “Fuck.”
He pounded into her ruthlessly, and the sensation took any fear she’d momentarily felt at being manhandled when he’d tossed her onto her stomach. He was on her, over her, and she couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but take his pounding.
She loved it.
She hated it.
She couldn’t move. Could. Not. Move.
And still she was barreling toward her climax at lightning speed.
“Come on, baby. Come on, baby.”
“Oh god, Aaron. You’re gonna make me come,” she wailed.
“Fuck, yes. Come on my cock, baby. Let me feel it. Give it to me. Give me all of you.”
She shook her head, not ready to expose everything, but then her body exploded and she couldn’t do anything but relish the sizzling high he’d hurled her into. He shouted behind her and his movements became jerky as he reached his own climax. She panted and he wheezed in air as he collapsed onto her back, groaning, spent.
Seconds passed and she tried shifting, but she couldn’t move.
Could. Not. Move.
Only now she didn’t have the haze of hot sex making her forget.
Her arms were tied. He lay over her entire body. She was trapped.
Trapped!
“Let me up,” she said frantically, trying to squirm
under him and not moving much. Holy shit, she really couldn’t move. “Right now, damn you!”
Aaron jumped up and immediately released her wrists as she stumbled out of the bed. Her lowered pants inhibited her movements, but she yanked them up and adjusted her shirt with quick, shaky hands.
“It’s okay,” he said softly, raising his hands.
She glared at him. “Don’t. Don’t fucking patronize me.”
“Baby, this is about progress. That’s all.”
“Bullshit. It’s about you taking control I don’t want to fucking give.” She moved toward the door and he whipped off the condom as he moved toward her. She whirled around to face him fully. “Don’t. Just leave me alone.”
She opened up the door and practically ran down the hall. When she reached the main room, she slowed her movements, not wanting to make a scene.
As if these freaks should judge her.
She walked slowly into the room, but a small hand touched her and she jumped to face the woman from before.
“Hey, are you done with Master Aaron?”
“What?” she asked, bewildered.
“I’d like to do a scene with him again. He really did a number on me last night.”
Sasha’s mouth fell open. “Aaron? He was the one who did that to your back?”
A slow, satisfied smile spread across the woman’s face. “Yes. He knows how to use a flogger.” She paused. “And a cane.”
Oh god, Aaron had hurt this woman. Had beat her. She knew he was a Dom but had no idea he got off on hurting women.
Then the rest of her words registered. “Wait, he did this to you last night?”
He’d come here, to this club, after spending the night with Sasha?
That damn satisfied gleam in what’s-her-face’s eyes got brighter. “He sure did. He went at me so hard, I had to safe-word out.” She winked. “Eventually.”
Her blood ran cold as the reality of just how much she and Aaron didn’t fit slowly sank in. This was the life he wanted, and she couldn’t contemplate it. “You two deserve each other,” she muttered, not really talking to the other woman, but more to herself.
Love Against Odds Volume One (Love Agaist Odds Book 10) Page 18