Bondage Unlimited

by Tori Carson

  And she had thought she was the sentimental one. He seemed to remember every moment of their time together and she’d done her best to push all those memories away. If he kept reminding her of those good times, her resolve would falter for sure. She couldn’t allow it.

  “That was fun. Who would have guessed that by St. Paddy’s day, you’d pull a disappearing act?” Eva felt a bit guilty as she watched his shoulders sag and his head tip downward.

  Gio sighed. “Eva, I screwed up. It was the biggest mistake of my life and I’ve regretted it every day since.” He held up his hand. “And before you make another smart ass comment about my education—don’t! I have my degree and a successful business. With start-up money from my parents, I opened Brothers Construction.” He rolled his shoulders as a pained expression chased across his face. “What I regret was losing you.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’d like us to try again.”

  “No,” she answered too quickly. She should have pretended she hadn’t considered it.

  He chuckled. “I knew that would be your first reaction.”

  “It’s my first, second and third. The answer is no. Not now and not ever.” She couldn’t make it any clearer than that.

  Gio tsked. “You should know me better than that. I want this more than I want my next breath. Do you really think I’ll take no for an answer?”

  She knew he wouldn’t, and she was both scared and pleased by that knowledge. How was she going to manage him? “I’m not interested, Gio. You need to respect my wishes.”

  “So Saturday night was just one more scene among many? It didn’t have any special meaning for you? I somehow doubt that.” Gio’s expression had softened as if he might be the slightest unsure of how to proceed.

  She wanted to lie, to squash any avenue he may have of reaching her, and yet she couldn’t. “Of course it was special, Gio. We have a past together. It was nice to reconnect, but that’s all it was.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, Eva, because to me it was so much more.” He searched her face.

  Eva had to stand firm, but seeing the pain reflected in his eyes ate at her. She’d never wanted to cause Gio pain. She just needed to keep a safe distance between them. When he’d left, she’d crumbled inside. It had been a horrible time. She had considered returning home. Worse than that, she’d spent a few terrifying moments contemplating suicide.

  She wasn’t proud of those thoughts and refused to ever be in a situation where she might revisit them. And that meant she had to keep Gio at arm’s length.

  Gio needed to consider his actions carefully. He’d promised himself he would respect her wishes. Saturday night, she’d refused to talk to him. Every time he’d discussed their past or in any way spoke of emotions, she’d shut down. Maybe sex was the key.

  “The sex was just mediocre, huh?” He clutched his hands over his heart. “I’m crushed. I thought we had a certain chemistry together.”

  She opened her mouth then closed it again, probably rethinking what she was about to say.

  “No, I wouldn’t call it mediocre.” Her cheeks turned a beautiful pink.

  “Slightly above average then?” He smiled as innocently as possible.

  “Yeah, I would agree to that summation.” The blush darkened and her lips quivered.

  “But saying it was the best you’ve ever had would be pushing it, huh?” Every time he asked for a deeper explanation, he hoped she remembered just how good they were together.

  “I… I don’t think it’s nice to compare partners.” Her voice was husky, barely more than a whisper.

  “Honestly, I’d be pissed if you were thinking of another man in my presence. I didn’t ask you to compare me to your other lovers, I asked if our experience together had been your best. There’s a difference. Every guy is bound to have his good and bad days.” He smiled and tried to appear casual.

  “I think it’s time to plead the fifth. This is not a conversation I want to have with you.” She sounded suddenly confident, like she’d found a way out of this discussion.

  Not so fast, said the spider to the fly. He slumped his shoulders and hung his head. He shielded his eyes and groaned. “That bad, huh? Ouch.”

  “Oh, Gio, stop.” She looked at the ceiling panels as if hoping for divine intervention. “All right. If you need your ego stroked… Yes, Saturday night was one of the best.”

  “If not the best?” He grinned at her as he pushed his luck.

  “Maybe,” she conceded.

  “It was for me too, Eva.” He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. After a scene, he’d often discussed the mechanics of it, what aspects worked for a sub and what did not, but never before had he wheedled a positive review of his sexual skills. This chat was the most contrived and uncomfortable experience he’d had in a while. As long as it fit his purpose, it’d be worth it, though.

  “I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time finding a partner that I’m in sync with.” When Eva started to interrupt, he held up his hand. “You’ve made it clear that we had our chance at a relationship and I blew it. I accept that. I don’t like it, mind you, but I accept it. Still, that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy each other’s company here at your club, does it?” He was practically holding his breath while he waited for her response.

  “You mean sex just for sex’s sake?” Several expressions darted across her face.

  If he read her wrong, this could get really messy, really fast. “No, I’m talking about scening together. In school you didn’t trust anyone easily and I suspect that hasn’t changed. I understand you don’t want any emotional ties with me, but you have to know me well enough to believe that I would always keep you safe. I would never allow you to be injured, nor would I ignore your safeword. You know that, don’t you, Eva?”

  She was quiet so long he feared she wasn’t going to answer and if she did, she’d shoot him down.

  “Yeah, I trust you with my body, Gio,” she answered sadly.

  But not with my heart. She hadn’t actually said it out loud, but it hung there between them, forging a gulf the size of the Grand Canyon.

  Why had he thought this was the right course to take? Fuck. He’d started down this path. Now he had to see it through. “I suspect you rarely scene with the same man twice. Am I wrong?” As soon as she shook her head, he continued. “Imagine what it would be like to enjoy the lifestyle with a man you knew would keep you safe, to scene on an ongoing basis with the same man.” He was afraid to use the word ‘trust’.

  “It sounds heavenly, Gio, but don’t you think it would be difficult to keep the lines crisp and clean?”

  “Between dating you and scening with you?” He shrugged with a casualness he had to force. “Yeah, I can keep a distinction between the two.” He infused confidence into his voice—a confidence he didn’t feel at all. “How about you? Can you scene with me without feeling the sting of Cupid’s arrow?” He used his voice to make sure she knew he was teasing.

  She laughed, just like he’d hoped she would. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m immune to that bastard’s influence.”

  “Then there won’t be any problems. How is it done at DiscipliNation? Do you want a written contract?” He knew he was jumping ahead of himself. He hadn’t actually asked her if she was willing to scene with him. So far, they’d been speaking in generalities. If his luck held, she might let him get away with it.

  “André prefers everything to be spelled out in a contract, but ultimately it’s left up to the people playing. He wouldn’t cancel a membership if consensual partners neglected to put their agreement in writing. He would, however, throw someone out for violating a contract.” She had answered half his question.

  If that were the case, then Gio would prefer not to have anything in writing. “What’s your preference, Eva? Do you want all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed or do you want to keep this casual?”

  Eva shook her head and put her hand on his chest, pushing him backward. “Gio, I
never said I wanted to scene with you. I said I wasn’t afraid of Cupid.”

  “You wouldn’t have slept with me if you had an interest in someone else. So that means you’re in the same boat I am—single and without anyone waiting in the wings. Will you give me that much?” He had to tear down her resistance one issue at a time.

  “Yes, I’m single. As far as prospects go”—she shrugged—“there’s a few untapped potentials.”

  “If that’s the case, then they’re untapped for a reason.” He used his ‘I mean business’ tone and he was pleased when she blushed. “The offer of good sex with someone you feel safe with isn’t something you toss out the window as worthless, Eva. If there’s another issue, let’s hear it.”

  He wasn’t giving her any wiggle room. Either she agreed to scene with him or she had to admit to having feelings for him—be they positive or negative feelings.

  “Just sex and only on the club’s premises? We will not see each other in a social setting beyond the club?” She was obviously reluctant.

  “That would meet my requirements. Would you be agreeable to occasionally scening at my family’s club?” It wasn’t the most exuberant negotiation he’d ever participated in, but he’d take it.

  “Why?”

  Why? She was going to fight him every step of the way. “We may have different equipment.” He hadn’t expected that question and was reaching for an answer. André’s club, what little he’d seen so far, seemed perfectly outfitted. He’d need to do better than that lame excuse. “We sometimes have themed nights or special events that you might find entertaining. And besides, I’d like you to see my club. My company did a lot of renovations and I’d like to show it off.”

  He wondered how much it was safe to share with her. “I’m happy, Eva. As far as my career goes, I’m living my dream. Leaving Columbia didn’t ruin my life. It delayed it a bit,” he conceded. “After coming home, I got my head together and I focused on school like I never would have at Columbia.”

  Eva looked up with unshed tears in her eyes. He wished he had a clue how to reach her. Everything he tried seemed to backfire.

  “I’m relieved to hear that, Gio. I’ve always felt guilty for you leaving school.”

  “That’s ridiculous, Eva. It was my choice, my mistake. I should have talked to you. I should have told you what I was thinking. You, my sweet subbie, have nothing to be guilty about.” Gio watched as she blinked away the tears. “So how ‘bout it? You gonna prove you’re smarter than me and take advantage of this great offer or are you going to follow my path and allow this wonderful opportunity to fly out the window because of a little fear?” He hoped he’d added the right amount of teasing to his challenge.

  “Great offer, huh?” She glanced up at him with a sideways smirk on her face.

  “Damn straight!” He thought it was interesting that she had ignored the fear part of his query.

  “No dating. No messy emotions. Just straight up sex?” She was looking him in the eye, seemingly making sure that there were no misunderstandings.

  “Well, I think we both want kinky sex, but other than that caveat, yes.” He winked at her and smiled.

  Eva quickly tipped her head down, yet Gio still caught the beautiful pink blush that appeared on her cheeks. “Yes, kinky sex,” she muttered. Suddenly, her head popped up as if a thought came to mind. “No threesomes. I’m not into that.”

  That worked for him. The thought of anyone else touching Eva with him around set his blood boiling. “No problem. Do you have a checklist or something we can review together?”

  “I… I have to get back to work. If you go up to the front lobby, Amanda will give you one. I’ll fill mine out later and we can go over it next time you stop by.”

  He wondered why she hadn’t completed one before. At their club, everyone had a checklist on file and he suspected it worked the same way here. That either meant she trusted him more and needed to revise her list or that she didn’t scene at the club. Either way, he was pleased and didn’t want to push his luck.

  “Let me help you down from there.” Gio placed her gently on the ground then opened the door.

  Ted was walking down the hallway as they left the infirmary. “Everything okay, Eva?”

  Having another Dom speak directly to his sub rankled Gio. His parents insisted on strict protocols. Gio had to remember she wasn’t wearing his collar yet and Ted was her boss. Although it bothered him, he’d have to let it slide until they had their arrangement worked out.

  “Yeah, sure, boss. Everything’s cool,” Eva reassured Ted.

  “Take the night off, Eva. You don’t need to be on that leg and the place is pretty quiet. I set up a cooler with some refreshments. It will be fine.” Ted kept looking from Gio to Eva and back again.

  “That’s not necessary. I’m fine. Really.” Eva said quickly.

  “Visit with your friend, Eva. You haven’t taken any time off in months. Relax and enjoy the amenities the club has to offer,” Ted encouraged.

  He wasn’t sure why Ted was helping him out, but he appreciated it. “Eva was saying we could get an interest inventory checklist from the receptionist?”

  Eva turned away, but he noticed she’d begun blushing again. Gio was beginning to think that Eva hadn’t scened much in the club. He was curious to find out why.

  For just a moment, a knowing smile lit Ted’s face. It was gone just as fast, leaving Gio to wonder if it was just hopeful thinking on his part. Gio could use a few of Eva’s friends in his court.

  “Amanda has everything you’ll need. Welcome to DiscipliNation, Gio. I think you’re going to like it here.” Ted shook his hand and gave him a pat on the back.

  Gio steered Eva to a comfortable-looking couch. He sat her down and propped her leg on a nearby cushion. “I’ll be back in a moment. I expect to find you right here when I get back.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Her voice oozed sarcasm.

  Tipping her chin upward with his index finger, he warned her. “Be careful, little one. I will turn you over my knee.”

  Eva winked and he laughed before heading back through the men’s locker room. There was probably a shortcut, but he didn’t want to ask what it was. As he rounded the corner to the lobby, he noticed James sitting on the corner of Amanda’s desk.

  James stood and held out his hand. “Sorry we got off to a rocky start. André told us he extended an open invitation to you and your family. I’d like to introduce my wife and subbie, Amanda.”

  After shaking hands, Gio turned to Amanda and realized she was the woman James had sat with at the reception. “Nice to officially meet you, ma’am.” Hearing that they were married was a huge relief. No way in hell would Eva scene with a married man. She’d obviously opened her mind to new experiences, but he highly doubted that she’d ever go for that.

  “André said we were to make sure your family felt welcome,” Amanda explained.

  Gio remembered hearing that Amanda was a relative of André. “That was kind of him. Eva said I could get a couple of checklists from you.”

  “Two?” James asked as Amanda opened her desk drawer.

  “Yes, two please.”

  “That was fast.” James looked at him expectantly.

  James was obviously fishing for details. It was on the tip of Gio’s tongue to tell him to piss up a rope. Instead, Gio decided that open disclosure might be the best tack. “Eva has consented to be my submissive.” That was probably aggrandizing their agreement, but Gio didn’t really give a shit.

  Amanda gasped. “Congratulations! We wish you both the best.”

  “That’s quite an honor.” James leaned against Amanda’s desk. “Eva is very special to us.”

  “I’m glad she’s had friends looking out for her.” But that’s my job now, asshole. Gio took the clipboards, checklists and pens from Amanda. “Thank you.”

  “Have fun,” Amanda encouraged.

  Gio lifted his hand in a half wave as he entered the men’s locker room again. He slowed his pace an
d examined his actions. He felt a little guilty, like he was a thief and he’d just been handed the keys to the city. Anyway that he looked at it, he was taking advantage of the situation. There was little doubt that he had manipulated Eva. She’d asked him to respect her wishes and he’d blatantly worked around her objections. Fuck, he was doing it again.

  As he moved into the club, he considered his alternatives. Every honorable option had him never seeing Eva again and that wasn’t acceptable. In his black heart, he knew they were supposed to be together. The fact that she was into BDSM only reinforced his belief. Eva may have been immune to Cupid’s bitey little arrow, but Gio wasn’t. He’d been shot straight through the heart years ago and the time since hadn’t lessened its impact.

  Eva was sitting on the couch, right where he’d left her. He let out a sigh of relief. She could have snuck out the back and there wouldn’t have been too much he could have done about it. Maybe, underneath all the hurt, she did want to be with him too. He fervently hoped so.

  Gio sat next to her. “You doing okay? Do you want me to grab you a soda or anything?”

  “I’m fine, Gio. Seriously. I’ve had worse cuts shaving.” She sounded a little embarrassed.

  “Okay.” He handed her the clipboard and pen. “This looks a little more comprehensive than the one we use.” He turned the page and began scanning the second sheet. “I like the answer options—yes, no and question mark. Keeps it simple.”

  Eva nodded but didn’t say anything. She, too, was looking over the list as if it were the first time she’d seen it.

  She was quiet for several minutes and Gio was starting to get worried. The expression on her face was too serious. When she let out a heavy sigh, he put his hand on her wrist.

  “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  “I just answered ‘no’ to an entire section. I thought I was more open-minded than this.” Eva sent him a sad smile.

  “Don’t worry about it.” He shrugged. “Once I got started, I wished there were more answer choices. ‘Maybe’ or ‘under certain conditions’ would have been helpful a few times.”