by Julia Sykes
His fingers touched my slick entrance, and he pulled on the string attached to the toy inside me. The rubber balls slipped out, and I cried in shock at the sudden loss. After being filled for so long, I felt devastatingly empty. I glanced at the bulge in Hugh’s leathers, and my inner muscles clenched. I knew what I wanted to fill the void.
I lifted my hips in wanton invitation. “Fuck me.”
He swatted my sensitive inner thigh. I shrieked in surprise at the flare of pain, and he laughed.
“You don’t give the orders here, pet. I’m not done playing yet.”
I shot a pointed look at his erection. “Big Ben wants to play with my pussy.”
He growled and slapped my thigh again. “I warned you about giving him a name. You’ll suffer for that.”
“What are you going to do?” I challenged.
“I’m going to eat your pussy until you come so many times you can’t remember your own name.”
I shuddered dramatically and put on a high-pitched voice. “Oh please, no!”
His grin held a hard edge. “You’ll be begging for real soon. And you had better start addressing me with proper respect, or things will go worse for you.”
“Worse than multiple orgasms? Oh, no!”
He pinched my clit, and my laugh turned into a scream. “That’s Oh no, Sir,” he corrected, chuckling. “And I’ll stand for no more of your cheek, so I suggest you stay silent.”
“It’s a little hard to be quiet when you’re pinching my clit.”
He smiled savagely. “Okay, then. No talking. You have my permission to scream as much as you want. In fact, screaming is encouraged.”
I suddenly remembered where I was, and my cheeks heated. “What about the other guys? They’ll hear.”
“Why do you think I want you to scream? Nice and loud, please. And if you could throw my name in there a few times, I would appreciate it.”
“Oh!” I shouted with exaggerated rapture. “Oh, Big Ben! Yes!”
He sighed heavily, shaking his head. “I guess I had that one coming.” He tapped the tip of my nose. “But you’re far too pleased with yourself. You won’t be able to mock me when you’re screaming for real.”
Prepared to prove his point, he didn’t wait another second before going down on me. The first pass of his hot tongue over my clit made me cry out in genuine bliss. He wasted no time sampling me, sucking on my pussy lips.
All tension left my body on a long, euphoric sigh. I hadn’t let anyone do this to me in far too long. And I hadn’t let anyone as sexy as Hugh do it, well, ever. No one had ever come close to setting my body aflame like he did.
My state of absolute, peaceful ecstasy was soon punctured by frustration. He kissed and licked and sucked, but never quite where I needed it most. I tried to grab his head to guide him where I wanted him, but the metal rings on my cuffs rattled against the bedpost. My needy whine was drowned out by his satisfied laugh. The sound infuriated me, but I immediately forgot my annoyance when his rumbling chuckle vibrated through my most sensitive flesh.
“Please!” I gasped out, my hips lifting toward him.
He gripped me hard, his long fingers digging into my ass to hold me in place. He took my clit into his mouth, his teeth grazing it as he sucked. I screamed as my orgasm slammed into me. Stars burst behind my eyes, and ecstasy rippled through me, starting at my core and radiating out to my toes and fingertips.
I came down from my peak, but Hugh didn’t release me. He continued to toy with my clit.
“Enough,” I panted. I tried to push him away, only to have my wrists tug against my restraints again.
He lifted his head just long enough to smirk at me. “It’s not enough. It won’t be enough until you beg me to stop. Then, I will consider your request.”
My fingers curled around the bedpost, searching for the catch on the cuffs.
He bit down on my inner thigh, and I squealed in pain.
“Stop it,” he ordered.
I shuddered and stilled. Satisfied, he returned to tormenting me. My clit had recovered slightly, and the firm touch of his tongue no longer stung. Bliss poured through my body once again, and he skillfully drove me to another orgasm. This time, he didn’t let up to banter with me after I came. He ruthlessly continued to stimulate me. I didn’t try to get out of the cuffs again. I surrendered to the torturous pleasure of his mouth on me, the sense of complete abandon heightening my enjoyment.
“Hugh!” I twisted against the cuffs, and I loved the reminder of my inability to stop his erotic onslaught. My bonds didn’t make me weak. They allowed me to let go and revel in the physical pleasure he offered me.
“Thank you,” I sighed, coming down again. I didn’t know how many times he had taken me high.
He gently kissed my clit. I shuddered at even the feather-light touch on my overly sensitive bud.
“You do like being tortured,” he remarked. “I don’t think I can wait for you to beg me to stop. I’ll have to come up with something more inventive next time.”
“I don’t even remember why you were punishing me,” I admitted.
“Do you remember your name?”
“Clara.”
A half-smile tilted his lips. “Damn, you’re resilient. I’ll have to try to fuck your brains out instead.”
I gave him a wide, lust-drunk grin. “Please do.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“It’s an invitation.”
He grabbed a condom from the nightstand drawer and sheathed himself.
“I don’t need an invitation, love. This pussy belongs to me.” He drove in to the hilt in one powerful stroke. My throat was so sore from screaming, I couldn’t manage more than a lustful whimper. He overwhelmed me, his body possessing mine with each harsh thrust.
He captured my hard nipple between his teeth and bit down. The flare of pain made my pussy clench around him, drawing another orgasm from my exhausted body. Tears trickled from the corners of my eyes at the intensity of my bliss. He kissed the wet trails on my cheeks tenderly even as he continued to take me without mercy.
“Thank you, Sir,” I said raggedly, my mind high on pleasure.
The words seemed to trigger him, and he came with a rough shout, grinding his hips against mine as he rode out his own orgasm.
His weight settled on top of me, and I tried to close my arms around him to hold him close. The cuffs clanked against the bedpost, and I moaned softly at the reminder of my captivity. It no longer filled me with fear. All I felt was pure, blissful peace.
Chapter 15
I idly rubbed my wrists when he removed the cuffs. Hugh kissed my palms and then tucked my body next to his, pulling the duvet up to keep me warm.
“Thank you for trusting me,” he said, his eyes earnest.
“Thanks for making me trust you,” I replied with a wry smile.
He snorted. “You make it sound like I forced it on you.”
“Didn’t you?”
“No, flower. Trust has to be earned.”
“Does this mean you trust me, too? Have you forgiven me for lying to you?” My stomach suddenly knotted. It was very important that he answered in the affirmative.
“Yes, Clara. I forgive you. You had your reasons. They weren’t good ones, but they were important to you, and that makes a difference.”
“If it helps, I’m really sorry I upset you. I didn’t mean to do that.”
He exhaled. “I have my own issues. I think I might not have been entirely fair in understanding your circumstances when I first found out who you really are.”
“You? Issues with liars? I never would have guessed,” I teased.
He gave me a self-deprecating smile. “Is it that obvious?”
“Will you tell me what happened?” I ventured, wanting to understand him better.
“I had a sub several years ago, back when I was still in school at Oxford. She outed me to her friends. When they didn’t react well to our lifestyle, she told them she didn’t really like it but
I made her practice BDSM. Then it leaked to people in the community. When they called her out on it, she told them I was a bad Dom and pushed her beyond what she was comfortable with.”
“What a bitch.”
He nodded grimly. “By the time it was all over, my university mates thought I was a misogynistic freak and I was ostracized from the BDSM community for being abusive. It wasn’t until I moved to London that I started to rebuild my reputation, and even then people in the local kink community talked. It took a long time for me to convince them I’m a decent human being.”
“MI5 obviously didn’t care about the rumors,” I said.
“Finlay got me the job,” he admitted. “He had connections with people he met at Cambridge, and he was able to smooth the whole thing over for me. MI5 doesn’t particularly care about our lifestyle, but I’d rather not flaunt it. It’s why Finlay and I decided to handle this Bliss situation on our own.”
“I understand why you didn’t trust me,” I said quietly. “I know what a bad Dom is, and that’s not you. She had no right to do that to you.”
He traced the line of my cheekbone, his eyes capturing mine. “Will you tell me about him?”
I hesitated.
“I just want to understand,” he cajoled. “I want to help you deal with what happened.”
I looked away. “What if I don’t want to deal with it?”
Two fingers rested beneath my chin, guiding my gaze back up to his. “You shared your true feelings about Dimitri with me. And you feel better, don’t you?”
I bit my lip. “Yes. I guess so.”
“You know so,” he corrected. “You need to be honest with yourself too, Clara.”
“It’s hard. I don’t like thinking about Danny. It wasn’t a good time for me.”
“I’m listening,” he encouraged.
I took a deep breath and committed myself to the truth. “He introduced me to the lifestyle,” I began. “I had switch tendencies, but he was my Dom. We would invite a third partner in for me to top. He liked to watch.” Now for the shameful part. “I enjoyed our dynamic, but he slowly started pushing for more.”
Hugh’s muscles tightened. “Did he beat you?”
“No. It started as emotional abuse. It was so subtle I didn’t even realize what he was doing to me. Little comments here and there designed to destroy my self-esteem, gradually separating me from my friends and family. He used our D/s dynamic to guilt me into doing what he wanted. He said I wasn’t a good sub if I always tried to make him do what I wanted. He said I didn’t really love him if I wouldn’t give him everything he needed from me.”
I was distantly surprised to find I wasn’t ashamed to admit my weakness to Hugh. If anything, it felt good to confide in him. Bolstered by the realization, I continued on more purposefully.
“One year into our marriage, I never saw my parents or my old friends. Everything I ever did was for him. All I thought about was keeping him happy. One day, he told me if I truly was his sub – if I really loved him – I would give up my safe words. I would have agreed to anything at that point. After that, I just… let him do what he wanted, even if I was uncomfortable. Then one day he was whipping me, and I couldn’t take any more. Even though I tried to tough it out, I called red. But he didn’t stop. I realized how powerless I had become. I didn’t even recognize myself anymore. I was just an extension of him. I left the next day and filed for divorce.”
“That’s why you reacted to Dimitri the way you did,” Hugh said, his voice tight with suppressed anger. “You already overcame feeling powerless once before, and he put you back in that headspace.”
“Yes.” I realized the truth as he spoke it. “It’s the reason I went after him in the first place. When the FBI was busting a BDSM club in New York for cocaine trafficking, they were closing in on the Latin Kings but Dimitri was there to make a deal. One of their agents was wearing a wire before we went in, and I heard Dimitri gloating about having taken away Alicia’s safe words. He practices abuse and calls it BDSM. I couldn’t let him go after that. He escaped that night, but I became fixated on bringing him in. That’s why I was so reckless in taking Charlotte with me on the sting operation. I was blinded to the risks because of my determination to get to Dimitri.”
“But he got to you instead,” Hugh said quietly.
“And then I followed him here,” I confirmed.
The shadow of a frown creased his brow. “You had to know it was likely a suicide mission. You obviously have people who care about you in New York. Was your hatred for Dimitri really strong enough that you would leave those people behind forever?”
“I let them down,” I said, shame finally heating my cheeks. “When I almost got Charlotte sold, I failed them. I involved her in my own vendetta and she was the one who paid the price. I decided then that I couldn’t let anyone else get hurt because of me. Besides,” I added more quietly. “I haven’t let anyone close since my divorce. I didn’t really think the guys would care that I was gone. When Dex showed up to get me on Kennedy’s orders, I couldn’t believe it.”
“Well, it’s time you started believing it. You’re not alone, Clara.”
I looked deep into his eyes. “I know I’m not.”
He crushed his lips to mine in a fierce kiss. My arms twined around his neck, and I kissed him in return, desperate to keep him close. I didn’t want to be alone anymore.
“Are you two going sightseeing today?” Finlay asked when Hugh and I emerged from the bedroom the next morning.
“Are you kidding me?” I asked. “I’m not in London to go sightseeing.”
Dex’s lips twitched. “You seemed very enthusiastic about Big Ben from what we heard last night.”
Finlay burst out laughing, and Dex couldn’t hold back a snort. I grinned, but quickly wiped it away as soon as I felt Hugh’s hand close around the nape of my neck. He squeezed gently.
“I don’t want to hear another mention of that damn clock tower,” he growled.
“Clock tower. Right.” Finlay seemed to collect himself for a moment, then started laughing all over again.
“It’s too damn early for this,” Hugh grumbled. “Finlay, stop being a dick and make us a cuppa, will you?”
The Scotsman picked up a steaming mug from the kitchen counter and passed it to his friend in a peace offering.
“This better be Yorkshire Gold,” Hugh muttered sullenly as he accepted the cup. He took one look at it and glowered at Finlay. “You put milk in? I swear, if you put sugar in my tea, you bloody peasant-”
“Oh, the Barnsley boy thinks he’s posh because he went to Oxford.” Finlay rolled his eyes. “Go get a proper education and then come back at me with that peasant tosh.”
“Cambridge is shite,” Hugh volleyed back. “And let’s not forget you’re from Aberdeen.”
I stared at them. “Okay,” I said slowly. “I didn’t get half of that, but seriously, you don’t need to fight. I’m sorry if I caused a problem.”
Hugh’s bitter mood finally broke on a chuckle. “We’re not fighting, pet.” He cuffed his friend on the back of the head. “If I was really mad at him, I’d be dead polite.”
Finlay rubbed a hand though his hair, smiling. “He gets this twatty stiff accent when he’s being overly-polite. It’s how you know he’s in a right strop.”
“Uh-huh,” I said. “Still not getting most of that. And I like to think I’m pretty knowledgeable of British culture.”
“Well, I’m not following any of it, if that makes you feel better,” Dex supplied.
“Not really,” I said, turning more serious. “If you guys aren’t actually pissed at each other, can we get to work?”
“We haven’t even had breakfast,” Finlay remarked. “You’re a harsh taskmaster, you are.”
“Taskmistress,” I corrected. “And yes, I am.” I turned my attention to Dex. “Do we have anything new from Sam?”
His lips pressed together in a grim line. “You’re not going to like it. She hacked the traffic
cams outside Lash at the time Dimitri was there. The cameras were turned away from the entrance the whole time. We have no idea what vehicle he was in. There was nothing solid to track.”
I grimaced. “So he has his own hackers covering his ass.”
“If he didn’t, we would have caught him by now,” Finlay said.
“Sam’s not giving up,” Dex promised. “She’s plugged Dimitri and some of his known associates into a facial recognition program and is running it against the CCTV database now. Every inch of London is wired in. If any of them are in the area, she’ll pick them up on camera soon.”
I nodded, accepting that Dex’s genius friend was doing everything she could to help us.
“What about James?” I directed the question at Finlay. “Did Special Branch get anything out of him?”
“They’re still leaning on him, but it’s not looking great. His pickup location was the house that burned down a few nights ago. The one you two already checked out,” he looked to Dex and me. “Dimitri’s men grabbed him from his own flat last night. He doesn’t seem to know of any other location associated with the Russians in the area.”
“So we have nothing,” I concluded flatly.
“Until Sam gets back to me, it doesn’t look like we have anything new, no,” Dex confirmed.
“I’d like to know more about Sam,” Hugh announced. “Dex, why don’t we get a fry up and go over this.”
Dex blinked. “Just you and me?”
“Yeah. You already went through it with Finlay, right? And Clara is up to speed.” He glanced at me. “Clara and Finlay can discuss new tactics while you catch me up.”
I eyed the Scotsman. “I don’t have a problem with that. I’d like to talk to MacClellan about the op you two were running before we joined up.”
“Right,” Hugh said decisively. “We’ll be finished in an hour or so.”