by Alice Ward
I did as he commanded and put my butt high in the air. He then slapped it hard with his hand. Electricity flew through my body — a mix of sharp pain and spiked pleasure. Before my mind could unscramble the feelings, he did it again — his hand came down on the other ass cheek. Whap.
Immediately, I felt the rush of indignity. It gripped my heart. When his hand smoothed over the inflamed spot he’d made on my ass, I almost forgave him. Then he slapped me again. And again.
I bit my lip, trying not to be angry, trying to wait it out, to see what kind of knowledge I could gather about him from this. But I learned something else. As soon as the pain left, imprinted was a burning desire that wanted more slaps, more soothing touches to ease the discomfort. I felt scrambled. My body wanted it. My mind knew better.
He then entered me again, hard and fast as he held my hips, planting his huge cock as far in as it would go. Quickly, he pulled almost completely out of me, making me feel empty as only the tip of his dick grazed my outer lips and teased with tiny thrusts. Then he jammed back in again, taking my body immediately to the point I’d been when I was on my back.
“No coming,” he reminded me.
The words growled into my ear pushed me closer to orgasm, even as I held back and the muscles milking his cock grew tighter, nearly painfully so. I felt like I was being split in two. It felt fantastic, and it was also hard to endure. I was panting now, like I’d never done, my breath coming in tiny gasps.
He lifted me up by my shoulders and maneuvered me until I sat on his lap with my back to his chest, both of us on our knees. He jettisoned underneath me, pumping hard, his hand clenching my breast, his arm pressed tight over the other. That hand pressed down on my mound, and an unbelievable pressure mounted.
I wanted to please him, wanted to do as he said, but I was going to come. Now.
His grip tightened, and he whispered in my ear, his teeth sinking into my earlobe. “Not yet, Ava.”
I gave a whimper-groan and arched my back as the pressure tightened until it was painful. I’d make him pay, and pressed down hard onto him with his next thrust, eliciting a moan.
“I’ll only give you permission to come if you say my name as you do it.” His voice was dark and commanding. He bucked into me mercilessly then. The air filled with tiny lights, and heat rose through every cell I possessed. I reached around, arching as far as I could and clamped my arm around the back of his neck, which drove him deeper, causing him to spasm inside me. We both cried out as I wrapped my hands around the back of his head, my ear pressed against his. He tensed, holding in his own release. I twisted my head, pressed my mouth over his neck, and bit.
He shouted out a groan and began jackhammering into me. “Come for me, Ava.”
The loudest, most pathetic cry of arousal rose from my chest as I spiraled into unparalleled ecstasy, remembering what he’d said. “Lucas,” I screamed as the world spun around me. I convulsed on him, my pussy clenching hard as I felt him rut against the pressure.
His voice raised an octave as he cried out his release, his body pulsing under mine.
The air seemed to have turned fuzzy as my muscles went limp in an amazing languid feeling. Lucas twisted us as we collapsed and crashed down on the pillows, panting and exhausted. He pulled himself out of me and whipped off the condom, flinging it into the trash can. Then he stretched out beside me, sighing with sounded like deep satisfaction, not a hair on his body touching me.
A good friend had once told me that the one thing you could always depend on reeling a man in, was pretending like you just weren’t into him.
My heart ached for him, because there was some need inside of him he refused to acknowledge that drove him to acquire pleasure by causing pain, and that part of him refused affectionate touch. Even though my body still stung from his touch, at the same time, it sang from it too. “Well, we can cross that off the list.”
“What? Cross what off the list?” His voice was full of confusion, disbelief, and indignation.
I felt like he was still all over my body, his essence lingering on every inch of my skin, the tingling making me want to steep in the feeling. Here, next to him, I was too overwhelmed to get my head on straight. And I had to remember this was a game. I was playing a part.
I rolled to a seated position on the side of the bed slowly, letting the dizziness fade. Once I could focus, I stood and quickly walked to the bathroom, where I locked myself in.
Inside the opulent marble room, I slid down the wall and let hot tears rise to the surface and stream silently down my face. I wasn’t sure why I was crying, couldn’t pinpoint it exactly. Sex with Lucas wasn’t bad. In fact, it was the best sex I’d ever had. Yet something was wrong. I felt it deep inside of me.
A few minutes later, there was a faint knock at the door.
“Ava?” Lucas had given me some time, which I appreciated, but I’d have to face him at some point.
“I need a minute,” I said in a flat, tired tone of voice.
“We should talk.” He rattled the handle.
“I know, just not now. I want a shower.” I sounded like a spoiled brat, but I couldn’t face him, and it was better if he thought I was just that.
“I was hoping we’d have one together.” He sounded disappointed, but how could that be? Why would he want a shower together if he came apart when I touched him?
“Not tonight,” I answered. “Can you use the other bathroom?” Wow, I was really bitchy. What was wrong with me?
Standing, I flicked on the shower, thinking the warmth and time alone would help get my mind back together. My body was sore from his rough treatment, and in the mirror, I was stunned to see red handprints on my ass. The sight of his handprints shot a thrill through me that shocked me so much, my own expression in the mirror was comical.
I shook my head at myself, turning away from my reflection. As I stepped into the shower’s steam, the image of Lucas fucking me against the cold tile, spanking me, nearly had my knees buckling.
I blinked away the image, ashamed to admit that I’d liked — hell, loved — every stroke. The last thing I’d ever do was admit it to Lucas.
I’d always been alert and directed my own moves, and Lucas made me want to give him the control, what he did to me turning my normally rational thoughts into ones that were foreign to me. By the time I reentered the bedroom, I needed to find my equilibrium again.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lucas
“Please talk to me,” I begged, “I know what you’re going through, and I think we should talk it out. I’m sorry, I should have taken the time to explain more thoroughly. We should’ve discussed your boundaries before we started. I should’ve understood your limits better. Please, I don’t want to have this discussion through a door. I want to see your face, Ava.” The only answer was the sound of shower water splashing against what I knew was her tender ass. I’d really fucked up.
I’d never had loving sex. I’d worship a woman’s body, send her to the moon sexually and dominate the fuck out of her, but holding and touching were out of bounds.
Ava wasn’t from my walk of life. Not just the money and the affluence, but her fortitude and strength were fashioned differently. She was a survivor, a real survivor, not just a debutante playing sex slave.
What I’d done, by not detailing my actions in advance, meant I’d treated her like a slut who wanted me to hurt her. The image flashed through my mind of my hand ricocheting off her smooth ass.
I dropped my head against the closed door. My behavior must have crushed Ava, and she’d barely taken her protective armor off.
“When you’re ready, please come out. I’ll be waiting.” My heart sank as I stepped away from the door. If she wouldn’t talk to me, wouldn’t give me another chance, this would never work.
Why was I so desperate for her to talk to me? Because of the damn competition? Winning, running my uncle’s company paled in comparison to making sure Ava was alright. All I wanted was to make sure I hadn’t hurt her
too badly.
The fact was, I had no business running a company with so many souls depending on me to make the right decisions for their well-being. I’d never cared enough to be a good shepherd of it. I was about business and accumulating wealth, had never been about the people behind the business.
I was a selfish son of a bitch.
I knew exactly what I was getting myself into when I agreed to this competition. I also had a pretty good sense of the kind of woman she was right from the start. And I’d done what I wanted to anyway, hoping she’d play on my team.
If I was being honest, I wanted her to love it, love the dominance and the rough fucking. That’s who I was. Those things — rough, dominance — were my signature no matter what walk of life I found myself in. In bed, I made the women I was with come over and over. Women loved the dark bite marks on their breasts, felt honored to possess the marks that proved they were mine. They’d feel me for the next week and come back for more. I was good at this. I knew how to cause pain and pleasure in such an exciting way, the women I’d been with worshiped me.
The sad thing was, what she experienced tonight wasn’t even BDSM — it was just a warm up. And there were so many dimensions to this girl. Given the right training, I thought she’d enjoy some elements of the lifestyle.
Plainly, I hadn’t thought about what I was doing. From the minute she walked into the kitchen, making that incredible meal, wearing that insanely gorgeous dress, I wanted to dominate her and have her under my power. Once I had her under my power, she would never be more incredible than she already was. I’d never admit it to her, but I felt threatened. Nothing I had was going to be enough to keep her interest. To win her.
She wasn’t impressed by money or power. Looks were mildly interesting to her, but if she wanted those all she had to do was look in a mirror. She wanted and needed love. The one thing I didn’t have to offer. Partnership was something I’d never even considered.
In my life, partnership was something I didn’t understand. It was the furthest thing from my perspective of the world. Yet partnership was what had been demanded of me from the very first challenge. I shook my head as I thought of my uncle.
I blew this challenge. I failed.
While she was in the bathroom, I called down to our guide and had Arnica gel and some other things delivered to our room. When she was ready, I’d slather it on the places I’d hurt, and it would give her some ease.
The force of my spankings were meant to last, so no amount of gel would erase them, but I could give her some comfort so at least she could sleep. When the gel, ice, and ice cream were delivered, I went to the other bathroom and showered.
I was waiting for her in an armchair in the bedroom when she came out of the bathroom wearing a fuzzy white robe. She looked rosy-cheeked, scrubbed clean, and as if she’d spent at least some of the time crying.
My heart constricted. I was almost too nervous to offer the first words, as it was more than likely she was about to tell me she was going home. She didn’t need this, and I knew it.
If she stayed, I definitely owed her some triage and a massage. What I feared the most, however, was the fact that this wasn’t even the worst of it. I’d designed challenges that were going to kill it for us. There was no way she’d stay. Tonight was just a prelude, nothing more. A taste test to see what she was made of.
I couldn’t remember ever being this nervous. Before tonight, I was in command of every aspect of my life. In this moment though, I felt in command of nothing.
I’d gotten everything I ever wanted by being a hard-ass. I’d worked hard, started my company, succeeded. However, standing right here before me, looking tiny in the fuzzy robe was my greatest challenge, the highest mountain I’d ever climb — Ava. And the last thing she needed me to be was a hard-ass.
She bit down on her lip as she took the seat across from me. Her discomfort showed in the way she swallowed and fidgeted with her fingers.
I was truly a monster.
“I’m sorry…” she said, her gaze on the floor.
Ah fuck, she’s leaving.
My business instincts kicked in.
“No, I’m the one… I’m sorry. I ordered some Arnica — it’ll help with the redness, any bruising.” I was a mess. I could lord over any woman I chose, but the minute something was at stake… Ava had me in knots.
Her pink cheeks reddened more. “It’s who you are. You’ve never lied to me about that. I was wrong to expect… to expect my own reaction to be different.” Her gaze flicked up to my face then to her lap.
“Do you mind if I ask, what you did expect?”
“I just, I’ve always associated inflicting pain, especially a man inflicting pain, with anger and—”
I held my hand out, palm facing her. That was all she needed to say. If she wasn’t into the lifestyle and didn’t crave domination, it was just abuse.
“We need to discuss your experience and how that fits in with what I’ve known, sexually. I think we can bridge this if we communicate.” I stood slowly and went to my knees in front of her chair, not touching her. “I’m going to wager a peace offering, for the moment. This by no means negates your experience, nor does it solve our problem, it’s just… well, an apology.”
Her eyes were huge as she hesitated.
“I ordered us some ice cream, and I’d like to tend to you, please.” If she refused, I’d lost. And suddenly this game had a lot more at stake than a family legacy.
“That sounds nice,” she whispered in a raspy voice.
“I’ll need to undress you, are you comfortable with that?” I felt like I’d turned to stone as I awaited her answer. Usually, by this time in the evening, the women were playing the thank-you-master part as I rewarded them with soothing balms and salves. Most of them, despite the rough treatment and sore patches, were ready for a second or third go at it.
This was different. This was Ava. I’d tie myself to the chair before touching her sexually again tonight.
Hesitating for only a second, she simply rose, slid the robe off her shoulders and stood before me naked. Her pale skin was flawless but for the red marks on her buttocks, and her breasts that were darkened with discolorations.
Guilt for my overzealous treatment of her burned in my gut.
“Let’s start with your breasts.” I cleared my throat. “Lay down on the edge of the bed, lengthwise.”
She did as I asked, and laid there stiff and full of tension.
“Try to breathe, this might feel a little cold at first.” I stroked her breast lovingly as I administered the gel to her ravaged nipples. I could tell they were tender to the touch by the way she squirmed when I applied the oily liquid to her skin.
I made sure to gently rub her tender flesh until all of the Arnica was absorbed, then gently guided her onto her stomach and administered it to her ass. Here, the marks weren’t as bad, just faded pink orbs, but I lovingly smoothed the gel over her heated flesh. When I was done, I kissed both of her ass cheeks, helped her off the bed and handed her back the robe.
“I really need a leash.” When her eyes widened, I realized my meaning would have sounded like I meant the leash for her. I slapped my hand across my forehead. “For me, not for—”
She laughed. “I really need to do some research.” She was making an attempt at humor, with a spark in her eyes that told me she might be leaning toward a little adventure. That was good. All might not be totally lost.
I exhaled, my chest loosening. “Do you like chocolate chip ice cream?”
“I love it.” She smiled, and I guided her to the kitchen.
I could only hope Mason was having the same challenges with Isabella I was having with Ava. But Isabella seemed like a real firecracker.
Ava and Isabella were strong women in different ways. Ava would be the one to survive a disaster and help those around her get out alive. Isabella would take on the force that caused the tragedy in the first place. Ava was reactionary while Isabella seemed revolutionary. Neithe
r were women my cousin and I — given our attitudes — should be hooked up with.
In fact, quite the reverse.
It was as if Uncle had chosen the wrong matches on purpose.
The thought gave me pause. Had he gotten to a point in his old age that he’d screw up something this big?
Isabella would have been the better match for me, personality wise. Except I wasn’t really attracted to her, and she didn’t have the spark that drew me to Ava. I guessed that was what the old cliché meant, we’d met our matches.
Bravo, Uncle Harv.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ava
I woke up the next morning, bright sun coming through the drapes. Lucas was already out of bed. I flew into a sitting position, holding the sheet to my chest, searching the room for a clock.
I usually had my phone right by the bed, but the guide had taken our phones. We’d get them back sometime today to make a few last calls before they’d be switched off for the rest of the competition.
“Don’t worry.” Lucas came in looking fresh in a pair of jeans and a crisp white t-shirt. “It’s only eight o’clock. We got another box, but the guide said to let you sleep. There’s breakfast when you’re ready.” His smile was warm as our gazes collided — there was a bond between us that hadn’t existed before.
Last night, after our talk, he’d done his best to help ease the pain he’d inflicted. Even though I was sore, his touch had inflamed me, made me want him again. But I was so embarrassed by my reaction, by my liking what I’d always categorized in my mind as abuse, that pressed down my new desires.
I’d settled for the ice cream he’d ordered up especially for me. It was some of the best I’d ever tasted, made more delicious by our circumstances.
After our dessert, I could barely keep my eyes open at the kitchen table.
“Let’s get you to bed,” he’d said as he swooped me up in his arms and carried me there. I dropped my robe to the floor and snuggled between the soft sheets, hoping he would not be able to resist my nakedness. But then I fell asleep immediately.