"But didn't you just testify you flogged your date that night?"
"Yes, I did. It was only the second time I'd actually done it, outside of a practice room."
"Well, Ms. McKeown, you now have me confused. If you're a submissive as you claim, then why were you flogging your date?"
Keeping her cool, she leveled him with a gaze. "It's obvious, Sir, you know nothing about the lifestyle. I didn’t say I was a submissive. I merely said, at that point in time, my experience was primarily in the role of the submissive."
He seemed taken back. "How can you act like a submissive but not be a submissive? Where I come from, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and has feathers like a duck...then it's more than likely a duck."
A slow grin crossed her face. "I'm a switch. Which means I swing both ways, Sir. I submit or dominate depending upon who I’m with."
"So you're telling me that to you, your sexuality can swing back and forth as you hop from partner to partner?"
She gritted her teeth. "I wouldn't call it swinging. I’m not into orgies, Sir. I can submit to my Dom, but still dominate another submissive at the same time."
"And the night you encountered Ms. Teelen at the club, you were in your 'dominant' swing?
"That particular night, yes."
"Then you cannot deny you started Ms. Teelen on the path of destruction which landed her in her current predicament. She saw you at the club, dominating your date, and wanted to emulate what she saw."
"She made her own choices, Counselor. I’m no more responsible for her actions than is the parent who responsibly teaches their teenager how to use a rifle for deer hunting or skeet shooting when their teen decides to use that rifle or any firearm to gun down a fellow student. What a person chooses to do with lessons they've been taught rests solely on that person's shoulders."
A gasp from the jury drew her attention away from the defense lawyer. Shock, surprise, and even a hint of admiration lined their faces.
"Interesting analogy Ms. McKeown. So tell me, if you turned my client over to another Master, how was it you ended up being present at a club in California with her? Or how, when she gravely injured a submissive, witnesses testified you said it was your fault."
Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach. This is what she'd been dreading and hoped Zebadiah wouldn't hear about. She looked out in the crowd and met his blue eyes. They were steady and calm - like a port in the storm.
"Permission to treat this witness as hostile, Your Honor."
"Granted. Answer the question, Ms. McKeown."
"During Spring Break of her freshman year, I accompanied Allison to California. While we were in L.A. we visited a club called the Gilded Lily. Allison wanted to surprise me for my birthday."
"And how did she surprise you?"
Steph licked her lips. "She had paid a male submissive a thousand dollars to let us do whatever we wanted to him."
"And what did you do?"
Her face flushed in memory. "I secured him to a St. Andrew's Cross and flogged him."
"But that wasn't the end of it was it? According to hospital records I've labeled as Exhibit 23..." Mr. Rathowitz handed a copy of the papers to Judge Kalicki. "I'd like to submit this as evidence." Then he turned back to Steph. "It seems you did more than flog this young man. The doctors in the emergency room said David Harris not only had a concussion but his back required a hundred seventy-two stitches to close. One doctor...a Dr. Lewchowski, states in the paperwork you were suspected to be the one responsible for the injuries. Weren't you then arrested for assault and battery?"
Steph held the tears at bay, her eyes seeking out Zeb once more. "Yes, but the charges were dropped—" Her heart plummeted as he shrugged off Nicky's arm and moved to leave the courtroom. A sob caught in her throat.
"But what kind of person causes this kind of damage on another? I'll tell you - a sadistic person who enjoys other’s pain. Now imagine what it's like for a young impressionable woman exploring her own sexuality to be around such sadism." Mr. Rathowitz gave her a contemptuous look. "In all honesty it's Ms. McKeown who should be on trial here. My client is only what Ms. McKeown made her into."
A tear slipped free as the door closed behind Zeb.
"I have no more questions for this witness." Mr. Rathowitz tapped the rail before returning to the defense desk.
"Redirect your honor?" Mr. Charleston stood.
"Of course."
Mr. Charleston approached the bench and handed her the white square from his pocket. Taking it with trembling fingers, she dabbed at the tears.
"Mr. Rathowitz has stated you felt responsible for what happened that night at the Gilded Lily. Why is that?"
"Because when I tried to release David from the cross, Allison attacked me. As I tried to defend myself, I tripped over one of the support beams at the back of the cross, and managed to knock it off balance. Since I was behind it at the time so I could safely reach the release on the cuffs, it fell sideways. Unfortunately when it did, David hit his head against the edge of a nearby pillory, which stopped the cross’s descent.”
“So the concussion was a true accident? Isn’t that why they dropped the charges against you?”
“Yes.”
Mr. Charleston smiled down at her. "Good, but let’s go back a second. Can you tell the jury what led up to you releasing him?"
"Yes.” She turned to address the jury. “Everything had gone fine up ‘til that point. I'd gone over his safewords and limits. About fifteen minutes into the flogging, he pleaded for more, he wanted it harder than what I'd been giving him. I was preparing to start again when Allison took his plea as an invitation to bring out a silver tipped flogger. I tried to take away the flogger from her...one of his limits was no bloodletting and sure as hell the flogger would've split him wide open. This is what I got for my trouble." She held her hands up to the jury so they could see the scars on the backs and palms of her hands. "But I not only ended up getting cut up in the process, but she hit me in the temple with the handle of it, stunning me. By the time David had safeworded and I'd managed to get my wits about me, his back was in ribbons. This time I managed to disarm her, and then the Dungeon Monitors arrived and stepped in."
"So this was a scene that spiraled out of control because of the defendant. That was when the club security got involved?"
"Yes, Sir, and was part of the reason she was black-listed from the club. After the club's checkered past under the old management, the new owners were fanatics about safety and limits. They hauled her out of there on the spot, but not before she managed to attack me again as I was trying to free David." Needing to see her Master, to draw moral support from him, she glanced in his direction as Mr. Charleston shifted. Her lover was gone. Her heart began to pound, but she forced herself to focus on the prosecutor. Hopefully Nicky was out with Zeb.
"I see. So in the end, it was the defendant's actions that caused the majority of the harm to the submissive?"
"Yes, Sir. Which is probably one of the reasons, aside from the fact David didn’t want to press charges, that I was released. In the end however, I felt responsible for not being able to anticipate her actions, so I paid for David's medical bills and made sure Allison Teelen couldn’t step foot inside of another BDSM club in California."
"Which is why the witnesses heard you say it was all your fault, despite the fact it was Allison, who both ignored safety procedures, and subsequently injured the young man."
"Yes, Sir. Even though I couldn't predict what Allison was going to do, David placed his trust in my hands during our scene. I was supposed to keep him safe, and I failed."
* * * *
Walking out of the courtroom, Steph felt like she was a million years old. Every part of her felt raw and exposed. She'd thought with Nicky's help that she'd put what happened with David behind her, but it still hurt. Logically she knew there was nothing she could've done to prevent it. She hadn't even been aware Allison had the lethal flogger in her toy bag. She'd smuggle
d it into the club against the rules. Nor had she expected Allison to interrupt her birthday fun. David had been a gift to her, not Allison. But it no longer mattered because Allison had succeeded in what she'd set out to do. She'd driven Zeb away. Her Sexy was probably already halfway back to Ethan and Davis's house.
"There you are, Ma'am." A pair of warm arms wrapped around her waist.
Hearing Zeb's voice was like an illusion, one she was afraid to believe was real. "Sexy?"
"I'm sorry you had to go through that. If I could've done it for you, I would've." He pressed his face against the back of her neck, his lips nuzzling her skin.
"You...I..." She tried to make sense of it all. Why was he still here? He should've been disgusted by her, and refused to let her even come within in ten feet of him.
"Don't." Zeb whispered. "I don't want to hear whatever garbage about how I shouldn't be with you come from your pretty little mouth."
"But you left...you both left." Tears poured over her cheeks as Nicky stepped in front of her, effectively sandwiching her between them.
"I had to. If I’d been in there one second longer, I'd have tried to kill Allison for the hell she was putting you through." Zeb kissed the back of her neck. "You're my Ma'am, I knew no matter what they said, you'd never do anything like what her lawyer was accusing you of."
"And I came out here to check on him." Nicky cupped her cheek. "I explained what happened and if I hadn't pulled the Dom card on him, he'd have gone back in and ripped her a new asshole. So no more tears. We're not going anywhere other than home, where I think it's time for Zeb and me to make you forget this miserable day."
"And how are you going to do that? Slip me a Roofy so I don't remember?"
"No..." Zeb licked the base of her neck. "I think another round with the spanking bench will do the trick fine...especially if we re-enact Sir's surprise."
A moan slipped past her lips at the vivid reminder. "Okay...take me home."
Chapter Twenty-Two
Zebadiah stretched and covered his mouth with a yawn before slipping out from under the rumpled sheets. He glanced down at his still sleeping Ma'am. The bags under her eyes told of their long night of indulgence. He hated to wake her. She'd been through the ringer yesterday. She needed time to recuperate, not only from the stress of her testimony, but also from the demands both he and Sir had made on her. Especially if her body felt anything like his. He was pleasantly sore but nothing he couldn't handle. The hazy but pleasurable memories of the night before teased at his brain, but first he needed to heed the call of nature. With his eyes barely open, he made his way towards the bathroom connected to Sir's and Ma'am's bedroom. He was in the open doorway before his brain registered the fact the shower was running. Rubbing his eyes, he groaned as he took in Sir's form while he rubbed a loofah across his wide chest. Unbelievably, his dick stirred and every need he had to piss deserted him.
As if drawn by an unseen force, he crossed the room, the cool tile against the soles of his feet barely registering. Stopping just outside of the shower stall, he debated for a moment whether or not to enter. As much as he wanted to join Nicky, he wasn't sure if entering the shower was such a good idea. Over the past few days his need for more from the man had increased. He wanted things he didn't think Nicky would ever allow. Things that included exploring his Sir's ass, licking, fingering and even - he gulped - fucking the man until he was bellowing with his pleasure. The ultimate gift he could give him. But so far there had been no signs of his Sir wanting more than what Zeb had given.
"If you're going to stand out there all day, I'm going to be vastly disappointed, Zebadiah."
Zeb's breath caught as he looked up to see Nicky, who had obviously gotten tired of waiting for him and had stuck his head out of the shower. His dark hair, wet from the water, and scruffy jaw were beyond sexy. Zeb could almost imagine how the stubble gracing his Sir's jaw would feel against his own.
"You would be?" He forced himself to concentrate of Nicky's words.
"Yes." Nicky offered his hand. "Now get your tight ass in here. I need a second pair of hands to wash up."
Between the command and Nicky's willingness to share the shower, Zeb found his will weakening. He'd just keep his hands off his Sir's ass and everything would be okay.
"Well, then I guess I'm your man, Sir." Stepping into the shower, he took a deep breath as he was welcomed into its humid embrace.
As soon as the curtain was jerked closed behind him, Zeb found himself pulled up against his Sir's hard wet body. He made a guttural sound deep in his throat when Sir's semi-erect cock pressed against his lower stomach.
"Damn that feels good," Nicky growled against the top of his head.
"The water, Sir?" He wrapped his arms around Nicky's waist, snuggling closer to the larger man.
"No, you." Nicky ran a hand down his spine, lingering at the top of his ass. "You feel so right. Just like Steph does." He nuzzled the top of Zeb's head as the water continued to rain down on them.
"I'm glad, Sir." Zeb couldn't keep the emotions out of his voice. The easy acceptance he'd been craving for so long was present in his Sir's voice and it shook Zeb to his core. He'd fallen hard for the man, just like he'd known he would.
"You know though, I dragged you in here for nefarious reasons." Nicky grew a bit harder against Zeb's stomach. "I wanted to feel those little hands all over my body."
Zeb chuckled. "Didn't you get enough of that last night, Sir?" The night had been filled with hours of hands caressing bodies. Lips finding intimate spots and the pleasurable results as they explored without limits. Until all three of them had fallen asleep in a tangled mass of limbs in the center of Nicky and Steph's bed.
"I'll never get enough of feeling your hands on me." Nicky rubbed the palm of his hand over one cheek of Zeb's bottom. "Just like I hope you never get tired of feeling my hands on you."
Zeb drew back with a shaky breath. "Then I suppose I should get to washing, Sir."
"Among other things...?" Nicky asked, with an arched brow.
It took some effort but Zeb kept a straight face as he took the bottle of body wash from the shelf and squeezed a generous amount of it in his palms.
"As my Sir desires."
* * * *
Nicholaus took a deep breath as Zeb approached him with nothing more than a fist full of suds. It'd been an impulse, but when he'd seen his il mio colibrì standing outside the shower curtain and chewing on his lower lip, he couldn't resist and had dragged the man inside with him. He loved playing under the water with his lovers. Now he just had to find out if Zeb loved water play as much. The look in his little sub's eyes as Zeb placed his lathered up hands against Nicky's chest was more potent. He knew in the pit of his stomach there was no way he was going to let Zeb out of the shower before he'd fucked him against the tiled wall. But that didn't mean I’m was in a hurry, he thought with a groan as Zeb tweaked both of his nipples before running his talented fingers down to Nicky's navel. Nope, he was going to draw this moment out as long as possible, until they both were satisfied. Or we turn into prunes.
"There's no need to stop there," he whispered against Zeb's temple as Zeb's teased his navel with a fingertip.
"I won't, Sir." Zeb soothed bubbles over Nicky's hip. He glanced up at Nicky, the water steaming around them, dampening his face. "Not when there are so many spots to explore on your sexy body." His lips parted. "Humor me, Sir?"
The request sent a surge of lust straight to Nicky's groin. This is what he'd longed for when he'd asked Steph if she'd be comfortable bringing a third into their relationship. He'd wanted to see, hear, and feel - to absorb - a male's submission. To fill the part of his own unique psyche that needed a male's touch. He loved Steph, he truly did, but he loved Zeb just as much. They both completed him in different ways. Steph with her devil may care, make me attitude before submitting, and Zeb with his easy laid back attitude and his quieter but deeper submission.
"Of course, Zeb." He forced the words past his suddenly
tight throat.
"Thank you, Sir." Zeb's words whispered across his sternum as he pressed a kiss against his damp skin.
When Zeb's hands drifted to clasp both of his hips, Nicky hissed as Zeb tugged him closer, pressing his now erect cock into the muscled length of Zeb's stomach. It was like rubbing up against satin-covered steel. His little hummingbird was trim, fit from his long hours of therapy and numerous katas he'd practiced with Ethan. Lost in a haze of building lust, he reminded himself to thank Ethan later for making sure Zeb had stayed physically fit, despite his confinement after his numerous surgeries.
"Turn, Sir." The request was unexpected, but Nicky did as his sub asked, looking forward to the feel of Zeb's hands on his back.
But when the touch came it wasn't his back Zeb touched, it was his ass. Nothing major, just the slightest brush of Zeb's fingers across his left butt cheek. Nicky stilled and waited to see what his little daring submissive was up to. Would he touch again or move onto safe territory? While they'd talked about the fact Nicky had wanted to fuck Zeb's tight ass from the moment they'd seen him, Nicky hadn't gotten the gumption up to spill to his submissive, that he hoped one day Zeb would be comfortable enough to ask for the same in return. Nicky didn't bottom for just any male. but one look at Zeb as he'd chewed out a Dom for securing a sub too tightly to the pillory, and he'd gotten a sudden urge to not just submit to the slender man, but to have Zeb unleash that intensity on his ass. To feel Zeb thrust inside of him as they battled for control made Nicky hard as rock. He'd hoped one day to guide his gentle submissive in that direction, but he'd never dreamed it would come this soon. He'd thought perhaps after the trial was over, and they'd placed the collar they'd commissioned for him around his neck, that he would seduce the man into it, with a bit of help from Steph. He just hadn't expected Zeb to expedite his seduction so soon.
"Go ahead, explore, il mio colibrì." He kept his voice soft, not wanting to startle the other man. "I love to be touched...even there."
"Are you sure, Sir?" Zeb's voice was raspy, but his fingers returned a bit more solidly this time.
Essential Master (Doms of Napa Valley) Page 20