Ultimate Sin

by Clarissa Wild

  I don’t know why she likes him so much, but I guess he has his charms. He isn’t so bad if I think about it. I just dislike the idea of being someone’s possession.

  Although, when I take a second to realize where I am, outside in the sun, taking a breath … it’s not so bad. I could get used to this life. Even if I’m not free. It’s better than where I came from.

  Anything is better than being with Mistress.

  Nothing is better than being with Ava.

  She’s the only real thing about this world. The only person in the same boat as I am. The only person who I can talk to without feeling pressured to lie.

  When she looks up at me, I feel the need to smile. It’s something about her eyes … they get to me. Like the moment I see her, I just want to grin.

  “Are you okay?” I ask, watching her pant.

  “Yeah. I’m ready,” she says, holding up her fists again.

  “Okay. Give me your best shot,” I say, going into a defensive stance.

  She throws me a left-handed hook, which I avoid and block, grappling her elbow to shove her away. “Oh, c’mon. I know you can do better than that.”

  “Go easy on her,” Marcus yells from a small distance.

  He’s lounging in his chair, reading a few papers, his sunglasses resting on the lowest part of his nose. He looks so old when he does that. Especially when he always insists on watching us from his lounge chair and doesn’t bother to partake in her training. It’s the only reason I haven’t made a run for it. I know he’s hiding a gun somewhere.

  Still, he could at least make it a little easier by participating in her training as well, but he refuses. He says I know better, and that he wouldn’t be of much help anyway. I say he’s lazy and he just doesn’t like getting hurt. I’d beat his ass in no time.

  I snarl at him and focus on training Ava. I don’t need him to remind me to be gentle. I know how fragile she is. Her wounds may have turned into scars over time, but her body never recuperated from the malnutrition she was forced to endure for so many years. Which is why I’m going to give her a hand. It doesn’t hurt to help every now and then. As long as she doesn’t find out … it doesn’t matter.

  As she prepares for the next blow, I purposefully set my feet in a way that makes it easy for her to topple me. I watch her as she makes a move, narrowing my eyes as she zooms in on my feet. A quick punch from the right, followed by a tackle on the left, and I’m down.

  “Whoa,” I say, rubbing my ass as I get up. “That hurt.”

  “Really? Sorry. I didn’t think it would actually work.” She blushes, and it makes me smile.

  “No worries. I can handle some pain. Well done.”

  She gloats because she did it right. Even though I helped her a little, it’s good to see her smile. I reposition myself and say, “Again.”

  She does the same thing, only this time in reverse. But I won’t go easy on her now. She’s not prepared when I grab her arm as she tries to topple me, and we both fall to the ground. I was hoping she’d block me. Instead, she falls straight on top of me.

  I thought it was a bad thing, but it isn’t. It actually feels really, really good.

  Too good.

  Like, ‘fuck me, she’s lying on top of me’ good.

  Her face hovers close to mine as she struggles to breathe. But I can feel her warm puffs on my cheek. We’re outside, in the cold, yet I’ve not felt warmer since I last took a shower.

  For a moment, we just gaze at each other.

  Her heart beats faster with every passing second, her flushed skin glistening in the sun, demanding my attention.

  And then I feel her nipples harden against my skin.

  My cock twitches in my pants, and even though I will it to go down, I can’t shake this uncontrollable need growing inside me.

  It’s wrong.

  But it feels so goddamn right.

  Her eyes widen and she gasps.

  With the palms of her hands, she lifts herself up from me, her face turning red as a beet. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs.

  “It’s okay.” I smile.

  My instinct tells me to touch her face, so I do. I don’t know why, but it feels calming as I caress her cheek. I swear I can feel her nudge into my hand, if only a little.

  It’s then that I realize she’s beautiful.

  Like the outside world—innocent, untainted, misunderstood.

  And that I can’t ever have her … because she isn’t and never will be mine.

  After all … we both belong to the same Master. He’s the one who owns us. He decides our fate. We don’t belong to ourselves … our hearts aren’t even ours to give away.

  And then the moment passes.

  Out of nowhere, our Master suddenly sits up in his chair, bucks, heaves, and pukes in the grass.

  It doesn’t stop.

  Ava’s eyes immediately turn away from mine, and she pushes herself off me, rushing off to our Master.

  He keeps throwing up, so I lift myself up too so I can have a look.

  His body rocks sideways, dangerously close to falling off the chair.

  I stand up.

  That’s when I realize it’s not just puke.

  There’s blood too.

  Ava screams. “Master!”

  His limp body drops to the ground. His eyes close.

  18

  Ava

  The first thing we did was grab Master Marcus’s cell phone from his pocket and call the only number we could: Amelia’s. I don’t know how to use a phone; I’ve never called anyone. I wasn’t allowed and neither was Daniel, so we just chose the first name that sounded familiar. Master Marcus always told me to call this number should anything happen to him. And now, it finally did.

  Daniel’s first reaction was that we should run.

  I was appalled he even suggested such a thing. I would never leave my Master here.

  Fortunately, Daniel didn’t run. I don’t know why he stayed, but it wasn’t on my mind either. All I could think of was that something was terribly wrong with Master Marcus.

  It took thirty minutes for Amelia to get to us with a few medics she’d called. I’d been sitting by his side, holding his head up so he could still breathe. But he stayed unconscious the entire trip back home.

  They brought him to his bed and then told us to leave. At first, I refused, but since Master Marcus wasn’t able to give me any command, Amelia stepped in to take over. She always knows what’s best … and she wanted us to leave the room so the doctor could work out the problem.

  That was twenty-four hours ago.

  I haven’t been by his side since.

  The doctor left the house. Amelia told me he needed rest. Lots of it. She explicitly forbade us to go in his room.

  I just hope he’s all right.

  I waste away the day wandering around the house, doing chores here and there, but I can never fully concentrate on them. All I can think about is Master Marcus and why he was puking blood. I was so scared when I saw him collapse … I still get the shivers every time I think about it.

  Daniel is the only one who’s been able to remain calm during the entire ordeal. He’s not said a word to me since it happened. All he does is stare out into the world through the windows. Stare at me working. Stare at the door behind which Master Marcus lies. Sometimes, I wonder what he’s thinking. If it’s something he shouldn’t be thinking.

  It probably is.

  I sigh, sweeping the floors. I should not be thinking about this either, but I can’t help myself.

  Not after what happened outside, during training.

  I fell on top of Daniel and I could feel his pants tenting against me.

  It was like time stopped for a moment, and all that was left was him and me.

  And the weirdest part was that I didn’t even mind.

  I should mind. I should be telling him it’s wrong because it is.

  We belong to Master Marcus. We can’t …

  But no matter how many times I try to
tell myself we can’t, a smile still appears on my lips.

  That smile … it happens whenever I see Daniel look at me. Touch me. Smile at me.

  It’s as if my heart suddenly stops beating … and then beats twice as fast.

  A roller coaster of emotions goes through me every time he comes close to me. I don’t know why this is happening, and I know I should put a stop to it. I just don’t know how.

  Maybe Master Marcus has an answer.

  Then again, this isn’t something I should tell him. Or should I? He always told me I could confide in him … that I should speak my mind and let the feelings in. But this is different. This isn’t about him.

  And I don’t want him to be upset. After all, I am his. That includes my heart.

  Besides, he’s sick. God only knows how bad it is. He doesn’t have the time to talk about feelings. I shouldn’t even be thinking about this. It’s wrong and my Master needs me to work as hard as I can so I relieve him of the stress. Maybe it will help him get better.

  It’s the only thing I can do, really.

  I’m not allowed in his room.

  Every hour, I stand in front of it, my hand hovering near the doorknob, but then I withdraw it again. I don’t have the guts to go against the rules.

  But my heart can’t help but long for him.

  I miss him.

  I miss his gentle touch. His warm laugh. His loving words.

  I miss everything about him, and the longer he’s not around, the emptier I feel.

  The more time that passes, the more I want to know what’s wrong with him, because somewhere in my crazy, screwed-up brain, I want to be able to fix him, so he’s him again and nothing will ever change.

  I want us to be complete again.

  After another twenty-four hours have passed and Amelia is asleep on the couch, I take the plunge and slide open the door to peek through the gap, knowing full well that I’m breaking the rules. I can’t resist any longer.

  Master Marcus lies on his side, his face pale and his eyes dreary. But they’re open. And they’re looking straight at me.

  “I’m sorry, Master,” I whisper, and I pull away again.

  “No, wait,” he murmurs, coughing.

  With a smile, I open the door a little. “I don’t want to bother you.”

  “You’re not bothering me at all,” he whispers, pulling a warm cloth off his head and placing it on the table.

  I step into his room. “How are you feeling?”

  A warm smile tugs at his lips. “I’ve felt better.” He beckons me and then pats his bed. “C’mon. Sit.”

  I tentatively accept his invitation and try not to touch him as I sit beside him. He looks so brittle and sick.

  “I’m sorry. I know Amelia told me I shouldn’t come here and that you needed rest, but I couldn’t—”

  He places a finger on my lips. “It’s okay. I understand. You were worried.”

  “Yes. You were spitting up blood. What’s happening to you?”

  He grabs my hand and gently caresses it. “It’s just a stomach ulcer I’ve been dealing with for a few weeks. The doctor says I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.” He places another hand on my back and pets me.

  His touch alone causes tears to form.

  “Oh, c’mere,” he says, pulling me close.

  He makes me lie down in his arms as he hugs me tight.

  I bury my face in his chest, smelling his scent to remind myself that he’s still here in the flesh. It feels good being this close to him. I breathe out a sigh of relief. “I was so scared.”

  “I know,” he says, shushing me. “It’s okay to be scared. It’ll pass.”

  “When I saw you … I thought you had …”

  I can’t even say the word.

  He nudges me so he can look me in the eye, lifting a brow. “Do you care that much about me?”

  “Yes,” I say. “You’re my Master. Of course, I care.”

  He shakes his head. “I’m just a simple man. A man who took you in. Who bought you from another. I used you.”

  “I want you to use me …” I say. Anything is good as long as he is with me.

  “No,” he says sternly. “You want to love someone. And that’s good. You’re supposed to love. But don’t fall in love with me.” His fingers dig into my skin as he holds me tight. “Don’t care for me. Don’t fall for me. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes …” I murmur.

  He grabs my chin. “Promise me you’ll remember. Think of what I did to you at the party.”

  “No,” I say, shaking my head. “I don’t want to remember.”

  “Ava …” He sighs. “You really make this difficult.”

  I lower my eyes. “If Master wishes for me to leave, I can leave.”

  “No … that’s not what … Oh, never mind.” He lets out another sigh and then drapes his arm over me again, pulling me in for another hug. “I guess some things will never change.”

  “Is that a bad thing?” I ask, wrapping my arms around him too.

  “That depends on who you ask.” He licks his lips and presses a small kiss to my forehead.

  “You’re always so cryptic,” I say.

  A low, throaty laugh leaves his mouth, creating a warm, fuzzy feeling in my stomach. “Life wouldn’t be exciting without having a puzzle to solve.”

  I smile against his skin and inhale his scent, taking comfort in the fact he’s alive and in my arms. And even though I broke the rules, I feel good. I feel strong. Capable of more than just obeying. Capable of acting on thoughts and emotions.

  “I hope you’re not mad at me for breaking the rules.”

  “Nonsense. I’m actually happy you came into my room. I was starting to get bored,” he muses.

  “Bored? How long have you been awake?”

  “Long enough to almost want to get out of bed. Can’t sleep anyway, so why stay in bed?”

  “Well …” My skin flushes from the thought rushing through my head. “You could always cuddle with me.”

  A wicked smile tugs at his lips. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

  “Very much, Master,” I murmur. “I like being close to you.”

  “Tell me what else you like,” he whispers into my ear.

  “I like you. I like your touch. Your voice.”

  He places a small kiss just underneath my earlobe, making me gasp.

  “I like … feeling things with you.”

  “What kind of things?” Another kiss is placed on my neck.

  “Excitement. Passion.” His lips leave scorching kisses on my collarbone, making it hard to concentrate on what I want to say. “Need.”

  “What is it that you need?” he murmurs against my skin, leaving a red, hot mark.

  “I need you,” I whisper.

  “You need me … to provide you with …”

  “Love.”

  “No.” He buries his teeth in my shoulder, and a short cry escapes my mouth. “Intimacy.”

  “Yes,” I say. “But your needs always come first. You’re sick. I don’t want to—”

  He interrupts me with a soft kiss that tickles my senses. “I’m done being sick,” he says between kisses. “Make me feel alive again, Ava. Make me feel something.”

  “Yes,” I moan as he claims my mouth. “Use me, Master. I want you so badly. Use me for your needs and mine.”

  His hands disappear into my leggings, cupping my pussy. “Say the words, Ava.”

  His fingers expertly toy with me until I’m practically begging for air.

  “Please … fuck me, Master.” Sweet relief rolls off my lips, and I realize at this moment that I’m acting solely on selfish needs because I want to see my Master happy again, and I’ll give him anything he wants to achieve that. I don’t care and neither does he. All that matters is the closeness we crave. The wantonness I feel growing inside us both.

  Despite the fact that he debased me in front of everyone at that party, my body still yearns for him. Guilt bubbles up to the surfac
e, but I force it down as I succumb to Master Marcus’s kisses.

  His tongue enters my mouth, greedily taking what’s his, and I melt into a puddle in his arms. Heat pools between my legs as his fingers roll around my clit, wetness spilling everywhere. The rush overtakes me as I grasp his cock through his pants and massage his hard-on. The moans that escape his mouth are music to my ears.

  My panties are soaked by the time his fingers enter me, filling me completely. I gasp at the pressure he builds using two fingers, fucking me hard and deep. His fiery eyes settle on mine as he leans over me, biting his lip.

  “You’re so wet. No wonder you’re begging me. You must’ve been dying for me to fuck you.”

  “Yes, Master. Please … fuck me hard,” I moan, and he covers his mouth with mine.

  Sweet, delicious kisses interchange with hot, blazing nibbles and a demanding tongue as he drives me to the edge. All I can think of is him inside me, closing the gap between our bodies until we’re one.

  As if he can read my thoughts, he suddenly pulls his fingers out of me only to rip my leggings and panties down in one go. Then he rips my shirt over my head, and my nipples instantly harden from a cold draft … and his tongue.

  He sucks and licks my nipple until I’m shivering and moaning, scrunching up his sweatpants with my hands, desperate for more. My eyes flash open from desire—

  And from the bright orange hair appearing in the doorway.

  Holding my breath, I grab Master Marcus tight and turn my head toward Daniel.

  His eyes widen at the sight of us, his lips parting.

  That’s when I notice he has his hand in his pants.

  He’s been watching us all this time.

  19

  Daniel

  I don’t know what possessed me to jerk myself off to the two of them touching each other.

  I only came to check where Ava had gone. The moment I saw them snuggling, I knew I wasn’t supposed to be there. Yet I couldn’t stop myself from watching them kiss … hug … touch.

  I couldn’t stop myself from becoming jealous. From wanting exactly the same.

  My hand moved out of my pants of its own accord, wanting to still the hunger I felt as I saw Marcus undress her. Just seeing her lean into his hand as he fingered her, moaning heavily, had me stiff. It was impossible to ignore, to even look away. All I could think of was how good it must feel to touch her and to fuck her like that.