Passion's Claim

by Devyn Douglas

  Viviana noted the platinum cuff he wore as her mind processed his statement with the inept speed of a 512 kilobyte RAM processor. “You can read my profile.”

  “And make notes for others to read.” He retracted a handheld device from one of the many pockets on his black cargo pants. “It helps us know who’s scened with whom and ensure no one is too adventurous. Safety first, and all that.”

  Safe, sane, consensual. The Brigade’s embraced mantra had drawn her to it in the first place. Too many nightclubs sprang up and never adhered to the code despite their statement to the contrary. For people like Viviana, who abhorred club atmospheres, a resort was an ideal location.

  Assuming you had the money to indulge. Which she didn’t.

  Not yet.

  “I personally think safety’s overrated sometimes. How about you? You ever done anything really wicked or dangerous?” He prowled closer, an almost indiscernible step forward.

  Her pulse raced and her mind reeled. “Some would say being here is pretty dangerous.”

  “Quite true.”

  Viviana swallowed and moved backward, only to realize she’d pinned herself in. Unless she wanted to climb over boulders with three-inch boots on, she was stuck between a rock and a hard man with questionable intentions.

  Not that she’d mind if his intentions were toward the sensual side. Those big hands of his would feel good coming down hard on her ass. Or sliding between her legs until she squirmed and mewled her release.

  Okay, time to pause all that thought and find a back door out of this mess. As a glorified hacker she knew better than to work herself into corners. Always have a way out.

  Always.

  She swallowed her concern and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

  “You may call me Sir.”

  “And if I don’t want to?”

  “Well then, Viviana, I’m afraid you definitely came to the wrong party.”

  Her right hand ran over the bracelet secured to her left wrist. Her fingers ran across an oval protrusion along the center. Well, she’d wanted to get Stryker’s attention. Screaming a safe word or pressing the magical red out button would sure as hell accomplish that.

  But had the man—whoever the hell he was—really done anything other than intimidate the living shit out of her by his mere presence? It wasn’t his fault he exuded such a… She swallowed the thought and tried to formulate something reasonable to say. Her mind went from wanting to scream her way out of his presence and using his incredibly sexy body as a Slip ‘n Slide.

  “Maybe I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl. I still like to talk and negotiate things for myself.”

  “Always a wise decision and one we require here.” He stepped to the side and sat on a boulder to her right. “So you know Lance?”

  “Yeah, we met briefly at an airport.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Yeah, we didn’t get to…” Viviana hedged the lie, unsure what the hell to say. As far as cover stories went this one was really lame. “I expressed an interest in the lifestyle and he thought this was a good way for me to dip my toe into the proverbial pool.”

  “That must’ve been a hell of a conversation.”

  “I ramble when I’m nervous or excited and teased him that the best way to shut me up was to gag me. Things sort of went from there.”

  “Fair enough.” He crossed his arms and smirked. “You know he and I go way back.”

  Of course they did.

  “It’s a shame he couldn’t be here.” She sat down with what false bravado she could project and motioned toward the resort. “This is a beautiful location.”

  “It’s okay. I wanted something a bit more secluded, but everyone seemed to think we needed to keep a somewhat close proximity to Austin.” He shrugged. “Something about people feeling less intimidated.”

  The man turned toward footsteps she hadn’t heard until she’d seen him whirl around in response. He nodded at a blond man making his way toward them. A dark-blue shirt tucked into hip-hugging denim accentuated his lean, athletic build.

  “Here for barely five minutes and you’ve snagged the sexiest girl. Nothing ever changes. How ya been, man?” The blond stranger clapped the man on the back and then directed his riveting blue gaze on Viviana. “Hey, Viv. I’m Chase.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Sir.”

  Chase turned to the man and chuckled. “How the hell…”

  “She’s a friend of Lance’s,” he interrupted. “I’m keeping her company.”

  “Ah.” Amusement flickered in Chase’s gaze. “Well, I’ll happily help you keep her in line.”

  “I think I’ve got it handled for now.”

  Viviana’s skin heated as the two men discussed her. Even though a portion of her wanted to slink away, her curiosity kept her perched on her makeshift seat.

  Chase’s phone vibrated. He glanced over his shoulder and waved at a man across the lawn. “Afraid I came for a reason. We need someone to take over the spanking demonstration. Kade and Autumn are…” he cleared his throat, “running late.”

  Spanking demonstration. Viviana’s entire body melted at the thought. She shifted and clutched her thighs, hoping neither of the men noticed her reaction.

  “Perhaps I could handle that,” the man commented as he stood. He extended his hand toward her. “Are you ready to dip your toe into that pool yet, Viviana?”

  Viviana stared at his hand as if it had sprouted ten extra fingers. Her. In a spanking demonstration. Him. Spanking her.

  “Scared?” Chase asked.

  She nodded. Of course she was. She didn’t know him. At all. Then again, it wasn’t as if she knew Stryker that well either. Getting spanked was one of her top-five things she wanted to experiment with and The Brigade was certainly a safe place to do it. “What will you spank me with?”

  He smiled and ran a finger across her cheek. “I assure you that you will enjoy every moment.”

  Indecision weighed her limbs as he stood there silently challenging her to accept his invitation. She’d come here to play. Explore. Get Stryker’s attention.

  Participating in a scene could very well get his attention faster than anything. She admonished herself for the wicked thought but nodded in acceptance. This wasn’t the time to chicken out. Her knees knocked together as she followed him across the lawn and toward a tented area on the other side.

  His hand wrapped around her waist as he guided her through the small crowd gathered. Nervousness flitted across her. “I’m not sure I can do this.”

  “Of course you can. You came here to explore, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes Sir.”

  “Sorry, Sir.” She took the two steps up to the stage area and looked around. “You’ve done this before, right?”

  “Many times.” He grinned and crossed his arms. “Say the word, Viviana, and I’ll find another volunteer.”

  She glanced at the crowd and saw the scores of women surrounding them. “No, I’ll do it.”

  “You remember the safe word?”

  She’d found the safe word too amusing too forget. Who would’ve imagined cobra? Suddenly, seeing this man—and thinking of Stryker—she couldn’t help but remember her siblings’ obsession with G.I. Joe growing up. She’d just found her own commander general, and she was about to see exactly how good he was in action.

  Suppressing the meandering path her mind was taking, she responded before he could note her pause, or humor. “Cobra.”

  “Right.” He pulled out the handheld device and tapped the screen a few times. “For someone not experienced you were quite brave with your choices here.”

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for all that. Not like this.”

  “Of course not.” He motioned toward the bench. “Remove the boots and the skirt and settle in.”

  Mortification filled her as she looked at him.

  “Is there a problem?”

  “I didn’t exactly dress for my parts to be ex
posed.”

  “Well, then, I guess you’ll learn how to be more prepared next time.” He assessed her with a gaze somewhere between infrared and X-ray vision. “I assure you that no one has ever died of embarrassment, and in a couple of minutes you won’t even be thinking of the crowd.”

  “I won’t?”

  “If you are, then I’ve lost my touch.”

  Cocky. Viviana almost stated the obvious fact, but she suspected she was better off keeping her mouth shut. At least he’d let her stay clothed for the most part. She already felt more exposed than ever before.

  She ignored the trembling in her hands as she removed the leather skirt and hoped the sliver of fabric between her legs hid more than she suspected.

  The bench was intimidating. She wasn’t sure where to begin getting on it. Four leather pads were separated by a higher one in the middle of the device. A set of steel restraint cuffs was on each side. Viviana gulped as he poised her in front of the waist-high bar and bent her over. She leaned forward until each of her forearms settled on the leather pads.

  A hush fell over the crowd as she finished settling her knees into the pads. Her pulse raced as she settled her wrists into the steel cuffs and took a deep breath. She could do this.

  Ignore the crowd.

  She’d understood from her limited knowledge that voyeurism played a large part in the BDSM scene for some, but she was pretty sure that it wouldn’t for her. That didn’t mean she was about to scream “cobra” and go running for the hills. Everything was worth trying once.

  She could feel him behind her. She shivered in sensual awareness as moisture pooled between her splayed legs. Fingers ran across her thighs and she jumped. He chuckled and made his way to her side.

  “Our little sub is new to the scene so this will be a brief, very mild demonstration. It’s important to check all the restraints and make sure they don’t restrict circulation.” He knelt and secured her wrists. Deft fingers ran along both wrists and under the cuffs. Tingles danced across her flesh. “And of course, all bench heights should be adjusted.”

  He pulled locks from a small box at the base of the bench and locked her in. He ran his hand across her cheek. “You’re doing great, Viv. Just a little longer and we’ll begin.”

  Nylon straps wrapped around her forearms and secured her position. He then moved behind her and repeated the process with her ankles and calves. She shivered when his fingers trailed across her calves and up her thighs.

  “Very nice, sub.”

  He massaged her legs in a circular pattern that left her breathless and writhing toward his palms. The motion moved upward inch by inch. She held her breath and waited for him to glide up to her pussy.

  She relaxed and savored the sensations tumbling through her. She gasped as he swatted her ass, then rubbed. The second hit was harder, meant to sting. The burning made her hiss in shock. Her pussy moistened and her breathing quickened.

  She was lost in glorious sensation as the stranger unleashed his heady mixture of massaging, swatting, smacking and rubbing on her defenseless ass and thighs. His fingers ran across her slit and he groaned.

  His first utterance of sound made her shiver in delight. The restraints held her in place despite her writhing backward. She needed more, but she wasn’t sure what. The ability to reason was locked away, tucked into the recesses of her mind as her darkest fantasies spiraled forward and fed on the man’s ministrations.

  Her eyes fluttered open and her gaze landed on Stryker. Her pussy clenched and she groaned when she noted the mixture of curiosity and lust in his dark eyes. What did he think of her submission to a man he likely knew? She envisioned him joining them and gasped when the man behind her swatted her extra hard.

  “Don’t come without permission, sub.”

  She battled the sensations mounting within her. Fingers delved into her slickened folds and moved toward her clit. He rubbed gently and she screamed in delight.

  Don’t come without permission, sub.

  The harshly uttered command echoed in her but she couldn’t formulate the words. She was too lost in her need to beg for something she couldn’t contain.

  Her ass burned and her pussy clenched around his fingers as they entered her. She gasped, then swallowed—determined to beg for the release she needed so desperately. What started as a word in her mind formed into a groan when he moved his fingers inside her. She writhed against his hand and whimpered softly.

  “Come for me, sub.”