Auctioned to Protect [The Spectrum Auctions 2] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Doris O'Connor

  Jonas laughed and started to fuck his sub’s mouth in earnest. The girl gagged and made choking noises, but her juices ran down the inside of her thigh, testament to how much she enjoyed the rough handling. Scarlett shifted in her seat and tugged Mike down until he knelt on the floor next to her.

  Laura’s loud moan focused her attention on what was happening on the cross in front of her, and she rested one hand on Mike’s shoulder to reassure him. This had to be hard for him to watch and listen to.

  Slade had switched from the warm-up flogger to the cane. Every carefully placed stroke left a fiery mark in its wake and Mike flinched every time the cane made contact with his sister’s naked flesh.

  Jonas grunted his release next to them, and his sub snuggled in between his legs as he patted her head absentmindedly, his attention too focused on Slade. The strokes became harder and the tension in Mike’s body grew, until she felt the trembles of rage travel through her fingertips.

  “Easy, brass, she needs this.”

  “Bullshit.” He swore under the guise of a cough, but Scarlett heard him anyway. Jonas, too, if his amused glance down at Mike was anything to go by.

  “You’re letting him get away with that, Scarlett?” he asked.

  Mike growled low in his throat and Scarlett clenched her thighs together as that animalistic sound travelled straight to her clit.

  “For now,” she said. “He’s new and that’s his sister.”

  “Oh, Scarlett, that’s just downright cruel. I love it.” Jonas smirked, and Mike lifted slightly. A sharp yank to his cock brought him back down. He glared at her, and she smiled at him briefly before looking across at Jonas.

  “Yes, though I couldn’t resist watching Slade in action. His expertise is always a joy to witness. The way he takes care of his pet’s needs.”

  Jonas’s eyes narrowed as he looked between her and Mike on the floor, and she could see the exact moment the penny dropped.

  “Yes, there’s an art to beating the crap out of a pain slut like Laura. I’m not sure I could do it. It takes a lot to get a sub like her out of her head.”

  Mike snorted in seeming disbelief at what he was hearing, and Jonas winked at Scarlett.

  “I hear she was pretty worried, hence Slade decided on the public scene. I’m rather glad he did. His pet is a pretty little thing.”

  Scarlett mouthed enough over Mike’s bent head, and Jonas grinned. Rolling her eyes at the other man’s far too obvious enjoyment at his winding up the subbie game, she ran her tongue along Mike’s ear and then bit down hard on the soft tissue. She soothed the red area with a kiss and cupped Mike’s chin to make him look at her.

  To her utter shock she saw the shimmer of tears in his expressive eyes, and her heart turned over in her chest. There was more at play here than Mike’s disgust at what he was witnessing. She had no doubt that he would have tried to intervene already, harness be fucked, unless he did grasp what was happening, on some level at least.

  The crack of the whip pulled her attention back to Laura. The girl’s eyes had taken on that glazed look, and tears were slowly running down her cheeks. She would carry bruises from this scene that would take some time to heal, but her body looked utterly relaxed as Slade swung the whip again and again. Every two strokes he stopped and kissed Laura, whispering to her to reassure himself she was okay, the connection and the trust between them almost a palpable presence in the room.

  “Look at them, Mike. Really look at them.” Scarlett turned his head to make him focus on the pair, and his harsh exhale spoke volumes. “Can you see the way he cares for her. How in tune he is with her? Laura was tense and worried before—about you, I might add. Now she’s relaxed and she’s letting go of all that angst.”

  Sure enough Laura started crying in earnest, and Slade abandoned the whip and ran his hands all over her marks instead. Hard strokes to start with, and then in slower, gentler circles. He added a soothing balm to his ministrations and massaged the healing liquid into her skin. Without the restraints holding her up against the cross, Laura would have slid to the floor, of that Scarlett had no doubt, and when Slade unbuckled her, she collapsed into his arms.

  Slade sat down with her in the chair just vacated by Jonas and the crowd slowly dispersed, until it was just the four of them sitting there. Laura moaned low in her throat when Slade tugged a blanket around her limp form, and she snuggled closer into his embrace.

  Only then did he acknowledge Scarlett with a tired smile. This scene had taken a lot out of him, too.

  “Mike.” He nodded toward Laura’s brother, and Scarlett tightened his hold on him just in case, but there was no need.

  “Is she okay?” he asked and Slade nodded.

  “She will be, especially once she sees you’ve still got your balls attached. Scarlett, you’re slipping.”

  Slade’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, and Scarlett swallowed her sharp retort. Now was not the time to take Slade to task about withholding information about the break-in from her, not with Laura coming round. Mike’s sister smiled up at Slade and he kissed her. The sheer intimacy of that kiss made Scarlett feel as though she were intruding on a private moment, and a stab of envy poked her in the belly.

  Mike grasped her hand and kissed it, only for his grip to turn viselike when Laura spoke.

  “Mike…”

  Chapter Seven

  Laura’s tearstained voice made Mike clench his teeth. Laura never cried, dammit, not since the accident, and the fateful day he’d locked her in her room to stop her from going after the very man who was now holding her as carefully as though she were spun glass.

  Uncomfortable memories battled their way to the surface and Mike shut his eyes and shook his head. He wouldn’t think about that now. He had a fucking job to do. Emotions only clouded one’s judgment and he didn’t want to remember. It hurt too much and those emotions had no place in his life now.

  They hadn’t helped his parents back then and sure as fuck didn’t help now.

  “Brass, I will not tolerate rudeness. Acknowledge Master Slade’s pet, when she is talking to you.”

  Scarlett’s fingernails dug into his neck with enough force to draw blood, but it was the disapproval in her voice that hurt most. This pint-sized woman was getting under his skin with astonishing speed, and he had no idea what to do about it. Normally speaking he’d run a mile, hide behind his off-putting persona, but there was no hiding from Scarlett. In truth he didn’t want to. There was something freeing about giving up control, about her not giving him a choice but to acknowledge what was happening.

  He raised his head, and Laura’s tearstained gaze connecting with his was like a physical punch to the gut. He’d let her down badly, and he was still letting her down by not accepting her choice to be with Slade. His usual refuge escaped him. The anger he relied on to keep himself going, to stop himself from thinking about his failings, eluded him. There was only this uncomfortable feeling that made his chest tight and breathing difficult.

  Slade had no problems keeping his own anger from showing. It was there in the way he narrowed his eyes, and the tight set of his shoulders as he focused all his attention on Mike. Scarlett’s painful grasp on his neck loosened and changed to a soothing caress.

  “That’s better, Mike. Slade and I have something to discuss, in private.” Her fingers tensed for an instant, and Mike dragged his gaze away from his sister and her Master to check her expression. He knew her well enough by now to know that she was furious. Not with him for a change, but with Slade. He knew that, too, if his wary sigh was anything to go by.

  “He told you, then.”

  “Yes, he did, but I’m not discussing this here.” Scarlett’s voice was pure ice and Laura sat up straighter and looked between Slade and Scarlett with a frown.

  “It’s all right, pet. I’ll fill you in later. Take this opportunity to talk to your brother.” Slade kissed her again, which brought a nice shade of pink to Laura’s pale cheeks and then he got up and settled her back down
on the plush chair.

  Scarlett, too, rose, but it seemed Mike was not to be afforded the comfort of the seat. She clipped his leash to an anchoring in the floor, instead. It afforded him just enough room to shift slightly, but he certainly couldn’t stand up without doing his cock some serious damage. As it was, the damn thing was so swollen that he wasn’t sure it would ever go down again.

  “I want you to stay there and listen to your sister, brass.”

  Scarlett demanded Mike’s attention with a flick of her booted foot to his balls that made his gut clench with the unexpected pain, and brought tears to his eyes.

  “Is that understood?” Scarlett asked.

  “Yes, My Lady.” He panted his answer and Laura scooted forward on her chair to put a cool hand on his arm.

  “Take it easy, Scarlett,” Slade said. “It was my idea not to tell you. Don’t take your anger out on him. I don’t think he’ll be going very far tethered like that. You’ve made your point.”

  “Don’t tell me how to treat my toy, Slade.” Scarlett stared him down and Slade nodded just once, before he looked at Mike.

  “Laura has been worried over you. I don’t like to see her worried, and if she’s upset when I get back, the treatment you’ve received at your Mistress’s hands will pale into insignificance. Do we understand each other, brass?”

  Mike balled his hands into fists to stop himself from unclipping that fucking leash and wrapping it around Slade’s neck. As satisfying as that would be, it wouldn’t achieve anything. The damn man was right. Laura and he did need to talk. He sure wished he didn’t have to have that talk whilst kneeling naked on the floor of a BDSM club with his cock held in an instrument of torture though.

  “Yes, we do.” He ground the words out through clenched teeth and Slade’s eyebrow rose. There was no fucking way Mike would call him Sir, so he would just have to lump it. He held Slade’s gaze and was rewarded with a slight tilt of the man’s lips and grudging respect in his eyes. He nodded once, gave a genuine smile to Laura, and gestured for Scarlett to lead the way. Even the click clack of her heels showed her annoyance, and Mike smirked. It would be fun to be a fly on the wall when those two butted heads.

  “Here, take this. I know I’ll be more comfortable if I don’t have to look at your bibs and bobs.” Laura handed him a cushion and he took it off her with a grateful smile and used it to cover his groin.

  “That must hurt,” she said.

  Mike shrugged his shoulders.

  “I’ve had worse.”

  “I’m surprised you’re going along with it, Mike. No one would blame you if you took it off.”

  The softly spoken words caught him by surprise and he looked up at her. Laura had settled back against the cushioned back of the chair and she couldn’t quite hide the wince as her back made contact. She pulled the blanket tighter around her naked form, but there was an almost serene smile on her face. Fuck him if he understood her.

  “I don’t think Scarlett would agree with you,” he said when she’d settled herself.

  Laura giggled, a carefree sound he hadn’t heard from her in far too long, and he shook his head. This was a strange world he’d been thrust into—one that changed all the rules and left him more confused than ever. Not in a million years would he have ever thought to find himself in this predicament. The Mike that had walked into Club Spectrum a mere few hours ago would certainly not have meekly sat like this awaiting his Mistress’s return, let alone been willing to talk to his sister.

  It had always hurt too much to even look at her, a constant reminder of his own failings. Mike rolled his head and shoulders to relieve some of the tension he carried and blurted out the first thing on his mind.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Laura’s eyes widened and she leant forward. Her long blonde hair framed her face and she looked terribly young and vulnerable, and so much like the little sister he used to adore that he had to swallow several times to dislodge the lump in his throat.

  “For what, Mike? For keeping me and Slade apart all these years? For setting me up with Joachim, and turning a blind eye to the way he beat on me? For calling me a liar and a pervert? For getting rid of all of Mum and Dad’s stuff, and leaving me with nothing but my memories, or for always blaming me for their death? What exactly are you fucking sorry for, Mike?”

  Laura’s voice had risen to an angry shriek, and several of the bystanders took notice over the distant beat of the music, the sounds of implements hitting flesh, and the odd shriek and moan. They were away from the hub of the main floor in this corner, but visible enough to anyone playing on the nearby stations. Pedro approached with a frown and put a hand on her shoulder.

  “Is everything all right, girl? Do I need to get Slade?”

  Mike grit his teeth against the proprietary manner in which Pedro treated Laura, as though it was his right to touch her. Again he wondered what exactly Slade did allow other Doms to do to her, and the thought made his skin crawl.

  “Take your fucking hands off my sister. She doesn’t need your help. We’re just talking.”

  Laura flinched and the Spaniard’s face grew murderous. Before he could say anything at all, however, Laura smiled up at him.

  “That won’t be necessary, Sir. Thank you for your concern.”

  Pedro’s features softened and he caressed her cheek.

  “You’re welcome, girl. Anything for Slade’s pet.”

  Laura blushed and Mike growled his annoyance. The arrogant Spaniard simply ignored him and walked away.

  “If I wasn’t tethered to this fucking thing, I’d make him eat his balls.”

  “Don’t be an idiot, Mike. Master Pedro is a respected Master of Club Spectrum. He’s also a sadist. You wouldn’t stand a chance against him, and what’s more you would dishonor Scarlett with your actions. Judging by the fact that you are tethered to the floor by your junk, I assume you care about that, otherwise you’d have taken that off, right?”

  Mike couldn’t bring himself to answer her and she whistled through her teeth.

  “You do care about her. Far more than you want to and that scares the shit out of you, I bet.”

  “Now you’re being ridiculous, Laura. Since when have I ever cared about any of the women that I fuck?” He frowned at his words and Laura threw a cushion at his head.

  “Dumbass. You’ve got a chance here to make something out of your fucked-up private life, so don’t blow it. Scarlett sniffs out bullshit faster than one of your sniffer dogs at the station gets a whiff of cocaine. And she cares about you, otherwise she’d never have taken you on. Scarlett has been a good friend to me. Don’t fucking hurt her, Mike.”

  That inherent threat sounded so much like the old Laura that Mike took a metaphorical step back in his mind.

  “I’m the one who’s fucking got the life being squeezed out of his cock here. I don’t think she needs your help. Scarlett can look after herself.”

  “I’m not talking about that, you stupid oaf of a man. I’m talking about her emotions. Scarlett is more fragile than people realize. Don’t mess with her.”

  Laura stared him down until Mike inclined his head in silent agreement and she gave him a tight smile. An uncomfortable silence fell between them, until Mike couldn’t stand it anymore.

  “I meant what I said earlier. I am sorry—for everything.”

  It was Laura’s turn to shrug her shoulders, and he had to strain to catch her next muttered words.

  “And that makes it all okay, I guess?”

  “No, it doesn’t. Fuck no, I know that. None of this is all right, and if I could turn the clock back, I would. I wouldn’t have blown you off when you called that night, and Mum and Dad…they…”

  He couldn’t bring himself to continue. It was too fucking painful and he resolutely stared at the floor, even when Laura got up and knelt next to him. Her tentative touch of his back made him grind his teeth. She traced the names of his parents that he’d had tattooed on his left shoulder blade as a permanent reminder
of his failings, and he could tell she was crying again.

  Big fat drops that fell on his bare feet and made him feel like a fucking asshole.

  “If I hadn’t gotten drunk, then Mum and Dad wouldn’t have needed to come and get me. It was my—”

  “No, it wasn’t. You were just being a typical teenager, acting out. I knew that then and I sure as fuck know it now.” He interrupted her and twisted around to see her face. Blue eyes wide with tears, she looked so lost and miserable he wanted to give her a hug, but he restrained himself. They hadn’t hugged in years, so considering their state of undress this would be beyond awkward. “I shouldn’t have blown you off just to be able to get into some pussy that night. I was a fucking moron, and if anyone caused their death it was me.”

  “No!” Laura shook her head so vehemently that her long hair whipped him in the face, but before he could say anything, Slade’s furious curse shattered the moment. He grabbed Laura round the waist and his free hand connected with the side of Mike’s head. Pain blossomed and blinded him as his head spun round and his left eye immediately started to swell.

  “Slade, stop that now.” Scarlett’s sharp command joined in with Laura’s gasp and by the time the ringing in his ear stopped, and he could see again, Laura was hanging on Slade’s arm and Scarlett stood in front of Mike, hands on hips, a pint sized barrier to Slade’s palpable anger.

  “Move out of the way, Scarlett. He’s fucking upset her again, the bastard.”

  “No, Slade, Sir, he didn’t. I’m not crying because of that. Please stop and listen to me.” Laura pleaded with Slade and all but wrapped herself around him.

  “Listen to your pet, Slade, and get yourself under control. This is beneath you and achieves nothing,” Scarlett said and then turned to look at Mike. “What happened here, Mike?”

  “He was just telling me that he thinks he’s to blame for our parent’s death, Scarlett, and he’s not. No one is. Slade and you made me see that. It was just an accident. A cruel fucking twist of fate. Mike did nothing wrong at all. He apologized to me. Slade, let it go, please, and just take me home. Please, Sir. I need to get out of here.”