We landed within a shrouded opening of a snow spotted forest. The trees strained away from the force of the propellers, their white covering scattering and revealing the greenest leaves. When the blades stilled, Cameron removed his mouthpiece and directed me to do the same.
“This is the plan,” he said. “Go hunt us something to eat. Bring it back skinned, please. No rabbits. I’m rather fond of rabbits.”
I smirked at him.
He leaned over and unbuckled my seatbelt. “I’ll get to work on the fire.”
“Please tell me you’re joking,” I said.
He looked affronted. “Submissive 101.”
What the fuck.
“Or.” He smiled. “We can see what chef packed in our picnic basket.”
“Picnic?” I screeched with excitement and peered behind me, and there, on the backseat, sat a wicker basket.
Cameron reached into the large black bag beside it and took his time removing two coats, a couple of tartan scarves, and two hats. He handed me a pair of boots.
Beaming at him, I pulled on the hat and slid on the chenille gloves. The thick coat was my size, as were the boots. This was fricken fantastic. Like the best date ever fantastic.
Carrying the hamper between us, we scrunched our way through the thicket, following a beaten path. There came the fleeting thought I may not be the first sub brought here, but I shoved it far away, refusing to have any negative notions encroach on our adventure.
I let out the deepest sigh when I saw the view.
A grand lake spread out before us, its surface twinkling with its icy covered layer.
It was breathtaking.
Birdsong burst up around us and the occasional rustling of leaves proved we were nestled deep within nature. As though both starved for this, me more than him probably, we stood stock still, staring out at the lake. A ripple here and there hinted that somewhere beneath that great body of water were fish.
Taking a lungful of fresh air and breathing in the freshest scent of woodland, I couldn’t remember being so happy. Cameron opened my mind and heart to new experiences and we’d even flown here in a helicopter. My life had changed irrevocably because of him.
“Now is all we have,” said Cameron wistfully. “Learn to cherish it.”
I really was speechless. I’d never expected anything like this. I’d been so sure we were heading right back to Chrysalis.
Cameron found us a patch free from snow and laid down a thick blanket. He removed his gloves and threw them beside him. Reaching into the basket, he rummaged through it. He withdrew two plates and placed upon them perfectly cut salmon and cucumber sandwiches, home baked chips, along with stuffed olives and a selection of dips.
I pulled my hands out of my gloves. “You certainly know how to wow a girl.”
“Why thank you, Ms. Lauren.” He poured two glasses of sparkling water and handed me one. “I thought it best we went somewhere private. A debriefing after Jasmine’s revelation.”
Oh, so this wasn’t a romantic picnic for two? My heart sank at the thought he’d merely brought me here to talk about Jasmine’s proclivity and that place.
“You look surprised?” he said.
“Not sure there’s anything to talk about.”
He studied me in that usual probing way of his, his squint revealing he’d sensed the truth. “It’s only natural for us to become fond of each other.”
After everything we’d gotten up to, fond sounded like a betrayal. My appetite waned.
“You’ll always be one of my most extraordinary encounters,” he said.
It sounded so dry, so formal, so Cameron. Seriously, did this guy have a one sentimental bone in his body?
I relented to his lead. “Thank you for taking me to meet Jasmine. You were right about hearing it directly from her.”
“Even though I don’t approve of Pendulum, I respect those who wish to partake. Despite my concerns.”
“What if the girl changes her mind halfway through?”
“There’s a pre-selection that involves intensive training before a sub ever enters.”
“But if she needed to leave for personal reasons?”
“The request would be honored.” Cameron topped off my glass. “We’re talking professional men who want the best for their sub. Again, they all consent. No one enters Pendulum unless they’re an established submissive with a cleared mental health background, and a track record of excellence in S & M.”
“Do you clear them?”
He waved his hand. “I have no connection with that place, other than knowing many of the members. Any intensive unsupervised environment is risky.” He looked out at the lake.
“What is it about Pendulum you don’t like?” I said.
“The clients are powerful men with a lot to lose.”
“And you’re sure Rich—” I hesitated. “Has never taken a woman there?”
“There’s always a history. A previous lover. Unless of course we’re talking about someone like you, Mia, who is innocent and then there’s no man to be jealous of.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I already did.” He peeked inside the hamper. “Richard has never been a member of Pendulum.”
“But you were once?” I said. “Weren’t you?”
CHAPTER 31
CAMERON’S FIERCNESS LESSENED to reticence. “I should be more careful.”
Despite taking a sip of water, my mouth stayed dry.
“Her name was Arabella,” he began. “She was nineteen. Too young.” His frown deepened. “She slipped through the cracks at Pendulum. It was early days for the club and it was still finding its feet. Her bi-polar condition went undetected until stress brought it out. By the end of the second week Arabella was a mess. I was woken up at 1AM by a distraught member and begged to come to Pendulum.” Cameron gave a sigh. “I was never a member myself. I merely bailed one of them out. As you can imagine, due to the nature of the club, the police were never called. There was never an official report. The man who fucked up was a congressman. Arabella was safer for it to all go away.”
“What happened?”
“Upon my arrival, I found Arabella agitated.”
“What did you do?”
“Talked her off the roof. And then sedated her.”
“Oh my God,” I said. “Was she going to jump?”
“She threatened to.”
“What happened to her? Is she okay?”
“She is now. I hospitalized her for several months and, after her recovery, recommended she leave L.A. She followed my advice. She was paid off. She’s now an associate director of a Ritz Carlton in Seattle. Not that she needs to work. That was one hell of an expensive mistake.”
“This congressmen?”
“Leave that well alone, Mia.” He crossed his legs, getting more comfortable. “For self-preservation’s sake.”
This really was a dark world I’d entered. One where the privileged few got whatever they wanted. Dominic had confirmed their place in Bel Air was where unusual tastes could be explored. “It makes Chrysalis sound tame.”
“It’s a sanctum. Running Chrysalis and Enthrall within very specific parameters assures safe role-play. We take into consideration the mind, body, and soul of the individual. Yes, what we do is considered deviant to some, but we cater to the needs of clients who cannot be served elsewhere.” He took my hand. “What I did with you in the dungeon was finely executed after I’d profiled how well you’d respond. As you’re happily sitting here with me, I can only assume you want to be here.”
“More than anything.”
“I’m glad we had this talk.”
I tilted my head. “Talk about what?”
His nod showed his approval.
“You do realize this is a very romantic setting?” I said.
“It’s just us eating food near a lake.”
“For someone so brilliant,” I said, “you seem to be out of touch with your feelings.”
“
I’m not denying that I enjoy your company.” He popped a stuffed olive into his mouth. “It’s rather pleasant.”
“Me or the olive?” I arched a brow.
“I’m merely proceeding through your training,” he said. “It would be foolish for either of us to develop feelings for each other. I am, after all, priming you for another.”
“But you must know,” I said. “All this affection. All this fucking. The way you are with me. Your generosity. Your kindness. Your patience. Spending all this time with you is deeply affecting me.”
“I’ll merely be a blip on the horizon of the number of lovers you take in your lifetime,” he said.
“And that’s all I am to you?” I released the words in a rush. “An impending blip?”
“You are…my finest work.”
“Cameron—”
His raised his hand to cut me off. “Your reaction time during a session. We need to cut it down. I need to see you comply to my order with an immediate response. No hesitation.”
God that was hot.
His threat to intensify my training made my insides liquefy and my thighs weaken. Running my hand through my hair, I tried to soothe this unbidden desire to pounce on him and kiss him hard on the lips.
I caught his subtle smile, a glimpse of the all too elusive playful Cameron.
“What else have you got hidden away in that picnic basket?” I said. “Any chocolate?”
He dug around. “It’s imperative that I honor my best friend’s trust, Mia.” Cameron pulled out a bar of Godiva chocolate. “And as I’m the most hedonistic man you will ever meet, I must also protect you from me.”
“What if I don’t want protecting?”
“You don’t have a say in the matter.” He peeled open the packet and snapped off a square and handed it to me. “The last thing we need to do is fracture reality.”
Swallowing, I remembered to breathe again.
“Don’t be concerned if you’re falling in love with me,” he said. “We’ll cure that problem with your next session.”
Blushing wildly, confused yet aroused, I looked away.
CHAPTER 32
CAMERON HAD REDUCED love to a problem.
Why was I not surprised? A man so remarkably talented at getting clients in touch with their own feelings seemed pretty sketchy when it came to his.
We’d flown back from Big Bear in silence.
Upon our return, in true master and sub style, I’d been firmly escorted by him through Chrysalis and brought down here, into a vast tiled room with a space cut out of the center like a small paddling pool area, only without water. A large cage sat within it. Big enough for a person.
A ‘what the fuck,’ I’m not going in that, kind of a cage.
I’d been stripped down to my bra and panties.
The unusual décor would have been enough to make me want out of here, but there came an even greater threat, along with all this sparseness. That long coiled hose held by Master Shay, the nozzle pointed directly at me.
My thoughts sparked in all directions and I managed to catch one of them, which questioned the temperature of the water, quickly followed by how much this was going to hurt.
With Cameron’s last words ringing in my ears about curing my affection for him, I found it hard to stay calm.
He might just be onto something.
Of course he looked gorgeous. Both he and Shay were barefoot, their only clothes their black pants, their muscular, naked torsos on show and rippling with the kind of power needed to keep me in here. If I ran, they’d catch me.
And I’d signed off on this. Given permission for these two sexy rogues to live out their fantasy. Still, intrigue equaled my arousal. Cameron looked hotter than ever as he paced in his overbearing master mode, all lean muscle and mental superiority.
Electricity crackling in the air. An overbearing sexual domination. My short, sharp breaths revealed some part of me was exhilarated to be locked in here with them. I was getting off with being vulnerable and at their mercy, the promise of forbidden pleasures just out of reach.
As I’ve already mentioned,” Cameron sounded strict, “your response time needs refining.”
It was hard to believe this was the same man who’d flown me to Big Bear to put my mind at ease. Now he was about to perform some kind of water torture.
“This is how we will proceed, Mia,” he said. “I will give an order and you will obey. Should there be a lapse in your response time, you’ll be punished.” He gestured to Shay, who was seemingly taking this all too seriously.
“I’m not going in that fucking cage,” I told them.
Cameron’s jaw tensed. “What was missing there?” He stepped towards me. “I’ll give you a clue. Sir, and permission to speak.”
“Sir,” I muttered. “May I speak?”
“You may.”
“Please tell me I’m not going in that.” I pointed to it.
“Kneel.”
I dropped to my knees. I was nothing if not a quick learner and the threat of that cage had my head spinning.
“Rise,” said Cameron.
Snapping my head up to get a read on him, I was caught by his eyes darkening yet giving nothing away. His right hand gave a subtle gesture.
The shock of cold water blasted my abdomen.
The burst forced me to slam my mouth shut and breathe through my nose. Scrambling backward onto my butt, my arms flailed for balance. Shay turned off the hose and smiled defiantly.
From a quick glance at both of them, they were getting off on this.
“Stand,” snapped Cameron.
Soaking wet and freezing, I rose and bowed my head. A recollection stirred, about finding a book in Cameron’s office on Ian Pavlov, and his research on conditioning. He was famed for training dogs with electric shocks. Funny how these psychology types were really the ones who needed their heads checked.
“Kneel,” came Cameron’s sharp order.
Fighting this rebellion, I relented and lowered myself to my knees, water trailing off my body and forming a pool.
“Stand,” he snapped.
I was on my feet again. The threat of cold was all I needed for my reflexes to respond.
“Turn around.”
Despite my quick reaction, there came that pressure pounding my flesh, stinging by buttocks, and stunning me into a bent over pose of resistance. My eyes squeezed shut, my lips pressed together, and that sting of force pummeled my flesh.
The water stopped.
“Come here, Mia.”
Facing Cameron again, I relaxed against him, resting my cheek against his chest and drawing comfort from his warmth. A shiver. A sigh. My body reacted to his embrace.
“Good girl.” Cameron nudged me away and stepped back. “Now kneel.”
I stepped closer, needing another hug—
A burst of cold sprayed me, only this time directed at my breasts. I brought up my arms to protect myself and sank to my feet, holding my breath until the water stopped.
“Up,” ordered Cameron.
Trembling, I begged him with my eyes.
“Lie down,” said Cameron.
What. The. Fuck.
Shay turned the hose on me again.
Arms protecting my chest, I scrambled towards him in some kind of out of body experience, slipping and skidding my way along, leaning into the full force of the water and soon closing the gap. Grabbing hold of the hose, I yanked it out of Shay’s grasp and struck it against his chest. I kneed him in the groin.
“Mia!” shouted Cameron.
Shay faced the wall, cupping his balls as he slid down. Cameron sprang towards us and skidded across the floor, his arms out on either side as he flailed for balance. His feet gave way and he lost his footing, slipping backwards and landing hard on the ground. He laughed hysterically.
“Get your fucking sub off me,” shouted Shay, and despite rolling around on the wet tile he too seemed to find this hilarious. “What the fuck was that?”
I turne
d on Cameron, skidding over to him. “Don’t you ever do that to me again.” I slumped to my knees beside him and thumped his chest. “It’s not funny. You guys are messed up.”
“I know you’ll be surprised to hear this,” said Shay, “but my erection’s gone.”
Cameron’s laughter rose louder. He couldn’t speak, but merely stared up the ceiling, clearly finding delight in this entire spectacle.
“What made you take this one on?” Shay pushed himself to his feet. “She’s un-trainable.”
“I lost a bet.” Cameron beamed and pulled me on top of him.
“Bastard.” I thumped his chest again.
“Mia, you can’t take this all so literally,” said Cameron, grabbing hold of my wrists.
“You’re not the one having cold water sprayed on you,” I snapped.
“I’ll leave you two at it then.” Shay headed out, shaking his head and still cupping his balls.
Cameron rolled on top of me, pressing his soaked torso against mine. “My feisty angel, you are so beguiling.”
Wrapping my thighs around him, unable to resist his firmness, I squirmed beneath him. “What did you expect?”
“Not that,” he said, shaking his head, amused.
We stilled and stared into each other’s eyes.
That sheen of water on his chest glistened. That firm hold of my wrists held above my head, his strength dominating my movement, caused me to weaken.
“Be a good girl and take off your panties,” he said, lifting off me.
Pouting my annoyance, trying to feign I was more pissed off then I was, I eased them off my hips and down, throwing them across the room. Cameron slipped off his pants and underwear and was soon lying back on top of me, maneuvering himself between my thighs. His firm body brought a welcome warmth.
With one hard thrust, he buried himself deep inside and I arched my back in pleasure.
“You don’t deserve my cock.” He moved his hips in a circle. “But I’m giving it to you anyway.”
“Thank you, Sir.” I dug my nails into his back. “Oh God,” I moaned, quickly getting close. This fullness, these thrusts banging me into the tile, caused my insides to melt and my thighs to tremble.
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