by Abby Blake
A moment later Maya moaned softly as Derek and Cam both held up tiny remote controls for everyone to see. Brick wasn’t certain what they controlled, but judging by Maya’s reaction he could probably guess. Growing more embarrassed as Maya’s groans grew louder, Brick turned to look at the people gathered in a circle around the bride and her grooms.
There were more than a handful of people wearing ordinary clothes, but unlike Brick, they seemed to have no problem with watching a woman nearly orgasm in the middle of a crowd. Maya was panting, shuffling on her knees, her face showing both embarrassment and bliss, but it wasn’t until Derek and Cam both ordered her to come that she shook with completion, her low, sensuous moan echoing through the large room.
Even before she stopped shivering Cam leaned down and undid whatever was holding her arms behind her, and then Derek lifted their smiling sub into his embrace.
“Not as bad as you were expecting?” a soft voice asked Brick from beside him.
He turned to find a woman dressed in fetish wear, her clothes mostly see-through, a beautifully drawn tattoo twisting around her body.
“No,” he said with a soft laugh. “Was it that obvious?”
The woman gave him a smile and held up her hand with finger and thumb held half an inch apart. “Maybe just a little. I’m Bianca,” she said, holding her hand out for him to shake.
“Viper’s sub?” he asked, not really hiding his shock. “Are you allowed to be talking to me?”
As soon as he blurted the words, he wished he could take them back. Bianca had started the conversation. Surely she would know the rules better than anyone. He resisted the urge to glance around and see if Viper was in hearing distance.
She smiled reassuringly as he took her hand. “This is my best friend’s collaring ceremony. Think of this part as the reception after a wedding.”
“Okay,” he said, feeling a little bit more relaxed. Despite the clothing that would likely get them arrested outside of the club, the people here seemed perfectly normal. Well, except for the part where they’d all stood around and watched a woman orgasm. “But I couldn’t help noticing that the bride and grooms have gone missing.”
“Maya isn’t much of an exhibitionist,” Bianca said, tilting her head toward a hallway that seemed to lead deeper into the club. “Her Doms are probably finishing their ceremony privately.”
“Oh,” he said, truly having no idea what to say to that. The way Bianca spoke made it sound like the relationship was usually consummated in front of the guests. Hell, now that he thought about it that was probably exactly what happened. Next time he got to talk to Maya he had every intention of thanking her for being shy.
“I see you’ve met my sub,” Viper said as he stepped up behind Bianca and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist. There was something in Viper’s tone that set Brick on edge, but it was gone in his next sentence. “I’m glad to finally have you in my club for happier reasons.”
“Me too,” Brick said as he shook Viper’s hand. Derek had been frantic when they’d received an emergency call about a year ago to attend a shooting outside of Viper’s Dungeon. Fortunately, Logan’s injuries had been minor and the situation hadn’t been as horrifying as they’d been expecting, but with BDSM often misunderstood by the wider community there was always the possibility of some nut with a gun trying to make a point.
It was part of the reason why Viper had very strict security and member vetting. He took the BDSM lifestyle ideals of “safe, sane, and consensual” very seriously. Brick had lost count of how many times Derek had assured him of that.
Judging by some of the equipment on smaller stages around the edges of this big room, it was just as well.
* * * *
Bianca tried not to tense up as Viper held her tightly against him. It wasn’t that he was being overtly possessive. It was just her own mind interpreting his usual behavior differently. That was the worst part about all of this. She was the one who’d changed. Viper was as wonderful and as protective as always. He had a right to feel comfortable in this relationship.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of conversations, eating, and drinking. Once the alcohol started to flow, Viper closed off the scene areas. He had very strict rules about never mixing alcohol and BDSM. Considering the potential for injury, or even death, Bianca wholeheartedly agreed.
When Maya, Cam, and Derek finally made it back to the reception all three of them wore very happy, very satisfied smiles.
Unfortunately all it did was make Bianca feel more miserable. She wanted what Maya had—a balance between her submission and her independence. Bianca had never even held a full-time job. Frustration brought tears to her eyes and she blinked rapidly to clear her vision. This was her friend’s special day. How selfish was she to be sitting here thinking about her own problems and inadequacies?
“Are you okay?” Brick asked as he took a seat beside her. She didn’t miss the casual way he moved his chair a little further away from her.
It was strange. She wanted to lie and say she was fine, but there was just something about this man that inspired confidence. He was obviously a very good police officer.
“Are you enjoying the party?” she asked quietly. His eyes narrowed slightly at her avoidance, but he nodded and looked around the gathered crowd.
“It’s different to what I expected.”
“What were you expecting?” she asked, trying to summon a smile to her lips.
“To be honest, I’m not really sure,” Brick said with a slightly embarrassed laugh. “I suppose I expected something involving whips and chains and leather-clad guys dressed like executioners.”
“That’s Fridays,” Bianca said, only half joking. They did have a couple of members who liked the whole theatrical display of appearing as masked and merciless punishers. They were both very good with the whip and the illusion of torture, and no one other than Viper and his head security officer had ever seen their faces. It made for an exciting and very satisfying scene and many of the experienced, uncollared subs fell over each other every week trying to be first in line.
“How does it work?” Brick asked suddenly. “Does a woman wake up one morning and think, ‘Yeah, I want to be spanked during sex?’”
“Sometimes,” Bianca said, not really wanting to explain how she ended up living as a full-time submissive. It hadn’t been an intentional choice, but at the time it truly had been something she needed. She would always owe Viper for saving her from her own self-destructive behavior. “But it’s not always about sex. It takes a lot of trust for a sub to let a Dom tie her down and do whatever he pleases. It’s that trust that many of the people who live this lifestyle crave.”
“I suppose that makes sense…in a way. I can understand wanting to feel close to someone.”
The words were said in such a sad tone that Bianca truly wanted to ask why, but it seemed wrong somehow to ask something so intimate. She sensed a great deal of hurt in his past, and if she knew one thing very clearly it was that not everyone wanted to talk about their past.
She struggled to find a change of topic.
“So, um, what happens while Derek is on leave? Will you work with a different partner?”
“Actually, I decided to take the same time off. It’s kind of like that trust you mentioned. Trying to get used to working with someone else isn’t really worth the effort for only a few weeks. Derek and I have been working together for a long time. It’s just easier to take the same vacation time.”
“Are you going away, too?”
He smiled. “No, a vacation for singles is not my idea of fun. I have plenty to do at home.” He laughed self-consciously and this time Bianca couldn’t really interpret why. She wanted to ask more, but again it seemed inappropriate to pry into the man’s life.
The worst part was that some of the awkwardness was from her own lack of recent contact with a person outside of the lifestyle. She suddenly felt naked in a way she never had before. Quite ridiculous really cons
idering that her clothes hid quite a bit more than usual.
“I…um…should go…um…check on Maya.”
Brick frowned and for a moment she thought he might even reach out to stop her.
“Bianca.”
The quiet word stopped her as thoroughly as one of Viper’s orders usually did. She turned to look at Brick but couldn’t quite hide the tears blurring her vision.
“If you’re not happy living this lifestyle…” His words trailed away but his meaning was very clear. Unfortunately the last thing she needed was another man hell bent on rescuing her.
“No,” she said quickly. “No, I’m fine.” And then because it felt rude not to explain, Bianca added, “Viper is a good man. I’ve just grown”—she shrugged—“up a little I suppose. I don’t need him the way I once did.” She gasped, embarrassed to have admitted that to a man who was virtually a stranger. She also felt guilt—deep, dark, and heavy—wash through her. “I mean—”
“It’s okay,” Brick said quietly. “I know what you mean. In a relationship we change and grow and the marriage needs to change and grow with us. Have you spoken to Viper?”
“Not really,” she said, still embarrassed to be sharing this conversation with Brick but glad to finally be able to voice her fears out loud.
“Maybe you should,” he said with a kind smile. “Often when it comes to someone we love, men can be pretty clueless.”
Bianca didn’t quite agree with Brick’s assessment. Viper had proven over and over that he was very aware of her needs, but she hadn’t really tried to get her point across. She didn’t want to hurt him, yet by not speaking up she was essentially lying to him.
“I’ll talk to him tomorrow,” she said with a nod and a smile.
Brave words, but was she ready to risk the only stable life she’d known?
Chapter Five
Viper watched his brother and sister-in-law interact and couldn’t help but be a tiny bit envious. Terri was a confident, well-educated woman who ran her own business and didn’t take attitude from anybody. It made it hard for Kevin to protect his wife, but it also meant he didn’t have to worry about making every tiny little decision.
As soon as that unfair thought crossed Viper’s mind, he felt guilty, almost like he was betraying Bianca. He liked being in charge. He preferred to make the decisions. He’d spent years figuring out the lifestyle that worked for both of them. He liked the way they lived.
Viper turned and looked at his sub, perhaps just a little jealous to find her sitting next to a man who was not a Dom.
“She’s still amazingly beautiful,” Terri said as she came to stand beside him, “even after eleven years of you smacking her ass.”
Viper raised his eyebrows at his sister-in-law’s teasing, but she simply smiled unrepentantly.
“Bianca has always had an ethereal beauty that makes her seem so fragile,” Viper said as he turned to watch his sub again. “But I don’t think she’s happy anymore.”
Embarrassed to have blurted out something that he truly hadn’t thought through, Viper immediately reached for a chair, turning his attention to the woman who could end up going into early labor if she didn’t rest. Her ankles already looked quite swollen. She sat down and then stared at him until he grabbed a chair for himself.
The woman would have made a great Domme. It was lucky that his brother didn’t have a submissive bone in his body, or their relationship could have taken on a very different dynamic. As it was they still seemed to complement each other perfectly. “Explain,” Terri demanded when Viper finally took a seat.
“It’s nothing. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
“Why did you bring it up?” Terri asked with a faux innocence that didn’t even go close to fooling him. But it didn’t leave him much of an out either. He could explain what he meant, or he could walk away. He didn’t fancy the idea of having her call him back in front on all of his friends. Part of the reason Viper’s Dungeon ran so smoothly was because Viper was always in charge. His sister-in-law was the only one who could get away with speaking to him in such a manner. More than once he’d suggested her husband paddle her ass, but she’d laughed in Viper’s face and told Kevin to go ahead and try it.
In the end Viper settled for the truth. Terri would sense a lie anyway.
“I don’t know why I brought it up,” Viper said on a deep exhale. “Bianca offered to have a baby for me. I guess I’m just worried that she thinks she’s not enough for me anymore.”
“You don’t want children?” Terri asked in surprise. “I think you’d make a wonderful father.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to be a father some day. It’s just—” He glanced at Bianca and wondered how to put his feelings into words.
“It’s just that you don’t think Bianca would be able to handle it,” Terri finished for him, her eyes watering as she gave him a sad smile.
“After what happened to her family…” Viper said softly, his words trailing away as Terri nodded. “She only offered because she can see all of our friends having families. It’s not really what she wants. I already have my hands full running the club and taking care of Bianca. I can’t stop everything to take care of a baby, too.”
“Are you sure?” Terri asked with a glance in Bianca’s direction. “She seems far stronger these days.”
“That’s only because I make every decision for her,” Viper said, trying to ignore how that statement no longer gave him a sense of satisfaction. He sighed quietly and shook his head. “I don’t know what would happen if we had a baby together. Maybe Bianca would cope, but I’m not willing to risk it—especially when it’s not really something she wants. She’s just trying to please me, as a good sub should.” Terri nodded, perhaps understanding more about Bianca than Viper realized. “I wouldn’t be much of a Dom if I let her risk her happiness for my own selfish reasons.”
Terri gave him a sad smile, but didn’t disagree—a first since she’d married into the family. Viper was grateful for her silent support.
“We’re coming home,” Terri said quietly. “Kevin wanted to be the one to tell you.” She gave Viper a look that suggested she’d roast his nuts if he gave away that she’d told him first. “Kevin applied for a transfer, but we’ve got options if that doesn’t come through.” She gave him a watery smile, the pregnancy hormones clearly messing with her usual control over her emotions. “We want to be closer to our families, and it’ll be nice to have some backup when the twins arrive.”
He placed his arm around her shoulders and hugged her gently. “Thank you,” he said, acknowledging all that she hadn’t said out loud. He might never be a father, but he had a chance to be part of his nieces’ or nephews’ lives. That should fill a void that he’d only now noticed.
Being an uncle would be enough.
It had to be.
* * * *
Bianca woke as Viper slid down the bed, lifted her pussy to his mouth, and started to lick her intimately. It was the same way he’d woken her in the early days of their relationship, and it seemed obvious that he’d picked up on her distress last night.
Of course it wasn’t unusual for her Dom to wake her in this manner, but the correlation seemed just a little too obvious in her mind. The worst part was that it meant that he interpreted her sadness as something that he needed to fix, and that meant he intended to exhaust her with mind-shattering orgasms until she forgot all about what was upsetting her.
As much as she enjoyed sex with the man she loved, today it somehow felt wrong.
“Sir,” she said quietly, ready to try that talk she’d assured Brick she would have.
Viper sat back, watching her eyes as he assessed her closely. “Yes, little sub,” he said in a tone of voice that warned her that he was the one in charge. Perhaps he sensed what topic she wanted to discuss. Slightly intimidated—eleven years of doing what she was told was a little hard to set aside overnight—she hesitated a little too long. “Do you have a reason for interrupting your Dom,
little sub?”
“I…um…” She swallowed nervously, not sure where to start. “I hoped we could talk about babies again.”
“Damn it, Bianca,” Viper said irritably. She was a little shocked by his outburst. He’d always been in charge of his emotions, but it was clear that the subject was annoying the hell out of him. “I told you the other day. No babies. End of discussion.”
“But—”
“Are you defying your Dom, little sub?”
“No, Sir, I just…” She couldn’t hold back the tears that filled her eyes, her vision blurring as Viper pulled her into his embrace.
“Bianca, don’t do this to yourself. I’m perfectly happy with our life the way it is. I don’t want or need you trying to give me something I don’t consider necessary.”
“You don’t want children at all?” she asked, trying hard to understand what the man underneath the Dom truly meant. She had no doubt that Viper would repress his own needs if it meant protecting her, but maybe in this instance he really did mean what he was saying plainly.
“Kevin and Terri are moving back into town. I’m sure when the twins are born I’ll get more baby interaction than I can stand.”
“So you don’t want to be a father?”
“Enough, Bianca,” he said, sounding irritated again. “Our life is perfect the way it is.”
He leaned over her then, reaching for the Velcro straps secured to the bedposts. She let him tie her down—the spread-eagled position not unfamiliar in the least—as her mind whirled with worry.
Was she the only one who wanted to move their relationship forward? Had she misinterpreted his need for a family? Was she truly the only one who wanted to have a baby?
She swallowed the words, not wanting to upset the man who’d given her so much and asked for so little in return. Viper had once been her entire world, her anchor when all else around her had crumbled. It felt so selfish and wrong to want even more—especially when it wasn’t what he wanted.
She cried out as he sucked against her clit, familiar arousal overwhelming all else, her body so attuned to Viper’s attentions that orgasm threatened almost instantly. She shivered, unable to halt her climax as he thrust into her, claiming her mind as well as her body. Over and again, in and out, pounding into her willing flesh as he grinned wickedly.