by Abby Blake
He forced her into two more orgasms before moving away, his cock still rock hard as he assessed her prone form.
“Such a naughty sub this morning,” he said with a wide grin, obviously pleased to have pushed her past her own control. “I have the perfect punishment in mind.”
Bianca was almost too tired to worry what her punishment might be, but she groaned when she saw the toys he pulled from the cupboard. A part of her wanted to fight him on it, wanted to defy his authority, but a larger part craved the mindless pleasure it would give. Clearly, Viper had decided to keep her in a post-orgasmic haze until she dropped the notion of having a baby.
He undid the Velcro straps holding her legs apart, lifted her hips and quickly pushed a thick dildo into her pussy. She moaned as a smaller part pressed against her swollen clit and then nearly screamed as he lifted her knees higher, exposing her anus to his gaze before pressing a lubed butt plug into her ass.
“Perfect,” he said as he inspected her intimately. He secured it all in place with a strap around her waist and one between her legs before releasing her arms from the bedposts. “Now, little sub, I want you to behave. No more coming without permission. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” she said, shuddering at the knowledge that Viper would push her over the edge of her control more than once today. She knew him well. And her “bad behavior” would lead to the most amazing punishments. She would float in a haze of pain and pleasure for the next several days.
“I’ll help you forget, baby girl,” he said quietly, his suddenly serious manner reminiscent of their early days together.
“But I don’t want t—” Her words cut off as the toys started to vibrate, jolting pleasure streaking through every inch of her body. She shook her head, desperately trying to stay focused on what she’d wanted to say. “Sir, please.”
“Not without permission, little sub.”
“Ben, please.”
The vibrations stopped as he tried to hide his shock. She hadn’t called him by his first name since the night they’d met.
“Bianca?” he asked, obviously realizing that something was very wrong. “Are you using your safe word?”
“No,” she said quickly. “Not really, but I need you to listen to me.”
“Either you’re using your safe word, or you’ll be quiet and submit to your punishment, little sub.”
She shook her head. She didn’t want to use her safe word. It felt wrong to use a word designed to keep her safe when she wasn’t in any danger. The tears started to flow then, the frustration at being unable to say what she needed to say tearing her apart.
Of course, Viper gathered her into his embrace, rocking her gently as he offered her the comfort he’d always given. She accepted it, even as she hated herself for the weakness. It made her doubt everything she’d been trying to believe in. Maybe she wasn’t ready to have a baby. Hell, she’d never even worked since meeting Viper. She relied on him for everything. If she couldn’t stand on her own two feet as an adult, how the hell could she think she could raise a child?
The tears fell harder then, the anger at her past and her fear of the future combining to destroy the little control she had left.
* * * *
Viper held his little sub as she cried, a mixture of relief and sadness welling through him. It wasn’t until only a moment ago that he’d realized a small part of him had actually been hoping that maybe Bianca was offering to have a baby because she wanted a baby with him, not because it was what she thought he wanted.
But the tears that fell now seemed to be a pretty clear indication that she wasn’t ready, that she’d probably never be ready. It tore at his heart, both her pain and his own disappointment, yet it was better to face this now.
It would be far too late if she was already pregnant.
She cried herself to sleep, the exhaustion of her earlier orgasms finally combining and catching up with her. He carefully placed her on the bed, managed to remove the toys without fully waking her, and then curled up beside her and held her close.
He had a million things to do today, but at the moment his sub’s needs were more important.
* * * *
Bianca woke in Viper’s arms, the familiar heat of his body easing the ache in her heart for just a moment. It seemed obvious what she had to do, but the fear of the unknown had her curling more tightly into his embrace.
She vaguely remembered Viper removing the toys, but she’d been too exhausted to realize the significance at the time. Viper had never reduced a punishment—deserved or not—in the whole time she’d been his sub. If her Dom described a punishment, he always followed through. It was a consistency that she’d taken for granted all these years. In the past it had been a consistency she’d taken comfort in.
“I know you’re awake, little sub,” Viper said, rolling her over until he could see her face. She was probably an awful mess from crying, but it was something Viper had seen many, many times over the years. “Do you feel better now?”
“Yes, Sir,” she said shakily.
“Good girl.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then rolled off the bed and onto his feet. “I have about an hour’s worth of work I need to do. I want you to stay here and rest. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Bianca nodded, whispered “yes, Sir,” and tried very hard to hide the turmoil she felt. She knew what she had to do. Now she just needed to find the courage to do it.
Chapter Six
“I’m sorry, little sub,” Viper said as he let himself in the front door. He’d left Bianca in the bedroom so that was where he expected to find her.
He’d been away longer than planned so he’d hurried back to the apartment, worried that his sub might need the emotional support of having him by her side. He’d briefly even considered calling Cam and Derek and asking if Maya could sit with Bianca for a little while, until he’d remembered they’d already left for their honeymoon.
If his appointment hadn’t been at the insurance office, he would have taken her with him, but a half-naked, needy, and crying sub wasn’t something that most people were used to. If it had been any other appointment his business associates wouldn’t have batted an eyelid, but it was hard enough to get insurance coverage for his type of club. Arriving at the insurance office with Bianca looking like she’d cried all night would likely get his policy canceled.
He was about to turn to the bedroom when he noticed her sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him. He wasn’t thrilled to find her fully dressed. He hadn’t given her permission to put on clothes or get out of bed, but it seemed she’d done both even knowing that it would lead to punishment.
Maybe she needed the type of physical pain she’d sought early in their relationship.
The thought made him feel a little bit ill. He hadn’t enjoyed some of the harsher spankings she’d needed in those early days. He could still see quite vividly in his mind the bruises she’d been left with that night he’d rescued her at the club.
He’d honestly believed those days were behind them.
“Explain your defiance, little sub.” She jumped at the tone of his voice, but it was the way she lifted her head and looked him straight in the eye that was like a punch in the gut. Bianca had always followed protocol. She only looked up when he gave her permission. It was how their relationship had worked for so very long.
“I need to leave.”
“You what?” he asked before he could moderate his voice. Shock was written all over Bianca’s face, and for a moment he was actually pleased to have frightened her. Hell, the punishment she sought was way beyond anything he’d given her before. She was scaring him. Scaring her back seemed kind of appropriate.
“Stand up,” he said, fully intending to bend her over the table and wail on her ass right now.
He saw her instinct to do as he ordered, but she shook her head instead.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “Sir, I’m truly sorry to disappoint you, but I need to leave.”
“And go where?” Exasperation made his question sound harsher than he’d intended, but it felt so very unfair to be facing this now. He thought they’d sorted out this morning whatever had been bothering Bianca.
“I’m not sure,” she said quietly. “I just know that something needs to change.”
“Bianca,” he said, resisting the urge to run a hand down his face, “I know it will be difficult while Maya is away, but I don’t really have time for us to take a vacation at the moment. Perhaps we can take a trip in a few weeks. Maybe even go visit Kevin and Terri before they—”
“No,” Bianca said, cutting off his words in a way she’d never done. Even in those early days when they’d still been learning each other’s likes and dislikes she’d never been rude. “I’m sorry, Ben, but I need to leave without you.”
“Why?” he asked, taking a seat at the table because his knees suddenly felt too tired to hold him up. “Where is it that you want to go?”
She reached across the table, placed her small hand over his, and squeezed gently.
“I’m not sure yet. I just know that I need to spend some time alone.” He opened his mouth to ask another question, but again she cut him off. “I need to learn to stand on my own two feet.” Shakily she lifted out of the chair, and came to stand in front of him. “I’m so sorry, Ben, but I have to leave.”
“Why now?” he asked, unwilling to let her go. She was his to protect. After so many years together how could she not understand that?
“You were right,” she said, not really answering his question. “I’m not ready to have a baby.” He nodded as she reached a hand out to touch his face. He trapped her warm palm with his own, pressing her soft skin against his face. “I’m sorry, Ben, but I need to learn to look after myself before I can even think of having a child.”
“That’s true,” he said, trying to understand her reasoning, “but you don’t have to leave to do it.”
“Actually, I do,” she said in a stronger voice than he’d heard from her in a long time. “I really do. I borrowed some money from the household account. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can get a job.”
“What?” he practically roared. He was fairly certain nothing else she could have said would hurt him more. Borrowed? Holy fuck, didn’t she realize that she owned half of everything? Their marriage might not have been official on paper but wearing his collar—the permanent tattoo of his ownership—meant far more than some stupid piece of paper.
He ran a finger over her collarbone and throat not needing to see the tattoo to know where it was. He’d spent months agonizing over the design, driving the artist nuts and the price sky-high, but eventually he’d gotten exactly what he wanted. The snake was stylized, not really a viper, but it symbolized his devotion to her. He closed his eyes, visualizing the pattern in his mind, seeing the colorful flowers with a slim snake winding through them, the tattoo twisting around her torso, up over her shoulder, around her neck, and then down to rest on the top of her breast.
Bianca shook violently, but she held her ground, obviously intimidated by his out-of-character yelling and now by his silent introspection.
“I’ll pay back your money as soon as I can,” she said as tears fell once more. “I need to do this, Ben, but I can’t do it without your help.” She half sobbed, half laughed that last sentence, obviously seeing the ridiculousness of asking for his help to help her not need his help.
“You’ve given this a lot of thought?” he asked, still trying to understand how their relationship could deteriorate so quickly. He’d worried for a while that she wasn’t truly happy, but he’d never suspected that she might be so unhappy that she would want to leave him.
“I have,” she said as she forced herself to stop crying. She swiped at the tears, apparently unhappy to be crying at a time when she was trying to convince him that letting her go would be the right thing to do.
“Bianca,” he said, desperately wanting to drag her into his embrace, but uncertain if it would be welcome. “It’s your money, too. There’s no need to pay me back. Half of everything we own is yours.”
She shook her head, but he placed a hand over her mouth when she tried to speak.
“Where will you stay?” he asked, trying to be practical. If Maya were in town, he had no doubt she’d help Bianca, but as it was he couldn’t be sure who his sub might turn to for help. If she insisted on leaving him, then he was at least going to make certain she was safe.
She pressed her lips together and shook her head tiredly.
“We own an apartment not far from here. It’s currently vacant.” And had the added advantage of being in the same building as Brick Darnell’s home. The guy wasn’t a Dom, so the situation wasn’t ideal, but it was better than nothing. He knew enough from Derek to know that Brick would keep an eye on her and help make sure she was safe. Of course, Viper was still hoping to talk Bianca out of leaving. “Baby girl, give me a couple of days to set things up. The place was furnished when I bought it, but I’m not certain what condition it’s in now.”
“That’s not exactly what I had in mind when I decided I need to look after myself,” Bianca said, her lips twisted into a frowning sort of smile.
“But it’s the only way this is going to happen.” He reached for her, this time going with his instincts and pulling her onto his lap. “I’m sorry, Bianca. I can’t let you go without making sure you’re safe.”
Chapter Seven
Bianca sat on the edge of an obviously new sofa and wondered what the hell to do now. Just like Viper had always done, he’d taken over the situation, arranged for the apartment to be cleaned, and judging by all of the shiny new furniture, for everything to be replaced. He’d then installed a state-of-the-art security system and given her the keys.
She had no doubt that if she wandered into the kitchen it would contain every appliance and utensil that she’d had at home.
The past three days had been horrible. Living in the same home with Viper had made it very difficult to assert any thought she might have had on independence. She’d struggled against every ingrained instinct until she’d felt like she was being torn apart. Fortunately, Viper hadn’t pushed things. He’d frowned at her in exasperation more than once, but hadn’t threatened to punish her for staying fully clothed.
She just couldn’t look at her tattoo anymore. It had become a symbol of everything she was giving up, everything she was about to lose, and the coward inside her had chosen to ignore it rather than deal with the pain.
The gentle knock on the apartment’s front door had her nearly leaping from the chair in fright. For eleven years she’d relied on Viper to handle everything—including unexpected visitors. Judging by the way her heart was racing, it hadn’t helped to cure her fear of strangers. It had just hidden it behind a layer of protection.
She locked her jaw, determined to claim back this small amount of independence. Viper had shown her how to operate the video feed and intercom. She didn’t have to open the door to someone she didn’t know. She dragged in a gasping breath, feeling lightheaded as she reached for the button that turned on the camera.
The man was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, but it wasn’t until he smiled that Bianca realized she’d already met him. Brick Darnell. Derek’s partner on the police force.
It seemed rude to make him stay outside while she dithered on whether or not to open the door. It was also a good guess that Viper had sent him. And the man was a police officer. If she couldn’t trust him, who could she trust?
Those brave thoughts didn’t make it any easier to turn the lock, and it wasn’t until she tried to open the door wide that she realized there was a chain also holding it closed.
“Sorry,” she mumbled in embarrassment as she struggled to undo the chain without closing the door in Brick’s face. In the end it wasn’t possible, so she gave him an apologetic look, closed the door completely, slid the chain out of its housing, and quickly opened the door again. “Hi, Brick.”
&nbs
p; He smiled at her but didn’t make any move to come inside.
“I just dropped by to see how you’re settling in.”
“Oh, um, fine. I guess.”
“Is there anything you need help with?” Brick asked.
Bianca nearly rolled her eyes, a little surprised to realize that it would have been her normal reaction many years ago. She shook her head and smiled instead. “Thanks, but I think Viper made sure everything was done for me.”
Brick laughed softly. “Which is exactly what you were trying to get away from,” he said, not even making it a question.
She nodded, but couldn’t stop the frustration that leaked into her voice. “He also filled my bank account with money, and I’m pretty sure the utilities are in his name as well.”
“It doesn’t hurt to have a helping hand to get started,” Brick said with a shrug. “If your parents had been able, I’m sure they would have done the same thing.”
“You know about my parents?” she asked in shock. She’d only ever told Viper. It felt like such a betrayal of trust that her chest ached with grief all over again. Hell, would she ever stop feeling so damn weak?
“He’s just trying to make sure you’re safe, Bianca.”
“He shouldn’t have told you. The last thing I need is another man trying to rescue me.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she blushed in embarrassment. Apart from being a rather rude thing to say, Brick hadn’t exactly offered to move in and take over her life. He’d merely knocked on her door and asked if she’d needed anything. “I…um…sorry. That was…um.”
“It’s okay, Bianca. I remember what it was like. When I finally left my wife, I wandered around in a daze for weeks. It gets easier.” He took a step closer and offered her a piece of paper. “Those are my home and cell phone numbers. I live two floors up in apartment 6B.” He took a step away, perhaps noticing her nervous reaction. For years she’d thought she’d beaten the fears that had taken over her life after her parents’ deaths, but now it almost seemed like she was right back there. It was frustrating to say the least.