From Sanctum With Love (Masters and Mercenaries Book 10) (16 page)

“You didn’t mean to lie? Tell me what you were trying to do.” All she could see of him were the tops of his boots. They were black and leather and worn. If boots could be pissed off, they were.

“I didn’t want to hurt their feelings. I swear that’s the truth, Sir.”

“Master Remy, would it have hurt your feelings if she’d told you the force you applied during scenes wasn’t enough for her?” Kai held her head off the bench, just enough to make her uncomfortable but not enough to hurt her.

The man knew exactly what he was doing. He knew the difference between a sore bottom and a hurt neck. One was treasured in her world and the other simply sucked and required a trip to the chiropractor. But Kai was holding her so she felt the bite in her scalp, knew he had all the power, and yet she was also supported.

“No, Master Kai. I would not have been offended. I would have attempted to give her what she wanted,” Remy replied. “I am rather offended that she refused to allow me to try. She obviously wasn’t afraid of me so I have to wonder why.”

“She doesn’t let anyone give her what she needs,” Mistress Jackie replied.

“In her defense, she plays a lot and always talks about how much fun she has with you guys.” Finally a friendly voice.

“Sarah, would you enjoy an evening spent scrubbing toilets while wearing an anal plug lubricated with ginger lube?” Yeah, Big Tag was a giver. “Because I can make that happen.”

“She sucks. She should be more honest with the Doms,” Sarah said quickly.

So much for solidarity.

“You will apologize to every Dom you’ve played with and lied to.” Kai gently eased her head back down. “And if I catch you lying again, you’ll be the one with the burning asshole. Jared, this is what we do with brats at Sanctum.”

She heard some movement and then felt the whoosh of air caress her skin right before something thin and hard thwacked against her flesh. A gasp made her chest pulse as pure fire licked over her backside.

“This is a cane,” Kai explained. “It’s bamboo, nice and not too flexible. It leaves a mark if you apply enough force.” He brought it down on her again, this time on her thighs. Again, she struggled for breath. “Are you bored now, Kori?”

“No, Sir.” She barely managed to get the words out of her mouth.

“Excellent, then we’re making headway.” The cane came down again and again. “Where are we on the stoplight?”

“Green.” She didn’t even hesitate. The pain was doing its job, heating her up and making her soft. Each strike of the cane lit her up and then brought her back down, sinking deeper and deeper into that soft, fuzzy place of submission.

“Now we’re getting some truth.” He kept up his punishing pace. “She didn’t take her time trying to find a way out of what she didn’t want to say.”

“Why would she lie?” Jared asked.

“That’s a good question.” The blows continued, making her ache as Kai spoke. “I suspect she didn’t want anyone here to know that she’s a naughty masochist who can’t get off without a little bite of pain. Or a big one. She hasn’t accepted her nature. Or she has and expects that no one else will.”

“I accepted my nature a long time ago,” she managed to say.

The caning stopped and suddenly Kai’s boots were in view again. He dropped to one knee, that hard hand in her hair again. “Then tell me why.”

She couldn’t tell him. It was too much. “I’m yellow now, Kai. Don’t make me safe word out over an explanation I’m not ready to give.”

“Fine.” His hand moved from her hair down, skimming over her skin until his fingertips found her breast. Kai Ferguson was touching her breast. God, he was cupping her and she couldn’t breathe. “How about I put a scenario forth and you think about it for a few days. I think the reason you didn’t mention your utterly beautiful and sexy inclinations is me. You didn’t want me to know because you were perfectly aware that I’m the only one here who can possibly give you what you need. You knew that once I found out, I wouldn’t be able to help myself because you’re the only one who can do the same for me, baby. Do you know how fucking good I feel right now? How good this makes me feel?”

He rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and twisted with a vicious bite that left her panting.

She squeezed her eyes closed because she couldn’t look at him, couldn’t see how beautiful he was. “It won’t work, Kai.”

Another nasty twist got her squirming. “It’s working right fucking now. Darling girl, your ass is up in the air and that means I can see how wet your pussy is. Tell me some other Dom here got you wet and ready.”

“You know I can’t.” She tugged at her restraints, but they didn’t move. The rope rubbed across her skin, keeping her here with him. She couldn’t run, and she had to admit she didn’t want to. She wanted this moment with him. Her pride might make her get up and stride away but every other part of her begged for what she’d denied herself for so long. He was the only man here who could give her what she needed. It wasn’t about who hit the hardest. Any of those other Doms could have adequately provided her with pain. She needed more. She needed connection, the ebb and flow of pain and pleasure coming from a man who was there with her.

Her dark shadow lover. Kai.

“I’m not the exhibitionist you are,” Kai admitted. “And that’s the only reason I’m not fucking you right now, but we’re going to have a long discussion in the morning about the way this needs to go. For tonight, I’m going to start the process that will allow you to remain friends with all those people you lied to. So you are going to give me everything I want. You’re going to cry for me. You’re going to let go and show them that you’ll cry for me.”

She shook her head. “You’re asking too much.”

“It’s cry or come, baby. One or the other, unless you want to find yourself in Big Tag’s office. Let me show him I can handle you.”

“I can’t. I haven’t done either in a very long time.” She hadn’t cried since leaving LA. She couldn’t. Wouldn’t. She hadn’t come either. Not a man-given orgasm. Her mind worked overtime. He wasn’t joking about getting called into Big Tag’s office. Whatever punishment Kai could come up with—nothing would touch Big Tag’s disapproval. They were all mad at her. It was enough to make her want to run away again.

Except it wasn’t that they wanted to see her humiliated. This punishment wasn’t about hurting her. It was about this group of people knowing that someone among them could take care of her. When she looked at it like that, it didn’t seem like punishment at all. It was about the Dominants giving a shit.

Morgan hadn’t cared when she’d lied to him. All he’d wanted was the next bit of work from her. After a while, he hadn’t cared about her finding subspace or her pent-up sexuality. He’d doled out the pain like it was bait for his trap. He would give her enough to ensure she stayed around and did what he needed her to do.

This wasn’t the same thing at all.

“I don’t want to cry in front of anyone, Kai.”

“Then let me show them you can let go in another way.” His deep voice was a wave of seduction, wrapping her up as securely as the bindings on her limbs.

If she gave them a little, they might forgive her. It didn’t mean she was giving up everything. It didn’t mean things between her and Kai needed to change. Tomorrow, they could go right back to the way it always was. Maybe this was a good thing. She could be more honest with her play partners. She could get an edge of what she needed from them.

Because she couldn’t do this again with Kai. Kai was too dangerous.

“Yes. But this doesn’t mean anything.” She couldn’t let it mean something.

“Like I said before. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” Kai loved to talk.

She was sure he would sit her down and they would go over their feelings and come to the logical and compassionate conclusion that they would remain friends. Everything would be civil. It always was with Kai.

Except for now. Now he leaned over and she could feel him whispering in her ear. “I’m going to make you scream. I said I was doing this for their benefit and your own, but understand that when you scream, you’re doing it for me. When your pussy clamps down and your whole body shakes, no one else matters but me. They can watch all they like, but I’m the man giving you what you need.”

She felt something sharp and wicked against her earlobe. He’d bitten her, a nice little stab of pain that seemed to go straight to her pussy.

That sharp bite likely left a mark she would be able to see if she pushed her hair back. Everyone would be able to see it and everyone who knew her would know it was Master Kai’s mark.

Yeah, that did something for her, too.

The cane came down on her ass again, another volley to survive, every single stroke pushing her higher and higher. All those lovely endorphins were starting to flow, making the world seemed heightened and fuzzy all at the same time.

“So when you have a submissive who has betrayed her partners, an apology must be made,” Kai said. “An act of contrition, so to speak. I’m going to show Kori that it’s all right to let go here.”

Something shifted and she felt Kai’s finger move into place. He was touching her clitoris, the warm pad of his finger perfectly positioned.

“That doesn’t seem like punishment,” Jared said with a chuckle.

“Like I said, it’s more of an apology and a lesson. I’m not going to make it easy on her. My hand is going to remain still. If Kori wants something, she’s going to have to ask for it.” The crop struck her thighs.

Bastard. It was one thing to let it happen, but Kai was a nasty sadist who likely knew begging wasn’t something she normally did. She hated it.

“Or take it for herself,” he offered as though he could read her thoughts.

He was giving her an out. If she didn’t want to verbally beg, she could rub herself against his finger and everyone would know that she’d been so hot for Kai it didn’t matter who was watching.

For some that would be a horrible humiliation. For her it was kind of exciting. Who the hell wouldn’t want Kai Ferguson? No one could look at that man, get to know his way-too-intellectual heart, and not want him. Especially the dirty Dom side of him.

It went briefly through her head that if she did this with him, there would be no going back, no way to turn the clock setting to just friends again, but she shoved that thought out of her head. Kai was the most level-headed man in the world. If anyone could compartmentalize, it was Kai. He likely wouldn’t see anything weird with playing every now and then and having a perfectly professional relationship at the office.

This could work out. She was being pessimistic. This could be good for both of them. He didn’t have a play partner who genuinely needed what he was offering and no one could give her what Kai did.

A hard
thwack
brought her out of her thoughts. “Don’t you leave me. You stay here with me.”

His finger pressed up and around and she could feel him sliding against her clitoris.

She moved against him. Everyone would be able to see it. Everyone would see that she wasn’t willing to simply lie there and take what he gave her. She needed more. Craved more. This was how Kai would give them their bit of revenge—seeing the most controlled sub in Sanctum lose her shit over an orgasm.

Her hips moved, and without another thought, she gave over to Kai. It was oddly easy since she trusted him completely in this. He would never give her more than she could handle. She started slow, letting herself feel him. Her skin was still flushed and hot, an ache in her bones that spurred her to want more.

“Not enough?” Kai asked before smacking her ass with his free hand.

She groaned at the pain and then the pleasure as her hips slid over his finger again. She felt something teasing at the outside of her pussy. Likely his thumb. Over and around and the tiniest bit inside. When she moved against him, she got more.

“This, Jared, is what I like to call a dirty little masochist.” Every word out of Kai’s mouth sounded like sin. He smacked her again and she gave up even pretending to not want it. “She needs the pain to allow herself the pleasure. She’s been holding out on herself, not allowing anyone to give her what she craves.” Another smack. “She needs a sadist who cares about her, who won’t let her go too far because when she gets going she’ll be like an addict. She’ll want to prove how much she can take. This pretty girl needs a Dom who can handle her.”

She rode his finger, giving over for the first time in what felt like forever. It didn’t matter—all the reasons why it was a bad idea, all her good intentions—none of them mattered. All that mattered was the feel of Kai’s finger rubbing against her, his thumb penetrating her.

They found their rhythm. Between the ache his slaps brought and the pleasure of his fingers, she couldn’t hold out. It had been far too long since she’d indulged, truly indulged in submission this way. She groaned as his thumb arced up at the precise right time, mingling with the sensation of her clitoris being rubbed, and she did it. She cried out, not holding back. Her fingers sank against the padded benches and her toes curled and she let loose.

Her whole body relaxed as she started to come down. The lovely fog she hadn’t felt in years settled over her as she felt Kai remove his hand.

“Now I think I’ll indulge in a bit of aftercare. Jared, pass me the hand wipes and then I’ll get on with ensuring her skin isn’t too bruised tomorrow,” Kai was saying.

“Don’t take it all away,” she complained.

She felt a hand on her back. “I wouldn’t dream of it, but you should hush now. I’m leaving you tied until I’m done with you.”

She sighed and settled back in. It wasn’t time for reality yet.

* * * *

Kai was ready to punch something. Hard. Maybe if he punched his brother his dick would calm down. Violence could be his friend. “No, I don’t want to go to some dance club.”

Jared seemed invigorated by the night’s lesson. He seemed unable to sit still, but his energy wasn’t restless or upset. Kai had been surprised. He’d kind of expected baby brother to judge him, but Jared had been totally helpful, even being quiet during most of Kori’s aftercare.