Submissive Beauty (37 page)

“By giving this collar, I offer my vow to do everything I can to be worthy of you. I promise to hold you and keep you safe, to push you when you need it and to give you the freedom you need to soar, to love you and honor you. I acknowledge the respect I have for your needs and desires.”

His strongly spoken words rang true for everything Gabby felt. What would it take to have that very freedom he spoke of?

“I acknowledge the ultimate level of trust you offer and accept the responsibility of the safekeeping of that trust. I will never violate that trust or threaten to violate it.”

Oh God. Those words.

What had she done? By hiding from David and Thomas, did she keep demonstrating a lack of trust in them? It wasn’t true. She knew that, now more than ever. When the relationship between her David and Thomas had developed into more, Thomas had faltered while dealing with his scars. But nonetheless, he needed her.

He needs me.

“I will always work at remaining open minded. In times of trouble, I vow to be supportive and caring always remembering that this is a loving relationship between two caring people.”

Gabby felt the first splash of tears land on her cheeks.

“Most importantly, I will cherish the gift of submission you have given me. This collar is a symbol of two halves becoming one and is the outward sign of what everyone in this room already knows. You are mine, and by wearing it, you are safe to be everything that you are or will be. Do you accept this collar as it has been presented?”

Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for Diane’s response. She’d been to countless weddings and never had a ceremony had such an effect on her.

“Yes, Sir, I do.” Diane’s voice sounded strong and clear. “I accept your collar freely and without restriction. I agree to honor our relationship above all others and seek to fulfill your needs and desires as you allow. I want nothing more than to be there when you need me. I promise to communicate honestly and openly and keep nothing from you.”

Tears streamed harder from Gabby’s eyes as her heart broke all over again. She wanted, no needed, to give this kind of devotion to David and Thomas. Their missteps aside, they were good men, and she would be honored to be chosen by them.

“I will strive to be the soul mate you’ve desired and will not dishonor you in any way.”

Gabby had to bite her lip to the point of pain to stop her wail from slipping out. Had she learned anything at all these weeks? What must the people here think of the way she’d been acting?

“I will wear this collar with pride, knowing that you love me, cherish me, respect me and hold me above all others. In return, I promise to love, honor, respect and obey you with no limits.”

Gabby covered her face with her hands in a lame attempt to muffle her sobs. Thoughts of leaving the room pushed at her, but interrupting the ceremony would not be forgiven.

Rick wrapped the collar around the bare expanse of Diane’s neck so the O-ring rested in the hollow indentation of her clavicle and threaded the lock through the loose end.

“By wearing this lock, I express the finality of my commitment and surrender my body to your control as long as it is closed.” Diane’s voice hitched on the last word, and Gabby wished she could see Diane’s face, the love she knew would be shining there.

“With the closing of this lock, I accept the depth of your passion, devotion and trust and provide a safe haven for you to express all that you desire knowing that I accept who you’ve been, who you are and all that you will be.”

The click of the lock snapping into place vibrated through the room and for the first time Gabby noticed many of the other attendees in tears as well.

When Rick bent down and cupped Diane’s face to his, he whispered words meant only for the two of them before claiming her with a kiss that made Gabby’s toes curl. The crowd erupted into applause, catcalls and general cheers until they broke apart, and Rick helped Diane to her feet. He turned her to the guests, and Thomas appeared on the stage to present them as Master and slave.

Gabby wiped furiously at her tears, hoping no one had noticed what a fool she’d made of herself. Thankfully, David and Thomas were at the front of the room, and she’d sat out of their line of vision.

She was about to make a run for the exit when the black curtains at the back of the stage opened up and the spotlighted St. Andrews cross came into view. The wood gleamed, luring her to stay and see what happened next. Obviously, Diane was about to participate in her first public scene as Rick’s collared slave.

He led her to the cross and quickly fastened her wrists and ankles to the attached cuff and chains, leaving her spread and ready for whatever he wished to do. To her surprise, when Rick stepped a few feet away, the bottom of the cross lifted, and Diane became suspended at a slight angle giving everyone in the room a bird’s eye view of her pussy and the black plug still in place.

Without hesitation, he smacked the crop he’d been holding against the flesh of her ass, and she cried out loudly. Gabby crossed her legs and rubbed her thighs against her slightly swelled clit in an attempt to stop the throbbing that had begun when Diane had first been restrained.

The desire to be in her friend’s place nearly overwhelmed her until she searched the room for David and Thomas. She couldn’t find either one, which meant little with the crowd gathered. Rick and Diane had chosen to allow quite a few people to be a part of this intimate scene. How would she feel if David and Thomas asked her to do something similar?

Part of her was scared to death to imagine a crowd gathered around where they would see every part of her exposed for their pleasure, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that her pussy had flooded with moisture. Her body involuntarily jerked on every strike against Diane’s lush and now very red ass. The last had been a direct hit to the base of the plug, and the woman had begun to beg and sob for release.

Gabby needed this. After today, Gabby would never again be able to deny how intrinsic that need had become. If David or Thomas were sitting with her, she’d be on her knees her head bowed, pleading for her own relief.

In fact…

She grabbed her cell phone and typed in one simple word.

Help.

She pressed send and hoped David had his cell phone with him. Less than a minute later, she looked up to see both David and Thomas standing by her side. The dangerous look in their eyes mirrored the anxiety she felt as her hand pressed against her sex.

“Come with us. Now.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

“I didn’t want to interrupt the ceremony,” she whispered.

“You’re fine. Both parties are too involved in the scene to notice who comes and goes at this point.”

Gabby glanced at the stage to Rick’s fingers pumping in and out of Diane’s pussy as her cries of ecstasy and need soared through the room. Gabby’s clit throbbed more at the sight, but David was right, they didn’t care anymore who saw or who didn’t. Their focus was entirely on each other as Diane surrendered to his will.

Thomas curved his arm around her waist and pulled her in the direction of the exit.

“Let’s go.” He spoke so close to her ear the warm air of his breath tickled her skin, and her sex clenched as if there was a direct line between them.

“Yes, Sir.” Lost in the charged atmosphere around her, she walked along side him helpless to ease the ache in her body. Each stride pulled the corset tighter against her bare nipples, and his hand at her waist heated her skin until she thought he’d leave her with a brand.

At the lounge, David and Thomas ushered her into one of the corner booths, which simply consisted of a horseshoe shaped seat with no table in the middle.

“We should probably talk,” Thomas muttered.

She nodded her head, but talking had nothing to do with the buzz of need slicing through her body and fuzzing up her head. She’d much rather they being doing stuff to her.

“Gabrielle, what happened in there?” Thomas looked at her questioningly. He still held her around the waist, their bodies touching from shoulder to knee.

Automatically, she curled into his warmth, the desire to be as close as humanly possible driving her. She took several low breaths to calm her racing heart and gathered her wits. “I was thinking about everything you told me when the ceremony started.” She peered up at Thomas through damp eyelashes. “There’s so much unfairness and misunderstanding in the world. Then when Rick began his vows, all the pieces I’ve been struggling with finally clicked into place, and I realized how wrong I’d been.” She sucked in more air. “I never should have shut either of you out.”

Strong fingers caressed her chin. “It was critical that you come back on your own when you were ready. Being without you these weeks may have begun to drive me mad, but I’d do anything to ensure you have what you need.” Thomas’ lips pressed against her mouth, a soft kiss that tingled her nerve endings until he parted her lips with his tongue and delved deep.

He tasted of his favorite mints and sexy man. That unique taste reminded her of wild, untamed sex and incredible restraint all wrapped up in one. From her other side, hard hands wrapped around her waist and cupped her breasts.

“Are you sure about this?” David whispered in her ear between nips at her neck.

Gabby moaned into Thomas’ mouth and pressed back into David’s warm body.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” He squeezed her breasts in a tight grip, edging closer the line of pain.

Once again sandwiched between two dominant men, their hands and mouths worshipping her body, Gabby wanted to scream. How she’d lived without this for a few short weeks was beyond her. This was what she wanted in her life more than anything.

With a reckless and wild combination of gentle touches and hot demand, they worked her in perfect harmony. Where one left off the other picked up until she couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe.

Abruptly, Thomas pulled away from her. His molten lust filled gaze connected with her. “Tell me again.”

“I made a mistake.”

“We all made mistakes,” Thomas admitted. “What else?”

“I don’t want to take off my collar. It means too much.”

A slow smile crossed Thomas’ face. “No one asked you to, although I think we should make it more permanent. But first…”

Gabby swallowed. “Buts” made her nervous. Especially with these two.

David cupped her chin and turned her to meet his gaze. “There’s a little matter of trust we still aren’t clear on.”

She bowed her head. “I know. I’ve been just as guilty about hiding.”

“You have. How do we know you won’t go running at the first sign of trouble again?”

A heated flush swept through Gabby. “I can’t promise I won’t ever mess up, but I can promise that my intentions are pure. I will accept any punishment you see fit to give.” She wasn’t sure how to explain that she’d grown emotionally attached. That by coming back to them, she was essentially putting her heart in their hands. “I won’t let you down, Sirs.”

“Please stand, Gabrielle.” Thomas grabbed one hand and David the other, both helping her to her feet.

“You’ll still have to serve us both.”

Her heart soared. She smiled. “Gladly.”

“Take off your clothes.”

Gabby jerked at David’s command. They were in a public area of Sanctuary. Fear, excitement, dread, arousal—her emotions spun out of control. They were testing her resolve.

With trembling hands, Gabby obeyed. She untied and unlaced the corset she’d worn to the ceremony and shimmied her way out of it. Then she unwrapped the simple skirt and revealed the fact she wore nothing underneath. The sharp intake of breath from Thomas fluttered in her stomach. She now stood bare and vulnerable in front of her Doms where anyone who walked in the room would see.

“Give me your wrists.” Thomas leaned forward and wrapped her offered hands in thick leather bands that were buckled together. Gabby remained silent while David watched Thomas raise her arms over her head and attach the cuffs to a chain suspended above her she’d not noticed.

“Sir…” Her voice shook.

Thomas stepped forward and brushed against her. “What? Are you not willing to take what we give you?”

A heated blast of lust flashed through her. The edge to his voice demanded her submission. Gabby tamped down her panic and met his gaze squarely. “Yes, Sir. I am.” Fear be damned. She trusted them plain and simple.

Thomas leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “Your new safe word is
trust
. Keep it in mind.”

Thomas eased back onto the seat. “Linda. Lights, please.”

To her shock, a bright wash of spotlight flooded over her. She squinted against the harsh light and held her breath. They’d essentially stripped her bare, placed her on display and ripped away the last of her inhibitions. Gabby remained silent, knowing in her heart she needed this test of her submission. If she didn’t desire to give them what they wanted, she had no business being here.

Neither man moved. Their eyes devoured her. Twin hungry gazes swept across every inch of her body, setting flame to her need. Gabby stared back at the two men who’d captured her heart and mind in such a short amount of time. They were as different as night and day in appearance and demeanor, yet both were dominant men who expected her compliance in every way.