Master Me (11 page)

She turned her face into his ear, letting him hear her low cries as he spread her lips and gathered her honey on his fingertips. Heat prickled up her neck as he discovered her arousal. What would he think? She couldn’t tell him that it wasn’t what she watched that brought the reaction in her. It was being in this place with him, surrounded by the blatant sensuality.

“Master me,” she whispered, intent on pleasing him as he jabbed two fingers into her weeping folds. She whimpered, unable to contain her shudders as he worked in and out. His body reacted immediately to her husky words and pressed hard to her ass.

Contentment worked through her. She knew the words to say to him as her hips rocked into his fingers. “I want you. I want to turn and ride you. With everyone watching.

Anyone. I want to show them how you possess me, Master.”

Relentlessly, he stroked his fingers into her. He nudged her face up so he could speak in her ear. “You’re mine, Ana. Look down there at the floor. See how that sub takes those men. Her name is Felicity. You think her master is cruel to ask this of her, don’t you? She loves this. He gives this to her because she loves it. Later, he will take 80

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her home. He’ll care for her and tell her how proud of her he is. Look at the way she takes those cocks. She’s beautiful, isn’t she? You’d be just as beautiful with your legs parted, taking those men. With your lips wrapped around their fat cocks.”

She quivered, tiny cries escaping as she squeezed his plundering fingers.

“As beautiful as I know it would be, it will never happen, angel,” he growled. “It doesn’t matter how much you might want it. I’ll never share you, not with my brothers, not with my friends and certainly not with strangers.”

His thumb rasped over her clit. She closed her eyes, again sinking into the decadent sensations flying through her body. Her whole focus pinpointed on his touch. She pressed her lips together. She couldn’t come. Not here. Her body thought otherwise as pleasure coiled inside her, carrying her higher. Reaching behind her, she clung to Max’s hips.

“Scream for me, angel,” he rasped in her ear. “Scream and let everyone know.”

Her breaths came closer together, gasping from her.

“Let go,” Max urged.

Suddenly, the tension inside her snapped, ecstasy bubbling over and gushing to her limbs.
Yes
.
Oh
,
yes
. Her scream throbbed from her chest as her head pushed back into his shoulder.

A vicious yank on the leash strangled her release with the force of being slammed into wall. Her eyes flew open as Max’s hand shot up to knot in the leather and keep her assailant from dragging her off his lap. She stared up at the blond man glowering down at them, his pallid features enraged.

Panic filled her at Tyler’s outright attack. She didn’t think Max would let her go without a fight but Tyler didn’t seem cowed by the power that radiated from her lover.

Obviously, Tyler was a raving lunatic.
She
’
d
be cowed by Max if he wasn’t holding her so protectively right now. Instinctively, she pressed back into his chest only to be dragged upright again by the taut leash. Max’s hand thankfully diminished the pull on her neck.

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“What the fuck are you doing with my property?” Tyler snarled, giving the leash another ineffectual yank. He glared at Ana, sending another shot of pure terror down her spine. “I want you off him and on your knees now, slave.”

She twisted sideways on Max’s lap and looked up at him. “Master?”

He smiled as his arm tightened almost painfully around her waist. “This sub is not your slave and she never has been. She’s been mine for years.”

Tyler’s eyes narrowed and she saw the distrust in his glare. He didn’t believe Max.

Great. “She agreed to be mine,” he spat. “She signed a contract and I’m holding her to it.”

Oh man…she had… Could he hold her to it? Did he have a legal leg to stand on?

Max’s laugh was mocking. “She was not free to do that. She belongs to me. And only to me.”

“But—”

Max’s eyes narrowed and Ana buried her face in his neck, ignoring the pull of the leash. He yanked it from Tyler’s hands. “It was a grave mistake on her part, a mistake for which she’s been severely punished. She bears the bruises.”

Tyler’s bruises, however Ana certainly wasn’t going to point it out. Despite her hopes, Tyler wasn’t backing down to Max’s dominant stance though it was apparent that Max held the upper hand over the man. Tyler was small in her lover’s overwhelming presence.

Gaining strength from Max, she looked back to Tyler and raised her chin, letting him see that she would not submit to him. Since she’d been here at the club, she’d done everything necessary to show her deference to Max. She always would. Now as she stared at Tyler, she straightened her shoulders and gave him her most superior look. He was a worm and unworthy of her submission. She wasn’t a weak, spineless woman who would wallow at the altar of his faux power. Tyler was a fraud. And a bully. He didn’t know the first thing about being a true Dom.

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His lip nearly quivered as he fisted his hands at his hips, a foot stomp away from being an overgrown toddler. “I’m the one she wronged. It’s my right to mete out her punishment.”

“You will not touch her,” Max replied in a confident, matter-of-fact tone. His lack of reaction startled Ana but she carefully gave no sign of it. He stroked his hand, still looped in the leash, down her bare back, both reassuring her and reminding her of her position. She was his. He’d do whatever was necessary to protect her.

Who would protect him?

She’d researched enough to know that each D/s community adhered to strict rules when it came to ownership and behavior. She didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize Max’s position.

“I demand to see her punished,” Tyler snarled loudly. “She must be publicly beaten for lying and misleading me. She will be punished now or I will take my right later.”

Ana didn’t miss the whispers rising around them. She couldn’t make out the words or whether those at the neighboring tables sided with Max or Tyler. Fear curled through her like thick, acrid smoke, filling every pore. Fear for herself. Greater fear for Max.

Whatever happened to her, she’d be leaving in a few weeks. Conversely this was his community. Max would still be here, functioning in a society she’d flawed for him.

“I mete out my own punishments. In private,” Max said evenly.

“She owes me the lashes.”

Lashes?

Max’s hand tightened infinitesimally. “No.”

The murmurs around them increased.

“Ma-Master, let him do it,” Ana said under her breath with more bravado than she’d ever come close to feeling. Terror was more like it. If Max was punishing her, she’d worry about taking the pain. She trusted him. She didn’t trust Tyler. She never 83

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had. In spite of her fear she couldn’t let Max take the fall for her stupid decision. She took a deep breath. “Let him be done with it.”

Pain filled his eyes but he showed no weakness to anyone except her. Only she could see the torment inside him. His face hardened to an impenetrable mask. “I will choose the instrument. Seven lashes only. One for each day.”

“I want a cane,” Tyler replied gleefully as he practically danced about.
Worm
. What the hell had she been thinking? There was nothing remotely exciting or naughty about this sadist. He wanted only pain. And she’d be that sacrifice.

Max gave a single nod, his lips pressed together.

“Stand, slave,” he said with an edge to his voice she’d scarcely ever heard. It was the tone he used when he was angry at being forced to do something yet determined not to show it. It was rare for anyone to force Max into anything.

Obediently, she stood and bowed her head to him as he rose, the leash tight in his white-fisted hand. Ill-concealed agitation vibrated off him. Max wanted to kill Tyler.

Any fool could see it. Well, any fool except Tyler.

“This way,” Max said, leading her deeper into the building with Tyler walking behind them. Ana sucked in a breath when Tyler scraped his nails down her back. Max spun around, his eyes murderous as he glared at Tyler. “Keep your fucking hands to yourself,” he growled. “I’m allowing this one concession. You will not take liberties with my tolerance.”

Max paused then impatiently waved Tyler in front of them. “You lead the way.” He stepped close to Ana. “I should never have brought you here. I don’t want to do this,”

he confided.

“It seems we must, Master. You didn’t know this would happen.”

“I suspected he’d be here. I wanted to stake my claim.” Perversely, his confession sent a burst of pleasure through her. It strengthened her for what was ahead.

“So now you’re feeling guilty? Don’t. I brought this on myself.”

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He stroked his thumb along her bottom lip. “So brave.”

“Not really but is there way to get out of it?” she added in a whisper. “Without legal entanglements and smearing your name in the community.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about my name, Ana.”

“
I
care. My father whipped me with a belt and occasionally a switch when I was growing up. I’ll survive this.” She focused on his sculpted chest so he couldn’t see her lie or her fear. Silently, she hoped her father, who’d never even spanked her, would forgive her untruth.

“This is different. I can hardly bear the idea of him hurting you. If it was me administering the cane, I could arouse you sufficiently beforehand. It would ease the sting. You’d actually enjoy it on some levels.”

Remembering the warmth that had filled her folds when he’d spanked her, she knew it was true. It was possible for pain to segue into extreme pleasure. She didn’t foresee that happening. This wasn’t the same as submitting to Max. A scrap of an idea began to form in her head. “Where will you be?” she asked.

“Beside you. I will never leave you alone with him. I’ll bind you and remain with you.”

She nodded. If he was near her, if she sensed his presence, perhaps she could transfer the pain in her mind. She’d know she was submitting to Max, submitting
for
Max. A surge of power arced through her. Submitting to Max was her strength. Just as the Six of Pentacles had indicated last night, he’d given her so much. He’d patiently taught her and shown her the delight of submitting to him. He was her benefactor and protector.

It was killing him to be powerless to protect her right now.

“Master,” she murmured. “My submission to this—it’s for you. I would do anything for you.”

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Emotion boiled in his eyes—pride, tenderness, sorrow…love? He gave her a single nod and led her in the direction Tyler had taken.

Her eyes widened and her knees almost buckled when they stopped before what could only be called The Wall of Punishment. A huge assortment of items was displayed on hooks. All manner of floggers, cat-o’-nine-tails, crops, canes and coiled whips waited ready for a Dom to wield. The heavy whips thankfully looked dusty but the rest appeared clean and well used. Ice splintered through her.

They seemed to be racked by category and Tyler went immediately toward the heavy whips. She’d run before he ever used one of those on her.

“You chose a cane,” Max reminded him. “I choose this one.”

Tyler’s lips pursed in distaste as he glared at the lightweight instrument in Max’s hand. “She’ll barely feel that,” he complained. “I might as well tickle her.”

“Turn around. I’ll test it on you.”

Ana bowed her head and pressed her lips together to suppress her amusement at the thought. Tyler snatched away the rattan cane. “You think it’s funny, slave,” he sneered. “You won’t be laughing in a few minutes. I’ll show you how a true Master punishes a disobedient slave.”

Beside her Max growled deep in his throat. If Tyler pushed much harder he’d find himself flat on his ass or six feet under, depending on how out of control Max was when he finally retaliated. No matter what he thought, Tyler would not come out of this unscathed. He’d become an outcast or Max would take him out. That in itself gave her comfort.

Still, her legs wobbled like broken toys as she was led to the floor where she’d seen the other sub taken by the three men. The area was deserted now except for the waist-high whipping apparatus. Chilled and terrified, she stared at it, while the club grew silent. Even the music seemed to fade.

“Ana?” Max said, his voice full of concern. “You don’t have to do this. I’ll take you out of here.”

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Ignoring him, she walked to the leather-covered bench that looked like a shorter, wider version of a gymnastic horse. There was a bar on the other side for the person being whipped to grasp.

“Ana?” Max repeated. “I can stop this. I’d rather kill him than let him touch you.”

Warmth filled her. She looked up at him and smiled. God, she loved him. How could she have been so stupid about fighting it and wanting to leave? And what a dumb time to figure it out. “I’ll do it and be done.”

His face returned to its inscrutable mask and she knew he was holding back any emotions. Carefully, he bent her over the whipping bench, spreading and securing her ankles in place.

She closed her eyes, sucking in her lips and pressing them together. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the metal bar. Behind her the cane whistled. She tensed but it never connected.

“He’s just testing it,” a voice said above her. Craning her head up, she found Theo standing at her head. He settled a hand in the middle of her shoulders. “Keep your head down and relax,” he advised.

“Max will keep him under control.” This time it was Ryan who spoke. He placed his hand beside Theo’s. Josh placed his on the other side, completing the trifecta of support. Looking behind the men, she saw their grim subs. Her family.

“You will not begin until I give the word,” Max snapped. “And this is my only warning. If you draw blood, I don’t care if it is only one stroke, you’re finished.”