Pleasure Bay (30 page)

For a true submissive, there was a need to give up control, to have those scales unbalanced in some part or in some cases all aspects of their life. Mariah was experienced in the lifestyle, but since coming to Pleasure Bay, she hadn’t had a dom in her life. Without that, she’d had to take the control, which was in direct contrast to her character. But she’d blossomed in her time here, so much that she fit in easily with the many doms who worked and played on the island. Often challenging them when a decision was hers to make, standing up to Dimitri at times. She was certainly no weak-willed, subservient woman, by any means. Yet, she was still soft, feminine, and respectful, deferring to a dominant in the room when appropriate. All of these characteristics were what attracted Dimitri. Yet he knew there was more to her. She’d buried her inner submissive and carefully constructed a façade; in essence, she had balanced her scales.

Dimitri knew that with his power play on Friday, he had sent those carefully balanced scales careening wildly. He had become the catalyst that was putting her fragile alternate reality at risk. His kiss and overture had tilted her world on its axis—poor baby. He worried that what had happened in the cabin today, which far exceeded a chaste kiss and a cuddle, would slant that world further and if not handled carefully, delicately, it could very well topple with devastating results. He’d protect her until she felt safe, then once and for all, he’d figure out what it was in her past that made her abandon her submission—a life-altering event for sure—in the first place.

* * *

“Submissive.” The one word, spoken softly in his deep voice wasn’t an accusation or a criticism. It was a statement of fact of what she was, like being female, or human, and he said it exactly that way. “You need this as much as food and water, as much as the air you breathe. Don’t you, baby?”

Yes, but I can’t have it, ever again
. Only she couldn’t tell him that. He’d try to convince her otherwise or would try to change himself for her. Neither were satisfactory options. Just as she was submissive to her core, he was dominant. It was part of his makeup—his character. On top of that, he craved the lifestyle as much as she did, but unlike her, Mariah knew he wouldn’t be content on the sidelines, a spectator, watching and yearning for something he couldn’t have. That wouldn’t be fair to him.

“Why are you so resistant, Mariah? I can give you all that you need and so much more. I want to take care of you,
piccola
. All you have to do is trust me.”

She closed her eyes against the love shining brightly from his eyes. It would be her undoing. If she let him, he would own her heart. Ordinarily that wouldn’t be a bad thing, but her submissive spirit had already been ripped to shreds, shattered into a thousand pieces, and what was left was a mere shadow of what it once was.

Mariah hid her face against his chest, afraid for him to see the pain because she’d made a decision. It would cut like a double-edged sword and would slice cruelly into both of them, but selfishly, it would protect her. In the end, she believed it would protect him too. At least from settling for so much less than he deserved.

“The water’s turning cold. Let’s get you dried off.”

He turned off the shower and opened the curtain, pulling a thick bath towel from the rack—also white.

“Step out, baby.”

She lifted her foot to do just that, but her eyes fell on the bath mat, which was covered in mud. Despite being cautious, she had ruined it. Her eyes followed the muddy mess they’d made on the floor, the filth miring the previously immaculate bathroom. She couldn’t bring herself to step on it and shook her head. It seemed everything she touched became soiled and dirty; she didn’t want that for the rug, and she certainly wouldn’t accept it for Dimitri. Embarrassed that he was witness to all her previously masked dysfunction, she took a deep breath, preparing to suck it up and endure. He wouldn’t understand. She didn’t expect him to.

He surprised her by saying, “Wait. I’ve got you.”

He rubbed her dry, before settling the towel around her shoulders, then once again lifted her and carried her back to the bed. Dimitri ripped off the soiled comforter before setting her down in the middle of the still clean sheets. He then stepped back, taking her damp towel with him, and began drying himself.

Distracted, she forgot about her own nudity as her eyes followed his hands as they moved along his body. She took inventory of every place he touched, committing the image of his masculine beauty to memory. His muscles rippled and bulged as he moved, making her mouth water at his sheer perfection. The small measure of dark hair sprinkled across his chest made her fingers itch to touch it. The coarse dark hair had abraded her nipples as she’d moved against him a short time ago and they peaked now in response to the tactile memory. His ridged abdomen and narrow hips revealed he had not one ounce of fat on him.

Her eyes widened when he dropped the towel and revealed the rest of him. As she stared, his semi-erect cock stirred, swelling and elongating before her eyes. Soon, he was fully aroused and his size was impressive. Looking up into his face, she realized he had been watching her as she watched him. After meeting his intense stare for a moment, she pulled her eyes away.

They swept around the room nervously, searching for a focal point. Instead, she noticed the extra-large armoire, the same that was used in all the BDSM rooms to hold all the implements: ropes, paddles, restraints, and toys. Across the room, there was a spanking bench in the corner and a cross was affixed to the far wall. Her eyes lifted to the ceiling, where she wasn’t surprised to find hooks, chains, and a suspension rigging system.

She felt the covers shift and the mattress dip beside her as he got in. Looking anywhere but at him, the four-poster bed frame came into focus as well as the leather cuffs that hung ready for use, already hooked to sturdy metal eyebolts. The bed, the entire room for that matter, was designed for bondage play and restraining a submissive securely. Goosebumps erupted across her skin.

“This is a bondage cabin. I’ve never been here before.”

“Not surprising, like the dungeon, you refuse to go near any of them.” He lay down on the pillows and extended his arm to her. “Come here.”

Immediately responding, she moved into his arms and pressed her cheek against his chest.

“We need to talk, clear the air so we can move forward together.”

“Together.” She repeated the word as if it were foreign. If only together was possible for them.

“Of course together. I love you, Mariah and have no intention of ever letting you go.”

She tilted her head back until she could see his face. His serious expression told her she should consider his words a pledge, a declaration of intent. Anyone who knew Dimitri knew that his word was undeniably the gospel truth. Despite his reputation for being ruthless in business, he was also known to be fair and honorable. But Dimitri was a powerful and very wealthy man used to getting his way and she’d learned that nothing stood between Master D and what he wanted. He could move mountains if he chose to. For Mariah, that made things more difficult and required a change in plans.

“Tell me what is behind the pain in your eyes,
bellissima
.”

“I’m exhausted, sir. Can’t we rest in each other’s arms for a while?”

“Certainly, we have the rest of our lives to figure this all out. Although, don’t think for a minute that I’ll wait that long.”

“I didn’t think that you would, sir.”

“I was master not thirty minutes ago. You’re conflicted.”

Truer words… She nodded, relieved she was honestly able to agree with something he’d said for a change.

“
Tutto bene
. As I say, we’ll work through it.”

She frowned at his platitude; it wasn’t all good. It was just like an arrogant dom to think he could solve every problem, because he decreed it so.

Dimitri yawned, her head moving with the rise and fall of his chest. “For now, I think a nap is needed before seeing off our guests.”

“Since when do you nap?”

Hugging her tight, he pressed his lips to the top of her head as he said, “Since a naughty imp misbehaved and disturbed my rest these past few nights.”

“That wasn’t my intention at all.”

“I know. Your intent was to avoid, a defense mechanism you’ve employed expertly these past two years.”

“Hmm, and to think I’m the one with the psychology degree.”

“You’ve told me that when you were treating patients, they and their families, or their close friends were often too close to the situation to see the forest for the trees. That is the case here, I’m sure. You have been avoiding telling me about your past for so long—stalling and evading the truth—that it has become subconscious.” He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, and she felt his lips brush against her temple as his arms hugged her tight. “You’ve cocooned yourself in your own safe world, keeping others out, even those that love you. I made the mistake of allowing it to go on so long. That all changed on Friday when I threatened your safely constructed world. Since then your evasion has been deliberate and blatantly obvious, to me and most of the others.” His hand cupped her chin and he tilted her face up to his. She read the intense determination in his eyes as she looked at him. “The avoidance and hiding need to stop, Mariah. It’s time to put that all behind us.”

Always intuitive, Dimitri had her nailed. But she couldn’t reply, couldn’t agree with him without telling another lie. Biting her lip, she lowered her eyes and remained silent, using an evasive tactic once again.

“Mm,” he grunted at her lack of response. “It seems we have a lot of work ahead of us,
piccola
. For now, I want to hold you while we rest. After the guests leave, we’ll barricade ourselves in my suite and not come out until we have it all resolved.” His hand found her chin and he tilted her face up for a thorough kiss. Helpless to resist, she melted into him. Afterward, they lapsed into silence as they held each other close.

“Don’t you have to work next week?” she asked quietly after several minutes had passed.

Drowsiness resonated in his reply. “You are more important than any business. I’ll simply have my assistant rearrange some appointments. Don’t worry.”

Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. With eyes closed, she snuggled against him, savoring every nuance that was Dimitri, as if it were her last.

Chapter Seventeen

His angry eyes snapped with fire as he watched her dress hurriedly. His controlled voice held an undertone of fury as he issued his warning. “If you leave me here like this, when I catch you—and I will catch you,
piccola mia
—I promise what you had this morning will feel like love taps by comparison. Release the cuffs.”

Ignoring the none-too-subtle threat, she let his masterful voice wash over her. Goosebumps erupted along her arms and her nipples tightened. She was going to miss him so. Turning her back to hide her reaction, she dropped the sheet she’d wrapped around her body and slipped on the satin robe she’d found in the closet. As she drew on her muddy sandals, she grimaced. They were stiff with dried mud, but there was no help for it. They were the only shoes she had. Glancing at his rigid body, his arms strained against the cuffs, guilt washed over her. She’d taken advantage of his exhaustion, also her fault. As he’d slept, she’d restrained him to the headboard. The idea had come to her while she’d watched him, one arm flung over his head, the other out to the side where he’d dozed off while holding her.

While he’d slept, she considered her next step. He planned to be around all week, so slipping away on the plane on Tuesday when it made its weekly supply run to Jamaica was out of the question. Leaving this afternoon with the guests being her only other option, meant she had to keep him away from the dock somehow. The sturdy leather restraints, already affixed to the bed, seemed the perfect solution. In this remote cabin, once restrained, no one would hear his call for help. Of course, she’d have to alert someone to release him after she was gone, someone trustworthy who wouldn’t be able to stop her.

Her plan, although far from foolproof, was formulated as she carefully rolled out of bed. At the headboard, she examined one of the cuffs. Damn… buckles. They would be difficult to apply without waking him.

Padding quietly to the armoire, a quick search of the drawers and shelves produced a set of slip cuffs. Made of soft suede, they would loop easily around his wrists. She wasn’t foolish enough to think they would hold such a big man for long, but with luck, they would slow him down temporarily buying her enough time to apply the standard heavy-duty police issue handcuffs (also courtesy of the armoire).

She had worked quietly. After slipping on the slip knot cuffs, she threaded the other end through the eyebolt affixed firmly to the wood and iron headboard and pulled slowly. Removing the slack tightened the restraint. He didn’t stir and with one wrist restrained securely, she quickly moved to the other. They went on quickly, but she didn’t breathe easily until she’d gotten the second restraint on and by then he’d awakened.

She approached the bed now and sat by his side. “I suppose I owe you an explanation.”

“That would be helpful, yes.”

Sarcasm was unlike Dimitri, but these were extreme circumstances. He moved slightly and the metal cuffs clanked against the bed. His eyes snapped with fire as he glared at her. Probably wasn’t used to being restrained to the bed by someone he thought he could trust. Mariah flushed with guilt and looked away.

“I can’t live in the lifestyle again, Dimitri. It nearly broke me the first time. With you, if something went wrong again, well… I’d die. Of that, I have no doubt.”

“Tell me what happened. We can work through it together.”

Unable to meet his eyes as she confessed the horror of what she had done, she turned away before she whispered. “I had a very bad experience in the lifestyle with my husband.”