by Cole Denton
Oxygen
The Club Oxygen Series Book 1
Cole Denton
Copyright © 2020 by Cole Denton
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Warning
Oxygen is a novella with intense scenes that may trigger some readers. This book contains sexually explicit scenes, adult language, and disturbing scenes that may be considered offensive to some readers. Please read with caution. This book contains content that is not suitable for readers under the age of 18.
Credits
Cover Designer: Mayhem Creations
Contents
Chapter 1
About Cole Denton
Also by Cole Denton
Chapter One
Jacob was late. Being the wife of a fire captain meant I was used to him being habitually late. I was also used to worrying from the time he left the house each morning until he walked in the door each evening. To help curb my worries, Jacob and I had one rule in place that literally helped me live; call at your first opportunity when you’re going to be late. That one phone call kept me sane on nights like this.
As the minutes ticked by, the more nervous I grew. I had to keep myself busy. I got up from the table and dumped out the water from the glasses before I refilled them with fresh ice and water. I set the glasses back down and then sat at my usual seat.
Thirty-five minutes late.
“Lord, please let him be safe,” I whispered with closed eyes.
I had the chili warming on the stove, and as soon as he arrives, we would eat dinner.
Fifty minutes late.
Jacob knew that once he was an hour late, I would be calling his cell phone. I stood and paced around the dinner table, straightening the silverware as I went. I went through all of the motions that were in my routine. I turned both of our dinner plates so that the floral design on the outer rim of the plates mirrored the position of the other plate. I re-creased the creases in the pale, yellow paper napkins. I sat back down and let my mind drift to our plans for the upcoming weekend.
Startled, I jumped from the table at the sound of the phone and raced to answer it. The entire way, I recited my silent prayers; please let him be safe.
“Hello?” I nervously voiced my greeting into the receiver.
“Elise, I’m going to be a little longer, darling,” my husband Jacob’s voice came through the airwaves, instantly calming my nerves.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and smiled. Jacob was safe.
“Okay, I was starting to get really worried,” I admitted.
“I know, darling. I’m very sorry. I am at the hospital,” he began in a hushed tone. “We lost Mark late this afternoon. His sister arrived moments before I was getting ready to call you.”
I covered my mouth as the tears instantly streamed down my face at the news. Mark was only a month out of his probational firefighter training. He was a lovely young man with his whole life ahead of him. Jacob had personally handled Mark’s training and was close friends with his father. Like all of the firefighters at Jacob’s station, Mark was like one of our own children.
“Oh, Jacob, I’m so sorry,” I sobbed.
“I’m going to drive Mark’s parents home, and then I will be home.”
“Please give his folks my condolences. Drive safe, and I will see you in a little while.”
“I love you, Elise.”
“I love you, too.”
I hung up the phone and braced my hands on the counter to steady me. Yesterday, Mark was taken to the hospital with severe burns to his face and torso from an apartment fire. Jacob had said that Mark was with another firefighter when he opened a door in the apartment. The increased oxygen caused a cloud of fire to engulf Mark. I knew last night that he had been in critical condition, but hadn’t expected to lose him so quickly.
While I waited for Jacob, I pulled out the contact information for the other wives of the station’s firefighters. Whenever we lost one, or one was injured, we took care of meals and some arrangements for the family. I had just finished calling the last person when I saw the headlights of Jacob’s truck pull into the driveway. I ran to the entryway and met him with open arms.
Jacob’s arms held me close to him and squeezed me reassuringly that he was safe. I breathed in the scent of his cologne and silently said my thanks that he was here and safe. Jacob had an uncanny ability to read me like a book; ever since I met him back in college. I was working through college as a waitress at a restaurant near a fire station. The firefighters were in there often, and he caught my eye right away.
Jacob was different than all of the college boys. He was older than me by about ten years, but there was a way he carried himself that made me weak in the knees whenever I saw him. One day he commented on my fingernails; I had been a nail biter ever since I was a child.
“You know, I can get you to stop that,” he had said one evening at the restaurant.
It’s funny how you can be drawn to someone, but not really know why. Then all of a sudden it hits you. That’s how it was with Jacob. That one phrase was delivered with confidence, held mystery, and captivated me. From the moment he told me that he could get me to stop biting my nails, I was intrigued and so curious to find out how.
We began to date, and I learned very fast exactly how different he was from the college boys. Boy, did I learn! I also discovered that not only could I tolerate his method of curbing my bad habits, I began to crave it, too.
Jacob had caught me biting my nails one day and said he was going to punish me for giving into my nervous habits. He said a little physical discipline would curb my nervousness. The thought of being a grown woman and needing to be punished by a man almost instantly made me wet. He took a wooden paddle to my ass, and though it was physically uncomfortable, being disciplined had an unexpected effect on me. It was how I discovered that I was a masochist. Oddly, the physical pain allowed me to release the emotional turmoil I carried, which allowed me to feel in control again and not nervous.
Life with Jacob was exhilarating, and unlike anything that I had ever imagined. Nights like this, after the sadness, loss, and anxiety, he will need to take his relief from my body. And I am more than willing to give him whatever he needs…no matter how painful.
Being Jacob’s submissive was full of perks. Not only was I able to meet his needs, but he took care of mine completely. We complemented one another in ways that many of our friends never even knew existed. There was a rare nuance that made us click so well. While Jacob was a Dominant, he was also a sadist. This worked incredibly well as he was able to scratch my masochistic itches. Jacob needs to give pain, and I need to receive pain.
“Are you hungry, Jacob?” I inquired as I walked ahead of him towards the kitchen.
“Not really, darling.”
With a heavy sigh, Jacob slumped down in his usual chair at the table. I stood beside him and stroked his hair. He wrapped his arms around my waist and reached upward toward the back of my neck with one hand. I knew the death of Mark would be a heavy hit for Jacob. I guided his head to rest against my chest and continued to stroke his salt and pepper hair while I remained as physically close to him as possible.
“I know you aren’t hungry, dear, but you should try to eat a little something. Maybe drink some water,” I suggested.
“He was so damn young,” Jacob mumbled. “He had his whole life ahead of him.”
“I know, Jacob. I know,” I comforted.
What I prayed that I wouldn’t hear from Jacob, was that he felt responsible. Jacob handled much of the training for his new recruits, and he took pride in showing them the best ways to stay safe. As with most things, even the best training can sometimes not be enough in certain situations. Jacob put everything he had into the care of each member of his station. He had a deep bond and connection with each of the firefighters, but they were more than brothers. Jacob felt that each of them were his own son. He was a mentor to many of them and had even been in most of their weddings as a best man or groomsman. They all loved and looked up to Jacob.
“I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible,” he mumbled as I closed my eyes.
“Jacob, you know that these things unfortunately just happen. You weren’t even on-site when it happened,” I reminded him.
“I know, but that is, in turn, why I feel partly responsible. If I had been, he would have been by my side and not in that apartment building.”
“Dear, he was doing what he had loved and what you trained him for,” I reminded him.
“The lieutenant didn’t think to keep a closer eye on Mark.”
“Jacob,” I began before I lowered my head to kiss the top of his, “don’t go recreating scenarios. It isn’t healthy for you or your team. Accidents happen.”
In silence, I could feel him inhale a few deep breaths. I continued to stroke his broad muscled back and hair to try to help him relax. We stayed like that for several moments before he brought up Mark’s family.
“His parents are crushed. His poor sister flew in from New York today. She got off the plane and went to the hospital immediately. She thought he was still alive. Her parents hadn’t been able to reach her since she landed,” Jacob explained.
“Oh, that is terrible. So sad.” I choked back a sob and lowered my head to kiss the top of his again. “I reached out to some of the wives. We’ll take care of meals and company for his parents.”
“Thank you, Elise. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I smiled at his words, but deep down, I knew that it was me who wouldn’t be able to live without him. Jacob lifted his head from my chest and reached for his glass of water. He took a deep, steadying breath after a long sip and then swatted my ass before he stood.
“I couldn’t make it without you, Elise.” Jacob bent his head to kiss my lips and embraced my body. “I’m going to go take a quick shower and get the grimy feeling off my body. Give me about ten minutes, and then I’ll have a small bowl of your chili.”
“I’ll have it ready, dear,” I confirmed with a comforting smile.
While he was in our bathroom, I sat at the table and tried to process everything. When I heard him shut the water off, I forced myself out of the chair and prepared two small bowls of chili. I had just set his bowl down on top of the plate in front of his chair when he came into view. I sat beside him and ate with him. Neither of us spoke very much. My mind was full of thoughts, but I couldn’t concentrate enough to focus on any one of them. No matter how much I pushed it away, the one thing that kept coming back front and center was the unspoken promise of what would come later.
It was just after 10:30 p.m. when Jacob got up from the couch after the local news. His hazel eyes met mine, and I could tell that he was ready and in need. I placed my hand in his outstretched large, calloused hand. No words were spoken. No words needed to be spoken. I knew he needed my willing body and soul. And I was ready.
“Darling, go to the spare room and select a flogger of your liking. Meet me in our room,” Jacob instructed with a heavy smile.
It was a smile that I had seen many times before on nights like this. And “heavy” was the best way to describe it.
“I will pick out a flogger and bring it to you,” I repeated my instructions.
We walked down the hallway together, and while he went to our room, I made my way to the spare bedroom. The closet in that room held all of Jacob’s impact tools.
Heat began to spread between my legs as I stared into the closet. I took my time looking at each of the implements and didn’t decide out of haste. My fingertips brushed the falls on the floggers as my imagination ran wild.
The flogger with the braided falls with the ball bearings on random falls, looked delightful. Heavenly, in fact. Standing there and petting the viscous falls almost gave me a high. Effortlessly, this flogger could meet both our needs tonight, but I looked further at my options.
I pulled in my bottom lip and lightly bit on the inside corner of my mouth as my eyes fell upon the baby bullwhip with the detachable cracker. When I took a step towards the whip, I felt how damp my panties had become. I reached out and ran my thumb and forefinger from the handle to the end of the whip. I knew Jacob wouldn’t want to use this tonight. He had been very specific; select a flogger of my liking. I inhaled a deep breath, embedding the intoxicating scent of treated leather into my senses. I longed for the bite of this precious whip. But, for another time.
I went back to the flogger that had the steel ball bearings scattered amongst the braided falls. When I gripped the flogger handle in my hand, a yearning deep within began to stir. It was a desire that I have had before but didn’t know how to do much about it. It was the desire to take control; to dominate. Jacob knew this existed in me, and he had told me that if I ever wanted to, we could go to the club and explore me topping a submissive bottom. While the idea of this nearly makes me come on the spot, I didn’t know if I could actually go through with it. I pushed those thoughts aside for now and looked down at the flogger I clutched in my hand.
Proud of the selection that I’d made, I headed back down the hallway to our room. Jacob stood shirtless, and in his navy, French terry lounge pants at the foot of the bed. It was difficult for me to focus on anything but his tanned, muscular body. He was stretching his arms and when I walked into the room, his eyes immediately went to my hands to see what I picked out. As soon as he saw, he leaned his head back and chuckled.
“Wonderful choice, darling. You and I are both tired, weary, but needy.” Jacob said as he took the angry flogger from my hands. He turned it over and rolled his wrists, making an “X” motion and swatting the bed with it.
“Those were my exact thoughts, too. This flogger can quickly take care of both of our needs,” I agreed.
“Well, let’s get to it. Strip, and get on the bed. Get on your hands and knees, my darling Elise, right here,” Jacob said as he slapped a spot close to the foot of the bed.
Eagerly, I removed my clothes and took my place on the bed as his heated eyes hungrily followed me.
“Slide your arms forward along the bed, and put your forehead on the mattress,” he directed, and I quickly complied. The need had built to a nearly combustible height, and I was almost ready to erupt.
“Remember, Elise, if you’ve had enough, say ‘red.’ Do you understand?”
“Yes, I remember.”
The silence was deafening. I waited and waited. Pussy juice from the anticipation began to spread to the inside of my thighs. My pussy was already swollen, and he hadn’t even made contact with me yet. I waited and waited and waited. Finally, I heard the falls swoosh through the air moments before they came down on my upper back. Though the center of my upper back was the target, there was a stray fall or two that reached the delicate skin on my sides.
The ball bearings and braided falls felt like rocks pelting against my tight flesh. Through welled up eyes, I welcomed the pain. I needed the pain. I couldn’t help but smile as the warmth began to spread across my skin like a comforting blanket. I arched my back to meet the dozens of spots that throbbed. Euphoria was quickly consuming me.
“Ahh!” I screamed out as the falls collided with my body the second time.
“That’s it, Elise. Breathe, darling,” he encouraged.
The sound of my scream was the one that Jacob needed to hear. He knew this scream, and he loved it. It was a scream mixed with sheer pleasure and agony. It was on this see-saw where our pl
easure could release our pain. Each kiss from the falls numbed the aches that were held in the depths of our souls. For now, it made it easier to deal with.
Was it a cowardly way to deal with emotional wounds and aches? No. It just meant that we knew what we needed to keep us grounded and from spiraling into a dark hole.
By the fifth or sixth time the flogger connected with my back, the tears poured out of me. It wasn’t from the physical pain that the flogger caused. It was from the deeply embedded pain that the flogger permitted us to release.
I felt Jacob stretch out on his side next to me on the bed. I could feel the heat from his body and knew that he was close to me. His protective and loving hand stroked my hair.
“Elise, let me see your face and your sweet blue eyes, darling,” Jacob’s congested voice calmed me.
I turned my head so I could look at him, and when my eyes locked onto his, more sobs seeped from my chest. He slid over to me, pressing his bare chest against my side.
“Come here, my beautiful girl.”
Jacob wrapped his strong hands around my upper arms and raised me up off the mattress just enough so he could slide his chest under me. As my head rested on his broad chest, I could feel that the tension I had felt in him hours ago, had lessened. The pain of the loss of Mark still lingered in the air, but it no longer hurt to breathe.
“Thank you, Elise.” Jacob’s soft lips pressed against the top of my head. “I love you, darling.”
“I love you, Jacob.”
In the sanctuary of his arms, I thanked the heavens for sending Jacob home to me tonight.
The weeks following Mark’s funeral had been calm and returned to what I considered to be normal. As usual, the anxiety that I always felt following a death or injury with any of the guys at the fire station began to ebb. I was always ready to support Jacob anyway that he needed.
