Daye, Lavender - Bound By Trust (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Lavender Daye

  “Kerri,” Hunter said, “eyes down.”

  She quickly complied, turning back to give him her full attention.

  They took an elevator to the ultra-private third floor. Members using the elevator scanned their membership card to gain access and exit, keeping the uninvited out of the party. As the doors opened, Kerri was surprised at the lack of sound. Unlike the downstairs areas, this room was quiet. Understated elegance and soft music created an oasis of serenity. Scattered seating arrangements dotted the wide ocean blue carpet. Navy couches with tan or coral throw pillows were interspersed with chaise lounges or love seats. It almost reminded her of the foyer of an elegant opera house her grandmother had taken her to a few years ago.

  Almost.

  The opera house didn’t allow women to lounge bare-assed naked in the foyer. But apparently, the practice was encouraged in this room.

  She turned to Hunter but a quick glance at his face had her dropping her chin. This was not the time to question him. He gripped her wrists and turned her to a doorway she hadn’t noticed. It wasn’t a large room, rectangular in shape and lined with storage shelves holding wicker baskets. A few armless chairs sat in the middle of the room, along with one or two overstuffed armchairs.

  Hunter unclipped her bracelets and sat in one of the comfy chairs. “Find an empty basket and bring it to me.”

  She looked long and hard into his face, trying to decide if this was where her participation would end. Could she really appear naked in that room full of people? Sure, she wouldn’t be the only bare body on display, but could she turn off every lesson of respectability she’d had stuffed into her brain for the last twenty-six years? Kerri closed her eyes, knowing Hunter was waiting for her decision. He wouldn’t push, wouldn’t insist. It was a choice she needed to make on her own. With a deep breath, she turned to the wall of shelves and found an empty basket, carried it to the chair where he waited, and set it at his feet.

  His smile warmed her, unspoken praise she hadn’t expected. She perched on the edge of an armless chair and removed her shoes, putting them into the basket before adding her clothes. When finished, she stood before Hunter and turned her back, offering her wrists to him.

  Warm hands on her waist surprised her. He tugged her between his knees and kissed a line down her spine before nipping at the rounded beginning of her hip. His hands lifted to her shoulders, slid down her arms, and moved her wrists back into place so he could link the cuffs.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, Kerri. Every man in that room will be jealous as hell.”

  Unsure about how to accept a compliment on her nakedness, since it wasn’t something Emily Post normally advised about, Kerri chose to lower her head in a quick nod. His chuckle, followed by a few mumbled words, was all she heard before he stood and led her back into the room. The mumbled words rang through her brain until they made semi-sense. Something about “the death of me” was all she could recognize, and she wondered who would die first, her or Hunter.

  “You will eat and drink only what I give you, understand?” he whispered as they moved into the room. Kerri nodded imperceptibly and stayed by his side. Not that her will mattered. His palm at her nape did the steering and her body followed.

  They found an unoccupied chaise lounge and Hunter sat, stretching his legs comfortably before patting the space next to his hip. “Facing me, Kerri.”

  Looking at the spot he’d placed his hand, Kerri wanted to growl. If she sat as he directed, her legs would be wide open. Not a position she appreciated, though he probably would. Hunter was testing her, pushing her limits.

  Lucky for her that she’d been schooled in the fine art of being a lady. Placing her bottom on the spot he indicated, Kerri crossed her ankles, pressed her knees together, and pivoted toward him. Her feet left the floor and ended up resting near her hips. When she looked at him and smiled, he laughed.

  “Not what I had in mind, but good enough for now.” Hunter stroked her thigh absently, his face relaxed while he surveyed the other occupants of the room. “Let’s see what kind of company we’ll have. I put out a few feelers about looking for a companion for a friend.”

  “Or a replacement for me?” she whispered.

  “Not a chance, pretty girl. Not a chance.”

  Kerri kept her head tilted down but scanned the room in front of her from under her bangs. Since Hunter hadn’t been specific in what to look for, she planned to watch for anything unusual. But unusual to her in this room encompassed just about everyone and everything. Naked women stood or sat next to well-dressed men all around the room. She noticed two men deep in conversation, sitting across from each other in overstuffed chairs. Each man had a woman on the floor at their feet, her head on his lap. As she watched, one girl rose to her knees and unfastened the man’s belt and lowered his zipper.

  Quickly shifting her gaze back to Hunter, Kerri met his knowing expression.

  “Don’t be surprised by what you see tonight. It might be expected of you later. Watch and learn.” His voice, rich with lust, held a promise. Before he could elaborate, a woman interrupted.

  “May we join you, Hunter?”

  Kerri didn’t look up, recognizing the voice of the woman that offered to let her boy-toy play with her.

  “Lillian, nice to see you. Of course you may join us.” Hunter gestured to the lounge across from them, and the woman settled herself and her tethered man, her eyes turning to Kerri. “She seems to be working out for you, despite that little incident downstairs. I had no idea she belonged to Hudson when we met the other night.”

  Kerri fought to keep a calm expression as the woman talked about her openly in public. She’d been brought up to be polite to everyone, but apparently this woman didn’t follow the conventions of well-mannered society. But then, why should Kerri expect those conventions when the person she was watching had a half-naked man on a leash?

  “She doesn’t actually belong to him. Kerri just happens to be his niece.” To Kerri’s ears, Hunter sounded bored, maybe a little irritated. “She belongs to me.”

  “Oh, well, that does complicate your possession of her, but without negating it.” She stroked her man’s chest as he languished by her side. “Doesn’t he own the firm where you work?”

  “Hudson’s a partner, but not in control of anything important. I’m not concerned.”

  “I heard an interesting rumor. Maybe you can set something straight for me. Are you looking for a new girl?”

  Kerri’s face heated under Lillian’s gaze. The urge to look at the woman surged through her but she shoved it down. Self-control warred with pride and won.

  “Actually, I have an acquaintance that’s in the market for an extremely compliant girl. I told him I’d ask around. But after tonight, I may need to shop for myself. Just in case the situation with Hudson becomes a problem.”

  The roaring in her ears took Kerri by surprise. Her eyes widened for a moment, focused on Hunter, and the roar subsided. He was watching her, his expression bland, not at all in tune with his words. She dropped her eyes again and focused on deep, slow breaths.

  “You’re sure?” Lillian asked.

  “I’ll decide for myself in the next few days. However, my acquaintance is definitely in the market. Do you know someone who might be interested?”

  “Now that you mention it, I was approached just this evening by someone offering to find a woman for my boy here.” Lillian’s fingers stroked lower on his abdomen, and Kerri watched the man’s tight leather pants get even tighter. “He asked if I was in the market for a toy for Jeffrey, a woman he could fuck into exhaustion on a daily basis with no complaints.” Her fingers moved lower, teasing the bulge, and Kerri felt herself responding to the scene.

  “Of course, I like seeing him indulged, but not enough to find a regular girl. Apparently, there’s going to be an auction soon.”

  “Interesting. How soon are we talking? I’ll see if my friend’s able to get here. Do you have the details?”

  Lillian dug
in the leather pouch at her hip and produced a business card. Handing it to Hunter, she said, “I got the impression it was an online event. Would that make it more available for your friend?”

  “Possibly. I’ll pass this along.”

  “Hmm, Jeffrey’s getting worked up. Would you be interested in watching him with your girl?”

  “No. She’s still training. Maybe in a week or two. I’ll let you know.”

  The roar was back, muted but still rushing through her brain. Hunter’s voice was flat, unemotional, and Kerri’s nerves were beginning to fry. Most likely from sitting naked on a couch while Lillian stroked a huge, leather-clad erection and talked about online auctions with Hunter.

  Lillian stood and nodded at Hunter. “We’ll move on, then. Jeffrey needs to entertain me tonight.” She tugged his leash and he rose to walk a discrete pace behind her as she moved through the gathering crowd.

  The room was filling with people, equal numbers of clothed and unclothed, milling around, socializing. But unlike the open area downstairs, the atmosphere was subdued. It had the feel of a night at the opera or ballet. The comparison was worrying.

  A tweak to her breast returned her attention to Hunter.

  He leaned close to nuzzle her throat and whispered, “Don’t let the conversation worry you. All a means to an end.” A nip and nibble against her jaw led him to her collarbone, then on to her nipple. Kerri gasped as his lips tugged at her in the crowded room. When he stopped, both breasts tingled and stood at attention.

  “Almost showtime, pretty girl.”

  A chime sounded and people turned toward the sound. Hunter stood and took her arm, helping her stand while her wrists remained chained. He hadn’t explained where they were going, and a feeling of dread crept over her. What if she was part of the show? Would he warn her ahead of time or simply push her into the activity? Her body began to tingle, worry and anticipation struggling for dominance.

  A curtain surrounded the middle of what could pass for a dance floor, and clusters of couches and lounges encircled it. As the seats were taken, people gathered behind them to stand and watch. Kerri sucked in a deep breath when Hunter sat down at one end of a loveseat and pulled her into his lap, angling her body to face the curtained area.

  His fingers slipped to the link in her bracelets and thumbed the release. Kerri sighed against him at the easing of her arms and felt his palms warming her shoulders. “You’ve been very good tonight, pretty girl. Relax for me, Kerri.” Her feet stretched into the adjoining cushion as he positioned her against his chest, arranging her body and settling her head against his shoulder. Pressing a soft kiss to her brow, he murmured in her ear.

  “This is a bonding ceremony of sorts. The people involved are committing to a relationship without the legalities of a wedding, but they’ve signed contracts with each other spelling out the terms of their agreement.”

  The overhead lights dimmed slightly as more people settled in the couches around them. Kerri had given up watching the crowd, unnerved by the vision of so many naked or near-naked bodies in one room, most of them women. She focused instead on Hunter’s hand where it rested on her knee, his fingers circling against her skin as if he was tracing a coin on her leg.

  The long black curtain lifted to the ceiling, exposing a low, padded platform in the center of a well-lit circle. All conversation stopped as a woman entered the room, a curvy brunette wearing only a red leather collar. She stepped into the illuminated circle and walked to the platform, her head held high.

  Kerri’s gaze lifted, watching the woman stand bare before so many people, standing proudly. Standing strong.

  “Waiting for her master,” Hunter whispered in her ear.

  From the left of the circle, Kerri watched a man approach. Tall, lean, muscular, he strode into the circle of light wearing a black towel around his waist. A black leather band encircled the thick muscle of his left arm. A crystal pendant dangled from a ring on his armband.

  A movement from the right of the circle caught her attention and she turned to see a similarly attired man step toward the light. The two men approached the woman, stopping when they were arranged on each side of her. The crowd waited silently as each man removed the pendant on their armband and clipped it to one of the rings on each side of the woman’s collar. As the pendants were attached, her head lowered, acknowledging her masters.

  Kerri stared mesmerized by the ceremony as each man placed a hand on the young woman’s shoulders. She went gracefully to her knees as the men removed their towels and presented her with two hard cocks.

  Her heart began to pound in an uneven rhythm as she watched the woman on the platform service both of the men that had bound her to them. It was the strangest wedding ceremony she’d ever witnessed. Yet, it wasn’t even a wedding, just a mating ritual of some sort. The witnesses took it seriously, though. And Kerri recognized the seriousness of the occasion.

  “They’re creating a permanent ménage, vowing to live together and care for each other, with the focus on the woman and her needs, along with the needs of any children they may produce. No matter who the biological father may be, the children will be cared for and nurtured.” Hunter’s whispered description seemed impossibly utopian when so many couples she knew couldn’t make the same promise.

  “Impossible,” she murmured.

  “Sometimes, getting what you want takes courage and determination. Regardless of the social norms.” Hunter’s hand moved up her thigh, heightening the tremors within her as she watched the threesome on the platform. The woman had reclined on the raised platform and each man pleasured her in his own way. The atmosphere was rife with heat, lust, and desperate need as the crowd responded to the actions before them.

  Kerri could feel Hunter’s chest rise and fall, the hand cupping her waist moved higher to stroke the lower swell of her breast. Her feet lifted as another body joined them on the loveseat, his hands wrapping around her calves and settling them on his lap. She gasped, her head lifting to see who would touch her while she sat so comfortably in Hunter’s possession.

  “Just Richard, sweetheart. I thought you might want company tonight, after watching this ceremony.” His words, the desire inherent in his tone, sent shivers along her spine. Did he intend for her to let them both take her tonight? Had she given him any indication she’d be interested in a ménage? Her brain was too fogged with lust and need to remember a conversation about ménage. Was this what Hunter wanted? Could she do this?

  When he spoke again, it was as if he’d read her mind. “Don’t dwell on what-ifs, Kerri. Don’t let fear make decisions for you. Trust me.”

  She turned her head to look at the couple again. In the middle of a watchful crowd, they were in their own passion-filled world. Looking into Hunter’s eyes, dark with desire, she whispered, “Would it please you? Is that what you want?”

  Kerri was caught off guard by the crease in his brow, the tilt of his head. He lifted his head to the couple, then met her gaze.

  “To share you that completely? No. I want you to experience everything I have to offer in the way of pleasure. But I have my own limits.”

  “Am I allowed to ask what exactly you’re offering?” she asked, making eye contact again, most likely breaking the rules as they’d been explained to her. There were just too damned many rules for her to keep track of while she was naked and aroused. And she couldn’t deny the arousal. It was a constant ache when she was near Hunter. The man absolutely drove her over the edge with a glance, a word, a touch. A stray thought had her wondering if there was a twelve-step program to get over him. She’d need it any day now.

  Hot hands caressed up her calf, over her knee, and onto her thigh, and her focus jumped back to the here and now.

  “I’m suggesting Richard join us tonight, here at the club and at my house. Or, if you prefer, in a private room here at the club.”

  Kerri looked at Richard, dirty blond hair falling into his crystal blue eyes, his expression tight with lust. She remembered
the night not long ago when he’d put his hands on her in the dressing room of that strange shop. She’d practically exploded when he left the room. She’d been shocked, but now she wasn’t sure what to do.

  Hunter’s teeth scraped under her ear, nibbling. “No answer will be construed as a yes.”

  The heat in his voice, the heat of his breath against her skin, and the heat of Richard’s palm as it moved higher on her thigh took all semblance of coherence away from her. Kerri’s head dropped to Hunter’s shoulder, a whispered moan slipping from her lips.

  Then she was in Hunter’s arms as he strode to the closest exit, Richard leading the way. She glimpsed a dim, narrow hall before the elevator door opened. Once inside, hands stroked, petted. Richard’s hands, since Hunter still held her in his arms, his mouth fiercely possessing hers.

  A chime signaled the elevator’s stop. A short flight of stairs and a door opened. The sharp stench of exhaust fumes jarred her from the daze of arousal and she realized they were outside.

  “Wait, stop. My clothes—”

  “I’ll take care of it tomorrow, angel,” Richard replied, swiftly opening the limo door, allowing Hunter to slide inside, Kerri still wrapped in his arms. Richard joined them, and as soon as the door closed, the car began to move.

  Hands began to move, too. Across her midsection, cupping a breast, nuzzling the tight peak. Every move the two men made was designed to systematically drive her insane. Kerri could feel it happening but had no energy—or desire—to stop them. Heat welled in her body, pooling in her erogenous zones and sending spikes of electricity surging through each and every nerve cell she possessed.

  And then they stopped.

  The car stopped.

  Richard stepped out of the limo, spoke briefly to the driver, then reached in to lift Kerri out of Hunter’s arms. Darkness surrounded them until the garage door began to lift. Hunter moved through the empty bay and opened the door into the house, holding it for Richard and Kerri as the garage door shut. They’d left a few lights on, just enough to manage the back staircase.