by Carson, Tori
Nick enlarged the second photo. “With this style, you’re kneeling. Your weight is spread out along your torso, arms and legs. Both allow easy access to your pussy and breasts. Do you have a preference?”
Laura thought it looked like a sawhorse with shelves. The ability to speak seemed just out of reach. It seemed so wrong to be talking about this, yet she couldn’t deny that just thinking about the possibilities had her wet. Her clit was coming to life. Why couldn’t he just decide this on his own?
“Laura, your Dom asked you a direct question.” His tone, as always, affected her. She knew remaining silent wasn’t an option.
“Yes, Sir, I know. I just don’t have an answer.”
He was watching her intently. It used to make her nervous and if she was completely truthful it sometimes still did. He seemed to know her every nuance. She had such a difficult time verbalizing her wants and desires, unless he held her teetering on the edge of an orgasm, then she was honest to a fault. He was constantly pushing her to open up and talk him.
“You know what it’s like to lay across the bed or my lap. Some subs find it less mentally daunting, but physically more intense. Having your hips bent tightens the muscles and skin across your ass, causing the blows to intensify.” Pointing to the vaulting horse design, he explained, “It’s common to restrain a sub spread eagle on this bench. Mentally, subs feel very exposed. It’s physically more demanding. Your arms and legs would be stretched out away from the body, often on tippy toes, but the actual beating is easier to endure.”
Laura’s fingernails dug into her palms as she fought to keep her expression serene. It bothered her on many levels that he was better educated in the lifestyle than she was. That he understood how each apparatus worked was comforting, but knowing how subs viewed or experienced each one pissed her off. She didn’t want to know how he’d gained that insight.
She had the green-eyed jealousy monster riding her hard. Her insecurities kept that monster well fed and raring to go. Knowing it was her own feelings of inadequacy that gave it life did very little to reduce the power it held over her.
Her libido was toying with her too. Looking at sex furniture had her mind going to places she had just recently discovered. Choosing a bench her body would be draped over then spanked, flogged, whipped or who knows what else, was both daunting and freaking hot.
She kept going back to the vaulting horse design. It was less complicated. Every time she looked at the photo she felt the pull of the restraints along her wrists. Over the last couple of weeks, she’d learned she loved to be tied up. Who knew?
“Would you prefer spread eagle or kneeling?”
She pointed to the picture of the vaulting horse style bench.
“Unless you want to wear a ball gag for an hour this evening, start talking to me, subbie.”
There was no doubt he would carry through with it too. “Spread eagle, Sir.” He was always careful to keep his threats—choices, he called them, reasonable. He was nothing if not consistent. She found it exasperating and totally erotic.
“Good girl. The sawhorse design can also be used for anal penetration so I’m leaning toward that one. I will, however, keep your preference in mind.”
He took a few minutes to bring up several pictures of St Andrew Crosses. “These are all very similar, do you like one over the others?”
“No, Sir. The styles are all about the same. I do like the wood better than the other materials though.”
“Much better, Angel. Thank you.”
His praise gave her a warm feeling inside. She really needed to get over herself. If he wanted her opinion, she should give him the courtesy of answering without him having to drag it out of her. Maybe someday it would come easier.
“I was thinking, since we have such a large area available, we should subdivide a portion of the space for theme settings. I don’t want to close them off completely by making rooms, just use partitions like a movie set. Is there a particular theme that interests you?”
Oh, good heavens, why did he ask such embarrassing questions? He kept telling her honest, open communication was the key to a successful D/s relationship. He couldn’t fulfill her fantasies if he didn’t know what they were. She took a deep breath before telling one of her more mainstream fantasies. “The renaissance Lord and Master attracted to a house slave, interests me.”
He nodded his head. “I can work with that. When you picture it in your mind what does the setting look like?”
His easy acceptance and straightforward response made answering easier. “A stone fireplace, a large throne, big four poster bed—that sort of thing.”
“The fireplace could take some doing since we’re working in the basement, but we can figure out something.” Nick waited until she met his gaze. “Thank you for sharing that with me, I know it was difficult. You pleased your Dom.”
She glanced down at her hands. Noticing she was wringing them into mini pretzels, she made a concerted effort to relax. “Do you have any themed fantasies you’d like to explore, Sir?”
“Oh yes, Angel, several. What do you think about being my captured spy? When you’re being less than forthcoming with information, I can torture it out of you.”
Her heart stopped then started pounding double time at the images that fantasy conjured in her mind. “I think that would be hot.”
“Oh, my beautiful subbie, if Frank wasn’t due to arrive in a few minutes, you’d be impaled on my cock about now.”
“Don’t tease me, Sir. It’s been a long day without you.” She’d like nothing more than to have his cock buried deep inside her.
Nick placed her hand over the bulge in his pants. “It goes both ways, Angel.” Once he let go of her hand, he continued with their conversation. “I want a station with a desk, too—like the one in my office. I’ve often fantasized about chaining you to it and doing all manner of rude and inappropriate things.”
“I’d like that.” Her voice a mere whisper.
“There is one other thing I want to talk with you about. I want to put in a closed circuit video and audio feed.” He paused and smiled.
She assumed her eyes had bugged out of her face.
“There are several reasons I think it would be beneficial. While we’ve played, expressions have flittered across your face and I've wondered what you were thinking and feeling. I didn’t want to draw your focus out of the scene by making you answer me at the time, but if I’m going to successfully design scenes to maximize your pleasure, I need to know what’s going through your mind. Until you naturally begin expressing yourself, we can use the video as a means of identifying and discussing certain aspects of our play. Secondly, you have some serious body image misconceptions. The video could help solve that dilemma as well.”
“What if it fell into the wrong hands? What if the kids found it on the hard drive? I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Panic washed over her. When she was fully clothed, cameras weren’t her friend. A video of her naked was too mortifying to imagine.
“How do you address your Dom, subbie?” His tone brokered no mercy.
“I’m sorry, Sir. Your suggestion rattled me.”
“Showing me respect should come naturally. I see more discipline is needed.”
He couldn’t say words like that when company was coming. She was already wet and excited.
“You’ll wear the ball gag while you practice your kneeling exercises tonight.”
“Yes, Sir.” She’d rather be spanked. Weren’t they discussing spanking benches? It was cruel of him to deny her.
Oh my God. Did she really feel deprived because he didn’t want to spank her? What the hell was happening to her?
It’s that stupid logical consequences bullshit again. She took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry I ever had you read that book,” she grumbled.
“I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?”
His arrogant grin told a different story, but she worried what else he would decide to torture her with if she re
peated it. Now that she thought about it, wearing the ball gag was sexy too. Those wide straps pulled tight across her cheeks… Maybe if she asked nicely he’d use the padlock…
“I know security of the tapes is a concern for you and with due cause. Do you trust your Dom to see to your privacy? To protect you?”
“Yes, Sir.” She knew this wasn’t a fight she’d win. They both understood the real problem had more to do with her body image than a privacy matter.
“Thank you, Angel. So it’s settled. We will instruct Frank to wire the room. I want it hard wired, so there’s no chance of a wireless device being compromised. I promise you it will be secure.”
* * * *
Shortly after welcoming Frank into their home, Laura heard her cell phone jangle an alert. Only a few people had that distinct ringtone assigned to them and when it rang she needed to answer it immediately.
Laura didn’t want to be rude to their guest or Nick, but it really was important. She looked up and met his gaze. A satisfied smile broke across Nick’s handsome face. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. With his warm breath caressing her neck, she felt her nipples stand at attention.
“You make your Dom immensely happy when you look to him for direction.” Lifting his head he told her, “Laura, Frank and I can handle this.”
She nodded her head in acknowledgment, “I apologize, Frank, but really I’d just be a third wheel anyway.” In truth, she was grateful. Nick needed to explain, in detail, what changes they wanted made and also order the equipment. There would be no evading the purpose for the remodel.
As she walked to her home office, she thought about Nick’s statement. She hadn’t been asking his permission. Had she? She enjoyed their new sex life. Exploring D/s with Nick was a fantasy come true, but she didn’t want it to affect their lives outside the bedroom.
Grabbing her briefcase, she entered her office, sank down into her chair and looked at her cell phone screen. Oscar Hardly, head of security. She’d been waiting for this call. “What did you find out?”
“Mrs Branson, you’re not gonna like it. There’ve been a series of harassment claims filed against Simson. His immediate supervisor, Jeffries, is a beer buddy. There’ve been almost as many complaints on him. They’ve become very adept at covering their asses.” He quickly cleared his throat, “Sorry ma’am, covering their trail.”
“I’ve heard the phrase before, Oscar. Send me what you have. We’ll need two severance teams ready to go. If, but more likely when, I give the word, I want them removed simultaneously. Did the investigation raise any suspicions?”
“Highly unlikely, Mrs B.”
“Monitor their computer use, if you see any data dumping, crash their systems regardless of potential revenue loss. If these victims choose to come after the company, we’ll have a PR nightmare on our hands.” Laura couldn’t give a damn about the company reputation when people were being abused under her watch, but CEO Branson was all about the image. “I’ll be in touch.”
Laura’s stomach churned. Greg Simson was trouble. When they’d met personally for the first time on the golf course, he’d set off all her internal alarms. His close proximity had had her skin crawling. After hearing about his brushes with the law, she’d decided a discrete investigation was needed. Oscar was just the man for the job. He was thorough, detail oriented and accurate. Many a lawsuit had been fought using material Oscar had uncovered and so far it had proven to be bullet proof.
Anger built as she read through the files. It was worse than she’d suspected. Instead of one slime ball harassing his co-workers, she’d found two predators using their position of power to force subordinates to perform sex acts or lose their jobs. The reports had been filed by females who’d stood up to them and ultimately been fired. Laura wondered how many women were in desperate situations and couldn’t take the risk of losing their jobs. Simson and Berthman seemed to prey on the admin pool.
Knowing exactly how to nail these two, she picked up the phone and dialed Oscar. Laura was shocked when it rang twice, then three times. He always, always, picked up on the first ring. By the fifth she was looking at her phone to make sure she’d hit the right button. On the eighth, Oscar answered.
“Mrs Branson, I’m so sorry to keep you waiting. I was on the line with my contact in IT. This situation just keeps getting worse, ma’am. “
Laura looked up to see Nick leaning against the door frame. How long had he been there? She held up one finger, hoping he would head off to his office and let her handle this without an audience. “How’s that Oscar?” Peeking beneath her lashes she saw Nick hadn’t budged. Damn. He’d counselled her against getting involved.
“Both their computers had added encrypted protection files blocking remote access without a password. My buddy recognized the protocols. They’re a favorite of another IT geek at Medirxa and he was able to hack his way through. He found several sex videos and forwarded them to me. After viewing a few, I ran a face recognition program on the women. They were all employees working the admin pool assigned to Simson’s building. If it wasn’t rape, Mrs B, I don’t know what is. They didn’t use a weapon, but they threatened the women with exposure and their jobs over and over again. I wouldn’t mind a few minutes alone with those bastards.” Oscar cleared his throat quickly. “I mean assailants, ma’am.”
“None of that Oscar. Have our lawyers look over the evidence. I want a report from them by ten a.m. tomorrow. As for those two, have a severance team meet them at the entrance of the building. They do not step foot on Medirxa property without several security guards watching their every move. Confiscate their computers immediately and make sure we get their laptops before they have a chance to delete anything. Can the IT guy change the password or something to keep them from accessing it?”
“Yes, Mrs B., we’re working on it.”
Oscar seemed truly offended by the material he’d found. He would make sure appropriate measures were taken to secure the evidence. “Make sure the IT geek who was helping them is dealt with as well.”
“Already handled, Mrs. B. That little”—Oscar groaned—“geek, won’t set his fingers on another Medirxa computer as long as he lives. If he’d come forward, he could have put a stop to those rapes a long time ago. Once we’re finished with him, he’ll be lucky to get a job cleaning toilets.”
“That was good work. Good night, Oscar. And thank you.” She listened as the line went dead. She shook her head. He hated compliments and was undoubtedly blaming himself for not catching this sooner.
Nick crossed his arms over his chest and continued to look her in the eye. He was more than a little pissed off she had pursued this. He and André, the founder of DiscipliNation, had become suspicious when they’d run a routine background check on Simson after he’d applied for membership to the club. Once Nick had realized the connection to Laura’s firm, he’d had a team of private investigators looking into matters. Laura’s inability to trust him to handle things had just put her in the crosshairs of a sexual predator.
Laura met Nick’s gaze. He raised his eyebrow, silently asking her to explain. They’d been together long enough that she’d know exactly what he meant.
“Oscar has enough evidence to terminate Simson and his immediate supervisor,” she answered defensively.
“He’ll come after you. We’ll have to step up security until he’s in police custody.” There was so much more he wanted to say, but if he gave into the rant that raged at the tip of his tongue, he’d hurt her. Not physically, he’d never touch her in anger. If he gave his mouth free rein, it wouldn’t change a thing. Intellectually, he knew she was incapable of letting something like this go. It wasn’t a matter of disobedience. It wasn’t about him at all.
Nick watched as Laura closed her mouth instead of chewing his ass out for overstepping his bounds. He waited for the other shoe to drop. He expected a double salvo aimed straight at his groin, not that it would impede his resolve. Nick was shocked and worried to see his tough-as-nails wife
sag as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.
Damn it all to hell, why wouldn’t she just do as she was told? Because she was a freaking genius when it came to business and she was taught from birth to never rely on anyone for anything. And yet she was a giver with a strong need to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. In fact, she was fucking amazing.
“Come here.” His voice sounded harsh and he recognized she had to be worried about his reaction. He waited, wondering if she would follow his command or try to soften his mood first.
Looking at the floor, she came to stand about a foot in front of him.
Nick had intended to wrap his arms around her and cuddle. He knew she was upset and didn’t think she would want to play. Yet here she was, the perfect subbie, with her eyes downcast, hands behind her back, breasts pushed forward. “I believe you’re late for your exercises. If you work really hard and ask me nicely afterward, I might be willing to spank your ass with that new paddle we got.”
Laura’s eyes sparkled and a shy smile found its way to her lips, “Thank you, Sir. I would like that.”
Damn he was a lucky man. His first reaction was to go easy on her, then again, he’d spent the first few years of his marriage going easy on her and neither of them had been happy. He just needed to read her body language and make sure she was getting aroused. “Why will you be wearing the ball gag tonight while you exercise?”
Bingo! At the mention of the ball gag, her breath hitched and her gut clenched.
“I was disrespectful to my Dom, Sir. Will you use the lock this time, to help me remember?”
She didn’t look him in the eye and her face wore a beautiful pink blush. Obviously, she was embarrassed and yet she’d asked anyway. Laura made him so proud.
“Good idea, subbie. Take off your clothes. I want to watch your naked ass walk up those stairs.”
