Salvaged by Love (Thalia Book 3) (The Thalia Series)

by Jennifer Bene

  A second orgasm. Without permission.

  She came back to herself slowly, the dizzying fade out of her awareness leaving her in subspace. Her skin a network of tingling nerves that sent confusing signals of pleasure and pain. It was still overwhelming even as the shivers faded. She had stumbled forward when her legs started to give out, and she was on her knees, her hands planted firmly on the soundproofed floor. The pole somewhere behind her.

  “Pet.” His voice was dark above her, and another shiver shook her. The leather of the strap dragged up and over her ass, along her spine, her nerve endings buzzing to the beat of her rapid pulse. She whimpered as the strap fell to the floor beside her. His fingers traced her spine, and she knew he could feel the tremors in her. “So many broken rules.” His hand moved into her hair and tightened, pulling her up into a kneel with a firm grip.

  “Master, I -”

  “Oh, no. You knew the rules, I was clear. You were not to come without permission, you were to keep the dildo inside you, and you were to keep your hands behind your head. I didn’t think that was too much to ask.” His voice was clear, direct, and with that tone of dominance that melted her into a puddle. But he knew exactly what he’d done, and this was all a part of the plan for the night. The plan she was starting to understand in its entirety.

  Oh yes, she would definitely be feeling this tomorrow. Probably into next week.

  And he wasn’t even finished.

  Her reply was something of a mewling whimper, her brain too fuzzy to form anything else.

  “Up.” He commanded, tugging her hair until she rose on shaky legs. He moved her ahead of him until her legs met the edge of the padded table he kept in the room. The one covered in straps. He bent her forward and began strapping her arms down in front of her, keeping her fully prone. “Since you’re having so much trouble following my instructions, I’ll make sure you can’t break position for your punishment.”

  Her body was a soaked, quaking, liquid, mess. She pressed her forehead into the soft top of the table, her ass presented perfectly as he crouched behind her and cuffed her ankles to the legs.

  “Since you broke three rules at once, we’ll finish off your punishment with the cane.”

  A cry burst out of her. Her ass already felt impossibly sore, heated lines scoring her skin until she couldn’t take a breath without being hyper aware of every handprint, every fall from the flogger, each line from the strap. “Please, please, Master, please...”

  “I know you can take it, pet. Just breathe for me.” His voice came from the wall where the canes were lined up. She heard it swish through the air once as he returned to position behind her. Her hands clenched into fists on the other side of the cuffs as she braced. “There will be five, and they will not be easy. Breathe now.”

  “MASTER!” She cried out as the first vicious line laid across her skin, but her mind had ridden the place between pleasure and pain for too long so that the second one was a cacophony of sensation. Tingles filled her body up like bubbles, her mind sliding off into subspace where the third lash had her moaning through the tears on her cheeks. Some part of her knew a punishment shouldn’t let her do this, but when the third had come she was buzzing, the vicious pain melting quickly into pure sensation. Four rocked her body forward, and her muscles locked up briefly before she melted against the padded top of the table. Five came shortly after, and Thalia knew he was speaking to her, but it was static in her ears. His fingers slid inside her from behind and her body hummed in pleasure.

  Then she felt his cock against her. Blissfully, gloriously filling her until her entire world consisted of nothing more than the burn in her skin, and the force of his thrusts inside her. On some level she knew he was leaning over her, bracing a hand on the table near her hip as his other came to her front to find her clit. Her hips bucked back against his thrusts, and through the haze of pleasure, and the sting of the welts, she heard his voice against her ear, “Let go, pet, come for me.”

  A thrust, a roll of her clit, and her body answered in trembling shocks of pure bliss. She lost count of the number of times her body tensed against the waves of pleasure before she was whimpering and pleading incoherently against the soft leather top of the table. He finally joined her, his cock thrusting deep, almost painfully so, before the warm pulses of his seed filled her up.

  The releasing of the cuffs, his lifting of her trembling body into his arms, them both dropping into the small bed inside the playroom. It was like a dream. One that ended with her head on his chest, his arms wrapped tight around her as he spoke soothingly about how beautiful she was, how incredible, how sexy, how strong, how perfect.

  She could only nuzzle against his chest, feeling his fingers run along her arm, his kisses in her hair. Then there was sleep. Exhausted, sated, dreamless, sleep.

  Morning came on the heels of her body alerting her to one obvious fact: everything ached.

  “Fuck.” Thalia groaned, and tried to roll over but she found that she was firmly encased in James’ arms, and he was still sleeping peacefully. Tilting her head up she saw his features soft in sleep, his lips parted as he breathed slow and deep. The rise and fall of his chest moving her slightly. With a wince she forced herself to nestle back against him, soaking in his warmth, breathing in the masculine scent of his skin, the faintest hint of his cologne still clinging to him. Her entire backside felt like one solid welt, but she reveled in it. Feeling the evidence of his passion for her was the most important thing to her today.

  Because it was D-Day. Decision Day.

  Happy six month anniversary, she thought as she trailed her hand over his stomach. The muscles jumped under her touch and he murmured in his sleep. With a grin she slid her hand lower, underneath the waist of his pants to grip him. His hips lifted into her hand, his cock stirring under her touch. She ran her thumb over the head, her fingers tracing the sensitive underside as he began to swell under her palm. He shifted under her and she lifted her head from his chest, gently stroking him as he woke up. His hips thrust against her hand and she heard his breathing change, a rumble in his chest as he became consciously aware of her.

  “Mmmm, baby? What are you doing?” His voice was low with sleep, his eyes cracking open to look down at her.

  “Saying good morning?” She spoke softly, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from him and up to his mouth to kiss it.

  “You should be resting.” James had let his head drop back against the bed, his eyes closing again. He was not a morning person.

  “I’m wide awake.” She bit her lip, ignoring the twisting in her stomach and continuing before her nerves got the best of her. “I want to tell you my choice.”

  His breath stopped. Her nerves clanged inside her, and then he seemed to force his chest to expand with breath. With a gentle nudge he moved her off his chest and she worked to hide the wince as she rolled to her side and the welts woke up with a fury. James sat up, not looking at her as he rubbed his hands over his face before pushing a hand through his hair. “Can we have breakfast first?”

  “James -”

  “Baby, please?” His voice sounded pained, and she couldn’t deny him anything when he sounded like that.

  “Okay. Breakfast.”

  He peeked at her and for once she couldn’t read the expression on his face. His hand reached forward to tuck her hair behind her ear, and then he seemed to shift focus. “Oh, bloody hell. Your back, how are you?”

  “Sore, but I promise I’m fine.” She bit her lip again, “Can I please just -”

  “Not in here, Thalia. Not in the playroom, come on.” James slid off the bed and held out his hand for her.

  Sitting up was a revelation in just how painful the morning after could be. Her body screamed at her as she put pressure on the welts, and she whimpered when she slid forward on the bed for him to pull her up.

  “Baby...” His hands cupped her face and he kissed her gently. The tenderness of it almost brought tears to her eyes. Why wouldn’t he
just let her tell him?! She just wanted to know everything was okay! She wanted to know that this, every moment of it, wasn’t going to abruptly end in some catastrophic fireball! He pulled back and kissed her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead, and then he carefully hugged her to him, keeping his arms high on her back. “Come on.”

  He took her hand and led her out of the playroom. Her eyes moved over the abandoned toys across the floor. Memories of her body responding to each of them assailing her as they stepped out into the hallway. Instead of turning towards the kitchen he pulled her to the bedroom.

  “Lay on your stomach, baby. On the bed.” His voice sounded quiet, reserved. Panic was moving in from the edges of her brain. She had the strangest urge to cry, which had nothing to do with the welts down her backside.

  When she didn’t move towards the bed James stopped at one of their chest of drawers and turned back. Thalia heard her voice break as she spoke again, “Do you not want me to -”

  “Wait. Please, just wait.” James held up his hand and he leaned back against the chest of drawers as if it was taking it out of him to just talk to her. “I just want to rub something on your welts, and I want us both dressed, and fed, before we talk. Okay?”

  She nodded even though her chest was aching. The hollow feeling hurt worse than the welts. She’d take the cane again if he’d just let her tell him she wanted to stay with him, that she loved him, that she never wanted to be apart. She’d take the cane a hundred times if he’d say it all back to her. Instead of pushing the issue she walked over to their plush bed and gingerly climbed on top of it, laying on her stomach. James was there a moment later, a cool swipe of cream making her hiss breath between her teeth. His hands were confident as they rubbed over her skin.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t do this last night baby, that was completely stupid of me.” His voice sounded almost sad and it amped up the panic in her chest. Before she could stop it, tears were slipping out from between her lashes. She forced even breaths, keeping the hitches in her breath silent as he worked his way down her thighs.

  Why the fuck did this feel like a goodbye?

  She felt like her ribs were cracking under the strain of keeping quiet as she cried into the bedding. Did James not want her? For the first time that seemed like a possibility, and she didn’t understand it. She didn’t understand any of it. If he wanted her, why wouldn’t he just SAY it?!

  “Thalia?” James’ hands froze and she buried her face in her arms further. He leaned back from her and she heard him breathe slowly. “Grab some clothes, I’m going to make us breakfast.”

  She heard him open the door of their closet - or his closet? Then his steps took him out of the room. She sat up and the sensation of her pulse in her skin was distant. She couldn’t even feel the ache of the welts under the cooling cream. It was nothing compared to the bottomless pit that had opened in her chest. Thalia mindlessly found soft yoga pants, a bra, and a green top that she knew he liked. She stepped into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, tearing the brush through her hair and washing her face so it wasn’t as obvious she had been crying. Her eyes looked sad and empty, and she felt like her world was crashing. Like all her worst fears were coming true.

  “Don’t cry. You’re not going to cry, no matter what happens.” She whispered at her reflection, steeling herself for whatever he had planned. “You’ll survive. You will.” When her face looked more neutral she turned and left their bedroom, and walked toward the kitchen. The smell of eggs and toast filled the hall. Just as she turned the corner she heard the grinding racket of her coffee pot turning on. Her lips almost ticked up into a smile.

  He hated that coffee pot.

  “Hey.” She mumbled and James turned around from the stove. He was gorgeous. Gray t-shirt that fit to his strong frame, dark jeans, his blond hair still a complete mess from sleep. And he looked more nervous than she’d ever seen him.

  She probably didn’t look any better.

  “Hey, baby. Grab a seat, I’ll have plates for us in a second.” His voice was low and solemn, and she wanted to scream her choice at him. She wanted his answer. She didn’t want breakfast, she didn’t want to sit at the kitchen island like it was any other day.

  But she did, and she hissed between her teeth as she settled on the chair. She looked up at James to see the hint of a smile on his lips.

  “I did tell you that you’d feel it today.” He was trying for lightness, but it fizzled in the tone of the air between them.

  “I chose that option for a reason...” Because I love it, and I love what we do, and I love you, dammit! She didn’t say it out loud, she just buried her face in her hands. Her stomach growled when he slid a plate in front of her, next to a cup of coffee made just how she liked it. He set his own plate down across from her with a mug of tea.

  “I’ll be right back. Eat.” The last word came out as a command and she looked up at him, but he tilted his head, his expression soft, “Please.”

  She grabbed the toast, egg in a basket, her favorite, and took a bite. It was like ashes in her mouth. Why was he dragging this out? A minute later James came back to the island with a small stack of manila folders. Her eyes couldn’t tear away from them. He took a bite of his own toast and then sighed.

  “Baby -”

  “James, please. Can I just give you my answer?” She interrupted him, because she couldn’t wait anymore. He sighed and sat back, grabbing his mug from the granite top.

  “Alright.” He ran a hand over his face, “I just have to say one thing before you do. No matter what you choose, and you can choose whatever you have planned, I won’t stop you. I would never -” he paused and took a steadying breath, “I’m not him, Thalia. I’m not Marcus, and I meant what I said, what I promised. If you want to go, you can.”

  His eyes had left her face while he talked and now he was boring holes into the island. Thalia groaned, “You can’t possibly be that stupid.”

  “What?” His sea green eyes snapped up to hers.

  “I’ve been trying to tell you for MONTHS that I want to be with you!” Thalia half-shouted as she stood up and stepped away from the island. “James, I don’t want to leave! I want to stay with you! I’ve been terrified for weeks you’d tell me to leave, and if that’s what you want, then I won’t fight it. But I fucking love you, James. I love you!” She was facing him, disbelief written on his face as her voice calmed. But she’d said it, it was out there, and her chest ached as she waited for his response.

  “You love me?” James stood up slowly, moving around the island towards her.

  “I thought that was pretty obvious.” She whispered as he approached her. His hand brushed her cheek, and a smile touched his lips.

  “Since when?” His smile widened and she felt an easing in her chest. This was going well, very well. Smiles were good.

  Smiles were fucking great.

  “Um, Purgatory? After your accident, I knew. I knew I loved you and that I never wanted to be away from you again.” Thalia spoke quietly, but then he grabbed her face and kissed her. It was exactly what she needed. Passionate and warm and inside she felt a piece of herself fall into place. His hands held her hard against his mouth, his tongue seeking hers until a soft moan rose out of her. He leaned back and his grin was infectious, she felt a giddy fizzy feeling inside her.

  “Baby, I have to tell you, you were late to the party. I fell in love with you first.” His voice was playful, but his words sent her head spinning.

  “What?” She laughed. There was no way. No way he loved her first. Not with all his huffing and puffing about their six month time clock, not with his refusal to listen to her every time she tried to tell him.

  “Before I left to come back for work, I realized it. You were just - you are - just so perfect for me, and I’m so unbelievably lucky.” James pulled her against him, his arms wrapping around her and she felt like she was at home. She was too happy, she had to be radioactive with it. Of all the ways she had imagined today going, this had never e
ven registered. Not only did he want her to stay, but he loved her too? He had loved her first?

  “If you really believe you’re the lucky one, you’re wrong. My life could have ended the day of the party - the auction. Literally and figuratively. And instead it started. Instead I really started living, instead of just going through the motions, and that’s all because of you! Because you saved me! And I know you’re not proud of how you knew I was there, and I know you’re not proud of your choices, but all of those things brought you to me, and you’ve given me a life, made me really live my life, and I couldn’t love you more for all of it.” Thalia wrapped her arms around him, “So, I am definitely the lucky one.” She kissed him, and he kissed her back, and it was sweet, and soothing, and it smoothed all the rough edges inside her. She could feel their path clicking into place and she had never thought this kind of happiness, this kind of radioactive joy, would have ever been a possibility.