When Ward had left, Vince and Ortiz sat together in silence. Finally, Vince broke the tension.
“I don’t know if…” But Ortiz didn’t let him finish the thought.
“You’re a good cop, Vince. You can handle this, you know that. In the past few days I’ve seen the real you slowly creeping back.”
“If anything happens to Lucia, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“It won’t.” Ortiz leaned forward. “Listen to me. I trust you. I know you make good judgments and can handle any situation you’re put in. You knew it once, too. I know you can figure it out again if you give yourself half a chance.”
* * *
“Taste this.”
Lucia put a plate of food in front of Vince. It was some sort of casserole with chorizo, eggs, cheese, and chilies. It had been baked and then smothered in cheese and chili sauce.
He took a bite and murmured his approval. This was the third dish he’d tried that afternoon, and it was by far the best. The taste of it reminded him he hadn’t eaten much today. He began to eat from the plate in earnest and Lucia laughed.
“I take it that means you like it?”
“This is by far the best, although they were all good.” He added the last part quickly and she laughed.
“Thanks. I’ve been working on this recipe for a while. I’m glad you like it.”
“What I like is your ass,” he said as he winked at her. “Since we don’t have to go to Jaymes’ place until later tonight, what do you say we play for a little bit, teach you another lesson?”
“Does that mean you’re Sir Vince right now?”
“That’s what that means. Put up the food, then take off all your clothes.”
He watched her from the chair, excitement building in his cock as she put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, then began to strip.
When she was naked, she stepped toward him.
“Should I kneel?”
“No. Take three sticks of butter out of the fridge and melt it on the stove. Then set it aside to cool and find me a pastry brush.”
Her nipples were hard, and the idea that his demands excited her made him even harder than he had been a few moments ago. She hurried about her tasks, putting the butter into a saucepan to melt, and then searched through her drawers for a brush. She put two of them on the table in front of him.
“Which one do you want?”
He selected the smaller brush and she moved back to the stove. He loved watching her walk around the kitchen naked, her erect nipples betraying her arousal, her wetness glimmering on her thighs.
He thought about what was going to happen tonight. He’d told her it would be dangerous, that she didn’t have to participate. She’d told him to shut the hell up, which had made him laugh.
Ortiz’s words rang through his mind. “I trust you. You can handle this.”
Vince knew he was right. He’d felt stronger the last few days than he’d felt since the shooting. He didn’t know if it was the excitement of working on a major case, or if it was Lucia. He liked to think it was her. As a matter of fact, he knew it was her.
He loved everything about her: her strong attitude and the way she met life head on, her stubbornness, her willingness to submit and her fascination with it. They were a perfect match. Just don’t screw it up.
“What else?” She stood before him, her words pulling him back to the kitchen.
“Is the butter cooling?”
“Yes, Sir Vince.”
“Find me some clothespins.”
“What? No.”
“About a dozen of them.”
“Vince. I…”
“Now.”
“They’ll hurt.”
“You have to trust me, remember? Go and get them and then lie down on the table.”
* * *
Lucia hurried from the kitchen, her heart racing. Submission was a fascinating idea, but pain was not. She knew from what she’d seen at Jaguars the other night that pain was involved, for many. She’d hoped Vince would not be one of those that liked it.
So much for that idea.
She reached into the cupboard and took down a dozen clothespins, cradling them in her hands and walking back to the kitchen. Vince was gone from the room. She lay on the table and let out several deep breaths. Her table was long and narrow and she was just short enough to fit perfectly.
Her nipples tingled with anticipation and wetness continued to form between her legs.
Vince came back in and put something on the counter. He went to the saucepan and dipped his fingers into the butter as if to test the heat.
“Relax, Apuro.” His voice was soft. “You’ll like this. I promise.”
Lucia closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. After a few minutes, she could feel Vince standing beside her. She looked up at him and he smiled.
“Eyes down.” His fingers sought out her nipples and he pinched them, increasing the pressure until she moaned.
“Sharp pressure can increase the intensity of an orgasm,” he said. “You will not come until I say so, understand?”
“Yes, Sir Vince.”
He lowered his hand to the V between her legs, pushed her thighs apart, and gently parted her slit. Her wetness made the parting easier.
His fingers sought her clit and circled it, increasing the pressure until Lucia’s hips started to move. Then he pinched the hard bud, and Lucia cried out.
“Lie still.”
“Like hell. I mean, crap. Sir Vince, I’m sorry, but that hurt.”
His laugh was low. “I’m sorry too, but not really. I love finding reasons to invent new punishments. I’ll have to come up with a good one for that. Until then, I have a surefire way to make sure you lie still. I’m going to tie you to the table.”
He walked to the counter and returned with ties off robes and several bandanas.
“Arms above your head.”
“Sir Vince, please.” Even to her ears, the plea lacked conviction. She wanted to be tied, was fascinated by the idea. She did as he asked. He bound her wrists with the bandanas, and then, when she felt the heavy feel of his handcuffs, she panicked.
“No, please.”
“Hush. I’m wrapping them around the bandana so there won’t be any marks, unless you move a lot. Do you remember your safe word, Apuro?”
“Yes, Sir Vince, ayuda.”
“Do you want to use it?”
“No.”
“Then hush. Be a good little subbie.” He put ties through the chain that linked the handcuffs and tied them to either table leg.
After he’d secured her legs, he tickled her bellybutton.
“Comfortable?”
“A little. I’m nervous. I mean, Sir Vince. I keep forgetting.”
“That’s okay. It’s just more reasons to punish you tonight. We’ll be up until three or four at this rate.”
He went to the head of the table and caressed her temples.
“I want you to relax.”
She nodded and then he blindfolded her. She moved her head from side to side, but didn’t protest. The sensation of not being able to see made her feel very vulnerable, and very alive. The anticipation was fantastic.
She heard him move to the side of the table. When his fingers caressed her nipples, pulling on them gently, she sighed.
Then, without warning, he fastened a clothespin on one. He quickly did the same to the other one. The sensation was painful, but not overly so. She shook her head violently but kept her mouth shut.
“Good girl.” He moved down between her legs and Lucia knew what was coming.
“Please. No, Sir Vince, no.”
“Lucia, the pleasure will be intense. Plus, if you really want me to stop, you know what to say.”
She nodded, but kept her mouth closed. When he stroked her clit, she hissed in delight. He attached the clothespin right above it. Shock waves of pain rippled through her pussy and quickly turned to throbbing need.
“Sir Vince. Sir Vince.” She felt him
move away from her. He was back seconds later and the rough ripples of the brush, dripping with warm butter, ran across her aching nipples. He painted both of them, the warm sensations dripping down into her pinched flesh, which throbbed with tension.
He moved the buttered brush over her areolas, coating them until they were slippery and warm. He trailed the brush down her stomach, stopping at the top of her pussy and moving back up.
The pressure on her nipples and clit was increasing and she bit her lip to keep from using her safe word. It didn’t hurt that badly, but it was throbbing. It took her a few seconds to realize that he wasn’t painting her with the butter anymore. He wasn’t touching her anywhere and he wasn’t moving. She wasn’t sure where he was.
“Sir Vince?” Uneasiness flowed into her, and she wanted to move. She pulled slightly on her bonds and when she did so, he pulled the clip from her clit. The blood rushed back to the engorged area and it twitched and throbbed.
If it could talk, she knew that it would ask for the pressure to be returned.
“Sir Vince. Oh. I want to come, oh.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he popped the clamps from her nipples.
“You have to be careful how long you leave an area pinched.” She could hear the desire in his voice. “Too long and you do damage. I like to take them off, and then put them back on a few times. Once the blood rushes back, you reapply the clips. Very heady sensations.”
Lucia wiggled against her bonds, then cried out when the clothespin was attached to her aching clit. He was right; the sensation was fantastic, pain that turned into a throbbing pleasure. He pulled it off quickly and then reattached it just as quickly.
“I meant to tell you last night I’m very happy your pussy is waxed. You’ll keep it that way for me. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir Vince.”
He reattached the clamps to her nipples, then poured the butter over her body, starting at her shoulders and moving down to her thighs. It had cooled quite a bit, but it was still slightly warm, and the slippery oil felt good against her skin. He massaged several spots, avoiding the clips and the areas they were attached to, which now throbbed violently.
“Please, Sir Vince, it hurts.”
He pulled the clip from her clit, then reattached it seconds later.
“Ouch. Please! I can’t take anymore.”
“Yes, you can. And you know how to stop it if you really need to.”
She knew, yes, but she wouldn’t do it. She didn’t want to be the one to stop the feelings she was getting. It hurt, but yet she was enjoying it, enjoying the exhilarating feel of doing something she’d never done before.
Lucia gasped when he climbed between her legs, lifting her thighs so they rested on his own. She heard the tear of a condom package and seconds later, she felt the tip of his cock probing into her. When he pushed himself inside in one swift stroke, the movement pulled on her already engorged clit.
“I’m going to come. Sir Vince, I’m going to come.”
“Don’t you dare. If you do, you’ll be meeting my belt. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” She fought against her building orgasm as he began to pound into her. After a few minutes of hard thrusts, he pulled the clip off, then reattached it, pushing it together with his fingers as he began to thrust again.
“Vince!” She didn’t know how much longer she could hold out. His fingers let go of the clip. Seconds later she felt him lean over. He pushed the clips on her nipples sideways and sucked first one, and then the other into his mouth, taking the ends of the wooden clamps with him.
When he pulled first one, then the other off with his teeth and let them drop to the floor she screamed out again.
“Please, Sir Vince, let me come!”
It was as if that’s what he’d been waiting for. He pulled the clamp from her clit and growled out, “Come.”
His fingers rubbed the hard nub and Lucia’s hips thrust into his own as he continued to fuck her, harder and harder, their bodies slippery from the butter which now coated both of them, and the table.
Hot tendrils of pleasure flowed through her. Bursts of light appeared before her eyes and tears stung her lids. She’d never come so hard before. The mixture of the pleasure, the pain and Vince’s hard, even thrusts carried her to a place she’d never been before. It took several minutes for her to feel as if she were coming back to earth again.
When she did, she realized the blindfold was gone. She opened her eyes and looked into his blue ones. His held laughter, and more than a hint of mischief.
“Aren’t you going to come, Sir Vince?”
“I already did, Apuro, while you were wiggling and screaming under me.”
“I didn’t scream.”
“Oh, yes, you did. You begged me to fuck you harder. The neighbors are probably calling the cops right now, especially after this morning.”
He kissed the tip of her nose, then stood and lowered his face to her pussy, his tongue snaking out to lick over her clit. It throbbed under his touch and she whimpered.
“Please, no more.”
Vince didn’t listen. He continued to lick her, as if trying to soothe her aching flesh.
After a few moments, he kissed it gently, then stood up.
“We made a mess. Plus, we have to shower before tonight.” He quickly undid her legs, then came up and unlocked the handcuffs. Lucia sat up. Her hand went immediately to her pussy.
“Checking to make sure your clit’s still there? Did you like that, my little subbie?”
“Yes. I didn’t think I would. I was scared.”
“I know. But you trusted me enough to try it. You were a good little girl.” He leaned over and kissed her gently. “Let me guide you, my sweet angel, and you can come like that all the time.”
Chapter 11
Lucia was more than a little nervous as Vince pulled his truck up to the small building that sat at the base of the mountains. The parking lot was so full, cars had spilled over into the grass.
“They’re going to flag us as soon as we go in. Are you ready for this?”
“Yes. Especially if it helps Joseph.”
“Just stick close to me. If something happens, I’ll take care of you.”
“I know, Vince.” She touched his arm lightly. “I trust you, totally and unconditionally. My nipples are still throbbing from how much I trust you.”
He leaned over and kissed her lightly.
“Thank you, Apuro. You have no idea how much that means to me.”
She nodded and lowered her gaze.
They walked to the door together, stepping toward the guard who stood as they approached.
“Who are you?” His voice was deep. His arms were linked across his chest and he was scowling.
Vince pulled out his ID, flipping it open so his shield showed.
The man’s eyebrows shot up. “Business or pleasure—” He leaned down to examine the ID, “—Detective Beaumont?”
“Pleasure. I’d like to play some poker with my lady, Lucia Caro.”
Even though Vince held her hand close, it was shaking. He gave her a reassuring squeeze and she smiled at the doorman.
“ID?” He held his hand to Lucia, who pulled her wallet from her purse. The man examined it and stepped aside.
“Have fun.”
When they were inside, Vince pulled her to a stop, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Look, he’s already calling the boss.”
Lucia looked toward the guard who had just let them pass, who did indeed have a cell phone against his ear.
“Won’t be long now. Slot machines, or poker?”
“Poker,” Lucia said with a smile. “Texas Hold ’Em.”
He propelled her toward the change cage, getting five hundred dollars’ worth of chips and handing them to Lucia.
“Don’t lose it all,” he whispered as they headed to the tables. She was amazed at the number of people who were there. She was also amazed at how easy it was for them to get inside. She wanted to s
ay something to that effect but she was worried about opening her mouth and getting them in trouble.
At the second Texas Hold ’Em table, they found a free spot to the left of the dealer. Lucia sat down and Vince stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. She felt warm and protected with his large body pressed against hers.
The dealer greeted her with a wink and told the two other players they could begin. He dealt each of them two cards. Lucia glanced at her hole cards to find the four of clubs and the queen of diamonds.
“To the lady,” the dealer said with a smile.
Lucia threw out a twenty-dollar chip, and both of her opponents followed suit, with the third man adding a ten-dollar chip. Lucia saw his bet and raised him ten. When they were all in, the dealer laid down the three flop cards, the four of diamonds, the seven of hearts, and the queen of spades.
Lucia fought to hide her excitement. She now had two pair. All it would take would be a queen or four on either the turn or the river cards and she would have a full house. She kept her gaze on the table, not wanting to show her playing partners she was excited about her prospects for a good hand.
The betting went on and finally the final two community cards were dealt, the four of spades and the king of hearts. She licked her lips as the player at the end folded. By her calculations the pot was at around one hundred and fifty dollars now.
To begin the fourth round of betting, Lucia threw out a fifty-dollar chip. The players to her right saw the bet and raised her. The player at the end of the table folded. It was when the player who had folded was throwing his cards on the table that Lucia noticed the bouncer from the front door heading toward their table. That didn’t take long.
He stopped and waited, his arms again crossed over his chest. She felt Vince’s thumb trace her shoulder blades and calmness spread through her.
When all bets had been made and the cards revealed, Lucia’s full house beat her opponent’s two pair. She squealed with delight as she gathered her winnings.
Vince leaned over and kissed her.
“We’re up.”
The bouncer put his hand on Vince’s arm. “Mr. Jaymes would like to see the two of you. If you’ll follow me, please.”
Dark Redemption Page 29
