by Roxy Sloane
“You’ll be safe with me. Even if you’re scared or in pain, you have to know that I’ll never push you past what you can handle. But you can handle a lot more than you think you can, and as your Master, I’ll take you and make you mine.”
I stare at him, my heart pounding. This is getting real fast. “Ok…” I stammer. “I can do that.”
Cam senses my nerves. “Look, Isabelle. This isn’t just about what we do at the club or in the bedroom. It’s a full time commitment. The terms of our arrangement are in force 24-7. It doesn’t end just because you don’t feel like doing what I tell you at a particular moment.”
I swallow.
“Now, eat your breakfast while it’s hot.” Cam’s request is casual. I shake my head.
“I’m not hungry. I’ll just grab something later.”
His eyes flare. “You just broke rule number one. If you disobey me, I have to punish you.”
I gasp. We just went from zero to sixty in about five seconds flat. For a moment, I think Cam’s just teasing me, but there’s a predatory animal glint in his gaze that tells me he’s deadly serious.
“How would you punish me?” I whisper. Suddenly I realize I don’t know anything about this world that he inhabits.
“It depends on the severity of your disobedience,” Cam explains. “Some Doms use spanking, flogging or restraints.”
I flinch, remembering Brent trying to beat me back at the club.
Cam continues. “I might deny you pleasure or release. If you’d committed a major infraction, your punishment could last days or longer until you’d earned back your privileges.”
“But you’d hurt me?” I ask, still thinking about it.
Cam softens. “Not like that. Not like him.”
I flush. Am I really so transparent?
“We’d work out a list of limits together,” he continues. “So nothing would be a surprise. It’s all about trust,” he repeats. “And if you’re not willing to put that trust in me, we should stop right now.”
Conflicting emotions race through me. I want this desperately, but at the same time, I’m intimidated. I’ve spent my life trying to keep control when everything felt like it was slipping from my power. Giving it up willingly to anyone is really scary.
Cam has already seen through my glamorous façade, seen more of me than anyone in the world. What happens when it all falls away? What happens when he sees the secrets I’ve been hiding for so long?
“I’ll understand if you change your mind,” Cam says. “This isn’t for everyone. Especially someone like you,” he adds.
I tense. He doesn’t think I can handle it. That I’m just some silly girl who doesn’t know what she wants.
I’m determined to prove him wrong. I meet Cam’s gaze with fierce determination. “I can handle it. I want this, Cam.”
He stares back, and something shifts in his expression. He gets up and goes to his briefcase, pulling some papers out and setting them on the table in front of me. “Fine. Read this over and take the day to think about it.”
My frustration builds. More delays?
“What is it?” I ask, pulling the papers closer.
“A contract. This just outlines the basic agreement. We’ll fine tune it as you discover what you like, and what your hard limits are.”
“Sexy,” I mutter, disappointed. I didn’t expect him to be so clinical about this.
I see a quirk of amusement on his lips, then Cam gives me a stern look. “There are risks here, for both of us. Having a contract ensures there’s nothing hidden.”
And no way this can be used against him, I realize, scanning the pages. There’s a confidentiality clause, and all kinds of legal jargon too. It means that if this goes wrong, for whatever reason, then we’re both protected against a lawsuit.
I can’t imagine what would lead to that point, but I understand, too. Cam has a reputation in the business world. If it got out that he enjoyed this kind of thing, it could ruin his career.
I sign with a scrawl.
“You didn’t read it properly.” Cam looks angry.
“I trust you,” I say simply. “That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”
He stares again, and then his lips slowly stretch in a devastating smile. “You realize what that means, don’t you?”
I shake my head, my pulse beating faster. He’s looking at me like I’m a juicy steak he wants to devour.
“You’re mine now.” Suddenly, he pulls me against him, wrapping a solid arm around my waist. He kisses me hard, so intense. I feel myself get wet. Is he going to fuck me now?
Cam releases me, then leans to whisper, low in my ear. “And tonight, I’ll show you what that means.”
He’s already picking up his briefcase and walking out, leaving me alone with nothing but my desire and the contract.
What have I gotten myself into?
FOUR: CAM
The office is already buzzing with activity when I arrive. Set in a midtown skyscraper, Ashcroft Industries towers over the city, and has dozens of departments overseeing our interests here in the States and abroad. Charles Ashcroft and his partner built the company from nothing to one of the biggest transportation companies in the country; now that he’s dead, it’s down to me as acting CEO to guide the company and advise his daughter, Keely, on operations.
“Good morning, Mr. McCullough.” My secretary, Jeannie, rises from her desk outside my corner office. “Everything OK?”
“Yes,” I frown. “Why?”
“You’re late,” Jeannie says, sounding confused. “Was there a meeting I missed in the book?”
“No,” I reply. “I just… took some time at the gym.”
“Oh. Well, text me if you plan on changing your morning schedule,” she says, part scolding. “I had coffee waiting, but now it’s gone cold.”
“Sorry, Jeannie.” I smile. A sixty-something woman with four kids all grown, Jeannie has been with the company for years, and is always trying to mother me with vitamin supplements and fresh fruit. “It won’t be a regular thing.”
She nods, pulling out her tablet computer. “You have the new marketing review at ten, foreign financing at eleven, then a conference call with the LA office at three.”
“And the team—?”
“Is waiting for you in the conference room,” she finishes efficiently. “Anything else?”
“Coffee would be great, thanks. I promise, I won’t let this one go cold.”
Jeannie tuts, but she heads for the kitchen area all the same. I grab some files from my office and head for my first meeting of the day. With any luck, I’ll be able to put Isabelle from my thoughts entirely and focus on work.
She’s already occupied too much of my mind. Running late is out of character for me: a good boss should be the first in the door in the morning, and the last out at night. It’s the only way to lead by example; I’ve seen too many Wall Street jackasses laze around spending shareholder money and expecting everyone else to pick up the slack.
Ashcroft trusted me with this company, and I won’t let him down.
The morning passes without incident. I deal with status reports from my department heads, discuss the quarterly earnings report, and consult with a team about a potential new acquisition. By the time the last person leaves my office and I get a moment of peace, it’s noon.
“Hold my calls,” I tell Jeannie through the intercom. “Give me ten minutes.”
I walk to the windows and take a deep breath. The view is magnificent: I can see the city spread out in front of me, all the way to Central Park and the river.
I’m a long way from home.
I think briefly of the small Scottish village I grew up in. There were barely five hundred people, living on the edge of a loch in the Highlands. It’s remote, wild and rugged, but for a young man, it felt more like a prison. I counted down the days until I turned sixteen and struck out on my own, moving to Glasgow and working in the mailroom of a shipping company while I took night classes and
learned everything I could about business and economics.
My big break came when Ashcroft Industries bought out the company. Ashcroft himself visited to tour our operation, and I was assigned to drive him around. I was supposed to be an errand boy, the lowest on the ladder, but Ashcroft liked to chat about his plans for the company and future expansion. He wanted to hear my ideas, he said that the people on the ground floor knew things that the corporate bosses never even thought about. When it came time for him to head back to the States, he offered me a job to come with him, to learn from him and work my way up.
I’ve never looked back.
And now, here I am: acting head of a Fortune 500 company, with everything I could want in life.
Everything, including her.
The views melt away, and all I can see is Isabelle. Waiting on her knees, naked and trembling with anticipation for my touch. God, it was my wildest fantasy come to life. No matter what she thinks or what she’s done, she’s an innocent. And nothing is sweeter to me than teaching an innocent the dark pleasures they hide inside.
The things I’ll teach her…
I can picture it now, showing her every toy and instrument in my playroom. She’ll be spread for me, bent over my spanking bench. Her long, creamy thighs flexing with pleasure as I trail my leather crop over that gorgeous ass. I can hear the whimpered frenzy of her desire already. I’ll mark that flesh with stripes of red, brand her with my mark. And then, then I’ll show her the pleasure that matches every beat of pain.
My cock stiffens. Fuck, I can’t wait. I want to wrap my hand with that silky blonde hair and use it like reins, tug her head back as I fuck her from behind. No mercy, no release, just hard deep thrusts until she’s quivering around my cock.
My intercom buzzes, shattering the scene. Fuck.
“Mr. McCullough?” It’s Jeannie.
“Yes?” I bark.
“Miss Ashcroft is waiting on your three PM.”
It takes me a second to realize she means Keely, and not Isabelle. “I’ll be right there,” I snap, releasing the button.
I clench my fists, willing my body back under control.
This is your second strike.
Showing up late was the first mistake. Now, I’m distracted, ready to jerk off again in the middle of my damn office.
Where the hell is my control now?
I’m not usually like this. When I take on a new sub, it’s like a business arrangement. We state our terms, and come to a mutually beneficial settlement. I pick women who know the deal. No emotion, no messy desires spilling over into my everyday life. I keep my worlds separate for a reason, and the result is always satisfying.
But Isabelle…
She has a way of getting under my skin. Already, she’s blurring the boundaries between my professional and personal lives. And not just because I knew her from before. I cannot stop thinking about her. I’ll just have to be extra careful to keep my walls up and maintain the limits between us—just like with any other sub.
Except she’s nothing like any of the others.
* * *
I stay late at work to make up for my morning laxness: it’s after nine PM by the time I unlock the penthouse door and walk inside.
Isabelle appears in the hallway. “You’re back,” she says, something like relief on her beautiful face. “I didn’t know…” she trails off.
I should have called. “Were you waiting long?”
“No,” she says quickly. “I just didn’t know if you’d gone out for dinner, or…”
“I often work late,” I explain, moving to the kitchen and putting my briefcase down. “But you shouldn’t worry about me. In the future I’ll let you know my schedule”
I look around, noticing that there are takeout containers on the counter, and a table set for two.
“You were waiting.” I realize.
Isabelle flushes. “It doesn’t matter,” she says, looking away.
Damn, this is the kind of thing I didn’t want to deal with: the emotions that come from a real relationship. I’ve never lived with a woman before. My time has always been my own.
“It was a nice thought,” I tell her gently. And it is. I get a sudden flash of coming home to this every night: Isabelle waiting, her freshly-washed hair still tousled and damp, ready to serve me however I saw fit.
She stands in front of me now, and I can see the nervous anticipation on her face.
I feel a surge of power.
She’s offered herself to me. She’s mine now—whether she realizes it fully or not. I could hoist her up onto the kitchen island right now and shove those thighs apart; drive deep into the slick clench of her pussy,, grinding up to hit her G-spot just right as I pin her body down and ride her until she breaks.
“Cam?” Her voice snaps me back to reality. I look over, and have to hide a smile.
The poor girl is terrified.
“Let me guess,” I murmur, moving closer. “You’ve spent all day wondering what this arrangement will entail. That pretty little brain of yours has run riot, hasn’t it?”
Isabelle flushes again, but when I reach out to stroke her cheek, she relaxes, just a little.
“Maybe,” she admits.
I grin. “Did you think I would chain you up and paddle you? Lead you around with a collar on?”
Isabelle laughs nervously.
“Relax,” I tell her, feeling protective. “Tonight is about getting to know each other.”
Because only once I start to strip away her perfect façade will I be able to truly dominate this woman.
I draw her closer and kiss her softly on the lips. She shivers and nuzzles into me, her body fitting perfectly against my side.
We’re wearing too many clothes.
“It’s been a long day,” I tell her, smiling. “We’re going to take a shower.”
I take her hand and lead her through the apartment, all the way to my master suite. I spared no expense with the decorating of this property, and my bathroom is a sanctuary now. Glossy black Italian marble tiles line the walls, and there’s a deep sunken Jacuzzi tub and walk-in shower with a long bench: for relaxing under the tumble of water…or for less relaxing activities.
I push a few buttons and hot water cascades from the rain shower spray heads mounted in the ceiling.
“Take off your clothes,” I tell her in a low order.
Isabelle slowly meets my eyes and peels off her T-shirt and jeans, revealing a matching lacy lingerie set.
God, she’s a masterpiece. High, full breasts, a flat stomach, and those long legs that are just begging to be wrapped around my waist as I shove her back against the wall. She holds my gaze as she runs her hands down her thighs, peeling off her lacy thong. This is better than Christmas. I could eat her up right now, she looks so good.
I strip off my clothes, erotic tension charging the air between us. My cock springs free, already hard, and I see Isabelle’s eyes widen in appreciation.
“Go ahead,” I say, gesturing to the steaming spray. “Ladies first.”
She twists her hair up and steps into the shower. The water hits her body, running in rivulets between her breasts and down over her thighs.
I could watch her forever, but there’s a more important plan tonight.
I join her and pull the door closed. Now we’re alone with nothing but the thrum of water and hot, wet skin.
I move closer.
Isabelle’s breath quickens. She wets her lips, and reaches toward me, but I grab her hands and pin them to her sides.
“No,” I say softly. “There’ll be plenty of time to touch me later. Believe me, I have plans for these hands. But now I want to discover your body. What you need, how your body feels. Tonight, it’s all about you.”
Isabelle goes still. I wonder if anyone’s shown this body the worship it deserves. If any man has even taken the time to explore every inch of her, touching and teasing her soft skin until she’s so aroused she can’t take it anymore.
Her asshole
ex didn’t, that’s for sure. Men like him only take. They never give.
“Relax,” I order her. “Close your eyes, and just feel.”
She obediently lets her eyes fall shut. Slowly, her breathing settles, and I can see her sink into the sensual bliss of the shower jets.
I reach for the detachable shower head and slowly tease the stream of water down Isabelle’s body.
I start at her shoulders and the top of her gorgeous breasts. Using the spray of water, I brush her nipples until I see them pert and ready to be sucked. I continue down her chest, her stomach, and stop at the top of her pussy. I adjust the pressure on the showerhead so that it’s harder. I know she wants my hands on her, and fuck, I want to touch her all over, but the anticipation will be worth the release. I will relish the feel of her skin, trembling under my hands. But until then I will tease her.
I use the water to massage her in slow, deliberate strokes, directing the pounding pressure against that delicious mound. She moans.
I turn her around and lean her against me so I can get between her legs with the handheld. I slide my hand in between her legs, spreading them apart. I put the shower head at her pussy and move it back and forth, the spray tickling her clit and lips.
She rests her head against my shoulder as I slide it back and forth, getting her ready for me. I can feel her body stiffen now with a new kind of tension, and when I glance down, I see her nipples pebble tight with desire.
I hold back, resisting the urge to bend her over and fuck her now, teasing her with the head of my cock, bending her over and pounding into her. . She’s so slippery and damp, I know she’s needy there, too. Wet and tight and ready for me.
I put the shower head back with one hand and pull Isabelle back to me, tracing slow circles over her stomach and hips with my fingertips. “Tell me about yourself,” I murmur, slowing down the pace of my strokes. “What was your life like, before you were adopted by Ashcroft?”
Isabelle’s whole body goes rigid with tension. But as her Dom, I need to know her mind as well as her body.
I drop a gentle kiss on the back of her neck, encouraging her to trust me with her body and her secrets. Sliding my hands lower, I tease at the apex of her thighs, swirling my fingertips in the slim strip of hair. She’s still tense, so I move one hand to her breast, toying lightly with her peaked nipple.
