Marks on My Skin (Love & Ink #1)

by J. A. Howell

  “Not bad. Not bad at all. I thought you said you’ve never used one of these before.” He teased. I smiled, glancing at Darren.

  “Couldn’t be too hard to learn, could it?”

  He let out a snort and shrugged. My eyes found Shayne standing in the corner, and she flashed me a shy smile. She wore a black leather harness. Straps ran down the front of her body, between her thighs and around her breasts, putting them on full display. My breath caught in my throat as I took in her naked form. Her small but full breasts stood at attention, her pale pink nipples begged for me to taste them. She walked toward us and I admired how the tattoo running down her side and over her hip moved with her. Desolate, beautiful vines that accentuated her figure, striking and dark against her pale skin.

  “Shayne, there you are. I’ve got something special planned for you.” Darren grinned and motioned her to him with his finger. She glanced at me as Darren placed a hand on her shoulder. “You too, Kieran.” He added.

  I followed and he brought Shayne to the middle of the room, tugging her by the front of the harness. A bar hung down from a pulley on the ceiling. He grabbed leather cuffs with handles on them off of a nearby table and secured them around Shayne’s wrists.

  “Hold your arms up.” He told her. She obeyed and he attached the cuffs to the bar, tugging to ensure they were secure.

  “That’s my girl.” He winked at her and patted her cheek. I gritted my teeth, a twinge of jealousy moving through me with his words.

  Next he brought a rubber bit gag to her lips and she opened her mouth. He fastened it around her head with deft fingers. I glanced back toward the girl on the sawhorse again but the man was no longer flogging her. His fingers twisted into her hair as he thrust himself into her mouth. I averted my eyes, embarrassed, but others were watching as if this was an everyday occurrence. Perhaps at Darren’s little parties, it was. I chewed my lip and returned my attention to Shayne and Darren. He was securing a bar between her ankle with cuffs so that her thighs were spread apart. Darren waggled an eyebrow at me and went to the wall, pulling the other end of the chain. It hoisted Shayne up so that her toes barely touched the floor. He grabbed two floggers and handed me one.

  “You take one side, I’ll take the other. If you hear her hum ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’, stop.” He said and spun her so she was facing me. Shayne’s eyes met mine. Fear, want, and anticipation blurred together and she let out a muffled whimper against the gag. Her chest heaved, and I traced a fingertip over her breast. Darren smacked the flogger against her arse and she arched her back, her moan muffled against the gag. Her eyes pleaded with mine, glancing down at the flogger still clutched in my hand. I lifted it and dragged the leather falls over her breasts. Her nipples budded into tight little nubs and her eyes burned into mine. I dragged the leather lower. Her eyelashes fluttered against her flushed cheeks and she whimpered once more.

  Please.

  I took a calming breath. Nerves and desire made my heart race. She whimpered again, sticking her chin out at me and I twirled the flogger. It came down across her thighs and her head rolled back with a muffled groan. Another thwack came behind her as Darren swung his flogger down against her arse. Her chest heaved harder and I held back my own groan watching the rise and fall of her breasts. A tingling trickled down the base of my spine and I squared my jaw, bringing the falls down against her other thigh.

  “Now to mix it up a bit.” Darren grinned from behind her and grabbed her hips. Giving her a push, he sent her into a gentle spin. He flicked the leather across her skin, with flair and confidence. I took his lead, realizing just how much of the room was watching us. I twirled my wrist, bringing the leather across her arse, her shoulders, her thighs and her arse again before the twirling slowed. Her eyes caught mine and the ecstasy in those golden brown depths made me throb against my jeans. Darren stopped her so that her back was to me, and I ran my fingers over the red lines across her arse. I gave it a firm squeeze and she pushed back against my touch. Unable to help myself, I brought my hand down in a heavy slap and a small squeak escaped against the gag. God, the sounds she could make.

  A drunken haze settled over me and I slid my hand between her thighs. She wriggled against my touch and my fingers teased her already slick opening—then tugged the leather strap taut against her. Shayne threw her head back with a deep, full-throated moan as another thwack sounded across the front of her thighs from Darren. Her thigh muscles tensed but the bar kept her from closing her legs. I tugged the strap again, slapping her ass with my other hand and found my own breath growing ragged.

  I groaned softly and dragged the flogger up over her arse and back, letting the falls tickle her skin. I grated my teeth over her shoulder and pressed my swelling cock against her. Another thwack came from in front of her as Darren flogged her thighs again but I didn’t pay him any attention. All I heard was Shayne’s heavy breaths punctuated with her muffled moans. After a minute I stepped back and swung the flogger hard. Redness blossomed across her round little arse. I grinned and brought it across her other cheek.

  Darren spun her around and she stared at me with wide eyes, her breasts rising and falling hard. I smiled at her and glanced to a small table where various other tools were laid out. I grabbed a pair of nipple clamps—something I recognized from last night—strode back to her, and pulled her to me by the straps of her harness. Staring into her eyes, I closed my lips around one nipple. Her body jarred with another blow from Darren’s flogger and I swirled my tongue around the hard pink tip, eliciting more muffled moans. With on last flick of the tongue, I released her nipple and secured the rubber tip of the clamp on it. Her head lulled back and I turned my attention to her other breast. My teeth caught her nipple, and I gave it a playful tug, circling it with my tongue. Her body shivered and she let out another helpless whimper.

  After securing the other clamp I gave the chain connecting them a teasing tug. She let out a groan, and a shiver rolled through me. I still didn’t understand how these things aroused her—or how it aroused me—but just like last night it crashed over me like a tidal wave. My hand moved on its own accord and the leather danced across her skin, leaving red trails in its wake. Blood rushed to my groin, my cock hard as steel as it strained against my jeans. I wanted her. Now.

  “Feck,” The flogger dropped from my hand and I spun her back around so her arse was to me. I reached around her, one hand drifting down between her legs, tugging the leather. She moaned against the gag and I spanked her hard, a deep growl ripping from my throat. I pulled the strap aside and thrust my fingers inside her.

  A gutteral groan shook through her entire body and my cock pulsed, painfully hard now. Hastily, I unbuckled the strap of her gag and it dropped to the floor. I slid my fingers out of her and brought them to her mouth. She took them readily, closing her lips around them with a moan. The sound reverberated right through me, straight down to my cock.

  “Give me your mouth,” I grunted and pulled her lips to mine. She obeyed, the sweet tartness of her still on her lips. My tongue thrust against hers, wanting more. Needing more. I tugged at the leather strap between her legs again and she moaned into my mouth. Want raced through me and I couldn’t hold back anymore. I had to have her. I broke away from her lips, gasping for breath and pulled my shirt off. My pants slid off my hips and I pulled her back to me by the harness.

  “Aw, feck, Shayne.” I slammed into her and clamped my teeth on her shoulder. She cried out and I slammed into her again, the chains clanking overhead. I forgot where we were and that we weren’t alone. I didn’t care. I only wanted her. Her moans surrounded me, spurred me on. I buried myself inside her, over and over again. My thoughts and my attention only focused on her.

  Her muscles squeezed me tight, she moaned, and I couldn’t hold back. My cock twitched inside her and my release hit me hard. I gasped against her skin and my body folded over hers, straining with effort. I turned her face to mine and kissed her, muffling our moans as our bodies shuddered in unison.
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  “Christ yer so feckin’ sexy.” I whispered against her ear as our lips finally broke apart. She gasped as I slid out of her and I finally looked around. The room was still—not one moan, not one breath. Everyone had been watching us.

  My gaze met Darren’s and his eyes were unreadable. He had stopped flogging her when I’d taken over and was leaned against the wall with a cigarette between his lips. He studied me with a hard gaze as I slid my pants back up. Uncomfortable, I looked away and busied myself with the cuffs around her ankles. When I turned her around, Shayne’s eyes met mine, drowsy and half-closed. Her lips pulled into an equally drowsy smile. I gently removed the clamps from her nipples and she let out a small “mmph” and winced. Then with Darren’s help, I unbuckled her wrists. She melted against me and I took her freed wrists in my hands, massaging them.

  “I’ll go grab her something to drink. There’s an empty love seat in the corner.” Darren motioned to a couch by the large floor-to-ceiling windows. I wondered momentarily if anyone outside of the party saw our little display but shrugged it off, more concerned with Shayne. She giggled against my chest and I led her to the leather love seat. I sat down, pulling her into my lap, and she curled into me.

  “Well, you certainly gave ‘em a good show, didn’t you?” She stared up at me from beneath her dark lashes. I laughed and pulled a small throw blanket off the back of the couch and covered her with it. The other partygoers resumed their activities, no longer watching me as they had when I first walked in and I smiled to myself. Shayne giggled again and I stroked her bare shoulder. Darren returned with a bottle of water and I held it for her as she took a long drink. After cleaning up from our little scene, he settled himself next to me—a little to my disliking—and grabbed one of her feet, gently kneading her sole in his hands. We stayed that way for a while and Shayne drew herself up between us, a little less giddy but still smiling.

  “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get another drink.” She wandered toward the kitchen.

  “So maybe I was wrong about you.”

  I glanced over at Darren, still sitting next to me.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t think you had it in you. Honestly, I was trying to freak you out a bit.” He admitted, unabashed. “When I first met you, you didn’t seem like the dominant type at all. But with Shayne, you are. You’re her dominant.”

  I wasn’t sure how to react or what to say to him, so I only nodded.

  “You best take care of her, Kieran. Being her Dom is no joke.” His gaze hardened and I understood then it wasn’t any sort of jealousy, or possessiveness he felt over Shayne. He cared for her deeply. He didn’t want to see her hurt. My thoughts wandered to what Shayne had told me about the night she met him. Yes, he was definitely protective of her. Shayne came around the corner and both of us watched her make her way from the kitchen. Her eyes met mine and a honey-sweet smile crossed her lips. I liked seeing her smile like that

  “I like Shayne. I won’t hurt her.” I said and meant it.

  “Good. If you need any pointers, let me know…oh, and Kieran?”

  “Yeah?” I glanced at him once more. His gaze was hard as steel.

  “If you hurt her, I’ll have your fucking balls in a vice.”

  Looking around the room at the various equipment laying around, I didn’t doubt that was possible.

  “Right.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Eating Out and Ordering In

  It was late when we left the party. After our grand performance, Kieran and Zeke had spent a while chatting. Several of the other Doms there seemed impressed with him as well, including Darren. Walking to my car, I saw a difference in Kieran too. He walked a little taller, smiled a little more. It suited him and I found it utterly sexy.

  “You want to come up or should I take you back to Liam’s?” I asked when we reached my car. He backed me up against the driver’s side and kissed my neck.

  “I’ll come over fer a bit.” He laughed against my skin. “Maybe we could play a little more tonight.”

  “You’re not tired?” I asked. He lifted me up and wrapped my legs around him in response. I let out a soft moan and pressed my forehead against his shoulder as I felt him pulse and harden against me. “Mmm. Come on. Let’s get going then.”

  He nodded and lowered my legs to the ground.

  His eyes were intent on me the whole drive and it sent a shiver down to my core. I still couldn’t believe the way he’d handled himself at the party.

  “You want something to drink?” I asked as I led him into my apartment.

  “Sure, just a beer.”

  I went to the kitchen and pulled the fridge open, bending down to grab two bottles of beer. A hand squeezed my ass cheek and I smiled. “Don’t want that beer anymore?”

  “Not with ya bending over like that.” He said, his voice deep and gravelly. He tugged the zipper of my skirt down and it fell to the floor. “Put the beers back. Stand up.”

  I did as he said and his fingers tugged at the back of my corset. The motion jerked me back against him and his cock throbbed against my ass, torturing me. Once the laces were loose, Kieran spun me around and his blue eyes stared into mine, darkened with need. My heart thumped in my chest and I stood there frozen, staring back. The hooks of my corset popped free one by one and it fell to the floor as well. With a sexy, crooked smile Kieran took my hand in his and rubbed it against the bulge in the front of his jeans. His cock jumped against my touch and he bit his lip.

  “Touch me.” He said, his eyes not leaving mine. I undid his jeans and took him in my hand, slowly stroking him from base to tip. Kieran’s eyelids lowered and he groaned, pushing against my hand. He leaned forward, kissed me, and pulled my bottom lip between his teeth. “Take me in yer mouth.” An ache came through the strain in his voice and another trickle of pleasure ran down to my core. With legs ready to turn to jelly, I knelt in front of him and wrapped my lips around his sensitive head. Kieran’s hips jerked and he held onto the counter for support. “Mmmph, Shayne.”

  I took his full length in my mouth and was rewarded with a deep groan. His fingers slid through my hair and I swirled my tongue against his hard shaft. His long, heavy breaths and the gentle tug of his fingers in my hair sent a strong shiver through me. I moaned and his fingers twisted tighter, letting me know how much he liked it.

  “Jahysus Christ, Shayne.” Kieran’s voice wavered and I opened my eyes to find his gaze intent on me. He dragged his teeth over his bottom lip, hooded eyes burning into me in a lust-drunken haze. One hand gripped a handful of hair, and the other was clamped onto the counter for dear life. I stroked him in my hand, trying to hide the pleased smile that crept over my lips.

  “You alright?” I asked. Without answering, he grabbed me by my arms and hoisted me to my feet. He pulled me toward the bed and pushed me down onto my back. I sat up on my elbows and watched him, curious what he planned to do. His features were unreadable.

  “Lay back.” Kieran brushed his fingertips over my thighs. I did as he said. He peeled off his shirt and slipped out of his jeans, letting his cock brush against my thigh as he climbed onto the bed. I reached for him, but he shook his head and gently pressed my wrist against the bed. “No. Just lay back. Talk ta me. Now’s my turn ta pleasure ya.”

  He traced a finger over a red mark on my upper arm then kissed my lips.

  “What do you want me to tell you?” My mouth went dry as his mouth trailed lower. His lips brushed against my neck, over my collarbone and down to my breasts. His warm breath tickled my skin.

  “Tell me how this all started. How ya got into it.”

  His tongue flicked against my nipple with a light, gentle stroke.

  “I told you.” I closed my eyes, concentrating on the soft brush of his tongue.

  “Ya told me how ya met Darren. That he got ya clean. Tell me, Shayne.” His voice was almost pleading. He dragged his hand lower, his fingers splayed against my stomach.

  “It started when he got
me clean. I went through withdrawals. He kept me at his apartment and took care of me. They would come in waves and my body would tremble. A horrible ache would run through me, straight down to my bones. All I wanted was to get another bump, to make the pain go away. He kept me going and when I felt like I was dying, he told me I wasn’t allowed to give up and go back to that life.”

  I cringed at the memories of that time in my life. What I did remember of those days was a blur of anger and pain, of feeling completely powerless as my body warred with itself.

  Kieran’s lips trailed lower, down the middle of my abdomen, and he made an encouraging sound against my skin. “Then what happened?” He asked.

  “I still had the itch. I needed something. I was going out of my head. Darren saw I was struggling and suggested I come with him to The Castle one night.”

  Kieran paused and looked up at me, his hand resting on my abdomen.

  “The dungeon he runs?”

  “Yeah.”

  Kieran’s tongue ran across another red mark and I shivered. He pushed my thighs apart and slid lower. “Keep goin’. What happened there?”

  “At first, nothing. I sat back and watched. There was a couple there. The man had the woman cuffed to a St. Andrew’s cross—you know that big X-shaped thing you were looking at earlier?”

  “Mmm hmm.” The low sound rumbled against my inner thigh. He kissed another mark left over from the earlier flogging and I shivered. Darren was always gentle with me after play, always caring. But not like that. Kieran ran his fingers down another mark, his eyes intent on the raised pink skin, admiring it. I gasped and his gaze met mine. “You were saying?”

  I blinked at him, confused. Was I saying something? Oh right, the couple…