Marks on My Skin (Love & Ink #1)

by J. A. Howell

  “Oh that? That’s where I make leather goods. Floggers, cuffs, other little creations I dream up. This is my office, I guess you could say.”

  “Interesting. I didn’t know ya made stuff. Mind if I take a look?”

  “Go ahead. Shayne should be here soon.”

  My nerves returned with a vengeance and I strode into the room, busying myself with examining the various items hanging on the wall. I still wasn’t sure if I could go through with sharing Shayne with Darren. But he’d said she wanted it. The thought of her between the two of us was both unsettling and arousing at the same time. I wanted to pleasure her, I wanted to fulfill her fantasies, but could I fulfill this one?

  I looked down at my clothes. I’d changed from my usual jeans, sneakers, and t-shirt to a pair of slim-fitting black jeans with boots that came up to my calves and finished it off with a fitted grey t-shirt that Shayne had told me showed off my muscles quite nicely. Not my normal style, but I thought maybe she’d like it. Darren was dressed similar, wearing mostly black and serious looking boots, but our differences were glaringly apparent. This was his natural environment and for the most part, I had no idea what I was doing. Still, she let me dominate her. She trusted me. She let me past the wall she kept up around everyone else.

  The door opened in the main room, and I peered around the corner. Shayne walked in wearing a low cut black dress and her infamous black boots. I smiled to myself. Her gaze searched the room, but she didn’t glance in my direction. I backed into the room a little, keeping myself hidden. Watching her.

  “There you are. Took your sweet time, didn’t you?” Darren beckoned her over to him with the curl of his finger and she obeyed. “Take off that dress. Let me see if you did as I asked.” His gaze shifted to me with a subtle twitch of the eyebrow. Unaware of his amused look, Shayne slid the dress off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Her back was to me and I got an eyeful of her backside in a black g-string as well as the intricate lacing of a matching corset. Shayne started to ask something but Darren put a finger to her lips.

  “Why don’t you give me a little turn, let me see the whole package.”

  Shayne turned, slowly, giving both Darren and me a full view. Her bare breasts were high, pushed up by the corset. Her nipples were already at attention, whether from the cold or anticipation. They were a lovely shade of pink, like freshly bloomed roses in spring. I wanted to take them in my mouth, tug those little rosebuds between my teeth. I ran my tongue across my bottom lip and clutched the doorframe, my fingers squeezing tight at the thought. I wanted to. But I couldn’t. Not yet.

  “Now, come here. I’ve got something for you.” Darren’s voice pulled my mind back to the present. He grasped her arm before she could look in my direction and grabbed a contraption of leather and buckles off of a hook on the wall. “Arms behind your back.” He told her. Shayne put her arms behind her and Darren pushed her against the wall, sliding the leather restraint over her arms. With a deep breath, I stepped out of the workroom, quietly making my way toward them as he secured her arms behind her.

  “Darren?” Shayne spoke and he swatted her arse.

  “Oh come on, you know better than that. Address me properly.”

  “Sir?” She corrected herself.

  He caressed the red mark that was starting to form. “Yes, Shayne?”

  “I…I thought you said Kieran would be here.” Her disappointment leaked into her voice. The corner of Darren’s mouth quirked up and he glanced back at me, expectantly.

  I swallowed hard, then slid my hand over her other arse cheek. I gave it a firm squeeze and let out my breath, dragging my teeth over her bare shoulder.

  “I’m here.”

  Shayne gasped and turned her head to me. I caught the hint of a smile before her gaze raked over me, taking in my appearance. Her lips parted and I leaned forward, kissing her. As I pulled away, Darren tugged her back from the wall.

  “Kieran, want to help me with those straps?” He nodded toward the pieces of leather hanging down from the harness.

  “Yeah, I got it.” With a heated look at Shayne, I dropped to my knees in front of her, buckling the straps around her thighs, and giving her pussy a teasing stroke with my tongue. Darren gave me an approving grin when I stood back up.

  “Now, like I was telling you, during a scene, you should have a safe word, but you can also have others to break a scene momentarily in order to communicate something.”

  “Like, blueberry?”

  Shayne’s eyes darted to mine in surprise and I dared her to laugh. She didn’t.

  Darren did. “Blueberry works. Now, Shayne, I’m going to start this scene with you, show Kieran a few things, and then he’s going to join in. Sound good?”

  She stared at me, her eyes darkened, and she bit her lip. “Yes, sir.”

  His lips curled into a satisfied grin. “Good. Kieran, why don’t you pick out a nice toy for Shayne.”

  I raised an eyebrow and he nodded to a large metal tool chest a couple feet away. The top drawer was pulled out and various vibrators and dildos were laid out neatly. I glanced back at Shayne then picked an odd shaped bulbous toy with a fishtailed end on it. Her gaze remained intent on me as I walked back over, her eyes wide. I supposed she hadn’t quite expected this. Darren stood behind her, holding her in place and I ran my fingers up her slick opening, lightly circling her clit.

  “Spread yer legs.”

  Shayne’s eyes glimmered and she spread her legs. I ran the toy against her opening, ensuring she was adequately wet, then pushed the bulbous end inside her, the other end of it pressing snugly against her clit. Her breath caught and I gave it a light upward tug, smiling as her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks.

  Darren leaned forward and pressed his lips against her earlobe. “Now, keep that in there and get on your knees, young lady.”

  With his help. she knelt on a padded mat. Her brown eyes stared up at me. Darren came around from behind her and grabbed a set of clamps from another drawer. I stepped back and he secured them onto her nipples. He twisted the small nobs on the sides, tightening them, and Shayne pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, emitting a soft “mmph.”

  “Open your mouth.” He gave the chain a teasing tug. Shayne opened her mouth and he put the chain between her lips so that the clamps were tugging her nipples up. “Remember, sit up straight and keep your chin high.”

  She held her chin up, pain and pleasure mixing in her features. Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, making her breasts heave. Darren shoved something into my hand and I looked down to find a red tea light candle in my palm.

  “Have you tried wax play yet?”

  “No.”

  A scheming grin pulled at his lips. “Well, it’s a good way to get your sub’s blood pumping, and Shayne here rather enjoys it. Don’t you, sweetie?”

  Shayne grunted and Darren shook his head at her.

  “Oh come on, Shayne. Give him a big nod.”

  Shayne nodded and the chain pulled taut, tugging her reddened nipples.

  “Good girl.” He patted her cheek then turned to me, lighter in hand. “Just light the wick. Since you haven’t done it before, you can test it on your own arm. You don’t want to drip it from too close or you’ll burn her skin. While we sometimes inflict pain, we don’t want to damage our pretty little sub.” He thrust the lighter into my hand and winked at Shayne.

  I was a little nervous at the prospect of dripping hot wax on Shayne, but with both of them watching me I steeled my resolve and lit the candle. A few test drips on my wrist confirmed I was holding it much too close. I winced and held it a little higher. Much better.

  “You’ll want to stay away from very sensitive areas, like her pussy—but since that’s currently occupied, that isn’t too much of a concern.” Darren had another candle lit in his hand and held it over one of her breasts. He tilted it and red wax speckled her her chest. Shayne’s nostrils flared and she sucked in a deep breath. He tilted the candle again and it dri
pped down her inner thigh. “The back, the breasts, the thighs, the abdomen, and the ass are all good places though.”

  He dripped more scarlet wax over her other breast and I moved behind her, kneeling down. She arched her back and I tilted the candle, dripping wax down the curve of her arse. A muffled whimper escaped her and the sound ran straight to my groin. Unable to help myself, I dragged my teeth over her shoulder, and followed it with more droplets of wax.

  She wriggled as Darren dripped more wax onto her chest and I stood, watching her squirm and tug at her chain. Darren looked at me and blew out his candle and I did the same with mine. Putting them aside, he hauled Shayne to her feet. She wavered slightly. He grabbed one of the rings on the back of her harness to keep her upright and pulled her toward the lift.

  “Don’t drop that chain.” Darren warned. Shayne’s eyes fluttered closed as he attached the lift hooks to the back of her harness and her long black lashes swept against her cheeks. I reached a hand out, tracing the dried wax that ran down her chest. Her eyes fluttered open again and she looked at me, eyes drowsy and dreamlike. My breath caught as I took her in. Bared, vulnerable, no walls surrounding her. She was beautiful. Behind her, Darren ran his fingers through the falls of a black leather flogger, then dragged them across her arse.

  “Keep your eyes on Kieran, Shayne.” He ran the falls over her arse again, then twirled his wrist, bringing it down against her skin. “It’s good to alternate, from light hits, to harder ones. Keeps your sub alert and in the zone, so to speak. Releases those happy little endorphins and adrenaline in waves too.”

  The leather falls hit her skin again with a solid thwack. Shayne tensed and her eyes rolled back with a whimper. Blood rushed down to my crotch and I moved closer to her, cupping her cheek. Would I really be able to do this? Share her? She smiled, a sweet smile, and pressed her cheek against my palm. For her, maybe I could.

  Darren flogged her again and she jerked forward, tossing her head back with a low moan. I curled my finger around the chain of her nipple clamps and slid it out of her mouth, giving it a gentle tug. Lust flooded through her gaze and I bit back my own moan at the sight of it.

  “So,” Darren started casually and brought the leather down across her arse again. “I was just thinking, Shayne. Remember the day after you met Kieran?”

  Her eyes widened on me and the lusty gaze dissipated into a panicked one. Darren hit her again. Harder.

  “Shayne, I didn’t hear you.”

  Thwack.

  “Yes. Yes, I remember.”

  I watched her and my eyebrows furrowed together in curiosity. She tried to look away, but I tugged the chain.

  “What about the day after we met?” I asked nobody in particular, but didn’t take my gaze off hers.

  “Go on, Shayne. What happened after you two made out at the tattoo shop, hmm?”

  Darren ran a hand over her arse and lightly swatted the flogger between her legs.

  Shayne bit her lip, hesitating. I gave another light tug.

  “I went to Darren’s, before the pub. I didn’t want to stop when you kissed me in the office, but I was trying to behave. To respect Liam’s wishes.”

  Her words were punctuated with a moan as another thwack sounded against her pale skin. I winced at the mention of my brother, but visions of that afternoon were enough to chase unpleasant thoughts of him away.

  “You went to Darren’s?”

  She nodded. I knew that much. The memory of her bent over the pool table and that hint of reddened skin peeking out from her skirt rushed back to me. I swallowed hard, dropping my other hand between her legs. Her eyes burned into me. I worked the toy slowly out, just an inch, then pushed it back in. Her knees buckled and the chains of the lift clanked together with her movement. . If it wasn’t for them holding her up, she might not have stayed upright.

  Behind her, Darren cocked an eyebrow and ran the straps of the flogger down her back. “Shayne, why don’t you tell him why you came over? What you wanted me to do.”

  Color rose in her cheeks and she chewed at her lip. I tugged the chain again.

  “I wanted him to fuck me.” She answered, wide brown eyes intent on mine. “The way I wanted you to fuck me when we were in the office.”

  I swallowed hard, and my cock swelled within the confines of my jeans. I felt lightheaded and aroused. To my surprise, I wanted to hear more.

  “Tell me. Tell me what ya had him do ta ya.” My voice came out gruff and strained. She ducked her head down for a moment but I tugged the chain again. “Look at me, Shayne. Tell me.”

  “I told him what I’d wanted you to do. That I wanted you to bend me over the desk. I wanted you inside me.”

  I glanced back up to Darren and his lips twisted thoughtfully. “Bet you can’t guess whose name she moaned.”

  I shifted my stance, my pants growing all too constraining. “Shayne?”

  She swallowed hard, her breath ragged as her exposed gaze met mine.

  “It was you.”

  I froze at her words, my own breath catching. My gaze held hers for a long moment, burning hot as my ragged breath matched hers. Instinctively, my fingers curled, twisting the chain around them.

  “Say it again.”

  She arched her back and a small whimper left her lips, but her eyes met mine once more. “It was you.”

  A shiver rolled down my spine and I swallowed hard, my gaze still locked with hers. I kissed her lips and a deep groan rumbled from my throat. I let go of the chain, and pulled the toy out of her. It dropped to the floor, forgotten as my fingers sought out the warmth of her. My tongue flicked against hers hungrily. I tasted her mouth, her tongue, her lips, and slid my fingers deep inside her. The thought of her in as desperate a need of release as I was that day overwhelmed me.

  “Show me.”

  Shayne gasped against my lips and pulled back, a clear look of confusion moving through her eyes. “Wh-what?”

  I wasn’t even sure where it came from, but I said it again. “Show me how he fecked ya. How ya wanted me ta feck ya.”

  Darren’s flogging stilled and he watched me over her shoulder, eyebrows crowded together in question. I nodded at him then kissed Shayne, slow and tender.

  “Show me. I want ta see.”

  I backed away from her, slipping my fingers into my mouth and tasting her. Breath shuddered from her lips and an answering tremor shook through me. Shayne stared at me, eyes still filled with disbelief. I was in disbelief too. Six months ago, this would have been my worst nightmare. Now?

  Christ, I still wasn’t sure, but I couldn’t stop it now.

  Darren had already discarded the flogger. He snaked his arms around her hips and roughly pulled her back against him. I settled back onto a metal chair, my attention fixated on her. She reacted to him, pushing her arse back against him and Darren groaned, biting her neck. His hands groped her breasts and I swallowed hard, shifting against the chair.

  Shayne moaned, her eyes still intent on me and the air rushed from my lungs. With one rough motion Darren unhooked her from the lift and threw her down against the padded spanking horse in front of me. He breathed hard, and hastily tugged at the fly of his pants. I found my own hands undoing my jeans as I watched. Shayne dragged her teeth over her bottom lip, and I pulled myself free, gripping my hardened cock in my hand.

  Darren thrust inside her and Shayne moaned, eyelashes fluttering as she kept her gaze on me. My grip tightened and I stroked myself in response. The moment Darren had brought this up, the thought of seeing Shayne with another man had terrified me. Visions of the afternoon I’d found Kendall had come back tenfold. But this? This was different. Darren thrust into her again, jarring her against the spanking horse with every stroke. She cried out every time—but her gaze remained locked with mine.

  Darren twisted his fingers into her hair, his features strained with effort. Shayne whimpered, her body moving with his, and I couldn’t fight the need for her any longer. The chair clattered against the floor and in two stri
des I was in front of her. I stroked her cheek, running my thumb across her jaw, and her lips parted for me. The heat of her mouth surrounded me and my cock twitched, tendrils of pleasure stretching through me and taking root. Darren slipped two fingers into her arse and she groaned. The sound of it vibrated against my cock, threatening to undo me on the spot.

  “I want ya, Shayne.” My voice shook with need. “Get her back on the lift.”

  With a deep grunt, Darren slipped out of her and pulled her up by the back of her harness. Shayne stumbled, weak-kneed, but Darren held her, leading her back to the lift and attaching the hooks. I pulled my shirt off and strode toward them, aware of Shayne’s yearning gaze on me. Darren busied himself, grating his teeth over her neck and kneading her arse in his hands. I moved in front of her, teasing her clit and she sucked in a breath. Her lips pursed and a nervous look moved over her features.

  “What’s wrong? Tell me.”

  Shayne shifted against Darren’s touch and looked up at me through her lashes. “Are you sure you want this?”

  “I want this.” I stroked her breast, her stomach. “I want ya.”

  She bit her lip and those beautiful brown eyes searched mine “Really?”

  I didn’t answer her. Instead I kissed her again and reached my other hand down to her thighs. A moment later I thrust myself inside her, my arms hooked under her knees, holding her up. She rolled her head back and Darren’s mouth moved over the side of her outstretched neck with a low feral groan, his own lust for Shayne echoing my own.

  Shayne’s chest heaved and a small trickle of sweat ran between her breasts. I ran my tongue between them, licking the saltiness from her skin and her body trembled under my touch. Darren brushed his lips over her neck again and I growled against her skin.

  “Kiss him.”

  Shayne’s eyes darted to me in question and I thrust into her in response, my own gaze burning into her. She turned her head and Darren caught her mouth with his in a slow, savage kiss. Her muscles tightened around me in reaction and heat rolled low in my stomach. I dragged my teeth over one clamp and gave it a tug before biting on it, releasing her nipple. She whimpered against his lips and I repeated the move on her other nipple, letting the clamps clatter to the floor.