Nordic Lessons

by Christine Edwards

  “Oh God, shit, shit! It hurts so badly!”

  She rolls to one side, arms held tightly across her chest. I crawl behind her and hold her tightly against me as I run my hand up and down her arm.

  “It will ease up in a minute, Elora. You were such a brave little sub. I’m very impressed and proud.”

  After a minute she stills. “Whew! It’s much better now. Those are wicked for such little things, you know?”

  “Yes, so I’ve heard.”

  She wiggles around to face me, a grin on her face. “Maybe I should put them on you sometime, just so you can see how painful they really are!”

  My eyes narrow in warning. “Watch yourself, Elora. The clamps are far from the only instruments of pain I’m familiar with.”

  She blinks in shock. “But, I-I was only kidding.”

  I kiss her softly before telling her, “I know, but that doesn’t mean you can mouth off to your Dom, baby.”

  “My Dom?”

  “Yeah, your Dom. This is the start of us. I’ve been looking for you for a really long time, Elora, and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to be upfront and honest from the start. You’re my submissive, but more importantly, my woman from this moment on. You’d better tell me now if you have any objections because you already mean something to me, and I fucking hope it’s mutual and that you’re not just fulfilling some dark fantasy of living on the edge. Are you?”

  Her head shakes back and forth. “No, of course not, Mikkel. I’ve been intrigued by you from the first day. You know that. I’ve never met, never dreamed of meeting, someone as … as overwhelming as you are to me, and I mean that as a sincere compliment. You’re everything I never knew I needed … desired.”

  I pull her into my chest and bury my face in the delicious scent of her hair, whispering, “You’ve made me a very happy man tonight, sweetheart. Tusen takk, min skjønne.” A thousand thanks, my beauty.

  Chapter Seven

  New Friendships

  “Do you need a ride tonight, Elora?”

  “Thanks, but I’m good. Mikkel said he’d pick me up at seven. I’m glad that someone other than Bern and Mikkel are on bar duty tonight.”

  Lisetta takes a delicate sip of her espresso before answering, “You know, that’s right. Bern knows I get irritated when he tends bar more than one weekend a month. The guys are all supposed to rotate, but things come up, and well, because Mikkel is in charge and Bern is the vice president, the ultimate responsibility falls on their shoulders.”

  “When did he form Devil’s Wrath?”

  She leans back in the overstuffed chair of the trendy coffee house and smiles at me. “I like that you’re all curious about my cousin. I get the impression that you two are falling hard for each other. Am I right?”

  I laugh and try not to blush. “Well, it’s safe to say that you Norwegians are very perceptive. Must run in the family, actually.”

  She runs a hand down her glossy, white-blond locks and grins. “Yep. You can definitely say that! But seriously, back to your question, he started the club in his mid-twenties, right after his shop took off. The guys kept meeting up with trouble in local bars, you know, just because they were bikers and rolled up on custom rides wearing leather and all. Every drunken asshole with a decent right hook wanted to fight them. After the fourth or fifth fight, Mikkel had had enough. He pooled resources with his closest friends and leased the club that spring. Back then I think they started out with only ten members. Now there are nearly one hundred. It’s good for everyone. The club is a safe place for them to let loose and party, you know, throw down however they wish.”

  “He seems like a very complicated man.”

  Without missing a beat, she leans in close and touches my jean-clad knee. “Oh, he is, Elora, undoubtedly. But know this: he will always be loyal to you, and if you commit to each other, my cousin will lay down his life for you if it ever comes to that.”

  She stares at me for a long while, and I’m rocked to the core by her confession.

  She continues, “Since we are onto serious topics and all, well, I’ve debated telling you this, but I think it’s only fair to warn you.”

  My radar goes up. “Warn me? About what?”

  “More than likely, his bitch ex-girlfriend Sansa will be at the club tonight. She’s a skank whore, with a vile mouth, and he broke up with her close to two years ago, but she still shows up at the parties fairly often. I guess by the way that she watches Mikkel, it’s safe to say that she wants him back, but don’t worry, the only emotion that crosses his face when he sees her is annoyance, seriously. He really should ban her ass but I think he feels a bit guilty about dumping her. Besides, a lot of the guys like having her around—easy lay and all that nastiness. He has to know that he made the right choice, especially with the way she makes the rounds with some of the single members. When it comes to spreading her legs, Sansa has no shame whatsoever.”

  “Oh, wow.”

  “Like I said, I wasn’t going to say anything, but I’m a firm believer in full disclosure. If she even so much as looks at you the wrong way, I’ll tell Mikkel and he’ll toss her out, okay?”

  “Thank you Lisetta, but I can definitely stand my ground.”

  “Yep, no worries, but know that I have your back.”

  “So, tell me more about how your relationship with Bern started. Did you know he was the one when you saw him for the first time?”

  She wiggles closer to me, swirls a pretty lock around a finger and whispers, “Darling, when I caught sight of that sculpted ass as he bent over, working on a motorcycle, my panties went instantly wet. Let’s just say it’s a good thing that there were other people in the garage, because I could think of nothing else but giving him something to ride that sure as hell wasn’t a damn motorcycle.”

  I laugh and sputter out, “Go on, then.”

  “Well, after that first way too quick intro at the garage, I kept waiting for him to say something to Mikkel about wanting to meet me. I saw it in his eyes, he was way interested, but also very shy. I love that about him …. Anyhow, finally my cousin invited Vail and me out to a big night at the club. The weather was really awful. I don’t know if you know about Ragnar getting shot?”

  “Yes, he told me just the other night about Ragnar. I can’t believe that he was killed because the club refused to run drugs for the Russians. That’s positively barbaric.”

  “Well, those losers got theirs in a big way. They were all deported and can freeze solid in a Siberian gulag for all eternity as far as I’m concerned. Serves them right.”

  “I’ll say.”

  “Anyhow, you could say our first one-on-one that night was going unbelievably well until all hell broke loose. On top of the loss of Ragnar, Mikkel ordered Alreck to get Vail, the lone witness that night, out of town. He was smart to do it, too, because two nights later, while I was having Thai with Bern on our first ‘official’ date, those monsters broke into my flat. I had to move in with Mikkel and tell my parents I was having my place fumigated for rodents. Crazy stuff, right?”

  “Wow, sounds like the wild world ’o bikers is never dull.”

  “You know it. Enough of this deep talk. I want to hear about your art. Mikkel mentioned to me that you were picked up by a gallery recently.”

  “Yes, I feel quite fortunate. It’s three blocks west of here and is called Elektrisk. Have you heard of it?”

  “Oooh, yes, I’ve walked by and peered in the windows many times. What a fabulous space! You should do well there, seeing as it’s such a high traffic area and all. When is the show?”

  “Well, I’ve already dropped off the paintings I have with me and I’m expecting to have another completed by the end of next week. I’ve finally gotten comfortable working in my brother’s pristine space. Believe me, I’ve invested in drop cloths to the point that the neighbors must assume I’m a murderess!”

  “I like you, Elora, you make me laugh. You’ll have to meet Vail when she arrives.”

  “W
hen is she coming for a visit?”

  “She and Alreck are set to arrive next Saturday. They’re scouting out a few locations for their spring wedding.”

  “Ah, that’s so lovely. I adore weddings: the planning, the flowers, the lot, actually!”

  “Excellent, then you can clue me in, lady, because I’m the maid of honor and I need to step it up. Can you give me some pointers?”

  “Certainly. With pleasure. Anything you need.”

  “Excellent news, because I’ve been waking up at night with cold sweats thinking I’m going to drop the ball on something. I want to really be there for her.”

  “I understand. You’re a good friend, Lisetta. And don’t worry about a thing. I’ve attended and have been involved in so many weddings back in England that we’ll get it well sorted for you.”

  “Thanks Elora. You know, Mikkel’s really damn lucky to have met you.”

  I shake my head and smile. “I appreciate that, Lisetta, but truly, I’m the lucky one. Mikkel’s absolutely remarkable.”

  Chapter Eight

  Verbal Thrashing

  The soft hair of his goatee brushes against my ear, and his low voice is a warm caress. “You’re lucky we’re in public, Elora. That scrap of a dress has me inventing some seriously devious shit to do to you later, babe. You’ve been warned.”

  A delicious thrill shoots down my spine at the dark thought. Before I have a chance to respond, he leads us through the crowd, jam-packed into his club. Lisetta and Bern are right behind, having arrived just after us. With the temperature tonight hovering just above freezing, I breathed a sigh of relief when Mikkel texted that he was picking me up in his giant SUV. I adore the freedom of the motorcycle but I’d have to dress like an Eskimo to brave that wind tonight.

  A light touch on my shoulder and then Lisetta’s voice rings out near my ear, “Hope those sexy boots are comfortable, lady, because the next band up tonight is my fave!”

  “I’m game. Just grab me when you’re ready.”

  As we reach the bar, Mikkel wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into his heat. “What are you drinking tonight, min skjønne?”

  “Mmm, I like choices.”

  “Do you now, woman?”

  My grin is promising. “In that case, I’ll have a Drambuie on the rocks.”

  He arches a brow and stares at me, an open look of amusement on his features.

  “What? Didn’t think I drink spirits?”

  “Hush, woman, I’ll get your drink.”

  I pull him down and kiss his cheek as he gives my waist a light squeeze. He raises an arm up to get the bartender’s attention, and after placing our order, he leans down so I can hear him over the pounding of the metal band. “There are a lot of potential recruits here—most of them I know, some not yet. My point is, stay close to me tonight. I don’t want to get into it with anyone for putting their hands on you, understood?”

  Sometimes his possessiveness is undeniably sexy.

  “Yes, you’ve made it clear, Mikkel.”

  “Good, baby. You know how I fucking love it when you behave for me.”

  My breath hitches and I feel dampness between my legs. I wish we were alone, but the build-up will be well worth it tonight. This man always delivers, as I’ve come to learn multiple times during our mind-blowing sessions. I appreciate the art of BDSM a bit more each time he takes me, always perfectly in control and never lacking in creativity.

  He leads us over to a shadowed alcove with two jet black leather loveseats facing each other.

  Instead of sitting, he leans a hip up against the high back of one sofa and pulls me close to his side. The scent of his leather jacket teases my nostrils as I take a sip of the honey and spice-laced scotch. He leans in and whispers, “Can’t wait to have those legs wrapped around me tonight, Elora. I’m not gonna stop until you’re screaming so loud that you shake my damn windows, baby.”

  Oh God …. My heart just skipped three beats inside my chest.

  He kisses my cheek and murmurs in a husky voice, “Damn, you smell so beautiful.”

  I lean into him, wrapping my arm around his waist, enjoying the sensation, secretly wishing that we were all alone back at his remote house. Soon enough ….

  An endless stream of bikers—some with girlfriends, some solo—meander up to chat with Mikkel. When they ask about Alreck, I can tell by the way he answers them—quickly changing the topic—that he misses his best friend and doesn’t want to discuss him in casual conversation.

  Lisetta tugs on my arm. “Mikkel, I’m taking her for a bit, cousin. You boys can have at it with your coma-inducing motorcycle banter. See ya!”

  I turn and wave and my hand slips through his as Lisetta leads us through the dense crowd to the middle of the dance floor. She sways back and forth to the wild, thumping music, shouting loud enough that I can hear her, “This band’s from Sweden. They’ve been here once before and I was floored! Pretty awesome, right?”

  I’m not into crazy metal but their sound is more rock. It reminds me of the Sheffield-based Arctic Monkeys.

  I yell, “Yes, they’re quite good. What are they called?”

  “Rager.”

  I nod and dance right along with her. The two stiff Drambuies have relaxed me. I look around and nearly laugh, stunned to realize that I’m completely at home in a full-on biker bar.

  After we dance for two more songs, both working up a healthy sheen of sweat, Lisetta closes her hand around mine and leads us off the dance floor toward the ladies room. As soon as we’re inside, she turns to me and says, “I learned my lesson last time. I’m not letting you out of my sight so long as Mikkel is uptight about anyone else messing with you. Stay in here. I’ll be quick, okay?”

  “Sure thing.”

  She disappears into one of the two stalls and I turn to assess whether or not my makeup has melted off of my face from the dance-a-thon.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I catch someone arriving into the decent size space. I reach out to turn on the water and freeze when a sultry voice cuts through the air like a dagger, “I’d never guess you’d be his type.” The accented voice drips with sarcasm, and before I even turn to see her, I know who it is, Sansa. The bitch-ex. Just terrific. Breathing in deeply for confidence, I straighten my shoulders and face her. She’s too made-up, but still quite beautiful. Coal black hair hangs to her narrow waist and her wide eyes are an alluring shade of dark green. There’s something I can’t put my finger on, a hardness, a severe edge about her that takes away from any attributes she has. I decide to take the offensive. “Sorry, I don’t believe I know you.”

  She scoffs, “So polite, you British, unreal.”

  I smile placidly, not letting her affect me in the least.

  Lisetta comes out of the stall and says in a hard tone, the first I’ve heard from her, “What’s going on here?”

  I politely hold up a hand. “I’ve got this, Lisetta. This person … sorry, I didn’t catch your name, darling?”

  She places her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes. “It’s Sansa, bitch, and you should remember it, because it’s a certainty that Mikkel moans it in his sleep! Shit, he must be totally desperate to be with someone as boring and vanilla as you. Enjoy it while it lasts because that man gets bored easily, changes up his bitches as often as his rides, if you know what I mean. You’ll be on the curb by Christmas, but don’t worry. When he comes crawling back to me to give it to him with no limits—like he needs—I might let you watch.”

  That one stuns me, and I can’t help but blink in shock as she continues mockingly, “Yeah, that really got him off the last four times we brought bitches back to his place. Have you been there? If so then you know how remote it is. He loves that.”

  “Enough!” Lisetta shouts so loudly that my neck hairs stand on end. Her scathing words make me feel like my heart has been submerged into a vat of acid.

  Keep it together ….

  I head directly toward her, stopping right before her overdone face. Wi
th a smile, I say, “You know, back in England we have a term for women like you. Would you like to know what it is?”

  “Fuck you, bitch!” She hisses out the words at me from her ruby red lips.

  “No, no, darling. Actually the term I was referring to is ‘used up old slag.’ And don’t worry, I’m certain that you can locate the meaning on any search engine—that is, if you can type it in with your classy acrylics.”

  She shrieks and lunges at me in a rage, catching a lock of my hair before Lisetta and I both pry her loose and shove past her. The last words I hear as we head out of the bathroom are, “You’re fucking done, bitch! You hear me?”

  I’m pale and shaking by the time we reach the guys. Mikkel takes one look at me and pulls me toward the steps leading up to his office. I pull away and look him straight in the eyes, my gaze unwavering. “Take me home.”

  He watches me closely, clearly stunned by my objection, yet he remains silent.

  “Fine, I’ll find a ride then.” I turn and race through the crowd before he can grab for me. Tears threaten to fall as I try hard to hold it together. Just make it home …. Thank God you have your jacket on! I adore him, I do, but I won’t share, screw that! God, maybe he wasn’t truthful with me about how often he has sex? Damn! The humiliation is making my head spin into a kaleidoscope of thoughts and conflicting emotions. I should’ve known this was too good to be true. I need to get away from here and sort my feelings out.

  My head is whirling as I push past anyone who stands between me and the exit. Twice I hear him shout my name, I don’t care if I’m disobeying him. If what that woman said is true, then I want no part of it.

  The frigid air hits me in a jarring blast. I make it to the bottom step when I hear his furious voice cutting through the pitch-black night.

  “Elora! I’m warning you. Don’t you dare take another step, woman!”

  His severe tone leaves zero room for misunderstanding. I turn to face him and quickly take a faltering step back. He’s clearly enraged and if I wasn’t so upset I’d be petrified. Instead I whisper, “Why? Was I just something new for you? Some novelty?”