Luca knew I loved this sensation and he was an artist at making me enjoy it. Flogging me was our special dance and I allowed my mind to escape to that dreamy world that only he could lead me to. It was nirvana. The buildup, the breathlessness, and eventually, the fall right over the edge to heaven. And finally, the decent into his loving arms as he held me like a child and cherished me with words of praise, and kisses.
“Just so you know, I knew you believed me.” Sitting back on the couch cradled against him, I heard his words from afar. Even in this sublime state, they made me smile.
He gained pleasure from making me find subspace, maybe almost as I enjoyed him doing it. What motivated him to find pleasure in this, I honestly couldn’t say. As far as I knew, he had no skeletons in his past, and his parents were still very much alive and adored him. Maybe some people are just born with the innate need to dominate?
Honestly I didn’t care. Whatever made him the way he was, I loved. Later that night in bed, when he loved me with all the passion he possessed, I said a small prayer of thanks for whatever created my beautiful Master.
chapter 17
Cherished
Two years ago today, I flew to Chicago to meet a man who claimed he would change my life if I honored him with my submission. The person I was back then was barely living, only existing in this world that seemed to knock her down whenever she found her feet. I was scared, broken, and doubted I’d ever be anything more than the abused kid who had given up.
A few months shy of finishing my degree, I hardly recognize that girl from my past. When I look in the mirror these days, I know that inside of me is the ability to tackle anything the world throws my way. Of course it’s not an easy road. Life was never meant to be lived without its complications. We go through things that change us, and with the right mental aptitude, we overcome those obstacles.
Luca gave me the ability to see past my flaws, and helped me discover the beautiful, vibrant and intelligent woman that was waiting to come out. There is no doubt in my mind that had I not met him, she would have stayed hidden in that dark place in her mind that refused to let her shine. That was the gift he gave to me.
If anyone ever asked me what I’d be willing to give up to be cherished? I’d tell them everything. Surrendering myself into Luca’s hands had been the best decision of my life, and in the end he gave me a hell of a lot more than I’d ever been asked to give.
The love I found in Luca’s possession saved me. Yes, I was his slave, but people tend to see that word in the wrong way. With the right Master, which in of itself is no easy task to find, a woman can become more than she ever thought herself capable of. I know I have. It’s not a lifestyle for everyone, but for me it was the pivotal action that changed everything.
Living under his ownership altered my way of thinking in other ways, too. The first submissive to enter our relationship didn’t come at his request, but mine. She was beautiful woman, probably more broken than I was when I first met Luca. We became friends at the home for abused women where I visited every month.
That place had become my second love, and helping out in any way they would allow gave a purpose to my life beyond serving Luca, or attempting to work toward a career. She’d been abused horribly by her husband, suffering beatings that had left her scarred, not only externally but emotionally. Watching her sink into depression, I knew I had the ability to save her.
Luca had been against the idea at first, and it had taken months before he’d even agreed to meet her. Another thing you need to understand, is that being a slave doesn’t mean giving up when something is important to you. I still have a brain, and the ability to confront Luca when I feel he’s wrong. I do that in a respectful way, of course, but my opinions are valid to him.
After their first introduction, his demeanor changed. As strange as it sounds, Luca has a soft spot, just like I do, for women that have suffered under a man’s hand. Dominant doesn’t mean abusive. We talked for weeks before he met with her again and explained our lifestyle. Never in our home, because unless you were part of our group, you weren’t invited in. It was a decision Luca and I agreed upon. Explaining certain things, like suspension bars, and other things we’d added to our décor, wasn’t a discussion we wanted to have.
Wendy, that was the woman’s name, was shocked at the first revelation, and I was worried she wouldn’t accept the truth. It took her another few weeks before she even talked about what we did. Of course she thought I was crazy to be in that kind of relationship, knowing what I’d been through. But when I explained how much Luca had helped me, she began to understand.
Luca and I had talked for a year before I ever met him in real life. It’s my personal belief that rushing into this is never a smart idea, and with Wendy, we wanted to take things just as slow. She agreed to meet with Dr. Sullivan, and not another step was taken until she determined her mental health was stable enough to move forward.
In the end, Wendy came to me. I was so proud of the progress she was making in therapy, that I thought the idea of Luca helping her was off the table. After long talks I brought it up to him again. He agreed only after Dr. Sullivan told him it wouldn’t do damage to the healing process she’d began.
Wendy was the first submissive Luca trained with me, but not the last. Not all of them had the same incredible outcome that I’d found, but when they left our home, they had the tools to live a life full of confidence in who they were as a person. Even with that knowledge, sometimes fate takes you down different roads.
Neither Luca nor I wanted live ins, and it wasn’t because I was selfish or he was giving in to my needs. Our relationship was exclusive, outside of the training he did, and even that, I was part of. We loved each other, and when he asked me to marry him, there was no question in my mind that I’d accept.
What we did outside of our relationship was help other people find the happiness we’d found. That’s how we both viewed his training. None of the woman who walked into our lives were ever under a false assumption it would be permanent. Of course, it was hard letting them leave after they found their way, and Luca helped them find a Master that would care for them as much as he did when it was time to go.
In a few hours at a church in downtown Chicago, I’ll become Mrs. Luca Phillips. My mother and sisters are here and driving me insane with all the love they are pouring over me, but I’ve never been happier. The life I have now is more of a dream than reality and I can’t imagine a world before I belonged to him.
What did I give up by becoming his slave? Absolutely nothing. I was lucky enough to meet the one man, who loved me so much he changed my entire life. I’m more than just loved, I’m Cherished.
A Note from Michelle Hughes
Thank you so much for sharing my world as I brought you, Cherished. This novel began after a discussion in my writer’s group on the detrimental relationship addressed in Fifty Shades of Grey with a Master who had a disturbing lack of self-control and mommy issues that lead his role in BDSM. I knew that there needed to be another side shown to this type of lifestyle without all the negative connotations.
If nothing else comes from this book, I hope it encourages you, the reader, to research the topic and relationships in the BDSM world. I enjoy reading fictional books on this subject, and it’s easy to see how a person could misinterpret reality from a fairytale.
There are very confused people in the world, even those who call themselves Masters or submissive’s. If you’re being abused in any way that make you feel less of a person, please step out of that relationship and seek professional help. Safe, sane, and consensual. That has long been the saying of the BDSM community. I do not take credit for that motto, and only believe it is one that should be lived by if you’re considering exploring this further.
A consensus of what BDSM is and isn’t, will probably never be agreed upon. But I think anyone that has chosen to partake in this, or live it full time will agree that you need to always use common sense. If a situation feels wrong,
then it probably is. Whatever path you take, I wish you nothing but happiness.
Love Always,
Michelle Hughes
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