48 Hours

by Callista Arman

  Maddie realized her palms were sweating. She smoothed them over the napkin on her lap.

  Rafael’s lips twitched with the barest hint of a smile. “You look very beautiful with my collar encircling your neck, Madeline. A very becoming blush is spreading over your cheeks.” He studied her a moment longer. “Do you enjoy wearing my chain?”

  “I do,” Maddie whispered, twisting the linen napkin between her fingers. It was the truth. She could feel slick moisture between her thighs. She was more turned on than she’d been the entire time she’d dated Mike Four.

  “Then I trust you’ll enjoy this even more.” Rafael’s hand dipped again into the leather satchel the waiter had delivered. He extracted a small black silk bag and placed it on the table between them.

  Maddie drew a breath and picked it up. The sack had a drawstring closure. Curious, she began to untie the loose knot.

  “No,” Rafael said.

  Her fingers stilled. She looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

  “Not here, cara. In the ladies’ room. Go into one of the private rooms, open the bag and follow the instructions you find inside. Return to me in—” He checked his watch. “Ten minutes. No more.”

  “What—”

  “Do as you are told. No questions.” His tone was firm.

  “All right,” Maddie said. She rose, clutching the bag in one hand. She reached for her purse with the other.

  “Leave it, cara.”

  Maddie hesitated, frowning.

  Rafael glanced again at his watch.

  “Nine minutes now, cara.”

  Maddie dropped her purse and hurried through the alcove Rafael had indicated. The dimly lit hallway led to a room with an elegant drawing of a woman’s profile on the door. Pushing open the door, she found a sitting room furnished with velvet-upholstered furnishings, an Oriental carpet and brocaded wallpaper. Complimentary toiletries overflowed from china bowls set on a marble countertop. Two women stood before a gilt-framed mirror, touching up their makeup.

  Maddie hurried past them to the rest rooms. She found that instead of stalls, each individual toilet was in its own room, complete with a marble vanity and mirror. Maddie ducked into a vacant compartment and locked the door behind her. Her heart was tripping. What was in the silk bag? She could hardly wait to see, but at the same time fear gave her anticipation a delicious edge. She hadn’t felt this excited since her very first time in court.

  Drawing a deep breath, she tugged open the drawstring. There were several items inside. She drew them out one by one. The first was…earrings?

  No. Heat flooded her face. Not earrings. Nipple rings.

  They were silver, shaped into a lopsided figure eight—two loops, but one much larger than the other. She slid one into her palm. A weighted silver ball, about the size of a small marble, hung on the larger loop. When she squeezed the wire, the smaller ring opened. Relaxing her fingers, she watched it close again. Her nipple tingled, as if already feeling the pinch.

  With a shaking hand, she laid the ring and its mate on the vanity. The next item was a sealed plastic bag containing a silver thong, followed by a small tube of lubricant. At the very bottom of the bag was a folded piece of paper.

  She unfolded it, reminding herself to breathe as she did so. She was already feeling more than a little lightheaded. The note was written in bold, black ink—Rafael’s own handwriting, she was sure of it. The instructions were concise.

  Remove your underwear. Lubricate your pussy and anus. Put on the nipple rings and thong. Carry nothing with you when you return to me. Remember, ten minutes.

  She sucked in a breath. Ten minutes! How much of that time was left? Maddie wasn’t wearing a watch, but she thought she’d already used up at least three minutes. Dropping the bag and the note on the vanity, she pulled up her dress. Luckily, she’d worn thigh-high stockings, so she didn’t have to remove them to whisk off the matching panties. She stifled a hysterical laugh. She’d chosen the panties for a lover—now it seemed Rafael would never see them. She shoved the scrap of silk into the wastebasket. Rafael had said to carry nothing back to the table, and in any case, she had no desire to walk through the restaurant with underwear dangling from her fingers.

  She eyed the nipple rings. She’d never worn them before, though she often pinched her nipples while masturbating. Hiking her dress up farther, she plucked at one bare nipple now, coaxing it to maximum erectness. She squeezed the nipple ring, opening the circular clamp. Positioning it around her delicate skin, she eased it closed.

  A gasp escaped her lips as a streak of pain shot through her. The pain was followed by a sharp ache, one that had her sinking down on the small boudoir chair with shaking legs. She retrieved the second clamp from the vanity, her breath hitching as she prepared her unadorned nipple to accept it. Another pinch. She shut her eyes as twin sensation of pain and bliss speared her.

  The silver balls on the lower part of the rings were heavy. They stretched her delicate skin, pulled and swayed with every breath she took. Her pussy responded, contracting on every tug. She stood and let her dress drop over her breasts. The summer knit fabric was soft and clinging, leaving little to the imagination. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, heat creeping over her face.

  Oh, God. She was supposed to walk out into the restaurant looking—and feeling—like this?

  She didn’t have time to dwell on that, however. Only a few minutes remained and she still had to get into Rafael’s thong. But why the lubricant? Twisting the cap off the small tube, she did as instructed and smeared the gel over her already slick pussy. Then she caught some on her fingers and spread it around her ass.

  She tossed the empty tube into the trash, washed her hands and dried them on one of the cloth towels laid out on the vanity. Her fingers closed on the bag containing the silver thong. As she opened it, she realized the undergarment was no ordinary thong. Two silver balls, larger versions of the ones on her nipple rings, had been sewn into the fabric. The one in front was slightly indented on one side. The one threaded onto the rear strap was larger, more than an inch in diameter and perfectly round.

  The thong fit snugly and took some tugging to get in place. Her fingers trembled as she adjusted it. The smaller silver ball settled over her clit. She felt a jolt of pleasure as her nub settled into the indentation in the metal ball.

  She didn’t have time to savor it, though. The larger ball had nudged between her ass cheeks, coming to rest right over the entrance to her anus. She wriggled a little, trying to get used to the awkward feeling. The ball nestled a little more deeply in her lubricated crack, stretching the tight muscle around her opening. It was an intimate invasion and more than a little humiliating. And…oh, God. When she sat down, the ball would sink in deeper.

  Arousal sliced her belly, sharp and unexpected. Maddie had read countless descriptions of anal sex, but no man had ever touched her asshole. She could barely bring herself to finger it. Would Rafael take her there? He’d said that he would, she remembered in a daze. The thought sent shock waves through her body. How would she go back to him and look into those knowing eyes? But there wasn’t time to think of that. She had only a minute or two left.

  She shoved the rest of the wrappings into the trash and hastily checked herself in the mirror. The nipple rings were clearly visible through her dress. Her skin was flushed and her hair was a bit tousled. Her lipstick was gone, but her purse was with Rafael at the table, so she couldn’t do anything about that. It hardly mattered anyway. She was so nervous, she was sure to bite off whatever lipstick she applied.

  She left the safety of the bathroom stall, taking small steps. The silver balls at her breasts pulled and swayed with each movement, squeezing her sensitized nipples. The ball at her clit rubbed erotically, sending tingling darts into her pussy. The ball at her ass rimmed her anus. Sensation bombarded her from all sides, leaving her no room to hide. She felt raw, open and very, very vulnerable.

  She took a few more steps, into the outer sitting r
oom, where a woman stood primping in front of the mirror. Two more steps, and then she gasped, her hand groping the high back of a chair for support.

  The woman glanced her way. “Are you all right?”

  “Fine,” mumbled Maddie, hurrying past her to the door. But when she got there, she paused, her eyes closing. The sensations were just too intense.

  Rafael expected her to walk into a crowded room feeling like this? How could she? And presuming she found the courage to obey, once she was seated opposite him, she would have to look into his eyes. And he would know exactly what she was feeling…

  Her legs trembled and her pussy quivered, but she managed push the sensations aside. She’d made a promise, given Rafael her word. Forty-eight hours. She wouldn’t run before the first hour was up.

  Her time had almost expired. Rafael was waiting for her. Squaring her shoulders, she pulled open the door. And almost collided with the man who was standing there.

  Patrick.

  * * * * *

  Patrick would’ve followed Maddie right into the ladies’ room if another woman hadn’t entered a few steps behind her. Damn it all to hell! He’d waited outside the ladies’ room door, fuming and trying not to look like a lurking pervert.

  When she finally did appear, he wasn’t ready.

  Or, more accurately, he wasn’t ready for the sight of her erect nipples straining against the soft knit of her dress, clearly cinched with what looked like nipple rings. Holy shit. Montevale must’ve ordered her to put them on.

  His cock hardened.

  She stared at him. “Patrick! What are you doing here?”

  He found his voice, but it sounded about an octave too high. “What do you think?”

  “I…I don’t know. And I don’t want to know, either.” Her face flamed scarlet. “Look, you should leave. I…I don’t need your wingman services anymore. Rafael is fine.”

  “Is he, now?” He didn’t try to hide his sarcasm.

  “Yes.” She didn’t have time for this—Rafael’s deadline was rapidly approaching. She tried to brush past him.

  He sidestepped into her path. “This is a bad idea, Maddie.”

  “That’s not for you to decide. You’re working for me, remember? Just do what I say.”

  He grabbed her wrist. “Like hell I will. I want to know what the fuck you think you’re doing.”

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she said, but she didn’t meet his gaze. She wrenched her arm, trying to pull free.

  His fingers tightened. “I think you do know. Look at me, damn it.”

  When she didn’t comply, he caught her chin with his free hand and forced her to meet his gaze. “I know what this place is, Maddie. And you do, too, don’t you? That’s why you were so hot to come here.”

  Maddie kept her lips pressed together, but Patrick read the truth in her eyes. “Son of a bitch,” he swore softly.

  “Let me go. It’s none of your business.”

  “I have a signed contract that says otherwise.” He released her chin, but retained his grip on her wrist. “And even if I hadn’t signed that fucking paper, what makes you think I’d let you go off to God only knows where with some sadomasochist bastard?”

  “Rafael’s not like that.”

  Patrick’s laugh was harsh. “Yeah, you would know, wouldn’t you? You’ve known him for, what, an hour?”

  A man approached, eyeing them curiously. Patrick raised his head and gave him a keep-out-of-it look. The man nodded, a mocking smirk touching his lips as he entered the men’s room.

  Great. He probably thinks I can’t handle my woman. Which would be true, except that Maddie wasn’t even his woman.

  She wrenched her wrist free. “Damn it, Patrick, go home. I’ll be fine.”

  He looped a finger through the silver chain at her throat. “Nice collar.” He flexed his arm, giving Maddie no choice but to stumble toward him. He leaned close, let his breath touch her ear. “You’re going to let Montevale tie you up and fuck you, aren’t you?” he whispered. “You get off on that, huh? Will you call him Master? Beg him to let you suck his cock?”

  “I—”

  He laughed again, without humor. “Who would have thought hard-ass lawyer Maddie Brindisi creamed herself at the thought of being ordered around? You know, Maddie, just the thought of it turns me on like crazy. I bet it would turn a lot of other people on, too. Like maybe every damn guy who works for KK&R?”

  Her eyes flashed with anger. “Fuck you, Patrick. You signed an agreement. Tell one soul about this and I will sue your ass so completely you won’t have a pair of pants left to cover it with.”

  “Don’t leave with Montevale, Maddie,” he said, his chest tightening. “It could be dangerous.”

  Her lips parted. “It’s none of your business. Go home, Patrick. Now.”

  “He could hurt you.”

  “He’s a well-known businessman. He owns this place—he’s not going to risk it by abusing his patrons.” She put her hand on his wrist, trying to dislodge his finger from her collar. When she couldn’t do it, she gave a squeal of frustration. “Let me go.”

  Reluctantly, Patrick released her. “You’re really determined to go through with this, aren’t you?”

  She lifted her chin and met his gaze squarely. “Yes. I’ve agreed to give Rafael the next forty-eight hours.”

  “Shit.” Patrick ran a hand through his red curls. “You’re staying with that bastard until Sunday night? As his sex slave?”

  Maddie glowered. “Just keep it to yourself, McIllhenny. Don’t forget you signed the confidentiality agreement.”

  “Oh, I won’t forget it, believe me.”

  “Good. Don’t forget you’re working for me, either. You have to do what I say, and I’m telling you now—go home.”

  Patrick just snorted.

  Maddie huffed. But her eyes betrayed anxiety. They kept darting toward the dining room. Suddenly, Patrick understood. “He gave you a time limit, didn’t he? And you’re past it now.”

  “Thanks to you,” Maddie muttered.

  Patrick crossed his arms. “What will he do for punishment, I wonder? Whip you? String you up?”

  “Get out of my way,” Maddie said through clenched teeth.

  Patrick stepped aside. “Yeah, okay. Go back to your Master. But just remember one thing.”

  Maddie, who had already taken two steps away, paused and looked back. “What’s that?”

  “I’ll be watching.”

  * * * * *

  The encounter with Patrick left Maddie shaken. She’d never seen him so angry—or so forceful. For a split second, she actually thought he was going stop her from returning to Rafael. He’d relented, thank God, but the strange intensity about him hadn’t abated one bit. She couldn’t shake the feel of his anger as she made her way back to her table.

  She had to force herself not to trot. Because of the run-in with Patrick, she was well over her time limit, though she wasn’t sure by how much. A jolt of fear shot through her. What would Rafael do about that? Her stomach lurched. She’d failed the first test he’d given her. Some submissive she was turning out to be.

  Rafael stood at her approach. His posture was relaxed, almost negligent, his eyes betraying nothing of his emotions. His gaze dropped to her chest and lingered there.

  Her nipples contracted. The silver balls dipped, creating an ache that traveled from the tips of her breasts to every cell in her body. Her lower belly tightened and her new thong grew wet.

  His attention shifted to his watch. “Fifteen minutes, cara. I told you ten.”

  “I’m sorry,” Maddie said, eyes downcast.

  He circled behind her and pulled out her chair. “Since this is your first offense, I’ll let it pass. But you can be sure this will be the only time you escape discipline for an infraction.” He leaned close, his lips brushing her ear. “Do not disappoint me again.”

  Maddie felt a stab of guilt and a renewed surge of anger at Patrick for making her fail this first test. “I…I w
on’t.”

  “Good.” Rafael nodded toward the chair.

  Maddie began to sit, then froze as Patrick moved into view behind Rafael. He hadn’t left Montevale’s as she’d demanded. Far from it. She watched as he dropped into his chair and leaned back, lifting his chin and giving her raised eyebrows. Abruptly, she looked away.

  “Sit, cara,” Rafael murmured.

  She lowered herself into her chair. As her ass brushed the seat, the thong’s larger silver ball pressed more firmly against her lubricated opening. She went still, her gaze snapping to Rafael, who had come around the table and was taking his own seat. Somehow, during her altercation with Patrick, she’d forgotten the ball’s presence. Now she could focus on nothing else.

  Rafael’s dark eyes were amused. “Sit back, Madeline. All the way.”

  Taking the deepest breath she could manage, Maddie did as she was told. The cool silver ball invaded her anus, stretching it wide as it entered, until her opening was firmly plugged. It wasn’t painful, exactly. But it certainly wasn’t comfortable.

  But it was definitely arousing.

  She wriggled her ass on the seat, trying to gain some control over the sensations bombarding her body. The motion only served to anchor the ball more firmly in her ass. It wouldn’t slip all the way in, since it was attached to the thong. No, it stayed right at the entry point, in contact with what felt like a zillion nerve endings, rotating a bit every time she moved.

  And as she shifted, trying to lessen the sense of invasion, the second, smaller ball—the one nestled on her clit—moved as well, sending a dart of pleasure through her pussy. The nipple balls swayed. A fierce ache mingled with the pleasure in her pussy and the invasion in her ass. The sensations merged, jumbling together in her mind.

  Her heart was stuttering. She drew a sharp breath, then another, trying to calm herself. But the movement only caused her chest to rise and the nipple rings to pull.

  She clutched the edge of the table.

  Rafael chuckled softly. “Are you aroused, cara? No, don’t look away from me. This is your first lesson. A submissive is not allowed the luxury of privacy. For the time you belong to me, your every action, thought and feeling is mine. When I ask a question, you must answer. You will not lie, not even if you think the answer will displease me. Do you understand?”