Dark Dominion: Dangerous Desire Book 1

by Samantha Wolfe

  "Hi, guys," Thea called out from her kitchen as we crossed between the dining area and the sitting area toward her. "There's wine if you want some." She nodded toward a bottle and several glasses on the opposite end of the massive kitchen island where she was tossing a salad in a large wooden bowl. Even dressed casually in jeans, a slouchy sweater, and her black hair pulled up, she looked beautiful and elegant just like the last time I saw her.

  I simply nodded as Gareth began pouring us some wine and chatting idly with Thea. It was all I could do not to stare at her. She was beautiful and striking, tall and slender with big brown eyes and flawless hazelnut skin. She looked so...normal. I couldn't imagine she was the kind of woman who was into such crazy kinky stuff. I mean, I was too since I'd discovered it with Gareth's help, but I did it behind closed doors. I felt my face heating again. Oh good Lord, I needed to get a grip.

  Gareth came closer to hand me a glass of red wine, and I gulped down a few fortifying swallows to calm my nerves. He watched me intently for a moment before he leaned in close to my ear. "Relax now, beautiful," he commanded me quietly yet firmly. "They don't know that you know, and even if they did, they wouldn't care."

  I breathed out a sigh of relief from his words. "Yes, sir," I whispered with a small nod. Now that I knew that, I did feel better. My discomfort began to fade away.

  He smiled softly and pressed a tender kiss to my temple. "Good girl," he murmured in a sexy tone that made me stifle a whimper of desire. My body seemed to melt against him in submission as I looked up at him through lowered lashes. I loved it when he called me a good girl. I loved pleasing him, wanted to be his good girl, and it inexplicably turned me on every time.

  "Go ahead and have a seat," Thea announced. "Dinner's ready."

  I glanced over to see her eying Gareth and me with a small amused smirk and a knowing expression. When Gareth turned away, she looked right at me and winked. I smiled back, wondering what that was all about, before following him to the table. Derek walked into the room, just as we sat down.

  Derek sat down across from me and immediately engaged me in conversation, asking me about my job and my family. Thea served dinner and easily joined the conversation as she sat next to her husband across from Gareth. They were both so engaging and easy to talk to that my earlier discomfort now seemed silly and unnecessary. By the end of the meal, all four of us were laughing and ribbing each other like old friends. I could see why Gareth cared so much for them both.

  After dinner, Derek dragged Gareth off with him downstairs to what I gathered was his basement man cave to check out his new home theater system. Thea and I began clearing the table and carrying the dirty dished back to the kitchen. We chatted about her boys while we worked, until everything was tucked into the dishwasher and Thea was finishing up wiping down the granite counter tops.

  "More wine?" Thea asked as she started the dishwasher.

  "Yes, please," I answered enthusiastically.

  Thea poured me another glass, and some water for herself since she said she was on call for the hospital later. I'd forgotten that she was a emergency doctor. We moved to sit on opposite ends of her soft luxurious sofa facing each other. She curled her long denim-clad legs under her body, then took a small sip from her glass, her warm brown eyes curious and accessing.

  "Can I ask you something really personal?" she asked in a calm soothing voice.

  "Sure," I replied easily as I brought my own glass to my lips. I was completely at ease with her now, so why not.

  "Is Gareth your first Dom?" she asked in a casual tone.

  I immediately began choking on the sip of wine I'd been attempting to swallow. I barely kept the glass from spilling all over the couch. Thea snatched the glass from me as I struggled to breathe past the coughing fit I was having. I felt my face heat with a blistering blush as I finally managed to catch my breath again.

  "Wh...what?" I croaked out in utter embarrassment, hoping I'd imagined her question.

  "I'm so sorry, Malory," Thea said apologetically as she set my glass on the coffee table, then smiled wryly. "Though judging from your reaction, can I assume your answer is yes?"

  "Uh...um..." I swallowed and managed to nod since I couldn't form words right now.

  "It's okay, Malory," she said reassuringly. "I didn't ask to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable." Her face was soft and understanding now. "Derek and I are into the lifestyle too, and I just thought if you had any questions or needed advice that I could help you if this was all new to you." She reached out and gently touched my arm. "It's a lot to take in and wrap your head around in the beginning, and it helps having an experienced sub to talk to about it. Sometimes it's easier to talk to another sub than your Dom. They can only understand so much of what it means to be a submissive."

  "How...how did...how did you...?" I stuttered out like an idiot as I stared at her in shock.

  "How did I know you were a submissive?" she supplied to help me out.

  I nodded dumbly, feeling like I wanted to crawl under the couch and never come out again. My face felt so hot I was afraid it would melt off my skull.

  "Well, for one, Derek told me since Gareth told him."

  Now anger joined my mortification. What had Gareth told Derek? Did he tell him what we did together? Oh my God, how would I ever be able to look at Derek again? I scowled as I suddenly wanted to march downstairs and lay into Gareth for having a big fat mouth.

  "Gareth didn't go into any detail about it," she said reassuringly as she watched my reaction. "He wouldn't do that."

  I let out a mollified sigh. Okay, that made me feel better.

  "He's very private about that stuff," she continued, "and apparently so are you. Besides, I would have known from the way you and Gareth interact with one another regardless."

  "How can you tell?" Kudos to me for managing a complete sentence without stuttering.

  "It's obvious if you know what to look for." She smiled softly. "Your body leans into him when he's close, and your eyes are usually cast down in a deferential way. It's instinctive, and you don't even know you're doing it. He's possessive and protective of you. He's always aware and attentive to you too. It's classic Dom and sub dynamics. You naturally want to submit to him, to let him take care of you, and he wants to be in control and take care of you."

  I pursed my lips uncomfortably before replying vehemently. "I'm my own woman, Thea. I can take care of myself." I wasn't giving up my independence to anyone, no matter how much I cared about them or struggled to understand my baser desires to submit in the bedroom.

  "Of course, you can, and so can I," she replied confidently. "It's not about giving up your independence, or because you can't take care of yourself. It's about temporarily giving up control to someone you can trust and feel safe with. It's a release when I surrender my control to Derek, and for me, as a mother of two and an emergency physician who has to constantly and vigilantly be in control, it helps me cope with the stress of my everyday life."

  A wistful smile fell across her lips. "Derek does that for me, and dominating me when we're intimate helps him cope with the things he can't control in his everyday life. Think of it as therapy we can give each other. I can let go of all my worries and let Derek have the control he needs in a safe and consensual way." She smiled wickedly. "And as an added bonus, it feels damn good too."

  I couldn't help smiling in return, because it did indeed feel damn good when Gareth dominated me. My embarrassment began to fade. Thea's candor and lack of judgment were setting me at ease. I was even considering asking her about the sex club and her activities there, but Gareth and Derek came back upstairs before I could work up the courage.

  Derek walked over to sit in one of the blue club chairs, and held a hand out toward his wife. She wordlessly rose and went to him. I looked on in surprise as she dropped gracefully onto the floor at his feet on the soft rug and rested her head on his thigh. She wrapped a hand around his lower leg and stared up at him adoringly as he mindlessly ran his f
ingers through her hair. All the while, he kept talking to Gareth like what they were doing was the most completely natural thing in the world. I imagine it was for them, and I suddenly found myself inexplicably longing to do the same with Gareth.

  I could feel Gareth's eyes on me as he sat in Thea's vacated spot on the sofa. I looked to see him regarding my face thoughtfully. He glanced over at Derek and Thea, then back at me with a warm smile.

  "Come here," he commanded as he reached a hand out to me.

  I scooted closer, and he pulled me down onto my side until my head came to rest on his thigh. I wasn't ready to sit at his feet yet, especially since we weren't alone, but this I could handle. As my Dom, he knew that. His fingers gently smoothed my hair away from my face with a soothing touch before his warm palm came to rest on the middle of my back in a proprietary way that I loved. I let out a deep contented sigh and snuggled against him as he continued his conversation with Derek without missing a beat.

  I gave myself over to him, and it felt so right and so good as my mind went to a calm and relaxed state. This was where I belonged when my whirring mind got the best of me, or I just needed to let go of all my worries. Nothing else mattered in this moment as I allowed this beautiful dominant man to take care of me and make me feel safe. Thea was right. My willing submission was a release, and for the first time, I truly understood and welcomed it without a single reservation or a second thought.

  **********

  "Strip and kneel right there, beautiful," Gareth told me in a commanding tone as he pointed to the floor in front of the coffee table. We'd just set foot on the second level of his penthouse apartment a moment ago, after returning here from Derek and Thea's house, and he wasn't wasting anytime falling into his roll as my Dom.

  "Yes, sir." I moved to stand where he indicated, wondering what he had in mind since we'd never played anywhere but in his bedroom before.

  He moved to sit on the sofa directly in front of me with the coffee table between us. He sat down, sprawling across the cushions like he owned the world and his eyes locking on me with heat and lust. He was so unbelievably gorgeous sitting there, with his dark eyes, strong jaw, and decadently soft lips, that I just stood there dumbly staring at him and not moving for several moments.

  He arched a dark brow and waved an impatient hand at me. "Do as your told."

  I jumped as I came back to reality. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." I hurriedly began unbuttoning my gray silk button-down shirt. He'd told me to wear something casual and easily removable with something sexy underneath tonight, and now I knew why.

  "Slow down," he said scoldingly with a slight twist of his lips. "I want to enjoy this."

  I nodded in reply and earned myself a hard stare. "Yes, sir," I quickly added.

  I focused on slowing my movements. I wanted to be sexy for him. I wanted to turn him on, and as I unfastened the last button on my shirt and saw the stark desire in his dark eyes, I realized that was a forgone conclusion. I should know by now that he always found me sexy. He'd proven that time and again, and now was no exception.

  Gareth's lustful eyes flashed down as I pulled my shirt open. My sheer burgundy lace bra was new, and left little to the imagination. I bought it and the matching thong just for him. It was the same color as the dress I was wearing when we met. It pushed my breasts up and together, and the effect must have worked because his eyes burned even hotter now as he stared at my chest.

  I slid the shirt off my shoulders and let it fall off my arms to flutter down to the soft rug I was standing on. I carefully unfastened my jeans under Gareth's heated gaze, feeling so very sexual and beautiful. I slowly pushed the denim down over my hips accompanied by the sound of Gareth's low appreciative growl. I watched him shift on the couch, a massive erection already unmistakably straining in his jeans. I did that to him, and the power I had over this man was heady and intoxicating.

  I pushed my jeans down to the floor, slipping off my ballet flats as I stepped out of them. I tossed it all aside and straightened to watch Gareth's reaction to my new lingerie. His eyes glittered with arousal now as he leaned forward.

  "Turn around," he growled out in a rough voice laced with need and barely gripped restraint.

  I obeyed immediately. My thong was basically just a tiny triangle of see-through lace and a few straps. It was the sexiest thing I'd ever purchased, if I did say so myself. I felt the heat of his stare on my backside.

  "Fuck, Malory," he whispered hoarsely. "Goddamn." It wasn't the voice of a Dom. It was the voice of a desperate man, and I couldn't help the smug smile that spread across my lips. "I think you've earned a punishment for taunting me like this. Don't you agree, beautiful?" His husky voice and the unmistakable promise of his words made my pussy clench and ache for whatever he was going to do me.

  "Yes, sir," I whimpered in desperation. "Please, sir."

  "Good girl," he crooned before his voice hardened again. "Take the rest off now, and kneel."

  It only took moments to remove my bra and panties, and then I was kneeling and staring at the soft rug in front of me with my head bowed and my hands palms up on my thighs the way he liked. I heard Gareth rise, and his footsteps moved closer to me. A hand wrapped around the back my neck, his fingers gripping me firmly and authoritatively.

  "You will not move from this spot until I tell you otherwise."

  "Yes, Gareth, sir." I sighed happily into his domineering touch.

  He removed his hand and walked away without another word. I heard the sound of his footsteps travel across the room and then disappear upstairs.

  I couldn't wait to find out what he had planned. I shivered in excitement and anticipation. I glanced around without moving my head at what I could see of the room to distract myself and calm down. That was when I noticed that Gareth's heavy punching bag was missing. The chain was still attached to the wooden beam above, but something else was hanging in its place. Two of Gareth's soft black leather cuffs now dangled from the chain. My breath caught as my heart fluttered then began to pound in my chest. Holy crap, what was he going to do to me? I got my answer soon enough.

  I heard Gareth stride back into the room and stop just in front of me. It was all I could do not to look up, but I somehow managed to obey as I stared at his bare feet. A long moment passed as I stayed still, even as my heart hammered away inside me.

  "Look at me," he finally demanded sharply.

  I glanced up to admire his now bare upper body, and gasped in surprise as I stared at what was in his hands. It was a black riding crop, a little over two feet long with a triangular leather tip and a leather-wrapped grip. He held it in both hands with an easy confidence, like he knew what he was doing with it. I was sure he did too, but it didn't stop the instant shock of fear that shot through my entire body.

  Suddenly, he slapped the tip of the crop on his palm with a sharp snap. The loud noise made me jump, and I feared my heart would beat right out of my rib cage. A low hum of satisfaction drew my eyes up to his face. A wicked smile spread wide across his lips, his eyes deep black pools of dark desire.

  "Up now, beautiful," he told me firmly.

  I obeyed even though my heart still beat frantically inside me with equal parts fear and excitement. I was pretty certain that Gareth was getting off on my fear, and to be honest, so was I. We both loved this crazy roller-coaster ride of fear and adrenaline we were riding together, and knew we'd find utter bliss at the end.

  He took my hand. "Come, beautiful," he murmured.

  He led me across the room and onto a thick foam mat on the floor that was usually under his now absent punching bag. The soft foam felt good under my bare feet. He directed me to stand beneath the dangling leather cuffs. He stepped up close to me and cupped my cheek in his right hand, his thumb gliding along the seam of my lips. I could feel the heat of his body, feel his power radiating out to envelope me. I unconsciously leaned into him.

  "Do you trust me?" he asked.

  I did. I trusted him completely. I trusted him with my
body, my mind, and as I was just realizing, my heart too. My God, I was in love with Gareth, and my mind didn't know what to do with that revelation. Now I was terrified for a very different reason. My heart stuttered in my chest, my breathing quickening as panic hit me.

  "Yes, sir," I answered in a breathy wavering voice that now had nothing to do with the crop he still held in his left hand.

  His thumb caressed my lips again as his eyes softened. "Then you need to let go now, beautiful." His voice was soothing and gentle, even though he had no idea why I was really freaking out. I certainly wasn't going to tell him. I was too afraid. Lord knows how he'd react. "You don't have to worry about anything. Give yourself to me, and I'll take care of you. Understood?"

  "Yes, sir," I replied softly.

  I did as he told me. I pushed the fear away and shoved down my panicked thoughts. I could worry about those things later. I latched onto his words, and gave myself over to his powerful presence. I felt myself relax and embrace my submission. I focused all my attention on Gareth, and it filled me with calm relief and quieted my mind. He nodded knowingly as I relaxed.

  "What's your safeword?" he demanded sternly.

  "Bourbon, sir," I answered immediately, my voice even and confident this time.

  "Good girl," he growled out in approval. "Arms up now."

  I complied, and sighed contentedly as he reached up and latched the cuffs around my wrists. My arms were stretched up high, yet not uncomfortably so, and my feet were still firmly planted on the foam mat. The soft leather around my wrists felt comforting and reassuring now, like the extension of Gareth's control that they were. I stilled and watched him, waiting for his next command and worrying about nothing else.

  Gareth stepped back, and transferred the crop to his right hand. He began circling me slowly.

  "As much as I love spanking with my hand, or using a flogger, the crop is still my favorite and the most versatile," he spoke as he disappeared behind me. "I like the sound it makes." Snap. I jumped at the startling sound coming from behind me. He must have struck it on his palm again. My heart rate sped up once more as my breathing quickened. I felt his warm breath as he leaned in close to my right ear. "I also like the reaction it elicits," he whispered roughly. "Don't you?"