Freed

by Stacey Kennedy

  She stared up into his warm brown eyes. “I do know better.”

  “Good.” He folded his arms over his thick chest. “I’ll ask again, why do you wear this corset?”

  Mary had seen some submissives shy away in a moment like this. But years of playing and being comfortable in the role had her lifting her chin. “I’m a mother of three. My stomach has stretch marks and is not my best attribute. I feel more comfortable in a corset than I would naked.”

  His gaze softened with his sweet smile. “The truth sounds so much prettier coming from your mouth.” He slid his hand along the front of her corset. “These are marks of life and nothing to be ashamed of. Why do you think a man would see stretch marks from childbirth as flaws?”

  She swallowed as something seductive passed in the air between them. The way Elliott moved and his subtle commands were controlling. He knew how to look at her, how to talk to her. It all set her aflame. After a stabilizing breath, she gave an easy shrug. “Truthfully, my choice to wear corsets isn’t about the man. It’s about me and how I’m most comfortable.”

  His grin slowly built to a bright smile. “Ah, and that’s what makes you such a lovely woman.” He tucked a finger under her chin, forcing her gaze. “A submissive who knows herself and stays true to herself is a thing of beauty.” Taking a step back toward the bed, he shrugged off his coat and removed his shirt with quick fingers. “Do you see my scars?”

  Mary swallowed deeply, as all she saw was a fit man. Her fingers itched to run through his soft chest hair. His thick frame delighted her with the slight definition of muscle on his stomach. Then she noticed the scars along his torso. “Yes, I see them. Appendix and spleen.”

  Surprise lightened his eyes. “How do you know what surgeries I’ve had?”

  “I’m a doctor.” She glanced to the scars again on his torso and laughed. “I could be wrong, of course.”

  “In fact, you’re not.” His grin remained intact as his brow arched. “Tell me, do my scars look ugly to you?”

  She gave him a slow, appreciative once-over. “Absolutely not.”

  “Precisely. Scars are marks of life and don’t matter. Take off the corset.”

  Mary took a step back, a sense of unease cutting through her. “No.”

  He matched her retreat and closed the distance. His voice lowered. “No?”

  “No, sir,” she repeated softly.

  She might be a confident woman, but she hadn’t been naked for a man that wasn’t Charles since she was in her twenties. After three children, things were not nearly as tight as they’d once been. “I’m not comfortable with that, sir.”

  “Hmmm…” He tapped his lip, his eyes narrowing. “I see.”

  Under that all-consuming stare of his, she burned. He looked to her like she was a puzzle he intended to solve. As an experienced submissive, she knew this was their negotiation and his testing of her. She also knew what she wanted and how she wanted it.

  Mary had power now, and she intended for Elliott to witness it.

  “All right, Mary.” He rocked on his heels and laced his hands behind his back. “I’ll allow you this one freedom.” Then he leaned down into her face, erasing the distance. “Know, though, that I’m being kind to your insecurity. This is not weakness on my part as a Dom, but tenderness to your comfort level. Understand?”

  “Of course I know that, sir,” she replied.

  She also knew that he hadn’t allowed her this right because she refused. He allowed it because he took measure in the care of his submissive.

  That made him worthy.

  It also built trust.

  His chin lifted in response to something he saw in her expression. “Ah, beautiful, I’ve never minded a woman with a little fight in her.”

  “Good, because that’s what you’ve got, sir,” she retorted.

  Elliott couldn’t fight back his grin. Playful. Strong. Beautiful. Mary was damn near perfect. He didn’t mind her pushing for what made her comfortable. In fact, he approved of her strength. Domination didn’t appeal to him as a way to bulldoze a woman. His cravings came from the sensation that a woman trusted him enough to let it all go. To be in his headspace for a little while, trusting he’d do right by her.

  His cock twitched in his pants as he realized Mary was the perfect combination of sexy and confident. The fire in her eyes when she refused him burned into his groin. A little push and shove in a game of power was something he enjoyed.

  Keeping his hands clasped at his back, he asked, “Hard limits I should be aware of?”

  Mary’s response was instant. “No choking. No blood play. No name calling or humiliation. No marks that won’t fade by the morning.”

  Christ, how she declared her sexual dislikes entranced him. This was a reason why he never played with young submissives. He preferred women who knew their bodies and were well acquainted with their desires. “How about soft limits?”

  “Caning and whipping.”

  He drew in close and inhaled her rich scent of roses, sensing the heat and need off her body. Her limits were right in line with his, and for him it’d always been about the power play. He used toys as a way to fuel pleasure, if his submissive needed it. But he didn’t get off on whipping a woman. He got off on watching her melt under his command.

  Unable to stop himself from touching her, he dragged his fingers over her cheek and smiled when she leaned in to him. Her eyes all but blazed with arousal, and he found himself enraptured. Not all submissives reacted so intensely to him, and there was something incredibly potent about how she outright burned for him. “Very well. And a safe word?”

  “Shipwreck.”

  He lowered his hand in surprise. “What’s the meaning behind your safe word?”

  She flicked her long locks over her shoulder, inviting him to kiss her creamy flesh. “It’s always been my safe word from day one. As in, if my Dom goes too far and doesn’t stop, I’m going to crash.”

  Interesting word choice, Elliott thought. Though it also gave him a little insight into what Mary did with her free time. “Do you like sailing?”

  She nodded, the passion shining through her bright eyes. “I have a small sailboat at my lake house on Lake Las Vegas.”

  He had traveled there before, and understood why she enjoyed it. It was close enough to Vegas to frequent, but far enough for a weekend getaway. The things he liked about Mary were adding up. “I enjoy the water as well.”

  “Do you?” she asked with raised brows.

  He nodded, wondering over her shock—maybe she was as amazed by their chemistry as he was. “In my twenties, I traveled the French Riviera and the British Virgin Islands. Lately I haven’t gotten out on the water as much as I’d like.”

  Her lips parted, and a small squeak came out before she clamped her mouth shut. Elliott narrowed his eyes in wonderment. By all appearances, it seemed as if she wanted to invite him to join her on her boat, but she stopped herself. He realized immediately that he wouldn’t mind the invitation, but would welcome it.

  What is it about you?

  He slid his fingers over her arm and paused, considering her. She fluttered at his touch, yet it was more his interest in her that made him curious. As was the fact that she heated up just so damn incredibly under his attention.

  For a submissive who’d never played with him before, she was entirely in tune with him. More than anything, for a split second, he wondered if he’d finally met his soul mate, a kinky woman who had a lot in common with him.

  He ran his hand all the way up to her shoulder, then tangled his fingers into her hair, gripping tightly. At her gasp, he winked. “All right, so Shipwreck keeps you safe. Is there anything else I need to know before I enjoy this sexy body of yours, Mary?”

  Her breath whooshed from her lungs. “No, sir.”

  So responsive. So beautiful.

  He dropped his gaze to hers, staring into her dazzling eyes. “My preferences are simple: Respect goes far with me. So keep that in mind.” Closing hi
s body against hers, he added, “Don’t hold back vocally with me. I like to hear how good I’m making you feel.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  She started trembling, and that encouraged him, as he now knew this was her body’s indication of her excitement. He lowered his voice, sensing a similar intense need running through him. If she reacted like this without sexual touches, how would she react once he got her deep into a scene? He wanted to find out. “As we discussed, the corset can stay, but the panties must go.”

  With no hesitation on her part, she removed her panties and handed them to him. That simple action told him much more about her than words ever could. She had been trained by an experienced Dom.

  Her panties always belonged to her Dom.

  He tucked her lacy panties into his pocket and took a step back. “Widen your legs. Fingers laced behind your head.”

  She responded instantly, and he allowed himself the right to admire her. Her pubic hair was trimmed, just as he liked it. The corset made her waist thin and her breasts popped out of the top, squishing them together and calling for his tongue to dive in their depths. Even if he preferred her out of that corset with her entire body available to him, she did look beautiful in it.

  Her insistence on wearing the corset indicated to him that she was keeping him at a distance. She was telling him he needed to earn her trust, and that was something he didn’t mind working for. In fact, he rather liked knowing that he had to procure a few things.

  It kept the game interesting.

  He strode around her, getting a view of her fine ass. Round and perfect for a hand to slap. So nice that he couldn’t help himself from squeezing the flesh and giving it a light tap. She moaned deeply, almost yearningly.

  Mary stunned him with her beauty. He couldn’t understand why a submissive as trained as Mary appeared to be had been out of the lifestyle for so long. Yes, he held sympathy for her husband’s passing, but four years was a long time to be without a Dominant’s touch.

  A touch that a submissive needed in her life.

  More so, a woman this connected to her sensuality should have indulged sooner, but why hadn’t she? Mary was an intriguing woman he wanted to explore. She kept some parts hidden from him, and that increased her appeal, whether she realized it or not. Nearly all submissives hadn’t hidden as much as Mary did, or pushed against his mastery like she had, but they also hadn’t revealed so much without words.

  She’s an interesting little one.

  Moving to her front, he noticed her pinkish cheeks and her swollen lips, which were all invitations for him to take what he wanted. He cupped her chin and shamelessly took her into his kiss. His tongue plunged into her mouth and she immediately caught up with him. Running his hand over her cheek, he tangled his fingers into her hair and deepened his affection.

  Rough and raw, he gave Mary what she needed. He sensed in the way she arched into him that she’d longed for someone to treat her not so gently, but to treat her like a woman who was desired. A woman who wouldn’t break under his rough hand, but would soar into pleasure.

  Her kiss told him all he needed to know about her. She gave him everything, so much it made him pause. It wasn’t only her lips following his; it was the way she sank into his hold. The emotion that came through her embrace, and the soft mewls she gave.

  She kissed in a way that wasn’t an offer—rather, like she belonged to his touch. He withdrew his tongue from her mouth, stopping the sensual dance, then nipped her bottom lip, igniting her gasp.

  Keeping his fingers tight in her hair, he looked into her dark, lustful eyes. “You hide nothing in your kiss. Quite the contrary to what you say.”

  A heady sadness crossed her features. “I simply need to be reminded how to trust, sir.”

  He gazed deeply at her, as it almost seemed like Mary was two different people. In his touch, she melted right into him without hesitation. With words, she hid and avoided him. “Ah, darlin’.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, and, not surprising him, she drew his digit into her mouth and sucked hard. Oh, this would be an unforgettable night. “I think you need a lot more than that.”

  Chapter Four

  His touch…

  His words…

  They were all so familiar, so similar to what Charles used to say to her. Exactly how Charles used to touch her. More important, how Charles always made her feel. Mary’s mind raced to catch up as her body was tossed into a carnal state of lust that she couldn’t control, nor did she want to.

  She had craved this for so long—to feel the hands of a Dominant, but just as she tumbled into the sensation, her heart recoiled…only remembering her Dom.

  At Chains, Mary fought to take it all in. Dark atmosphere, with BDSM equipment located throughout the room, with screams of pleasure and pain washing over, and her stomach fluttering with nerves. She’d never done anything so sexually bold before in her twenty-three years, but after meeting Charles her small world had been forever changed. Even now, the shaking of her hands wasn’t all from nervousness, as heady warmth slid into her loins.

  Mary wanted him to take her in front of an audience. She longed to feel the soft leather of a flogger, in the same way that she’d seen other Doms do to their submissives in the club. More than anything, she craved to be the woman that Charles set his intense focus on and took into euphoria.

  Next to the spanking bench, Charles slowly circled her, as the warm air brushed against her naked skin. “I know your limits. I won’t overstep them.” Limits that were put into her agreement that she had to sign when she joined the club two weeks ago. Charles had requested she only watch and learn the ropes, so to speak. Now he had said she was ready to play.

  Moving to her front, he slid his finger over her jaw. “Do you trust me?”

  Her response was immediate. “Entirely, sir.”

  He smiled, gentleness crossing his face. “I’m pleased that you do.”

  She stared into his dark eyes, overwhelmed by him. What a whirlwind their relationship had been. First dating casually, then the conversation came when he told her he was a sexual Dominant. He had explained that he enjoyed playing in BDSM clubs, exploring a kinky lifestyle, and commanding a woman.

  The idea hadn’t turned her away, it had intrigued her.

  Many conversations later, she had agreed to explore the lifestyle with him and had joined a BDSM club, something she never pictured herself doing. Now she realized, with Charles by her side, her life would forever change from this moment on.

  His gaze held hers before he walked around her, dragging a finger along her arm to her shoulder, over her back, then down her spine. “Such soft skin,” he murmured. “Skin that I will taste tonight. Skin that will heat under my touch, Mary.”

  “Yes, sir,” she whispered, as a slow-building ache developed between her thighs.

  No man had ever paid this much attention to her body. Not as if he was devouring her. No, as if he was savoring every moment and taking his time to experience every touch. She felt as if a man was finally paying attention to her and truly saw her soul. She realized with a warm glow inside that he wasn’t only treating her as a woman, but he was treating her like she belonged only to him.

  Her eyes fluttered as he caressed her bare spine, and she equated it to his tongue exploring her flesh. When she sensed him in front of her, she opened her eyes, and then she saw him. His powerful stare captivating, his confident presence commanding. He was just so self-assured, so aware of himself and of her. She shivered, consumed by the man who had stormed into her life after they met at a mutual friend’s dinner party. After dating for only a month, she was falling madly in love with him.

  His eyes held hers, and a small smile lifted the side of his mouth. “Made for the touch of a Dom, aren’t you, love?”

  “Your touch, sir,” she replied, feeling drunk on him.

  His smile began to beam. “Indeed, you are.”

  Warm air brushed against her bottom, snapping Mary into the present and remind
ing her that she was half naked, except for her corset. She blinked twice before Elliott came into focus, and she sought to relinquish control to him in the way she had with Charles. As if she was right back at the very beginning of the BDSM game—being a slightly nervous and unsure submissive with a new Dom.

  He traced her mouth with his finger, and the depths of his gaze held something she surprisingly wanted to learn more about. She shut her eyes, as heat pooled low in her body, causing her to tumble into delectable pleasure.

  His touch was electric. All-consuming. Wickedly sensual.

  When he dragged his thumb over her upper lip, she opened her eyes and they shared an understanding, as if he read her like an open book. But she saw him, too. There was something enticingly beautiful about Elliott. Powerful and sexy, yet also strong and confident.

  She sensed a spark that wanted to burn brighter.

  “So beautiful, Mary.” He smiled, dark and slightly possessive. “I expect you to stay with me until I release you, for however long that may be. Understand?”

  “I understand, sir,” she replied.

  “Good,” he said with a firm nod. “Because you are mine to consume tonight.”

  Yes, her body exclaimed.

  No, her heart whispered.

  Tonight was just one night and was supposed to be about sex, raw passion—but trapped in Elliott’s stare, more than just a physical connection was ignited that she couldn’t ignore. Charles once owned her, consumed her, electrified her. Elliott’s touch requested the same thing. Mary yearned to give it to him. Though in the second her body agreed, her heart battled back.

  Only minutes had passed since Charles had declared the start of their play session, but Mary was more ready for sex than she’d been, ever. And Charles had hardly touched her, only talking and gently caressing her. It didn’t matter that the club was busy around her or that she was a new member—only Charles mattered.

  He grasped her chin and darkness drifted into his eyes. “Those lips, Mary, they haunt me. Look at how they part under my touch.” She pressed her mouth against his thumb. He groaned and said, “They make me want to demand pleasure until you are begging me to stop.”