by Jenna Jacob
Sanna jutted out her chin. “No he won’t, cuz I’ll cut his—”
“Stand down, precious. Pull your claws back in. If any Dom needs to be dealt with, we’ll handle it. You stay in your place for Dylan and me. Got it?”
“Yes, Sir.” Sanna pouted.
There was a soft tap on the door. Nick opened it and Trevor bounded in wearing a huge smile.
“It’s almost time,” he announced. Then he zeroed in on me. “Are you doing okay?”
“I’m good as gold,” I assured him.
“Good. We’ve saved you some seats and oh, just so you know. Mika asked Monster…errr I mean Master Kerr to leave,” Trevor made a funny ‘ooops’ face and laughed. “You hold your head high, girly-girl, and prance that sexy lil ass of yours out to the dungeon. It’s partayyyy time.”
“God, I love you, Trevor,” I laughed.
He blew me a kiss. “It’s mutual, dahhhling. Come on, they’re about ready to start.” With a squeal of excitement, Trevor skipped out the door.
I squared my shoulders and raised my chin as we paraded back inside the dungeon. Of course Joshua’s arm banded around my waist bolstered my self-assurance, but I’d made up my mind Davis Walker no longer had the power to unhinge me, ever again.
Drake, Trevor, and Dylan sat in the front row. Dylan wore no visible signs of a fight—thank goodness—just a smug, confident smile poised on his lips. Once seated, Joshua slipped his arm around my shoulder and I settled in against him.
Moments later, Mika stepped onto a raised platform at the front of the room and placed a fluffy red pillow on the floor. Facing the crowd, he placed his hands behind his back, spread his legs in an imposing Dom stance, and stared toward the back of the room.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Twisting in my chair, I watched Julianna and Leagh enter the back of the dungeon through the velvet curtain. Julianna carried a gold tray that held a wide silver band. Tony joined Mika on the platform, each focused keenly on their women dressed in matching burgundy silk gowns.
The smiles they’d worn at the wedding had been replaced by serious expressions, underscoring the significance of the event. Even the air felt weighed in authority, and envy pulsed in my veins.
Julianna and Leagh stepped up to the platform, assuming positions strikingly reminiscent of the wedding.
“You look exquisite, angel,” Tony praised as he reached up and stroked her cheek.
“Thank you, Master. You look incredibly handsome, as always.”
Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling away. His expression fell sober. “Tonight is the last time I will ever ask you to kneel before me.”
Leagh’s breath rushed out on a ragged quiver and her whole body visibly shook. She lowered her head and sank to her knees on the pillow at Tony’s feet. With grace and beauty she spread her legs and rested her open palms on her thighs.
Tony’s chest expanded as he drank in her submissive splendor. “Raise your head and look at me, sub.”
Leagh obeyed his command, and they stared at one another for a long moment, enveloped in a private bubble of love. With a resolute nod, Tony took one step forward then cupped his hands and placed his open palms against Leagh’s lips.
“With these hands, I promise to mold you. Caress and soothe you in times of harmony and in strife. Punish you, when necessary, and soar you to the heavens, time and again. Never will you be alone, for I will always be by your side, treasuring your gifts and providing your fulfillment. You are my love. My slave. My slut. My angel. For all the days of my life, I vow to hold and protect you… in the palm of my hands.”
Tony’s deep, heartfelt vow echoed through the dungeon. Tears swelled in my eyes and Leagh’s shoulders shook in silent sobs. Struggling to hold back my own emotions, I had to fight even harder when I spied Sanna’s flowing tears.
Removing his hands, Tony stepped back. “I give you all I am, girl. Is there something you wish to give me?”
Leagh nodded ever so subtly, sniffed and inhaled a deep breath.
“I ache to give you my heart, mind, body, and soul to shape beneath your Masterful hands. Yield to your Dominant commands. Immerse you in all the love I possess, and fulfill your every fantasy. Ease your burdens and bring you joy, both day and night. Live my life as the embodiment of your command, to represent you in a golden light of devotion and honor. I vow to kneel at your feet, stand by your side, and follow where you lead. All that I am… all that I’ll ever be is yours. I beg your collar, Master. Please, grant me the precious gift my heart desires… make me whole.”
Oh god. A tear slid down my cheek and I raised my hand to my mouth to hold back a sob.
Leagh had put voice to all the longings trapped inside me and the floodgates burst open. The onslaught of the submissive desires exploding inside left me raw… exposed. There was no place for me to hide.
Joshua issued a murmured sound of understanding and squeezed my shoulder, drawing me closer to his side.
Julianna bowed her head in respect as she stepped up and presented Tony with the golden tray. He lifted the silver collar and bent to one knee before Leagh.
“I accept your gifts. Your love. Your commitment. I bind you to me, now and forever, my beautiful slave.” Clicking the metal fastener in place, Tony slid his fingers under her chin and tipped her head up slightly, then gazed into her eyes with a look of pure possession.
“You are mine,” Tony proclaimed in a beastly roar.
Lifting her from the floor, he devoured Leagh beneath a blistering kiss. A collective sigh of appreciation fluttered through the crowd. There was no thunderous applause or rowdy cheers, simply a potent sense of respect permeating the air.
I ached to feel the completeness their ceremony conveyed. Unable to hold back my tears, Joshua leaned over and tenderly sipped the moisture from my cheeks.
“It’s time you unlocked the cage and set her free, little one,” he whispered in my ear.
I sucked in a shaky breath and nodded. Did I possess the strength to perform such a feat?
Mika turned and walked from the platform. In proper submissive etiquette Julianna fell in behind her Master, leaving Tony and Leagh to revel in their bond. Without disturbing them, James ascended the stage, hauling a small spanking bench and table. Dressed in a tight black T-shirt with the word ‘Security’ emblazoned over his muscular chest, he arranged the furniture then set a black silk bag atop the table. Smiling at the kissing couple, James left the stage.
When Tony finally ended his claim of Leagh’s mouth she spied the equipment. Her blissful expression transformed into a look of sheer panic.
“Remove the items from the bag, angel,” Tony instructed with a wicked grin.
She hesitated for the briefest second before resolution replaced apprehension. Her mind might have coerced her to obey, but her hands trembled in as she removed a tube of lube; proof her body wanted to rebel at the task. Reaching in again, Leagh removed a bright pink butt plug and her cheeks blazed in a crimson blush.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Trevor whispered with glee.
“Shhh,” Drake admonished with an angry scowl.
Snuggling in deep against his Master’s chest, Trevor’s pretty blue eyes sparkled in longing.
“Thank you, angel.” Scalpel sharp, Tony studied Leagh’s reactions closely. No doubt he knew her anxiety at publically performing the ritual. “Off with the dress and there’d better not be a scrap of anything beneath it, my love.”
Her face burned a deeper red and she shook her head. Pulling the flimsy material up over her head, she placed it in Tony’s waiting hand. Her pale skin glowed beneath the harsh lights and her nipples grew dark and tight.
“Do you know what I have planned for you, angel?”
“Yes, Master.”
“What?”
“You plan to claim me.”
“Indeed I do. Claim you how?”
Leagh’s eyes widened before she cast them toward the floor. “The way a Master c
laims his slave, Sir.”
“Stalling is not a wise choice, my beauty. Say it.” Tony’s command turned harsh.
“You plan to claim my ass, Master.”
“Yes,” he softened. “I’ve been hard for months dreaming about this day.”
Tony patted the padded spanking bench in silent instruction. Leagh slowly positioned herself upon the apparatus and closed her eyes.
Tony smirked. “Turn your head toward the crowd, girl and look at the sea of faces watching… waiting to witness the precious gift you intend to give me.”
She sucked in a ragged breath and did as Tony bid. Homing in on Sanna, her stare never wavered. My sister issued a tight but reassuring smile and nodded in support of her friend. “You’ll be fine,” she mouthed in encouragement.
Tony wore a grin from ear to ear as he slowly smoothed a palm over her butt cheeks. “So soft. So silky… so mine,” he triumphed before bringing his hand down with a hard slap.
Leagh jumped with a start before a dreamy expression spread over her face.
“I own your heart, body, and soul. Now bend over, angel. The heady offer of your virgin ass is too hard to resist. And granting this gift for all to witness is a potent declaration of your bravery and reinforces the vows you just made to me. This leap of faith proves that your word is as solid as the metal around your neck. Thank you, angel. You make me proud.”
“Thank you, Master.”
“Ahh, but you’ve also given me your mind, haven’t you, love?”
“Yes, Master.”
“You know I’m especially fond of crawling inside your mind, don’t you my love?”
“Yes, Master.” Her brows furrowed ever so slightly.
“Then it probably comes as no surprise that there’s still a sadistic bastard running around loose inside my head does it, angel?” Tony chuckled. “Do you understand what that means?”
“No, Sir.” Leagh swallowed tightly, her face lined in a pensive expression.
“It means I fully intend to claim your virgin ass, alone in the privacy of our own little room.”
Talk about a mammoth mind fuck. Tony was a sadistic bastard… a huge one.
Leagh closed her eyes and exhaled a huge sigh of relief. No doubt elated she’d not have to perform such an intimate act in a room full of people. Suddenly her eyes flew open and her expression hardened. Drawing her lips in a tight thin line, she shot a glance over her shoulder, pinning Tony with a look of a slow and certain death.
Tony arched his brows and wagged his finger. “Ah, ah, ah, my saucy slave. You promised to be the embodiment of my control and to represent me in a golden light of devotion and honor, did you not?”
I wasn’t sure if Leagh was going to scream, cry, or reach out and slap the wicked smirk off Tony’s face. Grappling to find her submissive place, Leagh’s expression slowly softened and she nodded.
“Good girl. I plan to hold you to that whether I’m fucking your luscious, hot body, or your pretty little mind, my love.”
“I understand, Master.” She shook her head and smirked. “This is what I get for falling in love with a shrink.”
“A shrink and a sadist, angel,” Tony added. Turning toward the crowd, he pulled a small note from his pocket. “Let’s see. Get married. Check. Collar my girl. Check. Claim her virgin…ah, fuck yes.”
The entire dungeon exploded with laughter. Even Leagh started to giggle. With a mischievous grin, Tony plucked her off the spanking bench and tossed her over his shoulder like a caveman. Leagh yelped as Tony turned and faced the crowd.
“If you all will excuse us, seems I have one last item on my to-do list.”
With a wave to the crowd, he raced from the platform and hurried toward the private rooms.
A buzz filled the air as guest clustered in conversation, while some milled toward the bar. Several Doms and employees began rearranging the dungeon for play.
Sanna sidled next to me while her Doms and Joshua gathered in a circle, talking and laughing.
“That was so beautiful,” she gushed. “I didn’t think I was ever going to stop bawling.”
“It was absolutely gorgeous,” I agreed.
Trevor squeezed past us, plying Drake with a hopeful expression. “Do you have a ‘to-do’ list, Daddy?”
“I do. But you’ll have to find it, boy.” The big Dom smirked. “I’ll give you a hint. It’s not in my pocket but it is in my pants.”
Trevor squealed and nearly crawled up his Master’s body.
Drake shook his head. “Why do you act so deprived… Like I never play with you, boy?”
“It’s not that at all, Daddy. I can’t help it. I’m totally addicted to your big, fat—”
“Boy,” Drake thundered. “To our room. Now!”
Laughing, Sanna and I watched Trevor wriggle with excitement as Drake led him away.
Joshua, Dylan, and Nick were still clustered together, engaged in an extremely serious conversation.
“Wonder what those three are plotting?” I chuckled.
“I don’t know, but it looks pretty intense. Maybe they’re planning to take over the world.”
“I’d like it better if they were plotting to put some sated smiles on a couple of sisters’ faces. All this wedding and collaring shit’s made me horny as hell,” I grumbled.
“Oh god, me, too,” Sanna lamented, eyeing the butt plug and lube sitting untouched on the small table.
“I know what you want, you dirty little monkey,” I teased with a laugh.
“Damn straight I do.” she grinned.
We were both laughing when Joshua came up behind me and slid his arm around my waist. I jumped with a start. “Come with me,” he murmured in my ear.
“Ah, I guess I’ll see you later, Sanna,” I squeaked as he whisked me away.
My stomach began fluttering the moment I realized Joshua was heading toward the hall.
“I’ve been dying all day to get you alone,” he murmured.
“To do what?” I asked with an impish grin.
“Well, to talk, of course. Why else would I want you alone?” He grinned.
“Talk, huh?”
“Or whatever,” he smirked with a wave of his hand.
“I’d prefer whatever over talking, in case you’re wondering... err, Sir.” I flashed him a sultry smile.
“Sir? I like where this is going, but save that look until I get the damn door unlocked, would you, girl?” he groused digging through his pocket for the key. “Because if you don’t, I’m going to lay you out in the middle of hall here and fuck you seven ways to Sunday. I somehow think you’d be a bit mortified giving such a display.”
“So you’re an exhibitionist? That kind of turns me on… just a little.” I couldn’t stop toying with him. His impatient and harried mien was… well, cute.
He pulled out his keys and drew his palm over my ass. “You’re still one swat short, little one. Don’t forget.”
“Trust me. I haven’t, Sir.” I purred in a vampish kitten-soft voice.
“Fuck,” he cursed, trying to jam the key into the lock. I swallowed down a giggle. Mr. Cool, Calm and Collected was unraveling, wildly.
“I’ll never force you to do anything, little one. But if you stop taunting the beast within me, I’ll make sure you wind up begging me to stop.”
He inhaled a deep breath, unlocked the door and practically dragged me inside. Slamming it shut behind us, he pressed me up against the cool wooden surface. His long fingers tangled in my hair and his mouth seized mine in a frenzied rush to own. Tossing my clutch to the floor, I wrapped my arms around his neck, giving back just as good as I got.
God, he drove me insane, stripped my inhibitions, and set my whole body ablaze.
Lips locked in a passionate duel of tongues, our impatient fingers tore at each other’s clothing. Slowed as he tried to set my corset free, Joshua issued a few colorful curses before we were both naked and tumbling into his bed.
Skimming his lips down the column of my neck, he nip
ped and licked, ramping me up with his gifted mouth. Dipping lower, he latched onto my nipple and sucked the aching bud in deep. I arched, crying out at the blissful sting racing beneath my flesh.
“You’ve been driving me out of my fucking mind all night, wanting to taste these sweet berries,” he grumbled against my skin. “I should spank your ass for wearing that damn sexy corset and teasing me like you did.”
“Spank Sanna, it’s hers,” I giggled. “Oh, wait… what am I saying? No. I mean yes, spank me, Joshua… spank me.”
Suddenly, he lifted from my body. A scowl knitted his brow. “What did you call me?”
A wave of despair slammed me, far harsher than a mere slip of the tongue should have. Where was this shit storm of shame coming from? Granted, I’d started to submit, but not a level lofty enough to elicit such remorse.
“Stephen, Sir.” My voice quivered and tears stung my eyes.
“Easy, Mellie. It was nothing more than a reminder. I certainly didn’t mean to toss you to the four corners under a landslide of rejection.”
I was unnerved by his uncanny intuition. He knew exactly how to pluck me off the ledge of panic and wrap me in a cloak of safety. Joshua seemed almost psychic when it came to my emotions. I’d read about that kind of thing in romance novels, but never thought for a second it could really exist—until now.
“I know. I’m sorry. I overreacted.”
But why? Why did you? I had no answer to give the enquiring voice inside my head.
“I’m not upset. But don’t internalize those things. Share them with me, or I’ll spank your ass for that, too.”
Still struggling to fathom why disappointing him had put me in such a tailspin, walls of protection shot up around me. Painting on a sassy smile, I deflected his instruction with humor.
“I think you’re looking for excuses to spank me, Sir.”
“I think you’re wishing I’d shut up and do it,” he laughed.
“Me? Think that? Why, I never…” Glancing around the ceiling, I whistled in feigned innocence. As long as I kept things light and breezy, I might just survive this test of submission.
“Right. Okay, little one. Let’s get this ironed out. Do you still trust me?”
