by J. M. Walker
“I cared. Of course I cared. I’m not a monster. But no, I didn’t know he told you Charlie’s death was made to look like you did it. I had no idea Georgio would go that far.” My hands itched to reach out to Luther but instead, I kept them to myself.
Luther took another step toward me. “I have so many fucking questions. So many. But I’m tired and right now, I just don’t give a shit anymore.”
I backed up, not liking the way his hate was directed at me. “I know you’re mad but please don’t hate me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”
“Sorry.” He laughed, the sound cold and evil.
Before I could comprehend what he was doing, he charged toward me.
I jumped, running in the opposite direction.
“That’s right, Lexi. Run away from me. I know every inch of this house. I will find you. I will catch you. And I will break you. I will make you pay for the shit you’ve done.”
My eyes burned, my chest tightening. I ended up down a hall that looked familiar, but I hadn’t been down it often, so I wasn’t sure if I had seen it before. Hell, I hadn’t been in many parts of the house, aside from the office and bedroom.
A warm body stepped up behind me.
“Luther,” I whispered, tears falling freely down my cheeks.
This was it. I would face his wrath. I would get the side of him he thought neither of us was ready for. I knew when he moved to the door in front of me and pushed it open. I knew when I walked past him, yet when I stepped into the room, my eyes widened.
“No.” I spun on him. “Not here. Take me to the other room. Whip me. Spank me. Unleash all of your anger on me. I don’t care. But I’m not ready. You’re not ready. Not for this.”
Luther pushed me back into the room. “Fuck being ready.”
“Please.” I beat my fists against his chest. “We can talk.”
“I’m done fucking talking,” he yelled, grabbing my wrist. He headed to the cage, dragging me behind him.
“Luther,” I cried. “Please don’t do this.”
With my wrist in his hand, he leaned down and opened the door to the cage. “Get in.”
“No.” I tried prying his fingers off of me. “I’m sorry but I don’t deserve this. And neither do you.” I knew this could hurt both of us. Not just me, but him as well.
“Get the fuck in,” he growled, his hate fueled eyes glaring daggers into me.
I lowered to my knees before I could stop myself. Sobs wracked through me and I crawled into the cage. The door slammed shut, followed by a click of the lock.
“Luther,” I cried, turning to him. “Please. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please let me out. We can talk.”
“Talk?” he boomed. “Talk. You fucking lied to me. All of this time. All of it. Lies.”
“I lied to you.” I laughed. “You fucking lied to me too,” I screamed. “You never told me who you were and that you were my Master. Remember that, Luther? Do you remember?”
But he didn’t say anything as he stared me down.
“God, please. Just let me out and we can talk about this.” Defeat rested heavily on my shoulders, weighing me down to the point I couldn’t breathe.
“No,” came his curt reply.
“Please let me out of here,” I said anyway, silently pleading with him to hear me out.
“It’s funny.” He crouched in front of me. “I said I didn’t want to put you in here yet because I didn’t want to break you.”
My heart started racing.
“Well now, I don’t give a fuck if I break you or not.” He pulled away.
“No, please, Luther. Please, let me out.” I shook the bars. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”
As he neared the door, my screams grew louder. When he left the room, my guilt turned into hate. How would we get past this? How would we find each other again? I didn’t have the answer to either of those questions but what I did know, was that this was going to hurt Luther far more than it hurt me.
***
(Luther)
Lexi’s screams shattered my heart. I slid down the wall, hitting the ground with a thud. I had no idea what the hell I was doing but the rage had taken over and the next thing I knew, she was in my cage.
When her screams quieted, I blew out a slow breath of relief.
Dropping my head in my hands, I thought over the revelations that had come to light in the past couple of hours. I had every intention of going to her apartment to get answers about Charlie. Well I fucking got answers alright. Just not the ones I was looking for.
She was right though. I did lie to her and I apologized for it. She forgave me and we moved on. Now she lied to me, apologized just the same and I was fucking punishing her.
I leaned my head back against the wall, pulling my knees to my chest.
This new feeling washed over me. It was something I had never felt before. Peace.
Lexi’s betrayal poked at a side of me that had wanted to throw her in the cage weeks ago. But I hadn’t. Because I wasn’t sure either of us could handle it.
I stood from the floor, brushed off my pants and popped the collar of my jacket. I wasn’t ready then but now I was.
Lexi would understand rather quickly exactly who she had betrayed, and I couldn’t wait to show her.
Luther
THE PAIN SLICED THROUGH me, forcing me to my knees. I tried crawling away from it, but the agony only followed. No matter where I went, it was there. Embedded in my skin. Seared into my flesh. It was all throughout me. Inside my soul. In my blood. In the marrow of my bones.
“Luther.”
I winced, a breathless gasp escaping me.
“He’s had enough.”
“He can take some more.” As soon as those words slid into my ear, the bite of the whip stung across my skin.
A low moan left my mouth, my body falling to the ground beneath me.
“I told you he could take it.”
“It seems more that he likes it.”
“This will help him. He may not like it the way you think. He’ll have no choice but to take it. To take all of it.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to ignore the voices surrounding me. I did like it, but I wasn’t sure why. My father had taught me to be in control but the pain forced me to my knees every damn time.
“Luther.”
My eyes fluttered open, landing on my dad. A man who had unleashed himself on me. A man who I had looked up to for as long as I could remember. A man I trusted.
“I’m not doing this to make you hate me or because I want to.”
“I know,” I croaked. I may have been young, but I wasn’t stupid.
“You will need to find someone some day who can help you.” His face softened. “Someone who can take you out of your head.”
I nodded. “What if it never happens?”
“It will, son.” He clapped my shoulder, careful to not hit the lashes across my upper back. “These won’t scar too bad. The cuts aren’t deep.”
I blew out a breath of relief. “I’m sorry.”
“For what, Luther?” He sat on the floor, leaning against the wall across from me.
“For not being normal.” I picked at an invisible fuzz on my black sweatpants.
“I never asked for a normal kid, Luther.” My father sat forward. “Listen to me. You will be taking over my business soon enough. But this other side of you, this darker side, you will need to find someone some day that can help you through it. That can show you that it’s okay to like the darker side of life. They will help you gain control.”
“I am in control,” I insisted.
“Yes, you are. At times. But not always. I’ve seen you lose it and kill a man with your bare hands because they looked at you funny.” He held up his hand when I opened my mouth to say something. “I’m not judging. At fucking all. But I also need to make sure that you don’t just suddenly snap and I lose all of my clientele because you’re having a bad day.” He stood. “So, you will need help wi
th these sessions. As you get older, this will turn into something more. Something that I can’t provide you or help you with.”
I nodded in understanding.
“I won’t always be around, Luther.” He gave my shoulder a light squeeze. “But I will teach you everything I know so you can live the life you deserve. I will also need you to take care of your sister.”
I nodded again.
“Work together and you will own the fucking world, son. I guarantee it.” When his hand slid from my shoulder, a sense of loss fluttered through me. That was the last time I had seen him. The last time I had talked to him.
I lost a piece of myself that day. And I was damn determined to get it back. No matter the cost.
***
(Lexi)
Minutes went by. Hours. Maybe even days. I wasn’t sure anymore. Time was lost to me as I was holed up in that damn cage. It could have even been just seconds. But I didn’t know. My will was tested the moment I crawled into what would be my new home for who the hell knew how long. I had so many things to take care of. The deli. My brother’s funeral. Even though he deserved what he got, he was still family. My mom wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
But while I waited to meet my maker, I wondered what would have happened if I would have told Luther what was going on from the very beginning. I still had so many questions and I was sure he did as well.
“Luther?” I called out, hoping beyond hope that he had time to cool off so we could talk, but all I got was silence. My eyes burned, my chest aching over what I had done. I was stupid to think he would have forgiven me so damn easily.
Laying on the floor of the cage, I curled into myself. I wasn’t sure how long I had been locked up for, but it couldn’t have been too long. I wasn’t hungry yet and I didn’t have to use the washroom. Either way, this sucked. This sucked a whole hell of a lot.
Rolling over onto my back, I leaned against the bars of the cage. I could do this. I could get through this and come out stronger than ever. Luther said in the beginning he didn’t want to break me. Now I wasn’t so sure, but I prayed that it was just due to anger that forced those words from his mouth.
Hate. So much damn hate. All because I had trusted a man who needed help bringing down my brother. But I never expected to fall in love with Luther. I never expected to need him in ways I never even knew existed before meeting him.
Tears fell freely down my cheeks, taking every last bit of energy I had with them. We would get through this. We had to. There was no other way. I had questions that I needed answered and so did he.
“Luther,” I called out again. “Please talk to me.”
The door opened that time.
I sat up, moving to the corner of the cage and hugged my knees to my chest. “I’m sorry.”
Luther closed the door behind him and sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. “Why are you sorry?”
I swallowed hard at the accusatory glare rippling from him. “For everything.”
“Be fucking specific, Lexi. Tell me why you are sorry.” He sat forward. “Do you not remember what you did?” He checked the watch on his wrist. “It’s only been a few hours.” His dark stare met mine. “Are you broken already?”
“Fuck you,” I bit out through clenched teeth. “You have to do more than throw me in a cage to break me, Luther.”
He chuckled, the sound cold and threatening. “Oh, little girl. You haven’t seen anything yet. Now tell me why you’re sorry.”
“For hurting you. For lying. For everything.” I scrubbed a hand down my face. “But like you, I’m not sorry for falling in love with you.” I moved to the other end of the cage, gripping the bars tight in my hands. “As much of an asshole as you are…”
He moved to all fours and stuck a hand between the bars, cupping my face. “You still love me, pet?” His mouth covered mine.
“Please,” I whispered, a shiver sliding over my skin at the soft contact. “Take me out of here. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll do anything. Please, Luther.”
“No.” He pulled away from me.
I whimpered at the loss. “Why are you doing this?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” He rubbed the dark scruff on his jaw.
“What do you want with me? I have to bury my brother. I have to call the deli at least and tell them what’s going on and that I won’t be there for a few days.”
“I think it’s going to be a little longer than that, pet.” Luther pulled his phone out of the inner pocket of his jacket and handed it to me. “Call them. If you so much as even think of calling the police, I’ll do more than just keep you locked up in my cage.”
“You don’t scare me, Luther.” I snatched the phone from him and dialed the deli. “But keep trying. It’s sexy as hell.”
He muttered a curse and sat back against the wall. I was getting to him. Good. Because as much as I was pissed that he locked me away, I understood. I wasn’t sure why, but I did. And I knew that once he let me out, all bets were off. He needed to be in control. Well I would show him just how badly I needed to feel his wrath.
I called the deli, keeping my gaze locked with Luther’s. When one of my waitresses answered, I quickly told her that I had been under the weather and I wouldn’t be there for a few days. I also mentioned that there was a family emergency. I didn’t tell her about my brother’s death. That could wait until I buried Charlie and everything was finalized. I needed to make sure everything was in order before I let that information be known because something was still off about the whole thing.
Saying my goodbyes, I disconnected the call and tossed the phone through the bars of the cage.
“Satisfied now?” Luther grabbed the phone and put it away.
I didn’t answer. I only stared at him.
“What?” he asked, a deep frown settling between his dark brows.
“What happened to make you this way?” We had been together for a few months, but I still didn’t truly know him. Something told me that it would take quite a while to find out everything there was to know about Luther Knight.
“What do you mean?” he asked, crossing his tattooed forearms under his chest.
I waved a hand in front of me. “This. You. I’ve heard of Doms wanting to control their submissives but this is a bit much. Isn’t it?”
Luther smirked. “I almost forgot that you know more about BDSM than you let on. My little pet is smart. Isn’t she?”
“No.” My cheeks burned. “That’s not what I’m saying.”
“It’s not?” He raised an eyebrow. “Then tell me, pet. Tell me everything you know about BDSM.”
“Tell me what I’m doing in here first.” I lifted my chin defiantly.
Luther chuckled and crawled to the door of the cage. Much to my surprise, he unlocked it. He reached in and grabbed my ankles, pulling me toward him.
“Luther.” I gasped, slapping my hands against his chest.
He towered over me, fisting my hair. “You’re in here because I feel like keeping you in here. You betrayed me, Lexi. No one betrays me and gets away with it. If you were a man, you would be dead already. But you’re not. So I have to find other ways to punish you.”
“Please, Luther.” I struggled beneath him.
Reaching between us, he cupped me over my leggings.
My eyes widened, a flush of heat spreading through me. It had felt like years since he had touched me when it had only been a day.
“Luther,” I whispered.
His fingers tightened around my throat, his dark eyes becoming black with lust. His hand between my legs pressed against me, rubbing me over the fabric.
My body hummed, my legs spreading even more of their own accord. I gripped his hand that was around my neck, arching beneath him.
He leaned down, his breath fanning my face. His palm connected with my clit, pushing and rubbing, igniting a burn I had never felt before.
The cotton of my panties became soaked the faster he rubbed against me. A moan escaped
me.
My core ached, clenching with the need to have him inside me. Reaching between us, I grabbed onto his pants and lowered the zipper.
His nostrils flared, tightening his hold on my throat. “One word and this ends. You know that, Lexi. But you won’t use your safeword, will you? You like this.” He kissed the corner of my mouth. “You like it dark.”
His words were true. But I never knew I liked it this way until I met him.
“Tell me,” he murmured, licking up the side of my face. “Tell me how you like it when I take full control.”
“I do,” I whispered.
“I know you do.” His palm pushed against me. “You’re probably wondering why this feels so damn wrong but right all at the same time. Aren’t you?”
I swallowed hard, nodding.
“Good.” He lifted his head, staring down at me. His thumb brushed back and forth over the side of my throat. “One word, Lexi.”
But I refused to use it. For most, this would be too much. Too far. But for me, for us, it was damn near perfect. I hurt him. And I’d meant what I said when I told him that I would do anything to make it up to him. He had my full consent. He always had. Although this was dark, dangerous even, I would never want it any other way.
Once I had his pants undone, I reached inside and pulled out his straining cock.
Luther released my throat, grabbed the crotch of my leggings and with a rough tug, tore them apart.
My heart hammered against the walls of my rib cage.
Leaning over me, he licked along my bottom lip. Brushing the back of his knuckle over my soaked panties, he hooked a finger inside them and pulled them to the side.
“Safeword,” he growled.
“Ch-Charlie,” I whispered at the same time he thrust forward. I swallowed a scream, arching beneath him.
