“Cameron took a shirt out of your wardrobe,” I said.
“I have stuff at his place too.” He shrugged. “We’re not bashful around each other. We’re best buddies.”
“I know.”
“We’ve been through a lot together. Cameron and I trust each other completely. As I trust you.” Richard held me at arm’s length. “Everything between you and me is good too, baby, okay.”
I was lost in his ocean blue eyes, that heart-stopping face.
“Trust me,” he said. “Talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Remember the first time I took you to Hsi Lai Temple and I opened up to you?”
“It’s so peaceful there.”
That serene Buddhist temple nested in Hacienda Heights. A slice of nirvana where guilt lost its way. Except for me. Guilt was so deeply part of my DNA it would never leave. I pushed these dreadful, creeping thoughts away.
Richard ran his hands up and down my arms. “After I told you about my past and shared those experiences with you there I felt cleansed. It was cathartic.”
“That makes me so happy.”
“Then open up to me now,” he said. “Right now. Tell me what’s been bothering you these last few months.”
“There’s nothing else to say.”
“I’m not talking about that dreadful situation with your father.”
“Have I disappointed you?”
“Never.”
“But?”
“You’re not going to talk to me are you?” he said.
I threw my hands up in frustration. “Why do you all assume there’s something I need to talk about?”
“Your behavior.”
“Because I got a tattoo?”
“Because something is hurting you and it’s eating you alive.” He clenched his fists. “I want it to come out naturally.”
“As opposed to what?” I snapped.
“Mia?”
I wasn’t there for my mom. I let her down. I let her die. I did something so terrible that, if shared, my future will crumble beneath my feet.
“I don’t have the skill to get to the root cause, Mia.” He looked sympathetic. “You have to open up to me.”
My throat tightened, gasping air. “I wish you’d all leave me the fuck alone.”
Richard stepped back and stared at me.
“What?” I snapped.
“Nothing, Mia. It’s just as you say. Everything’s fine.”
My reflection stared back and she was glaring, wanting to congratulate me on ruining what had started out as a perfectly wonderful day.
“There’s a small detail we need to take care of.” He looked stern. “Before we proceed.”
I raised my head to better look at him. “Proceed?”
“Deal with your indiscretion,” he said. “You marked your body without my permission. A cardinal sin for a submissive.”
My mouth went dry.
“Details need to be finalized.” He shrugged. “First, we must deal with your indiscretion.”
“How?”
“You will present yourself to me in the garden.”
“Present myself?”
“For your spanking.” Richard’s demeanor changed from lover to master.
“That’s not funny.”
He strolled towards the door. “I never joke about punishing my submissive.”
A thrill of excitement shot up my spine, matched only by this fear of humiliation that stomped on into my mind with all its tremulous glory. “But—”
He raised his hand in way of an order. “Remove your panties before leaving this room.”
I was left standing alone in the bathroom, stock-still, staring at my stunned expression in the mirror.
Richard had just called me his submissive.
CHAPTER 10
I WANTED TO follow through on my master’s order and remove my panties, but I wasn’t quite ready to be displayed in public during any kind of punishment, and certainly not in front of this crowd. There was a D.A. here, for goodness sake.
With that decision firmly lodged in my brain, I headed back out into the garden—
And almost tripped over a young woman crawling on all fours, held on a long silver chain dangling from the choker around her neck. Like a dog on a leash.
Taking in the crowd, it seemed no one else was as shocked as me at this ultimate scene of dominance.
The girl’s master was holding the leash up and almost choking her with it. I jolted in terror when I recognized Senator DeLuca, Enthrall’s VIP client who Cameron had taken me to dinner with a month back in that swanky restaurant. The same man who’d insisted to Cameron that he wanted the chance to train me. Luckily for me Cameron had declined the offer on my behalf. I was really happy about that, not least because of the way DeLuca was treating his submissive. The woman was struggling to keep up. She looked about my age and was dressed in a bodice and thong. She showed no resistance.
“Mia,” said Senator DeLuca. “It is Mia, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I said, wondering if introducing myself to the girl was bad form. I tried to read from her face if she was enjoying this.
“How have you been?” asked DeLuca.
“Fine thanks, and you?”
“Just wonderful,” he said, giving the leash a tug.
I looked around for Richard, hoping he’d come to my rescue. He was deep in conversation with Scarlet and had failed to notice his old friend DeLuca arrive with his plaything on a chain.
“Fascinating. Richard boring of you so easily,” said DeLuca. “I’m surprised that you couldn’t keep his attention?”
I glared at him. Was he purposefully trying to rile me up? Richard protected me. Something this man would never understand.
“You have potential, Mia.” DeLuca cocked his head. “With the correct training, you’d surpass our expectations, I’m sure.”
Fuck off was on the tip of my tongue.
I pointed to the girl. “Looks like you’ve already got your hands full.”
“This is Sierra.” He knelt beside her and ran his finger through her hair. “Isn’t she exquisite?”
Her eyes flitted shut and she pouted her approval like she was in subspace, but then again he was tweaking her nipples now, tugging one and then the other right here in front of everyone.
DeLuca rose to his full height. “Why have you never visited Chrysalis?” He reached out for a glass of champagne offered up by a passing waitress and lifted it off the tray. He rested the glass against his lips.
A wave of uncertainty washed over me. “I’ve been busy,” I said, summoning the courage to tell him what I really thought of him. Somewhere in that glorious monologue were the words bastard and fuckwit.
“Senator,” said Cameron, appearing out of nowhere. “Glad you could make it.” Cameron shooed me away. “Run along now, Mia.”
“We haven’t finished talking,” I said.
“Yes, you have.” Cameron pointed toward Richard. “Go on.”
I folded my arms, remaining where I was and not ready to let DeLuca off so easily. “So when are you going back to Sicily?’ I said. “Any time soon?”
“Now,” demanded Cameron.
I made my way over to Richard, rounding the pool and strolling through the crowd, not willing to have any of these people see my butt exposed during my impending spanking that in no way was going to happen.
Richard smiled when he saw me. “Ready?”
“Actually, no.” I glanced over at the senator and Cameron.
There were a few waitresses in the garden and strangers who may or may not have been members of Enthrall. Cameron and DeLuca were chatting away with that girl at their feet like this was a normal garden party.
“Look.” I gestured toward Sierra and her master.
“What am I meant to be looking at?” said Richard.
“Go and help her?” I said. “He’s embarrassing her.”
“Mia, she’s enjoying it.”
I glared at him.
“Sierra’s into subjugation.”
“You know her?”
“We trained her at Enthrall.”
“How did she end up with him?” I glared at DeLuca.
“We gave her to him.”
“What? When?”
“During a session at Chrysalis. They matched up perfectly.”
My head was reeling. “That’s wrong on so many levels.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh nothing.”
“What did you just say?”
“I was expressing my concern,” I said. “For my fellow female kind.”
“Do you still have your panties on?” he said.
I stole another glance at Sierra.
Scarlet peered into her glass of wine. Seriously, now would be a good time to get some girlfriend support.
Richard straightened in his chair. “Mia, are you defying me?”
I opened my eyes wide, sending a silent message of insistence. “Can we talk about this inside?”
“Then it wouldn’t be a public punishment.”
Fisting my hands on my hips. “Not in front of the guests.”
He looked furious, his blue eyes icy.
I melted in the wake of his sternness. It wasn’t lost on me that I’d been begging Richard for over two months to take me on as his submissive. Seeing Sierra pulled around by the senator like that had thrown me. Made me question what might be in store for me.
“Take off your panties,” demanded Richard.
“Can’t you spank me in the house?” I whispered.
“Do I really have to ask you again?”
I took in the many faces, the other guests all happy and relaxed, all of them enjoying this evening and none of them would probably be shocked by what might unfold during a garden party hosted by Richard Booth.
I turned and glared at Cameron for coming up with this idea. He was now standing in the far left corner of the garden, deep in conversation with Ethan Neilson. The D. A. was taking a long drag off of a cigarette. Smoke billowed around them. Maybe Cameron was lecturing Neilson on the hazards of smoking, but it didn’t look like that.
Was Richard really going to do this in front of a District Attorney?
“You’d rather have Ethan spank you?” asked Richard.
Scarlet gave me the kindest smile and in her eyes I saw the truth. I’d wanted this. Told her as much. I’d done everything in my power to be here. Belong to Richard in this way.
Damn it.
Sucking in the deepest, most daring breath while flushing wildly, I hoisted up my sundress and eased off my panties, throwing a glance at those around us.
“Good girl,” said Richard.
I handed my underwear over and he tucked them into his pants pocket. Biting my lip hard, I leaned forward over Richard’s lap as elegantly as possible, squeezing my eyes shut and praying for it to be over quick. My heart thundered in my chest, my ears ringing, my fingers gripping the edge of the chair.
I was going to find that shirt and rip it into a million pieces. And then finish off that bottle of wine. And though Sierra would never know it, I’d be doing it for her too.
Richard shifted beneath me, dragging this out as he got comfortable, re-positioning me on his lap. He eased up my dress to fully expose my butt. His hand came down hard and I flinched forward. I pressed my hand over my mouth and bit into it. My butt cheeks stung with each strike. Again and again, Richard spanked me and the only way to endure it was to bury my teeth in my right hand.
In-between slaps, Richard caressed my flesh, pinching, stroking, and massaging my red, swollen cheeks, though doing little to soothe this sting. The throb between my legs matched the slaps. My sex betrayed me and swelled with pleasure, my thighs shaking from the throbbing between my legs. Richard’s erection dug into my abdomen, proving he was just as turned on by my punishment. The slaps surely made me the center of attention.
The lapping of the pool, the sounds of a hand striking flesh, the quieting of conversations proved everyone had ceased talking to better observe.
“Please stop,” I begged.
He ignored me, striking again and again, punishing without ceasing. Forcing back tears, I willed myself not to scream and embarrass myself anymore. Oh no, the waitresses would be seeing this too. I’d have to avoid looking them in the eyes for the rest of the evening.
“Apologize,” said Richard.
“What for?” I burst out.
“Cameron’s shirt.”
Despite this delectable throbbing vibrating between my thighs, I wanted to run and hide. I’d been so caught up with needing this I’d not thought it through properly. I’d not realized these moments would always be on Richard’s terms.
He eased me back onto my feet and handed me back my panties. Trembling, my butt cheeks burning, I couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, couldn’t cry.
“Go and tell Cameron how sorry you are,” said Richard sternly.
“But I already did.”
“Do you take pleasure from defying me?”
I scrunched my panties into a ball and hugged them into my chest, turning sharply and making a bee-line for Cameron at the back of the garden. If the guests had found this amusing, they were hiding it well. Refusing to make eye contact with anyone, I scurried across the lawn, head down, both my face and ass burning like fire.
Cameron offered a welcome nod as I approached, but it did nothing to ease my angst. Ignoring Ethan Neilson, I stared up at Cameron.
“Are those for me?” He held out his hand.
My head felt foggy. “Excuse me?”
Cameron’s stare lingered on my panties and I handed them over to him. He tucked them into his pocket. “Thank you, Mia.” He gestured to Ethan. “You’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Neilson.”
“Hello, Sir,” I said, half distracted as I took in Ethan’s kind face that was hard to interpret.
Ethan blew out a long plume of smoke and it spiraled into nothingness.
“Will there be anything else, Mia?” asked Cameron.
Ethan offered me a patient smile.
“Do you need anything else?” Cameron repeated sternly.
With a shake of my head, I turned to go and a wave of anger welled in my gut as I remembered the way he’d shooed me away in front of DeLuca. And not only was my ass sore because of him, my humiliation was at an all time high.
“There is actually just one more thing,” I said. “Now that I come to think of it.”
“Oh?” said Cameron.
I stared right at him. “I hate you.”
Cameron’s eyebrows shot up, though other than that he was expressionless.
I strolled away, edging around the sparkling pool and through the sliding glass doorway, stomping through the kitchen and into Richard’s bedroom. I plopped down onto the end of the bed and flinched when my butt met the comforter. I wished I’d never given up my Malibu sanctuary where I could have gathered my thoughts and seriously considered my future.
I’d been degraded in front of all those people and even if some part of me had enjoyed it, needed it, craved it even, I was annoyed that I’d just handed myself over for their twisted pleasure.
My twisted pleasure, my muse taunted me. I scorned myself, if it was so bad why are you so turned on?
Richard had humiliated me in front of all those people and I’d almost climaxed in the process. I buried my face in my hands. A frisson fluttered in my chest and my cheeks reddened further.
Shameful.
The door flew open and Cameron strolled on in then closed it behind him. He made his way across the room without acknowledging me, approaching Richard’s chest of drawers. He slid open the top drawer and removed a black tie. He gave it a tug to test its strength.
I watched with a mixture of fear and fascination as Cameron neared me.
He leaned over my left shoulder. “Wrists behind your back,” he said. “Bring them together. Good.” He tied my wrists securely
with the tie and tugged it tight.
My breasts were pushed forward and my pert nipples showed through my dress. My breath stilted when he knelt before me, his stare boring into me as he placed his hands on my knees.
Oh hell.
As if that spanking hadn’t been enough.
Here was Mr. Intensity to deliver my berating, my punishment for speaking disrespectfully to him in front of the D.A., and anyone else who might have overheard. I braced for Cameron’s scolding, the reprimand that would be delivered with such scholarly astuteness I’d end up tied in even more knots.
I raised my chin defiantly.
Cameron eased my thighs apart and only then did I remember I wasn’t wearing any panties. They were still in his pocket. The ones I needed back right now. Slowly, he slid the hem of my dress up my thighs and hitched it around my waist, taking his time to completely expose me. My thoughts raced with the words this moment deserved, my voice failing along with my ability to exhale.
He rested his hands on my knees and eased my thighs farther apart, ensuring my pussy was on full show. Cameron’s gaze left mine and focused in on my most sacred place. My face scorched bright red. A minute passed, or maybe it was an hour, or maybe a lifetime.
Cameron leaned in between my thighs and I jolted when his tongue met my clitoris with stunning precision, teasing with quick flicks and sending shockwaves of bliss.
My jaw gaped and I ceased to breathe…
Oh. My. God.
His mouth was firm, intense, his tongue masterful, languishing, spearing, forcing me toward coming and then planting kisses to my inner thigh in a tease, bringing me down, only to return to my clit again and reward it with blinding pleasure.
With my hands bound behind me, I was powerless to nudge him away, my legs too weak to close. Not that I wanted to. I never wanted it to end. I needed him, needed this with every cell of my being, and by the way he controlled every nuance, every one of my responses, he knew it too.
Only now did I understand time standing still. Nothing mattered but this moment. His kisses to my thighs were cruel punishments of denial until he relented to my cries and his mouth found my clit again and he resumed relentlessly bringing more and more pleasure. The only sounds were that of my sighs and that of his lapping.
Enthrall Her Page 9
