by Sam Crescent
“So it’s love?” William asked.
“It’s something.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“What are you guys moaning about?” Ryan asked. He held a bottle of soda in his hand, looking a little sad.
“True love,” Edward said.
“It’s overrated. Believe me.”
“Your ex moved on?” William asked.
Ryan shook his head. “I don’t know. We’ve not spoken since the divorce. I thought we were friends. I guess I was hoping that we’d remain friends and there wouldn’t be any hard feelings.”
“You told your wife you didn’t love her, and never had.”
Ryan scrunched up his nose. “You know, I’m thinking of getting in my car and driving as far from this town as I can.”
“You want to leave?” Edward asked.
“Yeah. I thought about it a lot of the time. There’s nothing for me here. I’ve got nothing left to lose, and the town is taking too long to move forward. We’re slowly moving in the direction of the twenty-first century, just not fast enough. I want to get out, explore. I don’t want my final days to be here.”
Edward stared at his friend. “You’ve thought about this a lot?”
“A long time. Even when I was married I was trying to get away. Nothing holds me here. It never has. Growing up here, I don’t even know why I didn’t leave.”
“It’s the Cape Falls curse if you ask me,” Peter Steer said, approaching them. He held his hands up. “Sorry, I couldn’t help overhearing. You know how it is.”
“The curse?” Edward asked.
“It’s not something that I think anyone really cares about. I’ve thought about it a lot. The town is full of a bunch of people who hate it here. Still they don’t leave. Look at Peter and Laura. They grew up here, and neither of them have gone. I’ve not either. I think if we don’t get out when we’re young enough, we won’t leave. It’s the Cape Falls curse.”
“Get out while you can,” Ryan said. “Makes sense.”
“You’re going to leave?” Peter asked.
“Yeah, you know what? I am. When I go home this evening, I’m going to pack up. I only have what I need at Control.”
“I noticed you didn’t move out,” William said, pointing at Ryan.
“You’re cheap rent. I was able to live a good life without worry,” Ryan said, laughing. “I appreciate everything you guys have done for me. I mean it.”
“Do you think you’ll come back?” Edward asked.
“I don’t know. It’s hard to say right now.”
Edward looked past Peter’s shoulder and saw that his woman was on her own. “Excuse me.”
He left the guys alone to chat. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her close. “How is my little angel doing?”
She chuckled. “I’m doing okay. Everyone is asking how we’re getting on. I’ve not had so much attention.” She covered her cheeks. “I’m kind of embarrassed. They want to know if you still sound British in the bedroom.”
He nibbled her ear, loving the sound of her giggle. Edward loved teasing her more than anything. “You should tell them that is when it gets worse, especially when I’m eating out your pussy.”
“You’re bad, Edward.”
“You don’t even know how bad I can be.”
“I know. You won’t go that far with me.” She ran her hand up and down his back.
They hadn’t gone further than exploring. He’d not wanted to rush her, and now he knew for sure the cut on her thigh was fully healed. Today she wore a knee length dress with a cardigan that covered her arms. Even if he wanted to show her off a little, she wouldn’t have it. She had to keep most of her body covered.
Pressing a kiss to her head. “Soon,” he said.
“You know most guys would love to deflower a virgin.”
“If anyone comes near you I will fucking kill them, Isabel.”
“I didn’t mean anything.”
“I know, baby. I care about you, and I’m not going to ruin your first time by rushing like a horny teenager. We’ve got all the time in the world.” He gripped the back of her head, and pressed a kiss to her lips.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For not making me feel weird.”
“You’re many things, but weird is not one of them.”
“Right, and what other things would those be?” she asked. The smile on her lips filled him with so much joy and happiness. It was crazy really. There were many times over the years where he wouldn’t have given a shit if the woman he fucked smiled or not. He’d have taken what he wanted, and sure he’d have given the woman plenty. Never would he have dreamed of changing his entire world for a woman. Moving Isabel in, helping her sister out, taking her with him to Control—it all meant something to him, something deeper.
“Let’s see … you’re a brat. I’ve heard the other men talking at the club, and you have a lot of questions.”
Her cheeks heated. “You said I could ask them anything.”
“I know, and I don’t have a problem with that. I never knew you were a curious little thing.”
“I am, very curious, and I know you’re taking your time with me. I just want to be able to give you what you give me.” She reached up, touching his face. “Thank you.”
“You’ve got nothing to thank me for. Believe me, we’re going to head down to my playroom. With all those questions you’ve been asking, I expect you to know a thing or two.” And just because he couldn’t resist, he gave her ass a little squeeze.
She chuckled and leaned against him. “What were you guys talking about?”
“I think Ryan’s going to finally leave.”
“Really?”
Edward nodded. “It would seem so. He’s not interested in the town of Cape Falls. It has never really done anything for him. Peter thinks there’s a curse.”
“What kind of curse?”
“You get out while you’re young or you never will.”
“I hope Sophie is out of here.”
“Why?” Edward asked.
“She was always a free spirit, Edward. This town, it would kill her little by little. You’ve told me so many wonderful things about the world. You make me believe that it could happen here, where a town of people had to be shocked by gang rape violence to even do anything.”
“It kind of made the small town comfort a lot smaller.”
“Yeah, it really did.”
Edward looked toward Gabriel, the Sheriff who had wanted to leave town for his wife, Amy. Then he looked at the Steer brothers. Even William had talked about leaving the town so many times. There had been so many fines, so much damage, so much pain just to open a simple club. He wondered if there was another surge of hate toward Control, would his friend leave or not?
Glancing down at Isabel, did she need to leave in order to start afresh in a new place? Could this town pull her down in ways he hadn’t even imagined?
****
Isabel was all alone. Edward had to go and run an errand for William. Staring at the door to his playroom, she nibbled her lip. She had spent so many weeks, watching, learning, asking questions. The lifestyle was intense, and yet she had found herself yearning for that kind of release. She had seen women sink to their knees to receive their Master, watched the love in their eyes as their Master tenderly stroked their cheeks.
Reaching out, she opened up the door to the basement, and took the steps down toward his playroom. Her heart was pounding as she descended. The light was already on as she stared at the tools of pleasure and pain. She didn’t know what was for what, nor did she care. This was Edward’s room. His playroom. She was a guest here, but soon she hoped to be something more.
Turning in a full circle, she knew what she had to do. Removing her clothing, she neatly folded it up, and placed it on a chair. When she was completely naked, she walked toward the full-length mirror and stared at herself. Lowering her arms, she allowed herself to look
at the body that she had spent years harming. Her leg was completely healed, and she felt tears spring to her eyes as she stared at the damage. The tops of her thighs had the worst evidence of what she had done to herself. Her arms were next.
Holding her arms out, she stared down at the them. The silver marks of past cutting. The ones that she had made that were not too deep were gone. What would Sophie think of her if she knew the truth?
“You’re useless. You can’t get anything right. All we needed you to do was watch your sister!”
“You’re so thick and stupid. Don’t you know anything?”
Closing her eyes, she pushed aside the hateful words that she had grown up hearing. They were simply a few. There were so many built up inside her.
He will never really want you.
You’re a weak link.
A failure.
Frowning, she pushed those doubts aside as well. There were times she felt like she was being crushed from the inside out. She didn’t know how to fight inside her head, and try to keep afloat. She was drowning with no lifeboat, and she didn’t want to die.
She never wanted to die.
A fresh start.
Could it be possible to start fresh away from Cape Falls? Away from the town’s judgements, and their viciousness at times. Not everyone in Cape Falls was vicious just the ones that seemed to have a lot to hide.
“You’re not going to hurt yourself again.” Even as she said it to herself, she didn’t know if she could believe her own words. She wanted to. She had seen how much it affected Edward, and the last thing she wanted to do was cause him any kind of pain.
You won’t cut.
You won’t harm.
You won’t hurt yourself.
Stepping away from the mirror, she went to the spot that Edward had pointed out, and lowered herself onto her knees. Resting her hands on her knees with her palms up, she spread her thighs so that she was open, and then she waited.
Edward had texted her to let her know that he wouldn’t be much longer, which was why she was kneeling on the floor, legs splayed, waiting.
“I can do this. I can do this.”
Not only could she do this, she wanted to.
Time passed, and she didn’t care how much. She waited. Even as her heart started to pound, still she waited.
Finally, she heard the door go, and he would have found the letter she had left for him hanging on the handle of the front door.
She lowered her head, and it wasn’t long before he descended the stairs. Seconds later she saw his shoes right in front of her, and still she stayed in the same position.
“You please me so much,” Edward said.
He stroked her head, and down her face to her chin. With a finger beneath her chin, he lifted her head up, and she stared into his eyes. The smile on his face was worth every second of self-doubt.
“Are you sure about this?”
She nodded. They had explored the rules, and Edward had told her what he liked and didn’t like. There was no change in their names. He wouldn’t be calling her sub, subby, or any other pet names she had heard some of the men call their women. She wasn’t to refer to him as Master or Sir. He just wanted to be Edward, and she was to be Isabel. Nothing had really changed. They were the same people, only their play was about to be entirely different. Her heart was pounding as she stared at him.
“Do you really want to play?” he asked.
“Yes. I do.”
She wanted to play. She wanted to belong to him, and to give him whatever he needed. There were no limits for what she wanted to do with him.
At night they now shared a bed, yet they still hadn’t had sex. She begged for it, wanted it, but like so many times before Edward held back. They were closer than ever before. He held the key to every part of her. She loved him more than anything in the world, and would do whatever he wanted.
Not that she didn’t want to either. This wasn’t just about what Edward wanted. This was about what they both wanted, what they both craved. She had fantasized about this room, and what he would do to her body.
Edward held out his hand, and she placed hers inside his. He pulled her to her feet, and pulled her close, his hand splayed at her back just above her ass.
“Seeing you waiting for me turned me on and pleased me so much.”
“I’m glad.”
He pressed his head against hers, and they swayed from side to side. She was aware of his body against hers. The way he was rock hard. She had watched him work out several times. All the time she had been wet while he did it. Watching Edward captivated her. Being with him made her believe in a future she had thought wasn’t possible for her.
Edward ran the tips of his fingers up and down her spine. With each downward slide, he went closer to her ass until he finally ran the tip of his finger down the crease of her ass. He stepped away and stared at her body.
She did have an overwhelming need to cover up, but she held back. This wasn’t what she wanted to do. She didn’t want to hide from him. He was the one person she wanted to remain open to.
“Look at me, Isabel,” he said.
Staring into his eyes was easy. Each time she did it, she felt like she was losing herself all over again. Unlike so many times in the past, when she looked at Edward she didn’t see nothing. He didn’t see nothing when he looked at her. He saw her. To Edward she existed in his world, in his life, and it was more than enough to make her grounded.
“I want you to go and lie on the bed. Spread your thighs for me.”
She smiled. He always wanted her to spread her thighs for him. Even when they were in bed together, he’d have her lying completely open for him to look his fill.
Sliding onto the bed, she eased back and opened her thighs.
“Now I want you to play with that pretty pussy, Isabel. I want to watch you tease that clit, and I want to watch as you come, but only when I say so. You cannot just come. I need to know that you’ve earned it.”
She nodded. Isabel didn’t know how she was going to do it, but for Edward, she would.
Sliding her fingers between her thighs, she watched him. For a couple of minutes, he stared between her thighs, watching, waiting, and then he moved. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. He pulled up his shirt, throwing it toward the chair where she had neatly folded her clothes. Next, he removed his jeans, and then his boxer briefs until he stood completely naked in front of her. His cock was rock hard, pressing forward. She licked her lips, wanting him in her mouth.
Edward moved toward the bed and ran his hands down her thighs. When she went to stop, he shook his head. “I don’t want you to stop. Keep going.”
She was panting, but she continued to play with her clit as he watched. He was so close, his cock so close to her.
It was almost too much for her to imagine that he would want her, want to fuck her.
The moment she looked into his eyes, she saw the heat, the need, and it mirrored hers completely.
Chapter Eight
Seeing Isabel waiting for him in a submissive pose had really struck him hard. Edward watched as she slid her fingers through her slit, getting them nice and juicy. Her clit was so swollen as it peeked out of its hood, glinting at him. He licked his lips, wanting a taste of her, and holding himself back.
Tonight he was going to fuck her.
Tonight he was going to make her his.
There was no turning back.
There was no other way. He needed to have her as his own. Gripping her knees, he watched as she shuddered, moaning his name as she fingered herself.
Most of the women he took as a submissive, he demanded they call him “Sir” or “Master”. All he wanted to hear from Isabel’s lips was the sound of his own name as she came. He would never get bored of hearing his name, especially when it was during her orgasm.
Caressing down the inside of her thighs, he teased her, grazing over the fine hairs of her pussy before pulling away. She arched up toward his touch, and he smiled. Giving
her inner thigh a little slap, he shook his head. “No, you don’t get to have my touch yet. I want to watch you.”
“Yes, Edward.”
“Tell me, sweet Isabel, have you been thinking about me like this?” She nodded. “You’ve been thinking about bringing me down here?” Again, a nod. “Using this equipment.” Edward watched her nod her head again. “Tell me what you have thought about.”
She bit her lip, and when she stopped stroking her clit, he gave her hand a little slap. “I’ve not told you to stop.”
Her fingers started to move again, and only when he was satisfied, he stared into her eyes. “You were saying.”
“I’ve thought about you bending me over the spanking bench.”
“Have you been naughty for it in your fantasies?”
She shook her head. “No. You want me over the bench to see my ass.”
“And what do I use to punish you with? A crop, a whip?”
“No, your hand. I love your hands on my body, Edward. You slap my ass until it’s red. Not because I’m naughty but because we both need it. Your touch is branded on my body.”
Damn, he was getting hard just thinking about it. “And then what happens?”
“You spread my ass, and put your cock at my pussy.”
“Are you a virgin in your fantasies?”
“No. You’ve already taken me, made me yours by this time.”
He was going to do that now, and he wanted some more time to play before he did that. “What else have you imagined?”
“You strapping me up to your cross. Like you did when I hurt myself. Only my hands are out of the way, and I’m at your mercy. You can do whatever you want to me, fuck me, love me, anything.”
There it was … “love me”.
All she wanted was to be loved.
