by Mari Carr, Red Phoenix, Angel Payne, Sierra Cartwright, Jenna Jacob, Victoria Blue
“What the fuck?” Ava screeched as she jerked her head toward the sound, sending the metal couplings of her cuffs to clank and clatter against the cross.
“What did you say?” Quinn asked in a low, menacing growl. “Did I give you permission to curse me?”
“No, Sir, but…what in the he…heavens are you planning to do with that?” she sputtered.
“Why, I’m going to use it on your ass. What else would I do with it?”
“Oh, no.” Ava shook her head adamantly. “I don’t do whips.”
“You do now,” he chuckled before clearing his throat and addressing her in a formidable and authoritative tone. “Unless you use your safeword. Is that what you want to do?”
Ava took several long seconds to ponder his question then pinched her lips together and shook her head.
“Good. Now face the front. Not another word unless you need to safeword out. Understood?”
Ava shot him a curt but resigned nod. Her eyes danced with the struggle to hold on to her sense of self versus relinquishing her power. The internal tug-of-war made his blood boil with pride. Quinn ached to coax every drop of her submission.
Damn…he was crazy in love with this woman.
A visible tension had returned to her body, and her subtle shiver told him that she was scared of the whip. And that was exactly where he wanted her…unsure and taken in by her own preconceived notions of pain the toy was capable of inflicting. Of course, she didn’t know any better, and it was up to him to enlighten her.
Shifting the whip to his left hand, Quinn reached back and gripped the heavy flogger from the table. With a loud thwack, he landed the wide leather tails across her ass. Ava jumped. No, that wasn’t what she’d expected, and it filled him with delight. As he rhythmically slapped the soft fronds over her shoulders, back, and butt, Ava once again slumped against the cross as kitten-like purrs slid from her lips.
Guiding Ava deeper and deeper to that serene place inside her, Quinn felt himself shift into a more compelling level of Dom space once more. Everything around him began to blur and disappear, everything except Ava. He settled his focus solely on her, watching as the recoil of the flogger nudged her onto her toes. Studying every breath she inhaled and exhaled while his arm directed the leather tassels like a conductor’s baton.
Once he had lured her into a false sense of security, Quinn replaced the flogger with the whip. Moving in close behind her, he snaked the cold, plaited leather between her shoulder blades. Ava sucked in a quick breath, and her body jerked as he yanked her out of her reverie. He leaned in against her back and nuzzled his face against her slender neck. Rubbing his jaw over her smooth flesh, he abraded her skin with the prickly scruff adorning his face. Her squeal of laughter echoed in his ears as she crimped her shoulders, trying to ward off his ticklish assault.
With a grin, Quinn cinched a hand in her hair, then jerked her head back. As he bathed her neck in soft kisses, biting and nipping his way up her silky flesh, Ava purred in delight. Her sweet sounds of surrender vibrated over his lips, making his eager cock jerk once again. It would be nothing short of a miracle if he didn’t come in his pants like a horny teen before this session was through. Gripping the flogger once more, Quinn landed the heavy tails over and over again, leading Ava back into the blissful depths of peace.
* * *
Lulled by the rhythmic thud of the flogger, her anxiety over the frightening whip bled from Ava’s system. She found comfort in the relaxing tempo, but every time Quinn paused, she held her breath. Poised to feel the cold, evil whip slide over her flesh again, she hoped he’d settle a sweet, enticing kiss upon her neck instead. Hands down, she preferred his kisses, but Quinn had her so off-balance she wondered if he intended to use the whip at all, or if he simply wanted to mind-fuck her to death.
You’re not thinking like a sub, her inner voice scoffed.
Ava truly wanted to settle into a proper state of mind. She could, too if Quinn would simply warm her up like he usually did and take her to the heavens. Unfortunately he had other things in mind, and dammit, she wanted to know what he planned to pluck out of his bag of tricks.
Suddenly, his warm breath breezed over the side of her neck. Ava closed her eyes. Yes. Yes. This is what she wanted…Quinn’s tender, loving, passionate side. She breathed in his reassuring masculine scent, and the ground beneath her grew stable, solid, and secure. Turning her head, she offered him her lips. But when he didn’t kiss her, Ava lifted her heavy eyelids. He stood staring at her. His sage-colored eyes had turned dark and permeated with a clit-throbbing hunger she wanted to satisfy.
“Expecting something, princess?” he taunted as a wicked smile of delight lit up his face.
“I need a kiss, Sir.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Please,” she begged, hoping he would oblige her request.
“No.” He shook his head, effectively plucking the hope from inside her. “Let go, Ava. Take what I give and stop trying to top from the bottom. You’re not in control of this session: I am, and you’re making my job harder than it needs to be.”
“I’m not topping from the bottom,” she argued with a disgruntled pout. “You always kiss me when I need it.”
“Ah, but do you really need a kiss, or simply want one?” His cinnamon brows furrowed.
All right, so she wanted one. When had that become a crime? “I’m not trying to be difficult. It’s just that…I’m struggling here…Sir.”
“I know you are, but I’ve no intention of submitting to you while you try dictating my Dominance.”
Though his words were spoken softly and filled with love, Quinn’s message came through loud and clear.
“I know. I’m trying. I really am.”
He pressed a feather-light kiss at the corner of her mouth. It technically wasn’t even a kiss. But it would have to suffice since she knew better than to ask for more.
“Try harder for me, princess,” Quinn whispered before placing his palm on the top of her head and directing her to face the cross once more. “Trust me, Ava.”
“I do. You know I do,” she murmured.
“Prove it,” he challenged.
Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, repeating the process over and over. She hoped it would calm the riotous anxiety spinning through her while giving him the level of trust he desired. Ava knew in her heart she had nothing to fear, but her brain wasn’t cooperating. While he’d dragged her outside the box of their usual D/s play, Quinn had long ago proven himself a capable Master. His command over her and the aftercare he bathed her in after each session completed her. His sublime affection made her heart constantly soar. Still, she struggled now to let the submissive inside hand over her staunch control.
She’d been conditioned to lead. As senior vice-president of Fusion Productions, Ava juggled a tremendous amount of responsibility. Not only did she secure multimillion-dollar contracts, but Ava had earned a reputation as a cutthroat negotiator. Only Quinn knew which buttons to push to release the pressure her VP role created. And he was the only one she’d ever let put her in such a vulnerable position. His Dominance offered her freedom. Quinn could effortlessly remove the burdens from her shoulders while providing a net of safety in the process. Ava longed for that…longed to feel both small and treasured…ached for the revitalizing and invigorating rebirth he never failed to grant her. So why was she balking at that now?
Hand it over to him, a little voice inside her pled. Let him take it all away.
Inwardly repeating the words of her subconscious, Ava turned them into a mantra while Quinn compelled the same motivation with the flogger. It wasn’t long before the grip on her control lessened. The rhythmic falls landed harder against her flesh, lifting her higher off the floor with the force. A scrumptious burn warmed her ass as she slipped further and further into the familiar abyss of serenity. Her breathing turned shallow. Thick, feminine juice trickled from inside her and clung to her aching, swollen folds.
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“That’s my sweet slave,” Quinn crooned in a low, coaxing whisper. “Give me your control, princess. I’ll keep you safe.”
Time and space seemed to slow. Even her thoughts processed like slow-churning molasses while the sounds of the flogger fell distant and muffled. The scent of her own spicy arousal hung in the air like a moist and heavy blanket of need. Suspended and floating like a rowboat lost at sea, Ava slowly realized the flogging had stopped. Forcing herself to rise up from the depths, she didn’t get far before Quinn’s capable fingers dipped between her legs, spreading her slickness over her pulsating clit. Ava rolled her head to the side with a mournful whimper.
“Yes. This is this what you want, isn’t it, princess?” Quinn asked in a tempting whisper as he pressed a tender kiss beneath her ear.
A shiver slithered up her spine, and the heat of his body enveloped her. “Yes,” she moaned, arching her back to rub against his crotch. He stood perfectly still…didn’t reward her with his thick, hard cock plunging deep inside her empty tunnel.
“Such a needy little minx,” he softly chided before pulling away, taking his alluring heat, captivating lips, and enticing scent.
Ava wanted to cry out in frustration, but before she could open her mouth to protest, a feather-soft kiss brushed the left cheek of her ass. Immediately another stroke whispered upon her other orb. Wading through the fog suffusing her brain, Ava realized the absence of his body heat told her Quinn’s lips weren’t anywhere near her. Some type of toy she’d never experienced was responsible for the wispy sensation. But she had no idea what. Surely the soft, soothing kisses weren’t coming from the whip…were they?
Darting a daring glance over her shoulder, Ava’s heart clutched, then began to thunder in her chest as Quinn raised the long, braided leather into the air and flicked his wrist. The whip coiled like a slithering snake before the thin threaded end whisked over her flesh with barely a sigh. The indulgent sensation clashed with the sight of the wicked whip. Ava couldn’t wrap her head around the incongruent impressions warring within.
Quinn pinned her with an unhappy expression before dropping his arm. Eating up the distance between them, he gripped her chin, forcing her gaze. “Were you instructed to watch me, princess?”
“No Sir.”
“Then why are you?”
“I—I wanted to see what you were using on me.”
“Should it matter?”
With an inward curse, Ava shook her head. Dammit, why did she continue to challenge him? Why couldn’t she simply accept what he gave and float away once more? Her own hardheadedness irritated her. She could only imagine how annoyed Quinn must feel. How long would it be before he uncuffed her and called an end to their session? Probably not much longer. The thought filled her with dread.
No. She wanted this…needed to prove to them both that she could give more than she had in the past. Needed to prove that she trusted him. Quinn’s warm breath at her ear drew her focus back where it belonged.
“The whip is nothing like you expected, is it, princess?”
“No, not at all.” She shook her head. “I was afraid it would rip my skin open.”
“I have no desire to be a sadist, my love.”
“Thank god,” she replied on a grateful sigh.
“Now that you know how I intend to use the whip, do we need to discuss this further?”
“No, Sir.”
“Good. Then close your eyes and let me take care of you.”
As she complied, Quinn landed a sharp slap over her ass. She arched back in surprise, and he plucked her nipple, twisting it with a low growl, sending a sensual burn to spread through her. The opposing stings collided in Ava’s midsection to throb in time with her aching clit. Quinn snaked his fingers between her legs and toyed with her sex once again. As he assuaged the sting, Ava felt the burn merge into a hungry quickening she wanted prolonged. Plunging two fingers inside her quivering tunnel, he rubbed her distended clit with his thumb while skimming tender kisses along her neck. As he nibbled on the lobe of her ear, Ava rocked against his hand, soaring high in a matter of seconds.
“Yes…yes,” she moaned, hovering on release.
“You don’t have permission,” Quinn warned with evil delight.
“Please…I need…need to come,” she panted breathlessly.
“Oh, you will, gorgeous. When I decide it’s time. Unfortunately that time isn’t now.”
His denial echoed in her head as he removed his fingers. When he took a step back, irritation clawed through her. “No. No. No,” she whimpered only to have her pitiful sounds of despair met with Quinn’s soft chuckle.
Ava frowned. He enjoyed the fact that she was suffering…enjoyed it far too much.
Suck it up, cupcake. He can’t keep you cuffed here forever.
The thought flittered through her mind, followed by a feeling of sadness that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She wanted to please him, not brood and sulk because he wasn’t giving her exactly what she wanted. The cuffs might be chaining her body but not her mind. It was past time she set her inner submissive free.
When she felt the whip feathering over her backside once more, Ava’s eyes slid shut. Let go. You’re safe. Treasured. Loved. As she repeated the mantra in her head, she slid back into the peaceful darkness, lulled by the rhythmic whisper of the whip.
Chapter Four
Quinn felt frustrated that Ava fought her surrender, though it wasn’t a total surprise. Unlike him, she’d not had time to prepare for any of this. He’d purposely kept his plans a secret, wanting to both gauge and absorb her unguarded and honest reactions. He wanted to see just how far she was willing to go in order to grow.
Ava didn’t like change all that much, hence her struggle now. But Quinn had an even bigger surprise in store for her, one he hoped she would ascertain at dinner. This session was but a precursor…a small stone on the road. She’d soon be scaling a mountain if all went as intended. But first he had to annihilate the barrier she slid between them before his grand plan was revealed.
Summoning all the patience he could muster, he remembered how she’d fought his Dominance in the beginning. Ava hadn’t been a member of Club Genesis long when he’d first met her. She hadn’t scened with any other Dominants, only gained an understanding of the lifestyle by watching others. It wasn’t until he’d managed to give her a taste of subspace that she’d finally handed over her control. And her power was a heady, delightful gift.
He wanted to kick his own ass for not pushing her limits all along, but like a fool, he’d let work commitments rob him of his Dominant focus…Ava. He meant to fix that here and now.
Though she obviously hadn’t yet grasped his design, Quinn held out hope that before the night was through, she’d comprehend the meaning of his strategy. He’d continue to reinforce his presence and command in order to show her how epic their journey could be together.
Quinn didn’t give credence to the little voice inside his head warning this could all backfire in his face. Clenching his jaw in determination, he set the whip down and eased his chest firmly against her back. He felt a slight quiver ripple through her as he drank in the enticing heat pouring off her slender body. Quinn closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. The scent of her spicy, slick cunt toyed with his senses. Parting his lips, he could almost taste her on his tongue…sweet, warm, delicious. He wanted to groan in frustration but instead pressed his lips against her shoulder as he reached between her legs. Liberally coating his fingers with her fiery essence, Quinn trailed fragile, soft kisses down her shoulder blades as he inched his way to his knees.
Ava’s beguiling purrs and moans spurred him on even more. Mesmerized by the sight of her red-stained orbs, he dipped lower still. Peppering kisses over her crimson flesh, he paused and parted the cheeks of her ass with his thumbs. The sight of her tiny, puckered rosebud made his cock scream. Every fiber in his being shouted for him to release his dick and drive balls deep into her sinful, puckered passage. Denying
himself the wicked pleasure of squeezing his throbbing crest through her gathered opening was sheer torture.
But the poor bastard was at the mercy of Ava’s submission. A fact that had him briefly wondering who was submitting to whom.
Leaning in closer, he extended his tongue before flicking the tip over her crinkled rim. Ava issued a mournful groan that morphed into a whimper of approval as she melted against the cross. Quinn issued an inward curse of frustration. Replacing his tongue with a thumb, he craned his neck, spreading open her slippery labia with his other hand before extending his tongue and lapping at her dripping nectar.
With his thumb pressing through her tiny opening, Quinn felt the muscles in her legs tremble against his wide shoulders. And when he extended his tongue to focus on her clit before sliding two fingers into her quivering pussy, Ava cried out in ecstasy.
* * *
The feel of his tongue, lips, fingers, and heated breath engulfing Ava’s sex set her ablaze. The conflagration of sensations lit her up brighter than all the lights in Vegas. Demand clamored up her spine and spread like lightning through her limbs. The decadent tingle splintered the ethereal clouds of subspace. But Ava didn’t mind…didn’t mind one damn bit. She tried not to focus too keenly on the overload of pleasure he capably gave, but the blistering need rising inside her was more than she could contain. She prayed Quinn would grant her permission. But the quickening buzzing inside flooded her system. The familiar numbness spread from her core and down her thighs.
“I can’t… hold—”
“Come for me, princess,” Quinn snarled against her pulsating pussy.
The vibration of his words over her flesh combined with his luridly thrusting fingers and invading thumb ignited her toward the heavens like a rocket. Ava screamed out his name as ecstasy had her splintering into a million convulsing shards. Her cunt clutched and milked at his fingers as her cries echoed off the dungeon walls.
