by A. C. Melody
Gema squeezed her hand. “But you’ll be there tomorrow, right?”
Tessa nodded with an I really hope so expression.
When their meals wound down, Gema leaned in to whisper right in her ear. “I think my Daddy is our mysterious host.”
Tessa’s eyes widened and she mouthed the question, “Why?”
“He knows where everything is,” Gema explained. “Not just in our suite, but on the whole island.”
Tessa gave her a deflated look. “Mine, too,” she whispered back.
Gema’s shoulders drooped with disappointment, but she chewed on her lip in thought before leaning in again. “Maybe, they’re in on it together, like partners?”
Tessa mulled that over. Their Doms had spent every second of the luncheon together, even though they’d been visited by others, they’d never separated. Only, something about what Sullivan had said made her believe her previous thoughts on the matter might be closer to the truth.
“I think they’re all in on it,” she said. “All of the dominants here. Like investors.”
Gema’s eyes widened a fraction, but Tessa could see her considering it. She nodded but looked deflated again. “I was kind of excited to think the mysterious host was my Daddy,” she admitted. “Wouldn’t you be excited if it was your Sir?”
Tessa didn’t think so. If Felix was their mysterious host that meant he was far wealthier and more powerful a man in the outside world than she could ever fathom, and that thought frightened her on many levels. She understood a lot of those levels were ingrained, a fear of being anything remotely like her mother, but she couldn’t help it. Sylvie Fauns would take someone that rich and powerful and run them into the ground for all they were worth if she could. She’d expect Tessa to do the same, just so she could somehow benefit from it. Status, money or both.
“I don’t know,” she answered, fighting a shudder.
Gema smirked and rolled her eyes, but gave her a playful air kiss, then curled into her tighter for a moment, hugging her arm.
“Little fox,” Felix coaxed Tessa’s attention, handing her a small snifter of red wine. “Not too fast.”
“Thank you, Master.” She smiled and took a small sip.
It was delicious and heated the inside of her mouth right away, before spreading down her throat to her chest and belly. Tessa had never been a big drinker, in all honesty. A lightweight through and through, but the small amount wouldn’t do any damage. If anything, it would just leave her feeling warmer than she already felt with the butt plug, nipple clamps and happiness. She was happy, really enjoying herself and so thankful she’d been wrong about everything that morning. She would endure a hundred more punishments if it meant she was still wrong and still Felix’s only little fox. It was bad for her to think it, but in that moment, she didn’t care. She was glad and she hoped the smile she gave him told him as much. It appeared to, since he crooked a finger for her to lean closer to him.
He took the glass from her and tipped it to her lips, pouring the last bit of wine into her mouth and then setting the glass on the table.
“Are you having fun, my pet?” he whispered, dipping his head to hers.
“Yes, Master,” she answered, putting her hands on his thigh when he pulled her a little closer.
“Good, you’ve earned it,” he said, stroking the curve of her cheek with his finger.
It continued to trail downward, and Tessa had to bite her bottom lip hard when he reached the clamp on her nipple. His finger caressed all the way around, causing pain with the simple act of stroking her nipples into hardness within the confines of unyielding metal. The clamps tightened, and it took all of her willpower not to whimper aloud. It was just like his test in the Before Care room the night before, only blessedly shorter. With a wolfish grin, he kissed the tip of her nose.
“Good girl.”
Felix straightened up, just as Tessa felt someone stepping up behind her.
“So many of my favorite gentlemen in one spot.”
The familiar voice of Mistress Moreau had all of Tessa’s muscles going stiff, her fingers clamping onto Felix’s thigh out of reflex, before she bowed her head. She was paralyzed, feeling like she should move back to the safety of Gema’s side, yet afraid to even breathe. The woman was too close, zapping all of the happiness and comfort right out of her personal space.
“Oi, I said no French,” Sullivan piped up.
“She doesn’t speak anything else,” Sir Linx informed him, before addressing the Domme. “Mistress Moreau, why don’t you join us?”
“Yes, please, Alise, have a seat,” Felix stated. It sounded more like a command, than a suggestion, which was surprising considering he was talking to another dominant.
Tension thickened the air around them before Tessa felt the woman shift away. “My apologies, Sir Felix,” she said in that pleasant way most fake people used. “I had no idea your pet was so skittish.”
Tessa’s cheeks heated and she burrowed her face deeper into her Master’s thigh. She could care less about the woman’s deliberate jab, but now everyone at the table knew she was the reason for her Master’s curtness and she worried...really, really worried it was going to come back on her in a bad way.
****
Only a small part of Felix felt like an ass for speaking to Alise that way, for even as she claimed the empty chair to his left, Tessa clung to his thigh with tense fingers. He’d been in the lifestyle too long not to notice the tell-tale signs of a Trigger. Something about Alise Moreau triggered his sub, and it wasn’t the first time. It was just getting progressively worse. So, his first instinct was to protect her, manners be damned. He smoothed his hand down Tessa’s back and over her shoulders, trying to ease her tight muscles.
She’d been having so much fun, really enjoying herself, and he hadn’t lied when he’d told her that she deserved it. He wanted to see her relaxed and happy again.
That wasn’t all true, because Felix wanted to know what was going on in her mind and suspected that conversation wouldn’t get her back to relaxed or happy. What was it about Alise that got to her? He couldn’t help recalling the way Tessa’s voice had sounded when she’d mentioned her mother the night before and wondered if the two weren’t connected. The more he pondered it, the more certain he was the chances were great.
Well, fuck. If anyone could understand mommy issues, it was him, but opening that door in conversation wasn’t an option. If he pried, he’d be vulnerable to the same questioning, and he couldn’t answer them. Worse, he’d refuse to answer them and where would that leave them, then? Not on the road to trust, that's for sure.
There was only one man on the entire island who knew enough about Felix’s past to be considered his closest friend, but even Louis didn’t have all the details. Felix had never told anyone, and that wasn’t about to change. Especially not for something scheduled to end in six days’ time. He found himself sneering at that deadline yet again, and no longer cared why it bothered him with Tessa when it had never bothered him with any other submissive. He suspected she wouldn’t be like any submissive he’d ever known, and that expiration date would rob him of the experience. He’d never know what Tessa could become under his tutelage and care, because they didn’t have the time to find out. The loss already plagued him, even with her still kneeling at his side, her little hands clinging to his thigh.
At least her muscles had started to relax. He had a feeling she wouldn’t settle the whole way again while Alise was still there, but perhaps her friend could help. Inspired by the idea, Felix ducked his head to hers, brushing his mouth over the crown of her hair.
“It’s time for dessert, little fox, do you want sorbet or chocolate mousse?” he asked.
She was quiet for a moment and Felix knew it wasn’t because she was debating those two options. Her response only confirmed it.
“Do I have to eat dessert, Master?”
“A little, yes,” he answered. “And since you’ve been such a good girl, I’ll even let yo
u hold your own dish so you can go back to visiting with Gema.”
“Really, Master?” She perked right up.
“Really.”
She was quiet again, and her body seemed to revert to its previous tautness before she spoke. Her voice was so quiet, he was surprised he could make out the words.
“You’re not mad at me?”
Taken aback, his hand paused its soothing strokes and his mind worked. Damn, she was observant. His little fox had picked up on everything; his and Alise’s exchange and the resulting tension that had quieted the other dominants at the table. Was that natural for her, or was she already that attuned to him? His bastard side chose the latter and clung to it, wanting to believe it, and that was just another example of why he needed more fucking time. Time he wasn’t going to get.
“No, pet, but we’ll discuss that later in private.”
He found his own shoulders relaxing when hers did, her gripping fingers softening their hold.
“Okay, Master, thank you,” she whispered.
“Mm-hmm, now am I choosing your dessert for you?” he chided and prompted simultaneously.
“Mousse, Master,” she answered.
Felix chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Go back to Gema, little fox, I’ll get your chocolate.”
He felt her stiffen again, even as she moved away from him. She thought he meant to leave her side and expose her to Alise, but he had absolutely no intentions of doing that. Lucas was the closest attendant, so he beckoned the man over and placed their dessert order. The dominants weren’t meant to be waited on this evening, due to the submissive platters, but Lucas wouldn’t argue with him. None of them would.
Most of the staff were trained in five-star concierge service, members of the Vitalz community who’d been easily persuaded to leave their previous positions for the rare opportunity Dark Day Isle provided; a chance to advance their careers within their preferred lifestyle. While the resort was trying to win over its investors, the staff was trying to impress their new employers so they could secure those new positions.
“Your dessert, sir,” Lucas returned promptly. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”
Lucas wasn’t trying to impress anyone. His job was already set in stone, along with nine other men just like him rotating around the island. He was just bored and looking for something to do until dinner was over.
“Yes, a little more wine, please,” Felix decided.
He knew it wouldn’t be enough to impair his pet’s judgment, but it might aid in seeing her relaxed again. Felix set the small spoon in the dish of chocolate mousse and handed it to Tessa. He already knew she’d never be able to eat it all, because the portion was generous.
“Eat as much as you like, little fox,” he granted.
He was still too proud of her not to reward her, even if it was by small measures. Proud of her for putting her best effort into the scavenger hunt and securing them a win, and proud of her for doing what was right by tattling on those two squabbling subs. Felix had felt for their Doms when they’d been asked to follow one of the staff members away from the lawns. No one outside of Felix had known why; Louis had handled the matter with absolute discretion. Yet, Felix had still sympathized. It was never a good feeling—that heavy disappointment—when your submissive's behavior was so bad, it made you question the sincerity of their submissiveness altogether.
As much as they strove for it to be, though, BDSM was not a cure-all for human nature and even the best of the best messed up sometimes. Dominants weren’t exempt from that fault, either, by any stretch of the imagination. So many fledglings entered the lifestyle, expecting all dominants to be perfection personified and that was both foolish and unrealistic. God knew Felix had made his share of mistakes over the course of his journey. Learning lessons, he liked to think, which is why he’d developed a routine of more controllable, temporary dynamics.
When Tessa handed her partially eaten dessert back to him, Felix traded her the dish for the refilled snifter of wine. He shouldn’t have been surprised when she drained it straight away, nor should it have made him chuckle under his breath, but it did.
Then she held his hand steady with the glass between them and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, before rubbing her cheek over the same spot. Her silent gratitude filled his chest to bursting and his cock to readiness, as one startling thought pounded in his skull.
The hell if he wanted anything this fucking temporary with his little fox.
Chapter Eight
Locks
Just inside their suite, Tessa waited for Felix to close the door. Since he hadn’t unlatched her leash yet, she couldn’t follow her rule of kneeling in the sitting room to wait for further instructions. She felt content. Not counting the small disruption of Mistress Moreau, their dinner had been both fun and relaxing. She was still smiling over all the time she’d gotten to spend with Gema throughout the whole afternoon and evening. In a strange way, it seemed like Felix had been trying to make up for her luncheon punishment, but that would be counterproductive, wouldn’t it? Perhaps, he’d just wanted her to know they were back to a clean slate.
She decided it was a favorable place to be. Her belly was full of delicious steak and chocolate mousse, her veins a bit warmer thanks to a decent amount of red wine. Her nipples were numb, yet aching. It was just enough stimulation to help reawaken all of her arousal from the butt plug. Both had been easy to forget about while at dinner, but the trek back across the resort and up two flights of stairs had remedied that.
Felix turned her to face him and leaned down to massage her knees. “You’ve been kneeling quite a lot today, pet, how are your legs?”
“Good, Master,” she answered, surprised by the concern.
He backed her into the wall, pressing his body into hers until their noses touched. “Good, because I plan to see you kneeling a few more times tonight,” he purred. His hand slid around her hip and cupped her ass cheek through her skirt. “And what about this, Tessa? How does my ass feel?”
“Full, Master,” she exhaled, breathless from the slight burn of friction on her paddle marks.
He let out a hum of pleasure, his smile smug. “Not yet, little fox,” he corrected. “But it will.”
She watched the way his hungry gaze devoured her and knew that promise couldn’t happen soon enough. He made her feel so needy. Horny in a way that had everything to do with how attracted she was to him. The kink aspect just made that desperation feel a hundred times stronger. When his hand slipped between their bodies and his thumb brushed over her clamped nipple, she felt the repercussions all the way to her core. Her body wanted to melt with lustful anticipation and she arched toward him, offering more.
He could take whatever he wanted and it might not ever be enough. Tessa feared she would always be left craving. That knowledge skirted the danger of all her other not-so-submissive feelings, yet she couldn’t seem to stop it.
“And because you won, Master owes you a special treat to go along with it,” he reminded her with another naughty smirk. “Think on that, baby, while I get ready for us to go over our prizes.”
The thought of those items put a slight damper on her happy, horny buzz. She could feel the hard line of his erection pressing into her stomach and wondered if her Master wasn’t becoming just as addicted to the prolonged suffering as she’d always been. Erotic anticipation was the most intoxicating drug in the universe and Felix was becoming a pro at dishing it out. After another kiss of pure, smoldering promise, he unhooked her leash and directed her to kneel on the rug.
Okay, so her knees were starting to get a little achy from the constant kneeling. Mostly because she was out of practice. She listened to him open the balcony doors, before the sound of a leather chair accepting his weight was followed by the quiet beep and hum of his laptop being turned on, then his strokes on the keyboard.
The warm, fragrant breeze reached her through the air conditioning and stimulated her senses with all the promises of para
dise. Tessa slipped back into contentedness, despite Felix’s warning. There had been a few clue items he’d seemed less than impressed with, but rather than fearful, she was curious to learn why. To be honest, she was curious about the man in general. She wanted to know all the things that made him tick, made him happy and couldn’t even claim it stemmed solely from her submissiveness, either. Though, it played a large enough part to keep convincing herself it was only natural.
Fifteen minutes passed before she heard Felix close his laptop down and approach from the office area at last.
“On your stool, little fox,” he instructed.
Naughty intent had her crawling across the room and a pleasurable thrill shivered down her spine when he stopped to watch her. On the stool, she hiked her skirt up to part her thighs the way he preferred and waited. Felix grabbed their bag of goodies on his way to the armchair, setting it on the floor within his reach. Then he just stared at her. Tessa’s blood heated under the weight of it and she wondered what kind of sight she made for him, hoping it was a desirable one.
“Are you trying to distract me from this much-needed discussion, Tessa?”
She couldn’t lie. “Maybe a little, Master.”
“Do you know what the sexiest thing you’re wearing right now is, little fox?”
Tessa envisioned herself in his eyes, the sheer dress that didn’t hide her naked breasts or the clamps tormenting her nipples. A black leather skirt scrunched up to her hips, exposing crotchless lace panties the same color as an orange creamsicle. Red lip dye spelling out Exhibitionism on her inner thigh. There were leather cuffs around her wrists and ankles, and more importantly, their favored leather collar locked around her neck. That had to be it.
