by BJ Wane
He reached for her elbow but she jumped back, not afraid of him, but of returning to the dark. Without thinking, she whispered, “I can’t go back up there. It’s too dark.” Her voice caught, and she shook her head, as if that would clear the cobwebs of fear.
Jase frowned and looked up at the apartment’s front window. “Forgot a nightlight, huh?” He smiled, trying to make light of her ridiculous statement, but she could see the questions clouding his face. “I’ll run up and turn on some lights for you. Uh,” he glanced sheepishly at her clothes, “why don’t you wait inside the shop. It’ll only take a minute.”
“Thanks, Jase.” Nan didn’t care at the moment if she appeared a pathetic mess—she wasn’t going back up to her apartment until it was well lit. Five minutes later, she thanked Jase and closed the door behind him with a new fear hovering in her mind. She knew she had turned on the lights before bed, just as she was sure she’d turned off all the brewers the other night and put her plate in the dishwasher the other day. God help her, had the stress of her kidnapping finally broken her mind?
Nan was still shaken Friday evening but refused to let her worries and fears deter her from the course she’d set out. Given how many customers had asked her today if she was okay or if she felt all right, she doubted she would be able to hide anything from Master Dan tonight. Since she still hadn’t a clue how the lights went out, telling him, or anyone else about it would sound crazy. Hell, maybe she was nuts, she mused as she rifled through her closet. So far, the only explanation she could come up with was either her trauma had affected her mental state more than she thought, or someone was screwing with her. The latter didn’t make sense since she was home, spending her days with friends and people she’d known most of her life. And, to what end? There would have to be a reason, and she could think of none.
Shoving the unanswerable questions aside for now, she chose her favorite black leather corset and matching thong to wear under a sleeveless, blue wraparound dress that flowed around her knees in a soft drape. One tug on the tie and the dress would fall open, revealing the corset that cinched her waist and breasts with front ties, short enough to leave a peek of nipples and an inch of her lower stomach showing above the thong. Master Dan loved this outfit, and she was counting on that to keep her mind off her troubles.
As she dressed, Nan remembered her silent calls for Dan’s help last night, the same as when Gerard held her captive. She’d never been one to cling, not to friends, family or a man, and she didn’t know what to make of the way she’d missed him so much after being in New Orleans for a few weeks or why he was the one she’d cried out to when in such agonizing pain and terror. Their friendship and occasional Dom/sub relationship had lasted this long because neither wanted more, both of them happy with not taking it further.
“Just what I need, one more thing to question over and over,” she grumbled as she checked the refrigerator for something quick to eat. Reaching for the carton of opened yogurt, she lifted the lid and wrinkled her nose at the odd smell. “Okay, not that.” Setting it out to dump in the trash on her way out, she snatched a smoothie to drink on the way, picked up the stale yogurt and grabbed her purse at the door. Pausing, she turned to double check the lights were on. The apartment was well-lit, but as she locked the door behind her, she considered bunking at Dan’s house again. Just in case her mind was determined to play tricks on her again. Tossing the yogurt in the alley trash bin, she settled behind the wheel, refusing to allow any negative thoughts to intrude for the rest of the night.
“Nan!” Avery and Sydney rushed to greet her as soon as she entered the playroom, their distressed faces irritating Nan. “Grayson told me what happened last night. Are you okay?” Avery gave her a quick hug while Sydney eyed her with sympathy.
“I’m fine,” she bit out, trying not to let her annoyance show. Why hadn’t she considered the deputy might give a report to his boss, the sheriff? “I woke startled when the lights went out and freaked. I already feel like an idiot for overreacting, so let’s not make a big deal about it. Please?”
Sydney nodded and squeezed her arm. “Sure, but next time, call one of us. You know we’d come out.”
Nan rolled her eyes as they settled at a table. “I’m sure your husbands would just love for you to jump out of bed at three in the morning and make the thirty-minute drive into town to hold my hand because I got scared of the dark.”
“Hey, what are friends for? Besides, Grayson would insist on driving me, so you’d get double the support.” Avery grinned but Nan found nothing amusing about that possibility.
“I need a drink.” Something strong to settle her nerves, which had kicked up yet another notch as soon as she arrived. Nan warmed to the activities already taking place, like the blonde she didn’t know at the table next to them who slid off her Dom’s lap and settled between his legs, bending her head to take his erection in her mouth. How could she not go damp as the girl’s deep suctions reminded Nan of the taste and steely hardness of Master Dan’s large cock? But the fear of another public failure along with the lingering stress of the previous night kept her on edge and irritable.
“I’ll get them,” Avery offered. “Beers?”
“I’ll take a whiskey, straight. Thanks.”
“I’ll wait a bit, thanks, Avery.” Sydney turned to Nan as Avery nodded and padded to the bar. “Who do you have your eye set on tonight?”
“I promised Master Dan I’d wait for him.” She didn’t reveal their bargain; that was between the two of them.
Sydney’s grin turned sly. “You two have been seeing a lot of each other.”
“Don’t go making more of it than it ever has been,” she returned. “We’re just getting caught up with each other.”
“Does he know more than we do about New Orleans?” she asked bluntly.
Nan sighed and tried to rein in her impatience. She was fucking tired of evading questions about her ordeal, as tired as she was of everyone asking. She wanted to let what happened in New Orleans stay there, but that wouldn’t be possible until she got over it.
“Uh, oh, you’re getting pissed. I can tell by that look.” Sydney held her hands up in mock surrender. “No more questions. Let’s just have fun. Starting with me going upstairs to keep Master Caden company.”
“Sorry, Sydney, I’m tired from little sleep last night, is all.”
“Here you go.” Avery set their drinks down and looked toward the doors. “And just in time, from the way Master Dan is coming straight over here.”
His timing sucked, Nan thought with a stab of irrational bitchy crossness. She wanted to finish her drink in peace before he took her over, and considering she’d just been hoping he wouldn’t be much longer, she realized what a contradiction that was. Maybe she should have stayed home after all.
Dan drilled her with a dark-eyed look as he placed one hand on her nape in a gentle but firm hold. “Good evening, Avery, Nan.”
“Master Dan. How are you?” Avery answered when Nan remained quiet, scowling into her drink.
“Good, thank you. Problem, Nan?”
The smooth, rich timbre of his deep voice held a note of steely determination that sent Nan’s hackles up. Sliding him a coy glance, she drawled, “Not a fucking thing, Sir. Just trying to enjoy a drink with a friend, alone.” She had no idea what had gotten into her. Her determination not to let the odd occurrences plaguing her deter her plans seemed to have deserted her as soon as she heard others knew about last night’s incident. Exasperation with her whole fucked-up life, and those who kept insisting on hearing about it, made her down the alcohol in one throat-burning gulp.
His tight squeeze on her neck heightened her awareness of him, and what he expected of her. She shivered, a delicate ripple of longing for something she couldn’t define, which added to her annoyance when he sent Avery away.
“Avery, hon, would you excuse us, please?”
“Sure, Master Dan.” Rising, she flicked Nan a wary glance before returning to the bar wher
e Grayson was bar tending.
“Why did you do that?” Nan snapped, slamming the empty glass on the table as Dan took Avery’s seat and leaned back with a nonchalance that didn’t fool her. His rigid jaw and dark frown had her thrusting her shoulders back in a defiance even she didn’t understand.
“Because I want to discuss why I had to hear from Grayson about you standing outside in the middle of the night in obvious distress, and because your attitude needs addressing.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my attitude. If you don’t like it, go order someone else around.” Nan’s chest tightened as she issued that statement. She wanted his help, needed his dominant control to snap her back to where she’d been before Gerard had stripped her of everything. So why was she trying to drive him away?
He started to rise, saying, “Belle will miss you if you’re reneging on our deal.”
Panicking, she jumped to her feet. “Wait!”
Sitting back down, Dan raised one brow and cocked his head, his face remaining impassive as he asked, “Are you backing out of our bargain or not, Nan?”
She pictured Belle’s large, soft eyes and the months ahead of watching her grow followed by years of enjoying her beauty and company. Then she thought of Gerard’s cold smile, the evil in his black eyes, his taunts, telling her to give up, that he always won, always got what he wanted. Not this time, damn it.
“No, I’m not.”
“Then come here.” Dan pointed right in front of him as he scooted the chair away from the table.
Her heart thumping like a jackrabbit, Nan stepped forward, holding her breath as he reached for the tie at her waist and tugged. The dress fell open, goosebumps dancing across her skin as he took his time looking her over. Reaching up, he slid one finger under the corset, grazing her nipple, the casual caress potent enough to produce an ache for more.
“I’m not happy with you,” he said as he slid the dress off her shoulders and let it pool at her bare feet. Looking at her, he grasped her hand and drew her over his lap. “I want answers, even if it means you stay in this position all night.”
Nan landed belly down across Dan’s hard, denim-covered thighs, a position she’d been in countless times before, and yet still felt new, scary and exciting all at once. She braced for the pain, praying for that hedonistic thrill instead of fear. His calloused palm glided over her buttocks left exposed by the thong, and she soaked up the pleasant sensations his touch stirred up. Low voices echoed around them, mingling with laughter, the music and the sounds of play resonating from the loft. She wasn’t alone, or in the dark, the exhibitionism releasing a familiar sweep of excitement to tease her senses.
A light swat stung her right cheek, drawing a gasp at the sudden sting. He didn’t pause before delivering a matching smack on the left, and tears pricked her eyes at the rush of pleasure from the soft ache. “Tell me about last night.” Two more identical spanks landed on top of the first ones, still light enough to warm with a here-then-gone sting. “What frightened you, a nightmare?”
Nan shook her head, grasping the chair leg for added support as he delivered a harder swat in the center of her butt. “I woke up, and the lights were out,” she blurted, needing him to continue but stopping short of admitting she was sure she’d left them on. She should have remembered how astute he was. Two much harder smacks jiggled her globes, the painful burn spreading to her pussy. Yes! The urge to crow in delight at the return of her usual response to pain was difficult to suppress, but she recalled how fast that pleasure changed last week and held herself back.
“Common sense tells me if you fear the dark due to your trauma, you would not have forgotten to leave lights on before going to bed.” Dan aimed for the under curve of her buttocks next, putting more force behind the spanks, enough to push her forward on his lap.
Nan trembled as he paused to inch a finger under the thong and trace over her puffy labia, his touch on the sensitive flesh setting off sparks deep inside her core. She’d almost forgotten the pleasure of a burning backside, of picturing others eyeing her red, quivering butt, of lying face down throbbing for more. With a low moan, she shifted on his lap, the pressure of her mound against his rigid muscles sending another blaze of heat spiraling through her.
With a low curse, Dan pulled back and blistered her buttocks with a rapid volley of spanks, alternating between light and hard, stopping only to brush his hand across her throbbing flesh before resuming again. “You were frightened, awakening to the dark, with no explanation for the lights being out. Correct?”
“Yes!” she cried out, using every ounce of her concentration and control to fight back the ever-present fear waiting to ruin this blissful torment that was the complete opposite of what Gerard had subjected her to. It hovered, right there, on the very edge of her consciousness, with small flashbacks to that dank cellar. But this time, Master Dan’s deep, commanding voice kept her rooted in the here and now, held her enthralled with the slow build-up of pain and a hint of pleasure pushing its way through.
“And you didn’t think to call me today, talk to me, ask me to check out your electric wiring? Why, Nan? That is something you would not have hesitated to do before you went to New Orleans.” He reddened her thighs next, the disappointment in his voice hurting her as much as his hand.
Would he look at her as if she were nuts if she explained the strange incidents this past week? Was she nuts, imagining things? Nan shuddered from not knowing the answer and yearning to stay right where she was, under his descending hand. When she remained mute on the subject, he sighed, tempering his swats until they ended with soothing caresses and another stroke over her damp flesh beneath the thong, the dissatisfaction she detected cutting her to the quick.
“Stand up,” he ordered, his tone gruff, his hands gentle and supportive as he assisted her. He held her hips as she wobbled, keeping his eyes on her face until she got her bearings.
Nan loved the way her buttocks pulsed with heat as her head cleared of the rush of blood from her dangling position. Looking around the room, she grew even warmer as she caught several people eyeing them with smiles of approval. Damn, she felt good, calmer despite knowing Master Dan wanted more answers. Her pussy ached for attention, and that also felt fucking nice. The disappointment still etched on his face bothered her, but she was as close to her old self at this moment, under these circumstances as she’d been since her return.
“Did the fucking asshole restrain you?” he asked next, the question catching her off guard.
Her buttocks clenched as he shifted his hands from her hips to fill them with her hot flesh. His grip stirred the soreness and felt so good she found it easy to answer him. “Just one day after he locked me in the basement. He removed the ropes, daring me to fight him. I did, and that’s when he used the whip.”
“Fuck, baby,” he muttered with barely suppressed fury, his hands tightening on her cheeks.
“It’s over, Sir, and I survived,” she hastened to assure him, hating the torment crossing his face, and that she was responsible for it.
“Is it?” Dan murmured, releasing her buttocks and drawing her arms behind her back. Shackling her wrists together in one hand, he pushed her one step forward, between his spread knees, with a guttural order. “Prove it.” One hard yank and he ripped the thong off with his other hand, leaving her exposed from the waist down.
Not stopping there, he reached up and released the top three hooks of the corset, her full breasts popping free of the tight confines, her reddened, pinched nipples aimed right at his mouth. Wrapping his lips around one turgid peak, he dipped a finger inside her quivering pussy, swiveling a seductive dance around her engorged clit. The slow tease was at odds with his steely grip and threw her into a tailspin of escalating, explosive sensation. Nan whimpered with the assault, a torrent of pleasure building as he milked her clit with tight pinches and bit into her tender nipple. The dual stings added to the discomfort of her sore butt and she trembled, burning hot and wet with an escalating need for
more, for him.
“Prove it,” Master Dan repeated, switching to torment her other nipple. “Come for me, just me, right now.” He sank his teeth into the tender bud as he plucked at her clit with tight pressure.
Finally, the pain encompassing her backside, throbbing in her nipples, morphed into a familiar sweet heat that stirred her arousal and took command of her senses as effectively as he’d taken over her body. Her pussy spasmed around his finger, a gush of cream dripping down her thighs as her hips jerked in tune with his now pummeling digits. First one, then two and now three fingers filled her sheath as he used his thumb to press harder on her clit. Writhing before him, she tossed her head back and rode his hand, relishing the burst of fiery explosions filling her vision with fireworks and embraced the encompassing ecstasy like a drowning man would a tossed life preserver.
Nan didn’t care who watched or heard her, only about achieving this goal and pleasing her Master. By the time she came shuddering down from the exalted high, she lay sprawled on Dan’s lap, gasping to catch her breath, his arms tight around her. Tears filled her eyes, and that shook her more than the orgasm. She never cried, wasn’t a sub who needed to release stress or pleasure with tears. Blinking until they dried up, she stiffened her shoulders and gazed up at him, whispering in a voice harsh with confusion and desire, “Take me to the cross, please, Master.”
Chapter 10
As pleased as Dan was with Nan’s response, he didn’t think she was ready for the cross, and what she would expect him to do to her on it. He still wondered about what happened with her lights, and the tidbits she kept tossing out about her abduction were enough to strain his control as well.
“You’re not ready for more, hon. You can’t bring up a whip beating that left scars and nightmares and expect me to use even a milder instrument, like a flogger on you.” He slid a hand under her warm ass and squeezed one buttock. “That was just a hand spanking, and yes, I was harsher than I planned because of your response.” Which had been as embracing and wet as the last time he’d had the pleasure of her over his lap and her soft, bouncing flesh under his hand. “Don’t feel as if you need to push yourself because of one positive outcome.”
