“Have I done something wrong?”
He spewed out a string of foreign words that sounded laden with frustration. “Cameron has condemned you for my sake.”
“No, Cameron didn’t want me to come here. It was De Sade.”
“De Sade works for Cameron.”
“Then why would Cameron seem so upset?” I said. “He told me not to get in the car with you.”
He closed his eyes, but not before I saw a flash of pain. “I should never have told them.”
That didn’t make any sense.
A shudder ran up my spine as he looked away from me.
What did he mean? Did Danton have a penchant for doing cruel things to his subs - worse than De Sade?
“Master, you are the only one who can help me have a breakthrough, help me transform into the finest dominatrix.”
He cringed. “They are so cruel.”
Was he really going to hurt me that much? My chest tightened with apprehension, yet I felt relieved that we were discussing this matter, at least.
He shook his head solemnly.
“Cameron loves me,” I reasoned.
“It seems he loves me more.”
“How much pain?”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’ll try to obey. Maybe you’ll use pleasure, too?”
“Don’t you see, Scarlet? You are already trained.”
“They told me I am willful and disobedient and need to prove I can serve.”
He threw his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Cameron profiled you.”
“He really didn’t want me to come.” I rested my hand on his firm bicep. “I think you have it all wrong.”
“And yet you are here? He does know you well.”
“I must complete my training. Please help me.”
He rose from the bed and walked across the room to the window, where he stood staring out. “Cameron wants you to have my name in your mouth for the rest of your life.” He turned to look back at me. “The question is, do you?”
Footfalls sounded on the stairwell and I knew they were coming for me.
“Scarlet, it’s quite possible that I’ll be the last master you’ll ever have.”
How hard could a sub be pushed before she risked her own life?
I heard a knock at the door, and I reached out and clutched the duvet.
“Danton?” A man’s voice called out from the hallway.
“We’ll be right down,” he called back.
I twisted around to look at Danton. “Stay with me, won’t you?”
His gaze broke away from mine and he let out the softest sigh. “It’s time.”
My life was never going to be the same again. “What will happen?”
“Everything changes,” he whispered.
“Master, tell them to be gentle with me.”
“They’re never gentle.”
I rose to my feet unsteadily.
Chapter 9
France
DANTON CAME OVER and tipped up my chin. “Have you ever climbed through a window?”
“Yes, that’s how I broke into D'envoûtement,” I said.
He looked amused. “I’m going to have so much fun fucking the crazy out of you.”
I pouted at him. “Can’t we just walk out?”
“They’ll never let you leave.” He shook his head, then took off his black jacket and slipped it on me. “They’ll fight to keep you. I’m not in the mood to get punched in the face.”
Together we hurried over to the window and I watched him slide it up all the way. In what felt like the biggest adventure of my life, we climbed out carefully and made our way along the slanted roof.
We approached the edge and Danton reached out to protect me. “I’ll go first.”
I turned away from the sheer drop, questioning our sanity, and was hit with a wave of dizziness.
“I can’t.”
“What did you think this was?” he snapped. “This place?”
“An elite training house for subs?” I raised my gaze to the garden and saw just how tall the wall was that surrounded the estate. This place was a fortress.
“This is the house of Hillenbrand,” he said, his tone sounding tense.
“I know that.”
“You have no idea what goes on here.”
“Cameron warned me they might pierce my clit.”
He shook his head solemnly - and proceeded to climb down.
I followed cautiously, clinging to the wood lattice, shoving aside ivy leaves to improve my grip as I slowly descended.
Don’t look down. And don’t fucking fall.
My descent felt like it took forever. Danton’s jacket slipped off my shoulders and I didn’t dare look down to see where it had landed. Leaves and latticework dug into my palms as I slid my feet into the small square inlets of the crisscross design.
Danton was waiting at the bottom. He reached up and wrapped his hands around my waist, lifting me the rest of the way down.
I almost fainted with relief when my feet touched the ground.
He pulled me into a hug. “No noise, understand?”
He scooped his jacket up off the ground and swung it back onto my shoulders. I was grateful for it.
With my hand in his, we ran around the left side of the house and soon made it to the front. An hour ago, I’d been crawling along this gravel ground having no idea I’d be exiting so soon.
Everything felt wrong.
I pulled my hand from his suddenly, wondering if Danton was the real threat. How would I even know? I’d not spoken with the other men - they had merely leered at me like predators.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m scared.”
He cupped my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine, kissing me tenderly.
“I won’t let them catch you,” he said. “You’ve got to trust me.”
My choices were limited. Go back and be thrown to the wolves, or leave with Danton - not really knowing what kind of man I’d be handing myself over to.
My gut told me to trust him.
I gave a nod to let him know I was ready to continue.
We made our way behind the long line of parked flashy cars. Danton opened the passenger door to a black Lamborghini and ushered me in, then he ran around to the driver’s side. He retrieved his key from behind the sun visor and placed it in the ignition.
“If we leave there will never be any chance of your return. You need to understand this. I need you to be sure this is what you want.”
“What about you?”
Danton offered me a sad smile. “This was going to be my last evening here.”
“Why?”
He stared down at his hands. “Life has other plans for me.”
“In what way?”
“You ask a lot of questions for a sub.”
“I want to know more about you.”
He let out a long sigh.
“I promise to make you happy.”
Danton turned to look at me. “You are a gift like no other.”
“Where will we go?”
“My family chateau. No one will know we’re there.”
“Danton, I want this more than anything.”
He turned the key in the ignition and we took off toward a large closed wooden gate. The car idled before it.
I spun round and gasped at the sight of the men pouring out of the front door, running toward us. I snapped my head back to look at Danton.
He calmly watched them in the rearview mirror.
When the gate opened, he accelerated through it and I was shoved back into my seat as we sped to freedom.
I glanced back to see the men slowing down and ending their sprint toward us.
We drove fast beneath a canopy of trees and within minutes we were speeding along a wide open road.
Danton glanced over at me and reached for my hand, easily driving with his left hand on the wheel. I lowered my window and felt the late night breeze brushing over my f
ace. I breathed in the scented air, my hair becoming a tangled mess.
Jetlag caught up with me and I fell in and out of sleep.
When I awoke, we were driving along a coastal road with an ocean to our left. The moon’s reflection danced off its surface. This sense of peace was nothing like I’d ever experienced before, a calmness drawn from Danton’s kindness. I couldn’t imagine why De Sade would think him cruel. Perhaps that answer lay ahead - and I also knew in my heart I could cope with whatever came my way.
I was a survivor.
I could escape this man, too, if necessary.
All doubt fell away as we pulled up in front of a large chateau that sat right on the edge of a cliff. I could hear the sound of waves crashing on a shoreline. The manor was painted in the most exquisite eggshell-blue, and had large, tall windows and a pretty courtyard strewn with multicolored flowers.
We exited the car and I stretched to wake up my tired limbs.
Danton took my hand and led me toward the cliff. He lifted me into his arms and carried me down a long, winding path.
The sound of the ocean grew louder.
I stretched my neck and saw rolling waves crashing onto the sand. Danton kicked off his shoes and continued to carry me toward the ocean.
When we reached the water’s edge he put me down. “I can’t wait any longer.”
I tried to read his intentions, sensing a barely controlled passion that waited for my response.
“Say yes.” His lips curved into a smile.
“Yes.”
Crushing his lips to mine, his kiss became frenzied as he pulled his jacket off me and threw it to the sand. He then ripped off my nightdress. He began undressing and I helped, ripping his shirt and popping off buttons. We laughed as we tumbled onto the sand together.
He lay on top of me, and I widened my legs, wrapping them around his waist. My back arched as he thrust inside me, fucking me like a man possessed.
He paused and stared down at me, as though checking to make sure I was okay. “All I could think about was doing this to you. Here.”
The edge of a wave lapped at my right side, and I turned my head to glance up at the chateau that was soon to become my home.
“Are you all right?” he asked, kindness showing in his eyes.
“Yes.”
“You don’t mind my roughness?”
“No. I need it.”
He grabbed my wrists and held them above my head, pounding me against the sand. My orgasm teetered closer.
I never wanted to leave this place.
Danton grabbed my hair and forced me to stare into his eyes. “Where are you?”
“It’s all too perfect.”
“You’re the greatest gift, Scarlet.” He buried his face in my neck. “I never want to let you go.”
His words wooed me into a well of happiness. Now was not the time to ask how long I’d be staying here, or how my training would be conducted, or if the dazzling chemistry that led to this sudden addiction for each other would endure a lifetime.
The thrum of pleasure in my sex resonated up into my entire body - every cell, every molecule belonged to him and I felt like I already loved this man.
“Tell me you’re mine,” he whispered, as he thrust deeper.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I am.”
This was really happening. Leaving Hillenbrand hadn’t changed my destiny.
“I’m going to give you everything you have ever wanted,” he said, riding me violently. “But there is always a price.”
Price?
But I was too far gone to push him away. Writhing in ecstasy against him, I moaned when I felt his wet heat shoot inside me, sending me higher. We shuddered as we came together.
Afterwards, we clutched each other, panting through our post-fucked state of bliss and not caring that the waves were lapping our sides. We rolled onto our backs and stared up at the night sky. The sound of the crashing surf relaxed me further. Peering up I could see no other houses around, and realized the isolation that surrounded us.
Uneasiness welled in my gut. “What did you mean there’s always a price?”
He turned to look at me. “Pain is relative.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re still so young. So dreadfully naive.”
“I’m not.”
He turned his head to look at me. “Had you stayed at Hillenbrand, they would have killed you.”
Chapter 10
France
HEART POUNDING, I pushed myself to my feet.
There were so many conflicting messages coming from Danton. He’d told me Cameron had conspired behind my back to trick me into coming to France - and now this, a warning that the house we’d escaped from was a sinister threat to any subs that entered.
He rose. “It means you’re safer with me.”
“Explain what that place really is.”
And why the hell you were there.
He waved it off. “It’s lost in translation. You misunderstood. I meant they would have fucked you night and day back at Hillenbrand. And you’ve had no anal training, at all.”
“They would have had to have caught me first.”
“I had no trouble catching you.”
I shrugged. “Still.”
“There would have been no rest for the wicked.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully. “It would have been fun to watch though.”
“You don’t mean that?”
“I’m making a joke.” He looked at me with an offended expression. “English is not my first language.”
“And it shows.”
“Maybe I’ll take you back.”
I shoved at him.
“I’m serious,” he smirked.
“No, you’re not,” I said, pointing at him. “You’re in just as much trouble as I am. I’m going to have words with De Sade when I see him again.” I let Danton take my hand and lead me across the sand. “I didn’t once mention to him I had a capture fantasy.”
Then I remembered I was in the middle of nowhere with the renowned Monsieur Danton. From the way he was staring at me, he might have been thinking the same thing.
We made our way up the winding path. I tripped and he caught me, lifting me up into his arms.
I hoped I hadn’t just run off with a psychopath.
When he smiled, though, there was no malice, no meanness - just an endearing sweetness from a man who obviously worshipped sensual deviance.
Just like me.
Dry leaves crunched beneath his feet. The grandeur of his beautiful home rose into view, a place that no doubt contained a lifetime of memories. From Danton’s expression, he might have been haunted by a few; his eyes were filled with melancholy and something else, perhaps thoughts of our future here.
I truly hoped so.
Despite all these uncertainties, and the fact I hardly knew him, we’d connected on a level of trust I’d never before known existed - a connection that went beyond the physical.
He’d seen I needed rescuing and had not thought twice about the consequences.
I loved his sweet smile, the way he touched me, gently at first, and then with a commanding grip that guided me. He was my dark prince who’d whisked me away from my misadventures - my naivety so glaring I cringed when I thought of it.
He unlocked the front door.
Danton carried me over the threshold like a husband carrying his new bride, and it made my heart soar. He moved quickly through the living room and I had glimpses of furniture covered in white dust sheets. This place had been abandoned for a while. It was such a beautiful house, and its location right on the beach made it perfectly fabulous. I couldn’t understand why anyone would ever want to be away from here.
“Has this always been your home?” I asked, as he carried me up a staircase.
“I grew up here.”
I nuzzled into the crook of his neck. “No one lives here now?”
“We live here. You and me.”
It was l
ike a fairy tale, being tucked away in a beautiful casa right on the ocean with the man of my dreams.
After we showered in his white-tiled bathroom, I lay sprawled on the deep blue duvet covering his large bed and watched him dress. His physique was carved into a perfect form. He was tall and lean, his movement graceful, his confidence glaring as he pulled on his slacks and white shirt. Each measured gesture of his was hypnotic to watch.
“What do you do for work?” I imagined him being a lawyer or businessman, or having some kind of position where his natural authority would shine.
He grinned at me. “I save naughty subs from getting into trouble. And then I dedicate the rest of my time to fucking some sense into them.”
“Seriously.” I frowned playfully.
“I am.” He turned to the window and pulled back the large, linen curtains.
Dust sparkled in the sunbeams, twinkling around us like tiny stars. He looked so dreamy silhouetted there by the window.
Blinking against the bright rays, I sucked in my breath at the view.
Stretching before us - filling the window frame - was the vista of a dark blue ocean. It could be seen from any angle in the room.
Danton stared out at the seascape. “We’ll wake up to this every morning.”
“I am in heaven,” I whispered.
His expression changed to adoration. “I was just thinking that.”
“How can you ever bear to leave this place?”
“I forgot what’s important.” He gave a nod and gestured for me to join him.
Still naked, I slid off the bed and walked toward him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug.
“You’ll stay a while?” he said.
I spun round and stared up at him. “Can I stay forever?”
“If I owned forever it would be yours.”
Resting my head against his chest, I nuzzled in, realizing I’d been given the greatest gift of time with him - and so far there’d been no talk of my training, or punishments, or emersion as his slave. We were acting like a lovesick teen couple who couldn’t bear to tear their hands off each other.
“You must be exhausted,” he said. “You’ve been up all night.”
“You too?”
“These days my sleep is erratic.”
“Why?”
“Lately, I’ve not been sleeping well. It’s nothing. I get headaches. So I sit in a dark room and listen to music until they pass.” His gaze returned to the ocean.
Enthrall Secrets (ENTHRALL SESSIONS 7) Page 6
