Flashback (13 page)

“How pathetic,” Athena said.

The Count stood up so fast that he nearly
lost his balance. He stared at her, shocked to see how much she
resembled Pauline. She tossed her purse on the couch, and began to
peel off her gloves as she approached him.

“And here I had a proposition for you.”

“Excuse me?”

She eyed him. “You want me one last time. I’m
prepared to concede that.”

The Count regarded her warily. “Why do I
sense you want something in return?”

“Because I do.” Athena began to unfasten her
jacket, her gaze locked upon him. Although her suit was demure, she
wasn’t wearing a blouse underneath it. The sight of the golden
leather corset distracted the Count. “All you have to give me in
exchange is the title.”

The Count was confused. “What title? You
already tell people to call you the Countess.”

Athena laughed. “Not that title. The property
title to my grandmother’s house in London.” She stepped out of her
skirt and tossed it onto the couch. He saw the welts that he’d put
on her body and the sight nearly undid him. The Count was
overwhelmed by her presence and her offer, by the possibility of
having her when he’d been sure all was lost. Then her words sank
in.

“You were the buyer. You’ve owned it all
these years. That’s how you could copy it so readily.” She marched
toward him, pulling the pins from her hair and shaking it over her
shoulders. She was gorgeous, like a golden goddess, one filled with
purpose.

He realized then just how much more alluring
she was than she had been. She couldn’t be controlled, and that was
unexpectedly thrilling.

The Count felt as if his world had been
turned upside down. He needed time to think, but he knew Athena
wouldn’t give him any. “You don’t know that...”

“I do know it.” Athena stopped in front of
him, took his hand and placed it on her breast. His body responded
predictably. The Count found himself caressing that curve,
fingering the nipple. She reached up to kiss him and the Count felt
drunk on her perfume and her touch. “So, that’s the deal,” she
whispered in his ear. “You possess me tonight, and I possess it in
the morning.” Her tongue touched his throat, feeding his
desire.

The Count pulled her closer, not prepared to
make any such concession. “No. I told you I’d give you this
house.”

“You should know that I never compromise. I
want the real thing.” She kissed him, her mouth sweet and hot on
his. The Count locked his mouth over hers, claiming her, then
reached down and pinched the welts on her butt. She gasped and
flushed, her throat working as the scent of her puss rose to tease
him.

“I’m not sure I can do that,” he said
smoothly when she pulled away.

“You can’t do otherwise,” Athena insisted.
Her eyes shone. “Last chance for you to tie me down.” She smiled,
her eyes dancing with a wicked light that tempted him to tame her
all over again. “Otherwise, I’ll have to make you be the one to beg
for mercy.”

He arched a brow, his path completely clear.
He tugged the gloves from his pocket and pulled them on, noting how
she watched his movements. “Sounds like an offer I can’t refuse,”
he said smoothly, having no intention of keeping his end of the
bargain. “Get the handcuffs, little dove, and let’s begin.”

* * *

For days, Rex had been lost in the pleasure
of exploring two enthusiastic partners. He ached in all the right
ways, and had a hard time remembering what else could be important
in his life.

He awakened on another perfect sunny morning
and rolled over in the big bed.

For once, he awakened alone.

He was untroubled by this slight variation in
routine. He could smell coffee and Michelle’s perfume. She was so
delightfully feminine. Delicate. Gorgeous. He took a deep breath
and told himself that this would be the day that he actually
possessed her. Leya had been adept at intervening, at putting
herself in the middle and offering herself first. Michelle excited
Rex so much - and Leya knew Rex so well - that she’d managed to
succeed every time.

But not today.

Rex stared at the ceiling and admitted that
life was surprisingly good. He’d never been monogamous for very
long in his life. He preferred shorter connections, multiple
connections, even multiple partners within those connections. There
had been his longstanding adoration of Joanna, but that was over.
It had existed mostly in his mind anyway.

The closest Rex had ever come to committing
to one other person had been with Athena, all those years ago.
Their connection had been hot and burned out fast. Just months into
their relationship, Rex had found himself desiring the variety of
other partners. He loved beauty and attractive people. He loved the
visual display offered by other people and no matter how many ways
he had Athena, she was still Athena.

Just one woman. A passionate and powerful
one, an inventive one and an alluring one, but just one. For her
part, Athena had never missed a sidelong glance or a smile Rex had
exchanged with a stranger. Her possessiveness and his needs had
made it impossible for them to remain a romantic couple.

Because of that, Rex had assumed that he’d
always be alone.

Leya, though, was different. She’d brought
Michelle to him, as a gift. She not only understood him, but
accepted him just the way he was. It wasn’t a token offering,
either. She’d enjoyed their threesomes as much as he had - Rex knew
her well enough to see that.

He had to reconsider the merit of a long term
relationship. It could work if he had the variety he needed. Maybe
he should bring Leya a gift. He’d find her a pair of identical
twins, buff and trim and tanned, so she could bind them into a sexy
pretzel. Then they’d take turns, pleasuring their prizes and taking
their own pleasure.

It could work.

Rex stretched with satisfaction and rose,
heading to the shower to plan his strategy.

Instead, he fantasized about Michelle.

By the time he went to the kitchen in search
of coffee, he was ready to give anything to have Michelle. He knew
that being bound pushed her limits, particularly if he was the one
who tied her down. But she looked so good when she was trussed.
Even the memory was enough to make him hard.

Maybe he should let her bind him. That was
another intriguing idea, and one Rex was prepared to try. How would
she respond? He could hardly wait to ask her.

And where were the two women anyway?

The kitchen was empty, coffee pot still full.
Rex assumed one of them had made the pot for him before they left.
Shopping? Exercising?

Bringing home another present? Rex liked that
possibility best of all.

He’d poured himself a mug before he saw the
envelope addressed to him.

It was on top of the box that had contained
the pink ribbons. That was why he hadn’t immediately seen it. That
box and its contents had been completely explored, but now there
was a ribbon tied around it again, an envelope perched on top.

He put down his coffee and opened the
envelope, his astonishment growing with every word he read.

Dear Rex;

Thanks for all you’ve done, even if you
didn’t do it by choice. There are some supplies here to help you in
the short term. Consider them to be an expression of our
gratitude.

Don’t try to find us. Our time together is
done.

Goodbye -

Leya and Michelle

Rex opened the box and stared at its contents
in dismay. There was a new cell phone, a pile of twenty dollar
bills, a passport and drivers’ license with his picture and someone
else’s name, and a credit card in the same name.

Beneath all of that was a test strip. It was
the kind of test strip that came in pregnancy tests, the ones sold
at the drug store. It was rippled a little, as if it had been
wet.

And the test zone had a big plus sign.

Rex sat down hard, stunned to learn that he
had been used.

* * *

Mike dreams of Joanna.

He dreams of their first date. She’s wearing
the tall black leather boots he bought for her, after their
encounter at the Plume. He’s bursting with desire all through
dinner, watching her mouth as she talks, noticing how she strokes
the stem of the wine glass with her fingertips, remembering how
beautifully vulnerable she looked bound helpless at the Plume.

He’s hardly able to drive, he’s so fascinated
by the sight of those boots, the way she keeps crossing her legs in
his car, the fact that she’s in his car. He can smell her perfume
and her puss and he wants her a hundred times that night.

He’s uncertain of what she wants, determined
not to push too hard, even though he wants to own her forever.

Then she peels off her underwear and gives
the panties to him. She puts her wet snatch on the leather seat of
his car, taunting him as she wriggles her hips against the seat.
His car will never be the same. He’s afraid he’ll come in a rush,
maybe even before they get to his place.

Then she kisses him. He feels the sweet heat
of her lips against his cheek and moans in his sleep, turning
toward her and wanting more.

“Silence,” Joanna whispered in his ear, her
voice hard with command.

Mike awakened instantly, but not quickly
enough. He was already naked in his own bed, spread-eagle and bound
to the four posts, the sheets cast aside. There was a dark shadow
at the foot of the bed, the silhouette of a man, and the room was
redolent with Joanna’s perfume.

“Hey!” He struggled and tugged, but it made
no difference. He panicked, but Joanna laughed lightly.

Was it Joanna? There was a woman beside him,
a woman wearing a black mask. Her eyes shone through the slits in
her mask and her lips were glossy red. She smiled, and she looked
like Joanna, but the smile was hungry.

“But what...” he managed to whisper before
her gloved fingertip landed across his mouth.

She wore long black gloves that were smooth
and shiny. They went all the way to her underarms, contrasting
against her pale skin. It was Joanna. He turned his head slightly,
so relieved and excited by her presence that his cock was already
thumping with need. She was giving him another chance!

She was wearing shorter boots, ones that
laced up almost to her knees and made her ankles look small. She
was wearing a different corset, too, one that was long and black
and tighter than he could believe. Beneath the corset, she wore a
filmy white gown, one that was so sheer that he could see her pubis
and her nipples through it.

He moaned a little in desire and she
smiled.

“You’ve been very bad, Mike,” she said, her
voice low. “You gave me no safeword. You surrendered me to your
friend. You didn’t ask me what I wanted, and you could have
destroyed our relationship forever.”

“I know,” he whispered beneath her finger.
“I’m sorry, Joanna.”

“Mistress Joanna,” she corrected, her tone
harsh.

“Mistress Joanna,” Mike repeated, remembering
the time she’d tied him down just like this and queened him. The
prospect of her doing that again made his blood simmer.

“And you’re not as sorry as you will be.” She
touched her lips to his temple and he melted at the tenderness. Her
tongue flicked against his ear and his body responded with
predictable enthusiasm.

Joanna had come back.

Mike was relieved, at least until she
spoke.

“You also deceived me, and you have to be
punished for that.” Her fingers landed hard against his mouth when
he might have argued for himself. Her eyes looked hard, cold even,
and her mouth was a thin line. “You never told me you’d been to
jail, Mike. Don’t you think a woman should know something like that
about her fiancé?”

He nodded, his chest tight.

“So do I. Now I know and now you will be
punished. I’m going to silence you, Mike, so no one will hear you
scream. Nod your agreement.”

Mike nodded, transfixed by the sight of
her.

“Make him beg for it,” Eric suggested from
the other side of the room. Mike realized then who had helped
Joanna break into the house, who had told her of his past, and who
had tied him down. “I’d like to hear that before I leave him at
your mercy.”

Mike glared at his friend, wondering what had
happened between him and Joanna over the past week.

“Relax, man. She had to practice on
somebody.”

“Eric was a perfect gentleman,” Joanna added,
then her voice hardened again. It was thrilling to hear her take
charge like this. Mike didn’t know how he’d last - although he
loved the idea of her tormenting him for the whole weekend. “Not
that you deserve my loyalty, do you, Mike?”

Mike shook his head, looking as contrite as
he could.

Joanna smiled, and he realized he didn’t
quite know what she had planned for him. The possibilities made his
heart pound.

“I like the idea of hearing you beg,” she
said, lifting her fingers away from his mouth. She leaned one knee
on the bed, displaying her wet puss to him. Mike took a deep breath
and wished she’d queen him again. He’d prove his devotion by making
her come bigger than she ever had before. “Beg to be gagged and
punished, Mike. But do it quietly.”

“Yes, Mistress Joanna,” Mike whispered. He
was gratified to see her smile, then he began to beg in earnest. He
begged and he groveled and he entreated her forgiveness. Meanwhile,
she unwound a length of black tape, biting it off the roll with her
teeth. He swallowed, his mouth dry, and kept begging her. She
leaned over him, engulfing him in her perfume, her breasts touching
his chest. He saw the line of silver clasps on her corset and the
shine of the patent leather, the neat indent of her waist and
wanted only to see more.