Masters of the Shadowlands 8 - If only (32 page)

Vance didn’t even pretend to misunderstand. In fact, he looked almost resigned to the argument. “You think she’d do better without us? What about the next asshole who uses her for a punching bag?”

The memory of her bloody face made Galen scowl. “We can’t keep her safe.”

“Since the other quadrants shut down, the Association’s hits have all been in New York.” Vance shook his head. “Our residence isn’t listed; phones are unlisted. No one knows she’s here except the Shadowlands members.”

“True.” The tightness in his chest receded. Maybe he was being hasty. After all, Sally’s desire to be needed could lead her into more danger than the remote chance the Association would notice her. He thrummed his fingertips on the desk as he thought. “No outings. Let’s keep her out of the public eye until this is over.”

Relief filled his partner’s face. “You’re going to be reasonable?”

“Sure wasn’t your logic that swayed me.” It was because he liked having her here as much as Vance did. It was because hearing about her job applications had sent his mood spiraling downward. It was because he
wanted
her.

Real soon he and Vance needed to think about the future. Before it was too late. But for now… “It’s been over a month since we had our first scene with Sally. I’ve been thinking about taking things to the next level.” He smiled suddenly. “It might be a way to coax out what she’s been hiding.”

* * * *

Sally dived into the pool behind G and V’s house, hammered out a lap, another, and another. Breathless, she stopped at one end and tossed her tangled hair back. Despite the late afternoon sun, the rising wind cooled her wet shoulders.

Redolent with the fragrance of the lush green vegetation around the lake, the breeze this far inland held only a trace of the ocean. The slight scent of chlorine came from the water.

Chlorine was supposed to make a person feel clean, but she had a feeling she’d never feel clean again.

Three men had died. The Association manager…she didn’t know anything about him, but he’d chosen his destiny by dealing in human trafficking. His death was of his own making. But—God, those other men. Marshals, trying to protect the manager. Dead. A sob shook her chest, and she dived for the bottom of the pool.

Her fault.

And yet…
If I hadn’t sent the New York cops information about the three managers, more women might have been enslaved. Might have died. I did the right thing
. She’d been telling herself that since she’d checked on the manager they’d caught and found out about the fire. How long before she stopped feeling guilty?

To make it worse, she knew Galen or Vance could have been in that house. They’d talked about flying up to question that manager. And they’d be dead. She kicked to the surface and treaded water.

How could she bear it if they died? To be without them, never touch them again. Never hear Galen’s rare open laugh, feel him stroke her hair, reading her soul with his dark eyes. Never feel Vance’s hands as he rolled her over in the early morning and pushed inside her, taking her so slow, murmuring what he expected her to do.

How could she live without them?

Dammit, you weren’t supposed to fall in love with them, you stupid, stupid girl
. Talk about a pitiful cliché. Silly submissive falls in love with the Dominant she’s working with.

And in Sally’s case?
Oh yeah, I fell for two of them.

She turned over, lying in the water facedown in a dead man’s float. On the bottom of the pool, the shadows of the nearby trees wavered and danced. The dying rays of the sun brushed over her back—although she didn’t think she’d ever be warm again.

“Sally.” Despite being muffled by water, the word still summoned her attention. Of course, it would. Hell, even laughing, Galen radiated authority.

She came upright, treading water. “Sir?”

“Take a shower and wait for us in the dungeon.”

Her breathing almost stopped. A scene? Everything in her thrilled at the idea of being totally at their command and the focus of their intense attention.

But…her feelings were a mess. She didn’t want them to know how she felt. Galen would pitch her out if he realized she was emotionally attached. God, what would—

“Did you happen to hear what I said?”

Shit
. “Yes, Sir. Shower and wait. Right away, Sir. Please forgive me, Sir. It won’t happen again, Sir.”

A snort. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, pet.”

As he strolled back into the house, she was already scrambling out of the pool.

VANCE SAUNTERED DOWN the overgrown dirt path to the cabana.

Because of Sally, they’d abandoned working on the game room and had been fixing this one up instead. It was going to make a hell of a nice dungeon.

He—and his
apprentice
—had painted the walls and ceiling. A king-size bed had replaced the twin beds. Some of the equipment had already arrived and would be tested out tonight.

About fifteen minutes ago, the back door had slammed as Sally headed for the cabana. Hopefully she’d spent that time in anticipation of what would come. He grinned. With the little brown-eyed submissive, any assumption was liable to be wrong.

In fact, Galen had removed his toy bag from the cabana—just in case.

Vance opened the door. To his surprise, she was dutifully kneeling naked in the center of the room. Her posture was perfect: hands open on thighs, back arched slightly to display her breasts, eyes down. From the way her hair fluffed over her shoulders and curled down her back, he knew she’d taken the time to wash and blow it dry.

She might drive him crazy sometimes, but she never neglected to prepare her body for his pleasure.

He flipped the switch to turn on the music, and the sound of Enigma filled the room. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

A visible tremor shook her.

“Open your legs farther for me, please.”

She shifted position, spreading her thighs apart as he went down on one knee in front of her. Her pussy already glistened in the bright lights. Yes, she’d been anticipating the scene.

As he cupped his hand over her crotch, he leaned forward to whisper, “Galen and I are going to take our pleasure tonight—and if you’re very, very good, we’ll see that you’re rewarded for your patience. Very well rewarded.”

He heard her gulp. “Yes, Sir. I’ll be good.”

“You won’t get the chance not to be.” He moved his fingers through her plump folds, teasing her clit with his thumb. Her inner thigh muscles flexed and tightened. From the silky smoothness of her skin, she’d applied lotion. The scent wafted up, making him think of sunlit honey. Smiling, he moved back, sucking on his fingers, enjoying the first taste of what the evening would hold.

She stayed impressively still, only her heightened breathing and pink cheeks showing her anticipation.

“I’m going to warm you up a bit before Galen arrives; then we’ll start.” He stroked her hair, silky and bouncy, like her personality. “First, all the lab tests came back clean. Apart from anal sex, we won’t use protection.” And he was looking forward to having no barrier between his cock and her tight, wet pussy.

He continued, “Tonight, anything you haven’t marked as a hard limit might be used. You have your safe word. Use yellow if you’re getting overwhelmed. Otherwise, we’re going to do what we want.”

Her eyes were no longer down. She stared up at him, practically begging him to continue. A submissive’s wish was to be pushed until she knew to the depths of her soul that she’d given up all control. Tonight, that’s what she’d know.

He lifted her to her feet, molding her against him, taking a slow, drugging kiss. Her lips were soft and sweet, her tongue teasing.

Curling his fingers under her round ass, he pulled her closer, and her long hair silkily drifted over his arms. Nice.

With a smile, he pulled the set of nipple clamps from his jeans pocket. “Let’s see what these look like on you.”

Her nipples were the smoothest, softest skin on her body and a dusky pink that reddened quickly as he tightened the first screw. He could see her decision not to complain. Her facial and throat muscles turned rigid as she fought the pain.

He quickly loosened the clamp. “Let’s do this again.” He lifted her chin, giving her a firm look. “I know some submissives think their Doms are God—but I’m not. I can’t read your mind.” Thank God, she had such expressive body language. “You need to tell me if something starts to hurt.” He grinned. “Then I’ll decide whether I want you to take it anyway. Is that clear?”

For a second, she pouted. “Yes, Sir.”

“Good.” He tightened the screw slowly. Waiting. Nothing came from her, so he cleared his throat. Fuck, but he wanted to kill her father when he saw her struggle to force herself to speak.

“That hurts,” she whispered.

“Good. Very, very good.” Vance hugged her, feeling how her heart pounded against his chest. But she’d done it. “Next one.” He attached the right clamp, and this time, she managed to speak without prompting.

He stepped back to admire his work for a moment. The shiny metal clamps were beautiful against her reddening nipples.
Very nice
. Next time, he’d add a chain between them. “Now, take my shirt off, imp.”

She made a pretty ritual of disrobing him, button after button, pressing velvet-lipped kisses to his chest. Her hand blazed a trail downward, her mouth following, until she pushed his jeans down. He stepped out of them, and before he could move, she closed her lips around him.
Fuck
. The sweetheart had a mouth that was made for sin.

She released his cock and pushed his legs apart. Curious, he went along with her unspoken request. She cupped his balls, dipped her head, and kissed down his groin to his testicles. Licking and nuzzling. The sensation of wetness on his overheated skin was disconcerting, and he had to smother a groan when she sucked one ball, then the other into her mouth, tonguing them.

Almost too much.

Time to stop. With what he considered a superb amount of control, he tugged on her hair to get her to release him before pulling her to her feet. “Thank you, Sally.” He shook his head. “Tomorrow morning, I expect more of that.”

Her eyes lit with her delight—and the knowledge she’d pleased him.

“Now let’s get you ready for some action.”

She had the most beautiful brown eyes he’d ever seen, filled with a shimmering excitement and trust, and he struggled against his own urges. Fuck, but he wanted to bury himself in her as deep as possible. Instead he kissed her again, enjoying the feeling of her heated skin against his. There was an almost palpable vibration of need growing in them both.

When Galen walked in, Vance gave him a rueful smile. Yeah, he was behind their mapped-out schedule.

His partner grinned. But Galen had never resented making adjustments for unexpected twists in a scene.

Vance nudged Sally forward. “Help Galen out of his clothes too, sweetie.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Galen’s clothes soon dropped to the floor. Color crept into his face as Sally treated him to her talented mouth.

With a guttural growl, Galen pulled her away from his dick and motioned to the red leather-covered spanking horse, which had been delivered the day before. It was the one she’d lusted after in the catalog. “Let’s break this in, pet.”

She actually bounced up and down with anticipation.

He’d never known a submissive who brought so much joy to a session. Grinning, Vance lifted her onto the sawhorse, positioning her stomach-down so her knees and forearms rested on the lower padded areas.

He took a moment to adjust her breasts on each side of the narrow top, flicking the nipple clamps to hear her suck a breath in.
Mmmhmm
. He strapped her down, watching her eyes dilate as she tested the growing restrictions to movement.

While Vance worked, Galen idly fondled her ass and pussy, smiling at her increasingly urgent squirming.

“Let’s put a stop to that.” Vance tightened a strap over her low back, ensuring that her sweet, round ass would be nicely immobile as well as poke out invitingly from the end of the bench. “Can you move, Sally?”

She managed to lift her head and tried to wiggle. “No, Sir.”

“Good. Now listen, Sally; you aren’t permitted to come.” He grinned as her face scrunched adorably. “That’s right. Don’t disappoint me, sweetheart.”

Vance’s chest squeezed at her immediate answer: “I won’t.”

Fuck, how did she keep making him want her more? “Good girl. You sing out if you’re getting close, and we’ll back off. Clear?”

She actually looked relieved. “Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

“All right then.” As they’d discussed earlier, Vance took a place at her head.

Without warning her, Galen positioned his cock and thrust into her cunt, fast and hard.

She gasped, her back trying to arch.

Taking advantage of her open mouth, Vance slid his dick in. She sucked on it immediately, and the sensation of her hot, wet tongue swirling around the tip almost sent him over.

Galen was working her up, his left hand under her pelvis to tease her clit as his right hand prepped her anus with lube and fingers. By the time he finished, she’d be in a real state of need.

But on this rare occasion, they’d come before she would.

So Vance concentrated on his own pleasure.

Fuck, but he appreciated how Sally focused on him, trying to make it perfect for him.

“Heads-up,” Galen warned, and Vance pulled out and stepped back.

Galen rolled on a condom and pressed his cock to her tiny asshole. As he slowly worked his way in, Sally gritted her teeth…and Vance was grateful for the warning.

“In,” Galen said.

“All right.” Vance smiled down at their little sub. Flushed, sweat at her temples, eyes a little wild. “Open up, sweetheart. If you can finish me off in the next three minutes, Galen won’t feel the need to spank your ass.”

She tried. She really did, but despite her sucking and licking, Vance managed to hold out long enough for her to collect a half-dozen swats on her ass.

However, if he’d had to last any longer, his heart might have given out. She was astonishingly good at using her mouth.