Chapter 27

Xavier pressed his thumb against the blade of the small knife, hard enough that he felt it, but not enough to draw blood. He needed the pain to center himself. This wasn’t supposed to be happening;

she was supposed to be long gone, fled back into the arms of men who would kiss and cuddle her, then “punish” her with orgasms.

Strangely, he wanted to kiss her, something he rarely did. But the cuddles…well.

“Stand.”

Mae pushed to her feet, her hands still clasped together in front of her. She had lovely breasts, large enough to make breast play interesting, and her nipples were excitingly pink against her pale skin.

“Hands at your sides.”

She hesitated long enough that he was tempted to grab a crop. He wouldn’t have tolerated this from anyone else.

Mae unclenched her fingers and let her arms dangle, taking a shuttered breath as she did so.

Rather than punishing her for being slow to obey, he found himself reaching out to caress her left shoulder and breast, rewarding her for her bravery. “Good.” She calmed slightly at his touch.

Xavier hooked two fingers in the tie of her robe, slid the blade of his knife under the fabric, and cut it.

The sash dropped and her robe fell open. In the next breath the fabric lost its tenuous hold and slithered to the floor, revealing a pair of hot pink lace boy-cut panties with a large fabric bow on the back.

Xavier circled her, examining her near-naked body. “I haven’t had a sub who wore pink panties in…

ever.”

Mae cleared her throat. “What do your subs normally wear?”

“Black.”

“You don’t like pink?”

Xavier squeezed her ass. The bow was completely ridiculous, and yet he found himself admiring the way it framed her bottom. He rubbed her back and shoulders, palmed her breasts, and ran his hands up and down her legs, getting her used to his touch.

Mae was breathing hard, enough so that Xavier was concerned. For whatever reason, this lovely, soft woman had decided that she was going to subject herself to him. He knew all about using BDSM to exorcise personal demons, so he wasn’t going to judge her, or refuse to play with her. But he was going to protect her, if even from herself—at least until his own needs reared their ugly head.

He’d never felt this protective urge. Usually he was all about pushing, both himself and his subs, to the edge.

Right now he needed to know why she was breathing so hard.

“Mae, look at me.”

Her eyes were wide, the irises a lovely shade of gray. There was no distress in her gaze. It wasn’t fear that made her tremble.

“Mae, are you wet?”

She nodded jerkily.

“Put two fingers in your pussy. Show me.”

Her hand dipped into the pink lace, and her eyes fluttered closed as she touched herself. Xavier grabbed her wrist, squeezing enough that her eyes popped open.

“Show me, Mae.”

She held out her hand, two fingers coated in cream. The smell of her arousal was strong in the air.

Xavier inhaled, startled and delighted by how wet she was at this early stage.

“Clean your fingers.”

She seemed surprised by the order, and for an instant irritation rippled over her features, but then she put her fingers in her mouth, licking them clean. As he watched her, Xavier started to suspect that there was far more to this submissive than anyone knew.

“You’re aroused, when everything I know about you, and how you normally play, says that you should be terrified.”

“I am scared, Master Xavier.”

“Are you? Or have you been lying to everyone here, including yourself?”

* * *

Mae opened her mouth to protest. She wasn’t lying to anyone. The words caught in her throat, and for the first time she really was afraid. Not by what he’d do to her body, but by what being with Xavier would reveal about her.

“Kneel.”

She dropped down, kneeling amid the discarded fabric of her robe, glad that she didn’t have to reply to his question. Master Xavier grabbed a duffel bag from the shadows under the wooden horse and dumped it into the chair to rummage through it. When he turned to her he had a handful of black straps and rope.

“Give me your wrists.” Xavier draped some of the restraints around his neck, freeing his hands to work the black and silver cuffs he held. They were padded nylon, the outside reinforced with gleaming steel and set with heavy D rings.

With quick, sure movements Master Xavier fastened the cuffs around her wrists. They were heavy, probably a pound each.

“Kneel up and put your toes on the mat, ankles bent.”

Mae let her heavy wrists drop to her sides and adjusted her feet. When Xavier dropped to one knee beside her, she was nearly overcome with the urge to lean into his warm, hard body, to cuddle against him.

She bit the tip of her tongue to get herself under control. Cuddling would only reinforce what he thought about her.

Master Xavier fastened cuffs around her ankles. “Stand up and follow me.”

Mae took a second to look down at herself—the heavy metal-studded cuffs were unlike anything she was used to.

Xavier was standing beside one of the sections of ladder-like bars on the wall. The horizontal wooden boards were evenly spaced, starting at the floor and going nearly all the way to the ceiling. It was deceptively simple, almost decorative, but with each step she took, Mae knew that whatever was about to happen would be anything but simple.