Love Slave to the Sicilian Billionaire

Citation preview

Guilty Pleasures 4

Love Slave to the Sicilian Billionaire When her husband dies suddenly, twenty-nine-year-old Ella Williams turns to the only man who can help—Maximiliano D’Alesandro. Unfortunately, Max thinks she is responsible for his best friend’s death. Without his help and guidance, her life spirals out of control. The thirty-four-year-old Sicilian billionaire and alpha male Dom needs just one thing to make his life complete—a submissive woman who enjoys the BDSM lifestyle as much as he does. When Max discovers Ella’s wild and reckless ways, he literally takes charge of her life, both in and out of the bedroom! However, as their D/s relationship blossoms, some important information comes to light that shocks Ella to her very core. Will Max save Ella from self-destruction? Or will the truth finally drive them apart? Genre: BDSM, Contemporary Length: 43,101 words

LOVE SLAVE TO THE SICILIAN BILLIONAIRE Guilty Pleasures 4

Jan Bowles

EVERLASTING CLASSIC

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic

LOVE SLAVE TO THE SICILIAN BILLIONAIRE Copyright © 2011 by Jan Bowles E-book ISBN: 1-61926-041-7 First E-book Publication: November 2011 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Love Slave to the Sicilian Billionaire by Jan Bowles from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Jan Bowles’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Bowles’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To my darling husband, Clive ~ Thank you for your patience, love and understanding. “Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.” Robert Browning

LOVE SLAVE TO THE SICILIAN BILLIONAIRE Guilty Pleasures 4 JAN BOWLES Copyright © 2011

Chapter One Maximiliano D’Alesandro politely declined the offer of a glass of sherry from the pretty, dark-haired waitress. Instead, he glanced at his watch, wondering when a suitable moment would arise so he could leave without bringing too much attention to himself. From his position by the magnificent Louis XIV fireplace, he surveyed the elegant drawing room of the hotel, and adjusted his stance. The classy room was crammed full of people wearing black. He disliked funerals intensely, much preferring the living to the dead, but this was one funeral he couldn’t avoid. His best friend, Kirk Williams, had tragically died some five days earlier. It had been totally unexpected. He felt like a rug had been pulled from under him. Stunned, his world had shattered, tilting on its axis to undermine everything he believed in. The constant was no longer a certainty. People died. Best friends perished in the blink of an eye. Both aged thirty-four, they’d grown up together. They’d played football together. They’d shared a lifetime together, but sadly, no more. His heart ached for the loss of his best friend, but he was filled with anger, too.

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At that moment he let his gaze drift to Kirk’s wife, Ella, and the cause of all his anguish. There she sat on the plush brocade sofa, looking every inch the grieving widow. In the ten years he’d known her, he’d always believed her to be sweet natured and totally loyal to his best friend. He felt his mouth firming into a thin line of disapproval as he moodily studied her. Yes, she might have lost a few pounds. Maybe guilt had made her shed them? The black sleeveless dress only served to accentuate her slim arms and pale complexion. Her hands clasped nervously around the handkerchief resting on her lap. Every so often he saw her squeeze the linen square tightly in her grasp. Normally, Ella wore her hair in a ponytail, but today she’d let it down, and it trailed around her shoulders in a glossy black mane. He thought her flamboyant hairstyle seemed wholly inappropriate for a funeral. Her shiny locks almost hid from view the black velvet choker adorning her elegant, slender neck. It reminded him of a slave collar he’d use on a number of his subs. That one thought alone kept his interest squarely on her. Up until a few months ago he’d thought Ella Williams would make the perfect slave. Her fiery, opinionated temperament was ideally suited to being trained to submit. It wouldn’t be an easy task. He knew she’d be rebellious, but those kinds of slaves gave him the greatest pleasure when they finally submitted to his will. Of course, he would never have entered into such a relationship with her, even if she were so inclined. As the wife of his best friend, Ella had always been strictly off-limits. Anger flared once more through his body, and he eased his shoulders, releasing the tension. Everything had changed. Even from this distance he could see the tears brimming in her bright blue eyes. One trickled down her cheek and ran to the corner of her mouth. He watched her wipe it away, and sighed to himself. Ella deserved an Oscar. She really was good at faking this grieving shit. He wondered how long she could keep it up. Almost forever, he

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figured, until the last guest had left. No doubt her lover was just waiting for the moment when he could slip into her bed unnoticed. A sudden thought struck him, and he looked around the room. Perhaps the fucker was already here. No one immediately came to mind as he scanned the dozen or so men standing close by. Kirk had been really agitated after returning from duty in Afghanistan. Max had known something was amiss in the Williams household. By chance he’d seen Ella driving in a particularly seedy part of town. With his curiosity piqued, he’d followed her in his car, to a cheap motel, where she’d met a guy. They’d both disappeared into one of the run-down rooms, only for her to emerge alone several hours later, with a guilty look on her face. He guessed Kirk had known she was having an affair, too. After serving unselfishly in Afghanistan, and winning a Purple Heart for bravery, he’d come home to this shit. Max knew it was time to leave. His body felt stiff, and he flexed his hands. Better to go now, before he said something he might later regret. There was no doubt in his mind that Ella Williams had caused his best friend to commit suicide. **** Ella Williams nodded, acknowledging the words of sympathy expressed by yet another mourner. How long could she keep this up for? Everyone knew and respected her husband. They had come from all over the country to the small town of Andover, Kansas, as a mark of respect. Her husband had many real friends who’d happily given up the time to come to his funeral. For the last four hours she’d listened to their heartfelt and polite condolences. She knew they had no understanding of how she felt, totally bereft. Didn’t they know her world had fallen apart five days ago? It had fractured beyond repair. Her life lay shattered all around her. Just

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what was she going to do now? How could she cope? Every fiber of her being wanted to scream out, It’s not true. He’s not dead. He’s going to come walking through that door any minute now. You’ll see. Ella breathed in, taking the air deep into her lungs. She had to hold it together. What would the good people of Andover say if she screamed with sorrow at the top of her voice? Would the doctors feed her full of drugs until she forgot every terrifying minute of that awful day? The idea that she could erase those memories seemed very tempting. What had Kirk been thinking of? She knew he hadn’t been well. That was why she’d stayed with him these past few months, trying to help him come to terms with life outside the armed forces. Their marriage had been over long before he’d even gone to Afghanistan on his last tour of duty. He’d known it at the time, and they’d discussed it in a civilized manner. Yet, when he returned, he’d altered. He’d become paranoid and agitated, aggressive even. He frightened her. Without thinking, Ella lifted a hand to her neck, and smoothed her fingertips over the velvet choker. Even through the thick material she could still feel the painful bruising beneath. What on earth had possessed Kirk? Thank God she’d been able to hide the unsightly blackened marks from view. The choker hid most of the bruising, and wearing her hair long hid the rest. It was not the lasting memory she wished for her husband. Whatever he’d done, he hadn’t been himself. A man cleared his throat, and she looked up to see Max standing in front of her. “Ella, my deepest sympathies, but I’ve gotta go.” Max cut an imposing figure whatever he was wearing, but today, sporting an expensive, hand-tailored suit, he looked especially impressive. Standing about six-three, and weighing over two hundred pounds, he was an imposing sight. Her husband had always joked that Max was just one step away from the Mafia, and often implied that you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him. His parents, both Sicilian immigrants, meant he certainly had the connections, and the looks. Thick, dark hair fell about his face in unruly waves. A typical

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Roman nose gave way to surprisingly sensual lips. But it was his eyes that stood out most from his olive complexion. A striking silver-gray, they commanded respect and attention. He’d never hidden his BDSM lifestyle from herself and Kirk, and she could only imagine how his slaves felt as he dominated them into submission. She made her excuses to the guests sitting beside her, and walked him to the door. All the time aware that something had altered between them. He seemed distant, and reluctant to meet her gaze. This wasn’t the Max she’d come to rely on when her husband was on tour with the Marines. Max had always looked out for her. Made sure she was okay while Kirk was away. Now he could barely utter two words to her without her feeling his anger? Why? She guessed he was grieving over the death of Kirk, just like herself. She had to make allowances. He needed time to come to terms with the death of his lifelong friend, too. “Max, we need to talk.” There were things she had to tell him. “There’s nothing to talk about, Ella.” “Please. For Kirk’s sake.” Max was a good ten inches taller than her, and she stared up into his eyes, feeling small and vulnerable in his presence. “What do you want to talk about?” he eventually said. “I can’t say here,” she whispered, her voice croaking and hoarse, “not with everyone around.” He studied her, anger flaring in his eyes. “I’ll call you when I get the time.” “Please, Max.” For whatever reason, she felt he wouldn’t. She squeezed his hand. “I don’t know what’s happening anymore. You seem…” She shrugged, trying to contain her grief. “So angry, and I don’t know why.” He stared at her for what seemed a long time. Then so no one could hear, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Of course I’m fucking angry. My best friend shot himself. I need answers, Ella. Why would he do that?”

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“There are things you don’t know, Max. That’s why we need to talk.” His silver-gray eyes seemed to control her, calming her. “Like I just said, I’ll call you when I get the time.” He then pushed open the double doors before walking through the reception area and continuing outside. She watched him stride across to his car, his demeanor stiff as he opened the door. The moment he removed his jacket and tossed it angrily onto the back seat, she knew he had no intention of calling her. Well, there was no way she’d let this drop. Max needed to know everything. Then maybe he’d understand.

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Chapter Two One week later Max rubbed a hand through his hair, and then logged off the computer. He kneaded his fingers into the tight muscles of his neck. It had taken two hours to complete the final amendments to his bid. The construction rights to build the latest shopping mall in Butler County were now finalized. All he had to do was submit his tender. He swiveled in his chair and looked out of the office window. The headquarters of his company, M. D. Construction, were situated on the tenth floor of the newly built office block, providing him with excellent views over all of Wichita. The Arkansas River, winding its way through the city, glistened in the late afternoon sun. It wasn’t often he had time to admire the view, but today he would allow himself to enjoy it. After all, his construction company was thriving. He’d built it up from nothing, with his own hands and little capital. He was very proud of what he’d achieved. There were several projects in the pipeline at the moment, and many more in varying stages of development. It was a far cry from his earlier years as a poorly paid construction worker. He was his own boss. The intercom buzzed on his desk and he lazily flicked a switch. “Yes, Becky?” “Max, Ella is here to see you.” Before he had time to reply, his secretary added, “She says it’s important.” He paused for a moment, contemplating if he could avoid the meeting. He didn’t want this conversation, but Ella was a hard woman to ignore. If he didn’t speak with her now, he knew she’d be waiting

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for him outside when he left the building. He sighed heavily, and then answered, “Send her in.” Better to have this conversation in private, rather than in front of all his staff. Within a few seconds, Ella came through the door, looking as elegant as ever. He could smell her seductive perfume as soon as she entered. He wondered if it was a trick of the light, but she appeared even thinner, her face even more drawn than when he’d seen her last. She’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Her black, hip-hugging jeans with matching knee-high leather boots only accentuated her slender frame. A plum silk blouse, which opened modestly at the neckline, revealed the black velvet choker around her neck once more. Only this time, a pearl, tear-shaped droplet hung from the center. In any other life, Ella was a woman he would strive to possess, mind, body, and soul, until he had her complete submission. He wiped a hand over his face. My God, Kirk was barely cold in his grave, and he was already thinking sexually about his best friend’s wife—albeit an adulterous wife. Max quashed those thoughts and pointed to the leather chair opposite his desk. “Take a seat, Ella.” He apprehensively tapped an index finger against his chin as she slowly took the seat. Bright blue eyes looked accusingly at him. “What’s going on, Max?” “Going on? I don’t know what you mean?” He knew full well that he’d avoided her for the last week. His best friend was dead, and he blamed her. “You said you’d call.” “I’ve been busy.” “It’s more than that.” He sighed. There was no way around this. “Would you like a coffee? I can get Becky to fix you one.” Ella looked irritated, and moved uneasily in her seat. “No, I don’t want a coffee, Max. I just get the feeling you’re avoiding me. I know you’re grieving for Kirk, but I need to talk to you. I can’t reveal these

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things to anyone else. They wouldn’t understand.” “Look, Ella.” He waved his hands in a dismissive manner. “There’s no need to say anything. I already know.” Ella’s face held a picture of surprise. “You do? But you never said.” “Why would I. It was a personal matter between you and Kirk. It’s none of my business.” “Oh? And what is that?” “Do I really need to spell it out for you?” Max absently moved some papers around on his desk. Ella was making this difficult for him. A quizzical look formed on her face. “Max, are we talking about the same thing here?” “Ella, don’t make me say it.” “Say what?” Her voice rose an octave, and she gritted her teeth. “Max, you’re scaring me. I need to know exactly what you’re talking about.” “Why? What does it matter now? Kirk’s dead, and there’s nothing we can do or say to bring him back.” Color began to tinge her cheeks, and she shook her head. “No, no, you’re blaming me for something. I can see it in your eyes, Max. You can’t hide it. That’s why you’ve been avoiding me. I want to know what you mean. Tell me.” “Very well. I didn’t want this conversation, Ella. I’ve been avoiding you like hell this last week, but since you insist.” He breathed in, trying to contain his anger. There sat the woman who’d sent his best friend over the edge, and she had the audacity to demand he tell her? Well, he’d give it to her straight. “I know you were having an affair.” **** “What?” Stunned, Ella simply shook her head. It felt ready to

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explode with this new information. She felt as though Max had slapped her face. “Affair? I never had an affair.” Max waved his hand disparagingly in the air. “I saw you, Ella. You’re fucking another guy. Kirk must have found out. It must have broken his heart. Deny it if you dare.” “I emphatically deny it.” “Do you deny your marriage was over?” “We both already knew it was. It was over a long time before he went on his last tour of duty to Afghanistan.” “I told you I didn’t want this conversation. That’s why I’ve not returned your calls.” Max rubbed his hand over his face. “I didn’t have an affair, Max. You do believe me?” Max grimaced and held up his hands in silent appeal. His silvergray eyes bored into her, then he turned away and looked out the window. “Don’t make me say it.” “I want to know exactly what you think, Max.” He turned back toward her. “I followed you, Ella. I saw you.” “Saw me?” Ella felt her brows draw together. The only time she’d been on her own recently was to get some advice from an ex-Marine who had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. The guy had never really filtered back into mainstream society properly, just like Kirk. She wanted a better understanding of the debilitating illness. They’d met at a run-down motel where the guy currently lived on benefits, and had spoken at great length. He’d given her some good advice, including coping strategies for both herself and Kirk, and phone numbers for professional help, should she need it. Immediately she clasped her hand to her mouth, her eyes fixed on Max. “Oh, God, no.” The hostility in Max’s eyes was unnerving. He thought his friend had been wronged. Max needed to know what Kirk was truly capable of. Intense anger flowed through her veins. “Fuck you, Max. I can see I’m wasting my breath trying to convince you. You’ve already made up your mind. Kirk had become agitated, and I went to see an ex-

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Marine. His name had been given to me by one of Kirk’s buddies who was concerned about his irrational behavior in Afghanistan. Posttraumatic stress and all its associated problems were pretty common after a tour of duty in the hellhole that is Afghanistan. I was at the end of my tether. I needed help, and I needed to help Kirk. I only wanted some advice, that was all. If you followed me and put two and two together to make five, then that’s your problem. I didn’t have an affair, and it really scares me that Kirk may have thought I did. Did you tell him?” “No.” “I know that’s not why he killed himself.” With trembling hands, she ripped the choker from her neck and pulled the collar of her blouse apart to expose her throat. “See this, Max. See the bruises. It’s been twelve days since Kirk tried to kill me. He tried to strangle me. Look, Mr. Judgmental, the bruises are still there. See. He gripped my neck so tightly, I passed out. That’s why Kirk shot himself. He thought he’d killed me. When I came to, I found him dead in the car with his brains spread over the windshield and upholstery.” Once she’d regained consciousness, she’d searched the whole house in panic for her husband. Nothing. As a last resort she went into the garage. As soon as she saw the car, she knew. Blood splattered every window. That image had branded itself in her mind. If she closed her eyes she could still picture the horrifying, gory scene. Ella clasped her hands to her head. The tears now flowed freely. “Do you know what it’s like to see the person you once loved vacant and expressionless, with half their face blown away?” She shook her head, feeling her world crumbling around her. “As you say, Max, it’s all my fault. Kirk’s dead, and it’s all my fault.” It felt difficult to breathe, and she gasped for air, choking on her sobs. “God, why did this have to happen?” Without knowing, Max had walked around his desk. As soon as he touched her head she stiffened. Max of all people should believe her. Why didn’t he?

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“I’m sorry, Ella. I didn’t know.” He squatted down in front of her and gently cupped her chin. “Let me see.” He raised her chin exposing her bare neck. Through blurred vision she saw him studying the bruises. “Have you seen a doctor?” His fingers glanced across her skin, smoothing over the bare flesh of her throat, sending tiny shock waves throughout her body. “No,” she answered, aware now of every inch of the man hunkered down before her. His broad shoulders pressed against the white shirt he wore, and she couldn’t help but focus on his open collar, and the five o’clock shadow that stained his jaw. “Everything Kirk had achieved would account for nothing if this had gotten out. He was a hero. He won a Purple Heart, for fuck’s sake. I only wanted his parents to remember that. How would it have helped an elderly couple by telling them the son that they loved so dearly had become so paranoid and delusional that he’d tried to strangle his own wife?” Ella felt her lips tremble as she stared into Max’s eyes. “I didn’t know what else to do.” “You did the right thing. At least Kirk will be remembered for the guy he was. A great friend and husband.” He pulled her into his arms and gently stroked a hand into her hair as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. He felt warm and powerful, but he also felt aloof, too. She knew it would take him a long time to come to terms with everything he’d heard. Feeling totally bereft and alone, her tears slipped onto the white linen of his shirt, staining the crisp material. “You can’t hate me any more than I hate myself right now,” she confided in him. Max didn’t answer. He just breathed in, and then pulled slightly away. He held his hand to her neck. “I want you to get this looked at.” “No, it’s okay.” He shook his head. “Listen to me. You will go to the doctors and get them to look at it. Your voice is huskier than usual. Your vocal cords might be damaged.” When she didn’t answer he continued, “Be a good girl and promise me, Ella.”

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His deep-voiced commands caught her by surprise, and she found herself agreeing to his wishes. There was something about the way he’d said it that she just couldn’t ignore. “Very well, Max. I promise.” “Good.” He stood and began walking to the door. “I’ll get Becky to run you home.” “No.” “You will do as I say, Ella. I’ll have a member of my staff drop your car off at your house. You’re not in a fit state to drive. I want to know you arrive home safely. You’ve been through a hard time. I need to think. What you’ve just told me is hard to accept. But I’ve seen the bruising with my own eyes. Kirk was my best friend. I guess I didn’t know him that well. I just have to come to terms with everything in my own time.”

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Chapter Three Three months later The heady beat of music drifted pleasantly across the airconditioned room. “Another shot of whiskey, Sam.” Max handed his empty glass to the bartender of the Orange Grove Fetish Club. The subdued lighting and half-dressed guests all added to the ambience. Without a sub for the last few months, he’d come along this evening to check out the scene. When the contract with his last slave had finished, they’d both gone their separate ways. He’d found enjoyment, but there was still something lacking. His girlfriend, Jessica, hadn’t opened up to him the way he’d hoped. Their relationship had not been serious. Max absently tossed some nuts into his mouth as Sam poured a large measure of Jack Daniel’s into a shot glass. This time he would be more selective. He was in the mood for something more satisfying and meaningful. He wanted a sub to give him everything they possessed. Nothing of monetary value. He had enough money of his own. No, he wanted their complete submission. He wanted their mind, their body, and especially their soul. Now all he had to do was find the right woman. Finding a woman who could give him those things would be difficult, but not impossible. Max tossed some more nuts into his mouth. That way the prize would be much sweeter. As he looked around the club he realized how much he missed his friend Kirk. This was the first time he’d visited the club since Kirk had died. It had been a stunning revelation when Ella had revealed the

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bruises. Almost two weeks after he’d died, they were still visible as a horrible, yellow-green color marking her slender neck. He’d been completely unaware that his best friend had been so ill, and it made him feel guilty as hell. At the time he’d known Kirk was agitated, and had put it down to Ella having an affair. Now he knew different. Kirk had been suffering from some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. Most likely brought on by his time in Afghanistan. Fuck, he must have seen some terrible sights out there, things that no man should see. He’d needed help, and he’d let him down in his hour of need. Max swallowed the shot of rye whiskey in one gulp, and then indicated to the barman that he wanted a refill. If only he’d read the signs, instead of reacting badly toward Ella, he could have helped Kirk. As Sam refilled his glass, he stared into the full-length mirror behind the bar. It was a good way of scanning the room without being too obvious. Some familiar faces came into view, and then one in particular. He recognized the ponytail and long, slender arms. He paid the tab and turned in her direction. Ella Williams seemed to be part of a threesome and stood next to a couple he recognized. He’d known Bill and Sara for some eight years. They weren’t exactly close friends, but they knew each other by name. He hadn’t thought Ella would be interested in fetishism, let alone take part in a threesome. His gaze swept from her calf leather boots, up her long legs to her short leather miniskirt. She certainly looked part of the scene. Max licked his lips as he focused on her breasts held tightly in a leather bra, showing her womanly cleavage to perfection. He’d never seen her look so fucking sexy. When she was married to his best buddy, he never allowed himself to dwell on her beauty. A smile formed on his mouth. Was Ella into BDSM after all, or was this just a curiosity visit? He hadn’t seen her since his secretary, Becky, had driven her home. Quite frankly, he couldn’t face her. Guilt overwhelmed him. What exactly would he say to her?

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Max felt himself stiffen when another guy he recognized joined them. So it wasn’t a threesome after all. But that was little consolation. Just what the hell was she doing with Kevin McCreedy? He was well known for taking things too far. Many of his subs had left mid-contract, thoroughly disillusioned by his attitude. Word around the fetish scene spread quickly. Apparently, he was well known for being a selfish prick who took but never gave. That was the thing about BDSM. If all you gave was punishment, then you could never win a sub’s complete trust. Control a slave with both pleasure and pain and you could have them eating out of your hand, day and night. Ella’s group moved over to the bar. He took immense pleasure when her eyes widened as she recognized him. She seemed slightly agitated and on edge. He figured she didn’t want him to know she frequented places like this. She cleared her throat. “Hi, Max.” He leaned back against the bar as she stood waiting for Kevin McCreedy to order her drink. He smiled and raised a brow as he took in her sexy clothes once more. “I didn’t know you were part of the scene, Ella.” “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Max.” Her clipped answer caught him a little off guard, and he wondered if she was still pissed because he hadn’t been in contact with her. “I meant to call you,” he offered, popping a peanut into his mouth. “That’s, okay. There’s no reason to now. Your best friend’s not here anymore.” Her flippant remark made him feel even guiltier. “It’s taken me a while to come to terms with everything, Ella.” “Poor, Max. I sure hope you can cope.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice. He watched her turn away and accept the large glass of white wine handed to her by Kevin. She gave him a weak smile and said, “Guess I’ll see you around,” and with that began moving away. Something didn’t sit right with Max. Just what was Ella doing

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here anyway? And why was she so hostile, especially as so much time had passed since her husband’s death. Perhaps he was just losing his touch with the opposite sex. Fuck. You’re losing your touch all right, buddy. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and act on instinct. It’s what you do best. He watched her walk from the bar before acting on impulse. He caught up with the group. “Excuse me. I’m just gonna borrow Ella for a minute. I’ll bring her right back.” He took the glass of wine from Ella’s grasp and placed it on a nearby table. “You better, Max. I’ve spent a long time setting up this blind date,” Sara called after them. “Fucking hell, we’ve only just got here.” Kevin sounded pissed by the unwanted intrusion. He began leading Ella across the room. She didn’t resist until he’d almost gotten her to the door. “What do you think you’re doing, Max? I’m not one of your subs. Take your fucking hands off me.” “You’re coming with me, Ella.” He took hold of her arm more firmly, and pulled her into the corridor. “Let me get back to my friends, Max, please.” She went to move away, but he braced his hands against the wall, blocking her path, corralling her in place. In frustration she leaned back, and sighed loudly. “Believe me, Ella, those people are not your friends. How well do you know them?” “Not very well, but I needed some company. Is that okay with you?” she added bitterly. “I see.” Max placed two fingers under her chin, and tilted her head back. Ella closed her eyes as he angled her face to the overhead light. “Look at me,” he ordered. “Why?” “Just do it.” When she opened her eyes he had the distinct impression that Ella was scared. But of what? The club scene, or something else?

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“What do you want from me, Max? How I live my life is none of your fucking business. I don’t hear from you from one month to the next. So butt out, and stop interfering, mister.” “I’m making it my business now. Kirk wouldn’t thank me for turning a blind eye.” Ella laughed hysterically. “The next time I see him, I’ll tell him you’re on the case.” She must have seen his brows draw together, because she added, “Oh, yes, I see him everywhere, Max. In the bedroom, the shopping mall, even when I take a shower. He’s there all right. Only, it’s not the Kirk I want to remember. His head’s halfblown away. So forgive me if I want to escape this shitty world for a while. I’m entitled to.” At that moment Max felt terrible. Guilt cut like a knife through his body. He saw the anguish in her eyes. He’d ignored Ella because he’d been grieving himself. He’d been selfish. It was time to make amends. “Do you have any idea what you’re letting yourself in for, mixing with that prick, McCreedy? He won’t make you feel any better.” He stared down at her face. Her eyes were closed, the dark lashes brushing against her cheeks. Her head tilted to one side. Her glossy red lips parted. Fuck, she was in a terrible emotional state. “Max, don’t lecture me, please.” She twisted back against the wall. It was difficult to ignore the soft swell of her breasts, held delectably in the tight leather top, or the way her long, smooth legs crossed at the ankles. She continued speaking. “Sara tells me that kinky sex is out of this world. Quite frankly, I could do with some of that.” “You won’t find it with Kevin McCreedy, understand.” Max tilted her head back forcing her to look at him. He figured she didn’t even like the guy. “Leave me alone, Max. You’ve kept your distance up until now, and I’m quite happy about it.” Guilt coursed through his veins once more. If he’d concentrated a little less on his own grief, then maybe his best friend’s wife wouldn’t

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be in this state. It was time to atone for his selfishness. “Right, you’re coming with me.” He took hold of her arm and began leading her from the club. “What about Kevin?” “Fuck Kevin. I never did like the guy. It’s lucky for you I was here tonight.”

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Chapter Four Ella stumbled as Max led her through the double doors and down the short flight of steps outside. She felt in a daze, but even through the mental fog, she saw the determined look pinned on his face. Truth be known, she loved him taking control. Someone needed to. She felt like she was drowning with grief and guilt. But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing she needed him. These last few months had been a nightmare, and Max had been noticeable by his absence. She was grateful when she felt his arm link though hers as they walked across the parking lot. Suddenly a male voice called out, “Where the fuck do you think you’re going, Ella? You’re with me tonight.” Max turned, abruptly. She felt his body tense with adrenaline. He squared up to Kevin as he walked menacingly over to them. “I’m taking her home.” Max pushed Ella behind him, protecting her. “Do you have a problem with that?” “Of course I fucking do, Max. Ella is with me.” “Ella doesn’t need someone like you. Do you understand? She needs protecting, and we all know that’s not your scene. If I catch you anywhere near her in future, I’ll lay you horizontal.” “Yeah?” Kevin moved closer, his face distorted by anger. “Don’t make threats, dick brain, unless you’re prepared to back them up. You don’t intimidate me, Max.” “It’s not a threat, McCreedy. It’s a promise. You stay away from Ella, or so help me, I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands.” The way Max spoke sent shivers down her spine. She felt the menace in his tone—his Sicilian bloodline surging to the fore. She

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hoped Kevin would take his threat seriously. Max clenched his hands into fists. Standing protected behind him, she felt his body pulse with adrenal energy. Any moment now and the punches would start flying. Kevin must have realized that Max wasn’t going to back down, and thought better about taking on his stronger, taller, and more muscular opponent. “Fuck you, asshole. The bitch is half crazed anyway.” Kevin turned on his heels, and began walking back to the club. “Fuck you, Max.” Max turned to her. “Are you all right?” “Yes. I’m glad he’s gone. I didn’t like him.” He stroked her cheek. His gaze was unsettling as he studied her. “What am I gonna do with you?” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She fit so snugly under his chin. So safe held protected against his chest. If only she could have this sense of security all the time. Instead, the image of her dead husband tortured her mercilessly both day and night. It hurt her to know that her actions had been the reason Kirk committed suicide. “Come on. I’ll take you home.” Max unlocked his Porsche with the remote, and opened the passenger door for her. It was with intense relief that she slid inside. All she wanted was to feel happy again. Was that too much to ask? Ella wondered if that day would ever come. Maybe she’d had her chance of happiness with Kirk. Perhaps that one bite of the cherry was all she would get out of life. It hadn’t worked out for them on so many levels. Yet they’d begun married life with such high hopes. However, true love was very fleeting. Max didn’t speak again until he’d maneuvered the car from the parking lot and onto the highway. “So what were you doing going out with that prick Kevin McCreedy?” Ella looked out her passenger window and whispered, “I don’t know why. I just didn’t want to be on my own, that’s all.” Christ, she was twenty-nine, but Max made her feel like a naughty schoolgirl. She heard his deep sigh, and out the corner of her eye she saw him shake his head. Now she felt guilty again. He lifted her hand from her

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lap and squeezed it in his. “Take my advice. Don’t mix with those people again. They won’t make you happy.” “What’s it to do with you, Max? You’re not my keeper.” “As of now I am. You’re clearly not thinking straight.” He didn’t know what she was going through. He hadn’t had to face seeing her dead husband after he’d blown half his head away, had he? She wondered if she would ever get over that horrendous taunting image. The evening out was meant to take her mind off it. She shivered involuntarily. From the instant she’d met Kevin McCreedy, he’d scared her. Thank God Max had been there. “Okay, Max. You win. I know you’re right.” The look of relief on his face was plain to see. Despite him staying away for the last few months, she knew he cared for her. She guessed he’d been working through his grief, too. Ten minutes later, he steered the Porsche onto her drive and stilled the engine. The real estate sign outside had been knocked over by a recent storm that had blown in from the west. She still had to call them to fix it. When it was sold she could be free of the bad memories once and for all. It was all so very different from when they’d first moved into the new development as newlyweds, some five years earlier. She’d been so excited. Little had she known then what would happen in the double garage. It still sent a chill right through to her core. She’d been too distressed to venture in there, since Kirk had committed suicide. “I see you’re selling up.” “I have to, Max. The life insurance company wouldn’t pay out on Kirk’s death once they found out it was suicide.” “You only needed to ask if money’s the problem.” Ella shook her head. “I know, and thank you, but I don’t want to live in this house anymore. It doesn’t feel like home. There are too many bad memories. I’ll be glad when it’s gone.” She smiled weakly. “Thanks for the ride home.”

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“You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’ll see you safely inside.” “There’s no need.” “There’s every need.” His eyes pierced into her. She knew Max wouldn’t take no for an answer. Besides, her nerves were frayed, and at least she wouldn’t have to be alone with her memories if he came in. She guessed he wanted to see how well she was coping. If he came in he’d understand exactly how she felt. She tried once more. “I’ll be fine. Really I will.” She knew her words sounded unconvincing. No sooner had she finished speaking than he jumped from the car and walked around to open her door. “Like I said, I’ll see you inside.” He held out his hand, and helped her from the car. “It’s a little untidy,” she explained, opening the front door, and leading the way inside. The TV was on, and the sound drifted through to the hallway. She always left it on these days. It made her feel less alone. As soon as she led the way into the living area she realized she’d let things slide. She felt ashamed of the half-eaten food that lay discarded on several plates around the room. Immediately, she began scooping them up and taking them into the kitchen area. “Would you like coffee, Max?” “Ella, why don’t you come back to my place?” “I’m all right, Max, honestly.” She began running hot water into the sink, trying to ignore the way he was staring at her. If she kept herself busy, she wouldn’t have to admit she wasn’t coping. “I’ve just had a few things on my mind, that’s all. I’ll get back to normal soon.” The dried-on food refused to budge as she scrubbed vigorously with the scourer. If she didn’t turn toward the kitchen table, then she wouldn’t see her dead husband. Just sitting there, with half his head missing. Her eyes felt wild and wide. Max placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ella. I’ve not been here for you. But I am now. Come and stay at my place, just for a few

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days.” Ella frantically rubbed at the stubborn, dried-on food, trying to distract herself. “I’ve just gotta clean these first. Then everything will be all right.” There was no way she’d glance in her dead husband’s direction. “Leave them.” Max forcefully removed her fingers that tightly gripped the crockery. “Leave it, Ella. It doesn’t matter.” It proved too much to bear. The emotion erupted from deep inside her as Max cradled her once more in his arms. “Make him go away,” she sobbed against his chest. “What’s happening to me? I think I’m going crazy. I think I’m losing my mind. Kirk’s sitting at the table, covered in blood. I know he’s dead, but he looks so real, Max.” Instead of slowly disappearing with the passage of time, the images of her dead husband were getting more real and frightening. Blood oozed from his still-open eyes and ran down his cheeks. His mouth was open, his tongue protruding. Even though he seemed to stare at her, his expression remained vacant and lifeless. It was as though he accused her from beyond the grave. “Shhh, Ella.” Max stroked her head, comforting her. “It’s not real, baby. The fear will pass, and life will become worth living again.” She heard Max sigh. “Right, no argument. You’re coming home with me.” She went to speak, but he would have none of it. “It’s not negotiable, either. The sooner you agree, the sooner we can pack you a bag.” With a sense of relief, she answered, “Okay.”

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Chapter Five Max breathed a sigh of relief as he turned the Porsche onto his property, and followed the sweeping drive up to the front door of his purpose-built home. He always loved seeing the dream house he’d designed and built himself, nestled so peacefully between several Eastern Oaks. Even more so, now he’d persuaded Ella to come back with him. She definitely needed a sanctuary to relax in. There were no windows on the outside of the property, giving him complete privacy, just the way he liked it. A sophisticated and expensive CCTV system gave him perfect views of his ten-acre estate. He would know in an instant if anyone were approaching the house. Some might call the square building plain, but to him, it was an architectural masterpiece. The house had been built to his own exacting specification, using only the finest materials. It boasted an impressive central courtyard, with all rooms facing inwards. Each room had one wall of floor-to-ceiling glass that could be fully retracted, giving access to the opulent central enclosure—his inner sanctum. A swimming pool, fountains, and an impressive selection of imported tropical plants were visible from every room. In the evening the scent of lemon, olives, and bougainvillea would drift seductively through the spacious interior. One could walk around completely naked without being seen from the outside. He enjoyed total privacy, which was exactly what was required, as he liked to practice his BDSM lifestyle discreetly, well away from prying eyes. Ella seemed in a daze as he parked the car and eased himself from the driver’s seat. He opened the huge oak door of the house, and then collected her bag from the trunk before helping her from the car.

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He should have contacted her long before she got to the distressed condition he now found her in. It was obvious she was having a hard time coming to terms with Kirk’s death. He knew she blamed herself for it. But he was far more culpable than Ella. Just why hadn’t he noticed the signs when he’d last seen Kirk? Guilt over his best friend’s death invaded his thoughts as he placed an arm around her shoulder, and guided her down the corridor to the largest and most luxurious guest bedroom. Max opened the door and placed her overnight bag on the bed. The automatic lights in the courtyard had just started to come on. Their kaleidoscope of colors subtly illuminated the impressive inner space, giving it an almost magical appearance. “Why don’t we meet by the pool in, say, a half hour? That will give you time for a shower and a change of clothes. Then we can have a chat, and maybe a nightcap. That’s if you’d like to.” Ella nodded. “Yes, Max. Thanks, I really don’t want to be on my own.” “Then you don’t have to be. If you want anything, just yell.” Instead of walking along the corridor to his bedroom, a lengthy walk of perhaps a minute or so, Max opened the large glass doors and slid them back. He stepped out onto the cobbled courtyard and walked across to his own bedroom, passing the lush tropical plants that swayed gently in the cooling evening breeze. The soothing sound of the water cascading down the statues and marble plinths created a tranquil, relaxing atmosphere. He was already beginning to wind down as he reached his bedroom and swung back the glass doors. By the time he’d showered and changed his clothes, Ella was already sitting in one of the comfortable rattan chairs by the pool. She wore a pale green sleeveless top, and a pair of white, figure-hugging trousers. He couldn’t help noticing how beautiful she looked in the lush surroundings, and how pretty her dainty little feet appeared in the delicate, gold crossover sandals. “How do you feel?” Max asked.

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“I feel fine, Max, really.” She held out her hand to show how steady it was. “Look, not even a tremor. I’m perfectly okay, now.” “Do you feel up to that nightcap I promised you?” “Please. I’ll have that white wine you so rudely stopped me from drinking at the club.” “Okay.” He smiled as he opened the cooler at the minibar. “I can see you’re already beginning to relax.” Ella sighed, a contented sigh. “You know I’ve always loved this place, Max. It’s just so…” She paused briefly as she searched for the right words. “Calming.” He placed his hand on hers. “Ella, I need to apologize. I acted selfishly. I should have helped you come to terms with Kirk’s death before now.” “No need to apologize, Max. We all deal with grief in different ways.” “You needed me, and I wasn’t there.” “But you’re here now.” “True.” He handed her a glass of wine. “Have you spoken to a psychologist about your emotions? After all, Ella, you did find Kirk dead in the garage.” Max knew it must have been horrific. She shook her head, making her ponytail sway from side to side. “No. My doctor suggested it, but quite frankly, I just can’t afford it.” Max cursed inwardly. So much for a society that only helped those who could help themselves. He went over to the minibar to pour himself a stiff bourbon, realizing he needed it. Ella had to talk this through with a professional—someone totally independent of the situation. Thank God he’d come to his senses and asked her to stay. What she saw in that garage must have been almost too much to bear. “I know an excellent psychologist. He’s a personal friend of mine. I’ll give him a call in the morning.” “No, it’s okay.” “No arguments, Ella. You need to talk things through with someone who won’t judge you. Hans Lindquist is a professional.

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He’ll be able to help you put things in perspective. Seeing your dead husband all the time is just not healthy.” “Tell me about it.” She sipped at her wine as he came and sat beside her. “I guess I feel guilty, knowing now that he thought I was having an affair.” Max caressed her hand. “I wish I hadn’t said anything now. I should have realized you’re not the sort of woman to be unfaithful to her husband. I blame myself. I should have known that Kirk was not well. For fuck’s sake, he was my best friend for almost thirty years.” “It’s okay, Max. I blame the military system in this country. They sent him home without any help. I’m sure they’re far guiltier than either of us.” She sighed. “Usually, Kirk was fine when he came back from a tour of duty. He’d been to all the dangerous war zones in the world. He’d seen some terrible things no man should ever see. I know, because he confided in me once, and I asked him how he coped. Do you know what he said?” Max shook his head. “He said he had the ability to block what he’d seen from his mind. He said he could compartmentalize events. A bit like putting all your unpleasant memories in a box and then putting a lid on it.” “So what happened this time?” “I don’t know. Something awful must have happened, because the moment he returned home, he was not the man I knew. He seemed frightened, bewildered even.” Max had thought his best buddy was a little edgy, but he’d put it down to Kirk being upset, because he believed Ella was having an affair. How wrong he’d been. “Ella, have you spoken to any of Kirk’s buddies in the Marines? Maybe someone from his platoon? Surely it’s worth a try. Perhaps he was becoming paranoid before he even returned home?” “Some of the guys in his platoon turned up for the funeral, but I didn’t have time to speak to them in private. Joey, his closest buddy in the Marines, said he had something important to tell me, and that he’d

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talk to me later on that evening, but he never did. I guess no one knows what to say at funerals.” Max put his hand on Ella’s shoulder. “Ah, Joey, yeah that rings a bell. Kirk used to speak about him a lot when we were out together. He’d always wanted the three us to go out on the town. He said I’d like Joey, and that Joey would like me.” He sighed resignedly. “Now Kirk’s dead, that’s never gonna happen. I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do, Ella. I’m gonna seek out this guy Joey, and find out what he knows. If only to put our minds at rest.” “Does that mean you’re going to help me, Max?” “Count on it, baby.” The cool evening breeze ruffled her hair, swamping him in her perfume. He breathed in, enjoying her feminine aroma. In another lifetime, Ella would have been a woman he’d want for himself. She had a rare beauty. An elegance that pervaded everything she did. Just the way she held her glass sent his pulse racing. The way her fingers wrapped delicately around the crystal stem. With her back straight, and head held high, he imagined placing a slave collar around her slender neck. Would her eyes appear meek and passive, or would she be proud and defiant? The image branded itself in his mind, making his cock harden. Max tried to force the sexual domination of Ella from his head. In her present state of emotional turmoil, he would be a selfish prick if he took advantage of her. And yet his mind refused to play ball. He wanted to bury his prick deep inside her wet cunt. He wanted to own her. He wanted to make her submit to his will. He wanted her to shout out his name as she came. He wanted her to claw his back with those long, painted fingernails of hers as he spilled his seed inside her. To take his mind off the beautiful, sexy woman sitting next to him, he decided to stick to mundane conversation from now on. “Did you say you and Kirk were gonna get divorced?” He’d been close friends with Kirk for years. Why hadn’t his best friend mentioned it? And more importantly, why hadn’t he spotted the signs

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that their marriage was on the rocks? Ella breathed out. “You know how life sometimes is, Max. Things don’t always turn out for the best.” Max saw frustration etched across her beautiful face. “I thought we were okay, I really did. But after he came back from his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, I sensed that he’d changed. I couldn’t put my finger on it. But somehow Kirk was a different man.” She turned to Max, her sad eyes betraying the inner turmoil. “He wasn’t the same anymore.” Her brows drew together. “We went on as normal, but I knew he’d already left me, emotionally.” She tapped a finger to her temple. “In here he had. Physically, he was still there, but mentally, he’d moved on. Does that make sense to you, because I can’t explain it even to myself?” Max took a sip of his bourbon. Kirk seemed the same to him as always. He was still the same guy, laughing and joking around as normal. Kirk had a wickedly funny sense of humor. The tears began to flow in earnest down her cheeks. Ella had done well to keep them at bay for so long. Max reached out and stroked her head. “Shhh, Ella, everything will be all right.” “No, nothing will ever be the same again.” “It will, I promise.” “How can it? Kirk’s dead, and it’s all my fault.” Her eyes opened wide, and she looked scared as she stared across the pool. “Oh, my God. Please, no.” “Can you see him?” When she nodded, he continued, “Ella, look at me. It’s just your imagination playing tricks. He’s not there. I promise you.” She sobbed. “He looks so real. Why does he keep tormenting me? It’s God’s way of making me suffer.”

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Chapter Six Max took the wineglass from her trembling hand and pulled her into his arms. Her head rested against his chest as he gently caressed her cheek with his long, masculine fingers. Ella closed her eyes, enjoying his warmth and strength, savoring his intoxicating, spicy scent. Max was all male, and he filled her with a calmness she’d been unable to achieve since Kirk’s gory death. His comforting, sensual touch made the image of her dead husband slowly recede, until she finally caught her breath. “Look at me,” Max commanded. Unable to resist his deep, sexy voice, Ella stared mesmerized into his silver-gray gaze. His presence filled her thoughts. He overwhelmed her. He controlled her with just a look, a simple glance. It was breathtaking. This must be how his submissives felt when he dominated them. Her whole body buzzed when he brushed the hair from her tear-stained eyes. “He’s gone, and he won’t be coming back.” He said it with such authority. Surely she had to believe him? Only she doubted herself. She didn’t feel strong enough to cope on her own anymore. “Max, I don’t want to be alone tonight,” she whispered breathlessly. “Baby, you won’t be. I’m just across the courtyard. Only a few steps away. Trust me, I won’t allow you to come to any harm.” “That’s just it. I feel safe when you’re around, but if I wake up and he’s there, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Panic flared once more within her, making her tremble uncontrollably. He breathed in and rubbed a hand across his chin. She heard the rasp of bristles against his fingertips. “Ella, I can’t deny I’m attracted

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to you. If you stay in my room, things may happen that you later regret.” A quiver of anticipation ran through her veins. Max wanted her? When did that happen? She couldn’t help blurting out the words, “Does that mean I get to see your playroom?” Fuck, why had she just said that? The words seemed to tumble from her mouth. During her visits with Kirk, Max had never allowed either of them inside the playroom. The mysterious room where domination and submission took place both frightened and intrigued her. It had always been strictly off-limits. Wondering just what it was like had fuelled her fantasies for years. He laughed and playfully tapped her nose with a finger. “No, the playroom is reserved for bad behavior that needs correction, and besides, I need to get to know a woman intimately, before I take her there.” “Oh? I’m not a child, Max. I know what goes on in a D/s relationship.” He raised a brow. “Really? You surprise me, Ella. I didn’t know you knew about such things.” “Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Dom. You can find out just about anything on the Internet. Besides, Sara gave me an explicit book on the subject.” She’d keep him in suspense as to how much she really knew. “It figures.” Max’s derisory tone said it all. “You don’t like Bill and Sara. You don’t like Kevin, either. Why?” “They’re on the fringes. They practice something I have no interest in.” “Which is?” “Humiliation. I’m not into humiliation. Just like I’m not into pain, for pain’s sake.” “Then what are you into?” “Total possession.”

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Those two simple words sent a shiver down her spine. The way Max looked at her now, she was in no doubt what he meant. He wanted to consume a woman until he controlled everything about her. She saw by the look in his eyes that nothing short of complete ownership would satisfy him. It scared and excited her in equal measure. “I see.” He laughed again. “Don’t look so worried, Ella. I’m just a very sexual guy, but I’m not a monster. I have enormous self-control. I just thought it best to lay my cards on the table, so there can be no misunderstanding.” She knew her panties were soaking wet. How did Max make this happen with just a look? She took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice her chest rapidly rising and falling. “Thanks, Max. I appreciate your honesty.” She guessed Max wouldn’t take advantage of her emotional fragility tonight. She couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed, knowing that he wouldn’t make the first move. He’d laid down a marker though, a line in the sand so to speak. He was warning her what could happen, if she kept pressing. He glanced at his watch. “It’s gone midnight. I don’t know about you, Ella, but I’m ready to turn in. I’ve been up since six this morning. I’ve had a long day. If you want to, you can come across to my room. I’ve already laid down the ground rules, so there can be no ambiguity. I promised I’d be there for you.” Ella walked across to her room and looked at the nightdress she’d placed on her pillow earlier that evening. The tiny pink baby-doll nightie was made of a flimsy, see-through material. Apart from a blue silk gown, and a change of clothes for the morning, it was all she had. She sighed. After packing her bag that evening, she’d hardly thought she’d end up sharing a bed with the gorgeous Sicilian, Maximiliano D’Alesandro. Or did she? Her nightie was way too sexy. She smiled. Kismet came to mind—what will be, will be. Perhaps she and Max were always meant to be.

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She’d always liked Max. He had an aura of power and sophistication that few other men seemed to possess. If he chose to, he’d keep her safe and secure from harm. His BDSM lifestyle had always intrigued her. So much so that she’d read everything she could lay her hands on. Not just the book that Sara had given her. The Internet was an unending source of information. As she understood it, a D/s relationship epitomized control. But who controlled whom? Was it the dominant that demanded the complete acquiescence of his slave? Or perhaps, the submissive was the real winner in the power play struggle. It was the submissive, after all, who got to enjoy all the delicious, wicked things her dominant did to her body, without any form of guilt. Once she’d changed into the flimsy nightie, she stared into the full-length cheval mirror. Who was she kidding? She looked far too pale, and she knew she’d lost weight since Kirk’s untimely death. She certainly didn’t measure up to the beautiful Jessica, Max’s voluptuous, ebony girlfriend. She felt a certain satisfaction that their relationship was now over and Jessica had returned home to St. Lucia, but how could she ever hope to compete with such a curvaceous, dusky beauty? Ella released her ponytail and pulled a brush through her hair. All she had to do was focus on getting through tonight. Tomorrow was another day. She realized, as she pulled on the blue silk gown and wrapped it tightly around her body, that she needed Max to find her attractive. It had been a long time since she and Kirk had even made love. Their marriage had faltered to such an extent that she felt unconfident about her own sexual allure. Would anyone ever want her again? Max said he did, but those were just words. Throwaway lines. Maybe he’d said the very same words to a thousand other women? When her whole body shivered as she walked across the dimly lit courtyard to Max’s room, she put it down to the cool night air. Yet deep down, she knew it was the unrelenting flow of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Ella had finally come to the decision that

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she should lay her cards on the table, too. After all, life was too short. The subdued lighting from his bedroom cast an eerie glow over the cobblestone pathway, which led to the impressive glass door. It was slightly open, and she pulled it back to enter. Her heart somersaulted. Max was already in bed, and reading a book. His naked chest showed the well-honed signs of a man who kept in tip-top condition. A dark smattering of hair covered the bare flesh and disappeared seductively below the sheets. Perhaps enjoying her embarrassment, he smiled as she entered. “There you are.” As she began to slide the door closed, he added, “Leave it slightly open. It’s soothing to hear the fountains late at night, especially if you can’t sleep.” Ella did as he asked, and then walked confidently into the room, feeling anything but. This was Max. She’d known him for years. Surely she could speak openly with him on any subject? Yet all she could manage to say was, “Max,” whispered so quietly she felt sure he wouldn’t hear. “Yes, Ella,” he answered, proving his hearing was as impressive as the rest of him. He patted the empty space beside him. “Why don’t you get into bed?” “That’s just it, Max. I want to say something first.” Instead of slipping under the sheets, she walked and stood in front of him. She watched him close his book and place it on the bedside table. He turned back and looked expectantly at her. His silver-gray eyes burned brightly. “I’m all yours, Ella. Say whatever’s on your mind. I don’t bite, unless that’s what you want me to do.” She cleared her throat. “What I wanted to say was…” This was proving more difficult. She tried again. “What I mean is…I like…” Ella stared into his eyes. “Help me out, Max, please. I was never good with words.” Maybe he heard the heartfelt plea in her voice, because he pulled back the covers and rose from the bed. Wearing just a skimpy pair of

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shorts he stood mere inches from her. His thick erection was clearly evident beneath the thin silk material. Breathe, Ella, breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest as he reached out and cupped her chin with his finger and thumb. He angled her face to his. In that instant she saw desire burning in his eyes. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, just as he leaned in and grazed her mouth with his own. “I know you want me, Ella,” he said, holding her gaze as he expertly untied the sash around her waist. “That’s why you’re here, now. You want me just as much as I want you.” Still unable to speak, she nodded. This time he kissed her more forcefully as he pulled the robe from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. His tongue dueled with hers until he breathlessly pulled away. When he stared down at her trembling body a wicked smile formed on his lips. “Baby, you do not disappoint me one little bit.” Through the fine gossamer material of the baby-doll nightie, Max traced the outline of her body with his large, masculine hands. His fingers gently brushed the swell of her breasts, and she let out a moan of contentment as he circled her hardened nipples with his thumbs. Her pussy ached with need. “Tell me what you want, Ella?” he asked, returning to look her in the eye. “I want to hear it from your own lips.” Ella stared into his eyes, totally absorbed by his arousing touch. “Don’t tease me Max. You know what I want.” “Of course I know, baby, but it turns me on to hear you say it.” “Okay.” She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “I want you to fuck me, Max. Fuck me like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world. Fuck me until I can’t stop coming.”

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Chapter Seven “You are beautiful, Ella, and I’ll have no trouble fucking you senseless. You see, I’ve always wanted to do this.” Max smiled into her eyes as he began untying the pretty pink ribbon on the neckline of her skimpy nightie. Her nipples were hard, and showed prominently through the fine material. It was like unwrapping the perfect present. He saw she was aroused, but he could also see she was wary, too. That fact alone heightened his own arousal. His cock felt like hardened steel pressed against the inside of his shorts. When she’d first walked into the bedroom, he knew she had something on her mind. Well, if Ella wanted a night of hot loving to forget her worries, he would not disappoint her. Max peeled the material back, exposing her ample breasts just enough to lick the dark brown areolas. She smelled like heaven and tasted divine. Her back arched and she gripped his shoulders more tightly. He knew then that her nipples were supersensitive, just the way he liked them. “We’ll leave this sexy little nightie on a while longer,” he said, pressing her possessively onto the bed. When she went to remove her strappy gold sandals, he stopped her. “Leave them.” He’d never seen a sexier pair of feet, and he wanted to enjoy them. Each toe had been perfectly painted in hot pink. The vibrant color complemented the tan on her beautiful, long, smooth legs. Kneeling between those sensual legs, he took hold of an ankle in each hand and raised them from the bed. Then he kissed each one in turn, savoring the delicate bone structure wrapped delectably in the thin, gold straps. He rubbed his thumb over the leather thongs, tightly

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buckled around her heel. “You have beautiful feet. I could just lick and kiss them all day long.” He then worked his way up each leg, caressing the smooth, tanned flesh with his lips and tongue. “Mmm.” He smiled into her eyes. “Open your legs wider, baby. I want to see what makes you a woman.” “I want to, Max, but I’m embarrassed. It’s such an intimate thing to do.” “Do it.” He raised his brows, and said more forcefully, “I won’t ask you again.” When she complied, a soft moan of protest left her lips as he spread her legs wider still. “That’s better. There’s nothing I don’t know about you now.” Her beautiful, shaved pussy glistened with arousal. It turned him on to see how wet her cunt had become. “Oh, Max.” Her breathing seemed out of control. Her breasts heaved, and her stomach undulated with sexual desire. “I’ve always wanted to do this, Ella.” Slowly he stroked a hand over her inner thigh, moving closer to her feminine folds. He loved seeing the anticipation in her eyes. Ella was very open to his touch. When he slid his index finger into her wet slit, she literally lifted from the bed, raising her butt high off the mattress to gain more pleasure from his touch. “Baby, you’re so responsive.” “I can’t help it, Max. I need you.” He wondered how long it had been since she’d last made love, but decided against asking. Realistically he didn’t want to know the answer. He guessed, by her reaction it had been a long time. “You like this?” he asked, slipping his finger deep inside her cunt. Her gasp of pure pleasure told him the answer. “And this?” He drove two fingers inside her, and held them in place as he lowered his head to her pussy. She cried out when he dragged his tongue over her slit. Her hands fisted into his hair, pushing him further into her feminine wetness. “Fucking hell, Max.” He smiled. There was nothing like a woman’s sexual arousal to

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bring out the basest human language. “Yeah, baby. Fucking hell is right.” He circled her clit with his tongue, and then sucked it into his mouth, drawing the exquisite pearl bead against his teeth. When her wanton moans intensified, he knew she was close to climax. He lifted his head from her sopping cunt and smiled into her eyes. He saw the frustration etched on her face. “You bastard, Max. I was right on the edge, and you know it.” Her lips pouted petulantly. “I’m sorry, baby. I just want to be inside you when you come for me for the first time.” “Hurry, Max, please. Orgasms have never come easily for me, and that one was so close.” He sat on the edge of the bed and opened the bedside drawer. He pulled out a pack of condoms. When he stood and removed his shorts, Ella moved across to him. “Give me that. I’ll do it.” He smiled, and handed her the foil pack. Ella seemed mesmerized by his cock. Her fingers grasped tightly around it, and stroked from base to tip, pumping it enthusiastically. He breathed in, controlling the impulse to fuck her hand. “Your prick is magnificent, Max. You’re so big.” “It’s all for you, baby.” She looked so beautiful. The baby-doll nightie opened wide, giving him an uninterrupted view of her perfect, voluptuous breasts. Her hair fell about her fragile features in cascades of raven black. This all felt so natural between them. So right. She traced the large blue vein that dominated the side of his cock with a perfectly manicured finger. The tip of his penis wept his masculine arousal, and she swirled her fingertip in the sticky moisture she found there. Then she ripped the pack open and held the condom in her teeth. Using her mouth, she slowly rolled it down his aching shaft. It was a wonderful sight seeing his cock disappearing between her rosebud lips. “Fuck, woman, that feels good.” When he was fully sheathed, he knelt on the bed and stretched out his hands. “Come here, baby.” Ella smiled and slid into his open arms. He held her close, enjoying the intimacy between them. “I think we can lose this

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now,” he murmured, taking hold of the nightie and pulling it over her head. She helped him remove it completely and he discarded it on the floor. Now, both completely naked, she melted into his embrace, skin to skin, flesh to flesh. It felt good being with a woman again, especially a woman as attractive as Ella. Max kissed her possessively on the lips, enjoying the feel of her body as he ran his hands over her feminine curves. Her breasts were full, her hips womanly, and her nipples hard and aroused as he circled them with his thumbs. He smiled into her eyes, which were hooded and expectant. “Kneel on all fours, Ella. It’s a good position for both of us, and excellent for stimulating your G-spot. Face the end of the bed. I’ve got a pleasant surprise for you.” Ella did as he ordered, turning around to kneel on all fours. He couldn’t help but admire her peachy behind, and he smoothed his hand over the soft, silky skin of her globes. “You’re not going to spank me, are you, Max?” He chuckled. Ella was trying to second-guess his next move. She knew his preferences, and he figured she’d been reading a lot of books about BDSM—the wrong books, in his opinion. “Why? Do you deserve a spanking?” he asked, running his hand along her inner thigh. He sounded serious to his own ears. “No,” she answered quickly, her voice quavering as he brushed his fingers close to her pussy. “Are you sure, Ella?” “Max, you’re teasing me.” “Relax, baby. I’ve no intention of disciplining you at the moment. For now, I’m just going to pleasure you with a thorough fucking.” “Then what’s the surprise?” “You’ll see.” Max tenderly kissed her butt, nipping and licking at her curvy, womanly rump with his teeth. “Mmm, such a beautiful ass. At a later date, I may well put this across my knee and discipline it. A good spanking never did a naughty girl any harm.” Then, without his tongue leaving her flesh, he drifted it up to the base of her spine,

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enjoying the soft moans that escaped her lips. His tongue traced the entire length of her flawless back. “Mmm, so beautiful.” He then kissed each shoulder blade in turn, caressing them with his lips. “Just relax, and go with the flow,” he whispered softly in her ear. “Now look at the painting on the wall.” “The large abstract?” “Yes.” He pressed a button on the remote. The large painting immediately began rising, revealing a giant mirror beneath, that captured the image of them both kneeling on the bed. He could see Ella’s body, pale and petite in contrast to his larger and darker masculine frame. Just looking at their naked reflections, pressed together, made his cock harden further. Ella giggled. “Max, you’re so kinky.” He smiled into the mirror, connecting with her eyes, and raised his brows. “Hardly, Ella. The real kink is in the playroom, but you’re not ready for that yet.” Max felt a quiver of anticipation jolt through her body. He knew Ella was interested in the lifestyle, but he had to take it slow. Someone as emotionally fragile as her needed time and space to make the right decisions. A D/s relationship wasn’t suitable for everyone. “What I really like, what really turns me on, will be to see the expression on your beautiful face. That’s why I installed the mirror. I need to know what you’re thinking and feeling on an emotional level. You’ll find it heightens everything we do.” He wasn’t sure if Ella understood, but she nodded anyway. Max held her possessively around the hips and then positioned his aching cock at the entrance to her moist pussy. He saw her reflection in the mirror. Her mouth parted and a whimper left her lips as he penetrated her cunt just an inch. My God, she felt deliciously tight, but he knew he’d hurt her if he continued. “Oh, baby, you’re little clit needs some extra attention. What you need is a clit ring. The added stimulation would make Ella one horny baby.”

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She looked shocked that he’d mentioned it, and she spoke out, “Oh, no, Max.” She shook her head. “It would hurt too much.” He smiled. “Only for a second or two, and it heals very quickly, just a couple of weeks. You’d find the sensation during sex unbelievable.” He saw her mulling over the suggestion. That was good. If she was open to his ideas, he figured Ella would make a willing submissive. One he could mold into the perfect slave. “My fingers will relax you for now. Remember, keep looking at my reflection.” He caressed a finger against her swelling bundle of clitoral nerves. Using the mirror, she stared into his eyes. The mirror enhanced his sexual arousal. Observing their reflection felt voyeuristic as though they were watching another couple fucking close by. He watched Ella bite down on her lower lip as his finger repeatedly circled her clit. Now she was lovely and wet and ready to be fucked properly. Her pussy throbbed around the tip of his cock, and he began sliding further inside, filling her slowly, inch by inch. Halfway in she began crying out, her back arching, begging him to fill her completely. Max had never been in a hurry regarding sex. To him it had always been an act to be savored and enjoyed. He had the control, and he’d learned over the years how to use it for best effect. When he was almost seated to the hilt, he wrapped his arm more firmly around her waist. He then scooped her back against his chest until they were virtually upright. Her tight, wet pussy slid down the remainder of his shaft, burying him to the hilt in her body. Ella cried out, “Max, you feel so good inside me.” “You too, baby.” Her eyes were hooded, and he reminded her, “Keep looking at our reflection.” Her chest heaved with excitement, her lips parted, gasping, breathing in more air. Max squeezed her clit tightly between his finger and thumb, stimulating the nerve endings. “Come for me, Ella,” he whispered, licking her earlobe as he stared intently at her beautiful reflection. He kissed her cheek, and nuzzled her soft flesh, feeling her whole body spasm and throb around his cock. He wrapped

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an arm tightly around her, caressing her breasts, stretching and teasing her sexy, dark brown nipples as her cries reached fever pitch. She followed his instructions to the letter, never once taking her gaze from his. “Max.” “Nearly there, baby. Come for me, come for me,” he hissed breathily in her ear. “Max, please. Dear God, what are you doing to me?” He felt her cunt tighten around his cock, milking it for all she was worth. Her orgasm, when it finally crashed through, was explosive. He knew then, as she climaxed, that Ella would make the perfect slave.

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Chapter Eight “Max, that was unbelievable,” Ella cried out. She’d always found it difficult to achieve orgasm, but Max had managed to make her climax in a matter of minutes. Max was as sexy as hell. His rich, deep voice sent shivers down her spine, and the way he’d insisted on her looking at their reflection heightened her sexual experience. Ella arched her back as he began thrusting in earnest. Her pussy throbbed every time he filled her with his large prick. It felt so good. Max’s olive complexion, darker than hers, contrasted wonderfully with her paler skin. His one hand caressed her breasts, tweaking the nipple between his finger and thumb. The other held her hip. She stared into his piercing, silver-gray eyes through the reflection in the mirror, mesmerized by his presence. Totally absorbed by him. He whispered breathily into her ear as he continued pumping his length inside her. “Soon, Ella, I’m gonna take you into the playroom, and show you around. I know that’s what you want.” A spasm throbbed deep in her pussy at the idea. “Max, you know it is. I’ve fantasized about you for years. I want to know about the playroom. It turns me on. It makes my pussy wet.” He thrust deeper still. His voice growled in her ear, “I’m gonna do things to you that you’ve never dreamed of. Wonderful, wicked things that you couldn’t even begin to imagine.” Her whole body tingled with new sensations. To actually be at Max’s mercy sounded so wonderful. From what she’d read she knew there would be an element of pain. But if she felt as good as she did right now, then the experience would be awesome. “Yes, Max, yes. I’ll be your slave.”

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“No, not until you submit to me, in any way I desire. Only then will you be ready to be a true slave.” He continued filling her wanton, wet pussy fast and hard, thrusting his cock even deeper inside her. Ella had never felt so feminine, sexy, and full. Her pussy tightened around his prick as he withdrew and lunged back inside her. “I want it, Max. I know I can do it.” Ella leaned back against him, savoring his warmth, his power, the feel of his skin, and the way his masculine chest hair rasped against her back. Arching against him, she lifted a hand and braced it around the back of his neck. With her other hand she gently caressed his face, brushing her fingertips across his parted lips. He responded, sucking her fingers into his mouth. The sensation felt exquisite. “You belong to me now,” Max growled in her ear. “Yes.” “Say it. I want to hear you say it.” “I belong to you now, Max.” His tongue snaked out, tasting her lobe. His hand drifted down to her pussy, and she cried out as he pleasured the sensitive nub again. A wanton feeling clamped around her stomach, twisting and constricting until she felt she would squeeze the life from his prick. “Come for me, Ella.” His deep, masculine voice reverberated in her ear. Those four simple words, spoken so seductively, sent her over the edge. Her whole body went rigid as Max filled her again and again. Her breasts thrust forward, and a huge arch developed in her back. She clasped both hands more tightly around his neck, pulling his head forward so she felt the stubble on his jaw rasp against her cheek. She screamed out, “Max, oh, Max,” as a series of intense spasms exploded through her body. His cock felt huge as he lunged inside her several more times. She heard him groan his own release as he came loudly behind her, filling her with his potent seed. His breathing was heavy, his breath warm and sexy against her neck. “Christ, Ella, you’re one hell of a woman.” He took a breath in between each word, until his breathing returned to normal. “There’s

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no going back on what you’ve said.” “No, I’ve no intention of changing my mind. That was mindblowing sex in the extreme. Thank you.” For the next thirty minutes they lay together, tenderly stroking each other’s naked flesh as they came back to earth. No words were necessary. Their sweat-soaked bodies now joined as one. **** When Ella abruptly awoke, panic began to fill her lungs, until she realized Max lay next to her, fast asleep. The sound of his heavy breathing was of great comfort, and she relaxed her stiffened shoulders. She glanced at her watch. It was just past two thirty in the morning. She stared at the man she’d known as a friend for more than a decade. Things had changed between them. Now he was her lover. She reached out to smooth a hand into his disheveled hair, but decided against it. Best not wake him after his sexual exertions. Instead, she took her time, enjoying looking at his naked body as he lay next to her, sleeping peacefully. Max had a body to die for. He was well muscled, with strong forearms and biceps. Evidence of his long workouts formed in the ridges and planes of his washboard stomach. Dark, masculine hair covered his well-developed legs. A small tattoo decorated his right hip. She’d never seen it before. The letters M and D had been woven on top of one another in some sort of tribal design. In sleep, he had an angelic smile to his handsome face. Yet it was no angel who’d made love to her in this very bed just a few hours ago. Max had a wicked, sexy streak coursing through his veins. She figured he had some exciting plans for her in the near future. Although she felt scared, her whole body throbbed right down to her very core. More than anything, Ella wanted to know what made Max tick. It was obvious he was into domination, but what really made him passionate? She

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had no doubt she would enjoy finding out. The tranquil and relaxing sounds of the fountains in the courtyard drifted through the partly opened glass doorway. She saw the pretty lights dotted around in the undergrowth, casting their magical glow over the inner garden. This really was a great place to relax. She actually felt free of the emotional burden that had plagued her for the last few weeks. Since Kirk had died, it had been a stressful time. If she could just sort out the house and sell it, she knew that everything would be okay. She hoped Max would ask her to move in with him. If he did, she’d go home and pack some more clothes and toiletries. If everything failed with Max, she still had a small amount of cash left. Then she could rent herself an apartment locally, and find a job. With her imagination beginning to work overtime again, she decided to walk across to her room and check her cell phone. There might be a message from Sara. After all, the blind date her friend had arranged had gone disastrously wrong. Ella smiled. For Kevin McCreedy it had, but for her, it had been the best thing that could possibly happen. Max had literally taken control—and she liked it. Slipping quietly from the bed, so as not to wake Max, she retrieved her blue silk gown from the floor. For a moment she thought she’d woken him, as he turned and rolled onto his side, but he began breathing heavily once again. Quickly, she wrapped the robe around her shoulders and tied it at the waist. Then she slipped through the gap in the large glass door and stepped into the inner courtyard. Ella walked across to her room. Her cell phone was where she left it, on the bedside table. There were two messages, both from Sara. Kevin is seriously pissed, and Where r u? Ella replied with a single “?”. There was no way she’d tell Sara she’d just had awesome sex with Maximiliano D’Alesandro. Although, she suspected her friend already knew. Tomorrow she’d ask her if she knew of a good piercing specialist. The way Max described the benefits of a clit ring turned her on. The idea she could achieve multiple orgasms really appealed to her. And the fact that she

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knew Max liked genital jewelry seemed as good a reason as any to go ahead with it. Once she’d finished with her text messages, Ella stepped back into the cool courtyard. Her eyes were drawn to the only room she’d never been allowed in—the playroom. Unlike the other rooms in Max’s home, the giant windows were always dark and impenetrable. Soon, if they continued their relationship, Max would allow her to enter. The idea both frightened and excited her. She wondered just what erotic delights lay behind the blacked-out windows. Instead of walking directly across the courtyard and back to Max’s bedroom, Ella felt drawn to the playroom. Without thinking, she walked across and tried the sliding partition. It wasn’t locked. Her heart flipped in her chest, and she looked over her shoulder, wondering if Max had heard. If she went inside, at least she would know what to expect. On the other hand, Max had made it clear that she was not allowed to enter without his permission. She knew he would be angry if she dared to disobey his wishes. She was aware that her heart was pounding heavily, and wondered if Max heard it. She admonished herself for being ridiculous. Of course he can’t hear it, you stupid woman. The open playroom door proved too tempting to resist. With a deep breath, Ella slid the opaque glass door open and tentatively stepped inside. An impressive array of light switches lay located just inside the entrance, and she flicked one on. Immediately, the room was flooded in bright light. She looked outside, wondering if the light would wake Max. She needn’t have worried. The thick black glass was only one way. Although she could see out, no one could see in. Feeling more confident, Ella closed the glass door behind her and moved further into the room. Three walls were completely covered with floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Max clearly loved seeing everything, and evidently from every possible angle, too. Five large metal hooks were bolted to the ceiling, and a large wooden chest lay over in the far corner. There was

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nothing else. Her shocked expression reflected back at her from every mirrored wall. She heard her faltering steps as she walked across the white marble flooring. She’d expected to find a selection of racks and whips, and possibly even a St. Andrew’s Cross, but there was nothing of the sort. As though on autopilot, she made her way to the only object in the room—the wooden chest. It looked so old, like it had seen service on a galleon that was part of the Spanish Armada. Ella kneeled down in front of it, and with trembling fingers, reached out to open the huge lid. She felt certain that inside would lay the implements of sexual torture and pleasure. The solid oak lid was extremely heavy, and she strained as she tried to raise it. Without warning, a bare foot stamped the lid firmly shut. “What the hell do you think you’re doing in here, Ella? I expressly told you this room is strictly off-limits. You only come in here if and when I allow it.”

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Chapter Nine Ella’s blue eyes looked huge and frightened as she stared up at him from a kneeling position. Her obvious vulnerability made him feel all-powerful. “Come.” Max stretched out a hand, and pulled her to her feet. He felt tiny tremors of anticipation pulsing through her fingertips. It felt good having her complete attention. When she stood in front of him, he cupped her chin, angling her face to his. He wanted to test her reaction, so he kept his voice low. “I should give you a good spanking for coming in here without my permission. I’m minded to lay you across my knee and redden your bare ass right now.” “Please, Max. I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be in here.” Her eyes flared wide, and she snapped her head back defensively. “Please don’t spank me. I promise not to do it again. But it’s partly your fault, too. If you don’t want anyone to come in, then you should keep it locked.” “It’s never locked.” He raised his brow, wondering how much she really knew about a D/s relationship. He guessed she had a lot to learn. It seemed to him that Ella wanted to blame everyone except herself for her bad behavior. “So, are you saying it’s my fault that you entered without permission?” Her lips pouted. Gaining in confidence, she replied, “In a way, yes.” She looked around. “Besides, I don’t see anything special about this place. It’s just an empty room with an old chest in the corner. I don’t see why you’re so bothered that I’m in here.” To keep calm he spoke very slowly. “I see.” Max scanned the playroom intently, as though seeing it for the first time. Behind the large panes of mirrored glass lay his favorite toys. Large pieces of bondage furniture could be maneuvered into position at a moment’s

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notice. Each time he played in here he set the scene to his own personal desires. With the aid of mood lighting and the right buildup he could create an atmosphere of dominance and surprise for his sub. At the moment it looked very barren and clinical. “Hmm, do I detect disappointment, Ella?” “Max, I was curious, that’s all. I wanted to know what to expect.” “Then I take it that you want to continue with our relationship?” Ella nodded. “Yes, Max. I feel safe here. I haven’t felt this calm for a long time. And you make me feel…” She shrugged her shoulders and he encouraged. “Go on. We shouldn’t have any secrets from each other.” A pretty pink color stained her cheeks. “You make me feel incredibly sexy.” He smiled, pleased by her frankness. “You do know I should punish you for coming in here?” “Will you?” Max brushed the beautiful, silky black hair from her huge eyes, and stroked his hand down her cheek. Her feminine presence intoxicated him. He didn’t need to look down to know he had a raging hard-on again. This feeling of power was what he loved the most. He rubbed his thumb over her lips, and then leaned in and kissed her. “Not this time, but be warned. Next time, I won’t be so lenient.” He took hold of her hand and began leading her from the playroom. “Come back to bed, and we’ll discuss this further. There are rules you need to follow without question.” When they were both settled in the huge bed, and propped comfortably by the pillows, Max spoke. “Tell me what you hope to gain from this relationship, Ella, and then, I’ll tell you what I expect from you.” “I expect to give myself into your care. So long as I don’t use my safeword, you get to do what you want. I need you to be in charge, Max.” He chuckled at her naïveté. “Ella, in a way you’re partly right, but

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this is your sexual journey, not mine. I’m just the facilitator for your fantasies.” Her jaw dropped open as she stared at him. “You are joking, right? How can that be, when you’re the one with all the power and control?” “Yes, but I’m confined by your limits and preferences.” Max leaned over and opened a drawer in his bedside cabinet. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her. “This is my list of what the unenlightened would call deviant practices. Personally, I prefer to think of them as spiritual stepping stones to finding one’s true self. I want you to go through this list and put a cross against the ones, which you do not wish to indulge in. You can grade them if you wish. If it’s something you’d really enjoy rate it a five. By the same token, if it’s something you find wholly unacceptable, then rate it a one. I’m sure you get the picture.” Max had already whittled down the list. There were some things in the BDSM world that were not for him. “So if I put a cross against this one or rated it a one”—Ella pointed to wax play on the list—“you wouldn’t make me do it?” “Precisely.” He smiled. “And now to my requirements. What I need from you is your complete trust and obedience. If I command you to do something, then you must do it, or face the consequences.” “You mean you’ll discipline me if I disobey?” “Yes, I will mete out punishment however I see fit.” “What if I use my safeword?” “Then it won’t happen, but if you insist on using your safeword all the time, there wouldn’t be any point to our having a D/s relationship in the first place. What I teach you will broaden your mind. I’ll be unable to do that if you keep using your safeword for every little thing.” Max put his arm around her and she snuggled closer into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. He stroked a hand through her hair, teasing the silky strands with his fingers. “Now the rules. Out of respect for your Master, and while you’re in training, I expect you to wear my mark.”

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“Oh?” Ella began idly tracing the masculine hair on his chest. “Yes. My mark will symbolize the contract we have between us.” He’d enjoy placing a temporary slave collar around her slender neck. Perhaps complemented by a delicate chain around her shapely ankle. Later on, if things progressed as he hoped, he may well expect her to wear a tattoo of his choosing, as a sign of his dominance over her. “Contract?” Her voice sounded sleepy. After all, it was three thirty in the morning. “Don’t worry, at lot of the stuff’s symbolic. If you want out, you just have to say, and the D/s relationship can be terminated at any time. Of course, if we move into a more permanent agreement, then that’s a different matter entirely.” He smiled into her eyes, and kissed her lips. He didn’t want to put any demands on her so soon after their relationship had begun. “Sleep now. In the morning, I’ll drop you off at your house, and you can pick up some fresh clothes and stay here with me. Then we can see how well we get on together. No pressure.” He heard her breath come out in a long, deep sigh, and she snuggled further into his embrace. “You make me feel so safe, Max,” she whispered. “It’s been such a long time since I’ve felt so happy.” Max kissed her forehead. “Sweet dreams, baby. You deserve them.” He stared into the darkness, feeling totally content. Ella had been through such a lot lately. If he could bring direction and joy to her life, then that would make him a very happy man.

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Chapter Ten Max guided the Porsche to a controlled stop outside her home and stilled the engine. “I’ll come in with you.” Ella raised her hand. “There’s no need, Max. I’ll be all right.” He looked concerned as he studied her. “Are you sure, baby? I don’t have to go to work. I can stay and help you.” She smiled at him. “I’ll be fine. All I’m gonna do is tidy up. Get some clean clothes and then take a cab back to your place. I’m a big girl, I’m sure I can manage that.” Max’s face broke into a grin. “Of course you can. Just checking. Don’t be late. I’m taking you to a nice restaurant tonight as a treat.” Ella leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Max had made love to her again that morning. It had been so agonizingly slow and sensual, she’d come three times. He really knew how to pleasure a woman. “Mmm, restaurant you say. I can’t wait.” She then slid from the car and walked up the drive. As she opened the front door she turned to Max and waved. For the first time since Kirk had died, she felt completely calm and contented as she entered the house. With no time to waste, she packed fresh clothes and toiletries. She paid special attention when choosing which underwear to take. She knew Max loved her sexy knickers and bras. Once her packing was completed, she began getting rid of the accumulated rubbish she’d allowed to build up in the house. Such a mess. I’m so ashamed of myself. She really had let the place get into a state, but then she hadn’t been herself, had she? As she dried the last of the dishes, she realized that she’d gone a whole day without the gory image of Kirk’s bloodied face flashing into her mind. It just showed how relaxed

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she’d become after spending the night with Max. In a buoyant mood, she even opened the garage door and peered inside. This was where Kirk had committed suicide, but she felt stronger now, and more able to cope. It might be a good idea to have a garage sale. That way she could get rid of a lot of unwanted stuff. Her old bicycle lay unloved and unattended in the corner. She hadn’t ridden it since she was a teenager. That could be worth a few bucks. Half-used tins of household paint sat precariously on a wooden rack. As she tried to make them more secure, her attention was drawn to Kirk’s computer, almost hidden at the back of the shelf. His laptop had always gone everywhere with him. Perhaps he’d made a record of his emotions before his death. In times of crisis people often did things like that. Just as she lifted it from the shelf, she caught sight of a memory stick, poking out from under a tin of paint. No wonder the stack looked ready to topple over. Ella carefully retrieved the eight-gigabyte USB from under the rusty can. “Hmm, this looks interesting.” She then picked up the laptop and carried it into the house. While the computer was booting up, she made herself a coffee. Out of curiosity, she’d just take a quick look, and then call a cab to take her back to Max’s place. When she started sifting through the files, she found Kirk’s laptop contained all their old photographs. Ella sniffled as she sipped at her coffee. They had been happy—once. She drifted her fingers over the screen as she clicked from one photo to another. Kirk had a great personality. He was always smiling. Then he’d changed. He just didn’t want to continue with their marriage. Ella hadn’t, either. Besides, he was hardly there anyway. He spent most of his time abroad. They were only really together for about two months of each year. What was the point in prolonging a loveless marriage? In the end, they’d come to a decision to get a divorce. It had all seemed perfectly amicable at the time. As she scanned the files she came across Joey’s e-mail address.

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Joey had been Kirk’s best buddy in the Marines. On the spur of the moment she decided to send him an e-mail, asking to see him when he next returned to the US. Joey had wanted to speak to her at Kirk’s funeral, but for one reason or another, he didn’t. Maybe she’d get to hear what he’d wanted to say. After writing a brief message, she sent the e-mail and then returned to checking the files. There didn’t seem to be any indication as to Kirk’s lack of wellbeing on the laptop. There were no desperate pleas for help, or references to suicide in his e-mails. There was nothing depressive that pointed to a fragile emotional state. Ella plugged the memory stick into the USB port and waited for the files to load. She took a sip of coffee, cradling the warm mug in her hands for comfort. It may well prove a dead end, but there was no harm in looking. Once the files had loaded, she scanned the folders. Most of it was copies of their photographs for safekeeping. There were pictures of their wedding day. They both looked so happy then. She couldn’t help but smile when she came across a selection of images from their memorable holiday in Hawaii some four years ago. They’d had a lovely, magical time. She sighed. How did it all go wrong? When she came across a folder named Kathy, she couldn’t resist clicking on it. Inside were more than fifty photos of a beautiful young woman in army fatigues. Aged about twenty-seven, and with golden blonde hair tied in a ponytail, she smiled back from every image. Her heart sunk when she noticed several pictures of Kathy and Kirk holding each other. In some of them, they were passionately kissing. They both looked so very happy together. Fuck. When Kirk had returned from Afghanistan after his first tour of duty, she’d noticed he’d changed. He hadn’t come anywhere near her in the bedroom. She’d put it down to stress and fatigue, but each time he’d returned from active service after that, he’d been the same. She’d decided to confront him, asking him outright if he was seeing another woman. He’d denied it. The photographs said different. Why had he

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lied? Fuck. She needed a drink. Her hands shook with anger as she stood and walked to the liquor cabinet. She poured herself a tequila, and then topped it off with fresh orange juice from the refrigerator. There were some personal e-mails in the folder, too. Dare she read them? Nothing could stop her now. Ella knocked back the tequila in one swallow, and then sat down at the computer. She wanted to know what that dirty little army slut and her husband had been up to. Feeling incredibly angry she opened the first one. The message was perfectly friendly. Kirk, I just wanted to thank you for a great evening. Let’s do it again, soon. Kathy xoxo. Ella clicked on several more. Each message was slightly longer in length than the previous one, and becoming more intimate in their content. There were more than sixty communications in total. She moved forward a month, picking one at random. Kirk, tomorrow I have something special planned for you. Forget about your wife back in the US. I’m here, and she isn’t. She doesn’t understand you like I do. She doesn’t know what makes you tick. She hasn’t shared what we’ve shared. Just think, another week, and then we’ve got two days and nights to spend together. As soon as we get to the hotel, I shall enjoy stripping you naked. I’ll take my clothes off real slow, showing you just enough cleavage to get that big cock of yours rock hard. Then I’m gonna grind my pussy down that beautiful shaft. I’m so wet thinking of how you’ll feel inside me. Believe me, you won’t need to spend hours trying to get me to come. I’m not unresponsive like your wife. I enjoy sex, as you’ve probably already noticed.

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Unable to drag her gaze away, Ella continued reading. It was only when she closed the e-mail that she realized tears were streaming down her face. Not only had Kirk had an affair, he’d shared intimate details of their sex life with this bitch. He’d told the trollop she didn’t like sex. He’d confided in the whore, and it made her really angry. “You fucking bitch.” Ella threw the empty glass at the wall. It shattered noisily, breaking into a thousand pieces. “How fucking dare you speak about me like that. You don’t know me, you tramp.” Shaking uncontrollably, she rose from the computer and returned to the liquor cabinet. She poured herself another measure. Who else had Kirk shared their most intimate and private details with? Max? Had he told Max, too? The more she thought about it, the more obvious it became. Of course he fucking had. He and Max were best friends. They’d known each other since they were kids. Max probably knew all along that Kirk was having an affair. And Joey, Kirk’s buddy in the Marines. Did he know, too? Was that why he wanted to speak to her at the funeral? Ella took a huge gulp of tequila. Yeah, he fucking knew, too. No doubt they all had a good laugh at her expense. Well, she’d call a cab right now and go and confront Max at his office. She didn’t give a fuck if she caused a scene. The big Sicilian had to know that she wouldn’t tolerate being treated like a fool. **** As the cab drew closer to the center of Wichita, the adrenaline kept pumping, making her hands clench into tight fists. For ten minutes the traffic barely moved. The cab driver pulled back the dividing screen. “I’ve just received a message from control. There’s a burst water main up ahead. This is as far as I can take you, lady, sorry. We’re all blocked in from behind, too, otherwise I’d take you around.” Ella handed the driver twenty bucks, more than enough to cover the fare and give him a handsome tip. “Thanks.” Then she began

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walking the remaining six blocks to Max’s office. She couldn’t shake the image of Kirk and that army whore from her mind. They were laughing—at her. When she passed a bar with the sign lit she went inside. She needed a drink—a large one. Then she’d give Max a piece of her mind. She walked up to the bar. A jaded bartender stared back at her. “What can I get you, lady?” “Give me a drink.” Her life felt like shit. Max must have known all along. “You need to be a little more specific, lady.” “Give me four shots of tequila.” “Expecting company?” “None of your business,” she answered sternly. “Okay, lady, just making small talk. Take a seat, I’ll bring them over.” She slid into a booth. The anger once more coursed through her veins. She’d spent the last three months feeling guilty over Kirk’s death. Well, not anymore she didn’t, not now she’d found out he’d been having an affair with some blonde floozy. That bitch must take some responsibility. Where was she now? She clearly didn’t give a fuck about having an affair with a married man, and causing his wife so much distress? Perhaps she’d secretly attended the funeral. Ella felt her hackles rise. At the time she hadn’t been in a fit state to notice much. She could so easily have even been there, and she’d not known. That would be the ultimate humiliation. The drinks arrived and she quickly began demolishing them. Knocking each of them back in one swallow. So what if she was getting tight. She had every right to. Kirk had betrayed her trust. And Max, that bastard, wasn’t any better. He’d known all along. He must have. When she started on the fourth drink, she banged an empty glass on the table several times. “Bartender, bartender. Four more shots over here, and make it quick.” A waitress came up to her. “Ma’am, please keep the noise down.

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You’re disturbing the other customers.” Through blurred vision, Ella looked around the bar. “What customers. I don’t see any other customers. Just get me the drinks, sweetie, and be quick about it.” When the girl didn’t move, Ella dismissively waved her hand. “Run along. Shoo. I need a drink. Why the fuck am I still waiting?” The surly, jaded bartender strolled over. “Lady, I think you should leave.” He went to touch her arm, but Ella snapped, “Take your hands off me. I still haven’t had my drink. Four more tequilas, four more tequilas. What’s so hard to understand about that? Listen”—she touched the bartender’s arm, aware that her words were slurred and her vision blurred—“let me tell you about my husband. He’d rather fuck some old army whore than me.” She burst into laughter. “That was a joke, right.” The bartender didn’t smile. Maybe he didn’t get it. “Jesus you’re fucking thick.” She looked nonchalantly around. “You call this joint a bar? I’ve had more fun in a morgue.” “You asked for it, lady.” He turned to the waitress hovering behind him. “Brea, go and get Roscoe.” He looked at his watch. “He’ll be in the coffee shop across the road.” The bartender moved away, leaving Ella to finish the last of her drinks. When a shadow fell across her face, she looked up. Ella snorted indignantly. “What can I do for you, Officer?” she asked the aging cop. He looked like he’d just stepped from an episode of the cartoon Top Cat. “It’s time to pay your tab and leave.” “What if I’d rather stay here?” “Lady, you need to sober up. You’re a danger to yourself and everyone else. Go home.” “What would you fucking know?” “Ma’am, I’m warning you not to cuss like that, or you’ll be sleeping in a cell tonight. We got one ready and waiting for you, down at the precinct.” Ella laughed hysterically. “Oh, Officer Dibble, I’m so scared.”

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What was wrong with everyone? They all wanted to tell her what to do. Well no more. From now on she was going to be in control. “Look, Officer Dibble, while you’re here, why don’t you make yourself useful, and get me a fucking drink from the bar.” “Right, you’re under arrest.” Without warning she was hauled from the booth. Her hands were held behind her back and then a set of handcuffs locked around her wrists. “Are you into BDSM, too, officer?” She laughed at her own joke. “There seems to be a lot of it about.”

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Chapter Eleven The custody officer spoke in a matter-of-fact manner. “Bail has been set, at let me see, two thousand dollars.” “Two thousand bucks? Why so high? What the hell did she do?” Max asked, surprised by the amount. It was so out of character for her. An hour ago at Ella’s request, he’d received a telephone call from the precinct, telling him she was sleeping it off in the cells, and did he want to come and collect her. How had this happened? For Christ’s sake he’d only dropped her off a few hours ago to pick up some fresh clothes and toiletries. How the hell did she manage to get herself arrested, and in a sleazy downtown bar, too? The custody officer continued, “Causing a breach of the peace, resisting arrest, and public intoxication are all serious misdemeanors. She’s due to appear in court in ten days’ time. I advise you to make sure this lady attends the hearing, sir.” “Too right,” Max muttered through gritted teeth. Just wait until he got her home. There’d be some serious punishment meted out. He signed the papers for her release, and then waited for her to be brought up from the cells. As soon as she came through the door, he knew something was wrong. She didn’t look worried or contrite. Her eyes burned into his as she waited for her personal effects to be handed back. In his opinion, she looked angry. She certainly didn’t look guilty or remotely ashamed of her actions. Damn it, this was not what he’d expected. This was not the Ella he knew. Why was she so angry? After all, it was him who’d had to go out of his way to come and

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collect her. Not to mention the significant matter of the two thousand dollars he’d had to put up for her bail. Ella needed a firm hand, his firm hand. He was definitely the right man to deal with a wayward, out-of-control woman. “I’ve never known you act like this before. What’s got into you?” he whispered close to her ear. It had been six hours since she’d been arrested, yet there was still a strong smell of alcohol on her breath. “I know everything, Max.” “What do you know? I’ve no idea what you’re talking about?” “Yeah, that’s right, Max, play the innocent, but I know. You don’t have to pretend anymore.” Once her possessions had been handed back, Max roughly took hold of her arm and guided her from the building. “You had better stop talking in riddles, Ella, because as soon as you get home, your training begins.” “Huh, training. You couldn’t train your way out of a paper bag, Max. I know all about the affair. There’s no point keeping up this charade any longer.” Max bundled her across the parking lot to his car, resisting the urge to push her into the Porsche. “Get in and stay there.” He raised his voice, hoping she wouldn’t try and run off. She didn’t. When he slid into the driver’s seat next to her, she began screaming hysterically at the top of her voice, “You fucking bastard.” Her fists rained down onto his face and body. Taken by surprise, it took him a while to control her. She struggled like a wildcat even though he held both her wrists, twisting and writhing in his grasp. She dropped her head, and he knew she was just about to bite him. What the fuck was the matter with her? Max raised his voice. “Enough, Ella. I’m warning you. What has got into you today? You were just fine when I dropped you off this morning. You only had to pick up some clothes for Christ’s sake.” “That’s just it, Max. I did a little digging, and I found out Kirk was having an affair with some army slut called Kathy.” She couldn’t

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hide the venom in her tone. “You know the little tramp, Max. The one he told you about.” Her eyes flared accusingly, connecting with his. “So there’s no need to keep pretending.” She shook her head, and rolled her eyes. “I’m such a fool. To think I thought you actually cared about me. You and Kirk must have had a good laugh, and now you’re just scraping up the stale crumbs that he didn’t want.” Tears began to stream down her cheeks unchecked, and her lower lip trembled. Max felt his brows draw together. “Did you say Kirk was having an affair?” Ella clapped her hands, mocking him. “Huh, you’re really good, Max, I’ll give you that. If it wasn’t for the fact that you were Kirk’s best buddy and he always told you everything, then I might almost believe you.” Ella sounded so sure, but as she said, Kirk was his best buddy. Why hadn’t he known? “If it’s true then—” “If?” She sounded incredulous. “There’s no if about it. I saw it with my own eyes, Max.” “Saw what? Where?” “He had this memory stick hidden in the garage. I connected it to his laptop.” “Look at me, Ella.” She stared straight at him, but he knew she didn’t really see him. “I mean look at me properly.” He raised his voice. “Just do it, woman.” Reluctantly, she stared directly into his eyes. “I’m telling you now, I didn’t know. This is as much a shock for me as it is for you.” Slowly it began to dawn on her, and she replied in a strangled whisper, “You didn’t know?” “No, I didn’t. I promise I didn’t.” “Promise me you’re telling the truth, Max. Please.” He heard the tremor in her voice. This meant so much to her. “Believe me, Ella. Trust me.”

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She closed her eyes and whispered, “Thank you, but if I ever find out you’re lying, I’ll—” “I’m not.” Max tenderly brushed the tangled, tear-soaked hair from her eyes. It was obvious that she was deeply upset. Time to step in and take total control. She needed some structure to her life. Otherwise it would spiral out of control. What would she get up to next if he didn’t guide her properly? “Ella you need to always show the greatest respect to your Master. In a D/s relationship we do not have any secrets from one another. We respect each other at all times. The golden rule is we believe what our partner tells us. By not trusting me you have shown the greatest disrespect possible. Disrespect to your Master is not acceptable behavior. It is my intention to deal with this fully when I get you home. This cannot go unpunished. Do you understand?” She looked warily at him, and nervously knitted her hands together. “Yes, Max, I understand, but now I know the truth, I shall accept my discipline with good grace.” She lifted her head defiantly, unafraid to hold his gaze. “But just wait until I get my hands on this bitch. Revenge will be sweet.” “We’ll see,” he said as he fired the car into life. “Did you manage to pack any clothes?” he asked as he maneuvered the Porsche onto the highway. “There are two bags waiting in the hallway.” “Right, we’ll pick them up, and then get you home. Be prepared, Ella, your training is about to commence,” he warned, using anticipation to generate a little fear in her mind. It didn’t seem to have the desired effect. All she could focus on was what she’d just discovered. “I couldn’t believe it, Max. It was so distressing finding the information Kirk had saved on the memory stick. I feel betrayed. I know he’s dead, but I still feel betrayed. He told her things that are personal to a man and his wife. Intimate things that he should have kept to himself. I’ll never forgive him for that.”

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When he reached her home, Max retrieved the two bags lying just inside the front door. While he was there he also removed the memory stick from Kirk’s laptop and discreetly placed it in his pocket. He’d look at the contents on his own, later. During the twenty-minute drive back to his house, Max couldn’t shake the fact that Kirk had kept his affair with another woman a secret. Perhaps he hadn’t known his best friend as well as he thought. In a way he felt hurt, but he was also glad Kirk hadn’t confided in him. It would have put him in an impossible position with Ella. Maybe Kirk knew all along that he’d always had a soft spot for her? Although he’d never have taken advantage of this while they were married. Ella held a hand to her head and groaned as they drove up the impressive winding drive to his home. After parking the car and helping her from it he asked, “Head hurt?” She scrunched her eyes tightly shut, shielding them from the late afternoon sun. “You bet. I’ve got a thousand little men with hammers inside my head trying to get out.” “Well, if you insist on drinking alone in seedy bars, you’ve only got yourself to blame. I can’t believe you managed to get yourself in such a state.” He watched her becoming defensive. “I can’t help it, Max. I felt hurt. I wanted to escape for a while, and alcohol seemed the answer.” Max opened the front door and led her through. “Go and take a shower. It’ll help you sober up fully.” “I’m sure you’re right.” She held out her hands to take the bags he was carrying. “I’ll take those.” “No, I’ll bring them along in a moment.” She nodded, and began walking from the entrance hall, toward her bedroom, then abruptly stopped and turned. “I know I’ve upset you, but I just felt sure you knew about Kirk’s affair. I’m sorry if I misjudged you.” “At least you’ve come to your senses now.” He realized she’d

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been hurt and had lashed out because she thought he’d taken advantage. “Max? What are you going to do?” “Do?” “You said you would punish me.” “I am. I am also not going to tell you what it will be. This is your first lesson, Ella, and as such, a harsh one to learn. It is what it is. Now go and take your shower.” Max kept his voice even and strong. “Okay,” she answered meekly. He guessed she was getting worried now. Well, that was the whole point. At least it would focus her mind on something other than self-destruction.

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Chapter Twelve When Ella had finished showering and dried herself, she went to her bedroom to put on some clean clothes. Her freshly packed bags were nowhere to be seen. She returned to the bathroom, noticing that even her dirty clothes were missing. Perhaps Max was still angry with her, and he’d decided against bringing them to her bedroom. If that were the case then she’d have to collect them from the entrance hall herself. After wrapping the damp towel around her body, she hurried down the corridor to the entrance vestibule. It was a pleasant, tranquil space, with a small fountain in the center, and relaxing views over the inner courtyard. She could just make out Max sitting by the pool. His chest was bare, and his hair appeared damp from a recent shower. He certainly looked magnificent and all-powerful in the greenery and shrubbery of the inner sanctum. When she realized her bags were nowhere to be seen, she decided it might be best to return to her room and keep a low profile. She’d already caused enough problems today, without adding any more. Perhaps, it would be best to keep out of Max’s way. Maybe then he would forget about her punishment entirely. The old adage, out of sight out of mind, entered her head. The anticipation was winding up inside her like a tight elastic band. Any minute now and it would spin out of control. Ella took a deep breath and returned to her bedroom. She carefully closed the door to the corridor behind her, trying not to make a sound. She was surprised to find the glass door to the courtyard wide open, and Max standing there. Her stomach knotted in anticipation, and she

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gasped, holding a hand to her mouth. “Max, you startled me.” His bright, silver-gray eyes held hers. “I saw you in the entrance hall. Why didn’t you come outside?” “I haven’t any clothes to put on. What have you done with them?” “You don’t need any clothes. Perhaps you didn’t join me because you are worried about the punishment you have yet to receive?” Ella opened her mouth to speak, but Max raised an index finger before she had a chance. “Remember, we should have no secrets from one another. Have no doubt that I will know if you lie.” “I wanted to keep a low profile, Max. I was hoping you’d forget about the discipline.” He smiled and moved closer. When he was within reach he stretched out his hand and untied her towel, letting it drop to the floor. “Good girl, telling the truth will always make me act more favorably toward you. Now I want to see what belongs to me.” Ella felt glad she’d shaved her pussy. His gaze devoured her naked body, and then he stared right at her. “The Master is pleased with how you present yourself. You will always be mine.” “Yes,” she whispered. Her whole being felt out of control and aroused. The way Max looked at her sent delicious shock waves coursing through her body. She wanted him to take control. She wanted to feel every part of his soul directed at her. He smoothed his hands up her arms and tenderly brushed the hair back from her shoulders. His fingers glided over her neck, and he leaned in and kissed her throat. “This is for you,” he murmured, producing a black velvet choker and securing it around her neck. He smoothed it in place and then stepped back to admire his handiwork. “The slave collar suits you, my pet. I bought it this morning.” He motioned to his own neck. “The charms are the initials of my name, MD. See how they intertwine together. They are my mark, and symbolize my dominance over you.” Ella tentatively felt the velvet collar. “Thank you, Max. I like it.” No one, except them, would know it was a slave collar, and she

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guessed that was why Max had chosen it. “Good, while we’re in full role-play, you will call me Master until I direct you otherwise. I also have something else for you, too. Place your foot on the bed.” Ella did as he commanded, and watched Max secure a gold chain around her ankle. “Thank you, Ma…Master.” It, too, had the initials MD decoratively intertwined together. The initials were in exactly the same style as on her choker and perfectly matched the tattoo on his hip. It jingled like a bell as she placed her foot back on the floor. It suddenly dawned on her. “Will you want me to have a tattoo just the same as yours, Master?” “In time, yes. But only if we reach a mutual understanding.” “Oh?” Max smiled and brushed her lips with his thumb. “Believe me, Ella. You will wish, perhaps even beg to wear my permanent mark, along with a more permanent slave collar.” Ella decided a little appeasement might go a long way to reducing what Max had in store for her. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Master, before I receive my punishment?” This role-play was fun, and exciting, too. Even though her head still throbbed from the alcohol, she’d never felt so alive. “Yes, tomorrow I will take you to have this pierced.” He rubbed a finger over her clit. She knew her pussy had gone wet. “You naughty girl. I can see this type of play turns you on. Now choose a safeword.” Max stared into her eyes, and she swallowed hard at the intensity she saw there. “What would you suggest?” “A stoplight system is generally used. So ‘yellow’ would mean ‘slow down, I’m not keen on this,’ and ‘red’ would mean, ‘stop whatever you’re doing.’” “Then I will choose red as the safeword.” “Good. Now come.” He took hold of her hand. “It is time to show you the playroom.” The cool evening air seemed to caress her naked body as she

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stepped from the bedroom into the inner courtyard. Her ankle chain tinkled with each step she took as Max led her along the path until they arrived outside the playroom. At least she knew what to expect. He drew back the opaque glass partition and she entered. It looked totally different. The lighting had changed. It was more brooding and dark, with just some subdued tones of red, splashing pools of color onto the floor and ceiling. In the center stood a piece of furniture with red leather padding. To her it looked like a vaulting horse, only slightly smaller. Did Max want her to do some gymnastics in the nude? Was that how he got his kicks? Ella watched their reflections in the multiple mirrors surrounding her. She looked incredibly small against Max’s larger frame. As she moved closer to the red leather horse, she saw thick leather straps attached to all four legs. She knew then that she wouldn’t be jumping over it. Quite the opposite in fact. She had no doubt Max was going to secure her to it. Her mind went into overdrive. Did she trust him enough? He’d given her a safeword. Surely she should just see how it all panned out. She could always call a halt if things started to get out of hand. After all, she’d created this punishment by thinking the worst of him in the first place. “Lie over the sawhorse,” he directed. The tone of his voice was totally uncompromising. Disobeying was not an option. Ella did the sensible thing and followed his instruction. There was an uncomfortable ridge made of stainless steel forming a backbone down the center of the soft padding. The cool leather caressed her flesh as she straddled the horse, making her legs spread wide open. As she moved into position, the raised section of steel pressed between her pussy lips, pushing them apart. It felt so good. Her womb contracted with pure pleasure as Max secured each ankle to the horse, holding her legs firmly in place as he buckled the leather straps. Stretching her arms slightly, he then buckled each wrist to the front legs of the horse, making sure that the restraints were not too tight. With her head to one side, her cheek rested comfortably against the

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red leather upholstery. She saw herself in the mirror. Prostrate and open to his darkest desires. He looked so tall beside her, and so incredibly masculine. Her heart beat so fast she could barely breathe. Feeling completely exposed and vulnerable, she let out a tight moan. “I’m a little frightened, Master.” “Don’t worry, pet. All is well.” His soothing words calmed her as he stroked his hand down her spine, sending shivers throughout her body. “You have the cutest fuckable ass.” His hand glided between her legs, and she let out a gasp as he pressed a finger against her puckered hole. She squirmed on the horse, the cold steel ridge grinding between her pussy lips. The sensation felt exquisite. He leaned close to her ear, his fingers still pleasuring her helpless pink rosette, and whispered, “I promise you this, pet. I will have this ass soon. What do you say?” As he spoke he pressed a finger inside her anus, making her moan with enjoyment. “Thank you, Master.” Her words came out in a rush. “You learn well, pet. Now for your punishment.” His hands smoothed over the globes of her ass. “This is such a useful device. I get to feel your vulnerability, and you get to sample my power.” His hands drifted down her legs, which she knew were trembling with wanton anticipation. The sensual touch of his fingers on her bare flesh only accentuated the feeling of being out of control. Ella gasped for air as he slowly smoothed his fingertips along her inner thigh, getting closer and closer to her wet pussy. She buried her head in the soft leather upholstery, trying to stifle the moans that threatened to erupt from deep inside her. “Your response to me is intoxicating.” His deep voice seemed to reverberate around every nerve ending. She wanted him to touch her pussy, and she eased back as much as she could, inviting him to do so. Thwack. Without warning, he slapped her bare butt hard with his hand. Her first instinct was to squirm away, but the action made the ridge between her legs rub against her clit, causing pleasure and pain to mingle. “Master,” she cried, “it hurts.”

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“You have disrespected your Master today. Five strokes of my hand on your bare ass is your punishment.” Another slap heated her butt cheek, making her cunt rub against the metal ridge of the sawhorse once again. Oh, my God dear God. How was it possible to feel this good? She felt her vaginal arousal coating the horse as a warm pleasurable sensation permeated her reddened ass cheeks. “It doesn’t just hurt does it, my little pet?” “No, Master.” “Tell me?” Each time she tried to move, her erect nipples chaffed on the leather padding, making her even more aroused. “It’s making my pussy wet, Master.” Max slapped her butt again. Her whole ass felt on fire. “Naughty girls must be punished.” “Oh, yes, Master. I know I’ve been naughty. I need to be punished. I need to atone for disrespecting you.” It stung so much. Tears began to slowly trickle down her cheeks. “You know why this is happening?” He slapped her thigh. It didn’t hurt, just glowed hotly, making her pussy feel on fire. “Yes, Master.” “What will you do in future?” “I will always trust you, Master.” “I will never lie to you, pet.” “Yes, Master.” Yet another slap stung her bare ass. The sound echoed around the playroom. Her pussy glowed with warmth. She wanted him to fill her with his prick. Surely he must be hard. “Please, Master. Fuck me, please. I can’t stand it.” “Did this slave beg her Master?” “Yes, I need you, Master, please, I’m begging you.” Max walked around in front of her. He pulled his jeans down, displaying his rock-hard cock. Ella licked her lips, unable to stop herself writhing on the horse. Her clit ground even more against the metal ridge, causing sharp, jagged breaths to leave her lips.

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“Is this what you want?” “Yes, Master.” He moved closer to her, holding his erect cock in his hand, guiding it to her mouth. With her head angled to one side, and resting on the soft leather padding, she looked up into his face. Max’s eyes burned with an intensity she’d never seen before. It literally took her breath away. He was so close she swiped the pre-cum off the tip of his penis with her tongue, hearing his sharp intake of breath as reward. He stroked a hand into her hair and began fucking her face. He wiped the tears from her cheeks as she swallowed every inch of him. Sucking his huge prick just as she knew he wanted her to. Max cupped her chin. “You have pleased me, pet.” He then withdrew his cock, and walked back behind her. His fingers trailed into her sex. “Oh, little one, you are so wet.” His cock speared her entrance and he grabbed hold of her hips, sinking his length deep inside her. She stared helplessly at their reflection in the mirror. She could clearly see him filling her from behind, dominating her submissive, bound body. Their eyes connected through the mirror. She cried out, enjoying the feel of him filling her cunt. “Oh, Master.” “This is what you want. This is what you need. Do you understand me?” “Oh, yes, Master.” Her whole body spasmed, enjoying the delicious sensation of her Master being deep inside her, fucking her relentlessly from behind. Each time he filled her, her clit came into contact with the hard metal ridge of the horse. Totally at his mercy, she submitted completely, letting him take what he needed, take what was his. “You are mine. Say it.” “I’m yours, Master. “This is mine, too.” His fingers caressed her puckered hole, and she let out a gasp of enjoyment. “Say it.” “My butt belongs to you, Master.” “I own everything about you.”

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Ella drew the breath through her teeth and a whimper left her lips as Max speared her butt with his thumb. The sensation felt highly erotic, and she cried out. “Oh my God, that feels so good.” Her pussy tightened around his cock, and she knew she was close to the most intense climax ever. “Dear God, please.” Pleasure throbbed uncontrolled through her body, as her orgasmic spasms relentlessly milked his cock. “Master, I’m coming. I can’t stop myself. Please let me.” She heard Max’s breathy words behind her. “I will allow you to do so. Come, little one. Come for your Master.” His permission excited her further. Her Master was allowing her final release, and she responded. Her restrained body twitched and vibrated in uncontrolled orgasmic ecstasy against the sawhorse. Max made several more deep lunges inside her, filling her with his prick until he, too, let go with a deafening guttural groan, spilling his seed deep inside her.

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Chapter Thirteen Max lay exhausted against Ella’s silky back, breathing heavily, until he finally roused himself. He released the leather buckles from her ankles and wrists, and lifted her into his arms. She came willingly, clinging to him like her life depended on it as he carried her across the inner courtyard to his bedroom. He felt tiny tremors still coursing through her body as he lay with her on the bed. They were both high on endorphins. “There is no need to call me Master. You may speak freely now. Training is over for today,” he whispered, kissing her forehead, and holding her close. Ella didn’t disappoint him one little bit. As his new sub, he couldn’t have hoped for more. “How do you feel?” he asked, massaging the soft, creamy flesh of her tired arms, helping restore her circulation. He knew he’d pushed her limits, but he also knew Ella possessed hidden depths that he’d yet to experience. “I’m shocked by the intensity of it all, Max. It kinda overwhelmed me, both emotionally and physically. I never thought sex could feel that good.” “Yes, it’s a natural high, far better than anything you’ll get from alcohol. This kind of sex gives a bigger kick, without the unwanted side effects.” Ella giggled. “I wish I’d known earlier. Then I wouldn’t have bothered drinking myself into oblivion.” She sighed resignedly. “I’ve landed myself in a whole heap of trouble, haven’t I?” Max kissed her cheek. “You sure have, baby. You’ll just have to face that court hearing with good grace. When all is said and done, you didn’t cause any lasting damage. Nobody got hurt.”

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“I’m sorry I spoiled your evening. You were going to treat me to a meal at an expensive restaurant, but my bad behavior ruined it for both of us.” He held her in his arms, resting his chin on her head. Her hair smelled of wild meadows, and he caressed the baby-soft skin of her back with his fingertips. “I’m still angry with you for how you behaved. I can’t believe you got arrested. Remember, Ella”—he cupped her chin and forced her to look at him—“today was the first time I punished you. I didn’t want to scare you. Next time I won’t be so lenient.” He hoped she’d take his warning seriously. “In future, I want you to come to me if you ever feel you’re going off the rails again.” “I will, Max. I promise.” Her fingers drifted over his naked chest, brushing the sprinkling of masculine hair, and she sighed. “Mmm, I feel so peaceful now. I know I should go and prepare something to eat, but I feel so sleepy.” “That’s okay, rest for a while, little one, we’ll have something later.” Max felt a sense of relief that she appeared emotionally stable now, but he was concerned that she could easily spiral out of control again if things went badly for her. He’d make sure she saw Hans Lindquist, his good friend and psychologist. It would do Ella the world of good to talk things through with a professional, like Hans. He stayed with her until her breathing became deep and heavy. Then he slid unnoticed from the bed and draped a sheet over her beautiful, naked body. She looked so serene and at peace. Her lashes curling down onto her cheeks, yet he knew her angelic appearance belied the inner turmoil deep in her head. Kirk had had an affair with another woman, and then for some unknown reason he’d killed himself. He could only guess how traumatic it must have been for her, finding her husband dead in the garage, with half his head blown away. Just how much shit could one woman take? No wonder she had such conflicting emotions. When all was said and done, it was

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unsurprising she’d fucked up. He had to make sure he used his control sparingly. If he used it unwisely, it wouldn’t have the desired effect. She’d be fine if he could keep her on the straight and narrow. What she needed was direction. Maybe he’d come up with a project to keep her occupied. Something that would focus her mind on new horizons, rather than the tragic events of the past few months. With that in mind, Max went over to his computer. He had several building projects reaching completion. Perhaps she could contribute something positive to one of them. He flicked through his portfolios. Ella had been a keen photographer when she was at college. At one time she’d wanted to take it up professionally, before she met Kirk. Maybe she could put together the photography for a sales brochure needed for Crowley Heights, a condo complex in downtown Andover. He usually gave any photographic business to Parker Enterprises, an advertising and promotions company located right here in Wichita. Maybe he could save himself a few thousand bucks and give Ella the opportunity to shine once more. He sat at his computer and perused the hundred or more e-mails that had accumulated. As he responded and deleted appropriately, he couldn’t help thinking about Kirk’s memory stick. The one containing intimate details of his affair with another woman. He had time to kill. Perhaps he’d take a look now. Tomorrow he’d take her to get her clitoral hood pierced. It was something that turned him on, and Ella seemed keen on the idea, too. He knew she wanted to please him anyway she could. Having a sub eager to please was always a good sign for a Dom. He’d always been very fond of female genital jewelry. All his previous subs had worn a clitoral piercing in order to please him. They’d informed him it improved their orgasms immensely, by making them more conscious of their own bodies and sexuality. He knew that Lexi, his good friend and female piercer, would allow him to thread the bead securing the barbell through Ella’s clitoral hood himself. He’d performed this ritual on all his other subs. To him it was an important symbolic

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initiation for any sub entering a D/s relationship. Max plugged the memory stick into his computer and waited for the files to load. **** The next day Max gently shook Ella awake. “Come on, sleepy head, time to get up.” Ella groaned and pulled the sheet over her head. “No, go away. It’s the middle of the night. Leave me alone.” “Oh, no you don’t.” Max laughed as he started to tickle her. “I’ve brought you some breakfast.” She shrieked and squirmed away from him, until she said breathlessly, “Okay, okay. I hear you.” She sat up straight, her hair a cloud of tangles as she tried to focus on her surroundings. “Oh, my God, there’s daylight coming through the window. It’s morning.” “That’s when I usually serve breakfast.” “I must have slept for hours.” “You did.” Max hadn’t had the heart to wake her. He’d been up half the night, reading all the sexually explicit e-mails between Kirk and his army fuck buddy. It couldn’t have been easy for her finding out. Especially as she’d been mentioned in such a disrespectful way in many of them. So he’d decided to let her sleep. Sleep was good for repairing tattered nerves. “Since you’ve missed out on a couple of meals, I’ve been busy in the kitchen. I’ve made you ham and eggs, with a side order of pancakes, just for you.” He handed her the tray, and she immediately broke the egg yolks with a fork. “Mmm, delicious. I can’t believe you’re such a good cook.” “One of my many hidden talents.” He watched her chew on her lower lip, and a faint blush formed on her cheeks. She smiled and raised her gaze to his. Her blue eyes

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appeared vibrant and alive. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty of hidden talents to show me.” Max grinned. “Well that’s for me to know, and for you to find out.” Ella looked at him as she forked a generous portion of ham and eggs to her mouth. “Do I get to wear some clothes today, or do you just like me being naked all the time?” “Oh, baby, you look great naked, but it’s not very practical if we’re heading into Wichita today.” “Oh?” “There’s a project of mine I think you’ll be interested in.” “A project?” “Yes, I need some photographic work for one of my developments. They’re not selling as well as I’d hoped. All I have at the moment is an artist’s impression on the sales literature. I think some innovative photography showing the complex in an attractive manner may help sell the remaining units. I know it’s short notice, but it’s a rush job, and I was hoping you’d help me out. You studied photography for three years at college, and are very gifted with a camera.” Ella smiled and pointed a fork loaded with egg at him. “Are you trying to keep me out of trouble, Max?” “You know me so well, baby.” They’d first met and become firm friends more than a decade ago. She could second-guess many of his actions. However, he still had the element of surprise on his side where their budding sexual relationship was concerned. He figured Ella had no idea what sexual delights lay in store for her in the coming weeks and months. He felt his cock hardening uncomfortably in his jeans at all the things he wanted to do to her. “Just indulge me a little. I think it will be good for you.” “It sounds tempting, Max. I intended to have a career in professional photography before I met Kirk.” “I know, and you would have made a great photographer, too. Oh,

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there’s just one more thing, Ella.” “What, Max?” “Don’t forget you’re meeting Lexi today.” “Lexi?” “Yeah, you remember, my friend Lexi the body piercer. You’re having your clit pierced today.” “You’re kidding me, Max. The pain will be excruciating.” Max laughed out loud. She had a lot to learn. “It’s your clitoral hood actually, baby. Your cute little sexual pearl will remain intact.” Ella sighed. “Thank God for that.” Deep in thought, she took another mouthful of her breakfast and then said, concerned, “This piercing, Max. You’ll be there, won’t you?” He knew she was a little worried about the procedure. “You betcha, baby. It’s part of your initiation as my sub.” She breathed deeply. “Oh, good. I’ll feel more confident with you there. Will it hurt?” Max smiled, pleased by her answer. “It might just sting a bit, but don’t worry. I’ll be right there with you.”

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Chapter Fourteen After a long, hot shower, Ella returned to the bedroom. Max lay on the bed relaxing, his arms behind his head. Wearing smart, tailored trousers and a clean white linen shirt open at the neckline, he had a sensual smile to his lips. She felt a knot of desire rippling through her body, twisting down to her womb. Max was so fucking sexy. “I want you to wear a dress, but no underwear today. Your pussy is lovely and smooth. It’ll turn me on watching another woman being intimate with your vagina.” Ella raised a brow. “Oh, Max, you naughty boy. What is it about men and lesbian fantasies?” Max patted the bed. “Come here.” She went and sat next to him, he stroked a hand down her cheek. “The piercing will be a little sore afterwards. You don’t want anything to chafe it.” She nodded. Her stomach churned. Having such an intimate part of her body pierced seemed a little daunting right now, but she knew it would displease Max if she refused to have it done. Besides, even though she was a little apprehensive, she knew deep down it would bring great sexual rewards in the future. She squeezed Max’s hand for comfort. “What if I show myself up and scream the place down? What will Lexi think then?” “I wouldn’t worry about Lexi. She’s been in the business a long time. She’s seen everything, and besides she’s a Domme. I figure she’ll get off on hearing you scream.” He joked. Ella rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Max,” she commented sarcastically, “You’ve really reassured me.” That’s all she needed, some female dominant getting a wet pussy herself, while she squealed in pain. She

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moved to get dressed, but Max put a hand on her shoulder. “How are you feeling this morning?” he asked. “I’m fine.” She didn’t really want to talk about being dumped by her husband for another woman. It still made her angry. Max persisted. “I told you we should discuss everything with each other, baby. We shouldn’t have any secrets. They only build up into something much bigger.” The happiness she had begun to feel the moment she’d woken up began to dim. Would it always be like this? This feeling of being totally inadequate. Kirk had found someone else much better in bed, much more of a woman. It would only be a matter of time before Max did the same. Max was a rich, good-looking, highly sexed guy. Why would he stay with her, when he could have any woman he wanted? If she confided her fears to him, it would only make her seem weak, immature, and needy. It would probably bring their relationship to an end before it had barely begun. In the end she snapped at him. “I just don’t want to talk about Kirk and that bitch of his, Max. Okay?” He studied her for a while, before speaking. “I understand it’s not an easy subject, but I’m here, if you need me. I’ve spoken with Hans Lindquist. The psychologist I told you about. He can help you overcome any problems. I think you need to discuss Kirk’s affair and suicide with someone not so close to the situation. Someone who can be logical and objective.” Ella’s head began to hurt. All this thinking stressed her out. In the end she answered angrily, “I’d be okay if people just left me the fuck alone.” “I see.” Max just sat on the bed and stared at her. “Ella, that is twice you have spoken disrespectfully to me. As your Master, I will not tolerate it.” He didn’t raise his voice, but kept it low and commanding. It couldn’t have sounded more chilling. “You have forced me to take matters into my own hand. I had hoped you would come to your senses. Let me explain in unambiguous terms. You will

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see Hans Lindquist, once a week for a whole month.” His voice strongly emphasized the first two words, letting her know who was in charge. “It will do you good to talk it through.” Ella decided to be a little less confrontational. As the submissive in the relationship, she really should be more careful about how she spoke to Max. After all, she’d already tasted his discipline once, and she knew there would be more to come if she acted disrespectfully toward him again. “Thank you. I’m sorry for snapping, Master.” By using his formal title she hoped to appeal to his better nature. “Good, and just so you’re aware of what you’ve done, I have something for you. Hopefully, it’ll serve to correct your sassy tongue.” He reached into his bedside drawer and retrieved an intricate piece of gold jewelry. On closer inspection, it comprised of an ornate center section with three long lengths of chain hanging from it. On the end of each of the lengths was attached an adjustable gold clip. “You will wear this under your dress,” he instructed her. “Only you and I will know it’s there. Just straddle me for a minute, and I’ll put it on for you.” Ella did as he commanded. It didn’t look like he was punishing her, and she was only too happy to receive another piece of jewelry. Her delight was short-lived when Max held up the delicate piece. “These clamps”—he opened and closed them with an index finger and thumb—“apply just the right amount of pressure on your erogenous zones.” He attached a clamp to her nipple and she bit her bottom lip, unable to decide if it was pain or pleasure that she felt. “This sensual jewelry will make you more aware of your sexuality,” Max stated as he opened a second clip, and then secured it to her other nipple. The delicate chain joining them together swung loosely between them. A third length of chain dangled freely between her breasts. Occasionally it came into contact with her stomach, which undulated with her increased breathing. A warm sensation began to flow directly to her pussy. Max held up the remaining clip. “Can you guess where this one

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goes, baby?” His silver-gray eyes searched hers as she tried to figure out his next move. Then it slowly dawned on her. Realization must have showed on her face, because he said, “Poor, baby, she’s gonna feel so horny. I just hope her Master gives her some release later in the day.” He then squeezed her clit between the finger and thumb of one hand, before attaching the final clip to her sensitive nub. Ella gasped. Her clit felt so sensitized, with the combination of pleasure and pain. Every time she moved, the clips pulled on her aroused nipples and vaginal pearl, only increasing the intensity of sexual feeling coursing through her. It was highly erotic, having three erogenous zones stimulated at the same time. “This is one of my favorite ways of bringing naughty girls into line. In the past, all of my subs have found the mixing of pleasure and pain most exquisite.” Max tugged on the chain, pulling her against his body. “Max, please. It feels so good, but I know you’re taunting me.” She lay along the length of his body, feeling intensely sexual, but fully aware that he wouldn’t allow her to have an orgasm without his permission. She figured he liked tormenting her. It was what turned him on. Me and my sassy tongue. It’s always getting me into trouble. **** Two hours later Ella sighed. By midmorning the clamps attached to her nipples and clit were driving her nuts. The constant stimulation of her erogenous zones had begun to consume all rational thought, to the point where she could think of nothing else, apart from her own sexual release. It was pure torture, and by the look on Max’s face, he was enjoying every minute of her discomfort. As he showed her around Crowley Heights, the condo complex he wanted her to

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photograph, she saw his lips curved upward with sensual pleasure. In future, she vowed never to answer him back again. If she could concentrate for just one minute, she might be able to plan a series of photographs that would show Max’s latest building project to best effect. Standing five stories tall, the complex offered breathtaking views over the beautiful landscaped lake and gardens. Each condominium boasted a modern balcony of glass and chrome overlooking the wonderful manmade vista. She needed to capture that stunning image with her camera. She knew Max could call upon other far more experienced photographers to do the job, but she also knew he wanted to keep her out of mischief. Well, if that’s what he wanted, then she would have to indulge him. Besides, it would be nice to return to something she’d always had a passion for. Before she’d married Kirk, creative photography had been an important part of her life. She’d reluctantly given it up when they’d continuously moved from one location to another as part of army life. As she walked with Max and his site manager toward the newly built sandstone building, she wondered if all the workmen, wearing hard hats, could see the nipple clamps poking through her dress. In her present aroused state she was almost past caring. Her whole being just focused on the constant chafing of the material against her taut, hardened nipples. Every now and then her voice would gain a higher pitch as the chain attached to her nipples also pulled against the clamp secured to her throbbing clit. Her pussy was soaking wet, and feminine juices spread to the top of her thighs. Every step she took became a trial as the clamp constantly rubbed against the sensitive nub. Dale, the site manager, paused briefly, before pointing to the top of the building. “Would you allow me to show you the two show condos that have already been decorated and staged, Mrs. Williams? They’re on the top floor. They should give you a feel for the building.” “That—” Her voice came out high-pitched. Damn that clit clamp.

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She cleared her throat and tried again. “Yes, please. That would be great, Dale.” Ella had to speak slowly to make sure her words didn’t distort. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to blot out her Master’s knowing smile. “Are you okay, ma’am?” Dale asked with concern. “You’re looking a little flushed.” Ella nodded. “I’m fine. I must be coming down with something. A bug of some sort, perhaps.” “Oh, I’m sorry. I hope it’s nothing serious.” He turned to Max. “I’ll go and get the keys, Mr. D’Alesandro.” “Thanks, Dale,” Max replied as the tall, wiry man walked away. He turned to Ella when they were left completely alone, and smiled. “How are you feeling, pet?” “As if you didn’t know, Max. I can barely concentrate on anything.” As soon as she’d spoken, she realized her mistake. Why hadn’t she followed her own advice? He’d leave the clamps on even longer now. She might even have to use her safeword to call a halt to this exquisite torture. Max’s eyes narrowed on her, assessing, testing, and devouring her. “I see you haven’t learned your lesson yet, pet. Your tongue is still as sassy as ever.” “Please forgive me, Master.” The roles they were playing were becoming more defined. Max was in control, and she loved every minute of it. Her pussy tightened, making her even wetter. She pouted her lips in the hope he would take pity on her. “I am learning, Master. I hope you will take mercy on me.” She bowed her head, hoping to appeal to his dominant nature. She’d read a lot of literature on the subject. Men like Max needed her submission. She would do well to offer him more of what he desired. When Dale returned, her heart sank. Max definitely couldn’t remove the clamps with him around. She just hoped she’d be able to last a little longer before using her safeword, because she didn’t want to disappoint Max.

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“You can give me the keys, Dale,” Max said, perhaps answering her prayers. If they were left alone, then maybe he’d show his benevolent side. “I’ll take Ella up and show her around myself.” “Okay, boss,” he said, handing over the keys. When they were both in the elevator and heading for the fifth floor, Max’s voice soothed her. “If you’re a good girl, I may consider removing my educational device from your cute little nipples and succulent clit. You’ll just have to wait and see how lenient your Master is feeling, my little pet.” As he stood behind her, his hands drifted down her body, gently caressing her shoulders before dropping to her breasts. His thumbs smoothed over her large, swollen nipples. She closed her eyes, and a tight moan escaped her lips as erotic pain coursed through her body. She couldn’t help curving her butt back against him. She could clearly feel his hard cock as she rubbed herself against his obvious erection. “Oh, Max, and while you’re working, too.” She teased. “Mmm, I’d say I’ve got one horny slave who needs some serious attention.” “Oh, yes, yes, yes. You’re what I need. Please, Master.” He began raising the hem of her dress, pulling it up her thighs until his fingers touched her bare flesh. Ella gasped as he smoothed his hands over her stomach. He tugged on the chain attached to her clit. A cry left her lips, and she arched back, enjoying the feel of his body behind hers, hard and virile. When he touched the swollen clamped nub she cried out, “Please,” grinding her ass against his hips once more. “Oh, baby, you’re so close aren’t you.” He dropped a hand between her legs and caressed her trapped clit. “And so fucking wet, too.” “Yes, Master, you know I am. I’m begging you.” He turned her around and looked directly into her eyes. His silvergray gaze burned brightly into hers. “Then we shall play, my pet.”

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Max brushed the hair from her face and kissed her lips. “You are now my captive and plaything, to do with as I see fit.” When the elevator came to an abrupt stop and the doors parted, Max took hold of her hand and led her down a long corridor to the first condo. Her heart escalated in pace, beating to a level she’d never known before. Several workmen were busy laying tiles and carpet. She breathed a sigh of relief as Max put the key in the lock and opened the door. When he closed it behind them, she watched him deadlock it. Thank God—he did not want to be disturbed. That meant only one thing—relief at last.

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Chapter Fifteen “Wait,” Max called as Ella walked further inside the apartment. At the entrance to the open-plan living area she immediately stopped moving, exactly as he ordered. He stroked the glossy black hair away from her shoulders, soothing her with his touch. He knew she was highly aroused. This was the aspect of a D/s relationship he enjoyed most. A sub filled with fearful anticipation of what was to come gave him immense satisfaction. “Put your hands behind your back,” he ordered. Now was not the time to slow down, but to escalate the play to a higher level. From the way she’d reacted toward him in the elevator, he thought she was ready. With her arms behind her back, Max calmly wrapped some soft cord around her wrists, binding them securely together. He felt the tremor in her body, and a breathy gasp left her mouth. Max touched her lips with an index finger. “Not a sound, my pet. Do you understand? If I hear anything from your lips, I will punish you severely.” When she nodded her obedience, he then walked her to the bathroom. Every conceivable luxury item had been installed. Double his and hers sinks were encased inside incredibly expensive black granite. An extra large walk-in shower with ceiling-height glass filled the rest of the space. No expense had been spared. It was ideal for what he had in mind. “Have you learned your lesson, my pet? There will be no more answering your Master back. Not unless you wish to displease me and feel my discipline again.” He smiled at her, knowing that maybe she did. When she nodded, he pressed her back against the edge of the granite surface. He looked intently into her eyes before firmly taking

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hold of her bound wrists and hooking them over the opulent designer taps behind her. Her eyes flared wide, knowing full well that she was at his mercy. She was his to do with as he pleased. With her back arched and her butt resting against the black granite work surface, he began undressing her. “Now, if you’re a good slave, and stay still, I may act benevolently and remove the clamps.” Ella kept her feet firmly planted on the floor, resisting the urge to move. “Oh, you want to please your Master don’t you?” She nodded, and he slowly began to undo her dress, which buttoned down the front. He would take his time, heightening her anticipation. He was an experienced Dom, and therefore in no rush. He would enjoy unwrapping her like an exquisite Christmas present, until he could savor what lay beneath the expensive packaging. A slight moan escaped her lips as his fingers brushed against her breasts. He saw her body trembling in anticipation and the way her back expectantly arched. The incredible flexibility of her beautiful body made his cock harden further. He would enjoy fucking her like this, but first he wanted to draw it out. When he’d undone every single button, he brushed the material of her dress apart, revealing her gorgeous body. Her breasts were heavy and full. Her belly a womanly swell. Max focused on her swollen nipples held tightly in the clamps, the tips of which appeared supersensitive. “Oh, baby. They look delicious.” He tugged gently on the chain, pulling on her nipples. He leaned down and swiped his tongue over the swollen flesh. Ella’s whole body trembled. “Keep still,” he ordered. “Or I may leave them on.” He was pushing her limits. But that was his role, and he knew she loved every minute of it. His hands smoothed over her breasts, tracing the line of the chain, and then following it down to her pussy. He pulled on the clamp, tugging the sensitive nub until she whimpered with need.

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“Keep absolutely still and quiet, my pet, and I will reward you.” Ella appeared delirious on sexual stimulation. As he knelt down in front of her, she raised her head, making the arch to her back even more pronounced. She offered herself to him like no other sub ever had. He took a moment to savor her exquisite surrender. Max then parted her trembling legs and stared in amazement at her swollen clit. The heart of her sexual being, held tightly in the gold clamp, glistened with her arousal. He tugged gently on the chain, stimulating her clit even more. His tongue slowly soothed over her sensitive nub, lapping and tasting her femininity. He heard her soft cries echoing around the bathroom. He roughly pulled her forward, cupping her perfect, creamy buttocks in his hands, forcing her wet pussy against his tongue. Like an unstoppable tidal wave, her vaginal tremors strengthened into a series of incredible shudders, which convulsed against his mouth and eager tongue. He knew she was experiencing the most intense orgasm she’d ever had. By stretching the foreplay into hours, instead of minutes, he had built her arousal to such a state that the merest touch would be explosive. Max continued to lap at her cunt, enjoying its womanly wetness and intoxicating, alluring scent. If the granite surface hadn’t been supporting her, he knew she would have slumped to the floor. As it was she could barely stand without her legs shaking. He released the clamp from her clit, and soothed the tender flesh once more with his tongue, drawing it exquisitely against his teeth. Ella bucked and writhed, enjoying the sexual ecstasy he gave her. Unable to help herself, she moaned deliriously. The words, “Max, please,” whimpered from her lips. Max drifted his tongue up her body. Slowly he explored her heaving stomach and breasts. He pulled on one of the clamps attached to her nipples, elongating the areola, and then swiped his tongue over the swollen nub. Hearing her passionate cries intoxicated him. He removed the clips from her flushed breasts, drawing her large, brown

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nipples into his mouth and sucking hard, savoring her submission. As he stood, he noticed her eyes were barely open, as though she was in a trance. Her head fell forward and beads of feminine perspiration glistened on her forehead. She looked so vulnerable and helpless. A shiver of intense primal arousal coursed through his veins. “Fuck, you look perfect,” he whispered close to her ear as he freed his eager cock from his pants. It twitched and jerked expectantly in his hand. “Tell me you want me inside you, baby.” The head of his prick throbbed with need and glistened with desire. “Oh, Max, I need you. You know I need you inside me. Stop teasing me.” He guided his cock to her pussy, rubbing the head of his penis between her wet labia, enjoying the lubrication her womanly juices provided. Ella moaned, “Yes,” and tossed her head back, her whole body stiffening and arching in submission. “Fuck me, Master. Fuck me, please.” “With pleasure, my pet.” Max held her by the hips and sunk inside her welcoming pussy with a satisfied groan. He’d had many subs, but he’d never felt such an intimate connection with one before. He wondered if it was because they’d known each other for years. Whatever the reason, he felt so close to her now. So joined to her. They were on the same wavelength. He kissed her lips and drove his tongue deep inside her mouth, consuming her, dominating her, branding her as his property with every forceful stroke of his cock. Flexing his hips, he withdrew and then thrust his shaft back inside her. Her moans of pleasure built to a crescendo. He covered her mouth with his own, drowning out her cries. He didn’t need an army of well-meaning carpet fitters and tilers breaking down the door to save her. Not when she belonged to him. That sudden thought struck a chord—she belonged to him. Nothing had ever felt so right before. Ella was his now, and he wouldn’t allow anything to come between them—not the looming court appearance, and certainly not her dead husband, Kirk. Kirk may

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have been his best friend, but he hadn’t treated her well. He should have treated her with more respect, and he could never forgive him for that. A woman like Ella deserved the very best. Like a bolt out of the blue, it finally dawned on him—he loved her. All five foot four and one hundred pounds of pure sassiness, wrapped up in the perfect submissive package. After years of being disillusioned by unsatisfactory D/s relationships, he realized he and Ella were a match made in heaven. They were always meant to be together. They were soul mates. He shouldn’t declare his love for her just yet. He figured that after the traumatic events of the last few months, it might just scare her away. He leaned forward and untied the rope securing her wrists. Like the good sub that she was, she hadn’t complained, but he knew they must ache. Immediately she was freed, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her fingers drifted through his hair as she rode his prick. It made him feel needed. Something he’d never considered necessary before. But he did now. He wanted her to need him with every breath that she took. She was his. “Come on, baby, that’s it. I order you to come for your Master.” Max cupped her gorgeous buttocks, driving his cock even deeper inside her. He felt her pussy contract around him as he spoke against her ear. Like most women, Ella responded to verbal stimulation. “Wrap your legs around me. Squeeze me tight.” She did as he commanded, crossing them at the ankles. “Mmm, that’s it, baby. Take me all in.” Max ran his hands along her silky, smooth thighs. His cock glistened with her feminine juices. He couldn’t resist looking down, watching it slide in out of her wet cunt, covered with her arousal. A breathy gasp hissed from her lips as his balls relentlessly banged against her pussy lips. He raised the pace, taking it to a higher level. Her squeals of delight filled the bathroom, until she finally came, her convulsions milking his cock repeatedly. “Max, oh, Max.” Her fingers fisted into his hair, pulling it—hard. “Please, Max.”

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“Fuck, baby.” He stilled her hands in his hair. “Jesus.” He threw his head back as his balls tightened further. Then a wondrous, unstoppable surge burst up his prick and spilled with agonizing pleasure deep inside her warm, wet cunt. Their heavy breathing echoed around the room. “Christ, woman.” Max cradled her head in his arms and tenderly kissed her lips. He smiled into her eyes, which were hooded with pleasure. “You were sensational.” He kissed her cheek, and then whispered in her ear. “But you did disobey me by making a noise. I cannot let that go unpunished.” He smiled. “Still, a little correction at home will serve to keep you on the straight and narrow.” He traced his fingers down her spine, feeling an intense shiver ripple through her body and contract around his cock, still hard inside her. He figured Ella was already looking forward to his discipline. “You’re such a wicked deviant, Max.” He heard the humor in her voice. “Yeah, you’re just pissed because I’m your kind of wicked deviant.” Ella giggled. “Mmm, I guess you are. Where did you learn all this stuff?” Max wiggled his eyebrows. “It just comes naturally to me.” “I shouldn’t be surprised.” She looked at him, perhaps as if seeing him for the first time. “Come, we’d better get dressed.” Reluctantly he slipped his cock from her moist pussy, and began tidying himself up. “If we stay here any longer the workforce will batter the door down, wondering what all the commotion is about. Get dressed, and I’ll take you up to the roof garden. The views are spectacular.”

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Chapter Sixteen It was with some trepidation that Ella followed Max up the short flight of steps, to Lexi’s Tattoo and Piercing Parlor. He turned to her when he’d reached the top, and smiled. “Don’t look so worried. It’ll be a piece of cake.” “You’re not the one having your private parts pierced,” she said defensively. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” “That’s very reassuring,” Ella answered sarcastically. Max leaned in, his warm breath fanning provocatively against her neck. “Just wait until I get you home, my pet. Some serious correction is in order. I haven’t forgotten your earlier disobedience, and now this uncalled-for sarcasm. Something tells me you want your Master to discipline you.” His voice was laden with intent, and she couldn’t help but wonder what technique he would use when they returned home. Maybe he was right, and she’d deliberately acted like a brat in order to gain his attention. Without another word, he took hold of her hand and held it firmly in his, and then pushed open the large glass door. Ella decided to trust him, and allowed herself to be ushered into the dimly lit interior. After the mind-blowing sex she’d experienced that morning, she felt really close to him. He’d shown her something she’d never thought possible—a deep, loving connection and understanding with another human being. It had never been that way with Kirk. Maybe it was her fault that he’d sought the arms of another woman, because she’d never responded to him, the way she responded to Max? Max made her feel alive. Ella knew it was more than just physical attraction. She

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was falling hopelessly in love with him. For a few brief seconds, Ella strained to see. When her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light, she could make out brightly colored designs displayed on the walls. They showed some impressive, detailed artwork. She figured they were designs for tattoos. There was something to please every taste. A counter ran along the entire length of the store. Under its glass surface lay every conceivable item used in tattooing and piercing. Various stands filled the limited floor space, displaying everything for the bondage and fetish enthusiast. Whips, floggers, canes, and paddles were there in abundance. Ella found herself squeezing Max’s hand even tighter. It reassured her when he squeezed it back. The thick beaded curtains at the end of the store swished noisily open, and as if by magic, a woman in her late thirties appeared. Her short, cropped hair, the color of straw, was flecked with pink strands, as though she’d tumbled into a candyflossmaking machine. She was dressed in jeans and a leather bustier, which pushed her large breasts into impossible mounds. Her whole body was covered in tattoos. Piercings adorned her lips, ears, and nose. Ella guessed that she had her nipples and clit pierced, too. Thick black eyeliner accentuated her startling blue eyes. No sooner had she guessed this was Lexi, than the woman spoke. “Hi, Max. Come into the back. I’ve got everything ready for you.” Her deep gravelly voice took Ella a little by surprise. But what did she expect. The woman was a Domme, and a scary one at that. When she looked at Ella, she smiled. “My, my, Max, what a beauty. She’s gorgeous.” She studied her as though she were prey. “If she’s into threesomes, Max. I’d be willing to give you a hand.” Max playfully wagged an index finger and laughed. “You’re a naughty girl, Lexi. Ella is strictly hetero, as well you know.” “Yeah, such a shame. She’s such a sweetie, too. I could eat her all up. Still, never mind. I get to pierce that cute little clitoral hood of hers. So there’s a silver lining after all.” Lexi then winked at Ella. “You’re a wicked woman, Lexi.”

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“Never been anything else, Max.” She laughed. “You know that.” Ella looked at Max and rolled her eyes. She hoped he would get the message that she was more than a little embarrassed by the situation. He didn’t. Instead, he just smiled with amusement. “Take no notice of Lexi, baby. It’s just her way.” “Sweetie, don’t look so scared. I don’t bite.” Lexi placed a protective arm around Ella’s shoulder, and guided her into the back. Maybe she wasn’t so scary after all. When Ella saw all the piercing implements neatly laid out on a clean towel, she changed her mind. Lexi patted the gurney. “Hop up. I’ll just take a look, and see what type of piercing is most suitable for you. Slip your panties off, sweetie. No need to feel embarrassed. I’ve seen it all before.” Ella cleared her throat. “I’m not wearing any. Max wouldn’t allow me to.” Lexi threw back her head and burst into laughter. “Fuck, Max, you’re so predictable. I bet Sir here has been torturing your little clit all day long.” Ella looked at Max, feeling thoroughly embarrassed. They were talking about the most intimate part of her body as though it were an everyday item. Like a bag of sugar or a quart of milk. Slowly starting to relax, Ella replied, “He has,” making Lexi laugh even more. “Well, lie down and let me take a look, sweetie. This won’t take long to do. Open your legs nice and wide. I bet you’re real pretty down there.” Ella did as she asked. Her cheeks burned brightly as Lexi studied her clit. She seemed to be taking a measurement with something that resembled a cotton wool swab. She lifted her head and looked directly at Ella. “You have a perfect little clit. I’ll be able to fit a VCH.” She turned to Max. “I’ll expect Sir will want to the do the honors.” “Of course.” “I won’t be a minute.” Lexi walked from the treatment room. When they were left alone, Ella turned to Max. “What’s a VCH,

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and what does she mean by you doing the honors?” “It’s the way the piercing sits. Vertical ones are more comfortable. Horizontal piercings are not recommended. VCH is an abbreviation for vertical clitoral hood piercing,” Max said matter-of-factly. Lexi returned with a tray, which she placed on a small table next to Ella. She handed Max a pair of surgical gloves, and then pulled on a pair herself. Panic raced around Ella’s system. “You’re not gonna pierce me are you, Max?” He smiled benignly. “No, baby. I’m not qualified for that.” Her relief felt short-lived as he continued speaking. “But Lexi, here, knows me well enough to allow me to attach your piercing. It’s something she’s trusted me to do with all of my subs.” Ella closed her eyes. “Let’s get this over with, before I change my mind.” She felt herself blushing profusely, all the way from her head to her toes. “So how’s business, Max? I hear you’re doing well.” When Lexi threaded a narrow tube under her clitoral hood, Ella almost cried out in pain. Jesus Christ, what the fuck is this woman doing to my pussy? Instead she covered her mouth and nose with her hands to stop herself making a noise. Max squeezed her hand. “Nearly done, baby. You’re such a brave girl. He then turned his attention to Lexi. “Yeah, thanks for asking. Business couldn’t be better. I’m having an open day in December. I’ll send you an invitation.” “Great, I look forward to it. I take it I can dress as I please.” She looked at Max with a teasing smile. “If it was up to me, you could come as naked as the day you were born, but you know how it is in the vanilla world, Lexi. We have to toe the line.” “It’s too bad you went into boring construction, Max. Why couldn’t you run something more fun, like a fetish club? I would love showing off my sub. I’ve just bought her a new lead.” They both burst into laughter.

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Feeling a little left out, Ella became startled when Lexi finally turned her attention to the job in hand. “My, you look like a frightened little rabbit caught in the headlights.” Ella forced a smile, even though she didn’t feel like it. Maybe it did the trick, because Lexi said, “That’s better. Now don’t move. Take a deep breath, sweetie.” Max placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she breathed in. Before she had time to expel the air, a sharp pain stabbed into her clit. She couldn’t help yelping, “Oh my God.” “Nearly done, sweetie,” Lexi soothed as she continued the procedure. “What a brave little kitten you are.” She tenderly stroked Ella’s arm. “All done now.” She turned her attention to Max. “I know you like to finish the piercing.” By this time Ella couldn’t care less about her embarrassment. She just wanted it over and done with. Max spoke as he began to screw the chromed balls onto each end of the barbell, his voice deep and gravelly. “Ella, please accept this piercing as a token of my respect for you.” His wonderful silver-gray eyes held hers. Ella could no more look away than stop breathing. “You belong to me. You are mine in body and soul now. By giving yourself freely into my care, I promise to keep you safe and protected. I promise to nurture your well-being on your journey of self-discovery and happiness.” The way Max looked at her made her feel at one with him. She only had to look into his eyes to know each word he spoke was said with genuine emotion and feeling. What wonderful things had she yet to discover about herself? What else would he show her? She knew then that she would be with him every step of the way, because she loved him. This single thought made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She’d fallen in love with a man who would cherish and protect her. She hoped more than anything that Max was falling in love with her, too. But even if he didn’t love her back, he would always keep her safe from the evils of the world. At that moment her future became clear. She would endeavor to be the best sub Max had

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ever had. “Oh, Max. That’s so moving.” She quickly wiped a tear from her eye that threatened to run down her cheek. He leaned down and kissed her lips. “You’re such a beautiful, special woman, Ella.” Lexi cleared her throat. “Break it up, you two. Remember, Max, you shouldn’t have any sexual contact with the piercing for at least a month. You’ve gotta give it time to heal properly. So that means no sex.” “No sex?” Ella’s throat croaked as she spoke. She’d gone through all that pain to remain celibate for a whole month? Max smiled. “Don’t worry, baby. Lexi just means no vaginal sex. There’s plenty more of your beautiful body I’ve yet to explore. I’m looking forward to it.”

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Chapter Seventeen 9:30 p.m., nine days later Ella yawned and stretched her arms above her head. “I think I might get an early night, Max. It’s been a long day. What with the court hearing.” “Hmm, you’re lucky the judge was lenient with you.” “Max, he fined me one thousand dollars, plus costs. I’d hardly call that lenient.” “It is what it is, Ella. You were foolish enough to break the law and now you have to face the consequences. Much like you do when you displease me.” They’d been watching TV in the living room during the evening. Ella had lain on the leather sofa with her head resting on his lap. Occasionally he’d stroked a hand over her hair. As the night had drawn in, the air had started to cool, so he’d lit a fire in the freefloating black fireplace. The impressive chimney was the focal point of the room, and swept down from the ceiling. It opened out into an exotic teardrop shape that hovered about two feet above the black Italian marble floor. Its decadent design certainly wowed his guests when they first saw it, complementing the leather, glass, and hardwood furniture. Max pointed the remote at the large plasma TV and switched it off. A hush fell over the room. Just the crack and spit of the logs in the grate could be heard. He then turned his attention to Ella. Dressed in a pair of pajamas, Ella had gotten ready for bed early that evening. She rarely wore jammies, as they were less than

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flattering for her figure. Was she trying to look as unappealing as she could, hoping he wouldn’t want to administer a little light BDSM play as punishment for the large fine she’d received from the courts? “Why are you going to bed so early, baby? Are you tired?” “Not really, Max. I just thought I’d get an early night, that’s all.” She sounded a little edgy. He smiled. “Are you sure you’re not just getting out of my way, in case I want to discipline you? After all, a thousand dollars is not insignificant. Which, I might add, you don’t have until your house is sold.” Her lips pouted. “I don’t think you’re gonna discipline me tonight, Max, because you haven’t visited the playroom to set the scene. You’ve been watching TV with me all evening.” Max nodded. “Clever girl. You’ve second-guessed me tonight, Ella. Why don’t we have a game of backgammon, and then call it a night. What do you say?” He saw the relief on her face, now that she thought he wasn’t going to punish her. “I’ll set it up,” she said, jumping from the sofa, and pulling the leather backgammon case from the bookshelf. He noticed, with some satisfaction, that she didn’t appear remotely tired anymore. He watched her maneuver the chunky wooden coffee table closer to the leather sofa, and then she opened the backgammon case and started laying out the pieces. While she was concentrating on the task at hand, he reached down the side of the sofa, feeling around until he located what he needed. In one smooth movement, he removed the roll of duct tape and, catching her by surprise, bound her wrists together, with two or three quick loops of the tape. “Max, what are you doing?” The breath seized in her lungs, her eyes widening as realization dawned. “You’ve made the mistake of thinking I’m Mr. Predictable, young lady. I don’t always use the playroom, Ella, as you shall now find out.” He then swiped the backgammon set off the mahogany coffee

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table. The red and black checkers scattered noisily across the marble floor, rolling in every direction. “Kneel in front of the coffee table. Your Master has plans for you.” Aware that he was in full domination mode, she immediately complied. He placed a large cushion on the table. “This will be nice and comfortable under your stomach. Nothing is too much trouble for my pet. Now, keeping your knees on the floor, lean across the table and grip the far edge. I want to see your beautiful body stretched over it.” She complied. Without a word, he gently parted her knees with his feet before securing her lower thighs to the table legs with exuberant coils of duct tape. He then looped more duct tape around her already bound hands and the table, securing her in place. When he’d finished, she resembled the Great Sphinx of Giza. With her stomach resting on the cushion, her butt rose high in the air, accentuating its delicious, womanly shape. “Max, what are going to do? I can’t move.” Her voice sounded apprehensive. “That’s the whole idea, my pet.” He stood in front of her, looking down into her concerned eyes. “You’ll find out soon enough.” He stroked a hand along her cheek and smiled. “Never underestimate your Master.” His cock strained against the inside of his jeans at the sight of Ella helpless and vulnerable. This was what turned him on the most. Max trailed his fingers along her spine, feeling the wonderful curve and rise of her rump. He smoothed his hand over her butt. He gripped her pajama bottoms, yanking them down to reveal her naked ass. They snagged against the duct tape, securing her thighs to the coffee table. “Max, my pajamas are brand new, don’t rip them.” “Did you speak without your Master’s permission? “But, Master—” “You are not required to speak at present.”

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Max smoothed his hands over the globes of her peachy bare ass, now invitingly open and ready for his inspection. From behind he could just make out the pretty bead of her piercing, dangling provocatively from her clit, and her cute little puckered hole. “Bearing in mind you are unable to move, I would watch that sassy tongue of yours, my pet.” “Sorry, Master.” Her tone immediately became submissive as she realized where this play might lead. “Please be gentle, my piercing hasn’t healed yet, Master.” “I know, and very beautiful it looks, too. I shall be very careful not to touch it. But I suspect you feel different with it?” “I do. It makes me think about sex all the time, Master.” “Good. That was my intention. Your orgasms will come a lot easier and be far more powerful from now on.” He trailed his fingers into her aroused wet slit, and immediately she let out a nervous whimper as he traced a finger over her enticing little butt hole. “Have you ever had anal sex?” he asked, already knowing the answer. “No,” she answered quickly. He knew she wanted to move, but she was totally restricted by the duct tape holding her in place. She only had to use her safeword and he would release her immediately. Although he knew from past experience she enjoyed being sexually dominated. Especially when she could blame all the unspeakable acts he asked her to do on him. “Then I shall be honored to introduce you to it.” When she didn’t answer, he asked, “What do you say?” “Thank you, Master, but I’m a little afraid.” Her voice sounded less than confident now. “I have something to relax you right here, my pet. I went out and bought it especially for you,” he told her as he unwrapped the small package in front of her. “What is it?” she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Max held up the small sexual device. “It’s a love egg, my pet. It

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vibrates inside you. It’ll make you feel sexy.” “You make me feel sexy enough, Master.” He smiled. “I know, but this’ll take your mind off what I’m gonna do next.” “It won’t.” “I assure you it will.” Max squirted lube over the love egg and then held it against her pussy. A gasp left her lips as he slid it slowly inside her. “There, my pet. See how good that feels.” When it had completely disappeared from view, he switched it on with the remote control, selecting a nice, slow speed. A surprised expression formed on her face. He caressed her cheek. “I told you you’d like it.” He stood in front of her and removed his T-shirt. He folded it neatly and placed it on the sofa. Next, he removed his boots, carefully placing them upright against the wall. When he turned back, Ella had her eyes closed. He reached for the remote, and turned up the dial. Immediately her eyes flew wide open, and a tight moan escaped her lips. “You want me to fuck your virgin ass, don’t you, my pet?” Max dialed a higher speed on the remote. Ella would beg him to take her soon. A glazed expression formed in her eyes and he spoke again. “I know you want me to fuck your ass.” He began removing his jeans, undoing the leather belt and sliding it through the loops. All the time he kept his eyes focused fully on hers. “You’ll be begging me,” he said, pulling the zipper down, and slowly easing his throbbing cock into his hand, “to fill you with this.” A whimper left her lips as he stroked a hand over the solid shaft. “Just imagine how this will feel inside your virgin ass.”

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Chapter Eighteen Ella’s heart started to beat faster as Max slowly eased the faded Wranglers down his muscular thighs. Never once breaking eye contact with her, he folded the jeans and placed them on the leather sofa. The prospect of anal sex frightened her, yet the love egg he’d inserted in her pussy made her feel aroused and ready for him. It throbbed repeatedly, making her clitoral nerves ache for release. It was a real mind tease, wanting his touch, yet fearing it, too. If only she’d escaped to bed earlier. Then she wouldn’t be in this dilemma. She’d known Max might discipline her because of the large fine, but by nine in the evening, she’d felt sure he’d forgotten all about it. How wrong could she be? Trapped where she knelt, she just had to await the inevitable. Her whole body tingled with expectation. As she stared into his eyes, she knew she loved him without question. As sure as night followed day, she would follow him, wherever he led. Max stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “I will take care of you, little one.” All she could do was stare at his erection, taut against his stomach. The veins of his cock stood proud. Max was a large man in every respect. However gentle he tried to be with her ass, she figured it would hurt. When he moved behind her, her pulse raced, sending the blood coursing through her veins. Her breathing became heavy. He must have raised the speed of the love egg inside her pussy, because it throbbed even faster, making her insides contract around it “Master,” she whimpered.

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“Relax, and all will be well.” Max began easing the tension from her shoulders, working his fingers into the tight muscles. He smoothed his thumbs down her spine, and then flattened his palms over her bare butt, soothing her with circular movements. He caressed her buttock cheeks with his mouth before slowly drifting his tongue over the sensitive flesh. A moan left her lips as he came close to her crevice. The tip of his tongue probed her anus, sending forbidden tremors pulsating inside her. “Master.” If only she could move and escape his wicked teasing. “Such a beautiful ass.” His fingers drifted to her slit and she whimpered, desperate for his touch. “Mmm, you’re lovely and wet, too. I can tell this little slave is real horny with the prospect of me filling her butt.” He pushed a finger deep into her pussy, and then two. The combination of the sex toy and his large fingers working back and forth made her cry out. “Oh, God.” She wanted to move, and force him to give her the orgasm she so desperately craved, but she couldn’t move at all. She was subject to his will. “Please.” “Please what?” “Please, Master, I’m desperate to come.” “Does my slave wish her Master to fuck her ass?” With his fingers still inside her pussy, she felt his thumb caress the entrance to her anus. “Yes.” The sensation felt so erotic and highly forbidden. Immediately she gasped, her reaction to clench her butt cheeks together an automatic response. A stinging slap to her ass forced her to relax. “Do you deny your Master ownership of what belongs to him?” “No, Master. I am here to serve you.” Ella enjoyed the role-play as much as the sex itself. It made her feel alive.

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“Good.” Max administered a cold substance she recognized as lube to her anus. Gently, ever so gently, he slowly slipped his thumb inside her butt. Ella closed her eyes. The sensual movement of Max’s fingers and thumb, penetrating her pussy and ass together, felt wickedly indulgent. There was no other way to describe how she felt. Sheer, unadulterated pleasure twisted and contracted deep inside her womb. Her release teetered on the edge. So close, yet just out of reach. How she wanted to move, and force the orgasm from her body. She whimpered her frustration. “Master, please.” The bindings of duct tape, securing her to the coffee table, meant she couldn’t. “Tell me, what would please my slave?” Max was insistent. She knew he wanted her to beg. He removed his fingers from her pussy and slowly began easing them inside her butt, along with his thumb. “It feels good. Please.” “Please what?” “Please, Master, I want you inside my ass.” “Good, now you have begged me, I will give you what you desire. Can you see us in the window?” The night had drawn in, and Ella could see their reflection shining back at her. Max knelt behind her, dominating her with his sheer presence. She saw his big cock standing to attention, ready to enter her at any moment. Her whole body ached for the final act, for the final release. He ripped open a foil pack, and she watched him roll a condom down his potent shaft. When she felt the head of his penis pressing against her butt hole, she cried out. “Master, I’m scared. You’re so big.” “When I’ve broken you in, you won’t be scared anymore, my pet. Now take a deep breath.” Ella did as he commanded, taking a huge gulp of air as he penetrated her anus for the first time. After the initial sting, the pain eased as he filled her butt. The combination of Max inside her ass and the love egg humming away in her pussy was truly delicious.

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She felt her climax rolling in with each stroke of her Master’s cock deep inside her. Making full use of the reflection, she stared into his eyes. It enhanced the pleasure she was feeling. She reveled in her vulnerability as he claimed her ass as his. Just watching him, allpowerful behind her, pumping with precision as he held her hips and ground his length into her butt, over and over again, made her feel complete. A delicious spasm coiled down from her womb, making her more conscious of the love egg and his huge cock inside her. “Master,” she pleaded. She needed his permission to orgasm. It heightened her feeling of being dominated by the man she loved. “Come for me, Ella. Come for your Master. I want to see you fall apart.” His words sent her over the top. Her climax started to unravel as an intense series of spasms pulsed around the love egg deep inside her vagina. Unknown nerve endings quivered spontaneously in her anus. They squeezed Max’s prick, sending delicious contractions of pure pleasure flooding her body, overloading her brain with endorphins. “Oh my God,” she screamed. His breathy words came from behind her. “Ah, little one, you are not afraid anymore.” “No, Master. It’s good.” Max continued to fuck her ass until he, too, came inside her, in a series of powerful jerks. She enjoyed his weight lying across her back as he caught his breath. His skin felt warm as he covered her like a protective blanket. A sigh left her lips, and she treasured his nearness. Slowly, as his breath returned to normal, he murmured. “I hope this damn table holds our combined weight, because I’m shagged, Ella.” He kissed her shoulder, giving it a playful nip as he lay on top of her. Ella giggled as a picture of them both lying on top of a collapsed table came into her thoughts, its legs splayed out beneath them. “Max, you’re so wicked.”

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He kissed her shoulder again. “I know.”

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Chapter Nineteen Six weeks later “Max, Max,” Ella called as she ran from the bedroom to the inner courtyard. She felt so excited. She just had to tell him the good news. “Whatever is wrong, Ella? Have you hurt yourself?” She found him by the pool reading a newspaper, a concerned look to his face. “No, no, nothing like that. I’ve never felt better. The real estate guy called. My house is finally sold. The buyers want a quick sale. They’ve got cash. All the paperwork will be completed by the end of the week. Isn’t it wonderful?” Ella felt like all her Christmases had come at once. The house she’d shared with Kirk for a decade had become a noose around her neck. Since he’d died, she’d been unable to keep up the payments. Max had stepped in and paid them for her. It made her feel uneasy accepting money from him. Like she was a kept woman. Now she’d finally be free of that guilt. He held out his arms. “Come here, baby. Now that is good news. It means you can move on with your life.” Ella smiled and dutifully settled on his lap, nestling contentedly in his strong arms. Max always made her feel safe and protected. He held her close and drifted his fingers through her hair. “I’m glad to see you’re happy. Now you’ll have to clear the house out. I know you’ve been putting it off. Do you need my help?” Ella shook her head. “No this is something I need to do for myself. You’re right, I’ve been putting it off for too long. Too many bad memories I suppose. To be perfectly honest, Max, I was a little afraid of returning, but since the weekly therapy sessions I’ve been

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having with Hans Lindquist, I feel a lot more confident. He’s taught me how to face stressful situations, rather than running away from them. I can overcome my fears with the right breathing technique.” In the end she was glad Max had insisted she saw a psychologist. Hans was extremely professional and had helped her immensely over the past month. He’d taught her how to relax, really relax. She’d even used the techniques during her play sessions with Max. It had helped them take their sexual intensity to another level. Over the past few weeks, Max had slowly introduced her to bondage play. He loved tying her up, sometimes for hours on end. It heightened her anticipation of whatever he had planned. During that time she would enter a world of her own, ending up in a trancelike state, before finding release in the most mind-blowing sex imaginable. Max was certainly a Master where orgasms were concerned. It never failed to amaze her how easily they came now. Of course, her VCH piercing had exceeded her expectations. With it, her arousal never waned. She always wanted sex whenever Max did, however tired she felt. “I’m pleased for you, Ella. I’m taking you out for dinner. My treat.” “Oh, no.” Ella shook her head. “I already owe you so much. This time I’ll pay, no arguments.” “There’s absolutely no need to pay me back. Besides, tonight’s a double celebration.” “Oh? Double celebration?” “Yes, you remember the photography you did for Crowley Heights? I received the finished brochure from the printers this morning. I was going to surprise you with it, over dinner tonight, but as we’re in a celebratory mood, I may as well show you now.” “Oh, Max, let me see. Let me see. I’m desperate to see the finished result.” “How desperate?” he asked. Ella kissed his cheek and jumped from his lap. “Stop teasing me,

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Max. Don’t you dare hold me in suspense a minute longer,” she playfully berated him. “Very well, baby. Just this once, I’ll indulge you.” Max strode from the inner courtyard before returning a few seconds later. With a smile to his face, he handed her the impressive, glossy brochure. Ella feverishly looked through the expensive pages. All her photographs were there, displayed alongside the sales pitch for Crowley Heights. She’d caught the light perfectly. The building looked magical backlit by the evening sun. While her interior shots captured the essence of opulent chic that Max had wanted to portray. “They look great,” she finally managed to say. “More than great, Ella. Your work is wonderful. You’re an extremely talented photographer. Your professionalism with a camera is certainly going to help sell the remaining units.” “Good.” She smiled at him, enjoying the contentment she felt whenever he was near. Max just seemed so self-assured. So dependable, and sexy as hell. “Now your house is sold. Why don’t you invest the money in your own photographic business? I really think you can make a name for yourself as a photographer with work like this.” He touched her arm. “And I’m not just saying it. I really mean it.” “Maybe.” It was something she’d consider doing. “I certainly enjoyed myself. I’m so glad you’re happy with the finished result.” “Then it’s settled. I’ll keep my eyes open for a suitable location for a studio.” “I haven’t said yes yet.” Max laughed. “No, but you will later tonight when your body and mind are at my mercy. I have ways of gentle persuasion. You won’t be able to help yourself saying the words yes, Master. So you may as well say yes now, and save yourself a whole heap of trouble.” “Max, that’s not fair.” She knew all about his persuasive techniques. Ella felt her lips pouting with feigned indignation, even though the idea of owning her own photographic studio filled her with

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pride. Max burst out laughing. “Don’t give me those cute kitten eyes. You’d really enjoy running your own business.” “I’ll have to think about it,” she replied haughtily, not willing to admit he was always right. She loved their relationship. Although Max was clearly the Master in their D/s lifestyle, they didn’t live it twenty-four-seven. Outside of the D/s relationship she was still her own woman, and had free will. She enjoyed exerting it whenever appropriate. It certainly made their bond far stronger because of it. Stubborn as ever, Max finally replied, “We’ll see.” “We will.” Ella leaned forward and kissed Max on the cheek. “I’m going over to the house now. There are a few things I want to keep. Then I’ll get the house clearance people in. They’re coming later on to give me a quote.” “Okay, baby, if you need any help, give me a call.” “I will.” Ella began walking from the inner courtyard. She waved as she reached the entrance lobby. “See you later.” She felt on top of the world. Life couldn’t get much better. Outside stood her new car. A red Jaguar. The one Max had bought for her. Feeling almost euphoric, she hummed a cheerful tune on the twenty-minute drive to her old home in Andover. She didn’t even get a gut reaction as she turned the last corner and the house appeared. It looked like any other. Nothing more than bricks and mortar, and certainly nothing to be afraid of. It seemed sad and slightly neglected. The lawn definitely needed watering. Her heart felt buoyant as she parked on the drive. The large sold sign filled her vision. Now she could finally move on with her life. Once inside, she opened the windows to air the place, and set about choosing the items she wanted to keep. She’d already moved all her clothes and personal possessions over to Max’s a few weeks ago, when their relationship started to become more serious. There were a few wedding gifts which held sentimental value that she placed in the hallway. Kirk had bought her several personal items from around the world, on his travels with the Marines. They may

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have been looking at a divorce, but she couldn’t just forget the years they’d spent together. They still meant something to her. Kirk’s laptop rested on the coffee table exactly where she’d left it. On a whim she plugged it in and booted it up. After a minute or two, several new e-mail messages flagged up. Most were annoying spam, but a couple were from Joey, Kirk’s buddy in the Marines. The first e-mail was a reply to the message she’d sent him nearly two months ago. Hi, Ella, When I’m back in the U.S., I’ll let you know. If you want to talk, we’ll meet. Joey The second message, which was dated a week ago, read, Hi, Ella, I haven’t heard from you since my last communication, so I guess you’re busy. If you still want to talk, I’m in Virginia until the 20th. You can text me on 757-206-0001. Joey Damn, it was already the 18th. She quickly rummaged through her purse, and eventually found her cell phone. Her fingers hovered over the keypad as she wondered whether to text Joey. Did she really need to know what had led Kirk to commit suicide? Surely she was happy and settled now? Why dig up the past? She shook her head. In a year, possibly two, the not knowing would come back and haunt her. It was finally time to know everything. She was strong enough to deal with it—good or bad. Quickly, she typed her message, and clicked send. If Joey didn’t get back, then she would finally let it go. It was all in the lap of the

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Chapter Twenty The next day The early morning sun streamed through the windshield as Ella drove the last few miles to Wichita Airport to meet Joey. Their meeting had been set up very quickly. When she’d received a reply to her text message within half an hour, they’d decided to meet up the very next day. Joey would be returning to active duty in Afghanistan the following evening, so it would be the only window of opportunity available for them both. She really appreciated the effort Joey was making to see her. Ella felt a little guilty. She hadn’t told Max what she was doing. Instead she’d made him believe she was visiting her attorney, in order to finalize the paperwork on the sale of her house. This was something she had to do on her own. When she finally knew the reason for Kirk’s suicide, she’d tell Max everything. She knew she was deceiving the man she loved, and it went against everything he’d taught her. But she had to do it her way. She glanced at her watch as she arrived at the airport. Joey’s plane was due to land in ten minutes’ time. Perfect. With no time to lose she locked the car and quickly walked to arrivals. She felt agitated and nervous, but she needed to know everything. She tried not to read too much into her emotions. But she couldn’t stop her hand from shaking as she pushed open the large glass door and entered the terminal building. She took a seat and waited. Within twenty minutes a familiar face appeared. Dark, crew-cut

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hair, blue eyes, and a muscular physique made most people stop and stare. When Kirk had first started training with the Marines, she’d seen a lot of Joey and his girlfriend, Amanda, while stationed in San Diego. “Thanks for coming, Joey,” she greeted him, and she kissed his cheek. Was it her, or did he look a little pensive? “Good to see you too, Ella. It’s been a long time.” “Shall we go for a coffee? How long have you got before your return flight?” Joey checked his watch. “We’ve got a couple of hours, and a proper coffee sounds great. Never could stand the in-flight stuff.” “Fresh-ground coffee it is then. My treat. I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to come and see me.” Ella led the way to Sarah’s café. “Take a seat. I’ll be right back.” When she returned, she handed him the steaming hot beverage and placed a plate of delicious-looking donuts between them. “Just in case you’re hungry.” Joey pointed at the sugarcoated confectionery. “I hope you’re gonna help me out with these, Ella? I can’t eat them all myself.” She laughed. “You’ll have to. Donuts are definitely off-limits for me.” The unease of the meeting was slowly dissipating. “But you Marines need all the calories you can get. What with all those twentymile marches you’re ordered to do.” Joey smiled. “Not so much training these days, Ella. It’s all front line action now.” Ella sensed their conversation was getting closer to the reason she’d requested the meeting. What had Kirk seen and experienced that depressed him enough to take his own life? For just a little while longer she didn’t want to know. Instead, she asked, “How’s Amanda and the kids?” Joey puffed up with pride as he spoke about his children. “Oh, they’re doing just fine, Ella. Little Luke is four now, and Tammy is almost two.” He removed a wallet from his jacket pocket, and

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produced two photographs. “Look, aren’t they adorable?” “They’re just beautiful, Joey. You must be so proud.” For a brief moment she wished she and Kirk had had children. Then reality struck home. Kids never stopped a man having an affair with another woman. Joey cleared his throat. “You’re looking a lot better than the last time I saw you.” “I feel a lot better. I’ve met a new man, who’s very sweet.” Had she just described Maximiliano D’Alesandro as sweet? She couldn’t help smiling. He’d hate that description. Max was everything she wanted in a man, and more. “I’m glad. You deserve to be happy, Ella. Is it serious?” “I honestly and truly believe it is, Joey. Max has turned my life around in the last few months. He’s made me realize that life is for the living.” Joey nodded affirmatively. “That’s real good, Ella. I’m so happy for you.” He glanced nervously around the airport terminal. She figured he was ready to talk about Kirk. Ella decided to put him out of his misery. “I know all about Kathy.” For a moment he looked directly at her, and then said. “I wanted to explain everything at Kirk’s funeral.” He shrugged his shoulders and breathed out. “But I figured it wasn’t the right time. You looked so shell-shocked and out of it. I just didn’t have the heart to give you any more bad news.” Ella clasped his hand in hers, and squeezed tightly. “That’s okay, Joey. I probably wouldn’t have appreciated it at the time. I found out about Kirk’s affair six weeks ago, when I accessed his computer. That was when I first e-mailed you.” He nodded. “That figures. Kirk didn’t go anywhere without that damned laptop.” He sipped his coffee. “I felt so bad when I found out he was seeing Kathy. I know what great friends you and Amanda are. It caused a lot of guilt on my part, I can tell you. Kirk was my best friend, but then, so are you. Even to this day, Amanda doesn’t know.

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Kirk put me in an impossible position.” It was clear from Joey’s pained expression that he regretted the uncomfortable situation he’d found himself in. Ella touched his hand. “It must have been difficult for you being in the middle of it all. I guess you had mixed loyalties.” “I did. I just wished things had turned out differently.” Ella nervously placed a donut on her plate. She licked the sugar from her finger and thumb. “I guess I’ve got a craving for one after all.” Any moment now and she’d find the courage to ask the one question she needed answered. Would Joey answer truthfully? “What’s Kathy like?” Joey took a deep breath. “Kathy joined our battalion about two years ago, as part of the Female Engagement Team. It’s thought that women are far better at gaining access to information than their male counterparts.” Joey shrugged. “Less of a threat I suppose. She was very vivacious and immediately fitted in. Everyone loved Kathy.” He cleared his throat. “This is a little difficult for me, Ella.” “Please go on,” Ella urged. “It’s okay. I’m at peace with everything now. I just need to know exactly what happened.” Joey looked uncomfortable, but continued. “Kathy and Kirk hit it off from the start. You know what Kirk was like. He always had an answer for everything. He obviously impressed Kathy with his silver tongue. The whole battalion knew something was happening between them, when they’d disappear together for long periods of time. When they started taking leave at the same time, they just couldn’t deny it any longer. It’s hard for me to tell you this, Ella, but Kirk was totally besotted with Kathy. He adored her. He worshipped the very ground she walked on. We all thought he was a lucky bastard to be honest. She had this power over men, and she picked Kirk, and claimed him as hers. He was powerless to resist.” Ella felt her brows drawing together. “She had this power over men? Why are you referring to the woman who stole my husband in the past tense, Joey? Has she left the Marines? I expect she’s moved

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on to the next man, now Kirk’s not available anymore.” She still seethed with anger every time she thought of the bitch. Ella watched the color drain from Joey’s face. “Fuck, Ella. I thought you knew.” “Knew what?” “For fuck’s sake, Ella. Kathy’s dead. She was blown up by an IED on the road near Marjah, in Helmand Province.” “IED?” “Improvised explosive device. Kirk was two Jeeps behind when it happened. I think seeing her body blown to pieces like that damaged him beyond repair. Sure, he’d seen plenty of dead bodies before. As Marines on active duty, we all have. It’s something we learn to cope with on a daily basis. But he and Kathy were real close. I’m sorry to tell you this, Ella. But he loved Kathy so much he just didn’t want to live without her. I guess that was the difference. The medics checked him out. They said he was physically fit, but I was his best buddy and knew him well enough to know that a light had gone out in his life. The Marines insisted on him attending counseling. In hindsight, we now know it wasn’t worth jack shit.” Her hands shook uncontrollably. She felt totally unprepared for this. Kathy was dead? She’d hated the woman for so long now. She found it hard to make sense of her own feelings. This woman had seduced her husband. It was now clear why Kirk had tried to strangle her. If Kathy had died, then so should she. The words he’d muttered as his hands had tightened around her neck, squeezing the life from her, filled her thoughts. In her mind she once again saw his face distorted with grotesque anger. His words still haunted her. It should have been you. It should have been you. It should have been you. He’d wanted her dead. When he’d killed himself, she’d naïvely thought it was the guilt of believing he’d killed his own wife, which had driven him to suicide. How wrong she’d been. Kirk didn’t give a fuck about her. He’d actually hoped he’d killed her. He didn’t care anymore. He just wanted and needed to be with Kathy. Kirk couldn’t

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stand the thought of life without the woman he truly and deeply loved. Tears streamed down Ella’s cheeks. Kirk had hated her until his dying breath. He’d despised her. He’d rather join a dead woman than find some form of peace with his own wife. She knew then that she hadn’t been enough of a woman to keep Kirk alive. He’d hardly noticed her when he’d returned home for the last time. Like a speeding roller coaster, her confidence started to slip away, faster and faster gathering speed, leaving her forever. She wasn’t enough of a woman for Kirk when he was alive, that was why he’d had an affair. So how could she ever be enough of a woman for man like Maximiliano D’Alesandro? A man who needed his sexual appetite fulfilled. A man who could have his pick of women. Soon Max would tire of her. Just like Kirk. History would repeat itself.

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Chapter Twenty-One One week later Max peered over the top of his newspaper as he sat at the breakfast table with Ella. She’d been quiet all week. He watched her push the egg around her plate. She’d hardly touched her breakfast, again. Her face looked pinched and drawn. The woman, who had blossomed over the last two months had disappeared. An unemotional, gaunt figure took her place. He knew she had something on her mind. Last week he’d found out she’d lied to him. Ella said she’d gone to sign the papers, finalizing the sale of her house. An hour after she’d left, he’d taken a phone call from her attorney, wishing to speak with her. When he’d pointed out that she should already be at his office, her attorney had politely informed him that she’d already signed the relevant papers the previous day. He had hoped she would come to him and confide her worries. After waiting a whole week, he figured that wasn’t going to happen. If the woman he loved refused to confide in him, there were just two options left. Leave her be and watch their relationship slide further into decline, or try and reach her before it was too late. Now was time to take matters into his own hands. With exaggerated movements, Max folded the newspaper and slammed it on the breakfast table. He saw Ella flinch as he caught her by surprise. Her eyes warily looked at him. She tried to smile, but he knew it didn’t come easy. “I’m sorry, Max. Did you say something?”

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“You seem a little distracted, Ella. Is there anything you wish to confide in me?” Her eyes looked huge and she shook her head. “No, Max. I’m perfectly okay.” He leaned back in his chair and studied her intensely for a while. She squirmed uneasily under his scrutiny. He knew she was still lying. “Are you sure? You know you can’t have any secrets from me. If you are to be my permanent and true slave, you have to surrender everything to me, and that includes your personal thoughts. I need to know everything you are thinking, good or bad.” He just saw her lower lip tremble before she covered her unwanted reaction, with a hand to her mouth. “I’m fine, Max. I just have a throbbing headache, that’s all.” “And you’ve had it for an entire week,” he stated incredulously. “Yes,” she answered meekly. Max breathed in. “I’ve tried to be patient with you, Ella, but the time for waiting is over. You need to come face-to-face with your Master’s displeasure. I know you are keeping something from me, and it is my duty to find out what it is. Last chance, Ella. Have you anything to say?” When she didn’t answer, Max sighed resignedly. “Then go and prepare yourself, and meet me in the playroom in half an hour. You need reminding of your place.” “Yes, Master.” Ella rose almost immediately and hurried from the dining room. He kept his thoughts firmly on the task in hand. It was his duty to calmly win what he needed from her. To have her true submission would be priceless. Using anger would serve no purpose at all, but using punishment and reward would eventually bring him the results he desired the most. Max removed his T-shirt and strode over to the playroom. He unlocked one of the full-length mirrors and withdrew a large, bespoke A-frame made of steel. It stood over eight feet tall and could

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accommodate a person within its structure. He locked it into position in the center of the room by attaching the feet to the floor and clipping the top to the ceiling of the playroom. From behind a wall mirror, he pulled out a table and neatly laid out a number of items that he removed from the old chest that lay in the corner. Some of them were just for show, like the antique pear of anguish. It was an evil device that opened up, inside the body, and was used frequently in medieval times as a sadistic form of torture. If he as much as showed it to Ella, he felt sure she’d use her safeword. He dimmed the lights, setting the scene. Using a video projector, he made the playroom look like the interior of a medieval dungeon. He could almost smell the sawdust on the floor. Ella appeared exactly on time, as he knew she would. Her beauty still astounded him as she walked toward him in her flowing white robe. He’d given it to her as a gift. It heightened the sacrificial elements of their role-play. Max stood behind her and ran his hands over her trembling body. Her breasts heaved as he cupped them. He enjoyed feeling their weight and the way they blossomed with his touch through the flimsy material. Her nipples puckered beneath his fingertips into the most perfect buds. He leaned in and whispered against her cheek. “I sometimes think that you don’t really see me. I’m here in person, but am I here?” Max stroked her head. “Does my soul really connect with yours? I want you to be totally aware of me. Everything I do should be reflected back at me from your eyes.” He undid the tie around her waist, and slipped the gown from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. Ella had the perfect body. He would never tire of appreciating it. “Now hold out your hands.” She dutifully obliged, watching him bind the soft rope around her wrists through hooded eyes. Usually she would ask what he was going to do, but not this time. Whatever was eating away at her was unhealthy. Once he’d tied her wrists, he attached the bindings to a piece of rope looped through a ring at the

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apex of the A-frame. He raised her arms until they were high above her head and then secured the rope. Next, using leather straps, he attached her shapely ankles to either side of the frame, so her legs were spread evenly apart. When he was completely satisfied, he stood back and admired his handiwork. Ella was going nowhere. She would just have to listen to what he had to say, whether she liked it or not. In true theatrical style, he drew the table of punishment implements closer for her inspection. “Take a look at what your Master has in store for you, pet.” He lifted up the flogger and cane, bringing them within inches of her eyes, then placed them back on the table. Next he chose the pear of anguish, holding it close and opening the device in front of her. There was just a hint of nervousness as he studied her eyes. “This is called the pear of anguish, for obvious reasons.” He replaced it on the table. “I’ll leave you to reflect for a while on how you will make a better slave for your Master.” Max then began strolling from the room. When he reached the glass windows, he flicked the two-way switch, allowing him to see inside the playroom from the courtyard outside. As an added bonus, Ella wouldn’t be able to see out, so surprise would be on his side when he returned. Plus, if she got into difficulty, he wanted to be able to cut her from the frame in as little time as possible. He was smart enough to always have Ella’s safety as his utmost priority. She was the most precious thing in his life. He settled himself into a chair and scanned his newspaper, occasionally glancing at Ella. By the time five minutes had elapsed, she appeared to be in a trance. It was something she’d learned to do over the past few weeks. When Max returned to the playroom, he stood behind her and stroked his hands over her flawless back and curvy, feminine rump. The way that she responded to his touch left him no doubt that she was the perfect woman. He just had to convince her to let go of her inner turmoil and join him wholeheartedly. “Have you anything to say, Ella?” he whispered, as he moved his hands down to the apex of her thighs. He slipped his finger inside her

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moist folds, searching for the piercing, knowing her clit would be stimulated even more. A gasp left her lips as he rotated a finger over the silver bead. “No, Master. There isn’t anything I need to tell you.” Her sweet, tender voice that he loved so much rose a little higher with each word she spoke. “Interesting. So where exactly did you go last Wednesday morning?” Max felt a sudden jolt rack through her body. “Yes, that’s right, my pet. I know you didn’t visit your attorney. Care to enlighten me?” When she didn’t answer, Max picked up the flogger from the table and walked in front of her. He raised it up, showing it to her, trailing the leather tresses provocatively across her bare shoulders and breasts. Her wary eyes followed every movement he made. “We cannot have any secrets from each other, my pet. As your punishment for deceiving me, you will receive five lashes. If you continue to withhold the truth from me, I will give you five more, until you come to your senses. Understand?” “Yes, Master.” Max moved behind her and lashed her butt five times. Taking care not to break her delicate skin, he aimed for a different spot each time. Her ass cheeks were bright pink by the time he’d finished. Held tightly by the A-frame, her whole body quivered, but she didn’t cry out. He soothed her reddened backside with a hand and leaned in to her ear. “Anything to say?” “No, Master.” Whatever Ella was hiding, she was too scared to tell him. He tried a different tack. Standing in front of her, he raised her chin with his finger and thumb, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her beautiful blue eyes, awash with tears, connected with his. His gut clenched as he said the words, “You disappoint me.” Ella could never disappoint him, but he had to try and get through to her. He then strode away, calling over his shoulder. “After you have had time to reflect on your disobedient ways, I will be back to administer further punishment.”

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Chapter Twenty-Two Ella stared at the bank of opaque floor-to-ceiling windows that separated the courtyard from the playroom. When Max had left the room he’d changed the polarity, so she couldn’t see out. Where was Max? Was he on the other side of the glass, watching her, observing her? Her heart ached for him. She loved him without question, but he wouldn’t want her after this. History would repeat itself. Three times he’d returned to discipline her, and three times she’d refused to say what was eating away at her heart. For the past week she couldn’t shake the thought from her head. Her own husband had tried to kill her, because he couldn’t stand the thought of her being alive when the woman he truly loved was dead. It made her feel worthless, and less than a real woman. To add to her unhappiness, Max had found out about her little lie. How long could she hold out from telling him the truth? Secured tightly to the A-frame, her arms ached so much she wanted to cry out with the pain, but she kept her mouth firmly shut. She may disappoint him elsewhere, but when it came to tolerating his discipline, she would refrain from using her safeword. Maybe then she could redeem herself in his eyes. At the moment it felt the only way. Her heart somersaulted in her chest, when part of the opaque window slowly slid open, and Max entered the playroom. His silvergray eyes pierced her very soul as he stood a few feet away and studied her. Eventually he spoke. “Have you anything to say, my pet?”

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Ella shook her head, and bit down on her lower lip, before answering, “No, Master.” “Then there is no alternative.” She watched him pick up the evillooking device he’d shown her earlier. He held the pear of anguish in front of her, showing her how it worked once more. Four segments opened out like the petals of a flower. It had some deadly-looking spikes on the end, too, that would be very painful if he inserted it in her pussy. Unwilling to use her safeword, Ella closed her eyes, and breathed deeply, awaiting her fate. Instead of feeling pain, Max calmly stroked a hand down her cheek. “Red, Ella. I’m ending the scene. I’m using the safeword.” He shook his head. “I would never use this on you. It’s just for show.” He tossed it contemptuously onto the table, and began untying her legs. “I don’t know what’s got into you.” She saw the disappointment on his face and her heart broke. He wouldn’t want her now. History was repeating itself. When he released her from the A-frame, the circulation in her legs had been restricted for so long she could barely stand, and she collapsed to the floor. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his jean-clad legs and clung tightly to him, feeling totally devastated. “Oh, Master, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I know you want to get rid of me, but I can be a better slave if you give me one more chance.” The tears came in earnest. Surely their relationship must be over? “Ella, baby, why would I want to get rid of you?” Max knelt down, and gently smoothed his hands over her quivering, naked back. “Just tell me everything. I’m sure it can’t be as bad as you’re feeling right now.” “I so wanted to be a good slave, and to wear your permanent mark,” she sobbed. “I know, baby.” Max sat on the floor, and pulled her into his arms. He held her close, stroking his hand through her hair as tearful

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tremors racked her body. She clung to him, knowing her tears dripped onto his masculine chest, and ran in rivulets down his toned stomach. His tender embrace made her cry even more. “I’m afraid to lose you, Master. I’m afraid to tell you. If I do, you won’t want me anymore. I love you so much.” He cupped her chin angling her face to his, and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Through blurred vision she saw the concern in his eyes. “Do not be afraid, little one. Your Master loves you, too, and there is nothing you can tell him that will make him love you less.” Ella stared into his wonderful gray eyes, barely believing what she’d heard. “You love me? Even though I lied to you?” “It hurts me that you do not confide your true thoughts, but I cannot stop loving you, Ella. Trust me, and I promise the unbearable pain you’re feeling will go away.” Her lower lip quivered with fear. “Master, I’m afraid.” “Just trust me, and all will be well.” Surely if Max said he loved her, then she had to tell him? It would be a travesty to continue denying him what he craved the most. “I met Joey. He flew in from Charleston, to speak with me about Kirk’s suicide.” “Baby, why didn’t you say? I don’t mind you finding out these things. Just not behind my back.” “I was going to tell you, once I’d learned the truth, but—” She buried her head against his naked chest, craving his warmth and understanding. Max stroked her hair once more, calming her, lifting her spirits. He loved her. With Max by her side surely she had the strength to continue? “Joey told me things that I’ve found difficult to cope with. Things I’d rather not tell anyone.” She sobbed even more, feeling totally filled with emotion. If she didn’t let it out soon, she would burst. As it was she could barely breathe. “Go on,” Max urged. “I don’t think I can,” she choked. “It’s for the best, baby.”

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“Oh, Max. Kirk hated me. He wanted me dead.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably. “He literally…tried to squeeze…the life from me. My whole world went…black.” “I know, baby. But remember that Kirk wasn’t himself. He was paranoid and delusional at the time.” Max began slowly rocking her back and forth, making soothing noises as he stroked his fingers through her hair. “Hush now, little one. That’s it, just let it all out.” “He couldn’t stand the idea of me being alive, when she was dead.” “Who was dead?” “She was dead…and he…hated…me for…it.” Her words were halting. “Kathy? Do you mean Kathy’s dead?” “Kirk saw her killed by a roadside bomb when they were together in Afghanistan. When he came home I wasn’t enough to keep him alive. I wasn’t Kathy, so he tried to kill me. And then he killed himself. She’s dead, and I feel so guilty for thinking so badly of her.” The floodgates fully opened, and a wall of emotion that she’d tried so desperately to dam in place spilled and poured from her like a giant tidal wave. Her whole body heaved as she tried to catch her breath through the deep sobs that just kept coming. Max held her tightly in his embrace, wrapping his legs around her, cocooning her from the evils of the world. They lay on the floor of the playroom, entwined together, until she had nothing left to give. Until she was empty. He whispered close to her ear. “I love you, Ella. Nothing can ever take that away from you. Not the past, not anything. Not Kirk. Nothing. Do you hear me? What we have, what we share, is beyond comparison to anything else. That is all that matters. You and me and now.” He kissed her forehead so tenderly, she sighed. Then he kissed her eyelids one after another. “Let’s wipe away your tears, my love. We cannot change the past, just the future. And your future is definitely with me.” When he kissed her lips, she opened her eyes, amazed at the love she saw reflected in his. Raw and passionate, his

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soul lay bare and open with emotion. At that moment she connected with him forever, and she whispered, “I see you, Max. I actually see you”—she touched her temple with an index finger—“here.” Then she held her hand against her breast. “And I feel you here. I’ll never keep anything from you ever again. I promise.” She’d seen his spirit. She’d seen his love with her own eyes. Max loved her. That was all that mattered. Max caressed her fingers with his lips. “I’ve waited a long time for this, Ella. I knew you would eventually come to me unconditionally.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her from the playroom. She felt so safe and wanted pressed against his strong, virile body as he walked toward their bedroom.

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Chapter Twenty-Three After Max laid her carefully on the bed, a feeling of deep relaxation overwhelmed Ella. It was as though every nerve had been disconnected from her body. Inert and supine on the mattress, she watched him undress as he pulled the boots and jeans from his legs. Max loved her. “I feel so calm, Max.” “That’s because you’ve opened up to me. Your worries are my worries now. Your fears are my fears. By sharing your thoughts with me, you unburden yourself. I’ll take care of your emotional needs from now on. Depend on it, baby.” “I wish I’d trusted you before, Max. Why did I find it so difficult to tell you the truth?” “Because you were afraid of losing me, baby. But you needn’t have worried. You are so very precious to me. I didn’t know Kathy, and I’m sorry she’s dead, but believe me when I say, you are ten times the woman she ever was, or ever could have been.” Ella felt euphoric. She felt wonderful. Max’s words soothed her. You are ten times the woman she ever was, or ever could have been. Max looked like a Roman centurion. His body rippled with muscle as he moved toward her. The morning light, streaming through the wall of windows, cast him in silhouette. She could just see his huge cock standing taut and erect against his washboard stomach. Her natural response was to open her legs and hold out her arms as he joined her on the bed. “All in good time, baby. First I get to enjoy your supersensitive pussy.” Before she had time to speak, he’d swooped down and swiped

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his tongue over her clit, teasing her piercing. Her whole body arched as Max cupped her butt and raised her ass from the mattress. He devoured her pussy, lashing his tongue repeatedly over her clit. He sucked the sensitive bundle of nerves into his mouth, causing her to cry out in pure pleasure. “I love you, Max.” Her fingers twisted into the duvet, and she gripped tightly as a wonderful spasm convulsed deep inside her pussy. Then another and another rolled in, one on top of the other. Through hooded eyes she saw her body writhe against his mouth. When their gaze connected, Max slowed the gentle sweeps of his tongue. His eyelashes swept down as he studied his task with feverish intensity. He mercilessly rolled the bead of the barbell jewelry over her clit, rocking it back and forth until her cries of ecstasy left her lying exhausted and panting on the bed. “Jesus, Max.” Her orgasm was so exquisite it verged on pain. Max certainly knew his way around a woman’s anatomy. “I will never tire of eating your pussy. Not when you come so sweetly for me.” Trailing tiny kisses up her quivering stomach, he circled each breast with his tongue, flicking the sensitive nipple with the probing tip, and sucking them into his mouth. His hard cock pressed along the length of her slit as he nestled his manly weight between her thighs. It was tantalizingly erotic, feeling his throbbing, pulsing prick, pushing against the entrance to her pussy. He caressed her collarbone, dipping his tongue into the hollow at the base of her throat, before peppering tiny kisses over her neck. Ella arched giving him even more access. She needed his tender touch like the air that she breathed. “Max.” That one word whispered breathily from her lips, but said with such feeling it sounded like a plea. He smiled into her eyes as he tenderly smoothed the hair from her face. Taking his time he dipped down to kiss her lips. His shoulder muscles strained as he kept his weight from her. “Always remember, I love you, little one.”

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Ella smoothed her fingers along his masculine brow ridges. She smiled into his beautiful, silver-gray eyes, knowing each and every word he spoke was from the heart. Then she traced the side of his face, feeling the stubble on his jaw rasp against her fingertips. He turned to kiss her palm and she brushed her hands through his hair, and wrapped her arms tightly around him, never wanting to let him go. He felt warm and wonderful against her naked flesh. After all the heartbreak she finally felt at peace. “Max, I love you so much.” **** Max stared into Ella’s eyes, feeling his whole world lay beneath him. His heart soared at her whispered words of love, and a sense of calm pervaded every part of his body. Ella had finally reached out to him. Her emotional outpouring had brought them closer together. She’d been lost between grief, jealousy, and hate, searching endlessly for the truth about what had happened to Kirk To him, Ella was beautiful in every respect. He stared into her shining blue eyes. This woman had turned his life upside down, and he could never live without her now. “I want you to marry me, Ella. I want you to wear my permanent mark.” A teardrop slipped from the corner of her eye, and he wiped it away with the tip of his tongue. “Max. Do you really mean that?” He smiled at her innocent, breathless charm. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.” “Max, you’ve made me the happiest woman alive.” “Is that a yes?” “Yes, Max, yes, yes, yes, yes.” She threw her arms around him, hugging him close. Max cupped her chin, angling her face to his. “Let’s seal our love with a kiss.” Her lips parted as he caressed her mouth with his own.

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He flexed his hips, positioning his cock at her moist entrance. Then, holding his weight from her, he slowly slid inside her welcoming warmth, her tight vaginal sheath enveloping him. A gentle gasp left her lips as he filled her completely. Her back arched and he kissed her breasts, sucking the large brown nipples into his mouth until they formed into tight buds. He swirled his tongue over the sensitive nubs as he continued thrusting into her tight, wet pussy. As he looked down between their bodies, he saw his cock glistening with her feminine juices as he relentlessly filled her over and over again. Ella’s stomach undulated with the increased breathing, and he knew she was close once more. Max lifted her sexy butt from the bed, so just her shoulders and head remained in contact with the mattress. The angle of penetration was perfect for hitting that sweet, sexy piercing that adorned her clit. It rubbed along the length of his shaft as he continued pounding inside her, building pleasure upon pleasure for his beautiful, perfect woman and himself. Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly. He smiled into her eyes as she explosively climaxed again. “I will never tire of seeing you lose yourself like this.” Her contractions of ecstasy rippled and pulsed around his cock. Max kissed her lips savoring every exquisite spasm and arch of her body. He loved her with every breath that he took. From tragedy had come something totally unexpected—love. The moment his best friend Kirk had killed himself, he’d set a chain of events rolling, all leading to this one moment. He figured his buddy had lost the will to live after losing Kathy. If anything happened to Ella he wouldn’t want to carry on, either. That was why he had to make each day with her count. He had to cherish every moment as if it were his last, because one could never be sure when it would all end. Max rolled onto his back, taking her with him. Still impaled on his cock, she felt so small and delicate lying on top of him. He stroked a

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hand down each side of her face as she looked into his eyes. “I would be honored if you will take the slave ceremony with me. It will make our relationship permanent, and everlasting.” Ella slowly caressed her fingers over the tattoo that decorated his right hip. “I want your mark on me, Max. It will make me feel a part of you.” He kissed her lips, feeling at one with her, and so very proud. “I will take you to meet my mother in Sicily.” When his father had died twelve years ago, his mother had been heartbroken and returned to the island. It had taken her several years to regain her free spirit. Now he understood that deep-rooted devotion and love. Max smiled. “She’s very old-fashioned. She wouldn’t understand or approve of the slave ceremony. We will get married on the island. It’s such a beautiful part of the world. It will make my mother very happy. She’s been urging me to get married for years.” “Max, what if she doesn’t like me?” “Have no fear, little one, she will love you like I do.” Ella pulled herself upright, riding his prick as she leaned further and further back. Her whole body swayed to a rhythm as she ground her pussy repeatedly down his shaft. He’d never seen her look more radiant and beautiful. As Max watched her enjoy herself, he matched her movements with thrusts of his own. Ella tossed back her head, crying out as another orgasm crashed through. Her pussy throbbed around his dick, teasing the semen up his shaft. His balls quivered and a powerful surge exploded deep inside the woman he loved—Ella. His soul mate and the woman he would love to the end of time.

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Epilogue Six months later The honeymoon: Calatabiano, San Marco Beach, Sicily, 6.30 p.m. Ella plucked the white rose she’d just been admiring in the hotel garden, and lifted it to her nose. She smiled. Uniquely perfumed by the hot summer sun and salty air, it smelled wonderful. Just like Sicily itself. She raised her head and stared down the steps toward the beach. Max was a few hundred yards away, strolling easily in the clear, shallow waters of the Ionian Sea as it rolled gently in. With the wind whipping through his hair he looked wonderful. Ella sighed. She loved him with all her heart. Quickly, she ran down the short flight of stone steps, kicked off her sandals, and crossed the sandy beach to join him. Leaning against his body, she linked her arm through his. Max smiled, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Happy?” he asked. “Happy and sad, Max. Happy that we’re finally married, but sad we return to the States tomorrow. I’ve had such a wonderful time. I don’t want it to end.” Married just three weeks ago, they’d spent their entire honeymoon on the beautiful island of Sicily. Max’s birthplace had turned out to be a real treasure. They’d stayed in a wonderful Baroque-style castle in Calatabiano. The large, opulent hotel boasted wonderful turrets and ornate luxury, and came with a picturesque garden that contained all the plants that Max cultivated in his inner courtyard back home. Every night they would dine in style, under fabulous crystal

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chandeliers. “Don’t be sad, I promise you, we will return here every year, Ella.” “Really?” He playfully touched her nose. “Firstly, to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and secondly, to give my mother time with our children.” Ella’s heart soared. “Your mother is a wonderful lady.” They’d hit it off immediately. “She adores you, Ella. You can do no wrong in her eyes.” “Good, I’m glad. I love her as though she were my own mother.” They strolled further along the beach, hand in hand, watching the sun slowly dip below the horizon in a stain of bright crimson and yellow. Mount Etna rose high and majestic behind them, brooding and silent. The dark sandy beach was a beautiful and permanent reminder of its awe-inspiring volcanic power. A smile spread on her lips. “Children. I like the sound of that, Max.” Max immediately stopped walking, and turned to her. He stared into her eyes and slowly caressed his fingers down the side of her face. “Me, too, Ella. Nothing would give me more pleasure than seeing you pregnant with our child.” “Oh, Max, you say the loveliest things.” “That’s because I love you.” A sense of calm overwhelmed her. The right man had come from the most tragic of circumstances. “I love you, too, Max. I always will.” He pulled her into his arms. “To know you wear my mark brings me such peace, too. It joins us together forever.” “I feel so complete with your mark tattooed on me.” Ella touched her hip where Max’s initials had been inked into her skin. It was the exact same design as the one he wore. Each intricately woven letter bound them together like nothing else could. They might be married in the eyes of the law, and wear gold bands on their fingers, but it was

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the tattoo that truly emphasized the binding commitment they shared. Ella handed the rose she held to Max. “Please accept this rose as a sign of my submission.” She knelt in front of him, and lowered her head out of love and respect. Max tenderly held it in his hand, then stroked the delicate bud with his fingers. “I accept this rose as a sign of your submission.” His deep voice filled her with comfort. He cupped her chin and angled her face to his. Her heart sang with joy at the love she saw there. “Ella, to me you are like the fragile petals of this rose. You have many layers that I will delicately peel away, one by one. Come.” He pulled her upright and began leading her back to the hotel. “I’m sure they will take us a lifetime to discover.”

THE END WWW.JANBOWLES.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR At present Jan Bowles lives with her husband in an old farmhouse in Lincolnshire, England, UK. She would like to think that she’s a free spirit, having lived in various parts of the UK and Europe. When she was younger she lived in Los Angeles, and traveled by car across the entire length of Route 66 to Chicago and then finally linked the journey to New York. It was an experience that Jan has never forgotten. Jan has an inquiring mind, and will often muse about events having an everlasting effect on the human psyche. There is always a reason why people act the way they do. You just have to look below the surface. She hopes to bring these ideas to her writing. When she’s not writing Jan likes to paint large landscapes and sweeping vistas. She loves walking, and there’s nothing more she’d rather do than stand on the top of a hill with the wind blowing through her hair, and yep, if it’s raining that’s all the better. Jan says there’s nothing like nature to make one feel truly alive.

Also by Jan Bowles Siren Classic: Guilty Pleasures 1: In Debt to the Dom Everlasting Classic: Guilty Pleasures 2: Bought for the Billionaire’s Bed Everlasting Classic: Guilty Pleasures 3: Tamed by the Dom

For all other titles, please visit http://www.bookstrand.com/jan-bowles

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com