Unconditional (6 page)

Karina walked in, followed by Master Simon. She winked at Ashley as she followed her Dom for the night to the bar.

Karina seemed happy. She seemed like a woman who had found what she wanted.

How would she ever find what she needed if she walked away every time she got a little scared?

“Sir?”

Keith stopped talking and looked down at her. “Yes?”

“I’m ready to make my decision.” She didn’t want to wait. She stood up and took a long breath, filling her lungs with air and what she hoped was courage.

“All right.” He turned slightly to face her.

He was waiting. And she was damn well done with doing that. She forced herself to move. She couldn’t let herself care that Derek Brighton was watching. The whole of the DPD could be watching for all that mattered. This was her decision and she’d just figured out that what she and Keith wanted was the only meaningful thing. As long as she was with him, the rest of the world didn’t get a say. It was about finding what worked for them.

She slid her hands under her skirt, well aware that more than one male eye was on her. Keith sat forward, a slight smile on his face. She was his for the duration of their contract, so he was the only one who counted. He nodded and held out his hand, obviously willing to accept her decision.

And her undies.

She pushed them down, past her thighs and knees all the way to her feet. She felt cool air hit her backside as the tight skirt slid up, exposing her. Her big old ass was on display, but she supposed that was the point of the exercise. She stood back up and handed him her very sad, rather pathetic cotton undies with pink flamingos. She smoothed the skirt back down as they considered her undies.

Derek Brighton stared at them. “What the hell is that?”

Keith shook his head. “It’s horrible. This is her former underwear.” He looked over to the bar, and Joe brought by a trash sack as though this was a normal, everyday occurrence. Keith put them in the bag and Joe walked away.

Definitely her former undies.

Keith looked back to her. “All right. That’s phase one. Are you ready for phase two?”

She nodded.

At least she was ready for something.

* * * *

He tried not to let his dick take control but it was damn hard. Hard. God, he was so fucking hard and he hadn’t touched her yet.

The minute he’d realized she was submitting to him, his cock had gone crazy. She’d stood up and just for a second he’d been terrified that she was going to leave. He’d come up with a thousand and one excuses to keep her close. He’d just known he couldn’t let her walk away.

And she hadn’t. She’d pushed those ungodly panties down and handed them over to him with the most nervous look on her face.

He’d decided to push it. He’d asked if she was ready to face his discipline, almost as though he was the masochist because he’d been so damn sure she wasn’t ready.

After everything you put me through…you didn’t even know? I hope you hurt, Keith. I hope you suffer every fucking day.

He pushed aside the words. Lena’s words.

This was Ashley and he wasn’t trying to make a life with her. He didn’t fucking deserve that. He just needed to bring them both pleasure for a short period of time and to give her the gift of being comfortable in her own skin.

And he got to touch her. Fuck. He was going to touch her.

“Over my lap.” Even saying the words made his dick twitch. He stopped, waiting to see if she would actually do it.

Her eyes went wide, and he loved the way her chest hitched. Damn, but sometimes he was reminded of just how perverted he was. He could give her the choice. He didn’t want it any other way. He wanted her submission. He wanted her to lay herself over his lap and offer up her ass. He wanted her to want him to spank her.

“Do I pull my skirt up?” Ashley looked adorable, standing there with her hands in nervous fists at her sides. She wanted. It was plain on her face and in her posture. She longed and she wasn’t sure what she wanted.

But he knew. And he so wanted to give it to her.

“Yes.” He patted his lap, waiting for that moment when he would see her ass. He’d dreamed of it. In a pair of jeans, it was round and fucking hot as hell. He’d thought about shoving his cock deep inside what he would bet was her little virgin asshole. She would be so hot and tight around him. Her eyes flared when she was worried. He could imagine her eyes getting so fucking wide when he pressed his dick high up into her. “Pull it up around your waist and settle yourself over my lap. Do you remember your safe word?”

She nodded, her tongue coming out to moisten her bottom lip. “Yes.”

“Use it if you need to.” He couldn’t let her think she wasn’t in control. “Baby, this is supposed to hurt, but it’s also supposed to do something for you. It doesn’t work for everyone. You have to have a certain bent for the pain to bring you pleasure.”

At the end of the day, he wanted her, but not if she didn’t need this. He was old enough to understand he required a woman whose kink complemented his own.

“I don’t know what pleasure is.”

Her stark admission stopped him in his tracks.

“What do you mean?”

She stood there, seemingly unsure of what to do. “Nothing. Not really. I mean, I was just saying that I don’t get any of this.”

Was she really saying what he thought she was saying? He looked over at Derek, who had a wholly sympathetic look on his face.

“I think she’s saying exactly what you think she’s saying. How old are you, honey?” Derek asked.

He didn’t take offense to the lieutenant. Calling her by pet names was just normal for a Dom. There was nothing covetous in his eyes or his manner. Ashley wasn’t flirting with him the way she had with the very attractive and much-younger-than-Keith bartender, who apparently should have set off his gaydar.

And Derek was right.

“Sweetheart, are you trying to tell me you don’t understand what pleasure is?” He knew damn well she wasn’t a virgin.

Her skin flushed the nicest shade of pink. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed. I’m not that kind of girl.”

That kind of girl? The kind who came? “When was the last time you had an orgasm?”

She hesitated. “I don’t think I ever had one. It’s okay. I know it’s not real.”

Not real? She was talking about orgasms being a myth? Who the fuck had she slept with? Whoever it was, he should thank the little fucker because it opened up so very many doors for him. If she didn’t think she could find pleasure in the sexual act, he could damn well make her his slave.

He could show her things she didn’t even know were real.

“Lay across my lap now, Ashley. It’s a count of twenty, but everything stops the minute you say your safe word. You’re always in control. Don’t ever forget it.” He would give her every out possible. Or maybe he was giving it to himself because he still wasn’t sure.

She situated herself, settling awkwardly over his lap. She had to be able to feel the hard length of his cock because he could barely think for all the blood in his dick. She wriggled a little, and he finally got a really good look at her ass.

Round. So pretty he couldn’t quite catch his breath. Her ass split neatly into two gorgeous moons that would grip his dick in a way he’d never been held before.

She was shaking. Her spine was straight, but the flesh around it quivered with fear. She was scared and he was a perverted freak because that did something for him. Not because he loved her fear, but because he loved the fact that he could cure her of it. She was frightened now, but soon she would crave the thing she feared. Him. He could make her want what he had to give, make her need it.

He ran his hand along her flesh, pushing the skirt up farther, revealing the twin dimples in the small of her back. So pretty.

“Master Derek, do you see anything wrong with this submissive’s ass?” It was time to start training her properly. His methods had to do with far more than his hand on her ass. He would teach her to see herself differently.

Derek gave him the first genuine smile he’d seen out of the cop. “Not a damn thing, Master Keith. She’s got a lovely ass.”

“But I have cellulite,” Ashley protested.

Yes, she would need some modifications to her thought process. He brought his hand down on her gorgeous ass in a hard smack.

Her whole body shook and the sweetest squeal came out of her mouth. “That hurt!”

Indignation. He chuckled. “Yes, that’s why they call it punishment. And you just added ten extra strokes with the cellulite comment.” He gave her several more in rapid succession, not allowing her to breathe in between.

Her fingers had a death grip on his ankle. “I was just saying what the problem with my backside is.”

“You are digging yourself a bigger hole, sub.” The lieutenant whistled as he shook his head.

“I’m trying to make you understand that there isn’t a problem at all.” Three more. She’d taken eight hard whacks, every muscle clenching with tension. She wasn’t relaxing the way a longtime sub would.

He heard her sniffle. “I don’t think I like this part.”

She was crying openly, her nails now digging into his leg.
Fuck.
Maybe she had really delicate skin.

“Please, I don’t think I can take another one.”

She was going to safe word on him. He had to let her do it. “Use your safe word then and we’ll be done.”

“Give it a minute,” another voice said. Karina was wrapped in a short black robe, having finished her scene. She looked at him. “Can I help, Sir? She’s very new and sometimes getting through the first discipline session is hard.”

“Karina, you know better than to get between a Dom and his sub,” Derek said.

“She won’t be his sub for long if she walks away now.” Karina sent the cop a look that could have frozen the balls off a man in the dead of summer.

Apparently, he was far more open to help than Derek Brighton. “Please, Karina. If you can help, I would appreciate it.”

She winked and got to her knees on the floor. “First of all, give me your hands, sweetie. You can hold on to me. What did you do?”

Ashley laughed a little. “I said I was fat.”

“Oh, now you’re in for it. I told you that would happen. How many?” Karina asked.

“She’s up to thirty,” Keith explained. “She’s taken eight.”

“Okay, well, you do what you do, Master Keith.” Karina nodded his way.

Whack.

Ashley tensed.

Karina’s voice was soothing and deep as she spoke to Ashley. “Relax, honey. I want you to really think about what’s happening to you. Your brain is in charge, but it’s your body’s turn. What does it feel like?”

“It hurts,” Ashley shot back.

Karina nodded again and Keith gave her another smack. He could see what she was doing and the sub was one smart lady. He held his hand against Ashley’s skin this time, allowing her to process the sensation.

“Stop thinking and feel,” Karina encouraged. “Yes, there’s pain, but what’s underneath it?”

He closed his eyes because he just fucking knew he’d screwed up. He’d pushed her too hard.

“Heat.” The word came out on a breathy moan. “My skin feels hot.”

He gave her another, this time right where her ass cheeks flowed into her thighs.

Ashley whimpered, but she didn’t tense the way she had before. “It’s like my nerves are firing off.”

“But you don’t know what they’re trying to tell you,” Karina added. “Yes, you’re getting there, sweetie.”

Again. He smacked her sweet flesh and Karina talked her through it. He could tell Ashley was crying, but that was all right because her spine had softened, her body relaxing. She stiffened with the next few smacks and then she simply gave over.

“Can you handle another ten?” Keith asked.

“She’s nodding,” Karina said. “She’s good, hon.”

His cock was back to stiff because she was finally responding properly. The discipline was meant to correct a behavior, but there was an underlying sensuality that should speak to her. She should get wet from what was being done.

He breathed deeply and sure enough, there was the musk of her arousal.

They had a damn crowd now, though he doubted Ashley knew she was actually performing her first scene. She wasn’t paying attention to anything but the stroke of his hand and Karina’s words. He felt a deep gratitude to the sub. She’d possibly saved his whole contract with Ashley.

He spaced out the final ten smacks like a connoisseur attempting to enjoy a fine wine. He would only get to spank her so many times before he turned her over to a more permanent Master. This was their first, and he would hoard the memory.

He finally gave her the thirtieth. He held his hand hard against her cheek, memorizing how soft her skin was and the delicate sheen it had. Pink and hot.

She was boneless underneath him. He gave her a second.

Karina leaned over and lightly kissed the top of Ashley’s head. “That’ll do, little sub. That’ll do.”

Ashley’s head came up, and he felt a laugh go through her. All her former tension was gone. “Don’t make me think of
Babe
right now.”

He helped her to her feet. She was a little wobbly, but the drunken grin on her face did weird things to his insides.

She finally noticed that half of Sanctum had formed a circle to watch the sub take her first dose of discipline. Alex and Eve McKay were holding hands while they watched. The Taggarts were whispering to each other. Jacob Dean was acting as a dungeon monitor, but he’d come wandering over about halfway through.

Ashley leaned toward him, her voice going low. “Keith, why are they all staring?”

He stood up, lending her a hand since she seemed a little off-balance. “They know a hot scene when they see one.”

It hadn’t been the sexiest scene he’d ever been in, but watching her figure out what she was capable of might have been the most intimacy he’d had in forever. He felt closer to Ashley than he had been with another human being in the longest time. A little voice was telling him to pull away, that it was getting too deep, but he couldn’t. Not tonight.

He had one more thing he wanted to show her, but he wasn’t going to share it with the crowd.