She knew the moment Cole moved to her. Her heart beat faster, and her hands tried unsuccessfully to reach for him. Then he was there, kissing her cheek and whispering in her ear. “You’re so beautiful like this. I’m so proud of you.”
That’s all it took for her to relax her muscles and surrender. The plug slid in easier, and all the discomfort disappeared, leaving behind overwhelming arousal. More fingers massaged her clitoris and slid inside her pussy, rhythmically thrusting. A tongue laved her nipple. Hands pinched and tugged.
Her body shook, and tension coiled tight in her belly, making her toes bend and her hands clench. In the darkness, she saw a brilliant white light as the tension snapped, and she splintered into a million pieces, calling Cole’s name over and over.
Her muscles went lax, and hands supported her weight. She felt the cold stage under her feet, and yet at the same time, it was as if she were still floating in the air.
Cole murmured words of praise, but each one was like a knife to her heart. He’d given her so much, strengthened her confidence, and shown her a world where she didn’t have to hide. For the first time in her life, she truly believed she was beautiful on the outside.
But she was rotting on the inside, her soul darkening as she realized these would likely be their final moments together. Hot tears dampened her blindfold. Soon he would hate her, and even if he didn’t, what kind of life could they build on a shaky foundation of lies and deceit?
Cole was a fantasy, a naïve girl’s dream of love. Even if he forgave her and she forgave him for his part in her father’s imprisonment, he’d made it clear a wife and kids were not in his future.
Benediction was Cole’s life. His one true love.
Not her.
“Shh, let it out. I’ve got you,” Cole said, holding her to his chest and rubbing her back.
The weight of the blindfold was gone, and so was the anal plug. She opened her eyes and blinked away the tears to clear her vision. Cole had her on his lap, and they were sitting on a couch at the side of the room. Someone had dressed her, and her wristband was back on her wrist.
She rested her head on his shoulder and choked back a sob. “Where did Logan and Adrian go? How did I get unbound?”
“We got you out of the ropes a few minutes ago. Logan went upstairs, and Adrian went to get us water. How do you feel?”
Remorseful and frightened. “Good. Fine.”
“I thought you’d feel better than that.” He tipped up her chin. “Did it bother you to have other men touch you?”
She flinched, the intensity of his gaze too overwhelming, as if he could see straight to her weary soul. “Obviously not.”
“I’m not talking about your physical reaction.” He placed one hand on her head and one on her heart. “I want to know what you felt in here and here.”
She took a deep breath. “At first, I was apprehensive. I worried about how I looked. Then I got over it and enjoyed myself. But I’m confused. I didn’t think you’d let anyone else touch me if you wanted me for yourself. You said we were exclusive.”
He growled and took her mouth, slamming his lips over hers and stealing the breath from her lungs. Then he pulled back, rubbing his cheek against hers. “We are. Tonight’s scene didn’t change that. Sexuality is a difficult concept even in the vanilla world, but it becomes more complex in alternative lifestyles. Although Logan and Adrian were the ones touching you, it was under my direction and my control, and I got to grant you one of your fantasies. The voyeur in me found it incredibly arousing.” He cupped her face in his palms. “But I’d never allow anyone to go any further with you. You take my cock and no one else’s. Your mouth, that gorgeous pussy, even your ass are mine and mine alone.”
Overcome with emotion, she glanced away from Cole, and her eyes locked with Rinaldi’s across the dungeon.
He pointed to his watch and mouthed the words that had kept her awake at night.
Tick-tock.
Danielle’s stomach dropped like a dead weight, and her throat tightened as if Logan was winding his rope around it. She didn’t want to do this. She wasn’t ready. Panicked, she searched the room for a sign—any sign—that would tell her what to do.
Adrian approached with two cups of water and left them on the side table next to the couch. As Cole and he spoke, she toyed with her locket, quickly and surreptitiously opening it and depositing the pills into her hand. Her heart twisted, and tears burned her eyes.
When Adrian left, Cole handed her one of the cups. “Here, drink your water.”
She accepted it, took a sip, and stretched across Cole, returning the cup to the table.