CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“I’d like you to come to London with me.”
Maddie sat back in her office chair, one elbow leaning on the arm. Ever since Guy had taken to popping in to see her unannounced, it was a miracle she got any work done. At one point, she’d made a comment about his new job not keeping him all that busy. His response, after informing her that he didn’t need to be in London all the time, had been to put her over his knee. While she expected the spanking, she hadn’t anticipated her knickers coming off in the process.
Not when she was in her office.
She still wasn’t sure whether she’d then deliberately made the mistake of goading him by asking for them back before he let her up. The additional half-dozen sound slaps to her arse had been a delightful dessert after the main course.
“When did you have in mind?”
“Your long weekend off. I thought we might arrive for lunch on Friday, spend some time together, have dinner, take in a show, and then find something to do before going to Aegis on Saturday evening. We can take it easy on Sunday morning, and I’ll have you back here by mid-afternoon.”
Maddie’s pulse raced. First time around, she’d loved their visits to a club, adored the freedom of being able to express who she truly was. She could kneel at Guy’s feet and no one would think any less of her for it. “I think I’d like that.”
“Good. In the interests of full disclosure, there’ll be more to our visit to the club than socialising and maybe a little playing.”
“There will?” Maddie was intrigued.
“It’s nearly three years since I bought the place. I figured it was about time I made myself known. Unfortunately, the novelty of the mystery surrounding the ‘new’ owner’s identity hasn’t worn off yet.”
A melee of thoughts tussled for superiority. “You own Aegis?”
He nodded. “And I’d like you to accompany me as my submissive.”
Maddie sat up straight, her hands clasped on her lap and her gaze lowered. “I’d be honoured, Sire.”
“Do you have something suitable to wear?”
The short answer was no. Until she and Guy had had their watershed moment and resumed their D/s relationship, her kink life had been strictly BM—Before Mission. Consequently, all the trappings of that life, including her fetwear, had been disposed of, and until now, apart from some toys, she’d had no reason to replace them. “Not really, Sire. I could probably put something together from my wardrobe, but if there’s a strict dress code, I doubt I have anything truly suitable.”
Masculine fingers took a firm grip of her chin and tilted her head up. His gaze burned into her, setting her submissive soul on fire and making her wet with aching need.
“That’s what I hoped you’d say. I’ll pick you up at ten o’clock. Oh, and one more thing—between now and then, when I’m not around, you keep your hands off my property.”
“Sire?”
“You know what I mean, Madeleine. Your toys stay in the drawer, and your hands and anything else you can dream up to use to get you off stay away from your breasts and your cunt. Who owns your orgasms?”
His dark intensity sent every submissive cell in her body into overdrive. “You do, Sire.”
“Good. Make sure you remember that.”
>>><<<
The double knock on the door was a sharp reminder to Maddie that she belonged to the man on the other side of it. And the moment she opened it, she was his to do with as he pleased until they returned to her apartment the day after tomorrow. She smoothed her skirt over her thighs, gathered her composure and went to meet her Master.
As soon as Guy crossed the threshold, she was overwhelmed by the compulsion to kneel. She was already wet for him. Days of orgasm denial had left her edgy and needy, and climbing the walls with frustration.
While he’d forbidden her to touch her own body, he hadn’t denied himself the same privilege. Oh, he hadn’t made it easy for her. Making it easy for her would have meant leaving her alone, but he didn’t do that. He’d picked her up for lunch most days—that in itself had been bad enough, sitting across a table from him, knowing she couldn’t touch him. Did he leave it at that? Of course not.
Each time, on the way to eat, he’d taken a detour to a secluded spot. The first time, she hadn’t known what to expect, but the ritual was quickly established. He’d watch while she wriggled out of her knickers, then he’d hold his hand out for them. After tucking them in his pocket, he’d slip his hand between her legs and play with her clit. A finger inside her had spread her arousal over the taut, sensitive bud, and he’d driven her to within a heartbeat of orgasm.
He’d forbidden her to come, but continued to torment her over lunch. Whoever invented the remote-controlled, wireless bullet vibrator had gone straight to the top of Maddie’s shit list.
On the first day, she’d made the mistake of asking for the return of her underwear when he’d driven her back to the hotel. The unscheduled visit to her rooms had ensured that not only was she late back to work, she was also unable to sit comfortably for the entire afternoon. When it came to delivering a punishment spanking, Guy was second to none. The ginger root in her anus that night had formed the last phase of her punishment. It had stung like a bitch.
He greeted her with a hard, demanding kiss. The thrill of it went all the way to her toes.
“Are you ready for this, kitten?”
“Yes, Sire.”
“Lift your skirt and stand with your legs apart.”
The black lace thong was soaked even before his finger stroked her clit. Her hips rolled into his touch, and earned her a stern look. “Do I need to put you in chastity before we leave?”
Her gaze dropped. “No, Sire.”
“Good. Take them off. You aren’t going to need anything like that until we get back.”
With a wiggle of her hips, she removed the offending item of clothing, and handed the thong to her Master. Another for his growing collection.
“Now kiss me properly.”
One of her favourite commands. She stepped closer to him, rising on tiptoe to press her mouth to his. Lips parted, tongues explored, and when his arms went around her, one hand strayed beneath her skirt. Fingers dug into her buttock with enough strength to leave prints.
“You know the rules.” His voice was gruff with a need that echoed her own. “We’ll call in at a place I know and get you kitted out for the club, but when we reach the apartment, you strip. While we’re within those walls, I want my property naked and accessible at all times—no clothes, no closed doors. You’ll deny me nothing. Understood?”
Her stomach turned a somersault. The implications of what he demanded were exquisitely intense, harsh in a way he knew she needed. “Understood, Sire.”
The drive to London was pure torture for Maddie. Every few miles, Guy would order her to stroke her clit and pinch her nipples until she was on the verge of coming. Each time, he denied her the ultimate pleasure.
As a result, when they reached the store he’d told her about, her legs were barely capable of carrying her inside. They didn’t stay long—her Master knew exactly what he wanted, and they soon set off on the final leg of their journey to his apartment.
The penthouse property was located in an exclusive block with underground parking. As she preceded Guy into the lift, Maddie swayed under the assault of memories of the times she’d accompanied him here before. She was grateful for Guy’s strength as he instantly appeared at her side.
“Are you all right?”
His hand at her waist was her cue to lean into him. “It’s silly, but… I never thought I’d come here again. I know they’ve updated the décor since then, but that’s just cosmetic changes. Fundamentally, it’s…”
Her voice trailed off. How could she adequately explain to Guy how deeply this return to the past affected her? When he’d mentioned his place in the city, she’d subconsciously assumed he’d meant somewhere else.
His arm tightened around her, pulling her against him so he could kiss her hair. “The apartment hasn’t changed much either. Will it bother you?”
The genuine concern in the quiet enquiry brought home to Maddie how much her welfare had always mattered to him. “Honestly? I don’t know? I hadn’t thought about it. With you there, though, I know I’ll be all right. I’ll be all right.”
The lift came to a smooth halt. The doors glided open, revealing the small foyer that provided a buffer between Guy’s inner sanctum and any visitors. It was lighter than she remembered, more contemporary, with an impressive piece of modern art hanging over the console table set against the wall on the left.
“Everything okay?”
Maddie took a moment to compose her thoughts. “Green, Sire. Everything’s green.”
“I understand.”
He held her hand while he unlocked the door, then ushered her in. After two steps, she froze, her head swimming. Skeletal fingers clawed at her, dragging her down into the past, burying her in a toxic pit of memory and sensation from the last time he’d brought her here.
I can’t do this.
“Madeleine?”
The deep, solicitous voice broke the stranglehold of their shared history, effectively locking that skeleton back in the cupboard where it belonged. She couldn’t tell him—she could never tell him. Instead, she made a mental grab for the instructions she’d been given and so far had failed to obey. “I’m sorry, Sire.”
With trembling hands she unbuttoned her top, folded it, and set it down on the chair a couple of feet away. The rest of her clothes followed—not that there was much—and under Guy’s watchful gaze, she sank to her knees as gracefully as she could manage. With her hands on her parted thighs, she took a deep, calming breath, and centred herself for whatever her Master had in store.
“Good girl.” His hand on her head, along with his deep, rich voice, isolated her from the world outside, reduced everything to just the two of them. “When I bought this apartment, I bought it for more reasons than being close to the office. The views across the river, for one thing, but more importantly, it’s not overlooked.”
Maddie remembered. She remembered every one of her visits to this apartment, and the ensuing pain of knowing she’d never be here again when he’d disappeared from her life. She’d needed that mission to Moscow, not to mention the challenge of staying alive once she got there, to take her focus away from that pain. She’d never expected to return, so now that she was here, tears stung her eyes and threatened to flow freely.
“Come with me.”
She took the offered hand and stood. Guy led her through the apartment to the master bedroom, where he told her to wait.
With her eyes lowered, all Maddie could do was guess what he was doing with the bags he’d carried up from the car. The rustle of clothing hinted at the removal of his jacket, maybe his tie, too. Only Guy would turn up on a day off dressed for the office. He’d never truly embraced the concept of casual wear. She’d teased him about it in the past, and wondered if, second time around, she’d have a better chance of introducing him to the concept of wearing jeans. More than a decade on, he still had a butt that would make denim look magnificent.
“And what, I wonder, is the reason for that devious little smile?”
His tone indicated the expectation of a response. It’d have to be an honest one, too—anything else, and she’d be storing up trouble for her own butt. “I wondered if you were removing your jacket, which led me to other thoughts.”
“I see. And what precisely is the nature of those other thoughts?”
He’d never been one to let her off the hook easily. Even when she’d thought she’d got away with something, he had an unerring knack for uncovering the truth. Sometimes he uncovered it in ways that made her body sing. “I was debating whether I’d ever persuade you to wear a pair of jeans.”
“Never.”
Maddie’s lips twitched again. She could almost hear the theatrical shudder of revulsion encapsulated in the heartfelt vow. “Never say never, Sire.”
“In this case, kitten, you can take my decision as final. Now, given that we had lunch and were late leaving, what do you propose we should do to fill the time until dinner?”
A multitude of images crossed Maddie’s mind, but there could be only one answer. “Whatever my Master desires.”
“Hmm, let me see. I think a nap would be a good idea. Then we can get ready for dinner and the theatre.”
“Dinner and the theatre?”
“Yes, dinner and the theatre. I believe that’s what I mentioned on Monday.”
He had, she couldn’t deny it, but she was bordering on delirious after four days of monumental amounts of arousal and no orgasms. So this was what sexual starvation felt like.
“Dinner and the theatre will be lovely.”
“I’m glad you think so. I made a reservation at your favourite restaurant, and we have a box at the Garrick for that musical extravaganza you told me about.”
Which he’d said he’d hate, but he’d booked tickets anyway. That was so like the Master she remembered. “You’re spoiling me.”
His hearty laugh in response wasn’t what she expected. “Oh, my darling kitten—you have no idea what I have in store for you.”
>>><<<
When he’d said they’d nap, he was only partly right. He’d fitted cuffs to her wrists, clipped them together, and put her in chastity again. The last seemed to be his new favourite thing. He’d then curved his naked body around hers, which was where the op deviated from the plan. He slept all right—for her, it was a different story. While his low, rhythmic breath caressed her nape, she’d battled a shit ton of frustration at having him so close and not having him inside her.
And she needed him inside her.
She’d thought she’d got off lightly too, when he hadn’t banned her from wearing underwear. Tricky bastard. The dress he’d bought for her as a surprise hadn’t been designed to accommodate a bra, but she could deal with that. He hadn’t said a word on the way to the theatre, lulling her into a false sense of security. No, the trap had been sprung during the first piece of loud music.
The note was short and explicit in its instruction. Removing her thong without attracting attention had required a fair amount of yogic wriggling, but she’d managed it. Her sole item of underwear had then taken up residence in his jacket pocket, where it remained for the rest of the evening.
In a private box at the theatre, Guy was a silent weapon of mass destruction in human form. After the performance, on the way back to his apartment, Maddie’s legs still quivered with the effort of fending off multiple orgasms. Her fiend of a Master had driven her almost insane and still never given her permission to come. She was beginning to think he’d never let her climax again.
Guy assisted her out of the car when they arrived back at his apartment. After he dismissed the driver, they rode up to the penthouse in silence. Maddie didn’t need words, not when her hand was enclosed in Guy’s, held so tight, it felt as if he’d never let her go.
At that image, another thought reared its ugly head. No—she wasn’t going to let that ruin this evening, or this weekend. They had time for this, perhaps their last special occasion together. Yana was still safe, and even if those black SUVs Maddie had seen did belong to Kuznetsov, he hadn’t tracked her down yet. If he had, she’d know it—his boss, Srenko, wouldn’t tolerate anything less than immediate action.
Guy ushered her into his apartment. Remembering her instructions, Maddie slipped out of her shoes and removed her jewellery. Finally, with the utmost care, she divested herself of the elegant gown. As she knelt with her thighs parted and her hands clasped at the base of her spine, a sweeping sense of contentment overcame her. Her heart had finally come home.
“You’re looking pleased with yourself.”
“Not at all, Sire. I was just thinking about this evening, and how much I enjoyed it.”
“All of it?”
Maddie pressed her lips together. An innocuous enough question, but lurking beneath was the real question. “All of it,” she confirmed. “I knew you wouldn’t put me in an embarrassing position. Make my heart race, yes, but not embarrass me, even if it didn’t quite seem like that at the time.”
“It didn’t?”
“Someone could have come into the box at any time.”
“Unlikely.”
“That’s what I told myself. And even if they did, I knew you’d protect me.”
“Always.” He offered her his hand. “Let’s have a nightcap, then we can head for bed.”
Curled up on Guy’s lap, Maddie immersed herself in the sheer peace of being with him, her only thought to please him. There was an intimacy beyond price about the way he held the glass of cognac to her lips, and then drank from the same place himself. She laid her hand on the solid, muscular pane of his chest, his skin separated from hers by the crisp white linen of his tailored shirt. The rise and fall of his breathing soothed her as much as the shield of his arm around her did.
“I could get used to this,” Guy murmured into her hair, brushing her temple with the lightest of kisses. “Dinner, the theatre—”
“A nightcap before bed?”
“And a beautiful woman in my arms. Life is meant for moments like this.”
Her sadist was mellowing? A decade could do that to a man, especially when he carried the kind of burdens Guy did. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget this one,” she whispered.