I smile at Clive. “Yes, Mr. Snow.”

His gaze glides down my body before he leans over and slips the cuffs around the bars of my headboard. He waits for a moment, softly staring into my eyes, giving me one last chance to back out. I do nothing.

He closes the other cuff around my left wrist, locking them in place above my head.

Clive climbs onto the bed and settles between my spread legs. I look down at our naked bodies, admiring his hard cock as it rests on my mound.

He moves forward and balances on his arms above me. “Kiss me,” he says.

I part my lips and raise my head to meet his mouth. It’s a soft, slow kiss, but full of heat and need. He massages our tongues together, turning me on even more. His cock presses harder against me. I want to satisfy him so badly. I want him to take me hard and fast but the look in his eyes tells me that he will make this last.

As Clive sits back, my eyes rush down his body again. His sock has rolled down his right foot, revealing the skin beneath and my silent breath catches. A deep, jagged scar is carved up his calf above his ankle. Dark red and menacing. It’s a wonder he even walks at all.

I pull my eyes away from it before he notices me staring. He sets his hands on my thighs and gazes down at me.

“Do you trust me?” he asks.

I twist my wrists, locked in place, but I feel no nerves about it. I nod. “Yes, Mr. Snow.”

He reaches for his water on the bedside table and takes a sip, widening his mouth to capture an ice cube between his teeth. He sets the glass down and turns back to me with squinting, devious eyes as he leans downward toward my breasts.

I gasp slightly as Clive rolls the ice over my right nipple like a frozen tongue. My nipple piques and I chuckle as the melted water falls down my belly. He moves to my left nipple, performing the same slow circles until that one stands to hard attention as well.

Clive drops the cube into my lap and leaves it there to melt. He pinches my nipples softly — at least, it feels that way.

“Does that hurt?” he asks.

I shake my head. “No.”

“No pain at all?”

“None.”

Clive smirks and opens his fist, revealing the object from his pants pocket I already forgot about. Two metal pinchers with rubber tips connected together by a short chain.

Nipple clamps.

I tense up. He notices, of course.

“I’m sorry—” I laugh. “I just have really sensitive nipples.”

“Good,” he says, bringing one of the clamps close to my breasts.

I recoil on impulse. “Wait, wait, wait—”

“Nora, sit still.” He looks at me and that hard stare settles with sympathy. “I want to know your limits,” he says, leaning in. “Don’t you?”

“Well, yeah, but—”

“You’ll never know for sure unless you push yourself a little.” He kisses me again, soft and slow. “Right?”

I swallow. “Right.”

“Close your eyes,” he whispers. “Count to ten.”

My eyes flutter closed as he gives me another sweet kiss.

“Be a good girl for me,” he says, backing away.

I inhale slowly. “One, two, three…”

I have to relax. That was the whole point, right? Relax. Let go. Release the stress. Submit to Clive, let him guide me.

“Six, seven…”

It’s been working so far. Him and me. I feel amazing. Absolutely amazing. It’s the most satisfying relationship I’ve ever been in… and we haven’t even had sex yet.

“Nine, ten.”

I open my eyes to find Clive staring back at me. He smiles and kisses the tip of my nose.

“There,” he says. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

I furrow my brow and look down. My nipples are clamped. I didn’t even feel it.

“Whoa,” I whisper.

Clive hooks a finger in the chain. “You’re numb,” he says. “You won’t feel everything but—”

He gives the chain a light tug and I twinge with pain.

“Ah!” I cry out and laugh at the same time.

He smirks. “You’ll feel somethings.”

“Won’t I gain feeling back soon?” I ask, exhaling the last bit of discomfort.

“That’s part of the fun,” he says. “You’ll want to sit still and not move, but…”

My lips twitch. “You’ll make that impossible.”

Clive kisses me again. “Good girl.”

He leans back onto his knees and lays his hands on my thighs again. My eyes fall to his erection, still as hard and ready as before. My tongue taps the roof of my mouth, remembering his taste.

“You still in?” he asks, his hands gently rubbing my sides.

I watch on pins and needles as his hands travel upward. “Uh-huh…” I murmur with suspicion.

His hands move beneath the hanging chain and he rests his fingers along the curve of my breasts. He looks at me as he massages me gently, studying my face as I twitch. It doesn’t hurt — yet. But there’s a deep feeling of suspense — like he could rip the chain off at any second, but I know he won’t. Still, my body responds with heat, making my pussy throb as my eyes bounce to his cock yet again.

“Is that what you want?” he asks, reading my every thought. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

I quiver at the tone of his voice. Soothing and tender Clive is gone. This is Dom Clive, the one who expects me to obey... and beg.

I want to say yes so badly but I know I’ll be in pain if he touches me again.

He hooks an index finger under the chain. “Answer now.”

“I don’t know,” I say, my voice shaking with the hope that he’ll drop that chain.

“Why did you take so long to answer?” he asks, holding on. “When I ask you a question, I expect an immediate response.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Snow,” I say quickly. “I’m… conflicted.”

“Why? You don’t want me to fuck you?”

“I do…”

“You do?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you wanted to fuck me?”

I pause. “What?”

Clive tugs the chain and I gasp. “You’re not allowed to ask me questions,” he says, growling. “If you have a question, you will request permission to ask it first.”

“Mr. Snow, may I please ask a question?”

He smiles, impressed. “Go ahead.”

“… uh…” I go blank. “Crap, I forgot what I was gonna say.”

His character breaks and he lets out a laugh before quickly flattening his lips again. “Ms. Payne…” he warns.

I try not to laugh either. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry—”

“We’re having a very serious discussion right now,” he says.

“Very serious,” I repeat, barely keeping it together.

He flicks the chain and I wince at the new, piercing pain.

“Ow…” I say.

Clive stares at me, his bright eyes shifting dark, and I take a deep breath.

“How long have you wanted me?” he asks me again.

I swallow the last of my laugh. “Weeks,” I answer, truthfully.

He pauses, his lips curling. “You wanted me before you ever set foot in Red Brick,” he says slowly. “Didn’t you?”

I eye his finger still wrapped around the chain. “Yes,” I say.

He sits still for what feels like forever before he rests the chain against my skin again. I exhale with relief, but the movement of my chest still makes the clamps pinch me harder. The more I move, the more it hurts. Every second a little more feeling comes back. A sweat breaks on my brow. I’m completely torn between fighting pain and receiving pleasure I’ve long ached for.

“I wanted you, too.”

I open my eyes and look up at him.

Clive adjusts his position, taking hold of his cock in his right hand. “I like to watch you,” he begins. He guides his tip down toward my slit. “You walk with confidence and grace. Strength and poise, like nothing bothers you.” He rubs his tip between my folds, separating them to expose my throbbing clit. “I want to bend you over your fucking desk.”

I sigh with pleasure, instantly imagining it.

He rubs his tip along my clit. “I want to make you moan for me,” he says.

Pleasure aches through me, forcing me to move and shake. It twinges my nipples, mixing delicious pain into it. I hate it and love it at the same time. I don’t want it to stop.

Clive continues rubbing me with his dick, refusing to slow down. “I told myself, one of these days…” He chuckles. “I’ll fuck her brains out.”

I moan, the tension building inside.

“She’ll scream for me. Submit to me.”

His fingers curl around the chain.

“I’ll make her body feel things… she never thought were possible.”

I cringe in agony but the pain doesn’t overrun my pleasure. It becomes it.

“Mr. Snow,” I beg.

He flicks his finger, bouncing the chain and gently pulling at my nipples. I moan louder, barely on the edge of climax. Every time I wince in pain, he focuses on my pleasure. He makes me feel both at once until I can hardly even tell the difference at all.

“Come for me, Ms. Payne,” he says, rubbing and flicking. “Be my good girl.”

My body breaks in two, forced to obey. I dig my nails into my restraints as I cry out. My back arches. My toes curl. Every part of me shakes in orgasm. Tears spring to my eyes as pain takes me away.

Clive lays one strong hand on my belly to hold me still. He takes his other hand and caresses my cheek. “Nora…” he whispers. “Have you had enough?”

I don’t answer right away. I can’t, even though I try. He doesn’t scold me for it this time. He waits with a gentle gaze, genuinely concerned that he’s pushed me too far.

I smile. “No.”

He smiles back with a slight tilt to his head. “Are you sure?” he asks.

“I’m sure,” I say, “Mr. Snow.”

Clive leans down and crushes his lips on mine. I kiss him back, tilting my head to accept his tongue as it owns me.

“Do you remember your safe word?” he asks.

“Yes.”

His fingers curl around my hair. “I want you to use it,” he tells me, tilting my head back. “I want you to hold on...” He kisses me. Hard. “For as long as you can. Do you understand?”

I nod. “Yes, Mr. Snow.”

“Test your limits. Will you do that for me?”

I quiver as the pleasure in my core fades and the pain in my breasts takes over. “I will,” I say.

He leans upward and grips his hardness again. The tip grazes my sensitive clit, purposefully tapping me to remind me what he can do to me. He gazes at me, gently stroking himself as a bead of pre-cum seeps out of his tip.

“I’m going to fuck you,” he says, “just like you wanted me to. I’m going to use your body... just like I’ve wanted to since the moment I saw you.”

He grabs my waist and pulls me closer. I gasp with need. My cuffs stretch taut and my chest heaves. He pushes his dick down to my entrance, pressing the tip into place.

“You’re mine, Ms. Payne,” he growls. “Say it.”

“I’m yours,” I say, my voice breaking.

He thrusts in slowly. My mouth sags open as he fills me. He doesn’t stop until he can’t go anymore and his pubic bone presses into mine. I take a breath, almost forgetting to breathe all over again.

Clive eyes me, his face contorted with pleasure and greed. “Your cunt is so tight,” he says.

He pulls halfway out and thrusts me again, hard and fast. He rests his steady hands on my waist and rocks back and forth, purposefully moving me in short, quick bursts. My breasts bounce, bringing me sharp pains but it’s not enough to break me. I promised I’d hold on. And I will.

“Mr. Snow,” I say, bringing a deeper smile to his mouth.

“That’s a good girl,” he says, his breath quickening.

His eyes fall and he watches his cock sliding in and out of me for several strokes. I watch him move, admiring his body and technique. I’d give anything to lick down his abs and grips his ass. I want to touch him and embrace him but that’s not my role right now.

I’m a submissive.

But I don’t feel like he’s taking from me. I’m giving him everything. All my pleasure and pain are his to mold and control. My very life is in his hands.

Each thrust brings me closer to the edge but I can’t tell if I’m going to cry or scream when I get there. My eyes water as I tighten around his surging cock. I try to say his name but I’ve forgotten how. It’s all too much…

Clive flicks the chain again, pushing me to the brink. I come hard again, my body betraying every nerve ending in my body. Tears stream down my face and I finally regain control of my tongue.

“Stop!” I cry out, shaking with bliss and pain. “Stop, please…”

Clive halts and lays his hands on me, spurring an almost immediate calmness in me. “Shh, shh,” he whispers. “It’s all right. It’s over.”

He pulls out of me and my tired legs fall to the bed. I inhale a deep breath as my thighs relax and my toes uncurl.

I wince as Clive removes the nipple clamps.

“Shh,” he soothes, laying a comforting hand on my chest. He reaches over me to release my cuffs one wrist at a time. As one falls free, he lowers it to my side and sets it there. “It’s all over now,” he says again.

I roll onto my side, somehow finding my way into his arms. “Clive…” My voice trembles.

“I’m right here.” He brushes the tears off my cheeks and kisses my forehead.

I cling to him. My body still buzzes back and forth between satisfaction and agony. It hurts so much but I love it. I’m so turned on but I hate it. I can hardly see straight and I can’t stop the feeling that I’ve done something wrong—

“Nora.” His lips brush my cheek.

I tilt my head up and he kisses me softly.

“It’s all right,” he whispers in my ear. “That was beautiful.”

And just like that, I smile.