At the perfect moment, Valentine withdrew, tugging his fingers harshly away, leaving me alone in the void. Locked up from my own pleasure and forced to squelch the hunger for release back inside.

But something triggered through the swirling in my mind. Realization clanged into gear like old machinery being newly oiled. Through the agony of frustration I knew something wasn't right. A jarring went through me and I knew the implicit faith I held in our connection was compromised. As we played I decided that Valentine’s increasing force was punishment for my disobedience in going to see Josh. But no. Something was so far off between us, I could swear that the master playing me wasn’t Jay Valentine.

When the fingers daggered through my hair again, to curl around the roots and tug me up off the ground to my knees, I was sure. I was gasping for breath as sobs pressed out from my pursed tight lips. Emotion overwhelmed me more completely than my lust ever had. Those vicious fingers were now digging into the blindfold’s knot. When it pulled free and my tears were released, my suspicions were proven correct.

The ferocious fingers tugging at my pussy hadn’t been Valentine’s. My vision gradually adapted from its solitary darkness and the figure I knelt before came into focus out of a fog. The satisfied lip curl of my dom looked down on me with total absence of care. Holding the whip in one hand, there were what looked like three thick buckles strapped around the waist. A corset.

It wasn’t Valentine, it was Delilah.

I couldn't bear to meet her evil eye and hung my head which I’m sure gratified her. I sobbed out a single cry, not from any physical pain. I had to release everything whipping around on the lining of my skin – lust, hope, desire, love – and loathing.

How could he do this to me?

Abject humiliation was never part of our game.

I raised my head in defiance. I wouldn’t give her an ounce of satisfaction. My gaze radar-ed around he room, looking for Valentine.

How dare he?

Give me over to subjugation by his assistant who’d been trying to inflict her will on me since the moment I arrives at the winery chateau. He’d tricked me into letting another woman toy with me, let her suck my erect nipples between her thin lips. At least I hadn’t allowed myself to climax under her vicious fingers. What was he playing at? Maneuvering me into testing another side of myself? Well that was a fail because I was not playing on that side. I may have come close but only while I thought I was playing with Valentine.

I was inflamed by his betrayal.

This was the most brutal punishment, real humiliation and worse than anything that I’d ever known. All because I had seen my ex? Because he found out the Marc had plundered my dampness on the plane? Did he really need to sequester all of me from the outside world in order to have complete control? His game of excess had ripped us apart for good. I would never forgive him for this as long as I lived.

His face was nowhere in the group of men eyeing me. He hadn't even bothered to stay and watch my humiliation take shape. But again my eyes were drawn to the silver-haired man with the taut physique or a much more youthful boxer. His gaze delved into me, traveling between my stare and the shibari rope that sculpted around my pussy lips. His stare plainly announced how he longed to smother me in his grip.

Then the blindfold was roughly replaced and tied tight at my scalp. The pulley system tugged on my wrists, raising me to my feet so I was left dangling, exposed to the view of the men beside Liberty and Chastity. Clearly I’d been abandoned into a world of high class slaves – what had one of the men called us? Elite bitches.

We were left hanging there for an age. Any of the men could touch us at will without us knowing who it was. I was sure the other two women were suppressing the same aftershocks of lust and frustration coursing through their limbs. The sound of deep sovereign male voices discussing their important issues filled my ears. I stretched the auditory channel, listening for Valentines gravel burr without success. Their self important chat merged with the creaking of the rope and the muffled moans of the women on either side of me.

The pungent aroma of cigar and woody single malt scotch filled my nostrils along with the lighter scent of my own pussy.

“You’re a really bad girl,” a voice beside me said, an accent I couldn’t place.

When he placed a clamp on each of my nipples I refused to grimace or flinch.

“But that was very good,” he rasped.

What would happen to me now? Would I stay on this boat forever? A rich man’s plaything? Or how would I get back to the estate and face Valentine? Maybe he was keeping me in an offshore prison just until Josh went back to New York.

All the while I was left hanging naked in my darkness, thoughts roiled around my head and came close to driving me insane. My body shook in a tornado of emotions. One moment I was livid at Valentine for duping me and treating me like his possession. The next I was bereft at him leaving me and missed him more painfully than any of the minor flesh wounds Delilah had inflicted.

My pussy clenched for him and my inner thighs were soaked through. None of the billionaires noticed my glistening skin and stroked across my swollen flesh. My body entered a delirium of confusion, unable to comprehend why it was being denied the craving of release. Every time my awareness was tuned to the scent of a man mounting the platform then the moans of the girls beside me, I was enraged with thrashings of desire. Chills flew up my skin as I became ever more avaricious to be caressed.

Touch me.

My body was silently screaming. I’d been denied release for so long, the lust had morphed into agony. If there was a version of blue balls, for women, then this was it.

Take me however you want but let me come.

I was too mad at Valentine to yearn for his touch. Part of me wanted every man in the room to lay his hands on me. I’d make sure to scream out loud with pleasure, my revenge for my boss’ treatment.

The jolt that went through me was electric, when the fingers finally slipped between my thighs to stroke across my dripping hard point. I shuddered in a series of luscious spasm and my knees momentarily gave way. Wondrous thick fingers pushed inside my pussy, filling me and stretching some of the intense longing. They expertly sawed in and out along the tunnel walls until I couldn't help but writhe on my wrist bracelets. He thumbed across the swollen nub while plunging in up to the knuckle, back and forth over that spot.

Oh yes, yes, yes, a man’s hard touch was my crack cocaine. It was incredible and addictive and I didn't care whether it was Valentine or that dominant silver fox that had attracted me earlier. He was brimming with vivid sexual energy. Even the ice cube trailing up my inner thigh was a miracle of pleasure rippling through me. My skin was alive with desire. The sudden shock of freezing cold inside me tamped down my desire and I found myself being released from the shackles along with the other girls.

The blindfold was loosened and my first auto-reaction was to scan for the boss. He was nowhere in the room and my heart plummeted. I had been so sure he’d come back for me.

“What day is it?” I asked the same assistant dresser I had before for my so-called initiation.

He was so well-rested I thought at least one entire night must have passed. I’d missed Josh.

“Sunday,” he replied.

He finished unwinding the length of shibari rope from around my hips like a girdle then continued helping my jello limbs into a soft set of cashmere leggings and tight pullover that hugged my breasts. He brought me up on deck where I was deposited into a cigarette speedboat captained by the most gorgeous man ever, aside from the one that had deserted me.

I would not allow myself to think about Valentine. The sun was setting into the ocean like a tangerine dream. I’d been hanging through the night and day. Now I was too drained and exhausted to care about the opulent beauty of mother earth. With no Valentine to carry me in his arms back to a soft cocoon, the romantic setting sun seemed to be laughing at me.

Fuck that, and him. The arrogant control freak.