When we arrived at the penthouse, Alexander immediately went to the living room, grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the wet bar, and poured some into a lowball glass. No ice. Two fingers, not one. He threw back the amber liquid and poured another. I frowned. Alexander always exercised control when he drank. This was way out of the norm.

He braced his arms on the edges of the wet bar and dropped his head to his chest. His back was to me, but I could tell he was taking a few deep breaths.

“Alex?” I questioned cautiously.

“What?” he snapped, but didn’t turn around.

“What’s wrong? You never drink that fast.”

He picked up the glass that held his second round, stared at it for a moment, before tipping back the contents.

“Every man has his poison of choice. Today, mine’s whiskey,” he stated bitterly.

Alarmed, I moved toward him slowly, like he was a wild animal that could be spooked at any moment. Slipping my arms around his waist, I moved my hands up to feel the slow and steady rhythm of his heart. We stayed like that for a long moment before he eventually seemed to calm. Turning toward me, he wrapped his arms tightly around my back and cocooned me to his chest.

“I’m okay, angel. I just need a minute.”

I nuzzled my head into his shoulder as he stroked the length of my hair. I felt as though my heart might burst.

“Let me take your pain away.” I lifted my head up to meet his gaze. Torment swirled within his pools of sapphire, so I offered the only thing I could to erase it. “Be with me.”

He took my chin between his fingers and brushed his lips softly over mine.

“I want that,” he murmured and ran a hand down my arms in quiet tenderness. A familiar warmth spread through me and I tipped my head further back, my silent plea for him to deepen his kiss.

Pushing my tongue past his lips, I explored the depths of his mouth, tangling my tongue with his. He matched my intensity, pulling my body tighter to his.

“Take me to bed, Alex.”

His grip on me slackened, creating an unwanted space between us. I ached for him to return.

“I’m wound too tight, angel. I don’t think…” he trailed off, seeming unable to find the words to express his thoughts. He began to turn away, but I placed a hand on his arm to stop him. I didn’t understand his hesitation, but I didn’t need to.

“I want you. In this moment, nothing else matters.”

His eyes met mine, burning with an intense hunger that I had never quite seen before. I reached up and slid one of the beaded sapphire straps of my dress down my shoulder. Repeating it with the other, I let the expensive material fall into a pool at my feet. Pantiless and clad in nothing but my bra and heels, I stepped out of the dress and moved to rejoin him. Bringing my fingers to the buttons of his tuxedo shirt, I slowly worked to expose his flesh. I needed the feel of his skin and his hard abdomen beneath my fingers.

“No. Wait,” he said. He grabbed my wrists, stopping my hands from continuing their exploration. The pain and sadness was back in his eyes and I felt my heart sink.

“Why? You need this, Alex. We need this. Let me take your pain away,” I repeated.

I searched his face, trying to read the emotions that flashed across his features. I saw more than just pain and sadness. I also saw worry, fear, and anger. When he released his hold on my wrists, I cast my gaze down and saw that his hands were balled into tight fists.

“It’s not what you think, Krystina. Too many things happened today. I’m afraid that,” he paused and looked to the ceiling. “God, I’ll lose my fucking mind if I can’t get inside you soon.”

I arched a brow in confusion and shifted a little. I struggled to ignore the growing ache between my thighs, as his mention of being inside me nearly caused my legs to turn to jello.

“So, what’s stopping you?”

He came to me and pressed his forehead down to mine. His palms splayed over my hips as his eyes found mine. I moved my hands up to trail my fingers over his chest, appreciating every ripple of honed muscle as I went.

“I don’t want to hurt you, angel,” he whispered.

“You could never hurt me. I trust you. Lose control on me, Alex.”

He needed it, but I needed it too. Perhaps it was selfish on my part, but I wanted nothing more than for him to own me, to unleash his dominance and take what he desired. I wanted to be entwined in passion, lost in a world where nothing else mattered except for the power that only Alexander could wield over me.

“Fuck, Krystina,” he growled. His eyes blazed with unhinged desire. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

Perhaps I didn’t, but it didn’t matter to me. I meant what I said. I trusted him with my whole heart, mind, body, and soul.

He lifted me effortlessly and I scissored my legs around his hips. As he walked us to the bedroom, I swiped my tongue up the side of his throat, relishing in his scent and the subtle saltiness of his skin. When we entered the bedroom, he flipped on the switch for the lights. After adjusting the dimmer so that the lights were only a subtle glow, he spun to pin me roughly against the wall. I felt a hand fist in my hair, tightening as my head was yanked back.

He ravaged my mouth like he was starving and I tightened my legs around him. His teeth bit into my lower lip, the sharp sensation cutting through me and intensifying the ache in my core. I was more than ready for everything he could give me.

Lowering me to the floor, he reached around and unfastened the clasp of my bra. The straps loosened and fell down my shoulders, freeing my breasts one by one. He captured a nipple between his teeth, teasing the hardened point, before trailing hot kisses down my body until he reached my wet sex.

“Alex,” I whimpered, practically begging for more.

I intertwined my fingers through his hair, encouraging him to take more as a fire began to build. It flowed through me, hot like lava. After the way he kept me on edge all through dinner, it didn’t take more than a few strokes of his tongue to bring me to the point of eruption. Alexander knew I was close and he intensified the pressure of his tongue. Focusing on the sensitive bundle of nerves, he sucked my clit with fervor that took my breath away.

White-hot flames overtook me, blinding me in a surge of heat as I went over the edge. I shuddered as the climax rocketed through my body and nearly collapsed from the intensity. Alexander caught me, my body yielding against his hard lines as he carried me to the bed. Setting me down, I lay back and melted into the satin sheets.

“I’ll be right back,” Alexander whispered into my ear.

I heard the jingling of keys and knew he was going into the closet of toys. Despite the fact that I had been living in the penthouse for over two months, I had never seen the inside of Alexander’s closet of fun. I hadn’t wanted to. For me, I enjoyed not knowing what was in there. The mystery added to the sexual angst, just as it was in that moment. Despite my recent orgasm, my core clenched as I wondered what Alexander might return with.

Maybe the vibrator again?

I almost purred as I recalled the few times he used it on me. I silently prayed I would feel that familiar buzz tonight.

Or perhaps the nipple clamps?

The taut peaks of my breasts instantly tightened at the thought. I closed my eyes in anticipation, anxiously waiting for him to return.

After a time, I began to get sleepy. I wondered what was taking Alexander so long. My mind was drowsy as I moved to sit up. Propping up onto my elbows, my vision came into focus. I saw Alexander sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. He was completely in the buff, lazily swirling the key for the closet around his finger.

“I’m sorry,” I said groggily. Although I’d never admit it, I was beginning to realize that I should have listened to his warnings about overdoing it this past week. “I must have dozed off.”

Alexander dropped the key to the floor, stood, and walked over to me. Even though the lighting was dim, I could see the dangerous glint in his eyes. My eyes traveled down past his tapered V and settled on his long, thick erection looking impossibly hard. Instantly, I became wide-awake.

“Get off the bed,” he ordered.

I did as I was instructed without question, having grown more than accustomed to following Alexander’s bedroom commands without a second thought. In fact, I had come to relish in them. However, this time I paused as something caught my eye. I turned my head to the right and saw two long metal bars fashioned in the shape of an X at the foot of the bed.

The St. Andrews Cross.

Goose bumps raced down my spine from the prospect of being bound to it for the first time. Alexander always hinted around it, but he had yet to actually do it. During my brief slumber, he must have secured the rails that formed the cross. I eyed up the loops that were attached to it. A rush of heat crashed between my legs, the sudden burst of arousal catching me by surprise.

I looked at Alexander. He pointed with his finger, directing me to the front of the cross.

“I don’t know what –,” I began. I was going to tell him that I didn’t know what to do next, but I was silenced when his hand covered my mouth.

“No talking, Krystina.”

When I nodded my understanding, Alexander removed his hand from my mouth. Taking hold of my hips, he positioned me closer to the cross. The cool metal pressed against my skin, the point of intersection coming just below my breasts. I shivered as another blast of goose bumps peppered my spine.

Moving at a painstakingly slow pace, Alexander bent to secure a soft leather cuff around one ankle, before moving to do the same with the other. Coaxing my legs apart, he was careful to steady my high-heeled clad feet so that I didn’t teeter. Once I was balanced, he bound each ankle to opposite legs of the cross. My exposed sex throbbed as he moved up my body, stroking and caressing my backside as he went. Pausing in his ascent, he fondled my folds and pinched at my clit, before pressing his thumb against the tight entrance of my rear. My breathing hitched, the pressure sending another wave of pleasure through me.

However, he gave me no satisfaction. Instead, I was left wanting as he continued moving up. His hands slid up and over my shoulders and down to tease my straining nipples. Using one hand, he took hold of one of my wrists. I expected him to secure a cuff to it, but he brought it to the pulsing juncture of my thighs instead. Interlacing his fingers with mine, he cupped my dripping wet sex, massaging the throbbing pressure point of my body. I moaned as our joined hands slid back up my abdomen, leaving a trail of moisture along my torso, before coming to a stop near my mouth.

“You felt it, angel. You felt how wet you are for me. Now I want you to wrap your lips around your fingers and taste how much your body wants this.”

I turned my head to the side so I could see him, my arousal reaching an all-time high. Feeling wanton, I locked my gaze on his and slowly parted my lips to taste my essence. I licked and sucked, relishing the feel of his hard erection that strained against my backside. He hummed in pleasure over my actions.

Removing my fingers from my greedy mouth, he procured more cuffs and secured them around each wrist. After fastening them to the cross bars above my head, he took a step back.

“Admiring your handiwork,” I teased. Although I couldn’t see him, I could feel it in the air when he tensed and immediately I realized my mistake. I wasn’t supposed to talk. I lowered my head, knowing he wouldn’t be pleased. He tsked at me and stepped closer to me once again. From behind, he took my head between his hands and lifted it up. I could smell the whiskey on his breath as he slid his tongue up the side of my neck and bit at my earlobe.

“Look straight ahead,” he told me. My gaze focused on the sight in front of me. In the mirrored headboard of the bed, I saw my bound reflection. I was open and spread wide, helpless to his mercy. My eyes met his in the mirror. A slow, satisfied grin spread across his face. “Tell me your safe word, Krystina.”

“Sapphire,” I breathed. His smile widened.

“Good girl. Now you’re going to watch as I flog you.”