Chapter Seven

 

Jillian scoffed. “I am not freaking out.”

Declan stopped and turned to face her. He stepped closer, crowding her space and maybe slightly intimidating her. “What do you call it then?”

She lifted her chin in defiance. “I’m trying to be realistic.”

Declan smiled slightly and brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, which much to her frustration, sent goosebumps over her flesh. “What’s realistic, or real is the passion between the two of us. Deny it if you want, but if you didn’t believe it was there as well, you wouldn’t have been standing outside that door.”

She pulled her chin away. “How did you even know I was there?”

He pointed to the front door and the small, narrow windows that flanked them. “I saw you.”

“Oh,” she breathed as her cheeks heated uncomfortably.

He stepped back a bit, allowing her to breathe and brought her hand to his mouth. She sucked in a sharp breath as he kissed her knuckles gently. “As long as you’re here...” He smiled wickedly. “Might as well take advantage of the empty playroom.”

She glanced around in surprise, shocked to see the room so empty. It had obviously been cleaned. Everything gleamed and the smell of lemon polish filled her nose. Although it was still mostly dark due to the blacked out windows, it looked so much different during the day. There were no bodies entwined or soft moans coming from various corners of the room. Even the scenes were oddly vacant and didn’t appear near as menacing.

Maybe he was right. Maybe she should take advantage. What would it hurt?

“What exactly did you have in mind?” she asked.

“Out of all the things you saw on the floor, what intrigued you the most?”

She looked around at all the equipment and toys scattered around the room. She hadn’t noticed it before, but there were all sorts of new, in package sex toys everywhere, all kinds, sizes, and colors. Any toy you could want was here. Even some she’d never seen before.

She walked toward a small table that held a variety of things, including a flogger. She picked it up and slid her fingers through the soft leather straps. How could anything so soft possibly hurt, but she was sure it did? Would the pain from this be like the wax? Would it fuel her arousal like gas fueled a fire? She’d never felt anything quite like that, and despite all her internal arguments to the contrary; she wanted to feel it again.

Maybe it wasn’t Declan she wanted at all, but the sex. The bite of pain he inflicted. Would any skilled dom get the same response out of her? She bit her lip and looked up at Declan. He watched her with curiosity and patience. He wouldn’t rush her. He would let her take all the time she needed. That side of him warmed her, and she felt herself growing closer to the sexy rogue.

She twirled the flogger and slapped her palm, drawing a deep breath for courage. She passed the handle to him. “This.”

Declan took the flogger and ran his hands over the leather strands like a caress. “Take off your clothes.”

Her mouth fell open. At first the thought of undressing made her nervous. She glanced around reminding herself there was no one here. “Will someone walk in?”

“The cleaning crew has left for the day and the doors don’t open for another couple of hours yet, so we have time to play in private. Now undress.”

With shaking fingers, she worked the buttons of her blouse loose then slid it off her shoulders. It fell silently to the floor as she reached behind her back to unclasp her bra. The whole time Declan watched her like a teacher keeping a close eye on a student, making sure they did the project correctly.

She dropped her bra on the floor and arched her back slightly. The searing fire in Declan’s gaze made her brazen.

Declan gave her perky breasts an appreciative look before bringing his eyes back to hers. “Now the rest of it.”

Licking her lips anxiously, Jillian unzipped her jeans and pushed them over her hips. She had to take her shoes off before kicking aside her jeans. She now stood before him in nothing but panties and the hot look in his eyes alone was enough to make her wet.

“You know,” he said as he walked around her slowly like a buyer studying a piece of art. “I would spank most submissives for deliberately going so slow.”

She frowned and glanced at him over her shoulder.

“But since you’re new…”

He swatted her hard on the ass and she yelped and moved to cover her behind with her hands. “Don’t you like to be teased?” she asked.

“Is that what you’re doing?” he asked, his voice a deep rumble in his chest that made her heart skip a beat.

“Maybe,” she said quietly.

He came around to her front and lifted her chin with the pad of his finger. “I’ll tell you when I want to be teased.”

She swallowed and gave a nod.

“Now finish.”

Her fingers began to tremble anew as she pushed her panties over her hips and legs. She stepped out of them, leaving them by her jeans on the floor.

“Damn, you’re gorgeous,” Declan said softly as he admired her body.

Jillian worked hard to keep herself in shape. If she didn’t, with her short stature, it would be easy for her to appear overweight.

He curled his finger and that wicked grin was back. “Follow me, my pet.”

Jillian anxiously followed him to a roped off area in the center of the room. The carpet was soft against her feet, but the roped off scene area was tile. She glanced up and spotted two cuffs hanging from the ceiling.

Would he secure her to those? Her heart did a little flip as she envisioned it. He cleared his throat, forcing her attention back to him. He grabbed one of the cuffs and curled his finger.

Jillian took a step and then another, slowly working her way to where he stood and lifted her arm. Declan smiled slightly as he secured the cuff around her wrist. It was metal on the outside, but inside was soft leather, gentle against her skin.

Declan moved to grab the other cuff, and she lifted her free arm. Once the cuff was secure, she let out a slow, slightly shaky breath. Not from fear, but from growing excitement. He moved around to her front and brushed the back of his fingers over her nipples. Jillian gasped softly and watched as they hardened into tiny pebbles.

“You need a little something more,” he said as he studied her breasts.

Jillian frowned, wondering what he could possibly mean. She watched as he grabbed something off the table. He held it up for her to see, and her eyes narrowed. “Is that a clamp?”

“Yes,” he said as he pinched one of her nipples.

Jillian hissed, despite her growing trepidation. “Just where do you plan on putting it?” she asked.

“Right here,” he said as he bent down and engulfed the tip of her breast into his mouth.

The second his lips wrapped around her nipple and his tongue swiped across it, she gasped and arched excitedly. She watched with bated breath as he pulled away and gently placed the clamp over her nipple. At first it burned and she winced at the bite of pain. It soon faded, though, replaced with a need that had her panting.

He repeated the process on the other nipple and by the time it clamped into place, Jillian was in a cold sweat.

“One more,” he murmured.

“One more?” she asked. Where would he put it?

When his hand cupped between her legs, her eyes popped wide. “Declan?”

He placed his finger in front of her lips. “Shh. Trust me. Say yellow if you want me to slow down and red if you want me to stop. Do I need to do either?”

She bit her lip briefly then shook her head.

“That’s my girl,” he said as he gently stroked between her legs.

Jillian let her head fall back and closed her eyes, focusing on the feel of his fingers as they stroked and spread the juices that leaked from her vagina. The slow, teasing figure eights he did around her clit had her mewling like a kitten in no time. When he placed the clamp over her clit, she gasped in surprise at the pleasure that raced through her.

She shivered and opened her eyes, staring up into Declan’s beautiful blue ones. He placed his palm on her cheek and with his thumb under her chin, holding it up, he leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. Jillian whimpered and parted her lips, silently inviting him to deepen it. Instead, he chose to tease and nipped softy at her lower lip.

As he pulled away, she followed and whispered, “Declan.”

“I like you like this,” he whispered as he gave the nipple clamp a tug.

Jillian gasped and bit her lip at the burning sensation that erupted in her breast.

“Your eyes heavy and dark. Your skin flushed. Your breathing shallow and fast.” He tugged at the other one, making Jillian cry out in pleasure. “And I definitely like that sound,” he murmured against her lips. “It’s sexy as hell.”

“You could screw me now and I’d be perfectly fine with it,” she sighed.

He kissed her softly and backed away. “Then I wouldn’t be able to have my fun.”

She watched warily as he moved behind her. She braced herself for the first harsh swing of the flogger, but it wasn’t what she’d expected. It was soft, almost like a caress as it hit her back and then wrapped around her ribs. Jillian smiled slightly as she bit her lip again, anxious for the next swing of the leather.

He swung again and again, soft at first, slowly increasing the intensity. As each slash got harder, she tugged at the cuffs, arching more toward the flogger than away, and moaning in utter abandon as her body moved ever closer to her release. How could she come from just this?

Each flick of the leather made her body shiver, which caused the clamps to move. The ones dangling from her breasts jiggled softly, but the one on her clit tugged at the nub every time she moved, sending a sharp tingle of pleasure straight to her womb.

Now she understood exactly how she could come. She’d never felt anything so wicked or so incredibly wild. She never wanted it to stop, and did everything she could to keep her orgasm at bay, but try as she might, it continued to build.

 “Declan,” she sighed as he came around to her front.

He brushed the back of his fingers over the underside of her breast, and she arched her back, begging for more.

“What are you afraid of, pet?” he asked softly as he tugged at the nipple clamp.

Jillian moaned and let her head fall to the side. “Death.”

“Everyone dies, love,” he murmured.

“I’ve seen too much of it.” She sighed as he moved to the other nipple and tugged at the clamp. “My parents died. My fiancé died.” She shook her head as tears gathered in her eyes. “I just can’t loose anyone else I love.”

Her emotions were so raw, so…overwhelming. She was strung so tight, like a bow on a violin. One pluck and she’d shatter or fall apart. She wasn’t sure which at the moment.

“Is that why you keep me at a distance?” he asked as he cupped her cheek.

He brushed the tear that escaped away with the pad of his thumb.

“Yes,” she whispered. “It’s why I keep everyone at a distance.”

Declan lowered his lips and kissed her softly. “I understand loss and fear, but you can’t keep yourself locked away, Jillian.”

She swallowed and shook her head. “Please stop talking and just make me come.”

His lips twitched slightly as he dropped his hands from her face and stepped back. He swung the flogger and the leather caught her hip, the strands curling around her ass. The flicks stung, but every flick of that leather brought her ever closer.

“Declan, please,” she yelled as the last flick brought her to her toes.

He moved to her side and swung the flogger. The leather hit her right on top of her clit. She screamed her pain induced orgasm raced through her at blinding speed. Her knees gave way and she pulled hard at the cuffs, the only thing holding her upright.

Declan caught her to him and held her with one arm while he released the cuffs with the other. Her arms fell weakly to her sides as she sagged against his strong chest. Declan lifted her easily in his arms and carried her to a table, where he laid her on her back.

She was so out of it, she was barely aware of him lifting her legs over his shoulders, but the second he thrust his cock into her, she moaned in pleasure. He felt so good, so thick and long, so hard.

“Oh, yes,” she hissed as he began to move in and out.

He was so thick he rubbed easily against her g-spot. Jillian didn’t even try to fight against it. She just moaned and arched, lifting her hips to meet his and exploded in a blissful ball of light. He removed the clamp and blood flowed back into her clit, sending her falling over the edge again.

She had no idea if he came and wasn’t even sure at the moment she cared. He removed the nipple clamps and kissed each one gently. Blood rushed back into them and she hissed at the burn.

“That was insane,” she whispered.

Declan pulled from her body and lifted her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck, inhaling his musky scent. She would forever remember his scent.

He sat in a chair, settling her on his lap. She winced and shifted as her ass hit his thighs. “Am I covered in welts?” she asked.

Declan chuckled. “No. Maybe a few pink lines, but no welts.”

He put on hand on her thigh and the other he softly rubbed her back. Jillian sighed and sank further into him.

“Did you really flog me to the point that I was so weak I couldn’t not answer your questions?”

“That’s called subspace.”

“That should be called wrong,” she murmured.

“It’s not wrong, but maybe a little sneaky.”

She lifted her head and glared at him. “A little?”

He gave her that mischievous smile that had her heart fluttering. “Maybe more than a little. But would you have told me otherwise?”

“Probably not.”

He brushed a curl behind her ear. “As your dom I want to know what makes you tick. What your fears are. Your dreams and desires. It’s my job to take care of you, to satisfy you, to keep you safe.”

Jillian swallowed. “That’s very sweet.”

“It’s a job I take seriously. Are you hungry?”

“A little.”

“How about dinner?”

She frowned. “That would be a date?”

Declan shook his head. “Nope. Just a dom taking care of his submissive.”

She looked down and he used the pad of his finger to lift her chin back up. “Its just dinner, pet. Nothing more.”

She nodded reluctantly. “Dinner would be nice.”

He allowed her to climb off his lap so she could grab her clothes and slip them back on. Once dressed, she combed her fingers through her hair, or at least tried to.

Declan pulled her hand away and smiled. “You look beautiful.”

“You’re biased. As my dom you probably have to say that.”

He chuckled. “That’s not true.”

She smiled as well and finished buttoning her shirt. “You told me your job as a dom…” she started, finally giving into her curiosity. “What do you do for a living, besides take care of this club?”

“I’m an F.B.I. agent.”

She looked up at him surprised and suddenly very frightened. He was a F.B.I. agent? That meant his life was in danger every day. All day. Just like her fiancé. “You’re an agent?”

“Yes. I’m here in New Orleans investigating a string of murders. The victims all come from this club.”

She pointed to the floor. “This club?”

“Yes. Someone is killing doms.”

“So you’re not really working here. You’re only pretending and basically putting a target on your back.”

Declan frowned. “No. Not exactly.” She turned to walk away. “Jillian?”

He started toward her, and she held her hands up. “No.” She took a step back and shook her head. “This was a mistake.”

She turned to leave, but Declan caught her elbow. She spun and jerked it free. She couldn’t do this. She would not fall for another man in law enforcement. She couldn’t.

“I need to go,” she said, sending him a pleading look, hoping he understood.

“Jillian talk to me. Is this about your fiancé?”

She shook her head as anger began to rise. “You should never have done that,” she said firmly.

She turned to walk away again, but he came after her. “Jillian.”

She turned and shoved at his chest. “Red!” she yelled.

At his stunned expression, she pushed her hands forward and said it again, this time not quite as loud. He didn’t say anything, just watched her, worry creasing his brow.

“Good bye, Declan,” she said and turned to leave.

Once out the front doors of the club, her lips began to tremble and tears gathered in her eyes. If it had only been sex why did this hurt so much? Why had she gone back in there? Why hadn’t she just left well enough alone? Putting a hand over her mouth, she took off for Dauphine at a full run, wanting to get as much distance between them as quick as possible before she did something stupid like run back to him.