“Am I holding it right?”

The flogger I got her is light and white with slender leather falls. She looks so cute like that—cute and damn hot—kneeling on my bed, between my legs, in her lacy underwear, her hair a dark fall on her shoulders, the flogger held awkwardly in her small hand.

“Perfect,” I tell her. I tug on the silk bonds wrapped around my wrists, holding them above my head. “Just perfect.”

“What if I hurt you? Like, badly? Like what Robert did to you?”

As it turned out, the internal bleeding that brought me down at the warehouse may have begun with Robert’s vicious whipping, made worse by the kicking.

But I’m not worried.

“With that? I doubt you can. But I will tell you if it gets too much.”

Uncertainty crosses her expression, replaced by determination a moment later. “Okay.”

She kept her word. She stayed with me through the dark moods, the times where I thought I was sinking through the floor, when nothing made sense.

She stayed and six months later, here we are. Together. The dark kept at bay, growing lighter every day when I wake up to find her by my side. With her, and with Storm and Hawk back in my life, with Alma back in the house, I have a family again.

A real family. People who care about me. And if sometimes the dark calls me, and I sink again, I know they’re there to pull me back out.

“You ready for me?” she whispers, batting her lashes at me.

I grin. “Always.”

“I’m going to hurt you so good.”

I groan, my dick hard and ready, trembling against my stomach, the cock ring clasped snugly around the base. “Show me what you got.”

Her tits heave with every breath, threatening to spill out of the white bra, and I lick my lips. I want to push her down and lick her nipples, lick every inch of her gorgeous body, then bury myself inside her and stay there forever.

Not yet, though.

This girl… She’s doing her best to give me all I need. I tried telling her all I need is her, but she’s determined to learn more about the Scene and to try new things with me.

It makes me love her even more. Want her more.

She lifts her hand, tongue poking out between her teeth, and brings the flogger down on my chest. The first hit is always the sharpest, and I hiss a little, arching up.

“Like that, yes.” I grit my teeth as the burn sparkles through my body, shooting colors through my brain and fire into my balls. “Again.”

Her eyes narrow, her hand growing a bit unsteady on the flogger. “You sure? That hurt, right?”

“It sure did.” I flash my teeth at her. “Just the way I like it.”

She smiles, relaxing. “Those YouTube videos paid off.”

YouTube videos?

But then she brings the flogger down, again and again, marking my flanks, my stomach, catching my nipples, catching—oh God—my hard-on in a quick, lighting flash of fire, and shit, I’m about to shoot my load, just like this. If not for the cockring, I’d have come already, I bet.

“Slow down,” I say between clenched teeth.

She instantly stops, her brow furrowing. “Too much?”

“Too good. Too damn good, fuck…”

She licks her lips, looking down at my leaking, flushed cock and suddenly bends over and gives it a long lick. Then she closes her mouth around it.

My hips buck. A ragged cry escapes me. Pain always leaves me raw, open wide, especially with her. “Damn, I want you.”

She lifts her head, releasing my cock, and smirks. “Not done with you yet.”

“I’ve created a monster. Mia, get on my dick, now.”

“Nuh-uh.” A sparkle in her eye, she lifts again the flogger and trails it over my chest, over my legs, avoiding my dick altogether. “I don’t think you’re ready.”

She brings the flogger down on my thighs, then over my balls, and I grunt and rock my hips up.

“Holy fuck.” My breath is hissing between my teeth, but the pain is still good, too good, I’m so close…

“One more,” she whispers, and brings the leather falls down on my cock.

I arch against the bed, my cock twitching, jerking. It’s like a mini-orgasm, just from the pain. The pressure in my balls is motherfucking killing me.

“God,” I grunt. I need to come so fucking bad. “Fuck. Mia.”

Her smile softens. She puts the flogger down and climbs onto my lap, at long fucking last, and rubs herself over my dick. “Yes?”

“Ride me. God, please. I need to come inside you.”

She bends over me, pressing her tits to my chest, to the burning welts, her nipples small hard points, and kisses me. I moan against her lips, my dick caught between us, twitching and aching. She kisses me long and deep, and I fuck her mouth with my tongue, shaking with arousal.

I’m pretty damn sure I’m gonna shoot like this, coating her chest with my cum, when she leans back and grabs my dick, leading it between her legs, into her.

Oh. Fuck.

I’m panting. Can’t catch my breath. It feels so good. Amazing. Hot and tight and rubbing my cock in just the right way… All the pain, all the need are turning into this sharp point of nearly unbearable pressure.

She drags her nails over the welts on my chest, over my reddened nipples, and I pull on my bonds so hard I think my wrists will bleed.

“More,” I hiss, and she obliges, scratching her nails down my ribs, my hips. “Yeah. Dammit.”

She puts her hands on my pecs, her hips rising and falling, her pussy gripping my dick so hard I see stars. My balls are already drawn up tight, my legs trembling when I bend my knees for leverage, so that I can push up into her with every thrust.

I want her to come with me, but I’m not sure I can hold out any longer. In a last, desperate bid, I rock my hips up harder, thrusting deeper—and her eyes widen.

She comes, shaking and moaning my name, and I need to shoot so fucking badly.

“Release me,” I breathe. “Now.”

She reaches down, unclasps the cock ring, and I finally let go, cursing as my release hits me like a freight train, robbing me of thought, jerking my body on the bed.

Oh wow.

She brings me back, kissing my mouth, stroking my face. Always there, to catch me as I come down, the moment reality returns.

“I love you,” I whisper, aftershocks still going through me. “Now and always.”

“Love you right back, Rook. Now and forever.”