Master of the Abyss

“Yes, what?”

A tremor ran through her. “Yes, Sir.”

“Very nice.” He stroked her hair, then ran a finger around the delicate curve of her ear and down the line of her jaw to that stubborn chin. Obstinate enough to be a challenge and vulnerable enough to pull at his heart…dammit. “I will enjoy having my hands on you again.”

The way her breathing deepened pleased him. He firmly grasped her upper arm to increase her feeling of being controlled. “There are many things I want to do to you, Kallie.”

Chapter Five

Kallie swallowed hard as her imagination went wild. What did he mean…“do to her”?

Hell, what was she thinking, agreeing to this? But she wanted tonight-wanted more than one, but oh, well. Over the past few days, she’d had time to think and had decided that she could handle the limits he’d put on their relationship. The other times she’d been tossed aside had come as a total shock. Knowing up front that he didn’t plan to stay with her, she wouldn’t be surprised when he moved on. That had to be better.

He undid the top buttons of her flannel shirt and slid his hand inside. The touch of his fingers on her breast and the slight abrasion from his roughened skin made her toes curl. She saw his lips curve up as he teased her nipple. God, her knees were liable to give out.

“What is your real name?” he asked, switching to the other breast.

“What?”

His eyes darkened.

Oops. A sub didn’t ask questions. “Ka-LEEN-da, spelled K-A-L-I-N-D-A. My mother said my father was born in India.”

“Ah. That’s where your gorgeous eyes come from.”

Gorgeous? She had gorgeous eyes? She looked down to hide how much pleasure his compliment gave her.

“Considering the size of the Masterson men, you must have inherited your height from your father’s side.”

He was calling her a scrawny midget, wasn’t he? She scowled at him.

After threading his fingers in her short hair, he pulled her head back, and his voice turned rough enough to match the skin on his hands. “I don’t like being glared at by submissives.”

She tried to move and discovered his grip had her completely in his power. Helpless. Her whole lower half seemed to melt.

“I’ll accept an apology this once. The next time, you’ll be punished.”

Punished? The thought sent warring sensations through her: heat at the memory of being spanked and the shattering orgasm afterward-and then anger at his threat.

“Kalinda. I’m waiting.”

She stared up at him. Firelight flickered over his stern face, heightened his cheekbones, and shadowed his eyes-and she wanted him so badly she shook with it. “I’m sorry, Jake,” she whispered.

“Very well done, sprite.” Still holding her head back, he brushed his mouth across hers and bit her jaw. The small pain jolted through her and sizzled her insides. His lips were gentle, warm, and he took his time, nuzzling under her ear, nibbling on the curve between her shoulder and neck. Never letting her move as he pleased himself. As he set her every nerve to quivering with need.

She wanted to touch him, to grab his shoulders, lace her hands behind his head, but somehow, barely, she kept her hands at her sides. The effort of obeying his unspoken wishes-of pleasing him- sent sparkles of excitement shooting into every nerve.

He straightened and studied her. One corner of his mouth turned up. “Good little sprite,” he murmured. “Working so nicely to stay still.”

She had only a second to enjoy the pleasure of his words before he took her mouth hard. Possessively. The way he kissed was more devastating than she remembered. When he lifted his head and pulled her into his arms, she laid her cheek on his broad chest. His erection pressed against her lower abdomen, and satisfaction filled her. He wanted her too.

A laugh rumbled under her ear, and she realized he was watching the others. She tried to turn to see. His grip only tightened. Not a chance. “Gentlemen, when you are finished, join me and my sub, please.”

His sub. The sound of that was…much too nice. She shouldn’t like it, but she did. She put her arms around his waist and sighed when he didn’t stop her. He had the fragrance of soap-he must have washed by the creek-and a head-spinning, masculine scent. Pushing her face against him, she sniffed. Why did he have to smell so good?

He chuckled. “I enjoy the way you smell too, sugar. Like vanilla ice cream.”

She heard footsteps as the other two men arrived.

“Very good. Now look at your sub. Study her. Has her breathing increased? Is she flushed? Did your actions arouse her-and how can you tell? Each woman is different. Pay attention, and don’t assume anything.”

He paused. After putting his arm around Kallie, he moved her to stand beside him, facing the men.

Her cheeks heated. This was a mistake; these were her clients. She tried to pull away, but he had her trapped.

“Gentlemen, like your wives, Kallie is a career woman and the best guide in the area, as you’ve seen. For this evening, for the enjoyment of us both, she chooses to give up control to me.” He glanced down at her, and a corner of his mouth turned up. “However, if I tried this without her acceptance, she’d probably cripple me for life. As you work out the parameters of your play with your partner, remember that a woman can delight in submission with the right man and in the right place, and yet rip the guts out of someone in the boardroom the next day.”

Kallie met his gaze, warmed at the understanding. Her breath sighed out; she hadn’t realized she’d been holding it. All right then. It helped to remember the two women here also had careers.

Jake ruffled her hair, then closed his fist around the short strands, pulling her head back as he’d done earlier. His other hand cupped her cheek. She felt the warmth of his body as he pulled her closer. “Steve, Andrew, you’ve started seeing how verbal control works. Physical control is very similar-exerting your will and keeping your submissive feeling helpless. She must know she has no choice except to do what you want and take what you give.

“Holding a submissive by the hair succeeds on a couple of levels. Immobilizing her so you can enjoy.” Jake kissed her. “Baring her neck to you-the animal in us interprets that as the ultimate submission. There is nothing more vulnerable than a throat.” His free hand curved around her neck to press very, very lightly, and a flash of instinctive fear shook her.

Jake turned her and pulled her back until her bottom rested against his thighs. After trapping her with an arm around her waist, he started flipping open the snaps on her shirt.

“Hey!”

“Be still.”

She bit her tongue to silence a protest. Her heart pounded. Hellfire, this would be the time she went without a bra or tank top.

“Good girl,” he said, the roughness in his voice gone. He nuzzled her cheek in approval, and warmth filled her.