Hearing Zachery use his first name floored him, but then... the kiss. If the man had fired a bullet into his chest, he couldn't be more surprised. Monroe shook his head trying to clear the memory of Zachery's warm lips. He had to concentrate to stay alive and keep the people he loved safe. To do that, he needed to kill Uday.Monroe drove for an hour, obeying the speed limit and doing nothing to attract attention to the vehicle. He pulled into a warehouse district in downtown Houston and sent a text. Twenty-seconds later his phone vibrated and the large door in front of him rolled up.The men inside took care of the bodies and the vehicle. Monroe changed clothes, and then left in another car, driving to a private airfield. He jumped aboard a small aircraft and leaned back as the pilot immediately took off.Past exhaustion, he needed sleep. Closing his eyes, he let the plane's engine lull his mind, but sleep didn't come quickly, because thoughts of Zachery's lips clouded his senses.
He woke with a slight throb in his leg but after straightening it out he was relieved it wasn't in worse shape. Angel rested in his arms, still asleep, her breathing soft. His fears for Monroe threatened to overwhelm him, so he took long, steady breaths to control his thoughts.Monroe could not die again. Zach was not that strong.His mind flashed on every conceivable problem and then zeroed in on the "what ifs." When Monroe returned, Zach needed to have his priorities straight. It was one thing to wish he'd gone about their relationship differently. And quite another to embrace a lifestyle he had never accepted for himself.The thought of total submission brought along another set of uncertainties. As one of Monroe's Shibari models, he'd fought the overwhelming urge for years. Yet, he craved the ultimate release he'd seen so many others give over to Monroe. What's more, he knew Monroe felt Zach's desire to set himself free. He never pushed, but Zach saw the disappointment in his ey
The dense jungle obliterated any signs of his trail as Monroe made his way to Uday's location. All his senses remained on hyper alert and he refused to let thoughts about what would happen after his mission encroach. He would not repeat the mistake he made in the Middle East that almost cost him his life.He had spent two days watching the compound to determine the best way to proceed. He put his plan into action late on the second night. The death of the two guards was short and silent-the knives in his hands were an extension of his mind and body. Wiping the dripping blood on his pant leg, he continued to the house.He had briefly seen Uday the day before, so he knew the man was somewhere inside. The home sprawled in a large square with only a few windows, though they were too small for him to fit through. He knew from other similar homes used in Mexico and the Middle East that a courtyard would grace the center of the building. Monroe had no idea where Uday was, but had no doubt h
Nine days had passed since Monroe's short appearance, and Zach was becoming worried. The first week was easy because he refused to accept that Monroe wouldn't return to them. This evening, he met Stephens' eyes and saw the same trepidation on the older man's face.Running with Angel each morning after a round of sex and spending time each evening in the playroom helped him fall into an exhausted sleep at night. But... the days were becoming unbearably long.A little after one in the morning, his eyes instantly opened at a short chirp from his cell. One hand went to his gun while he read the message on the screen.He's here. I need your help. Come to the garage.Stephens' apartment was over the garage, but Zach wasn't leaving Angel without being sure. He pulled on pants, walked into the hallway, and then went to his old room and dialed.Stephens picked up immediately."Sir, I'm sorry, but he needs help and he's not cooperating.""I'll be right there."Zach practically ran from the house
She held onto Master tightly. After repeated nightmares that ended in his death, she had trouble believing he was real. He usually disliked touch, but when she tried to take her hand away, he grumbled low in his chest and didn't settle until her hand covered his heart again."I love you. Don't leave me again," she repeated the few times his eyes opened.Mostly she watched him sleep.The bed dipped and Sir moved in with his chest against her back. He kissed her shoulder and neck while threading his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry, Angel."She didn't take her eyes from Master. "This is truly real?" Even she could hear the doubt in her voice."This," he pressed in closer and kissed her tear-streaked skin, "Is incredibly real."Angel feathered her hand across Master's skin. It seemed slightly cooler than earlier, but she wasn't letting go."How?" she asked without turning.Sir's breath was warm against the curve of her shoulder. "I don't know the full story but he came to the
Home... Angel, Zachery, Marguerite, and Stephens. He remembered Angel's fingers resting against his chest and Zachery's low voice assuring her that everything would be okay. For a short time he didn't think he'd make it. The anguish of leaving Zachery and Angel again was unbearable and what kept him moving in their direction.The pain was finally at a bearable level, but the past hours, or maybe days, were a blur. He tested his limbs to see that everything worked.Dull, throbbing pain, but manageable.He needed the bathroom first, then food, then... rest. Just the thought of getting up made him want to close his eyes again. But, the pressure on his bladder could no longer be denied. He rolled to his side away from Angel's warmth and realized he was attached to an IV line.He attempted to rip out the needle.A large hand, very un-Angel, grabbed his wrist. "I don't think so," Zachery said.Monroe turned his head and saw Zachery lying next to Angel."Then how the hell do you expect
The next time he woke up, the world was a little clearer and his pain had ebbed slightly. His stomach growled loudly and Angel's hand traveled down to where the grumble came from."Do not stop there."Her hand snatched away and she sat up. Her eyes were so incredibly large and the tear that slipped down wasn't unexpected."No tears." He reached up and slid his finger over the wet streak."You're in no position to stop me.""Ahh, you have become the bratty sub Zachery tells me about.""When you're better, I fear you will be seeing an even brattier sub. I can't lose you again and I may need to beat you to prove my point.""Come here." He reached out."I don't wish to hurt you.""Never."He pulled her into his chest, feeling a twinge where the bullet struck his abdomen, but the pain was a small price to pay for having her in his arms. Dipping his head, he inhaled her scent.Zachery rolled and leaned over Angel's shoulder. "I'll hold you still while she beats you."Angel's laug
The kiss.He dreamed about it. He tasted it. He could think of little else.Late in the third day after his return, Stephens removed the IV line and Monroe took a shower. He hated the exhaustion he felt from doing something so simple. He also hated the fuss made over his wounds, his food, and his sleep. He had no patience for a slow recovery.He fought a smile when Angel finally brought in a skein of rope and sat with him in bed while he tied her arms in semi-complex patterns that he had worked with her on during her early introduction to Shibari. The rope always calmed him and this time was no exception.At night the two men slept with Angel between them. To Monroe it felt like nothing changed, but then he would notice a small look from Zachery and his breath would catch.Desire.The thought actually shook Monroe's tightly controlled thoughts. He had yearned for Zachery for years. During his early days of Shibari and his introduction to BDSM, he played with both sexes and enjoye
I claimed he wasn't romantic, but Luke proved me wrong.He had something special planned for our one month wedding anniversary. I was currently strapped to a chair in the playroom, a scarf covering my eyes. Luke's hand gently moved my hair aside. Or, I thought it was Luke, but when the fingers moved up over my jaw a different scent filled me."Hi, beautiful girl," Wade said as he kissed my cheek. "I'm here to fuck you dry."An electric thrill ran over every inch of flesh on my body and I shivered."She's been a naughty girl all day. For some reason she seems to think I should have spoiled her surprise and told her you'd be joining us." Luke spoke from behind me. He reached around and pinched my nipples. "Untie her and we'll move her to a more accommodating location. You haven't seen her pretty pussy piercing."Luke loved calling it that. It usually had me laughing, but he squeezed my nipples again and I sucked in a quick breath. Wade unclipped me from the chair, leaving my wrist a
Two nights later, my dream was back. My sister watched me from the mirror. She spoke, but I couldn't understand. I made a grab for her hand as it turned to dust beneath my fingers. She swept away on the wind and I couldn't breathe."Shh, babe, breathe." It was Luke.He rolled us so I was on my back, his lips against mine, with his hand at my throat. He added pressure and I froze until he eased his fingers back. His cock entered me. He restricted my breathing again and again until I came so hard my toes curled."Tell me about Vachala," he said after rolling over so I lay on top of him.I hadn't spoken freely about my sister since she disappeared. I had told the private investigators details about our location in India when my mother sold her, but they never asked anything personal. Bittersweet thoughts of her poured into my mind. "She would run so fast she'd trip constantly. She always beat me in any race. I cried and she laughed. I think she was a demon in disguise. The only way an
I'm sure people had horrible night terrors and handled them better than I did. Saying mine aloud made them feel inconsequential. "A mirror or the reflection from water. I see me-starving, skeletal, always trying to say something. I fade to dust and I realize it isn't really me. It's Vachala." A calmness was settling over me. For years I kept this hidden. My father never knew. My mother died with me hating her, but more than that I hated my weakness. Even now I couldn't find a way to forgive myself. My mother should have chosen Vachala and left me to die. I used pain to prove I was strong. The more the better.I rolled over in Luke's arms and faced him. "I don't know why I can't breathe when I wake up. I know when I was hospitalized, I couldn't breathe. That was the last time I saw her." I could picture her so easily because whenever I looked in a mirror, she was there. "We were only babies, but that bond is unbreakable. I imagined her holding my hand for years. I could feel her soft f
I had her back in the waist belt and her hands attached in front of her when I walked her into the bathroom. I'd had everything ready. She saw what waited and stopped."Don't worry. This is only a mild cleansing, no cramping or pain. Bend over."Tears filled her eyes."Come on, girl, it looks worse than it is.""Please, Luke." She looked down at the floor and I saw a tear roll from the end of her nose."'Please, Luke' is not your safeword. Lift your leg onto the toilet seat or I'll use a different solution."She lifted her leg and I could see her knees trembling. I inserted the enema nozzle and she jerked as if the solution had hot pepper in it. Actually, I used a bit of peppermint along with a mild soap and warm water; it wouldn't hurt at all. I opened the valve. "Hold it in. I'll tell you when you can relieve yourself." Her tears turned to soft hiccups. I really thought she'd cave by now, but her stubborn brain was blocking her desire to end the humiliation. I moved her to the
Machala was asleep, her breathing deep and even. I sat down beside her and transferred our lunch to the nightstand. I moved pillows beneath her head after loosening the straps at her wrists. I went into the bathroom and soaked a washcloth in warm water. I hadn't left any cuts on the front of her body, but welts covered her. After running the cloth over each welt, I rubbed ointment into her skin.She woke up when I loosened her wrists, but waited until I finished with the ointment before speaking. "I can't do it, Luke. You're wasting your time." Her dejection came through in each soft word.I slowly removed the blindfold so she could see my eyes. She squinted into the light before her gaze settled on mine. "I love you. It's not something you walk away from. I can't watch you suffer alone. Sharing your terror may not help, but I'll be there and I'll know the worst. I've imagined so many things and each one causes me sleepless nights. You have no idea the abuse I've imagined. I only wan
The lies she lived with couldn't continue. I refused to allow her to destroy herself. She barely slept and I wasn't as stupid as the first time she stayed with me. Then, I missed the small nuances that showed how exhausted she was. That would never happen again. And now something set her off without lack of sleep involved. Some trigger that no one but she understood. I couldn't fucking help her if she wouldn't talk to me. All my frustration from months ago came rising to the surface. I imagined her as a young child being raped, beaten, or both. I couldn't stand the pictures in my head... the unknown.I wrapped rubber bands tightly around the ends of the sticks, securing them together. Machala's breasts were hanging freely over the bench, which made clamping the sticks on her nipples easy. The rubber bands applied the pressure so her nipples squeezed between the lacquered wood. When I put them on, she stopped struggling and speaking. I grabbed the sticks in the middle between her breas
I couldn't hold back the tears and he stopped moving. "No, don't, Luke. Fuck me hard, please."He did. I have no idea how much noise we made and I'm surprised the door didn't cave. He pulled my hair until I thought he would leave me bald, and when that didn't work, he rammed two fingers in my ass. No lube and it hurt but... it took me over the edge and I cried out as my body crashed. I was crying, but pulling air into my lungs."Shh," he whispered against my ear.I knew he suspected I was crazy. Hell, I was the ice queen. No panic attacks allowed for me. "I'm so sorry." My forehead rested against his chest. His cock was still inside me."You shouldn't be. Having my very own fuck bunny during practice is something I plan on growing accustomed to."He was attempting to change the mood. I shouldn't let him, but I desperately wanted to forget my near out of control disaster. We cleaned up in the bathroom. Luke took special care of my piercing. He'd explained about condoms for the firs
We woke up after seven-much later than a usual Monday morning. I could tell by her breathing that Machala was awake. "What are you thinking about, girl?" I asked into the quiet room."Hmm, touching you. I always want to touch you while you sleep." Her voice sounded drowsy and sexy."I won't stop you." There were times to be dominant and times to give your sub what she wanted. This was the latter. I expected her hands to travel my chest, arms, even ass. I saw the way she stared at me. A hungry lioness came to mind. What I didn't expect were her hands on my face.She moved up a little, using her elbow to prop herself. I closed my eyes as her soft fingers traveled across my jaw, moving to my cheeks and even along my nose."You're beautiful," she whispered.I didn't think any man alive wanted to be called beautiful. At least not until this moment. Her thumb swiped across my eyelid before her fingers went to my lips. Now they ran across the outline of my mouth and one finger slipped in
How did he do it? This man knew what my brain did not. The dull ache above my clit caused by the piercing had me craving more. It also reminded me that it wasn't just a collar that bound a submissive to their dominant. Luke piercing me was his claim and wouldn't disappear like the bruises he left after a scene.He was on the phone while I used a mirror to look between my legs. He'd actually handed it to me before he went to make his call. Fuck, I desperately needed to come again or somehow get my mind off my body's greedy cravings.I latched onto work. I had to call Danny and explain I wouldn't be at work for two weeks. Luke had removed the butt plug after our prolonged scene in the playroom. I sat on the end of my bed fully aware of my new piercing and hit Danny's name on my cell."Hello, doll. What's happening?" His anger over the newspaper article and picture was obviously gone.There were times I used my icy business voice with Danny, but this wasn't one of them. I valued his f