Page 152 of The Pact

I cry out in pain. The paddle.

“This is for thinking you were in charge when you had my cock in your mouth. That little smile not only earned you a face fucking, but also a spanking.”

Smack. Smack.

My body instinctively tries to push up off the bed. However, Damian holds me down. The stinging makes me bite my lip until I break the skin and taste blood. I’m about to call out yellow. I can’t take another hit.

“I think you’ve learned your lesson. But God, I love how red your ass is right now. So fucking gorgeous.” Satisfaction fills his voice. “You took your punishment so well. I’m proud of you, Thea.”

Damian’s hands gently brush the skin he’s made raw. I sneak a peek at him through gaps of hair that have fallen over my face. The look in his eyes and his soft smile make my heart soar.

He pulls me up and sits me on the bed, facing him. Walking over to where the rest of the bondage tools lie, he grabs what he wants to use next and comes back to stand in front of me.

My eyes land on the rope and the blindfold he has in each hand.

Images flood my imagination of what he wants to do to me, making my skin hot and my heart speed up.

Damian slips the blindfold over my head and pulls it down over my eyes. My other senses perk up right away. I feel the air move as he leans towards me. I shiver when his breath dances over my neck. Something about being in the dark makes all of this better.

I focus on what I can feel, hear, and smell.

The familiar sea breeze and citrus scent of Damian becomes more prominent than ever. His tongue traces a path from my neck up to my ear and I swear I feel every cell in my body come alive. “Do you like this, Thea? Does your lack of sight make this more exciting?”

“Yes,” I whimper.

He lets out a small laugh against my skin, then he’s gone. “From the moment I saw you, I knew you weren’t the innocent girl that Cole thought you were.” The observation makes me sit straighter. “I could tell that we were alike. Kindred spirits. See, I need this control. For me, there’s freedom in providing for you and in knowing that you can’t get away.”

Damian grabs my wrists and the roughness surprises me. He wraps the rope over them, then under, and then in between. Over and over.

“For you, there’s freedom in letting someone else take control. You’ve been taking care of yourself your whole life and you’re tired. You want to be told what to do so that you can finally rest.” Damian yanks the rope, ensuring that it’s snug.

I want to argue against his logic, but I can’t. He’s figured me out. Things seem to click into place with that realization. I’ve been independent for so long that I don’t know what it feels like to give it up, to turn my brain off and enjoy my life. “You’re right,” I choke out.

He leans down and whispers in my ear. “I’m going to give that to you. Give me all the burden so that I can give you all the pleasure.” I nod and let out a breath, allowing my mind to go blank.

I focus on my breathing and feel the tension I hadn’t realized was there leave my body.

Damian pulls me by the rope, making my torso twist so that I have to follow him blindly onto the bed. My knees shuffle across the mattress until I bump up against the headboard. Then his hands are on my body, turning me around. “Lay down.” I do as he says. Just as I get comfortable, he pulls the rope and my hands upwards, behind my head. The ache of the position balances right on the edge of pain.

I feel him leave the bed. The sound of his footsteps gets fainter.

My arms are still behind me. I give the rope a small tug, but I’m secured to something. Where’s he going? And what the hell is holding me in place? “Damian?” He doesn’t answer me. “Damian?” I call out more insistently this time. Fear twists in my stomach.

A minute later, the bed dips and I can tell he’s on it with me. “Damian…what am I attached to?” I feel the tip of something cold trace over my belly. Metal.

“I had something installed for the occasion.” I swallow hard, trying to picture what it could be. Some kind of hook, I imagine. I pull against it again, harder this time, but it’s not giving way. He lets out a low chuckle. “Oh, princess, you’re not getting away that easily.” Damian’s body presses against mine. The warmth of his skin feels good against whatever he’s running over my body. Its coolness makes me shiver.

I feel the lace on my abdomen lift up.

Rippp.

Damian’s hand runs over the exposed skin. What the fuck? Not being able to see anything doesn’t feel as exciting now. Alarm quickly takes over. “What was that?” I ask, unable to keep the panic from my voice.

His tongue runs over my jaw and down my neck. The metal returns to my skin. This time it isn’t a wide flat surface—I feel a thin sharp edge draw a line from my sternum down to my belly button. He has a fucking knife.

My breath catches and the alarm quickly turns to terror.

“Damian…” I broach cautiously. He slips the knife beneath the hem of my panties and I feel the fabric pull away from my skin.

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