Page 54 of How May I Please You

“Or I will never touch you again.”

Thrust. Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.

“I own every inch of you,” I say, moving the knife down to form another horizontal line in the center of the vertical one.

“You are my whore.”

Thrust.

“You are my slut.”

Thrust. Thrust.

“You are my property.”

Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.

I move the knife lower and press down to dig the blade in again. I slide it across her skin until the tip comes in contact with the rope, but I keep cutting. I push hard and rip it across, slicing through both Journey’s skin and the rope, shredding it in two and leaving a deep gash in her flesh. She lets out a yelp that she can’t bite back, but I don't fucking care.

“And now you wear my brand,” I say, dropping the knife and slamming my hand against the four lines on her back that come together to form the letter E. I love seeing my first initial carved into her skin. It drives me wild and I pound into her, my eyes focused on the rose-colored letter.

I grip the rope with one hand while the other stays on the new E on her back, and I fuck Journey hard. I can tell how much effort she has to put into keeping quiet, and I love that she is obeying her master. My dick is a weapon of destruction and I use it to try and split her just like the rope. I fuck hard and fast until I’m ready to explode, and when it comes, I don't stop. I let the wave wreck me, and just as I’m coming, I pull out and stand up straight. My cum rips from me in ribbons that land on Journey’s bare back, most of it splashing on her new brand. Breathing hard, I reach down and smear my cum into the E, mixing her blood with my semen.

“There,” I snip. “I’m a permanent part of you now, Little Devil. Now I only have one question, and you're allowed to answer.” I grab Journey by the neck and wrench her head over as I lean down so that we’re face to face. “Who do you belong to?”

With mist in her eyes from the pain and pleasure she just endured, Journey’s agonized face slowly shifts into a smile.

“You,” she answers. “My Sir.”

chapter

thirty-three

Blood stains the sheets beneath us from Journey’s wound even after I've cleaned it up with peroxide and a bandage from my store run, but we don't care. The person who comes to clean the room after we’re gone might be bothered by the sight of crimson on white sheets, but we’re not. For Journey and me, we’re right at home.

I sit with my back against the headboard while Journey lays with her head against my chest, a finger trailing down my bare stomach until it meets the covers before starting at the top again. Her hair smells of vanilla tonight, and I breathe it in. Now that I’ve taken my rage out on her, I feel better, more accepting of the fact that she’s here. I love having her in my arms, and although our future is as dim as the lights in the room, nothing beats having my Little Devil by my side.

I run my fingers down her shoulder, bypassing the congealed blood on her back from her new mark. The letter E stands out even in the dark, and the sight of it soothes me. She let me carve one of my initials into her. If there was any doubt left that she is committed to me, it’s gone now. Her torso still holds the outline of the rope criss-crossing her skin, a patchwork of squares, ropeburn, and bruises that make her look like abstract artwork. Even now, after all that she has done and all that has happened, she is a sight to behold.

“I’m sorry,” she says out of nowhere, breaking through the silence. She keeps her head down, watching as her fingers ski down my skin, but her voice is emotional. “I was wrong about everything, and I let my insecurity get to me like a teenager. Your coworker—the one I beat up—didn't deserve that. I should've trusted you to remain faithful to me instead of thinking that her mere existence could potentially cause problems between us down the road. I realize I was being ridiculous and I’m sorry, Sir.”

“Is that what it was? Insecurity?” I ask, genuinely curious about Journey’s mindset. I need to know what makes her tick so that I can be better prepared for her triggers in the future. I can’t be the Dom she needs if I don't know absolutely everything about her.

“I guess so,” she answers. “I know it doesn't make any sense. Nothing I’ve done as of late does. I just saw her and let it wreak havoc in my mind.”

“Journey, she didn't flirt with me at all, and even if she had, my love for you would never allow me to do something fucked up like that.”

“I know … I was wrong. I’ve been wrong a lot lately, including the diner.”

“Why didn’t you admit to it when it was clear that I knew you did it?”

“Because it was a secret I was keeping, and I’ve been keeping my little secrets my entire life. I’m not used to sharing them with anyone. You and I have our own secrets that no one else knows about, but I had secrets well before I met you and I’ve always only had myself to share them with. I can’t explain it in a way that makes sense, but it’s just who I am. It was something I did that I didn't want anyone else to know about, and it didn't matter if that piece of shit kid went down for it. Unfortunately, he had an alibi anyway and I was stuck with it. The entire situation was fucked up and I should've listened to you when you told me to let it go.”

“Yes,” I say, “you should've.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry, Evan,” Journey says, her head still unmoved. “In hindsight, I realize how it all makes me look—the girl, the diner, Sierra’s body … I look psychotic.”

“Looking psychotic has never bothered me, Little One. If you haven't noticed, I’m a bit psychotic myself. I don't mind lying to anyone else, and I’m not asking you to be some moral statue on a hill for the world to use as an example. I’m not and don't want to be. But we don't need to lie to one another. I honestly couldn't fucking care less about the act of you burning down the diner. It’s the lies that I don't understand. That’s what pisses me off. It seems that you haven't realized that we’re two peas in a pod. There is no one else like us out there, and no one will love you like I do. There's no need to keep secrets from me. You don't have to do anything alone anymore because you're not alone. You have me. Always.”

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