Page 27 of The Darkest Gift

I glance back at Elijah, noting the way his pupils dilate slightly, the quickening of his breath. Oh yes, he feels it too, even if he'd never admit it.

Elijah's tongue darts out to wet his lips. "You could always just let me go," he suggests, a hint of his usual sass creeping back into his tone. "Hard to make noise if I'm not here, after all."

I chuckle. "Nice try, pretty boy. But I'm afraid that's not an option. No, we need something a bit more... immediate."

Opening the chest, I'm greeted by an array of toys and implements, each one carefully chosen and exquisitely crafted. My eyes roam over leather cuffs, silken ropes, gleaming metal clamps, and instruments designed to bring both pleasure and pain in equal measure. But today, I have a specific item in mind.

My hand closes around the ball gag. The straps are soft but sturdy, designed for extended wear without causing undue discomfort. The ball itself is sizeable—large enough to muffle any sound effectively, but not so big as to strain the jaw painfully. It's one of our favorites, sturdy enough to muffle even the loudest screams.

"Now then," I say, turning back to Elijah with the gag dangling from my fingers. "As much as I'd love to stuff that smart mouth of yours with my cock, I think we both know that would end badly for me. So we'll have to settle for this instead."

Elijah's jaw clenches, a muscle ticking beneath the skin. His eyes dart between my face and the gag, a war of emotions playing out in those icy depths. Defiance, fear, and beneath it all, a flicker of something else—anticipation, perhaps?

Stopping just inches from him, I can feel the heat radiating off his skin. His chest rises and falls with quick, shallow breaths, pupils dilating as I bring the gag closer to his face.

"Now," I purr, voice low and sinful, "are you going to be a good boy and open up for me? Or do I need to make you?"

There's a moment of tense silence, a battle of wills played out in the minuscule space between us. Then, slowly, almost imperceptibly, Elijah parts his lips.

"Good choice," I murmur, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth.

I press the ball against his lips, watching intently as they stretch around it. Elijah's brow furrows slightly at the intrusion, a small noise of discomfort escaping him as I push it fully into his mouth.

"There we go," I say softly, fastening the straps behind his head. "Perfect."

I step back to admire my handiwork. The black leather straps frame Elijah's face perfectly, accentuating his sharp cheekbones and the strong line of his jaw. His lips are stretched wide around the ball, saliva already gathering at the corners of his mouth. His chest heaves with quick, shallow breaths, nostrils flaring as he adjusts to breathing around the intrusion.

"Beautiful," I murmur, more to myself than to him.

I can't help but imagine how he'd look with my cock in his mouth instead of the gag. Those plush lips wrapped around my shaft, cheeks hollowed as he sucks. The image is so vivid I can almost feel the wet heat of his mouth, the velvet slide of his tongue. A shiver of desire runs through me at the thought.

My gaze travels lower, taking in the taut muscles of his chest and abs, still marked with the dried evidence of his earlier release. And to his cock, which had begun to soften after Iris left, now hard again. It juts out proudly from between his thighs, flushed and straining.

A smirk tugs at my lips. "Looks like someone's enjoying this more than they'd care to admit," I purr, trailing a finger along the underside of his length.

Elijah jerks in the restraints, a muffled noise escaping from behind the gag. His eyes flash with defiance, but he can't hide the way his cock twitches at my touch.

"Ah ah," I chide gently, withdrawing my hand. "None of that now. You've already been quite naughty this morning, coming without permission. Don't think I've forgotten about that."

I lean in close, my lips brushing the shell of his ear as I whisper, "I have such delightful plans for your punishment tomorrow. But for now..."

My hand wraps around his cock, giving it one long, slow stroke from base to tip. Elijah's whole body shudders, a strangled moan barely audible behind the gag.

"For now," I continue, my grip tightening slightly, "you're going to stay here, hard and aching, while Iris and I go about our day. And you're going to be a good boy and stay quiet, aren't you?"

I punctuate my words with another stroke, twisting my wrist just so as I reach the sensitive head. Elijah's hips buck, seeking more friction. But I've already stepped away, leaving him trembling and unfulfilled. His muffled whimpers fade as I walk across the room to the sitting area, where stacks of legal files await my attention.

Chapter 16

Iris

I lean back in my leather chair, observing Detective Reeves as he flips through the case files spread across my mahogany desk. The late morning sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow over the room and glinting off the detective's badge. It’s the only thing that shines about the man sitting across from me, his suit is cheap and ill fitting, and there are dark circles under his eyes.

"I must say, Dr. Blackwood," Reeves comments, glancing up from the papers, "your home is quite impressive. The architecture, the decor... it's all very elegant."

A small smile plays at my lips. "Thank you, Detective. My husband and I do have a fondness for the finer things in life." My fingers absently trace the edge of a crystal paperweight, its facetscatching the light. "But I'm sure you didn't come here to discuss interior design."

Reeves nods, his expression growing serious. "You're right, of course. I was hoping you might have some insights into these disappearances now that you have read the files. Six women gone without a trace... it's baffling."

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