Page 45 of Diamond Kisses

It took everything I had to stand up and shuffle to the closest chair, my chain following me.

I grabbed the scrolled carved wood with trembling fingers, my vision spluttering in and out.

At least Victor didn’t make me wait.

The familiar hiss of the leather crackled in the air.

For a second, my body tried to find pleasure, remembering the ecstasy of Henri’s delivery. The way he layered me with his autograph. The way he fed fire into our hearts and then detonated us with pleasure.

But then everything shut down as pain erupted across my ass. The silver satin teddy split from the whip’s sharpness, gaping in the icy morning.

“Three little swats.” Victor grunted as he delivered yet another stinging punishment. It landed across my lower back, biting, tearing.

His strike hurt far, far worse than Henri’s.

Unrefined. Pure cruelty.

I had no strength to hold onto the chair. No strength in any muscle and no ability to hold my throbbing bladder.

Collapsing to my knees, I screamed with fury and heartache as Victor whipped me a third time and a warm wet stream flowed down my legs.

Cupping my face, hiding my shame, I couldn’t look at anyone.

Not Henri, not Peter, not Victor.

I huddled in a disgraced, painful puddle all while Victor tossed the whip onto the table and stalked back to Henri.

My fear for him overrode my own disgrace.

My horror over what Victor would do gave me just enough strength to look up and catch Henri’s stare.

He looked away immediately.

Cutting me off.

Refusing to see me.

And I couldn’t do it.

I knew he did it to protect me. To prevent Victor from whipping me again.

But it hurt.

Fuck, ithurt.

Hurt so much to be denied.

Refused.

Avoidedall because he loved me.

I was the one person who had the power to make Henri’s life so much better than it was, and instead…I’d become the worst thing to ever happen to him.

Forgive me.

God…please, please forgive me.

I sat there sobbing as Victor gently unbuckled Henri’s ball gag and waited as Henri winced and moaned, working his jaw from its stiffness from being spread all night. “Your voice belongs to me now,” Victor murmured, massaging Henri’s cheeks with sick kindness. “You don’t speak unless it’s to me, do you understand?” Pressing a kiss to Henri’s sweat-drenched cheek, he murmured, “Your every sense is mine now. Test me if you must, but Ilyana will pay the price.”

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