Page 66 of Devilish

My hand tightened in Lucien’s, and when he looked down at me, I rose on my tiptoes so those nearby didn’t hear me.

“If this is the mild side, you and I need to have some conversations about heat levels,” I said.

Lucien let out a throaty laugh and then leaned down to brush his lips against my ear. “Welcome to the wild side, beautiful boy.”

He moved farther into the room, pulling me along with him, since my feet didn’t seem to want to move. I thought I’d seen some things at The Veil that were hot, but I didn’t even know where to begin to look here.

The first thing I saw when we walked in was a man hanging from handlebars with his legs tied spread-eagle while his partner spanked different parts of his body with some kind of long spatula thing.

Not wanting Lucien to think I was uncomfortable with anything in here, I tried to keep my face neutral as we passed by. There were lots of really interesting rope techniques, some of the partners suspended in air and others waiting patiently on their knees. Leather was definitely a favorite with this crowd, with many of the dominants sporting nothing but leather pants.

Speaking of leather…

I didn’t think anything could shock me, but then a man in a face mask walked out in front of us, a leash in his hand and someone in a puppy suit crawling after him.

Lucien did mention role play, though that gave a whole new meaning to the termgood boy.

“Everyone has their kinks,” Lucien said, as though he could read my mind. “And no one is ever shamed for something they enjoy. So if there’s anything you see that intrigues you…”

As we passed a trio of men, two of them taking turns fucking the third across a bench, I wondered if I was going to be too mild for Lucien. Had he done all of these things? Would he prefer to be with someone who enjoyed them too? I wasn’t sure I could imagine myself crawling after Lucien on a leash, but then again, I felt so safe with him—would there be anything Iwouldn’ttry at least once for him?

Just as I was beginning to wonder if I’d picked the wrong side, a tall male stepped out of the shadows with what looked like a whip in his hand. He had his eyes locked on his younger partner, someone maybe my age who was straddled over a leather-padded beam.

He was completely naked, and his arms and legs were secured with cuffs around his wrists and ankles.

“Have you ever seen a flogging horse?” Lucien asked by my ear.

“Um, no?”

He chuckled and kissed my temple. “That wasn’t a trick question. I just want to know what you might need me to elaborate on.”

“You canelaborateon that? As in, you’ve been tied to one? Or tied someonetoone?”

“Um, both?” he said in the exact tone I’d just used, and I narrowed my eyes on him.

“Be serious.”

“I am.” He nodded to where the man with the rope had moved up behind his prone partner. “I remember tying someone to it. But my being tied to one occurred a few too many years ago for me to remember with any accuracy.”

I stared into Lucien’s twinkling eyes, trying to decide if he was messing with me or not. But when he winked and turned back to the scene unfolding in front of us, I realized he’d meant every single word he just said.

It was the first time Lucien had ever referred to his past partners or sexual experiences in any way, and I was almost as shocked by that fact as the idea of someone tying him to a flogging horse in the first place.

The man with the whip began to back away from the one waiting bound and silent, and I watched his fingers flex around the thick handle.

He had big hands, like Lucien’s.

Strong hands, like Lucien’s.

And as he began to gently flick his wrist in the direction of the man bent over, the tail of the whip sliced through the air and made a resoundingcrackthat made me jump.

Holy shit.That wasloud. And as I looked around, I noticed I wasn’t the only one who’d snapped to attention.

Several other patrons had turned to look in the same direction, and when the man took another swing, the crack hit much closer to the one secured to the horse. Unlike me, though, he stayed still as a statue. How that was possible, I had no clue.

“See something you like?” Lucien said.

“I don’t actually know.”

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