Page 96 of Take the Sub and Run

Sofie had nearly pointed and yelled, “I’ve done that!”

Though she was sure her attempts at oral pleasure were nowhere near as good as the other woman’s.

The noise dimmed, even as the light brightened. Sofie lifted her head to see that they were now in a short hallway. Andrei turned left when it ended, walking past a series of closed doors. At the end of the hall, he bent his knees, just a little.

Though he didn't speak, she realized what he was doing, and reached out to turn the knob, pushing the door open.

Andrei strode into the room, kicking the door closed behind them before letting go of her legs.

“Are you here to submit, or are you here to talk?”

Sofie ducked her head. She knew it was a risk coming here when nothing had really changed. She was changing, but her answers to Andrei’s questions would be the same if he asked her again now.

That left her with only one answer.

“Submit, Sir.”

His stillness was shredding her courage, and when he turned away, she squeezed her eyes closed.

She waited to hear the door open and close as he walked away once more.

Instead, there was a click, and the light shifted. The dim lighting that had been on when they walked in was gone. Now, several task lights illuminated a bondage chair, narrow bed with a tall four-poster frame that resembled a cage, thanks to the extra bars along the sides, and a table with a padded top and a series of straps dangling from each of the black metal legs. Outside the gold-tinted spotlights, the room was illuminated by recessed red lights built into the walls.

The effect was eerie and vaguely threatening, but in a way that made her nipples hard rather than inspiring her to run.

Andrei’s hands brushed her back, her hips, as he moved behind her. “Take off the halo. It won’t save you.”

Hesitantly, she reached up, pulling the Kokoshnik-style tiara off.

Andrei took it from her, tossing it casually to the side. There must have been something soft in the corner because she didn't hear the clink of metal on wood. Now that her eyes had adjusted, it looked like it might have landed on a stack of blankets or pillows.

“I'm glad it didn't break,” she said.

“Don’t want me to break your halo.”

“It’s an antique Russian tiara worth forty million dollars.”

Andrei’s hands tightened on her hips and he let out a strangled shout.

“I’m joking! I’m... I’m sorry I’m nervous. I keep messing up the mood.”

“Is that why you looked so worried every time you laughed?” He brushed her hair back on one side, his lips near her ear. “You thought you killed the mood?”

“Yes.”

“Laughter, teasing, jokes…they're all a part of good sex.”

“Oh.”

Andrei's lips touched the point where her shoulder met her neck and she shivered. When he asked if she were here to talk or submit, she'd quickly prepared herself for this to be more like that first time, when they'd been strangers.

“Just to be clear, that that's not a $40 million antique that I just tossed away.”

“No. I made it. To go with this dress.”

“You made this one too?”

“Yes.”

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