Page 157 of Heart of Stone

The woman threw her head back and let out what I had initially thought to be a cry of pain. However, after seeing her expression, I realized that the woman was actually crying out in pleasure. It was fantastically absurd, in a twisted sort of way, yet there was something unbelievably erotic about it as well. Eventually, I lost count of how many lashings she took, but by the way she writhed on the cross, it was apparent that she was desperate for release. I wondered how long the man would make her wait.

“How long will this go on for?” I asked Alexander.

“It depends. Only her Dom knows her limitations. Although, I expect that he’ll most likely push her close to her breaking point.”

“And then what?”

“If he thinks she’s earned it, he’ll either allow her to orgasm in front of the crowd, or he may choose to take care of her in a private suite,” he told me with a shrug. His indifference to the scene baffled me.

Heat moved into my cheeks.

“In front of everyone?” I asked incredulously.

“You’re blushing, Krystina. Are you enjoying this?”

“I don’t know…I mean, an orgasm issopersonal and intimate. I can’t imagine having one in public,” I said honestly. “And I can’t say that a public display of dominance does anything for me either.”

I heard the woman cry out again, and simple curiosity had me turning to see what was happening. She had been repositioned while I was talking to Alexander. She was no longer strapped to the cross, but bent over an elaborate spanking bench of sorts. Her ass was high in the air, exposing her sex for all to see. I should have felt embarrassed for the bared woman, but the reverence that her Dom showed her made me feel differently. It was if he were worshipping the sexuality of the female’s body.

He ran the flogger up and down her back, slowing over her sweet spot to graze it softly. Occasionally he would lean down to whisper words that only she could hear, and her body would twitch in response. This went on for what seemed like eons, but it was probably only a few minutes before he finally showed her some mercy. For when he leaned down to her ear for the final time, he reached beneath her to pull at her erect nipples. That simple action sent the woman reeling.

Her orgasm rocked her entire body, and the air seemed to hum. Every individual that was present in the Dungeon could feel the sheer magnitude of her pleasure. My surroundings seemed surreal. I looked back to Alexander only to see his eyes full of concern.

“Are you okay, angel? You have a strange look on your face.”

I wasn’t sure what to say, unable to find the words to describe what I was thinking. The scene that I had just witnessed left me feeling relatively stunned. Yet, I was turned on in the most indescribable way. The intimacy and trust shown between the couple on the platform was at a level of epic proportions. She was the definition of the ultimate surrender, and had given complete charge of her body over to the man in ways that I had never given to Alexander. And for the first time, I realized what Alexander meant about trust being the root of BDSM.

“Honestly, Alex? I think it’s just the environment that we’re in. It’s muddling my thoughts. The whole place reeks of sex.”

He laughed and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

“I was a little nervous, but you handled that better than I thought you would,” Alexander admitted. He pulled back to look at me, only a slight hint of concern still visible in his striking blues. “Why don’t we get down from up here and go grab another drink? You look like you could use one.”

The loud music of the club returned, the sound almost deafening compared to moments before.

“That sounds like a good idea. I think one show was enough for me.”

We headed down the steps to the ground floor of The Dungeon and made our way over to the crowded bar. There was a wooden sign above the bar that read “Obsequious Cantina”. However, we bypassed that particular bar and went on to the next. This area was by far the more swank of the two, with plush furniture and mini tables that were cordoned off into more private sections with billowing black sheers. This bar had a metal sign that read “Sovereignty Cocktails”.

I snickered after realizing the meaning behind the signs.

“What’s so funny?” Alexander asked.

“The names of the bars in this place,” I told him and laughed again. “They have one bar for the master, and another for the servant. I just find it funny.”

“Don’t forget that one over there,” he said, pointing another bar across the way. I looked over and saw a sign that read “Queen’s Landing”. After looking at the patrons, it wasn’t hard to figure out why it was called that.

“You don’t want to go over to that one?” I asked with a wink.

Alexander mouth turned up in a crooked smile at my teasing.

“Angel, there are just certain things that Idon’tdo. Now, go see if you can spot an open table while I try to track down a bartender.”

I scanned the area for available seating, but given the crowd in the club, there didn’t seem to be anything open.

When Alexander returned with our drinks, I told him as much.

“We can go over to the VIP lounge?” he suggested. “It’s a bit quieter in there.”

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