Page 58 of Forbidden Vows

"Please," I whisper, my voice barely audible. I'm not even sure what I'm asking for—for him to stop, to continue, to do something, anything to ease the overwhelming tension building inside me.

He leans down, his lips brushing against my ear. "Please what, Cleo? Please stop? Or please more?" His hand moveslower, tracing the curve of my ass, his fingers grazing the jeweled base of the plug. I gasp, my body convulsing as a wave of pleasure crashes over me.

"I—I don't know," I admit, my voice shaking. I feel tears prick at the corners

“I will give you more.” He smacks my ass. “Now, your punishment.”

My eyes snap wide, feeling shame, knowing he can see the gold jewel between my cheeks glinting. Isn’t this enough?

“I was clear about my rules. And what would happen if you break them.”

Behind me, I hear the rustle of his clothing, the clinking of his belt being removed. My mind races, imagining him standing there, his gaze roving over my exposed body. I feel vulnerable, exposed, yet there's a thrill coursing through me that I can't deny. The anticipation is almost unbearable, a mix of fear and desire that leaves me trembling.

The first strike of his belt lands across my ass with a sharp crack, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. The pain is immediate and intense, a line of fire blazing across my skin. I cry out, but the thick walls of our Italian hideaway swallow the sound. Before I can catch my breath, another strike lands, just as harsh as the first. Tears sting my eyes, but there's something else too—a heat that pools low in my belly, a need that grows with each biting lash.

"Count them, Cleo," he demands, his voice rough. "Let me hear how well you're taking your punishment."

I grit my teeth, my voice shaking as I comply. "Two."

The third strike lands, and I choke out the number, my body jerking forward with the force of it. The plug shifts inside me, intensifying every sensation. I can feel my bodyresponding to the brutal dance of leather against flesh. The room is filled with the harsh music of my punishment—the crack of the belt, my strangled gasps, the whispered count after each strike.

Can I yell pineapple? Is that an option?

Five. Six. Each number is a victory, a testament to my endurance. The pain blurs into something else, something primal and raw. It's a fire that consumes me, burning away my fears and insecurities, leaving only a pure, unadulterated need.

The numbers are meaningless now, lost in the haze of sensation. I'm floating, adrift in a sea of pain and pleasure, each punishing strike now indistinguishable from the last until he reaches ten, the belt falling to the floor.

He’s suddenly leaning over me, the warm weight of him pressing against my bare back. My ass stings where the roughness of his jeans brushes up against it. His mouth is on my ear. “You’re such a good girl. You took your punishment so well.” And he’s kissing that spot on my ear, making me grind against the bed.

His fingers slip underneath him, feeling between my ass cheeks for the handle of the plug. He gives the handle a gentle press. His words are hot against my skin. “I told you I’d own every inch of your beautiful body.”

My grinding hips freeze. He wants to take me therenow?I don’t think a vanilla-bean kinda girl could ever be prepared for that, but right now?

The burst of a phone ringing makes me startle. He gives a deep groan, mumbling something about timing. His hand rests on my ass for a moment as he says, “I have to take this call. Don’t move a muscle.”

“Yes, sir.”

My cheek sticks to the damp sheet, my fingers still clutching the fur blanket. The hot stripes from the belt throb with heat. My muscles clench around the plug, my mind a whirlwind of nerves. The door closes behind him.

I think the bell saves me, that I’ll have some time to prepare. Instead, I find the wait daunting. I’m left, naked and alone, trembling with the anticipation of what’s to come.

Chapter Seventeen

Blaze

I return to find her exactly as I left her. I knew I would. She’s such a good girl for me. I’m the only man in this world she would ever submit to. It is a deep privilege.

And a mental hard-on.

I enter the room, straight for her. Wanting to feel my skin against hers, I quickly lose my clothing.

“I’m back, baby. Good job waiting. I have a treat for you.”

“You do?” she asks.

“Yes. You didn’t move a bit, and now I have something special for you.” I warmed a bottle of almond oil while I was on the phone, and I grab it now. Tipping the bottle, I hold it high over her bare back. “This is going to feel so good.”

Her back arches, and she moans with pleasure as I let the warm oil flow in a line from the base of her neck downover her waist, then hold it steady, allowing a long stream flow down the crack of her ass, over the jeweled plug handle. The gold oil covers her rosy bottom, ready for me to rub into her punished skin.

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