Page 39 of The Devil's Spawn

Over my dead body would I send my children away.

Despite the world of differences between this group and myself, I still found their company pleasant, and I could see meeting up with them for lunch, or even a day of shopping if Gage allowed it.

Something told me he would. My gut chewed over this whole night in a way that frightened and excited me, and I sensed these women and their as yet named husbands were going to play a big part in our lives. Maybe Gage wanted us to have friends. The concept sounded kind of…nice.

I was lost in Virginia’s talk about the next fundraiser she was in the process of organizing when the plug in my ass vibrated me out of my stupor. The telltale mechanical sound blazed my cheeks red, but no one seemed to hear it over the excited discussion of venues and caterers.

Rising from my chair, I excused myself to use the ladies room and headed in the direction that Virginia pointed out. But that wouldn’t do. Gage had given me specific instructions, and they didn’t involve hiding in a bathroom, safe behind a closed door.

Damn him.

A wall of French doors caught my eye to the right, and before I could give it more thought, I slipped outside and immediately wished I had my jacket. But the weather wasn’t too bad, and doing Gage’s bidding would be easier out here, where I had plenty of space to explore, between the stone walkways, spotted with benches and lanterns that invited people to meander through the gardens surrounding the gazebo.

Only a few stragglers braved the chilly night, but most of them kept close to the estate. Gage hadn’t said a word aboutnotgoing outside to touch myself, so I took off down the path, eyeing the shelter of trees that provided a backdrop for the gazebo. Ash trees were prominent throughout the grounds, and their autumn leaves—the color of burnt sienna and gold—quietly drifted to the grass like confetti at a party.

I found an unusually large tree a few feet from the gazebo, its trunk wide enough to conceal most of my body. And that’s where I settled in for the duration of my first task, my back against the smooth bark as I gathered my gown up in the front and wedged my hand between my thighs, pushing Gage’s rope to the side.

Oh God. The friction of that rope in the valley of my ass cheeks, and the way it pressed tight against my nipples amped me even hotter. Between the vibrations from the plug and the slickness of my needy pussy, left aching all day from Gage’s denial games, I wasn’t sure how I’d survive this.

But I had to, even if that meant visualizing spiders crawling all over me to keep from coming. Because I knew my husband well enough to know that he expected me to touch myself until the vibrations stopped.

It was all about control, and I’d better find some, or else.

But damn…

With a groan, I let my head fall back against the tree and increased the circling motion of my fingers. And they were playing a dangerous game—touching in the perfect way with enough pressure to bring a massive rush of blood to my core.

So damn good. Could I get off and lie about it?

Not even an option. Not only would he know I was lying, but I’d break under my own guilt in two seconds flat. But shit…I was going to come. So close.

Too fucking close.

Growling, and more than a little angry, I banged my head against the trunk as I wrenched my fingers away from temptation. Just a few seconds, I promised myself, concentrating on breathing until my heartbeat slowed. But my ass still vibrated Gage’s command, and I imagined his words as surely as if he’d spoken them into my ear.

Fingers in your drenched cunt, Kayla. Don’t stop now.

Why did he have to torture me so damn much? I was never free of him—if his control didn’t wrap me in metaphorical cellophane, then his voice echoed in my head, uttering filthy words that never failed to make me do his bidding.

Pushing my wet fingers back into the center of slick heat, I worked myself into a frenzy. My pussy throbbed with each stroke, and I climbed higher—so high I worried I’d float away, regardless of the consequences. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pleaded with a higher power to help me resist.

“Please,please…” My frantic whispers got lost in the breeze, drifting on the leaves, finding the kind of freedom I wasn’t allowed. “Oh please…Ican’t…”

And that’s when the vibrations stopped.

I wasn’t sure how long I leaned against the tree, eyes closed, chest expanding and collapsing with each hard-won breath. Coming down took time—more time than I thought it would, considering I hadn’t reached nirvana.

After a while, I started shivering, and I had just taken a step away from my hiding place when I heard voices. Pressing as flat as I could against the trunk, I prayed the cloak of darkness would conceal me to whoever had decided to encroach upon my private moment.

Two people stalled in front of the gazebo, and I recognized Gage immediately. The build of his shoulders, the way he walked, and the authority inherent in his tone—if nothing else gave him away behind his mask, those traits certainly did.

But he wasn’t alone, and it took me an extra five seconds to realize the woman with him was Katherine. I pressed a fist to my mouth to cover a gasp.

“You’ve got five minutes before I have you thrown off the grounds,” he said, and the undeniable anger in his voice leeched some of the tension from my body. This was not a rendezvous between two lovers on the down-low.

This was…I had no idea what this was, but forget the rules against eavesdropping; I wasn’t about to blow my chance to find out more.

“Don’t be so mean. No one’s around, Gage. It’s just us.”

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