Page 23 of Royal Deception
“It’s okay,” I whisper, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. It’s easier to be gentle with her when she’s like this, tucked up and vulnerable in my lap. There’s some part of me that cherishes the chance to show her a different side of myself, one that I’d never willingly show anyone else under any other circumstances.
Not only that, but my own head feels better now too. I feel more clear-minded, less tense, less anxious than before. It’s like the session with Clary gave me something too.
“You’re forgiven,” I continue. “Would you like your reward now?”
“Reward?” Clary asks, tilting her chin up to search my eyes.
“Yes.” I smile, running a thumb over her lower lip. “You’ve earned a reward from me. I’d like to touch you, to get you off. Is that alright with you?”
I hold my breath, waiting for Clary’s response. I hope I haven’t pushed her too far or frightened her away.
10
CLARY
Each stroke of the belt had stung with the intensity of a hundred insect bites, all at once. My skin throbs, raw and pulsing with every beat of my heart. Humiliation and pain crash over me in waves, but they slowly ebb, leaving behind a startling sense of clarity.
A calm, renewed energy fills me—the same sensation I’d been chasing through yoga, then through daily walks with Ana. But now, I’ve found it at the end of a belt, bent over and taking my punishment like a good girl. The irony isn’t lost on me, and I almost want to laugh.
I’d been searching for an outlet, something to help me cope with the chaos of my life, the unpredictability of my boss. And somehow, I’d found it with him.
On paper, I should feel shame. I should be humiliated that I debased myself on my hands and knees for the very man I was so certain I despised. But the tight knot of stress and anxiety that had been squeezing my ribs all day? It’s just gone.
I shift on Rory’s lap and wince, the sting of my marks a sharp reminder. He tightens his grip, stroking my hair as he waits for my answer. His gaze is expectant but he doesn’t push.
The tenderness in his touch confuses me. Rory is always so hard and so demanding. Not a day goes by—especially lately—where I don’t feel his gaze lingering on me, waiting for me to screw up so he can tear into me.
I shiver, adrenaline still fizzing through my veins. Everything about this is confusing. I liked being on the business end of his belt, feeling him hold me down and make me take every stroke. I shouldn’t have liked it, but I did.
Maybe that’s it. Maybe surrendering to Rory instead of fighting him was what I needed all along. I didn’t have to guess what he wanted, didn’t have to anticipate or outmaneuver him. I just had to let go.
His fingers lift my chin, bringing my gaze to his. His voice is a low murmur as he repeats himself. “Would you like your reward now?”
His eyes stay steady. Patient. This is my choice.
I swallow, pulse hammering against my throat. My lips part, breath shaky as I whisper, “Yes.”
Rory lays me out gently on his couch, taking his time arranging me into a comfortable position as he helps me remove my soiled shirt and corset top, leaving me completely exposed.
One arm comes up to cover my chest, but Rory gently pries it away, shaking his head. “Don’t hide yourself from me, little girl,” he says, his voice gentle but leaving no room for argument.
Something about the tone of his voice, the way his gaze is fixed on me so intensely, has me shivering, the already present arousal increasing until I’m little more than a puddle beneath him. Obediently, I let my arms fall away, exposing myself to him as he takes in the sight of me, eyes roving over my naked body.
Somehow, this is more intimate than anything we’ve ever done before. We’ve had sex, of course. The baby in my belly is proof of that. But Rory’s never looked at me like this, like I was something he wanted, something hecraved.
“You aren’t allowed to come until I give you permission,” he says, and that’s all the warning I get before he nudges my thighs apart and shuffles between them, settling himself there. His thumbs come up, brushing over my folds as he parts my sex, tongue darting out to lick a soft, wet stripe over my overheated cunt.
My body attempts to rise from the couch, but Rory pins me in place as he begins to lavish attention on my clit, nibbling the soft flesh as he strokes soothing circles into my thighs. Throwing my head back, I let out a breathless, whiny moan. The sharp sting of the welts on my buttocks and thighs is a constant reminder of my recent punishment, but somehow, it makes everything better, so much more erotic and charged.
Rory’s lips buzz against my skin as he hums something low and rhythmic, the sensation sending sparks down my spine. I’m already worked up from everything that’s happened and I don’t know how long I can last.
It’s as though he has a direct line to my subconscious, though, because he pulls away long enough to murmur, “Relax,” and I’m going limp, closing my eyes as I let him take control once more. Some part of me knows that all I have to do is exist in the moment and Rory will take care of me.
I focus on the way his mouth feels as he gives me delicate, featherlight strokes of his tongue. His lips wrap around my clit to suckle my bud with tender pressure, ever careful not to go too hard.
For a brief moment, I wonder if he’s simply tormenting me, if he’s playing some kind of cruel game just to get me to beg.
But when our eyes meet, that thought flies away instantly. I see no mockery in his gaze, no sharp-edged malice seeking to cut me down, only a soft look that I can’t quite decipher. His eyes break away from mine, redirecting his attention to my pussy once more as he continues to trace little patterns with his tongueover me. With every swipe of his tongue, the neediness grows inside, no matter how hard I try to push it away.
