Page 14 of Claim

“Are you ready to explore, Only Sophia?”

Her skin prickled with goosebumps. “Yes.”

“We’ll go slow.” I took hold of her wrists as they gripped my shirt as if it were a lifeline and pulled her forward.

Her breathing became erratic when she stood before me as if uncertainty overwhelmed her. No matter how much I wanted to push her to drop her guard, I wouldn’t force her into anything she wasn’t ready to experience.

I craved absolute control, and this wouldn’t work unless she gave it to me.

“You can change your mind, and we can return to the lounge.”

She shook her head, and she stepped closer to me. “No. I need to know why I’m drawn to this.”

“Our scene has officially started.” I threaded my fingers into her long hair, tilting her head back. “As of this point, the only way to stop things is to use your safe word. What is your word?”

“Marriage.” She licked her lips.

“I’m going to test two objects on you and then place them in your hands. Whichever one you offer me is the instrument I will use on you tonight.”

Her hold on my shirt tightened, and she shifted slightly. “Okay.”

“You must let go of me for our scene to commence.” I brought my face a fraction toward hers, letting my stubble graze her cheek.

She turned into my touch, and then her fingers eased their grip as we both released each other and stepped back.

The wild child of the Morellis, so beautiful and completely out of her element. No bright lights or runways or A-list parties. Only a Dom who planned to teach her things she never knew she wanted.

The play of emotions on her face told a story of a woman who may own her sexuality in public but had never experienced true release or freedom.

Her lips parted, taking in an unsteady breath, and immediately I had visions of sliding my cock into that perfect full mouth of hers, of seeing beautiful tears soak through that red mask as she took me all the way back and struggled to handle my thrusts.

“Damon,” her whisper of my name had me snapping out of my fantasy and moving to a set of cabinets in the back corner of the room.

I selected a paddle and flogger. One end of each item had a hard handle wrapped in leather, constructed to allow the user control. On the other end was where they differed.

The flogger consisted of a multitude of long buttery soft leather tendrils designed to give a beautiful glow and bite to a submissive’s skin without causing excessive abrasions. The paddle was made of smooth cherry wood, thin and flat on two sides.

Before I brought them to her, I knew which one she’d pick.

The flogger.

The very little interaction I’d had with her told me she craved to lose complete control. And that required pain, not just in a centralized location.

With the flogger, I could work her whole body.

Moving behind her, I trailed both instruments along the outer edges of her thighs, making her shiver.

“Hold out your hands.”

I struck the paddle down into her palm as soon as she followed directions.

“Oh.” she jerked, curling her fingers for a moment before stretching them out again, and then she waited, anticipating the strike to the other hand.

Giving her what she expected, I smacked the flogger onto her skin.

She flinched, but this time she kept the gasp inside.

A deep blush crept up the column of her neck, and she lifted her arm as if requesting more.

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