Page 40 of Reclaimed

I believed Ray could make me feel good, and I believed he’d stop if I used the safe word, so there didn’t really seem any good reason not to. “Then, yes. Okay. We can try it.”

Ray swooped down, beaming, and kissed me hard until I fell back into the sofa cushions. It was uncharacteristically playful and I laughed when he broke the kiss.

“It’s good to hear you laugh.”

We stayed cuddling like that for a while before I said, “So, when can we start?”

“You mean start to play?”

I nodded. Ray smirked and started running his hands over me.

“Eager to get started, are we?” he whispered huskily. It felt like the last major barrier between us – me trusting Ray enough to submit to him. He’d punished me since I’d arrived, but me consenting to really play, really surrender myself to the unknown – that was different. The trust, the pain, the pleasure – they were all tools we had used in the past to deepen our connection, and I needed that connection with someone.

I gasped as Ray’s fingers pinched a nipple teasingly through the fabric of my top.

“You will go to our room,” he instructed calmly. “You will strip, you will kneel, and you will wait for me. Understood?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good girl.” I headed upstairs on shaky legs. The thrill of calling Ray Master, of following his instructions, of knowing I was going to be tested – it caused a familiar comforting weight to descend in the air around me. My head felt light but clear as I took off my clothes and knelt on the floor of our room. I could feel my body shaking while I listened for Ray’s footsteps. The anticipation was driving me crazy. It was an exquisite torture.

Finally, he entered the room. I kept my eyes downcast, resisting the temptation to look up and see him in full-on dominant mode. He stopped right in front of me, and I let out a shaky breath.

“Do you remember your safe word, little one?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Tell me the safe word.”

“Magenta.”

“Good girl.” He crouched in front of me, and I forced myself to stay still, trying to control my breathing. The intensity of it all – it was so much more than I remembered. I didn’t know if, at any second, he was going to touch me, going to hurt me…

His thumb brushed my lower lip. “I’ve waited a long time to see you like this again – naked on your knees, compliant, ready to do whatever I ask of you.” His words sent heat pooling between my legs. I was already desperate for him to touch me. “This is where you belong, isn’t it, Callie?”

“Yes, Master,” I managed to whisper.

“Breathe, baby girl.” He planted a quick kiss on my head before rising. I continued to stare resolutely at the floor. I wanted our first time playing again to be a success; I wanted to know I’d obeyed and respected him the way he deserved for every single minute. I heard him open and close a drawer, and then he was in front of me again.

“I’m going to blindfold you now.” I closed my eyes and raised my head to give him better access. “There – beautiful.” Warm fingertips trailed down my cheek. He seemed to be taking extra care not to spook me. I felt safe until rough rope looped around my wrists. In a second, I was back with the men in David’s flat being manhandled and bound, and I’d flinched before I could remind myself how good I was trying to be. Ray’s motions stilled and I waited for a reprimand.

“I’m sorry, Master.”

“It’s alright, pet. Are you okay?”

“Yes, Master.” I raised my arms, offering my wrists to him. I wasn’t with those men now; I was with Ray, and he didn’t want to harm me. But what if he did? What if he’d played nice to get me to submit to him, but once I was bound, he was going to do something awful? I shuddered but allowed Ray to continue binding my wrists. I wanted to trust him; I wanted to see where this was going. I’d been missing experiences like this for so long, and I needed it.

“Good girl.” There was a pause while Ray was presumably admiring his handiwork, and then a sudden tug on the rope. “Up.”

I got to my feet and allowed Ray to guide me to the bed. As he laid me down, the panic started to set in again. What if this time, he really was going to hurt me? I had flashes of the kind of scenes I’d imagined when I’d first arrived here, of what I’d thought those men might do to me when they had me bound and blindfolded just like this…

Two fingers rested on the side of my neck. That Ray was bothering to check my pulse gave me some relief. He cared. He’d proven again and again that he cared. He didn’t want me terrified; he didn’t want me to be in agony.

“Are you frightened?” He knew the truth anyway.

“Yes, Master.”

“Do you need to stop?”

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