†† Ellis ††

Holy Fuck.

My eyes popped open, and I now was fully awake and sporting a fucking painful wood.

Digging the heel of my hand into my eyes, the disturbing dream replayed itself of me on my knees, naked, with Zack instructing me to jack off for him.

And if that wasn't disturbing enough, Sasha fucking Darling entering the picture and Zack ordering her to give me a blowjob was.

My brain was obviously misfiring or fucked up. Either way something wasn't right.

Sasha hated me and I hated... Well, no, I didn't hate her. She was just annoying as fuck and spoilt. And the last woman I'd ever let her teeth near my cock. She would bite the damn thing off.

Although last night she'd been, what's the word? Pleasant? Grateful? But we had just rescued her from a seriously fucked up situation.

Tossing off the bed sheet, the cool air was welcome. Yawning, I pushed off the bed and stretched out before grabbing my shorts from the floor and heading to the bathroom. Locking the door, my cock was still rock-hard and pissing was out of the question until...

Fuck it. It would be easier to just deal with it.

I reached inside my shorts and cupped my balls with one hand, shoving my shorts down with the other. This was gonna be quick and dirty. Rub one out, wash up, take a piss and then get my fist shot of caffeine for the day.

Simple.

Well, it was till I started thinking about Duchess wrapping her lips around my cock and making little hitching breathy moans as Zack stood watching us with his dick in his hand, beating one off. It was pointless trying to fight it. So I bit down hard on my tongue to stifle any groans. Quick and quiet. Long strokes. Staring at the mirror over the sink without seeing; my imagination was much more enticing as I fucked Duchess's throat.

Fuck ... so close.

Come for me, Ellis.

Zack. It was Zack's voice I heard in my head as I splattered the sink in cum. Breathing out hard. The rush of relief hit me like a truck and I leaned a hand on the sink, its ceramic chilly against my skin. It felt good.

About to wash the evidence away, I scooped up a dollop and stared at it, remembering how Zack had licked some off my thumb last night. That alone should freak me out, but weirdly, it didn't. Truthfully, every time I thought about it, my dick got hard and a shiver worked its way down my spine.

"You're seriously fucked up man," I mumbled to my reflection.

Running the water, I got rid of the evidence and tried to work out what was going on with me.

Perhaps I just needed to get laid? Or high? Or both?

Washing my hands. "Ellis?" There was a tap on the bathroom door.

And as if I'd conjured him, Zack was outside the bathroom door. Fuck. Had I said his name out loud? Had he heard me?

No. I'd only said it in my head. Hadn't I?

Clearing my throat. "Out in a second." Running more water, I hand-washed my cock and balls, trying to get rid of the sex musk clinging to my skin.

"When you're ready," he said in a low voice. "I'll be in the kitchen."

I looked down at my cock to see it twitch. "Oh, no you don't." I warned it. Not that the damn thing listened to me lately. I flipped the lid on the toilet and took a piss.

Inside the kitchen, Zack was speaking to someone on his mobile phone. Giving them instructions. He turned slightly, flicking his chin up to acknowledge me.

Whilst he was distracted, I tried to figure him out. Or more to the point. Figure out the weird effect he had on me. I allowed my eyes to graze over the man catching on to his rock-hard jaw, tracing the stubble that roughed up the slant of it. He was dressed casually this morning in a plain t-shirt and cotton chino's. The muscles in his arms flexed as he gripped his cell phone tightly. And weirdly, his usually stylish hair was unkempt, wet, obviously not long since he got out of the shower.

Finishing his call, he slipped his phone into his pocket and turned his attention the coffee machine.

"Something wrong?" I questioned. "The call?"

"No," he answered and turning to face me fully, he offered me a steaming cup of coffee.

"That for me?" He didn't answer, instead he looked me over, and not even discreetly. Was he checking me out? And why did him looking at me get my blood pumping and pooling in places it had no right to?

Not to mention my face heated a few degrees.

"Everything okay, Ellis?" There was something the way he asked, and I swore to god his eyes look heated.

Swallowing, I tried to lighten whatever was going on. "What's this?" Taking the cup, I put it on the counter and walked over to his large refrigerator. "You're making me coffee now—what's next? Breakfast in bed?" I joked, pulling out the milk. A side glance showed him making a face. Zack had shared his thoughts on milk and coffee.

Apparently, it was sacrilege to mix the two. Grabbing a spoon from the drawer, I stirred in the milk and left it on the countertop.

I could feel him watching me. "How's Duchess?" I corrected. "Sasha?"

"Sasha will be fine." His answer left no room for me to ask any more questions. "We need," he started, but stopped when a buzzer sounded. Someone was at the door and he left to go answer it and I picked up my coffee and dug my other hand into my shorts-pocket to fish out my mobile. Leaning against the countertop, I sipped on the hot liquid and scrolled through my socials.

Zack returned. "Breakfast?" he asked in that gruff, no-nonsense tone that I'd grown accustomed to over the past few days. "I can have something delivered in fifteen minutes."

I could feel his eyes on me, waiting. "Nah, I'm good." I carried on scrolling, not wanting not to face him directly.

Zack plucked out his mobile and fired off a message to someone. Then he set it down and picked up his drink and kept to the other side of the kitchen. However, I could still feel him watching me and I tried my best to ignore the heated look coming from those dark eyes.

"I apologise that we didn't get to talk last night."

I lifted my head. "About what?"

"The scene ending abruptly and then what happened with Sasha."

Ooh. I wasn't sure what he wanted me to say.

"You have no questions about either?"

My head moved from side to side. "No questions." Actually, I did have one. "I do have a question. When can we do another scene... with Jane?"

Shaking his head. "That won't be happening."

I put my phone and my coffee cup on the countertop behind me. "Why? I did as you asked." Even to my own ears, I sounded petulant.

With his tense jaw and raised brows, the skepticism was written all over his face.

Oh. Oooh. He remembered me coming without permission. His stare intensified, and I turned around and picked up the milk and returned it to the fridge. "Okay. Yeah. I came before you gave permission. So what? It's not like I'm your sub or anything."

"You agreed to the terms set out and therefore a punishment remains outstanding."

I squared my shoulders, my eyebrows inched closer "Are you shitting me?"  A simple 'No' was his blunt reply.

My words came out slowly. "What kind of punishment are we talking?" No fucking way was he spanking me. My mind recoiled, but apparently, my dick liked the idea.

Placing down his cup, he opened the drawer next to him and reached inside and lifted out a knife.

What the fuck?

Zack walked slowly toward me still holding the long knife with its curved blade. His lips slanted up as mine widened. "Does this scare you, Ellis?"

"No." I lied, my voice not as strong as it was a minute ago. "Should it?"

"Even when agreeing to a punishment. Trust is everything. Can you give me your trust, Ellis?"

On instinct I retreated backward until my back bumped the refrigerator. I held up my hands. My throat worked as I swallowed. "You're asking me to trust you when you're holding a knife?"

"I won't ever hurt you, Ellis." Zack's tone dropped, closing the distance. "Last night, you agreed to do as I asked."

"Yeah, but..."

"Lace your fingers behind your head"

His tone had me obeying and Zack studied me for a moment and when he looked down, there was no hiding my dick swelling inside my shorts.

Ever closer, Zack's lips slid into a cool smile as his free hand curved around the nape of my neck, then gripped it, forcing my head back a little to expose my neck. He ran the blunt side of the blade down the curve of my throat and pinned me to the refrigerator with the press of his hips. I sucked in when I unexpectedly felt his erection brush against mine.

Sweat beaded on my forehead. "W-w-what—" I stammered, "—do you want?"

He didn't answer right away and my mouth dried, forcing me to lick across my lips. "You're not ready for all I want from you, but I'm a patient man, Ellis."

What the hell did he want from me? Was he high or something? "Look, I'm not sure what the fuck is going on..."

Zack interrupted. "You're reacting to my command and the threat of having a knife touch your skin."

Zack slipped the blade between us, running it across my bare chest. I went perfectly still. "Your head may not have caught up but your body wants me to command it, bend it to my will."

"Fuck, Zack— " my breaths came out in hot little pants. "You have the wrong idea about me. I'm not a sub," adding through gritted teeth, "or gay."

Zack let out a harsh, cruel laugh. "You do not know what you are... yet." Zack moved back putting space between us and placed the knife on the table. I breathed out a relieved, suspended breath. I didn't know I was even holding it. "But I'm going to give you the opportunity to figure it out."

My hand dropped to my sides, and my shoulders sagged. But then his next question had them bunching up again.

"Tell me, Ellis. Is it only recently men have featured in some part of your fantasies?"

Fucking hell—how did he know that?

Thank the Lord himself that Duchess made her entrance, shower fresh, wearing nothing but one of Zack's shirts. So relieved for the distraction, I welcomed the sight of her long, smooth bare legs. Working my way up, I paused on her tits, clearly not wearing a bra. Finally, I reached her face and no matter how much she pissed me off, I'd admit to her being a stunningly beautiful woman.

Just a pity she had to open her mouth and spit out acid.

Those curious dark blues of hers danced between me and Zack. "Am I interrupting?"

"No. Not at all." He looked at me—what did he think I would contradict him? "We were waiting for you." He offered out his hand and she slipped hers in his. "Take a seat." He led her to the chair and pulled it out.

Then his expectant stare weighed on me. "Sit down, Ellis," I moved to pull out a chair. "No!" he ordered. "Next to Sasha."

Again, his command did something weird inside my head, not making any sense to me. Trying to brush it off, I did as he asked but took my sweet-ass'd time about it.

"Neither of you are to move." Zack left the room.

What was with him and him always barking out instructions? Rolling my eyes, I turned to Sasha. "Okay, Duchess?" She didn't look traumatised from last night's events. Still, I would not mention it unless she did.

Her head snapped my way. "Don't call me that."

I called her Duchess because everyone else called her Princess... and me demoting her to a mere duchess pissed her off.

"What are you doing here?" I clarified, "And by here—I mean in London."

"None of your business."

Fair enough. But I hadn't finished my twenty questions. Getting under her skin had become a sport. "I heard you dumped the loser."

An exasperated sigh followed. "Why does everyone keep calling him a loser? Hugh was a nice guy," she huffed with a little head shake.

Scoffing. "Then why dump him?"

"He was too nice."

I wasn't sure if she was telling me or herself. "What? So you dumped him because he romanced the shit out of you?"

"Something like that," she snipped. "Still. None of your business."

"Look, Duchess" She glanced at me. "If you keep your claws retracted, I'm willing to play nice." I thought it was a fair offer.

She twisted in her seat to snap at me. "I don't have the energy to be nice to you today."

Maybe it was crazy of me to think we could break a habit of a lifetime. "Huh? Tell me, why's that?"

She plucked a hair-band from around her wrist and gathered her hair on top of her head and wrapped the band around it. Not interested in her styling her hair, I instead let my eyes wander down.

Nice. Her nipples poked through the smooth material of the white shirt and I dragged my teeth over my bottom lip wandering how sensitive they were. Obviously she was into kink. But how far down the rabbit hole did she go? I was betting she had a pair of those nipple-clamps.

Fuck. My cock was back to being hard.

"Eyes up here, pervert!"

She'd noticed, not that I was discreet. "C'mon Duchess, I've seen you naked... twice." I popped an eyebrow, smirking.

"Quit that."

"Quit what?"

She lifted a finger, pointing, using it to draw out an imaginary circle around my face. "That. The I- don't-give-a-shit grin that could melt panties." Her eyes widened, and she bit down on her plump bottom lip as if she hadn't meant to say that.

A chuckle wormed its way free. "Does it work, Duchess?"

A little line formed between her eyebrows."What work?"

Cockily, I asked. "Am I melting your panties?"

She snorted and adopted an airy, haughty tone. "You do know acting like a dick won't make yours any bigger!"

"Nice 'cumback' Duchess," I smirked. "Did you scrape it from the back of your throat?"

Her breath seemed to lodge in her throat, and her eyes narrowed dangerously, readying her claws.

"Enough." said Zack, returning to the kitchen with what looked like a folder in one hand and paper bag in the other.

Offering the bag to Sasha, he sat down and opened his folder, pulling out papers and two pens.

Sasha's animosity faded as she peered inside the bag. "Banana Fritter!" she moaned out, dipping her hand inside. "My favourite." She lifted her head, her grin growing. "Careful. Zack, I might think you're in love with me."

Zack merely raised an eyebrow. "I had Mr Davies fetch your clothes."

She broke off a piece of fritter and took a bite, speaking with her mouth half-full. "What? So I'm staying here?"

Oh, fuck. No. Please. Not here.

"For now."

She tore off another chunk of fritter. "What? In your room?" She lowered her voice to a husky tone. "Your bed?"

Dayum, if she used that tone on me, I'd be a lot nicer to her. But the idea of her and Zack in bed—together, pissed me off. Although if anyone asked why, I wouldn't be able to give them an answer.

"Yes," he answered, pushing a pile of papers to Sasha and then one to me and then set the pens within reach.

I stared down at it. It was a contract. The first line read: Pre-scene BDSM checklist and questionnaire. "What's this for?"

"Before your training goes any further. You will complete it and sign."

I could feel Duchess's excitement. She was practically bouncing in her seat. "What, so this makes me your sub, officially?" she asked.

"If you sign. Yes."

She eek'd, picking up the pen. "Where do I sign?"

"Not so fast, little girl." Zack held up a finger. "There is a condition you must agree to."

Sasha froze. "Okaaay."

"If you agree to be my sub for the duration of your stay, then you must also agree to submit to Ellis."

Sasha's jaw and pen landed with a thud on the table. "You're not serious?" She gestured with her thumb toward me. "You want me to submit to him?"

"It's non-negotiable, Sasha."

Zack turned to me. "And you, Ellis, will learn how to earn the respect and trust from your submissive as well as submitting to me."

What the fuck? "I told you." I said through gritted teeth. "I'm not a sub."

"The same goes for you, Ellis. It's non-negotiable." He paused, then added. "A good dom must experience that of which he demands of his submissive."

I guess that made some sense. But there was no way I was sucking his dick or letting him do whatever he wanted. Like... my ass clenched. A total don't-go-there reaction.

My eyes dropped and scanned over the first few questions, flicking over the pages. "Is this some kind of test?"

Out of his chair, Zack moved around the table.

A heavy hand dropped onto my shoulder, and then I felt his lips by my ear. His smooth voice trickled down my spine making the hairs on the back of my neck stand. Which would be okay if it was a woman. But there was no mistaking Zack for a woman. The big man pressed his other hand flat on the table, leaning closer. "Not a test. I need to know your limits."

It made sense and my eyes dropped again to read over the words, albeit difficult to focus when all I could feel was his warm breath on my ear. "All your limits. Hard and soft."

He backed off. "You both have two hours." He was about to walk out when he stopped. "If you both agree then I will warn you now. You've already racked up a punishment each. That debt is repaid before we commence." And on that bombshell, he left.

I blew out a breath and picked up the pen and muttered to myself because Sasha seemed happy to pretend I wasn't there.

A minute went by when she said my name. "Ellis." Softening her tone, surprising me. "I—" she stopped, having trouble with her words. "I—"

"What is it? Spit it out. I don't bite." Wiggling my eyebrows. "Unless you're into that."

"Thank you, y'know, for last night. I appreciated what you did for me."

Wonders never ceased. "Anytime... Sasha."

She hummed and picked up her pen, and I diverted my attention to the paper in front of me, skimming across the first question. Shit. I swallowed.  Sexual orientation.

A few days ago that would have been a no messing heterosexual tick... but now I stared hard at the option B: Bi-curious.

Was I curious? Was that what this was?

I didn't have a clue. My mind was clearly in camp No. But the way my body responded...

Before I could change my mind. I ticked option B and hoped it wasn't the biggest mistake of my life.