☼ Sasha ☼

I felt the change, the shift in the heated air.  You could say it was almost pleasant and strummed over my sensitive nerve endings.

"Slave!" he barked as the sound of his heavy booted feet moved around me, but I didn't look at him. Instead, I blinked away the last of my tears not wanting to give him any more parts of me.  

What was the change?  Self preservation.

And like vines, it wrapped itself around me, grounding me.  Most people had it, clung to it in moments of distress. That fight or flight response kept you alive.  And mine was coming out fighting.

The hate for him spread like a virus, infecting every breath.  I may be trussed up, vulnerable and unable to set myself free, but it wasn't going to break me.

So far, it was all about him. His needs. His twisted game.

And I fully accepted this was my fault.  I'd given him this power.  Forgotten the most basic of rules in this world.

But he was taking no more. 

And it might not be today, but I would repay him in kind. Someway. Somehow.

On the flip side and equally as twisted or baffling to me was no matter how my mind dealt with the blows, my body absorbed each hit.  I was more than turned on. Fully aroused to where one more direct hit to my clit would have me shamefully coming for this bastard.

How messed up was that?

My therapist would have herself a tea-party with where my thoughts were at right now because apparently I was a multi-faceted mess of contradictions... including and surprisingly a tiny bit  masochistic.

Motherfuc-

A trickle of sweat slipped down my temple as I hissed through the gag when the fifteenth whack landed.

The bastard moved to stand in front of me, leaning in so I could feel his breath on my face. "You resist, slave, but I will break you."

Never.

However, I was becoming physically exhausted. My head flopped forward as another whack lashed across my skin...my thighs this time and each time he hit a new spot... then yeah, it burned like a bitch.

But I could do this.

Keep it together.

I tensed and flexed my muscles a bit, trying to get my blood flowing.

His hardened accented voice demanded attention and his thick finger came under my chin, forcing my head up. I knew a submissive wasn't supposed to look a dominant directly in the eyes. But I refused to look away. I wanted him to see the rage, let him drown in my defiance. He ripped the gag from my mouth and I clambered to get in as much air as my lungs would allow. It was a relief.

"We stop for a moment."

We stop?  There was no we, here.  Prick.

I licked to wet my lips as he walked to his bag and laid the crop on the bed and pulled out a cigarette packet?  He flipped the top and shook a smoke loose.  

Addi turned and offered me one with a smirk. 

What the hell?

Chuckling to himself he dropped the packet back into the bag.  With the crop in his hand again, he walked to the furthest corner and picked up the only chair in the room and fetched it closer and sat down in front of me. He crossed his ankles relaxing back and rested the crop across his lap and lit-up his cancer stick.

I glared hard at the bastard. He may have fooled me looking and sounding like a gentleman at the start, but as he exhaled an indifferent breath of smoke around his head, tendrils curled like horns.

Yeah, he was the devil alright.

Blowing a puff of smoke my way. "Tell me about yourself, Slave-girl."

My mouth parted. Was he serious? Hands clenched into fists, I spat out. "Go. Fuck. Yourself."

A smirk spread across his lips, the movement excruciatingly slow, almost as if he wasn't the least bit surprised at my harsh words. He had the audacity to look so satisfied with himself knowing that if I were suddenly freed, I would slap that stupid, smug smile right off his face.

"Let. Me. Down. Asshole!" I said through gritted teeth.

He clucked his tongue, cocking a thick, dark brow. "Why would I do such a thing when I enjoy looking at you?" He hummed. "You look even more beautiful bearing my marks."

If I didn't think I could hate him any more... then I was wrong.

Addi continued to take his time, smoking and staring. I refused to look away and when he'd finished his 'break' he picked up the crop and I heard the whistle as it struck my nipple this time.

Sonofabitch!

The impact was followed by a harsh sting that built into a hot, intense burning that I felt everywhere.  It increased the ache in my pussy forcing me to bite my inside cheek, almost expecting to chew through it, hoping to put off...

Oh, God. Please don't let me come. Not now. Not here.

Words I never thought I'd think.

He struck me again. Thankfully, it stalled my climax and riled me up instead. "You're a sick-motherfucker-bastard-twating-cunt-face!" I panted.

I wasn't one for cursing, but my creative language skills were on fire tonight... like my skin.

"Perhaps my slave needs something to occupy her mouth, yes?" His top lip curled as he reached down and gripped his dick through his trousers. "You American sluts need a lesson on how to behave." He nodded once. "Your bratty mouth will look good, filled with my cock."

A shudder of disgust rolled through me. "Fuck. You!"

Addi came closer and gripped one of my nipples and twisted it until I winced. "I dislike my slaves cursing. Fuck is not a word I want to hear from you again."

Like I cared what he liked or wanted.

"When I fuck you Slave-girl, I promise you will use 'fuck' in more ways than I ever have." He grinned menacingly, twisting my nipple even harder. "I think maybe we should change this up. A flogger perhaps, yes?"

"I'm not your slave, you psycho." But in all honesty, it had to be easier than the crop? Right?

He muttered something about my smart ass'd mouth as he drifted back toward the bed, dropping the crop he delved into his bag.

His hand came out with a dark-brown flogger. "This one you will like." He brought it to me, holding up for me to see. "What makes this special are these knots you see." He ran his fingers through the suede braids.

My nails bit into my palms.

"It cuts and bites every bit as much as the sharpest of whips." He smiled. "Beautiful, you agree?"

No. Breaking the skin could cause permanent scarring. Heat crawled up the back of my neck at the same time it drained from my face. Frozen, my heart pounded even louder and I stared at him like some kind of idiot... which I was.

"Nothing to say, Slave-girl?" His deep chuckle curdled my stomach. "What is it they say? Cat got your tongue?"

Smug asshole.

Addi's frame straightened. "Ten flogs, and then I shall reward you." His free hand rubbed over his groin. "You will suck my cock."

Shaking myself from my stupor. "Humph," I scoffed. "Things that small—" I purposely looked at his crotch with a look of pity. "—Are a choking hazard!" His cocky smirk vanished. "Call yourself a master? Ha! I've sucked bigger lollipops!"

He moved lightning quick, gripping my face, squeezing my lips together so hard it would leave a bruise. He hovered his mouth close to mine. "Enough! You think I have not broken stronger slaves than you?" He eased back and his eyes flashed, like he had some kind of epiphany. "Let me show you."

He let go and toddled off to dip into that bag of his. My forehead bunched as he pulled out something. Oh, shit. It looked like a mouth clamp.

Why the hell had I taunted him? Idiot.

Addi practically swaggered, coming closer. "Now, let us begin."

I braced myself as much as I could but he checked himself mid swing when the door opened and in burst...

Oh, thank God!

Zack, with a face of thunder and a snarl to rival the angriest wolf, rushed into the room.

And right behind him... Huh? Who the hell?

Was I hallucinating?

Oh, god. I was losing my mind because I thought I was seeing Ellis. Ellis Jenson. It made zero sense why he was with Zack?

"Get—!" Addi didn't have time to finish his sentence as Zack barrelled into, pushing him three steps back and then again even harder and Addi's head smacked the wall with an oomph.

Zack's elbow positioned itself under Addie's chin, forcing his head up. "My turn to play, fucker," he growled, dropping his elbow to then use it to land the first blow to Addi's face.

I heard the delightful sound of bone cracking.

"Jesus," came a male voice, a familiar one, and my head twisted to see shocked blue eyes rapidly blinking.

I was naked, literally, under his gaze and helpless to prevent the heat from rising to my cheeks as his eyes lingered on me. It felt like a full minute went by; unsure who was more shocked. It was almost surreal. With a hoarse voice, I asked, "am I hallucinating you?"

I had to ask, wondering if this was divine or maybe diabolical intervention.

Ellis Jenson hated me.

And I thought he was the third worst person on the planet. After the devil incarnate, Addi, and Katy Perry—yeah, she knew what she'd done wrong.

And then the only thing I could think of was the last time I saw him and how this was the second time he'd seen me naked. Ugh.

"At least you still sound like you, Duchess." Ellis's shoulder brushed against my skin as he reached for the restrains around my ankles." Moving up. The heat of his breath on my neck gave rise to a weird anticipation. "And no. You're not hallucinating." Scoffing. "Although I think I might be."

On a normal day—him calling me Duchess and all his cockiness would have my nails sharpening. But right then, my mind and body were too relieved to care.

One thick arm went around my waist and his hand gripped my hip as he undid my wrists and my arms dropped like dead-weights. "Steady, Duchess. I got you."

I sagged against him, ignoring the fact my naked body pressed against his very hard one. Even worse, he had an erection. Seriously? What the hell about this situation got him hard?

Mortified, I should have pushed him away, but I didn't, I clung to his body like I was afraid I'd be swept away.

"Shit," he muttered, lifting me with ease and carrying me to the bed. Sitting me down gently, he removed his expensive and rather nice suit jacket and put it around my shoulders. And although grateful, it didn't stop me hissing as it brushed over the sensitive skin of my shoulders.

Ellis winced. "Sorry."

Another first. Ellis Jenson apologising. I must have passed out and woken up into some alternate universe.

Nodding, I rubbed at my wrists to get some feelings back. "Can you check the bag behind me... some water would be good." I'd seen Addi help himself to some earlier.

Ellis stretched past me and dragged the bag closer and rummaged inside. "Fucking hell!" he said, and I turned to see his horrified look and a dagger in his hand.

The glint of the blade had me moving along the bed, not wanting to be near the thing. Would that bastard have cut me next? I gripped at the seams of Ellis's jacket, fetching them closer as if I could protect myself from that horrific thought.

"Ellis. Fetch that here," said Zack.

My head snapped in Zack's direction. He had Addi, whose left eye was swelling, held by the scruff of his collar. Although they were evenly matched in both height and size, Zack proved to be the more menacing of the two.

"This?" asked Ellis, holding up the knife.

"Yes," he answered sharply as he kicked Addi's feet from under him and he went down causing the ground to shake. Zack followed him and moved to straddle his waist. Delivering a swift punch, he then ripped open Addi's shirt, with buttons flying in all directions. And without looking, he held out his hand and Ellis handed him the knife.

I didn't care to know Zack's plans for that blade, instead I shifted my attention to Addi's bag and found the water for myself. I drank it down without taking a breath, with some escaping the corners of my mouth to run over my chin and down my throat. When I'd finished, I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth and tossed the bottle.

Every action causes a reaction, and my bladder clenched. I looked behind me and noticed a door? Being painted the same colour as the walls, you could almost miss it. Pushing up from the bed and unsteady on my legs, I got three steps before a hand slid around my waist again.

"Where are you going, Duchess?" asked Ellis. "I can get anything you need?"

I lifted a hand, pointing at the door. "I'm hoping through that door is a bathroom."

Ellis walked alongside me, taking most of my weight. He opened the door and the relief at seeing the toilet was almost overwhelming that I nearly peed myself standing there. I eased myself from Ellis' grip and looked at him expectantly.

"What? What do you need?" he asked.

"I'm not peeing with you watching me, Ellis."

"Ah." He flashed his white teeth. "Sure you don't any help?"  I rolled my eyes, this was the Ellis I knew. 

"Ellis," Zack shouted.  

"Looks like I'm needed, Duchess." He winked. "Watch yourself."  

As the door closed, I lifted the toilet lid and sat down. A loud sigh escaped, and I almost passed out with relief sitting there emptying my bladder. Finally standing, I washed my hands and dared look into the mirror.

Yep. As I expected. I could pass for a victim from a horror-movie. Hair plastered to my face. Dried snot. Running mascara and puffy red eyes.

Ugh. 

Reaching for the soap, I paused and a smile wormed it way free. 

Quickly washing and drying my face, I slipped my arms into Elli's jacket and fastened the three buttons, although it barely hid my boobs. I picked up the liquid soap dispenser and popped it into the pocket.

Feeling a little steadier, I opened the door to hear Zack threatening Addi, who was spitting out curses at Zack.  Ellis was holding Addi's arms out to the sides.

My eyes skimmed the floor and spotted what I needed. Slowly walking toward it, I scooped up the mouth clamp. "Zack."

Zack's head swung my way. He wore one of his usual scowls but it morphed into something even scarier when he saw the angry red welts on my thighs.

"Put him on the rack." The strength of my voice shocked me.

Zack didn't move, and I thought he was going to shoot my request down, but then he got up and pulled Addi up by the hair. "Ellis. Help me."

Addi struggling against Ellis and Zack got him nowhere fast. He continued to spit out blood and curses as Zack fixed his wrists in place and Ellis secured his ankles.

I walked closer and now I could see what Zack had used the blade for. Woman Abuser. The carved out, bloody lettering read across his chest.

Ain't that the truth!

Now right in front of Addi, Zack came to stand at the side of me, and Ellis moved to stand beside Zack. "You have ten minutes."

I only needed five.

With all his flexing muscles and rock-grinding teeth, Addi glared at me. Well, glared with his right eye, his left was more or less swollen shut.

I returned his glare, refusing to back down. "Are you going to be a good boy and open up?" I held up the mouth-clamp and his lips clamped tight.

Looks like we were doing this the hard way. I reached up and pinched his nose.

Unable to breathe, defiance flashed in his one good eye as he tried to pull away, but I held on tight until he had to breathe and open his mouth. Zack already knew what I was trying to do and helped open his mouth wider. When I say helped, it took a little forceful persuasion.

In place, I tapped his cheek and cooed. "Don't you look pretty?"

The look he gave me was the reason for the phrase... if looks could kill.

"What's she gonna do to him?" I heard Ellis whisper to Zack.

Oh, he was about to find out.

Reaching inside Ellis' jacket pocket, I pulled out the soap dispenser. Unscrewing the plunger, I pulled it out and tossed it aside.

Addi's eyes widened.

"Bon appetit." I shoved it into his mouth and emptied the whole damn thing as he tried to jerk away from me. Coughing and spluttering, it was music to my ears.

It wouldn't do any serious harm. Pity. But then again, Zack had left a permanent reminder etched into his skin.

Pulling out the empty bottle. "Let's hope that cleans your soul, you twisted motherfucker!" Running my fingers over his chest, I scraped over the bloodied letters, smiling when he hissed in pain.

Yeah, payback was a bitch.

"Remind me never to get on her bad side," said Ellis.

I blinked as my eyes suddenly blurred. Swaying on my feet, the bottle dropped from my hand and my chest deflated. Light-headed. Apparently, I'd run out of steam and was about to collapse.

"Fuck. Sasha," I heard Zack as his firm hands caught me and then he scooped me into his arms and I happily pressed my face into his chest. Damn, he smelt good, and I inhaled deeply.

He'd found me. He'd saved me.

I felt the rumble of his words as he said, "You have forty-eight hours to leave the UK or I will ship your body parts back to your family in fed-ex boxes." He held me tighter. "Do we have an understanding, Mr Tahiri?"

He knew this man?

Whisking me out of there, I was back in Mr Davies' car, sitting on Zack's lap.

"Do we need to take Miss Darling to the hospital, Mr Coles?" asked Mr Davies, his words full of concern.

I shook my head. "No hospital. Please."

Zack grumbled. "Take us back to Risk. I will have my doctor meet us there."

I didn't need to be checked over. The pain was dulling already, but I thought better of arguing.

It shocked the hell out of me when Zack pressed a kiss to my head. "Tell me you're alright, Sasha."

I angled my head up and ran the tip of my nose against his throat to feel his fingers dig into me as a warning. "I will be."

"Good." He kept his voice low, threatening to those who didn't know him. "When you're feeling better, I'm warning you now. I'm going to spank your ass so hard you will think twice before doing something as reckless as what you did tonight." He swallowed softening his voice. "Don't dare do that to me again, Sasha." 

I'd scared him.  Hell, I'd scared myself.

But the idea of Zack spanking me didn't sound scary. I pressed my hand directly over his chest to feel his heart beating as fast as mine. "I'm sorry... Sir."

He breathed out a heavy breath. "Oh, you will be, little girl."

His words executed a full body-shiver, and my thighs clenched. A small grin tugged at my lips.

Perhaps tonight hadn't been a total disaster?