My eyes landed on the vibrator. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

Tess plucked the note from the side. “Enjoy, newlyweds. We look forward to seeing you at breakfast tomorrow. Love, Frederick, Angelique, Franco, and Suzette. She looked at the toys, her eyebrow raising. “That’s a lot of people to chip in for some vanilla playthings.”

“They have no imagination. The best things to use are the most mundane.” I dragged a fingernail up her thigh, loving her shiver.

She breathed shallow, hypnotising me. Her breasts were soft globes with tiny erect nipples, her skin slightly indented from the boning of the corset.

She lay back slowly, never looking away.

My cock swelled. I thought for a second of using the blindfold, flogger, and cuffs, but the need for gentleness hadn’t left. It cushioned my thoughts, keeping my beast distracted—tamed.

The toys didn’t excite me. I didn’t want to tie Tess up—I wanted to feel her fingers in my hair. I didn’t want to hurt her—I wanted her moans of ecstasy.

Connection. Sex. No pain.

Just her. And me.

On me, over me, on my tongue, on my cock. I wanted to fucking worship her with every inch.

Never breaking eye contact, I pulled the vibrator and lube free, before tossing the basket over my shoulder. It landed loudly, scattering items beneath the dressing table.

Tess’s mouth parted. “You don’t want—”

I grabbed my cock, stroking once, twice. Loving the anticipation…desperate to tease. “Not today, esclave. Today I’m taking your moans as payment rather than your tears.”

Her face scrunched, battling a wash of love. “How do you read me so well? How did you know I needed just one time where it was gentle?”

I rose upright on my knees, crooking a finger for her to come closer. Her toned stomach flexed, arching, closing the distance so her lips were millimetres away. Gazing into her eyes, I murmured, “I know because what you feel, I feel.” Resting my hand over her heart, I whispered, “I need you like we haven’t shared before. I need to take you this way. I can’t explain it.”

She sighed. “I can—it’s because we’re in tune. We shared parts of ourselves we thought the other would never accept. The knowledge that this is truly forever…it’s given us freedom to be soft.” Her lips captured mine, pulling me deeper into her drug, cancelling out my aches, flaring liquid heat in my veins. “I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

Returning to my position between her legs, I placed the vibrator and lube on the floor. Pushing her downward, I smiled. “You have that wrong. I’m the luckiest master in the world.” With the pads of my fingers, I caught the top of her stockings. She bit her lip as I rolled them down her silky skin. I removed her shoe, tugging the sheer material clear.

My cock throbbed to be inside her, loving the tension, the quivering delight in the knowledge we weren’t going to fight—not today. Today we would share something entirely different.

Repeating the process, I removed her other stocking, placing them with her shoes on the floor. The only things remaining were her knickers and collar.

A small slice of who I truly was rose. I bent over her hips, biting through the lace with one sharp cut. The material broke, falling away easily when I tugged the ruined lingerie down her legs.

The moment I glimpsed what I’d wanted since Suzette tore off her dress, my mouth went dry. “Mon Dieu, Tess, tu es si belle putain.”Goddammit, Tess, you’re so fucking beautiful.

I stared between her parted legs. Her golden hair was maintained and soft, her folds glistening with desire.

“Q—please…” she moaned. The leash from the collar fell between her breasts, a splash of blackness on her perfection. I looked for the permanent scar branding her neck forever. The beast inside purred, knowing it was undeniable now—this woman was mine. I no longer needed to carve my autograph into her every night, making sure my imprint lived in her skin—it was done. Officially. Unofficially. In every way humanly possible.

My symbol of commitment existed on every facet of her.

I pressed the wedding band around my finger with my thumb. I was hers, and I couldn’t be fucking happier.

Licking my lips, I pressed a gentle kiss right over her clit.

Her reaction was explosive, bowing upward, her fingers clutched the bed. Her sensitivity was insane compared to the control she maintained when I hurt her.

She’d truly let go. Not caring about anything but my hot breath on her core and the deliciousness of what was to come.

I kissed her again, licking once with a pointed tongue. She moaned—loudly.

Her pleasure sent a ripple of pre-cum spurting from my cock. My quads clenched as the sublime reaction made me crave more. More.

I pounced on her, covering her pussy with my mouth, sucking in her delectable taste, willingly turning my world topsey turvey with how drugged and intoxicated I was.

Her body rippled every time I licked her. Her mouth fell wide as I pushed my tongue deep, deep inside. Her muscles contracted, dragging my tongue even further. The first ripple of an orgasm warned me to pull back. I didn’t want her coming—not yet.

There was something else I wanted. Something I would take. But first…

Groping for the vibrator, I silently positioned the glittery phallus at her entrance. I nibbled her clit, distracting her with my tongue.

Her fingers groped the bed as I sucked harder, flicking her folds faster, driving her higher.

The gentleness and sweetness inside felt so different to a lifetime of needing pain. I got off on her mewls of pleasure just as much as her moans of agony. Born of a sadistic monster, I couldn’t fight what he’d poured into my blood. But tonight, all I needed was Tess.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

With another lave of my tongue, Tess left sanity, becoming a ball of lust. I loved that I’d driven her to the place where nothing else registers but sex. I needed her there—to enjoy what was to come.

Still sucking on her clit, I pressed the power button. The vibrator came to life, humming, sending shockwaves through her folds, echoing on my tongue.

She screamed. “God—Q. More. It feels—fuck, it feels—”

I didn’t let her finish.

Sliding the vibrator deep, I licked harder, overloading her system with pleasure.

Her hips rocked, forcing my mouth to crash against her pussy. Her hands disappeared into my hair, shamelessly pulling me into her. My neck ached, my back bellowed, but I wouldn’t stop until she came.

“Q—yes…shit, yes.”

I chuckled at Tess’s language, gawking at her wriggling body above. Her breasts jutted out, her nipples hard as fucking rocks. God, she tasted divine. I wanted to eat her forever.

My tongue ached to give way to teeth—I wanted to bite her. Just one tiny nip. But I kept up the relentless pressure, driving the vibrator deeper inside.

Her pants and whimpers were fucking erotic, twisting my belly. My cock throbbed with her every moan, demanding to replace the vibrator and come.

But as much as I wanted to come, I wanted to be somewhere else when I did. This was for her. Just for her.

My tongue picked up speed, urging her upward. Go on, esclave. Come. I want to hear you scream.

Pressing the power button, I cranked the speed. Her body jerked; her fingers yanking the sheets beneath her in a savage pull. “Oh, God!”

I smiled, flicking my tongue, ignoring the sweat running down my temples. My wrist hurt from thrusting the vibrator. I was insanely jealous of the innate object penetrating my woman. I could orgasm just by Tess coming apart.

“I’m going to—Q—stop if you don’t want me to—” Her head arched, hair flying in every direction as her body bunched.

Humming against her clit, I murmured, “You have my permission. Come, esclave. Fucking come on my tongue.” I pressed the button one last time. The vibrator turned from teasing to torturous but Tess writhed in sensual surrender.

Her hips pulsed in time to the thrusts I delivered, my head bobbing with her, keeping my tongue busy on her core.

“Q—shit, I’m coming. Q!”

Her entire body convulsed, her fingers became fingernails, clutching my head, rocking her hips into my mouth. Her cries demanded, searched, seethed for something.

I know what she needs.

I loved that she was right. This was normal. For us. Pain was our happy place.

She wanted it.

So I gave it to her.

I bit her clit with a feral growl. My heart collided painfully with my ribs, but I didn’t care.

She came.

And came.

And came.

Her cries echoed around the room, turning her limbs from quivering with tension to melting with satisfaction into the bed.

I breathed hard, aching and stiff, but very fucking smug. She’d come and it was all because of me.

Her eyes opened, looking almost black from her release. “Q…” Her head lolled, fingers falling from my hair. Her voice was heavy, slurred, completely sated. “That felt incr—incredible.”

I loved her sleepiness. Her vulnerability. I adored what it meant for me. My reward.

Removing the vibrator, I kissed her pussy. I grinned as her oversensitive clit shivered beneath my lips.

Turning off the toy, I left it on the floor. Tess kept her eyes closed, not moving from her open-legged position. I went to stand, but my body was mutinous, bellowing with pain. A simple movement of standing took five times as long as normal. I gritted my teeth, straightening out the kinks in my spine, gathering the lube, and climbing into the bed.

Every movement clashed like agonising cymbals. My body needed rest. I needed sleep, but I didn’t want to miss out on the best opportunity of my life.

I wouldn’t let any headaches, or battle wounds stop me from finishing what I’d started.

Tess was mine.

The second I lay down, Tess snuggled her back against my front, sighing deeply. I relaxed into the pillows, cupping her breast. The heaviness of her flesh activated every protective, possessive part inside. A guttural growl sounded in my throat. “You have the most incredible body. Made just for me. So accepting of anything I do.”

She snuggled closer, tugging a pillow to cradle her head.

I twisted her nipple, my mouth watering to give her tits the same attention as her pussy. Tess didn’t move or make a sound.

I laughed gently. “Are you sleeping, mon coeur?” Nuzzling her neck, I breathed hard. Her soft form in my arms was too much. I couldn’t stop my hips rocking, pressing my cock against her ass, seeking a release.

Tess moaned, wriggling closer. Her heartbeat fluttered under my touch. A minute ticked by while I held her. Slowly, energy entered her sex-sated limbs. She stroked my forearm wrapped around her. “I’m not sleeping, maître. I know what you want from me.”

My heart leapt. I clenched my jaw, forcing my hips to stop. “I won’t force you, Tess. If you’re still afraid…”

She pressed a gentle kiss on my bicep. “You’re not forcing me. I want you. Just…take me gently. I’ll do whatever you want—but you have to tell me what to do.” Her voice wavered, but I didn’t focus on her nerves, only on her permission.

My eyes snapped closed, loving her more in that moment than ever before. She’d put herself completely into my control. Trusting me to do this right. Loving me enough not to fear me. I didn’t need whips and chains to earn her complete submission—she’d given it to me—right here, right now.

My cock wept as I stroked her shoulder. “Allonge toi sur le ventre, mon cœur.” Lie on your stomach, my heart.

Tess obeyed. I helped her roll over, scooting her body to the centre of the bed. I braced myself with an elbow, looking down the sweeping lines of her back to the perfect pillows of her ass. Fuck, I want to mark her.

The violent thought disappeared as fast as it came. My palm itched to strike—to paint the white with red, but the urge faded, leaving me with heavy sweetness.

Placing my fingertips on the base of her neck, I pushed the tangled strands away, leaving her back completely clear. Pressing a kiss to her shoulder blades, I murmured, “Don’t tense. Trust me.”

She nodded, breathing shallow as I very carefully, very slowly, dragged my fingers down her spine, over every bead, along every hollow, tracing the hills and valleys to the fullness of her ass.