my own heart match the erratic rhythm of hers. I don't reassure her because I don't want to reassure her. She needs to know what she said yes to and that she doesn't get to fuck around with these things. So she'd better be sure.
I'm not angry now at least. Not at her. Not even at Colin. I know something that will get Colin off my ass and appease him, but all I care about in this moment is the gift I've just been given. Finally, I get to punish her.
I take her to the center of the room and space is made. People break their scenes and move out of the way, forming a circle around us. Every eye in this place is riveted to us. I turn to the string quartet and they rush to fill the empty space with music again.
I don't know the name of the piece they've selected, but it's dark, intense, and seductive.
I point imperially at the ground in front of me. “Kneel,” I say. My voice is hard, short, and clipped. And it makes her flinch.
She gets down on her knees and looks up at me. Real fear is back, and I'm a sick son of a bitch for being turned on by it. A tear slides down her cheek and I grip her chin, lean down, and lick it off her face. She shudders under the caress of my tongue.
“Tell me, slut, what is it you did to earn punishment tonight?” I ask the question loud enough that our assembled audience can hear. They are hanging on every word now.
They've no doubt spent the entire week trying to catch a glimpse of our new toy, wondering when we'd make an appearance with her and if we might share her. They know the gold collar means no. But they can still watch. We'll allow them that privilege at least.
Well not Colin, poor guy. He's been escorted off the property. I have no idea how long Dayne banned him for, but I do sort of love it. He earned that for even asking to touch her. He's not new. He knows the rules here.
“F-for not swallowing, Master,” she says. Her voice is so quiet.
“Louder. They need to know your transgression.”
“For not swallowing, Master,” she says louder, and when she looks up at me her eyes are those twin blue flames again. They say I can take whatever you have to give. Oh yeah? Show me.
“And what else are you being punished for?”
She looks confused. “I-I don't know, Master.”
“Don't you? Don't think I didn't catch you looking to Dayne for permission to suck me off earlier. Let's be clear... I saw you first. If you need anyone's permission for anything, it's mine. Is that clear, Mrs. Kingston?”
It's the first time I've called her by her new last name in public. And I can tell our guests didn't realize things were so much more permanent with Livia. They thought she was just another diversion. I'm sure there will be gossip wondering why she isn't Mrs. Montgomery.
“Y-yes, Master,” she says.
I glance up to the platform to find Dayne lounging in his big leather chair, shaking his head and chuckling. Griffin has moved onto the main floor and stands just at the edges.
“Be useful and bring me a cane, Griff.”
“Soren...”
“Bring. Me. A. Cane. As soon as I finish here, you get to deflower our little anal virgin.”
Multiple gasps ripple throughout the circle. People here are so jaded. Dayne doesn't allow anyone underage anywhere near the resort, so it's been a long time since they've gotten to see a virgin anything.
There's a part of me that wishes it was me doing the honors, but Griff is right, it's really too much for her first time.
A few minutes later, Griffin returns and passes a bamboo cane to me.
“Livia, I want you to bow all the way to the floor, arms stretched out in front of you, palms flat, head resting on the floor. And you will count. You're getting ten.”
“Soren...” Griffin says again.
I round on him. “I swear to fuck, Griff. If you say another goddamned word, I'm caning your ass next.”
He glares at me but backs off. Livia is trembling on the ground. The music has stopped again, everyone, including the quartet watches inside this pin-drop silence.
I turn my attention back to Livia. “After you count each one, you will say Thank you, Master.”
She can only nod. She's already crying, and I haven't even touched her yet. What is