Dungeon Royale (Masters and Mercenaries) (41 page)

But he claimed he didn’t love her.

They didn’t speak the same language. Men and women rarely did. She’d accepted that, but now she knew she’d forgotten something. Languages could be learned. They just had to be practiced.

“I love you, Damon.”

He turned, nearly knocking his glass over. “What?”

“I said I love you, Damon.” He would need to hear it many, many times before he got the meaning.

His eyes tightened, focusing on her. “I don’t understand.”

She rose to her feet and walked to him, peace filling her. This was what she should have done in the first place, but she was too used to hiding behind a wall. “I know you don’t, but I’m going to teach you.”

“Damn it, Penelope. I don’t understand a bit of this and I really don’t like it.”

He was confused and he hated it, and she hated that she’d placed him there. He looked so hard on the outside, so polished and smooth like nothing could touch him, but inside he was quite tender. Inside he was still a boy praying that someone would take care of him, love him enough to stay.

She reached out and touched him, cupping his gorgeous face in her hands. “I’m so sorry, Master. I broke trust with you. You said something that hurt me, and I didn’t ask you about it. I took that hurt and put it up like a shield between us to protect myself. It was wrong of me and I hope you can forgive me.”

He shook his head as though trying to clear it. “What did I say?”

She moved closer, brushing her pelvis against him. She sighed when his hands came out to skim the curve of her hips. “You told me if I disobeyed that you would allow every Dom on board to have a go at me.”

Pure confusion was on his face now. “I explained that.”

“Yes, you explained that you meant they could swat my arse. But that wasn’t what I heard.”

His hands tightened as realization seemed to dawn. “You thought…you bloody well thought I would let them fuck you as a punishment? You thought I would let other men use you?”

She was probably in for a few bad moments because there was a righteous indignation in his tone. Perhaps he would handle it a bit better if she showed him just how sorry she was. She took a step back and found her position once more, spreading her legs as wide as she could and allowing her head to fall submissively forward. Her Master had been overstimulated. Between the torture she’d put him through and then all the terror at the church, he’d likely had enough.

“I asked you a question.” Yes, his frustration was right there in his voice.

“Yes, Master. That’s what I thought.” Her arse was already starting to ache, and he hadn’t even touched her yet. She let herself cry because it seemed to move him and because she was done with all the games. The day had been perfectly dreadful and she needed to cry, to let it all out. She loved this lifestyle. It had all gone badly when she had played it vanilla. Kink couples had to talk. They had to communicate about everything and she’d broken that rule.

His hand came down, fingers finding her chin and tipping her head up toward him. His face was tight as he looked down at her. “And you didn’t think about talking to me about it? You thought I was the type of man who would share my submissive with every bloody cock in the place and you didn’t once think about asking me why?”

Put like that it really did sound bad. “I thought about it, Master. Once. Perhaps twice.”

“Those tears aren’t going to save you. Are you mine?”

An easy question. “Yes.”

“Say it again.”

She smiled up at him. He really did like that particular word. “Yes.”

He shook his head. “No. Not that. What you said before. I want to hear it again.”

“I love you, Damon.” She hoped he could see to her soul so he would know just how much she meant those words.

“I will never share you with anyone.” His voice was rough with emotion. “Do you know what it took for me to not put a bullet in that arsehole who hit you today?”

It wouldn’t ever matter that the man was defending himself. Damon would try to protect her, defend her, avenge her if need be. “I thank you, Master, for being so indulgent.”

It had been an indulgence on his part, and now she could see how much he’d bent for her.

“Not again, Penelope. You will not go in the field again. There’s no reason for it. Your gorgeous self is staying on this bloody boat until I come back for you. Is that understood?”

“But I was good in the field.” Except for a sore shoulder where she’d hit the brick wall, she was perfectly fit.

“Penelope.”

Just one word and she knew she’d pushed him to his limit. “Yes, Master. I’ll stay on the boat or wherever you put me.”

It was better that way. Damon spent all his time trying to keep her safe. He needed to focus on the job at hand.

“I don’t like it when you won’t talk to me.”

Translation.
You hurt me.

“I’m sorry, Master. I won’t do it again.”

“You have to tell me what you feel. It’s important to D/s.”

Translation.
I need honesty to feel close to you.

“I promise. I’ll be honest. Even when I’m hurt. Especially when I’m hurt because I don’t think you ever mean to hurt me.”

“I do mean to hurt your arse, Penelope.”

Translation.
I’m horny, but I’ll make you beg before you get my cock.
Yes, she was learning Damon’s language quite nicely.

“I can handle it, Master.” Her heart clenched a little at the smile that broke over his face.

“On the bed. All fours. I’m not going easy on you because you decided to cry prettily and apologize.”

She scrambled to obey. That needed no translation, though she knew some of it was bluster. He’d never harmed her. His version of torture brought about the sweetest pleasures she’d ever known.

“I want you to understand something. After this is over, I’m not letting you go. You’re mine, damn it, and it’s going to stay that way. You’re going to keep that collar on forever. And if you ever take it off, you won’t bloody well appreciate the spanking I give you. I swear every smack will be from my hand and when I get tired, I’ll switch to the flogger.” His hand came out, cupping her arse. “Who does this belong to?”

“It’s yours, Master. It’s all yours.” Everything she had or was or had been belonged to him. Everything she would be was his. For as long as she lived.

She tried not to think about it any other way. Damon was reckless, stubborn. He would likely die long before her, but she wouldn’t stop loving him. She would just wait until the day she could join him again.

He smacked her, his hand covering her cheek with heat and that flare of sensation that got her moaning. Once, twice, three times.

“You will not shut me out.” Four. Five and six. “You will talk to me when you’re angry. I’m your Dom. I’m your lover. You will tell me what’s wrong.” Seven and eight and nine.

She thought about mentioning that what was wrong right now was that her arse was on fire, but decided to hold that bit back. “Yes, Master.”

She cried, letting it all out. The day had been dreadful despite the fact that it had turned out all right. Now that she was here with him, she could let go.

“That’s right, love. Let it all out. Let it go. You’re safe now.”

She lost track of the number of times he spanked her. It didn’t matter. What mattered was their connection and the fact that she didn’t have to hide her pain. She cried and cried, the tears purifying her in a way she’d never known possible.

After what seemed like forever, he stopped, pulling her up into his arms. He shifted her around.

“Don’t ever leave me.” Translation.
I love you. I missed you. I can’t live without you.

She saw him through her tears. She saw how vulnerable he was. He’d made himself vulnerable for her, only for her. “I love you, Damon. I won’t ever leave you.”

His mouth slammed on hers, his tongue surging inside. His arms caged her, holding her to his chest so her nipples rubbed against the fabric of his shirt. His hands moved lower, cupping the cheeks he’d recently set ablaze and dragging her against him, grinding his erection on her. “I need you.”

“You have me.” She let him press her down to the bed, the ache in her bum strangely erotic. She spread her legs, her pussy already wet and warm. The spanking got her primed for her Master.

He was up on his knees, staring down at her. “Do you know how beautiful you are to me?”

“You make me feel that way.” No one else had ever made her feel like Damon did.

He tore at his slacks, his usual grace deserting him in the heat of the moment. He fumbled a bit, shoving them down and freeing his cock. “Don’t think that just because I give you an orgasm means all is forgiven. You’re going to be my slave tonight because it seems I’m going to be yours for the rest of my bloody life.”

It was a fair exchange in her estimation.

He didn’t bother to get undressed, merely tossed his shirt to the side and stroked his cock before falling on her.

He kissed her like a starving man, inhaling her. He made a place for himself between her legs, his cock homing in on where it wanted to be.

She gasped as he pushed his full length inside her in one long pass.

So full. It didn’t matter how many times he fucked her, he always managed to take her breath away.

He held himself still, allowing her to get used to just how big he was. This was the moment that made all the bad stuff worthwhile. This moment when they were together, when nothing was between them.

“Take me.” He pulled out and fucked his way back in. “Take everything I give you.”

She reached up and let her hands find the muscular cheeks of his rear, her nails sinking in. If he hadn’t tied her down, then she knew he wanted her with him. Her Master didn’t want her still and silent when he fucked her. He wanted to make her moan. He wanted her passion, and she gave it to him.

All other thoughts fled. The world receded until it was only the two of them. They were all that mattered. Her and Damon.

He moaned and shoved in hard as she cupped his arse. He picked up the pace, slamming his pelvis against hers, hitting high inside her pussy even while he ground himself against her clit. “Come for me. You come for me, Penelope. My Penelope.”

She worked his cock, straining for the pleasure she knew was waiting for her. Over and over again, he took her higher until his cock hit that magic spot and she went flying.

She cried out, letting the pleasure take her. The orgasm crashed into her like a rushing wave, sending heat through her veins.

Damon stiffened on top of her, his gorgeous face contorting. Another spark of pure sensation went through her as he flooded her with come, holding himself tight against her body, keeping them connected.

He collapsed against her, their chests nestling together. He kissed her again, his mouth lazy against hers.

“I’m not done, love. Not even close. I want everything. I’ll have everything from you before the night is over,” he whispered against her mouth. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, making her start to shiver and shake all over again.

Penelope sighed and wished the night would never end.

Chapter Twenty

Damon stared down at her body. Flushed with her recent orgasm, she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

And he really wanted to punish her some more.

“Turn over. Arse in the air.” He was well aware his voice was harsh, but he couldn’t seem to control it. Like all things when it came to Penelope Cash, he wasn’t in control. Not really. He could play at it, but he’d been hers from the first moment he’d touched her, the first time he put his lips on hers and realized what it meant to kiss a woman with his whole being. He’d fought it, likely would still have a few battles with it, but he wasn’t willing to ever walk away.

He could have it all. He could still work and he could have Penelope. All he had to do was be more careful. Knowing Penelope was waiting for him would make him think before he did reckless shit like today.

But she needed to understand that he could only be pushed so far.

She smiled up at him, a lazy gorgeous thing. “You’re going to torture me, aren’t you?” She flipped over, moving with a slow grace as if she wasn’t really worried about what he would do. “I did say I was sorry.”

He moved from the bed, but couldn’t take his eyes off the way she presented herself to him. Her knees were wide, her cheeks in the air. He could see her labia. It was rich and creamy and still had his come coating it.

He was so hard he could barely breathe. He sent a small thanks to the universe that his heart could survive sex with her because he’d rather die than give it up.

“I require more than your apology.” She’d put him through hell. It was stupid because he was a man who had actually been tortured by people who knew bloody well what they were doing, but he’d rather have his balls crushed by Afghan terrorists than spend another day thinking he’d broken her.

Her lips curled in a serene smile. “Yes, Master. What are you going to do to your poor sub?”

“I’m going to show you who’s boss. I’m going to take that pretty arse and make it mine. No one else’s. God, Penelope. How could you possibly think I would share you? I can’t stand it when other men look at you.” He kicked his pants and shorts to the side. He wouldn’t need them for the rest of the night. He might just keep her naked and in bed until they reached Berlin.